A top agent has launched a new business with a lifestyle angle, after noticing a rise in enquiries for non-travel bookings.
Jesse Sharp says Celsius London will cater to clients’ general leisure and business needs, with two of its three membership options offering concierge services.
Clients in the “Aurora” tier will receive the standard luxury travel services as well as ad-hoc lifestyle perks, such as tickets to sold-out shows and reservations at in-demand restaurants.
For travellers who want these privileges on a more consistent basis, “Solstice” offers an annual membership with a fully inclusive concierge service and complimentary hotel stays. There’s also Equinox, a pay-as-you-go tier solely for travel.
“It’s giving the clients the service they need, without tying them into something they don’t need,” Sharp told TTG Luxury.
He described Celsius London as a “natural step” for his career, having spent 12 years working for prestigious companies like Quintessentially Travel and the Lumirani Collection. The endeavour will allow him to go “back to basics” and “elevate” service for his existing clients, without the restriction of “figures and targets.”
It will also enable Sharp and his team of dedicated concierge specialists to invest more time on lifestyle management, which has become increasingly central to his business over the past few years.
“They [the clients] are asking for everything from reservations at exclusive London restaurants to the best place to buy property in Dubai,” he explained.
This client base is small but powerful, consisting of international royalty as well as high-net-worth individuals from the UK, France, Switzerland, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
“Some are retired, but a lot of them are chief executive officers, owners of large companies or people who have sold a company,” Sharp revealed, before adding: “I work with half of my clients directly, and for the other half, I work with their family office.”
He will also be using Little Emperors’ “top tech booking system” at Celsius London, but emphasised that he will never utilise chatbots to speak to clients.
“I’m quite old school,” Sharp admitted. “I’m only 32 but I hate when you call somewhere and you can’t get through to an actual person. It’s so frustrating.”
Celsius clients can expect “24/7 support” from the team, which is made feasible by keeping membership numbers low.
“We’re always available,” Sharp said. “There’s no set hours with our service.”
As for what’s next, Sharp is planning to grow Celsius steadily over the next few years. With the exception of a website and recently launched Instagram, there will be little investment in its marketing.
“The idea is to stay private, discreet and exclusive, and to grow organically,” Sharp said.
The luxury travel expert added that he is “calm” about the future of Celsius, hailing the support of his supplier partners as well as his “loyal, solid clients”.
