If you spherical the ultimate bend within the highway and see Villa Avellana, a 10-bedroom residence situated on Costa Rica’s Peninsula Papagayo, it is as if the home is rising out of Guanacaste’s north Pacific panorama itself. Designed by Sarco Architects, the property sits in a gated neighborhood inside a gated neighborhood and boasts greater than 33,000 sq. ft of indoor-outdoor residing area and three acres of black-sand beachfront. It additionally comes with a 42-foot yacht and 20-person employees.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana
As one may count on, the all-inclusive, full-buyout property, which formally opened to company in August 2023, comes with a premium, season-dependent price ticket. Nightly charges with a five-night keep requirement are $22,000 from Could 1 to November 18 and $32,000 from November 19 to April 30, apart from the “festive season.” The latter spans from November 20 to November 27, then December 20 to January 4, and prices $40,000 an evening with a minimal keep of seven nights.
Associated: I Went on a $75,000 Luxurious Air Cruise for 22 Days. Here is a Peek Contained in the Over-the-High Journey Expertise Not like Any I’ve Had Earlier than.
It is typical for a number of generations of a household to remain collectively at Villa Avellana, normal supervisor Thomas Freitag tells Entrepreneur. Teams of associates have additionally taken up residence; the villa has even hosted a marriage too.
Naturally, individuals spending greater than $100,000 on a trip may need some excessive expectations, together with the will for a spread of facilities and actions appropriate for all ages, pursuits and talents.
Villa Avellana delivers on that, after which some: world-class meals crafted by a non-public chef; spa companies and yoga lessons within the treehouse retreat; swimming and spear fishing within the heat, calm Prieta Bay; golf, nature excursions, ziplining and mountain biking throughout the peninsula; and repair tasks by way of partnerships with native nonprofits — simply to call a couple of.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. The treehouse retreat.
The villa’s proximity to the 4 Seasons Resort, Andaz Resort and the Clubhouse at Prieta Seashore can be a draw, as company can reap the benefits of day passes permitting entry to further eating places, facilities and companies.
Associated: Occurring a Household Trip? This Well-liked U.S. Vacation spot Is the Most Costly within the World.
My husband and I had the chance to expertise Villa Avellana as a part of a small press group in November. We have been purported to be there for 3 nights, however a seasonally uncharacteristic tropical storm and subsequent airport closure doubled the size of our keep (spoiler alert: it wasn’t a foul place to be caught).
Though the heavy rains prevented us from having fun with among the weather-dependent actions on the agenda, like a surf lesson and boat trip, we nonetheless had an exquisite time, which is a testomony to Villa Avellana’s intensive facilities and unbelievable employees.
Picture Credit score: Amanda Breen. View from Villa Avellana’s seashore.
Any enterprise that strives to exceed buyer expectations can be taught loads from Villa Avellana’s method.
Associated: 5 Life-Altering Buyer Service Secrets and techniques You Can Be taught From 5-Star Lodges
Learn on for an inside take a look at the property and the way its workforce goes the additional mile to make company really feel at dwelling and like something is feasible.
Enterprise lesson No. 1: Do not skimp on the small print — attempt to shock and delight
Upon arrival at Villa Avellana, company are greeted by title, supplied a hand towel and met with the refined however serene scent of doTERRA important oils wafting down the halls and from the bedrooms.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with en suite rest room and personal balcony.
My husband and I stayed in one of many ocean view king rooms. Like the entire rooms on the villa, ours featured an en suite rest room and personal balcony. The home, which sleeps as much as 18 adults and 5 kids, has three ocean view king rooms, two ocean view double queen rooms, 4 backyard view king rooms and one ocean view bunk room for the youngsters. Villa Avellana gives company with each day housekeeping and a laundry service.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with en suite rest room and personal balcony.
Within the evenings, after a day of exercise or lounging poolside with a spicy mezcal margarita, company come again to a relaxation-promoting amenity. A few of ours included an incense package full with sage, palo santo, selenite stone and a bird-carved lighter; therapeutic golden mud from Rincón de la Vieja Volcano for a face masks; and a choice of tea infusions.
Studying company’ names earlier than they step foot on the property and leaving facilities of their rooms each night may seem to be minor particulars, however they add as much as a serious affect: a sequence of surprise-and-delight moments that may imply the distinction between an amazing expertise and an unforgettable one.
Associated: Delighting Clients Is the Secret Sauce of Profitable Administration
All companies would do nicely to keep in mind that the little issues matter loads. Shock-and-delight elements do not should value loads of time or cash, however even minimal investments in them usually come again in spades.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. Ocean view king room with en suite rest room and personal balcony.
Enterprise lesson No. 2: Be extraordinarily ready — however versatile
At Villa Avellana, meals cater to everybody’s dietary restrictions and preferences, due to the detailed questionnaire that company fill out earlier than arrival.
Costa Rican espresso was ready in a conventional pour-over espresso maker referred to as a Vandola, and fresh-squeezed juices, pastries, toast and fruit have been accessible within the kitchen every morning. Breakfast chef Michelle Brenes additionally supplied each day specials like chilaquiles or French toast. Head chef David Moya’s lunch and dinner creations featured world classics with ingenious twists and contemporary native components.
