Switzerland: Franco-Swiss high-end, short-term rental property management scale-upย Emerald Stay has made its third acquisition in less than a year with the purchase of Cotswolds-based luxury chalet operator Ski Verbier Exclusive.
The transaction follows Emerald Stay’s integration of Esteva Group and Morgan and Morgan,ย two rental operators in Mallorca.
Describing itself as an innovative player at the intersection of premium hospitality andย real estate, Emerald Stay aims to redefine the short-term rental landscape by providing its users with anย avant-garde, fluid and personalised experience. Leveraging its deep industry knowledge andย cutting-edge technology, the company sets out to:
- Free owners from the constraints of property management and profitability concerns
- Offer guests a hotel-level quality of service
Ski Verbier Exclusive, a rental operator of luxury chalets with tailor-made services in the Swiss Mountain destination, was previously named ‘Best Ski Resort 2022’ by the World Ski Awards for the second year in a row.
Following the acquisition, Emerald Stay has strengthened its ultra-luxury division, which will henceforthย be headed from the UK by Tom Avery, the CEO and founder of Ski Verbier Exclusive.
The operation underscores a business model characterised by organicย growth coupled with corporate acquisitions, supported by a robust proprietary digitalย infrastructure. The latter brings immediate added value to the acquired companies,ย particularly in areas such as pricing, occupancy and customer experience, with the firstย acquisition registering a 70 per cent increase in gross profit within the first year.
Maxime Friess, co-founder and CEO of Emerald Stay, said: “The acquisition of SVEย spearheads our entry in the ultra-high luxury rental market, a very valuable segment of theย travel sector with strong fundamentals, that we will be looking to expand beyond the Verbierย footprint. We’ve been very impressed with what the SVE team has built overย the years, theirย impeccable service and their trusted relationships with high-net-worth clients andย homeowners alike, and look forward to them joining the Emerald Stay family.
“I would alsoย like to extend my thanks to Limestone Capital AG and our other investors who continue toย support our vision of transforming the chalets and villas industry,” he added.
Emerald Stay is a two-time Shortyz Awards winner, having secured the accolade of ‘Best leisure property management company’ in 2021 andย claimed the 2022 Sustainability Award.
