When it comes to luxury attention to detail is paramount, which is why new London accommodation provider The Plum Guide caught our eye. The guide takes the hard work out of finding the best properties in the city by hand vetting and picking the best of the best. We chat to one of the co-founders Arif Meherali about the guide and its expansion plans.
Plum Guide tell us more about the website and what does Plum stand for?
The Plum Guide has a selection of London’s most soulful homes available to rent. We are all about experiential travel for our guests. We want our guests to discover the unfound gems that only the true locals know of and for them to stay in iconic, soulful homes that only you dream of staying for the same price as a hotel.
The name Plum derived from our original name PLU&M. Which stood for; People Like You & Me. The website is for local experiences a home from home, for people like you and me to make great memories.
Tell us more about how you choose properties and hosts to ensure you are maintaining premium standards with your offering?
First of all, all our homes are fantastic value. They are the most soulful, characterful and best homes that money can rent in the area. We personally test every single home that is on our platform. We’ve worked with psychologists, hospitality experts and architects to understand what makes the perfect guest experience in terms of host welcoming, spatial layout and facilities within the home.
We want to ensure the homes we have on Plum are absolutely perfect for any occasion, whether it be a romantic getaway, a business trip or a once in a lifetime family holiday. We of course heavily focus on the host’s personality and making sure they are perfect. Not only do they have to be completely plugged into their local area and capable of sending their guests to the local gems to ensure unforgettable experiences, they have to be the ‘New Breed of Hoteliers.’ We feel Airbnb and other similar platforms have set in some bad habits with hosting in terms of freely cancelling bookings, slow and poor communication etc. The Plum Guide are here to change that.
Why should someone book with Plum over and above your competitors?
If you book with Plum, you know, that this is one of the top 1% of homes in London, guaranteed! We have taken an OCD approach to scanning over 30,000 homes, testing those that qualify and accept only about 1 in every 100 or so we look at. That means, There’s no need to trawl through endless properties which are lacklustre, which you have to do on other platforms.
If you book with Plum, it’s guaranteed to be awesome. Full stop. We’ve done all the hard work to guarantee you the most amazing home, with an incredible host in the best locations in London who will make your stay unforgettable. If you book Plum, it’s an experience to brag about, not just a soulless roof over your head.
What are your favourite properties on the website at the moment?
Wow that’s tough. I think it has to be The Grand in Hackney. The bold mix of colours combined with effortless chic makes it a special home in Hackney. Every room in the house feels unique, individually created to suit a different mood. You can’t get bored here, it’s like a boutique hotel in Hackney, but all for yourself to enjoy! OR it has to be the clean lines of the French chic Nouvelle Vague. It is understated brilliance. The way the light comes through the conservatory kitchen, flooding through the living area making it a special place to be. If you stay here, you will no doubt feel like a Cannes film festival star whilst living in Central London.
Where / what is an absolute must do for a visitor to London?
We’re very much about the local lifestyle. If our guests are visiting London for the first time, then sure they should see the big attractions. But second and third time visitors, we would want them to see London through the eyes of their amazing hosts in their local neighbourhoods. But right now, a must see is Bjarke Ingels Serpentine Pavilion. A jaw dropping, undulating structure to witness for any architecture or design lover.
Find our more about the guide www.plumguide.com
