Why ‘The Last Concierge’ and What Actually is ‘Accessible Luxury’?
Picture the scenario.
You’re on a trip to Tuscany, and amid your walks along the vast stretches of picturesque coastline and between visits to various vineyards and cobbled medieval towns, a singular question takes over your mind: “Where can I find the best Pappardelle al Cinghiale (or whichever local pasta dish takes your fancy) in the region?”
Authenticity is the new luxury
Alternatively, you’re aiming for a trip to the Aegean sea, and want to discover a Greek island that offers the utmost in beauty and sensory delights, but without the crowds, the selfie-stick waving influencers and the high cover charges. Perhaps you’re keen to uncover the next big thing in English wine that’s yet to reach the heady heights dominated by Nyetimber and their kin (but that completely astounds and intrigues from the very first sip), or maybe you want to find a hotel that feels more like an idealised version of home – complete with authentic local hospitality and warmth – rather than yet another marble-and-gilt-clad behemoth that, let’s face it, is trying just a little too hard.
In short, you’re on the lookout for hidden gems; those best-kept secrets that you’ll treasure the memory of, and in whose embrace you never truly want to leave.
There’s no getting away from the fact that you’re not going to find the best Tuscan pasta in the most expensive restaurant in town, and certainly not in a five-star hotel where everything has been meticulously engineered to please the common denominator. You know it, we know it: it’s going to be found down some charming back alley, cooked by someone’s nonna with decades of love poured into every bowlful. It’s going to be surprisingly affordable, utterly authentic and completely unforgettable… and that, dear reader, is what we call luxury.
Here at The Last Concierge, we’ve always been keen to champion what we refer to as accessible luxury. A somewhat awkward term, perhaps, but it’s arguably the best descriptor we’ve got of something that’s a little hard to pin down. Simply put, it’s a celebration of skill, vision and authenticity – something that has surprisingly little to do with cost and everything to do with good instincts, great advice and having someone on the inside who can point you in the right direction.
That’s where we step in. We intend to be the last concierge you’ll ever need: a fount of insider knowledge and tried-and-tested wisdom, and a hub from which you can uncover the best, rather than the most exclusive, most expensive or most trending of experiences. We visit the restaurants, destinations and experiences that excite and elicit joy, and we provide first-hand encounters of what it is that makes those experiences so unmissable.
Value isn’t measured in pounds, euros or dollars
A good example? Take our guide to the best in British seafood. There are award-winning restaurants on the list and there are also seaside shacks and food trucks in car parks – the point is, every single addition to that rundown is there for a very clear reason: they each offer culinary encounters with absolute excellence, regardless of price point or perceived prestige. Our beauty tips and perfumery lists are based solely on what we’ve tried and fell in love with; from household names to up-and-coming producers and maisons we feel deserve to be shouted about. When we visit a hotel or restaurant, meet a fashion designer or tailor, or write about a bath house that made us plan our return visit before we’d boarded our trip home or finished getting dressed in the locker room, we know you’ll want to hear about it… because we would want to hear about it if we were in your shoes.
The role of the concierge is to ensure every encounter is a celebration, complete with a genuine sense of discovery. Today, authenticity and delight are the keys to luxury, and there’s no reason for that to be anything but accessible.
