What happens when two decades of luxury hospitality and prime real estate expertise converge? Enter Domus Stay, a visionary fusion of impeccable short-stay experiences and tailored, concierge-level service. Leveraging Positive Luxury’s guidance to turn sustainability challenges into opportunities and future-proof their brand, we explore how founders Rachel and Max seamlessly fuse hospitality with real estate – whilst embedding sustainability into every aspect of their concept.
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When was Domus Stay born and can you tell us more about the concept?
Domus Stay was established in January 2020 with a vision to bring together the worlds of hospitality and real estate. We’re client-centric and draw on our collective experience – more than two decades working for leading luxury hotel brands and across London’s prime property market respectively – to deliver a short stay offering that meets the expectations of discerning, high-net-worth homeowners and guests alike. As a relationship-based business, we put people at the heart of what we do and take pride in our highly tailored personal service, whether that involves acting as a custodian for the exceptional properties in our portfolio or making visitors feel at home with our dedicated concierge. Domus Stay brings an authenticity to the table that we believe can only be achieved through honed experience and understanding.
What is your brand motto?
The perfect combination of property, place and personal service for the world’s most remarkable people is our founding motto, and it continues to encapsulate what we stand for. Everything we do also stems from our core values – care, excellence, passion and integrity. We lean on these guiding principles and a spirit of generosity to build relationships based on trust with likeminded homeowners, guests and the local community.
What does luxury mean to Domus Stay?
To Domus Stay, luxury means a client knowing and trusting that their requirements will be intuitively understood and seamlessly delivered. It also means authenticity, discretion and establishing likeminded connections. For us, true luxury is achieved by putting people first. By offering curated guest services, we aim to deliver meaningful experiences tailored to each individual. It goes without saying that luxury is a byword for quality and distinction, which is why we take time and care to handpick each property in our portfolio for its architectural merit, and our partners for their artisanal approach and attention to detail.
For Domus Stay, how do the worlds of luxury and sustainability collide?
We believe that sustainability is engrained in a sense of place and community, both of which are essential considerations when engaging with people authentically and delivering meaningful experiences – whether that be with our clients or our growing team. Our sustainability purpose is to care for people and the places that matter to them. We invest in our people, our culture and the communities we operate in, and that filters down to our clients. By actively championing local entrepreneurs, craftspeople and brands, we strive to contribute responsibly to our environment while enhancing our service offering.
What shifts in the industry have you noticed in relation to sustainability, particularly within the travel and leisure sector?
It’s a self-evident truth that people are making more informed decisions when it comes to travel. Our guests want to travel mindfully and connect with individuals who share these values. Sustainability is very much on the agenda within the sector, too. From the events we attend to the people we meet; there’s more of a conversation around it. Sustainability is also increasingly important to the people who work for Domus Stay. Together, we continue to hold each other accountable to ensure every decision we make is aligned to our ESG goals.
How has working with Positive Luxury changed or informed your approach to sustainability?
Working alongside Positive Luxury has brought into sharper focus the need for a holistic approach to sustainability. Throughout the rigorous accreditation process and beyond, the team has always been on hand to provide encouragement and point us in the right direction regarding resources. This support has been invaluable in reframing the narrative in a positive way and setting realistic targets. While there’s momentum around sustainability in the travel sector, there’s also a lot of noise. Positive Luxury helps us break through that noise and drill down on what is relevant for our business, making the process less daunting.
What are the primary sustainability-related opportunities and challenges you have come across within the short-stay letting market?
As is so often the case, the challenges are the opportunities. In our industry, many elements are beyond our control, but there is still plenty we can influence. Are we directing our guests towards local, independent businesses and encouraging them to invest in the community? Have we ensured the facilities are in place so they can dispose of waste responsibly? Are we talking to our homeowners about switching to renewable energy suppliers? Often the biggest challenge is marrying the realities of a fast-paced, dynamic business with sustainability-related considerations. Sometimes it might be impossible to source from a local supplier in a certain timescale, for example. This is why having the right framework and the right relationships in place is so crucial.
And how do you plan to overcome these challenges?
By controlling the controllable. In the immediate term, it comes down to influencing what we can. Beyond that, it’s about building on the framework we’ve established. Our partnerships also play a key role in overcoming hurdles in the road. We continue to collaborate only with individuals and organisations that share our aspirations.
What’s next for Domus Stay?
Looking ahead, we’re focused on continuing to establish our brand in Prime Central London – and possibly other locations in the UK when the time is right. Wherever that might be, we’ll have the same ethos in place to grow in an organic, sustainable way. Alongside that, we’re investing in our employees and embedding our culture. We believe that personal growth feeds business growth, so nurturing the team will always be paramount, both now and in the future.
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