Rich folks—is it hard for you to find a good rental that meets your exacting standards? Way too wealthy for Airbnb? Oh boy, do we feel your pain. Fortunately, one of the benefits of being rich is that there are always services to help you! Onefinestay offers “renowned hospitality for stays in the finest homes.” Unlike Airbnb or HomeAway, Onefinestay personally vets each house and manages the rental for the owner, including marketing, bookings, storing valuables, and cleanup. Vacationers have the security of knowing that the property will be of a high standard.
Now, after success in London, New York, Paris, and Los Angeles, Onefinestay is coming to the Hamptons. Prices seem, oh what is the word, “cray-cray.” For example, a perfectly pleasant house with pool, non-bayfront, by Barnes Landing in Springs, is available for a week in July for $28,000. (Or two weeks for $56,000!) (And by the way, no East Hampton rental registration number is displayed, although we don’t really want to get into the short-term rental argument.)
If that’s not fancy enough for you, Villa Maria is available “from $34,700 a night.” But hey, at least renters have the assurance that each home is clean, well stocked, and higher-end, with no surprises—of course, they’re paying for that service.
So should local agents be concerned? We honestly think online is the way forward for vacation rentals. People are increasingly busy: they want to click a button to book a stay from their phone or office, not spend a day going out to the Hamptons and being shown around by an agent. It would behoove local agencies to copy this example, including the concierge-like services. What do you say?
