20 May 2014
Owners of leading luxury Ski chalet company, Alpine Guru, launch sister brand, Villa Guru, catering to the high end summer market
Oli Corkhill and Ant Cullen, founders of leading luxury ski chalet company, Alpine Guru, today launch sister brand, Villa Guru, catering for the high end summer holiday market and featuring some of the world's most luxurious properties and private islands in the most exclusive destinations across the globe.
An upscale accommodation agent, Villa Guru launches with a collection of 36 villas and 7 private islands in eight destinations (France, Italy, Spain & Balearics, United Arab Emirates, Central America, Indonesia, United States and the Caribbean) with the aim of developing the portfolio to include 100 carefully selected properties in the first 12 months of business.
The all-new Villa Guru website offers the best search experience available to those seeking out the most exclusive properties for luxury holidays.
VillaGuru.com goes far beyond providing accommodation listings, featuring each property on its own dedicated microsite-style page, including spectacular photography of every aspect, every view, every living space and every bedroom, as well as exhaustive descriptions, maps and pricing. All of this information is laid out across a simple and elegant design that has been carefully crafted to assist customers in gathering information and making the right choices.
The website has been designed in response to comprehensive client feedback on how the high end holidaymaker carries out online searches for properties and also includes the option to share properties via email enabling customers to easily compare favourite properties.
Between them, founders and directors, Oli and Ant, look after every aspect of the running of both Alpine and Villa Guru, from building the websites and researching, meeting and liaising with accommodation partners, to answering sales enquiries or providing customers with concierge services in the small hours of the morning. Villa Guru clients benefit from the ultimate in personal, tailored service and a depth of product knowledge and contacts unrivalled by the sales teams of competitor brands.
Villa Guru accommodation-only rates range from £12,000 to upwards of £200,000 per week in peak season. The average spend for Villa Guru clients is expected to be around £3,000 to £3,500 per person, based on exclusive use villa bookings for 8-10 guests.
Launching with seven private islands in the portfolio, Villa Guru will also be offering clients the opportunity to celebrate utterly unforgettable weddings or occasions among friends and family, with exclusive use rates starting from £8,000 per night (based on 18 guests at Cayo Espanto in Belize) to over £24,000 per night (for up to 12 guests at Musha Cay in Bahamas). Couples and smaller groups can also enjoy week long stays on Villa Guru's private islands from around £4,750 per couple.
Following the success of luxury ski site, Alpine Guru, which experienced a remarkable sales growth from under £100,000 in its first season (11/12) to over £1,000,000 this past winter (13/14), and having already built a loyal customer base of high net worth individuals, families, celebrities and royals worldwide through the luxury winter holiday brand, Oli and Ant are confident that Villa Guru will exceed client expectations and become the go-to brand for affluent Brits looking for the most impressive and exclusive overseas properties to spend memorable holidays or celebrate milestone occasions.
“We have put our all into making sure Villa Guru delivers everything clients need to find the perfect luxury holiday property in minimal time, and to save them the sweat and tears generally associated with online searches” says Oli Corkhill, co-founder and director of Alpine and Villa Guru. “Ant and I are also on hand 24/7 to offer any further guidance or assistance that clients, or indeed travel agents, may require. The high proportion of repeat Alpine Guru customers is testament to the quality of the tailored service and the attention to detail we provide and we are certain that Villa Guru clients will be equally impressed.”
For more information or to book your Villa holiday, visit www.villaguru.com, call 020 3004 8750 or email info@villaguru.com
– Ends –
Notes to editors:
- Villa Guru and Alpine Guru are accommodation-only booking sites, however, Oli and Ant provide a bespoke concierge service to assist with booking flights, transfers and / or holiday extras if required.
- Villa and Alpine Guru welcome enquiries or bookings from travel agents.
- Oli Corkhill and Ant Cullen are available for interview or to provide expert comment / insight on the luxury holiday or ski markets.
For further press information please contact:
Julie Aguilera / James Brooke
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0)20 3440 8930
About Villa Guru
Villa Guru launched in April 2014 bringing together a collection of the world's most luxurious properties and private islands in the most exclusive destinations across the globe.
With first-hand knowledge of the properties and destinations they sell, founders, Oli Corkhill and Ant Cullen, offer clients the ultimate personal travel planning service, leaving no stone unturned to help clients find the perfect luxury villa, private island or resort to ensure the most memorable of holiday experiences.
A detailed, slick and easy to use website takes the pain away from online searches and comparisons, providing luxury holidaymakers with the best holiday property search experience in the market today.
Launching with 32 properties and five private islands in eight destinations, Villa Guru will add to its product and destination portfolio on an ongoing basis.
About Alpine Guru
Alpine Guru works tirelessly to find its clients the perfect luxury ski chalet or hotel for their alpine getaway. Founded in 2011 by ski enthusiasts Oli Corkhill and Ant Cullen, Alpine Guru boasts an impressive collection of over 340 luxury chalets, apartments and hotels throughout 39 of the best ski resorts across eight countries in Europe, Japan and North America; all on one comprehensive and easy to use website.
A global brand, Alpine Guru boasts clients from over 14 different countries and has enjoyed growth of over 1,000% in its first three years, with sales figures soaring from under £100,000 in 2011/12 to over £1,000,000 in 2013/14.
In line with the Villa Guru launch, the Alpine Guru brand and website will be redesigned and re-launched in 2014. Properties in the collection will be rigorously assessed and stripped down to circa 300, in order to ensure clients have access to only the very finest ski chalets, hotels, services and facilities for the 2014/15 winter season.
