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As you already know
The
Luxury Travel Bible live, breathe and dream luxury hotels. But we also fully accept that there does sometimes come a point where you need a few home comforts such as being able to curl up on the sofa, make dinner for yourself and leave the suite without worrying what the housekeeping staff may see. If you can't do this in your own home there is a new trend in luxury travel, the un-hotel and new company One Fine Stay are bringing it to the London market.
Home Sweet (someone else's) Home, if you will.
The premise is a simple one. The owners of luxury homes in the hottest of locations in London leave the property and their belongings for guests to move into. One Fine Stay have a range of houses on their books from sprawling family homes in Kensington, to stylish playboy apartments overlooking the Houses of Parliament to fashionable townhouses in Notting Hill.
TLTB readers will not need to forego the hotel-style amenities and luxury that they have come to expect. Every house is fully cleaned by the company before and after guests' stay, luxurious linen and The White Company toiletries are provided. Maid service is available and the company are always on 24/7 call in much the same way a hotel's concierge would be. They promise that if the problem cannot be fixed over the phone they will come over, via scooter, to help you.
One of the highlights of this service is that the home owners must provide their guests with
their guide to the area detailing everything from where to go for the best coffee to the quickest route to local attractions. As the property is their home the owners are also able to reveal tips that would only be known to those living in the house (as opposed to a management service) such as who to call if the nearby bar gets too noisy at the weekend.
Home Sweet (someone else's) Home, if you will.
Those with little luxies at
The Luxury Travel Bible also point out that travelling with children is not always easy. Therefore one of the big benefits of One Fine Stay's un-hotel is that it will reduce (some) of the paraphernalia needed. The 'family' homes in the catalogue come fully stocked with toys and games for children and Xboxes and music for teenagers.
One does have to wonder what persuades the homeowners to leave their homes (surely the recession hasn't hit that hard that they need the extra cash). Where do they go? But one look at these homes and it is easy to come to the conclusion that they are most probably staying at their country pile.
With so many options the biggest issue facing those who decide to stay is who they want to emulate on their London visit - May Fair Playboy bachelor, Sloane Ranger, part of the fashionable Primose Hill set?
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