(GMARO magazine. Cover story, March 2021)

From Egypt to London with a thousand adventures on the way, the life of Veronica Bay is anything but boring. A founder of a unique concierge service that specializes exclusively on leisure for high net worth individuals, Veronica is certainly a Renaissance woman with many passions. A trait that is reflected in her curation of the company that she named The Only International to underline the fact that – from planning to execution in the finest details – her clients would not need anyone else to arrange a perfect getaway or an elaborate party.

We joined Veronica for afternoon tea in her luxurious Dubai hotel penthouse suite, where she “hides from European lockdown” to chat about her hedonistic life vision along with her latest creation – her own unique take on leisure concierge services for those who work hard, and play even harder.

Coming from a family of a European diplomat and an artist, Veronica had always considered herself “a rebellious hedonist”. She confesses that she equally enjoys the simple perfection of a spring Harley ride along the Malibu coastline, and the elaborate elegance of an invitation-only Grisogono event in Cannes.

Sat on a modern white leather sofa bare-foot and cross-legged, wearing a silky extravagant patterned suite with her wavy dark hair framing make-up free face, Veronica seems relaxed yet collected. Panoramic windows behind her back reveal the magnificent Dubai skyline, a mixture of skyscrapers, dynamic highways and a stunning private harbor that is only used by the residents of the development.

A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD

“I always loved traveling.” – says Bay.“When I was a kid, I used to go to a train station or a sea port, watch departures and dream that I will travel the world one day. Traveling had always been the ultimate symbol of freedom, a necessity, a vital part of my life. I am a person with itchy feet. If I’ve stayed in a place for more than two months, I have certainly overstayed”

A ‘WOLF OF WALL STREET’ TYPE OF A PARTY

Orange Dubai sun sets behind the horizon and fills the room with warm golden shades as Veronica goes into how she initially stepped into the world of hospitality for the world’s most demanding players:

“If the Wolf of Wall street would throw a party, I would arrange it! I love catering for people who know what they want and my clients want to play it big”.

“I used to date an affluent gentleman with equally great passion for travels and we spent most of our time exploring the world’s best itineraries, hotels and restaurants. Following my travel diaries on Instagram, my friends started to ask me for advice on the best party destinations, boat charter, hotels recommendations etc.” -Veronica becomes excitedly animated as she speaks about her luxurious experiences attending exquisite venues worldwide.

She obviously sounds very knowledgeable, depicting an array of high class hotels and dining experiences that only the world’s most sophisticate crowd get the opportunity to attend. Her colorful Instagram posts and insightful reviews quickly became an inspiration for fellow jet-setters. As requests from acquaintances & friends became more elaborate and the budgets hit the ceiling, Bay’s luxurious hobby then transformed into a thriving business.

“My friends and now customers, they like to work hard and love to play even harder. The Only International takes care of every customer’s need when it comes to leisure: private jets and helicopters, villas, boats, private parties and shows, catering, hostesses, Dj, you name it. I can relate to my customers’ desire to want the best that hospitality can offer and they certainly deserve to get only the best! We take care of the planning so our clients can focus on the fun.”

WHATEVER, WHEREVER, WHENEVER

“I’m well aware that there are many concierge companies out there, I have personally used a select few of them back in the day. All I can say is that the quality of service depends on how connected your concierge is. Well, we have become VERY well connected.”

“We are a one-stop-shop when it comes to high end leisure, travel and parties. Our clients are money rich but time poor. They want a hassle free experience and that’s what we pride ourselves on providing.”

I have personally been in the shoes of a client who wants his villa, catering, massages, boat charter and many more services all arranged in one place. It was exhausting to liaise with multiple providers when I just wanted to have fun.”

Veronica’s professional and social calendar brings her all over the globe. Though there are a few destinations & events that she aims to visit and attend yearly.

She usually spends her winter alternating sunny destinations like Bali, Tulum and Dubai with ski resorts in Zermatt, Courchevel and Aspen. “I also love Moscow for New Years eve celebration”, -says Bay nodding to her Eastern European roots, “This holiday is magical in the capital of Russia!”

