Maison Privee claims accolade at World Travel Awards
UAE: Luxury short-term rental property management company Maison Privee has become the first vacation rental firm in the Middle East to win at the World Travel Awards as Dubai’s Leading Holiday Villa Rental Company 2020.
Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the 27th edition of the annual awards ceremony was hosted online.
Founded in 2017 by Rami Shamaa and Paul Mallee, Maison Privee manages a large portfolio of luxury villas, penthouses and apartments which it offers as vacation rentals. Last year, the company signed a deal with Gulf Sotheby’s to manage a $100 million portfolio of luxury villas, growing its exclusive villa collection to become the largest independent vacation villa operator in the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC].
Co-founder and managing director, Mallee, said: “Becoming the first vacation rental operator in the Middle East to win at the prestigious World Travel Awards is an incredible achievement for a three year old startup.
“Our aim was always to redefine the short term accommodation sector and to deliver a world class experience for our guests. This award endorses our efforts to achieve this goal,” he added.
The vacation rental sector has seen exceptional growth in recent months as guests seek the natural seclusion and privacy offered by properties in residential communities. With global growth in the sector expected to continue post Covid-19, the outlook for the category is very strong.
Fellow co-founder and managing director, Shamaa, said: “Winning at the World Travel Awards is testament to the hard work and efforts of our entire team to curate and manage an absolute gold standard vacation rental portfolio. Property owners entrust us with the management of their investments and we deliver for them by ensuring that our guests recognise us as the go-to vacation rental provider in the region.”
With hundreds of properties already under management, Maison Privee has continued to expand rapidly and is currently rolling out its model regionally as well as internationally.
Commenting on the World Travel Award, George Azar, chairman of Gulf Sotheby’s International Realty, said: “The Maison Privee Team have not only met but exceeded our expectations under a preferred partnership with Gulf Sotheby’s. The returns on investment delivered to our clients have been exceptional, with rock solid occupancies and higher net revenues than long term leases would have delivered.”
According to Maison Privee, vacation rentals are quickly becoming the preferred accommodation choice for travellers, staycationers and extended stay guests with the sector now the fastest growing with in the global hospitality space. In June, it became the first vacation rental company to be awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council [WTTC] Safe Stamp.
The Safe Stamp award endorses that specific health and hygiene protocols, outlined by WTTC, have been implemented, acting as an additional layer of assurance for guests to experience safe travels.
Having raised $4 million in Series A funding two years ago, the business has established itself as a leading player in the vacation rental sector in the Middle East region and has continued on its planned growth trajectory despite macro-environmental challenges.