Associated: Her Non-public Chef Facet Hustle Would possibly Earn Tens of Hundreds and ‘Appear Glamorous’ — However It is Not for the Faint of Coronary heart. Here is an Inside Look.
“All the things is in your time” was a standard chorus throughout our keep on the villa. Meals have been ideated and penciled into the schedule, however the employees was completely happy to ship breakfast to the rooms of non-early risers and seek the advice of our group to verify when a lunch or dinner seating made sense inside the remainder of the day’s plans.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. Dinner served outdoors.
The power to plan fastidiously however pivot with intention was additionally on full show when the storm curtailed a number of of our scheduled actions.
With browsing and boating off the agenda, lead concierge Sergio Jaén helped manage a few spontaneous actions within the residing space, which nonetheless felt deliberate and significant. We loved a presentation by The Chocolate Grasp, Henrik Bodholdt, who mentioned cacao farming and helped us make our personal chocolate bars. We additionally heard from the director of Creciendo Juntos, Elsa Bonilla, who shared extra concerning the nonprofit group that helps elementary and excessive faculties within the communities surrounding Peninsula Papagayo.
Associated: 3 Issues Luxurious Lodges Can Train About Distinctive Buyer Service
Companies, take notice: Unexpected circumstances are a possibility to showcase your preparation abilities — and show that nothing will cease you from giving purchasers a five-star expertise.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. The residing space, that includes the inside eating area and kitchen.
Enterprise lesson No. 3: Rent nice individuals with a expertise for constructing rapport
Villa Avellana’s bar, pool and outside eating and residing areas create one other oasis on the property. Regardless of the storm, delicate temperatures within the 70s allowed us to benefit from the lined outside area for a lot of our go to — and in good firm.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. The bar, pool and outside eating and residing areas.
My husband and I loved chatting with meals and beverage supervisor Jose Murllio about Miami Vice cocktails and Costa Rica’s soccer workforce. Bartender Tatiana Juarez generously invited my husband behind the bar to show him easy methods to make her daiquiri with aged rum and a guaro bitter. From Aneth Alvarez, I realized about Costa Rican espresso and the method of making ready it within the Vandola — she was even variety sufficient to provide us some beans to take dwelling.
Freitag is a wonderful host with a talent for constructing rapport and establishing belief; he has a knack for making individuals really feel like the entire particulars are accounted for, even when sudden challenges come up, and with the storm, there have been loads of them. From displaying us round Peninsula Papagayo in less-than-ideal climate to serving to us navigate flight and lodge choices amid quite a few cancellations, Freitag was all the time able to make the most effective of any scenario.
Associated: Use These 5 Hacks to Immediately Construct Rapport With Your Purchasers
These are just some of many examples of how Villa Avellana’s employees cultivates a really uncommon visitor expertise.
Companies ought to by no means lose sight of how vital it’s to assemble a workforce with a expertise for communication and relationship-building. Rent the suitable individuals, and you may give your purchasers an expertise they cannot discover elsewhere.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. Lap pool and jacuzzi.
Enterprise lesson No. 4: Pay attention for what’s not being mentioned — then go above and past
Villa Avellana strives to supply the holiday expertise of a lifetime. It is a lofty objective that not solely requires the distinctive readiness, flexibility, consideration to element and rapport talked about above but in addition the power to actually hear what individuals need after which execute it flawlessly.
Assembly expectations, even inordinately excessive ones, might be pretty easy when individuals know what they need and do not hesitate to verbalize it. In fact, even when somebody is clear about their needs, it is tough to exceed expectations if the particular person is, nicely, anticipating them to be fulfilled.
Associated: Empower Your Clients and Exceed Expectations With These 3 Buyer Service Methods
Freitag says that a part of the job is to hear for what individuals need however do not essentially ask for outright. For instance, if a visitor casually mentions to a different how cool it could be to see a whale, that is an opportunity to make the magic occur — take them out on the boat and spot a whale.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. The media room.
Throughout our keep, when somebody within the group talked about how handy it could be to have among the do-it-yourself chocolate chip cookies that have been within the kitchen downstairs nearer to the bedrooms upstairs, a plate of these cookies appeared on the desk within the media room. Later, when individuals expressed curiosity in watching The Apprentice, a duplicate of the movie was positioned within the media room.
The lesson right here is a straightforward however essential one: Companies that hearken to their purchasers so intently that they hear what’s not being mentioned can surpass even the best expectations.
Associated: Sure, the Wealthy Are Totally different — Right here Are 5 Buyer Service Secrets and techniques I Realized Whereas Working With Rich Purchasers
The Liberia airport was nonetheless closed when the rain let up, so our group drove to San Jose, the place we spent the night time earlier than catching our flight the subsequent morning.
Picture Credit score: Courtesy of Villa Avellana. An exterior view from the seashore.
It was exhausting to say goodbye to Villa Avellana, not solely as a result of the property is beautiful but in addition as a result of its employees created such a convivial ambiance: It is a spot the place company can belief that each one is taken care of — and chill out sufficient to have a trip they’re going to bear in mind without end.
