Apsley Travel · Bespoke Luxury Travel
Hotels, close protection, private shopping, property sourcing, medical, aviation and access — how a private-office-grade London stay is actually assembled.
## The short answer
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For a principal and family, budget from roughly £25,000 for a suite-based week with a chauffeur and a light programme, and £60,000–150,000 or more where a staffed private residence, 24-hour close protection, private aviation and event hospitality are involved. Accommodation and security are the two variables that move the total most; retail and property fees sit outside the travel budget.
Claridge's, The Connaught, The Berkeley, The Savoy, The Peninsula, Raffles London at The OWO, The Dorchester and Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park all operate specialty suites with private lift access, butler service and adjoining staff rooms. For parties of eight or more, a whole-floor buy or a staffed private residence in Mayfair or Belgravia usually gives better privacy and control than individual suites.
Most visitors do not need a full detail; a security-trained chauffeur at £600–1,000 per day covers the majority of family visits. Higher-profile principals typically run one or two SIA-licensed close protection officers at £500–900 per officer per day, plus residence cover. Every engagement begins with a written threat assessment, and all operatives must hold a current SIA licence.
Yes. Bond Street, Mount Street and Sloane Street houses, along with Harrods and Selfridges, will host closed-door appointments for known clients, usually before opening or after closing, with a dedicated sales director and stock brought in from other branches. These are arranged in advance — typically one to three weeks for the major houses, longer in December.
You appoint a buying agent who acts solely for you, searching both the open and off-market registers across Mayfair, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Notting Hill. Fees are typically 1–2.5% of the purchase price with a retainer of £5,000–25,000 credited against it. A meaningful share of prime sales above £10m never reaches the portals, which is why representation matters.
Comprehensive executive health screening at £2,500–7,500 per person with results in 24–72 hours, same-day or next-day specialist consultations across cardiology, orthopaedics and oncology, and imaging usually within 48 hours at The London Clinic, Cleveland Clinic London or HCA hospitals. Private GP visits to your hotel or residence can generally be arranged the same day.
Farnborough is the discreet default — around 40 minutes from Mayfair with a calm, private terminal. Luton and Biggin Hill are strong alternatives, and London City suits smaller types and time-critical arrivals, subject to its steep-approach requirement. For scheduled first and business travel, Heathrow's Windsor Suite provides a private terminal from around £3,000 per party.
Yes, through official and authorised channels only. Wimbledon Centre Court debentures, Royal Ascot Royal Enclosure badges, Grand Prix Paddock Club and Frieze access are all finite and priced by demand, so peak fixtures need months of lead time. We will tell you honestly when something is genuinely unavailable rather than sourcing it unofficially.
Information is shared with suppliers strictly on a need-to-know basis, client names are withheld from correspondence wherever contracts allow, and we publish no client details or testimonials. We work under NDA with family offices, private banks and legal teams, and can settle everything on a single consolidated invoice rather than exposing the itinerary across dozens of suppliers.
Four to eight weeks is comfortable for most stays. Specialty suites and staffed residences over Wimbledon fortnight, Frieze week, Chelsea Flower Show and Christmas need three to six months. Event hospitality, Savile Row commissions (four to six months) and school visits are the longest lead items; security, chauffeurs and private aviation can often be arranged within days.