Behind the scenes at onefinestay - Concierge edition

At onefinestay, our concierge service is at the heart of what we do. Once a guest has been matched with their perfect holiday hideaway from our exclusive collection of homes, villas and chalets, our concierge team get to work to craft the dream itinerary for their trip.

Travel-obsessed, with a hunger for discovering the hottest local haunts, our concierge team dive deep into the tapestry of each of our destinations, selecting the area's finest spots and suppliers for our guests to enjoy. The team uses their extensive local knowledge and exacting taste to tailor extraordinary experiences, surprising our guests with exceptional attention to detail and thoughtful little touches.

Here we speak to Marta, our Global Concierge Operations Manager, about her passion for hospitality, the destinations she can't get enough of and some of the top local spots she's uncovered along the way.

Tell us a bit about your background, where did you grow up?

I was born and raised in Italy. Initially, in the city of Rome and then in the nearby countryside. My mum’s side of the family is from Puglia, so I spent many summers in the south of Italy surrounded by the most amazing beaches and olive groves. It was so hard to leave it all behind when I moved to London to study.

What drew you to your role at onefinestay?

My family has always worked in hospitality: my grandad was a wine merchant and my parents are in the food and drinks business too. I spent most of my childhood seeing them in action; their passion and warmth coming through in every single interaction with people. One of my siblings is a chef and the other was a croupier - we are just all drawn to the industry!

I was almost the odd one out in that I’d gone a completely different route with my studies; however, when the opportunity came up nine years ago to join the concierge team at onefinestay, I simply couldn’t resist.

What’s the most extraordinary experience you’ve organised for a guest?

A couple booked to stay with us in London to celebrate their wedding anniversary; as soon as they mentioned the purpose of their trip I knew I had to make their stay extra special. I worked with our food tour guides to build a personalised Michelin-star itinerary for the couple, with a course per restaurant so they’d get to try them all. Later that week, I arranged a private boat trip on the Thames so they could admire the sunset while sipping champagne and listening to a live saxophonist.

What’s the craziest/most fun request you’ve had over the years?

 

We’ve had a few occasions when the guest has fallen head over heels for the home they’ve stayed in and has asked to be put into contact with the homeowner to make an offer. This happened recently at the beautiful Donne Place in London.

Tell us about the best holiday you’ve ever been on.

I recently went on a wonderful road trip through Northern Italy. We started in Venice and then went onto Lake Garda for a spa day at Sirmione (which has one of the coolest castles I have ever seen!). We then enjoyed a few days visiting vineyards in Franciacorta, a region of Italy known for its classic method sparkling wine, a bit like Champagne in France.

Give us a few of your hottest local tips...

Ok, here are my three go-tos for the perfect weekend in Paris:

• My no.1 for any special occasion is Le Servan. The food is outstanding, the vibe is immaculate and the wine list is practically perfect.

• I’ve had a wonderful meal at ChoCho recently, where I tried my first proper Pithivier! They do small plates wonderfully and the warm, bright atmosphere makes them so fun to share.

• You simply can’t go to Paris and not try the brioche feuilletée from Brigat’s. Their sourdough bread is also out of this world - my favourite is the pumpkin and pancetta. In the summer, they open up a gelateria next door too, so you enjoy the best of both worlds!
  

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Cannes - I fell in love with the town while studying abroad and I’ve been planning my move ever since! In my future life, I'll spend each Saturday morning art shopping in Rue d’Antibes, before brunching with my friends at the Ritz Carlton and spending the afternoon on the beach. But for now, I have to make do with visiting every few months.

Three things you’d take to a desert island with you.

I’m a very pragmatic person, always ready to spring into action, so I feel like I should bring at least a couple of tools to be prepared for anything and turn even the most mundane materials into something nice! It’d also be nice for me to have my piano with me - and for once I wouldn’t be annoying any neighbours!

Finally, where next? What are your travel plans for this year?

Having family all over Europe does make for a fairly regular travel schedule so I will be off to Italy, the Czech Republic and, of course, France in the coming months. I haven’t quite planned anything for the latter part of the year yet, so let's see... I’ve always been jealous of people who have summer birthdays, so I want to make a warm November trip happen - maybe Mexico (lucky for me onefinestay has such a global collection).