Bespoke accommodation is a big thing in the serviced apartment world. With more and more business travellers seeking curated experiences on trips away, property operators have had to respond by offering more than just a place to stay.
Staying ahead of the curve is Oasis Collections: an international provider, known for its hand-picked private apartments and homes. Uniqueness informs everything Oasis does: from the way it styles its properties, to the names it gives its staff members and amenities.
We love the Oasis brand, and were fortunate enough to catch up with the operator’s Senior Director, Miguel Tosoni, and London-based Sales Manager, Gisleine Freitas, during their visit to our London office. A Miami resident most of the year, Miguel let us in on what it’s like to live in the land of sun-soaked beaches and 24-hour parties.
How did the Oasis Collections name come about?
‘Oasis’ is a positive word, meaning refuge or relief, that’s easily pronounced in different languages, and closely tied to our leisure focus as a brand. ‘Collections’ refers to our hand-picked portfolio of private apartments and homes.
Parker Stanberry, CEO and Co-Founder of Oasis Collections, came up with the name during his travels to Latin America. While in Buenos Aires (Argentina), he attempted to rent an apartment, but, speaking no Spanish at the time, encountered a language barrier.
What was missing, in his eyes, were hotel-like services and amenities, along with a local point of contact to recommend things to do and assist him with learning Spanish. Recognising this difficulty, he not only brushed up on his Spanish, but decided to launch Oasis to fill a gap in the marketplace.
What unites the different locations that you operate in?
The 20 cities we operate in are some of the greatest in the world - cultural centres of equal interest for business and leisure. And regardless of the location, our brand promise remains the same: design-oriented apartments and homes, consistent quality and service, and local expertise.
How do you go about selecting and verifying your properties?
All homes are hand-picked, and must pass strict inspections. Each location has its very own dedicated point of contact to manage enquiries and provide the best customer service possible. As a general rule, we only tend to source properties in the top neighbourhoods in our chosen destinations.
Which are your most popular properties and why?
From a portfolio of over 2,000 properties, it’s hard to isolate the most popular ones. Some of our favourite properties from a design perspective are in Cartagena (Colombia) and Punta del Este (Uruguay), and in major cities like New York and Los Angeles. We also have a lot of success with properties in local, residential areas like the West Village and Venice.
The Clubhouse, in Buenos Aires, is another favourite among guests. It’s a private members club, with a local membership drawing heavily from creative industries, which all Oasis guests have access to. The Clubhouse hosts art exhibitions, tastings, theme parties and fashion shows, and also has two guest rooms and two adjacent apartments, for travellers looking to be close to the action.
What is Miami like as a place to live and work?
Miami is a city full of beautiful people, diverse cultures, cool bars and restaurants. It’s hot and humid throughout the year, and best known for its beaches and glitzy nightlife. That being said, Miami is growing rapidly and is now becoming a “real” city, with more companies headquartered there and young professionals pouring into the city. Our Miami office is a WeWork workspace with a start-up feel that’s closely aligned to our company culture. You won’t find any suits in our office - when in Miami, do as the locals do.
What are your growth plans for 2018?
We’re continually expanding. We will likely add Lima, Dublin and Washington DC to our map in 2018. Our next big step is to open locations in Asia - which, of course, is major growth area for travel.
Just for fun
New York or San Francisco?
New York
Clean living or organised mess?
Clean living
Starter or dessert?
A full meal - I can’t choose just one.
