Stay deluxe in the most popular cities of the world
BY ANJA FAHS
When hotelier Greg Marsh was on his way home after work in London one evening in 2009, his route took him through the residential area of the luxurious district of Mayfair. Everything looked as always. Despite this, he had the feeling that something was not quite right. Suddenly he saw daylight - namely that there was no light. All these wonderful large houses were dark. There was hardly anybody at home, the residents were all out somewhere or were completely out of town. Their flats and houses in the middle of one of the most exciting cities were virtually empty. Just like Greg’s flat when he was in Italy and had to spend the nights in a plain, standard hotel. As he saw these impressive Mayfair town houses which had been untouched for days, he knew: these houses could be the opposite of impersonal, soulless accommodations for city travellers. The idea for onefinestay was born.
Today, onefinestay acts as an exclusive rental service for luxurious houses and classy flats in London, New York, Paris and Los Angeles and is something like a luxury version of ‘Airbnb’. onefinestay’s dizzying portfolio of the most beautiful living spaces of these cities encompasses more than 2,500 properties. They are all very stylish, with outstanding interior design and can only be found in the best city locations. Whether it’s an elegant Jugendstil flat in the area of Saint Germain in Paris, a spacious, stylish loft in Brooklyn or a grand Gregorian town house in London - the style and the furnishings would have even the biggest anti-Instagram user reach for his camera. The hippest neighbourhoods lie directly in on the doorstep, making these dream homes the best base for discovering these metropolises as if you were a local. Ideal for weekend trips, city-breakers and even business travellers who have had more than enough of the uniformity of their conference hotels.
The concept of onefinestay makes sure that guests and the landlord do not have to take care of anything themselves. The house is cleaned from top to bottom before and after each stay. The team of the luxurious rental service meticulously prepare the living spaces for each stay. Each room is photographed before the owner‘s personal objects and valuable furnishings are locked away. The bathroom is filled with onefinestay’s own fluffy towels and high-quality toiletries. And, if relevant, the owner’s daring leopard-print bedding is carefully packed away and the beds are made with white natural cotton bed linen. Of course the fridge is freshly stocked up and guests can use the telephone for domestic calls or writing messages. An iPhone is also provided, with the owner’s personal tips and recommendations for his city. Should guests have any questions, onefinestay’s 24-hour hotline is always available with advice and assistance. Should there be any breakages, the insurance offered will cover this. As soon as the guests are gone, the team transforms the house back into its original state - just as the owner left it. Even his own soap is in the shower, ready to use.
It’s no wonder that the industry for short-term rentals has grown over the last few years. Platforms such as Airbnb, Flatbook, proply or onefinestay offer accommodations for every taste and requirement. Some of them offer the complete service from greeting the guests to handing over the keys as well as the administrative and rental process. An interesting option emerges - for house owners to earn money on the side by occasionally renting out their living space.
onefinestay advertises itself on its hand-picked and sophisticated selection of dream homes, therefore interested house owners have to apply with the company. The team checks all potential accommodations personally on location and examines every house or flat extremely carefully. There is a manual as thick as a book, with strict standards which every landlord has to fulfil and adhere to in order to have his property included - from a minimum number of wine glasses which should be available for guests, to the thickness of the mattresses. This is the only way onefinestay can ensure that the guests can enjoy their unique holiday experience. And enjoy it in individual houses which welcome them with comfort, character and love of detail.
Additional Links
www.onefinestay.com
www.tgoa.de
This article was published in The Produktkulturmagazin issue Q4 2015. Picture credit © @onefinestay
