Group travel has taken on new meaning for some wealthy consumers, who increasingly are taking over entire hotels.
In an experience-obsessed era, those who can are going beyond just a stay at a five-star hotel to having it all to themselves alongside family and friends. Luxury travel advisors report an uptick among their deep-pocketed clients who book accommodations in their entirety for both large and small groups.
Andrew Steinberg, an advisor with the Ovation Network in New York City, says that his buyout business is up 50% this year compared with 2023.
“From a dozen, I have more than double now. The prices for these weekend stays can start at US$500,000 and easily top US$1 million,” he says. “People love them because they can manage every aspect of the experience and extend their event.”
As an example, Steinberg planned a lavish 50th birthday last year in Versailles, France, for a client who took over Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grande Controle, located on the grounds of Versailles, for a weekend. The extravaganza cost well into the seven figures, he says, and included elements such as a scavenger hunt on the palace grounds and a five-course dinner party prepared by the renowned chef Alain Ducasse, where guests donned 17th-century costumes provided by the host.
Entertainment included fire breathers and Cirque du Soleil-style dancers. Steinberg notes that guests also received a different gift each day such as silk scarves and pricey wines. “By having the property to ourselves, we were able to manage every touchpoint,” Steinberg says. “We had napkins for every meal with the host’s initial and amenities such as a personalised cookie station.”

Andrew Steinberg
Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal, the president of the New York-based Fischer Travel, which charges a US$150,000 membership fee, is also planning more buyouts than ever before for occasions such as weddings, birthdays, and “just because” get-togethers.
“Takeovers offer complete privacy, safety, and flexibility. The client does not have to adhere to a set schedule and can make theirs up as they go along,” Fischer-Rosenthal says. “There is a dedicated team catering to all of their wants and needs.”
The membership-based travel company Andrew Harper is another brand that has seen a jump in buyouts. Colin Housley, vice president of member experience, says the increase in demand led the company to launch an initiative called Exclusive Experiences, which focus on immersive and private trips such as luxury hotel buyouts and private island stays.
“Our members who plan these trips receive access to unique activities and excursions that we have negotiated with our partners,” Housley says. “We also leverage our relationships to make buyouts happen for properties that normally wouldn’t offer it.”
Andrew Harper has seen a “flood of requests” for private stays since Exclusive Experiences launched, he says.

Andrew Steinberg
Meanwhile, another New York-based travel company Black Tomato had a client who bought out Aman Venice to throw a US$1 million party for his wife’s 50th birthday.
“We arranged performances by opera singers, an orchestra, and a rock band, and the celebration ended with a treasure hunt on the rooftop of the Gritti Palace in the penthouse suite,” says Black Tomato travel expert Sunil Metcalfe , who also notes the uptick in such buyouts.
In addition to travel companies, representatives from several upscale hotels, including the Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, Mont., and Cal-a-Vie Health Spa in Vista, Calif., say that takeovers of their properties are on the rise. Many, particularly smaller hotels, offer buyout-specific packages.
Cali Mykonos, located on the namesake island’s Kalafati Beach, has created a package for a cost of between US$57,000 and US$75,000 that allows guests to book its 40 villas, each with a pool and large terrace, and enjoy amenities such as the large main pool, yoga classes, boat fleet, beach and restaurants exclusively with others in their group.
Sir Richard Branson ’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands has a buyout package starting at US$118,500 a night for 24 rooms that’s consistently booked throughout the year, according to a property representative. The rate includes meals and most activities, such as water skiing, snorkelling, and pickleball.
Weekapaug Inn, located in Westerly, R.I., introduced a buyout experience to commemorate its 125th anniversary this year. Called the Milestone Getaway, it encompasses the use of the hotel’s 33 rooms for two nights, meals and activities; the price is US$125,000.
Tom Parisi, an investment banker, and Adriana Destefanis, an asset manager, who live in Darien, Conn., bought out Weekapaug Inn for their wedding last October.
In addition to the wedding events, the couple’s more than 150 guests stayed busy by participating in diversions such as bike riding, birdwatching, stargazing, and s’mores by the fire pit.
“Having a private element is very unique in our view,” Parisi says. “We felt like we were in our own massive house and able to spend quality time with our family and friends. And we could be loud without worrying about other guests. We didn’t want to just have a wedding. We wanted an experience, and the buyout gave us that.”
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has joined Archie Rose Distilling Co. as co-owner and strategic business partner as the Sydney spirits company prepares to enter the United States. The partnership brings Hemsworth together with Archie Rose founder Will Edwards, with the pair aiming to build greater international recognition for Australian whisky. Founded in Sydney in 2014, …
Continue reading “Chris Hemsworth Joins Archie Rose as Co-Owner Ahead of Global Expansion”
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Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has joined Archie Rose Distilling Co. as co-owner and strategic business partner as the Sydney spirits company prepares to enter the United States.
The partnership brings Hemsworth together with Archie Rose founder Will Edwards, with the pair aiming to build greater international recognition for Australian whisky.
Founded in Sydney in 2014, Archie Rose has developed a distinctively Australian range of whiskies, gins and other spirits using locally grown grains and native botanicals.

Hemsworth said his involvement grew from a long-standing admiration for the distiller and its use of Australian ingredients.
“I’ve been a fan of Archie Rose for a long time,” Hemsworth said.
“Wherever I am in the world, tasting an Archie Rose whisky immediately transports me right back home, to that feeling of sitting around a campfire in the Australian bush with my mates.
“Their ethos of only using Australian-grown malts to produce flavour-packed whiskies at their Sydney distillery is truly awesome. They’re a brilliant example of what Australia does best, and I can’t wait to share that with the world.”
Three new Australian whiskies
Three whiskies co-created with Hemsworth are scheduled to launch later in 2026.
Made using 100 per cent Australian-grown malts, the whiskies will be released nationally and introduced to the United States as Archie Rose enters that market for the first time.
Further releases are planned for Asia and New Zealand, followed by expansion into the United Kingdom and European Union in 2027.
Archie Rose will continue to oversee distillation and production, while Hemsworth will contribute to storytelling, creative direction, design and content development.
Edwards said the partnership would help introduce Archie Rose—and Australian spirits more broadly—to a larger international audience.
“Our approach has always been about championing local ingredients to create spirits that taste truly Australian,” Edwards said.
“Having Chris join the business as a co-owner allows us to bring that ambition to the world.
“We aren’t just making spirits; we are using Australia’s raw materials and ingenuity as the base for producing the world’s best whisky, gin and other spirits, telling the stories of the growers and the land beneath them.”
A distinctly Australian approach
Archie Rose works with Australian growers to source heirloom and drought-resistant grain varieties for its whiskies, as well as native botanicals for its gins.
Its whiskies are produced exclusively with Australian-grown malts, including rye and barley cultivated specifically for the distiller.
Each malt is milled, mashed, fermented, distilled and matured separately before the components are combined. The process is designed to retain the individual character of each grain.
For its gins, Archie Rose uses cold distillation to help preserve the character of individual botanicals.

The company says it has received more than 450 awards, including World’s Best Rye Whisky twice, Australia’s Best Single Malt Whisky five times and World’s Best Gin.
Archie Rose received B Corp certification in June 2026, recognising its stated commitments to social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
The company operates its distillery in Botany, Sydney, with a public bar and cellar door in nearby Rosebery.
Hemsworth’s arrival as co-owner marks a significant change for the previously family-owned company—and gives one of Australia’s most recognisable actors an active role in the effort to establish Australian whisky as a global category.
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