The luxury rental market is booming on the northern beaches, say agents
From $35k a week to a mere $300 a night, the luxury holiday home rentals market is booming on the beaches — and it’s not just celebs taking advantage or renting out homes or staying in them.
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Looking to take a break this Christmas?
How about super-luxury pad, Gaelforce at Palm Beach. It’s yours for $35,000 a week, and even has its own ocean pool — with heating.
It’s one of dozens of luxury holiday homes on offer across the northern beaches, and specialist agencies said business is booming.
Contemporary Hotels has even opened an office at Palm Beach, where it has 28 homes.
They start from $750 a night for a rustic dwelling, to $5000 for a five bed dream home.
George Michael was even reported to be the owner of one, the $1850 a night Palm Beach Villa.
Celebs are among renters too, especially at Gaelforce, owned by London-based property and restaurant owners tycoons Gael and Francesco Boglione, who’re mates with Mick Jagger.
“You can say we’ve had lots of well known globally creative people coming to this house,” said company boss, Nick Willox. “It’s definitely the crème de la crème of houses at Palm Beach.”
However, even the A-listers baulk at the cost of getting a chopper there.
“You have to shut down the golf course, which can be done. But when they find out the cost, it’s quite a lot,” said Mr Willox, who said business has been busy all winter; “It really hasn’t slowed down like other years.”
Another firm, Luxico, has eight homes on the peninsula, and you don’t have to be an A-lister to book it’s $300 a night Queenscliff penthouse.
But if you want to cash in yourself, you’ll need to own something very special, like a Manly Cove apartment, which is leased to the public for $1000 a night.
Luxico boss Alexandra Ormerod said they turn down four out of five hopeful owners.
One whose house did make the cut, is Lesley D’Arcey, who owns the Manly Cove home.
Her first booking is over the festive period, and she said the money will pay for holidays.
“I’m looking forward to having a go,” she said.
“I thought it would pay for some travel- it’s the different between flying business and economy.”
According to Tourism NSW, staying at homes is far more popular than hotels on the northern beaches- thought it doesn’t have many hotel options outside of Manly.
In the year ending March 2016, 11% of domestic visitors to northern beaches spent the night in hotels and 71% stayed with friends or relatives, with 18% taking other accommodation such as house rentals.
Meanwhile most of the international visitors stayed with their friends or relatives, or in rented houses or apartments, with a 34% split between each.
Details: Luxico.com.au, Contemporaryhotels.com.au
A-list guests
Celebrities spotted at Palm Beach include members of One Direction, the former Top Gear team, Miranda Kerr, the late David Bowie, George Michael, Billy Connolly, James Packer, Nicole Kidman, Elle Macpherson and John Cleese
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