While (fully vaccinated) Australians are finally allowed to travel overseas once again, very few Aussies are booking big international holidays right now. Partly, it’s because the prospect of quarantine or self-isolation upon return is turning people off, but it’s also partly because many of us have had our savings eaten away during these challenging COVID times.
That’s not a concern for Australia’s super-wealthy – many of whom have done just fine over the last two years – but even still, it seems many of the country’s wealthiest globetrotters are staying homebound, opting instead for sumptuous domestic holidays.
One of the biggest travel trends amongst the 1% right now appears to be ultra-luxurious mansion stays in some of the country’s most scenic locations. More and more property owners are making their impressive homes available to rent over popular holiday seasons, with nightly prices rivalling some of the most exclusive hotels in the world.
Check out some of Australia’s most expensive mansion rentals below.
Take Domic: a three-level hillside mansion in Sunshine Beach. The striking concrete-domed complex with ocean views will typically set you back $86,000 a week but goes up to $100,000 a week over Christmas. That’s even if you can get the place for a week – demand is fierce.
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“We don’t have a booking under $110,000 – people are taking it for decent chunks at a time,” Sue Willis, managing director of Niche Luxury Accommodation (who rents out Domic), tells Domain.
She elaborates on the luxury mansion rental market more broadly, commenting that “it’s interesting, even with the ability to travel overseas, among the people who once went on super luxurious holidays to Europe, the demand to holiday at home is still there.”
“People are too worried to travel. The people who are that wealthy are also in the demographic where they’re too worried about their health. So, even though the borders will be open, we haven’t seen an impact [in terms of bookings] at all.”
While international tourists might still be largely barred from visiting Australia, we wager domestic demand will remain high for these mansion rentals, especially as the Omicron variant continues to run rampant. The prospect of checking into a hotel – even the most spacious and luxurious ones – seems less appealing, especially compared to a mansion.
Plus, if you do get The Spicy Cough, you’re not confined to a single room, like you would be with a hotel. Wouldn’t mind being able to quarantine by the pool…
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