BBB’s Africa Recommendations

Many successful people travel a lot for work. Sometimes they travel alone, sometimes their families come too. Often their PA or other personal staff also travel a lot, accompanying and supporting the primary of getting things set up in their absence, or ahead of their arrival. To the uninitiated, this sounds very glamorous, a dazzling whirlwind of hotel rooms, room service and international travel. But to those who do this often, it can be anything but. You start to miss the space, cooking and creature comforts of ‘home.’ Long work hours and eating on the run mean your health can suffer and sleep becomes of primary importance. At BBB, we understand the needs of busy individuals and their superstar PA’s, so we have spoken to our various partners and want to suggest here our top solutions to create a ‘home away from home,’ whether that’s accommodation abroad, London residences for family or business colleagues coming into town, packing and removals services for longer travel or how to recruit the extra staff to make things work. We’re here to help, so if any of the below appeals or you have any other requests, however wild or weird, just get in touch with us at info@bbb1.squareballoon.co.uk We have a great number of contacts, listed in the app and otherwise, who offer reliable, well priced and first class services, many of whom we can secure preferential rates with. So get in touch and we’d be happy to help. A touch of glamour in La-La-Land… LA is a whirlwind of lights, cars, money and Hollywood stars. This is great, but when you’re there to work, you also need some calm. But this shouldn’t have to mean you miss out on the glamour entirely…

The Bungalows at the Beverly Hills Hotel were first introduced in 1915 to accommodate families that wanted more space and privacy and they remain an important part of the character of this iconic hotel. They are known the world over for their history with Hollywood royalty and colourful anecdotes, which include Elizabeth Taylor spending six of her eight honeymoons there, Howard Hughes living there on and off for over 30 years and Lauren Bacall and Marlene Dietrich each calling them home for over a year…