In May she travels to Europe, to attend key social events of the summer: Cannes Film Festival followed up by Formula 1 in Monaco, Cartier Queens Cup, Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup and Royal Ascot in England, Wimbledon tennis tournament. In July and part of August she spends her time between Mykonos and St.Tropez. Both destinations are famous for day and night elegant parties, mediterranean cuisine and care-free lifestyle. The end of August is celebrated in Burning Man, a hedonistic festival in the desert of Nevada.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS

Unfortunately as a professional courtesy, Veronica refuses to go into intimate detail regarding her clientele’s exploits – to maintain their privacy. We did however, get her to speak about a couple of her previous bookings without mentioning actual names or going into much detail.

“I could tell you lots of tales about my demanding, sophisticated and extravagant customers… if I had not signed an NDA! Privacy and discretion are tools of the trade.” – smiles Veronica. “Our typical clients are groups of London, Zurich or New York bankers who like to throw the ultimate party in one of the world’s capitals, or hotspots such as Mykonos, Las Vegas or St Tropez. We provide everything they might need and more: private jet charter, vehicles and drivers, villas and chalet hire, catering and much more .” Veronica explains how organising the itinerary can get remarkably complex at times.

“Some of our customers are eager to entertain their business partners or clients whilst being present at the destination and others are abroad and want to be sure that the guests are looked after according to the highest standards.”

“I remember one of our members, let’s call him X, requested to host his business partners in Mykonos. X stayed in a 5 stars resort, using it as his office, running his meetings and signing deals while The Only International hosts and hostesses wined and dined his clients at multiple day parties, boat trips and exquisite dinners. We also supplied private jets from London and NYC and a helicopter service to Athens. The best Mykonos villas and suites of 5 star hotels had been reserved to accommodate gentlemen that are used to the finest things in life. We provided everything from security guards to masseuses, we arranged for multiple private parties with model hostesses, fireworks shows, DJs and cocktail mixologists. Tipsy and happy, bankers were in a great mood to sign deals with their gracious host X who had obviously paid for the party. The mission lasted for over 6 weeks with numerous X’s clients flown over to Mykonos and it was a huge success.”

“Another example of a client would be a sophisticated European businessman in his early 40s. He had been moving part of his business over to Dubai. Being in the Middle East for the first time the gentleman who we shall refer to as Y, was eager to discover national culture, enjoy Dubai’s best spots whilst setting up his business in Dubai’s free zone. He was also looking for a dream house in one of Dubai’s prime developments. He only could fly in for a short 72 hours visit.”

“We were confident to cover all Y’s needs: from legal assistance to curated real estate developments visits. Additionally we had made time in Y’s schedule for dining in the trendiest restaurants like Clap and Gaia, a safari experience and a souvenir shopping in Dubai’s old town. All fit in a 72 hours visit”.

ROLLING THE BALL – WHATS NEXT

An admirer of Leonardo Da Vinci’s talent and his creative capacity, Veronica believes that “a talented person is talented everywhere”. She holds herself to a high expectation, and insists on importance of continues education throughout one’s lifetime. A semi-pro athlete, Bay naturally loves sports. Outside of work she practices tennis, swimming and yoga regularly, but is incredibly proactive when it comes to learning new kinds of activities. After spending her winter in Dubai she picked up skiing with Dubai Ski and improved her riding skills in local polo clubs. “Sports and continues learning helps me to share my clients’ passions and roll the ball” -confesses Veronica and adds cheekily “ And it is great for networking”

Bay adopts an optimistic view point when it comes to discussing the future of The Only International, even in such difficult times.

“After long exhausting months of pandemia lockdown our existing and new customers all over the world had certainly deserved to have some major fun! We are sure that summer 2021 will be amazing for our prime destinations like Mykonos, St Tropez, Hamptons and Miami.

Throughout 2020 we had focused on updating our portfolio with few new exciting itineraries and experiences. A collectable Ferrari driving experience through Modena with an exclusive visit to Ferrari factory, lavish Formula 1 packages and a new contract with one of the UK’s largest private aviation company are to name a few”.

“Life is good and now is the right time to celebrate it!”

(GMARO magazine. Cover story, March 2021)

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