That French villa in Downton Abbey movie? You can rent it for US$52K a week with five-star service on a par with that of luxury hotels
- A new breed of luxury holiday-lease companies rents out dream homes in exclusive destinations that come with 5-star chefs and other services top hotels provide
- Combining the privacy and space of a holiday lease with the amenities of a deluxe hotel is a growing trend post-Covid-19, one that hotel groups have tapped into
“I’ve come into possession of a villa in the South of France,” announces the Dowager Countess of Grantham in the upcoming film Downton Abbey: A New Era. And you can, too – complete with a butler and other staff – at least for a few nights, or several weeks.
The Côte d’Azur villa featured in the film is just one of the exclusive private homes available to rent through Homanie, one of a new breed of luxury holiday-lease brands providing service on a par with a luxury hotel.
Launched in March 2021, the company’s remit covers dream homes with incredible views in exceptional locations, and it handles some 50 privately owned properties in France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
To those who book this accommodation, Homanie offers “five-star service by The Homanists – women and men who are selected for their expertise”: chefs, housekeepers, gym trainers and yoga instructors.
The package costs an average of €50,000 (US$52,500) to €60,000 a week in summer, with some properties charging €180,000 a week.
Luxury holiday rentals are not a new concept, of course, but there’s a growing trend for combining the privacy and space of a holiday lease with the service and amenities of a deluxe hotel.
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“Up until now, renting a property has been synonymous with ‘self catering’ – a quick handover of the keys and service which is often cursory. Homanie is offering an innovative, five-star hotel service,” says a spokeswoman for the company.
Similarly, from this summer, Mandarin Oriental customers will have the chance to experience the hotel brand in a new way. In a collaboration with StayOne, specialists in “the finest one per cent of holiday homes”, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has launched a collection of exclusive private houses to rent.
Each comes with “service provided by a team who have been meticulously trained by Mandarin Oriental”.
Mandarin Oriental Exclusive Homes services include a 24-hour concierge, in-house private chef and daily housekeeping, as well as the provision of MO robes and bathroom amenities.
“The luxury-home rental market is a fast-growing segment of leisure travel,” says Luca Finardi, area vice-president and head of operations at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which became a minority investor in StayOne in late 2020.
“We saw the opportunity to introduce luxury experiences that combine the best of both brands. StayOne have the perfect homes, and Mandarin Oriental has the brand reputation to deliver unique personalised service in a luxury environment.”
The first eight properties are in the south of France; on the Balearic Islands of Ibiza and Mallorca; and in the Cotswolds in England.
“Destinations were selected based on customer demand among our Fan base [members of the MO’s loyalty programme are known as “Fans”] in the most popular leisure destinations,” says Finardi.
“Mandarin Oriental and StayOne will collaborate to identify seasonal collections, handpicking villas in other key destinations around the world.”
Other hotel brands have links with luxury rental properties around the world, including in North America and Asia. Marriott International launched Homes & Villas in 2019 and, prior to that, the Accor hotel group bought upscale holiday rental company onefinestay.
“While no formal crossover programming or services exist between Accor hotel brands and onefinestay, we are capable of addressing needs or requests our guests or clients may have,” says Garth Simmons, Accor CEO for Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea. “This could take the shape of a hotel chef preparing a bespoke, private dinner at a onefinestay property.”
Members of the Fans of MO loyalty scheme will be offered concierge credit while staying at any of the Exclusive Homes. Both Accor and Marriott allow guests to earn and redeem reward points when booking stays at onefinestay and Homes & Villas addresses, respectively.
On a smaller scale, ÀNI Private Resorts offers four privately owned estates or resorts for rent with full service, in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Anguilla and the Dominican Republic.
And in London, Domus Stay has privately owned high-end flats and exclusive town houses on its books for short-stay rentals, with the opportunity to arrange guest services such as personal trainers, VIP gallery tours, private wine tastings and art classes.
The larger properties offered by those renting out upmarket private homes are ideally suited to multi-generational holiday parties and landmark occasions.
“Customers of luxury villas usually choose them for different reasons to choosing luxury hotels,” says Finardi. “We saw an opportunity of being able to offer private, stand-alone accommodation options in destinations we have yet to open a hotel; ideally for the coming together of family and friends to celebrate key events.”
Companies say they have seen increased interest as the world opens up following Covid-19 restrictions.
“We have noticed since the pandemic a real increase in demand for holidays in private mansions, as travellers now favour more intimate places where they feel more secure against the risk of Covid,” says the Homanie spokeswoman.
Downton Abbey: A New Era will be released in Hong Kong on June 9