Bungalow 1 was a favourite place to stay of none other than Marilyn Monroe. She spent more time in this bungalow than any other, so it’s only right that the property’s thoughtful new design incorporates aspects of Marilyn Monroe’s life and whimsical elements reflective of her most celebrated movie roles. With curvy furniture, bright and abstract floor coverings, colorful travertine stones, and gold-leafed ceilings, this feminine space is both playful and sophisticated. Strong Jean Michel Frank influences pay homage to her use of his designs in her own home, including extensive use of parchment to envelop aspects of each room. The one-bedroom bungalow suite includes a living room with dining area, fireplace and half bath; master suite, full master bath and dressing room and private terrace. The main suite also connects to two adjoining bedrooms making it a three bedroom bungalow (2,620 sq. Ft.). Special features of this stunning property include a Chanel N°5 fragrance bar and bath amenities, a library featuring classic Marilyn Monroe films and books, a Marilyn Monroe Champagne Bath Bubble Experience featuring a Some Like it Hot bubble bath (Ceara pure Atlantic sea salt from the coast of Brazil and Sweet Orange and Grapefruit Oils), Marilyn’s Menu (available via in-room dining), inspired by an interview that appeared in the 1952 issue of Pageant Magazine. The hotel itself is located in the coveted zip code of 90210, within easy proximity of the business and entertainment centres of LA. Los Angeles International Airport is just 40 minutes away, and the Pacific not much further. Within the hotel grounds, guests are surrounded by 12 acres of tropical gardens and exotic flowers, giving an air of tranquility as a welcome retreat from the hustle of the city. Weekend escapes to Barrio Alto… Make The Lumiares your home away from home in Lisbon. In the heart of fashionable Barrio Alto, the hotel is stylishly designed and each of the 5 rooms apartment style room sizes, ranging fro Studio to Penhouse, features a kitchen, making relaxed dining at the end of a busy day possible across the property. For those who prefer not to cook however, the Lumi Rooftop has wonderful views and delicious cuisine, or take a walk to one of the many fantastic local restaurants. The hotel has free high-speed WiFi throughout, making working from the room convenient and economical. The hotel’s small but perfectly formed spa and fitness area offers an integrated health, wellness and relaxation haven with a selection of high quality spa treatments, sauna, steam room and fitness facilities. They have some of the best therapists in Lisbon on hand to deliver a broad range of treatments, so if destressing is a must, they have it covered. Family or colleagues visiting London? Four Seasons Residences London at Ten Trinity Square are a unique collection of ten luxury residential-style accommodations, located between the third and seventh floors of The Four Seasons Hotel at Ten Trinity, just by Tower Bridge. With open-plan living areas, dining rooms, fully equipped kitchens and up to four bedrooms, the residences sleep 2-9 people and offer a new level of luxury living within the City of London. The stand-out accommodations – including the Tower Residence – offer extensive private terraces with stunning views overlooking the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. London’s leading designers, including Martin Kemp Design, LINLEY, Richmond International and Fox Linton, have created elegant and refined interiors with an individual style and character for each residence, drawing inspiration from the heritage building’s origins in the 1920s. Run away to the South of France… What could be more perfect than a private villa at La Reserve Ramatuelle this summer? Tucked away in the hills, right next to Saint Tropez, the villas are truly a hidden gem. There are just 14 private villas, all surrounded by pine trees and interrupted only by the tranquil sound of cicadas… Clinging to the hillside, nestled in large, fragrant private gardens, all the villas look out onto the infinite blue expanses of the Mediterranean. Each has its private heated swimming pool, some of them with a pool house: an azure blue oasis making a striking contrast with the subtle green shades of the umbrella-like stone pines and the silvery leaves of the olive trees. And of course that supreme sense of peacefulness, barely troubled by a playful breeze, that gives one the impression of being in a unique bubble of serenity. This is really voluntary exile… The villas have three to six spacious rooms ensuring individual comfort and privacy: en suite bathrooms for each room, a fully equipped dressing room… Whether as a family or among friends, this is a place designed for the sheer joy of being together. All are also fully serviced, including a dedicated housemaid, as well as private chef services and other bespoke options, to make each stay memorable and unique. Guests also have access to all the hotel’s facilities, including a wonderful Spa, three sumptuous restaurants and a private beach on the Plages de Pampelonnes. For all travel related enquiries, just email anna@bbb1.squareballoon.co.uk for quotes, special discounts, further suggestions and more. Need extra staff for holiday travel or visiting guests? Travelling also means leaving behind some of the facilities and comforts of home, whether that’s child daycare or Deliveroo. Perhaps the trip is for a project and a little extra organisational help is needed on the ground for an event or a meeting? Perhaps the children need supervising so the adults can relax, or perhaps everyone needs a break from the kitchen and a chef is desired? SORTED can take care of all of this for you. Some examples of placements might be:

• Nannies – travelling or on location 
• Tutors, so studies don’t fall behind on holiday 
• Private chefs – for a special dinner or a whole trip 
• EA, PA and VA services

BBB property experts Bold & Reeves wrote a blog for us about the best way to maintain your principal’s property and why they really are a PA’s best friend….. Often our first point of contact with a new client is through their PA. Typically, there’s a period of reconnaissance as they assess any existential threat to having Bold & Reeves take care of ‘the property question’ on behalf of their boss… who often has a large and complex property portfolio to manage. And usually, the PA plays a key role in that process. But is that the right way for high-powered PAs to spend their time? Our research suggests that working with Bold & Reeves not only alleviates PAs of some of the biggest drains on their time, energy and their boss’s money, but also delivers a range of systemic benefits that add value throughout their role and organization. Because as many PAs find, if you don’t specialize in doing it every day (like we do at Bold & Reeves), managing prime residential property can be, well… a bit of a nightmare. We’ve worked hard to refine our prime residential offering, as we seek to demonstrate support for, and compatibility with, professional family offices, PA’s and their associated staff. Far from reducing the relevance of the PA role, Bold & Reeves has the following objectives in mind as we work with a client’s team:

• Help PAs and their teams shine in front of their boss by saving money
• Free up time so PAs can focus on adding value in other key areas
• Reduce the need for PAs to hire unnecessary members of staff
• Increase privacy and confidentiality, while outsourcing inefficient tasks
• Consolidate all admin, maintenance and management relating to property
• Reduce PAs exposure to a complex array of avaricious suppliers
• Provide highly specialized expertise for a highly specialized area

