When you have unlimited funds, what does a vacation look like?
Well, offering a taste of how the other half live when it comes to travel, a concierge to the ultra rich has opened some of the pages of her little black book.
Speaking to DailyMail.com from her sprawling villa in Cannes, Deborah Duquesne reveals one of the most expensive trips she arranged for a client cost almost $10 million.
Detailing the vacation, which saw a group travel to 11 different countries via private jet and yacht charters, she said: ‘This no expense spared six-month trip included a spectacular 18-bedroom mansion in the south of France and one of the most coveted mountain chalets in Courchevel.
‘Giving them the ultimate VIP experience, I ensured that both properties were fully staffed with armed security, live-in staff, a private chef, a celebrity personal trainer, and lessons from a gold medalist tennis instructor.’
Luxury travel concierge Deborah Duquesne, who is based in Cannes, handles the wishes of ultra net worth clients
To arrange trips, Deborah says she starts out by determining what her clients ‘passions and tastes’ are
To arrange trips, Deborah says she starts out by determining what her clients ‘passions and tastes’ are.
From there, the travel pro and her team go about ‘tailoring a specific trip to the exact likes and needs of the client where all they would do is pack their bags the rest would then be taken care of by us.’
Deborah reveals that most of her clients – who range from ‘royalty to music stars’ – don’t even know where they are going, and they leave it to her to ‘surprise them with a unique experience.’
While all of her clients have their bulging bank balances in common, Deborah says their preferences vary depending on where they are from.
Touching on cultural differences, she says: ‘UK clients tend to rent Provençal style houses and EU large size houses, as they tend to come with large groups and family.
‘This contrasts to my US clients who love modern villas and the idea of an oasis.
‘Food and restaurant wise they both mostly like European cuisine mixed with Asian or Greek cuisine – but only if it is done well.
‘UK clients love a good party, they are not too fussed about food but a good beach club and warm weather are a must.
Along with travel, Deborah prides herself on being able to handle other outlandish requests, from getting premium concert tickets to getting her hands on limited edition fashion items
Through Deborah’s app, called Hummingbird Executive, clients can register their requests at the click of a button
‘Tennis is also a big hit with the Brits, so a place with a tennis court on-site or a tennis club nearby is crucial. Middle Eastern clients differ as they require more staff on site.
‘The US and UK may want one or two maids/butlers on sight but Middle Eastern clients tend to ask for more.
‘Clients from Asia want everything turn-key from food picked up from Michelin-starred restaurants and brought to them at home and shopping experiences brought to them in the comfort of their vacation homes.’
Quizzed on what some of the most popular items are among her super wealthy clients, Deborah says some of the must-have accessories include a Rimowa suitcase which start from about $1,000, and a Louis Vuitton Keepall travel bag which start at over $2,000.
She has also noticed that many of her male clients wear ‘dad hats,’ with the preferred one being from Italian luxury brand Loro Piana, in the form of a baseball cap and priced at about $400.
Along with travel, Deborah prides herself on being able to handle other outlandish requests, from getting premium concert tickets to getting her hands on limited edition fashion items.
Through her app, called Hummingbird Executive, clients can register their requests at the click of a button.
Membership fees mean clients can gain access to a dedicated concierge 24/7.
Deborah says her wealthy UK ‘clients love a good party,’ and ‘they are not too fussed about food but a good beach club and warm weather are a must’
One of the properties Deborah likes to use for her clients in St Tropez for its privacy
The businesswoman (pictured with musician Akon) says the biggest travel trend she has noticed is the ‘digital detox’
One of Deborah’s stranger asks recently came from a Middle Eastern businessman who wanted to locate a rare diamond that could go into his daughter’s tiara for her 11th birthday.
Following some thorough research, Deborah says her team has just found a stone ‘which is around 70 carats, an extremely rare one-of-a-kind green diamond within the region of $300 million.’
She added: ‘The client specifically wanted a green diamond because it symbolized purity and prosperity.’
Looking ahead, Deborah is currently working on a headful of itineraries and she says one big trend she is noticing is the desire to ‘switch off.’
The businesswoman explains: ‘Digital detoxing is a huge trend at the moment. People want to enjoy and cherish their moments.
‘With each detox request I get, I’ve always recommended Bali first.
‘Most of my clients who request this just want to connect with nature and spirituality and unplug from their demanding lives and careers.’
Before she heads off to plot more lavish escapades, Deborah divulges three of her favorite spots in the world.
She muses: ‘In my opinion, the Bvlgari Resort Bali is one of the best hotels in the world, and for restaurants, I’d have to pick two of the best.
‘You can’t go wrong at the Japanese steakhouse, Gekko, in Miami, while the Greek-inspired Gaia eatery in Monaco is one of my top places to dine.’
