High Net worth homeowners stay at some of the nicest hotels in the world because they expect premium services. Places like the Le Bristol in Paris, Mandarin Oriental in London, Ritz-Carlton Central Park in NYC, Burj Al Arab in Dubai and the Ritz-Carlton Suite in Tokyo. These hotels have set the bar high for luxury services. But who’s to say one’s home can’t have the same luxury services?
Here are the premier concierge type services the wealthy are creating in their personal homes.
1) A personalized butler. They normally live on-sight in a separate casa and are available 7 days a week from early in the morning until late at night. Do you want a quick snack brought to your bedroom at midnight? James the butler is there for your every need.
2) A private chauffeur and car service. This is quite normal for wealthy people in New York City where driving a car is challenging. If you’re ready to go to the theatre to see the newest hit show, your driver is there to take you wherever you want. And of course, they’ll drive you there in the luxury car of your choice. I personally like the Maybach 62S Landaulet.
3) In-house Spa and Wellness facilities that allow you to indulge yourself with massages, facials, mani-pedis, and other holistic therapies. You have an app on your phone to set appointments with the top specializes in these areas to attend to your every need with a quick click on your cell phone or tablet.
4) Are you in the mood for a spectacular Michelin-rated dinner tonight for just yourself or for 20 of your closest friends? Affluent families will have an on-property chef to cater to their every tastebud whim. Are you ready for a delicious Coq Au Vin or maybe a Grand Velas Taco with Beluga caviar, Kobe beef, black truffle brie and gold flakes? Ask and you shall receive, when your professional chef lives in an on-property staff house.
5) Bespoke Concierge Services. There is nothing like having someone to call or text for your every indulgence. Do you need front-row seats for Cher’s final, final tour? No problem. Your concierge will make that happen. If you want to get out of the house and try that newly minted Michelin-rated restaurant that just opened. Consider it done by your always helpful concierge. Flowers for a friend that’s in the hospital? Check! You let your bestie girlfriend use your backyard for her 4th wedding? No problem. Your concierge will connect with the best wedding planner in town and take care of every little detail. Oh, the joy of having a highly connected concierge!
6) Shopping excursions. Your personal shopper is on your speed dial so every time you and your girlfriends want to have a shopping day on Fifth avenue or Rodeo drive, she’ll come with you to help you choose the most haute couture designer dress for that upcoming special event where you want to be the belle of the ball. You trust your personal taste, but it’s always good to have a professional’s opinion.
7) Personal Fitness Trainer. Even though personal trainers have been around since the early 80’s (I know, since I helped get this new industry off the ground in LA in 1983), only a small percentage of homeowners have a dedicated space in their home for exercise. I’ve had one since I bought my first home in 1987. There is nothing like having a trainer come to your home 3-5 times a week to put you through your paces. They guide you, push you, ensure your safety and motivate you to get in the best shape of your life. Like they say… “You only live once!” If there’s one home space I think is a priority, it’s a wellness/fitness room. When you make it into your 60’s and above, you’ll appreciate what your trainer did for you over the years.
8) The last two special places in your estate home should be a wine room and a cigar room. For those that appreciate a fine cigar, there’s nothing like having a custom, ventilated, climate-controlled room with a humidor for your special cache of luxury cigars from around the world. Cigars, like wine and other spirits, are special indulgences that take years to acquire a sophisticated taste for. To have your own cigar room is a necessity so the smoke doesn’t affect other parts of your estate home.
And if you’re a wine afficionado, you know that fine wines need to be coddled in a climate-controlled environment at about 55 degrees and stored in a horizontal position to ensure their flavor. I’ve seen some
exquisite wine rooms during my real estate sales career. They can cost anywhere from $10,000 for a small storage area to hundreds of thousands for larger ones that can seat a dozen or more people.
As architects and contractors continue to escalate the WOW factor in estate homes, you’ll see more and more luxury rooms built to satisfy the ever-growing demands of the affluent, just like the special facilities in a luxury hotel. The good news is, you don’t have to own a multimillion-dollar home to begin creating special places in your home. As Nike’s famous ad campaign said… “Just do it!”
