What a villa concierge service actually includes
Concierge is one of those words that appears on every luxury villa listing and means something different each time. Here is what it usually covers, what it does not, and the questions worth asking before you sign.
A villa concierge coordinates the practical side of a stay: arrival and transfers, housekeeping, a private chef or a stocked kitchen, boat and car hire, reservations, and a named contact while you are on the island. The coordination is what is included. The chef, the boat and the groceries are supplied by third parties and billed separately.
Before you arrive
Most of the work happens in the weeks before check-in, and it is the part guests tend to underestimate. A concierge team will usually confirm flight or ferry details and arrange the transfer, take a shopping list so the kitchen is stocked on arrival, set up a chef or catering if you want one, and hold restaurant and beach club tables for the dates that matter. In July and August those tables are the reason people book a concierge at all.
It is also when the awkward questions get answered. How many bedrooms are actually made up. Whether the pool is heated. Where the nearest pharmacy is. Whether a car can be delivered to the villa rather than collected from the airport.
During the stay
On the island the role changes from planning to running things. That means housekeeping on an agreed schedule, restocking, day-to-day bookings, and someone to call when the wifi drops or a boat day needs moving because of the meltemi. A good team knows the local suppliers personally, which is what makes a same-day request possible rather than theoretical.
Truman Collection runs concierge teams in both of the destinations it manages villas in – see Mykonos concierge and Chania concierge – alongside the villa portfolios in Mykonos and Chania.
What is coordinated and what is billed separately
This is where most misunderstandings start. “Concierge included” almost always describes the coordination, not the cost of the services being coordinated. The distinction is worth getting in writing before you book.
Usually coordinated
- Arrival, orientation and key handover
- Airport or port transfers
- Housekeeping schedule
- Restaurant and beach club reservations
- Excursions, boat days and tours
- On-island support and troubleshooting
Usually billed separately
- Private chef and catering
- Groceries and cellar stocking
- Car, chauffeur and yacht hire
- In-villa treatments and trainers
- Childcare and security staff
- Private aviation and helicopter transfers
Worth confirming
- Whether the concierge is on the island or remote
- Hours of availability and out-of-hours cover
- Any handling fee added to supplier invoices
- Housekeeping frequency and linen changes
- Cancellation terms on booked services
- Who your named point of contact is
A short list to send before you book
Copy this into the first email and you will avoid most of the surprises: which services are included in the rental price and which are extra; whether the concierge is based on the island; the hours they are reachable; whether any markup is applied to third party invoices; how often housekeeping comes and whether linen is changed; whether transfers are included in both directions; and the cancellation terms for a chef, boat or driver already booked.
Frequently asked questions
What is included in a villa concierge service in Greece?
A villa concierge coordinates the practical side of the stay: arrival and transfers, housekeeping, a private chef or provisioning, boat and car hire, restaurant and beach club reservations, and a point of contact while you are on the island. The coordination is the service; the chef, the boat and the groceries are supplied by third parties and priced separately.
Is a villa concierge available 24 hours a day?
It depends on the company. Some teams are on the island and reachable at any hour, others work office hours from a mainland office and answer by email or messaging app. Ask where the concierge is based, who your named contact is, and what happens outside working hours.
What should I ask before booking a villa with concierge service?
Ask which services are included in the rental price and which are billed on top, whether a handling fee or markup is added to third party invoices, how often housekeeping comes, whether transfers are included in both directions, and what the cancellation terms are for a booked chef, boat or driver.
Tell us what you need arranged
Fill out this simple, discreet and confidential form and Truman Collection Concierge will be in contact with you shortly.