It’s commonplace for PAs to tell us stories about being ripped off by charlatans, or simply overwhelmed by the sheer number of suppliers there are to manage, and the subsequent paperwork and financial outgoings that come with even the simplest of tasks. Bold & Reeves regularly support our client’s PA’s with the resolution of issues in the following areas:

• • Boiler breakdowns
  • Water damage
  • Plant-related issues
  • Support with tech/digital devices
  • Welcoming or preparing a property when you can’t
  • Attending the property when you can’t
  • Keeping a schedule of costs on your behalf
  • Providing full at-a-glance visibility of all activity in the property

Many of the interventions we make are in owner-absent properties. Often a PA’s boss will own four or five homes. Typically these are well maintained and functioning to a high standard, however as soon as you have multiple locations to manage, you enter difficult territory – for a home unoccupied, is a home at risk of damage. And often that means eye-watering vacuums of time and money. Says Bill Shipton, Bold & Reeves Founder & CEO: ‘47% of all unscheduled home ownership costs in our sector take place in owner-absent properties, where little or no maintenance takes place for unusually long periods of time – hence a delay in awareness of the issues, and with diagnostics and solutions. PA’s can take advantage of our services and be wholly reassured about an entire portfolio of properties and the potential issues therein, are being monitored around the clock while they, and their principle, are away.’ This kind of constant, hands on focus speaks directly to many of the issues that PAs have shared with us over the years, and is the type of insurance policy that helps many PAs sleep better at night. Mr Shipton goes on: ‘Not only would a PA know about the issues as soon as they happen – they will have every confidence that we will attend the property straight away, and restore working order at minimal cost. We have heard of PA’s having to get on a plane to sort out plumbing issues, and many instances of PA’s being taken to the cleaners by dishonest and inconsiderate service providers. By using Bold & Reeves these issues are immediately circumnavigated, and all the duties of care surrounding prime residential properties, solved.’ No one needs persuading of the benefits of servicing their car, yacht or plane… and like wise, prevention is always better than cure in matters related to health and wellbeing. But there hasn’t been an equivalent service for the home – until now. Why not treat prime residential property in the same way, especially in the light of the value of such assets, the unique requirements involved in maintaining them… not to mention the emotional attachment many owners invest in them? If any of this resonates please contact Georgina Peech on 020 7408 7590, for an initial conversation. And check out the testimonials below – as further evidence that Bold & Reeves are raising the bar: ‘My principle sense of value from Bold & Reeves lies in the fact that I am less exposed to exploitation from my supplier network. Many tradespeople who walk into a seven-story home in central London double the price of any work immediately. I no longer have to mitigate that risk as all our contractors are a part of the Bold & Reeves curated partner network, and our residential asset manager handles all suppliers on our behalf.‘ ‘Having Bold & Reeves onside reduces my need for permanent staff, or at least for a permanent house manager. My residential asset manager is usually somewhere local to me and can arrive in minutes if there is an emergency. Many of the duties traditionally performed by house managers have been absorbed by the Bold & Reeves offering.’ ‘Having the use of the Bold & Reeves app simplifies and expedites my ability to report an issue in my house and get it dealt with – often without even having to have a conversation. My husband and I are incredibly busy and we have four children, which means we are hard to get hold of. Interfacing through the app, and seeing that translate into fast and effective action, the results of which are then relayed back to us on the same platform, which alleviates pressure and supports our daily flow.’ ‘Simplicity is a key feature of the Bold & Reeves service. I may pay a premium for it – but you get what you pay for. I have one point of contact, no complex supplier network to manage, and I pay one invoice that is always fair and easy to understand.’ ‘A big advantage to the Bold & Reeves service is anonymity, which relates directly to security and peace of mind. My residential asset manager represents me and my home, and Bold & Reeves take care of the admin and any paperwork. This means I get to stay off the radar, which supports my privacy and my family life, and saves me time in the process.’