HomeFrance-StartupsParis-based Le Collectionist raises €60 million to add luxury to the holiday...

Paris-based Le Collectionist raises €60 million to add luxury to the holiday rental market

Traveltech firm Le Collectionist has just taken off with €60 million for its platform that reimagines the travel industry with a more luxurious touch. The Paris-born company prioritizes personalisation in travel experiences and is on a mission to become a global leader in this growing market. 

The travel industry is continuing to grow and show impressive resilience. Since the pandemic, the industry has become one of the most dynamic tech verticals, with startups across Europe serving up fresh tech-enabled innovations to feed a hungry appetite for unique travel experiences, hyper-personalized holidays and second-to-none travel memories. 

Since 2014, Le Collectionist has been shaping the holiday rental space, adding a touch of luxury to the market. The company has developed a platform that aims to give travellers the chance to share the joy of exclusive, tailor-made rental properties, services and experiences. Now, the firm has taken off with a new capital injection to consolidate its position as a global industry leader. 

The details: 

  • A round totalling €60 million led by Highland Europe
  • OLMA, X Ange early investor, alongside Famille C (the investment arm of the Courtin-Clarins family), Swiss banks Pictet and Lombard Odier, Kostogri (investment company of Nicolas Béraud) and business angels Fabrice Grinda, Nathalie Le Roy and Xavier Romatet also participated
  • Existing investor Red River West is continuing to support 

Tailor-made travel

Founded in 2014, Le Collectionist was built to meet a growing demand for highly personalized, exclusive and incomparable holiday experiences. It’s a market demand that has only grown in popularity, and Le Collectionist has been able to mark itself as a pioneer of the space. Since 2020, demand for its properties has risen four-fold and the firm has tripled the number of new destinations in that time, grown the number of active properties by 3.5x, and generated a 5.5x increase in revenue. 

Le Collectionist co-founder Max Aniort said: “Holidays are about creating memories and sharing once-in-a-lifetime moments with the people we love. This is what lies at the heart of everything we do at Le Collectionist. We want our guests to be given the best experiences and the attention they deserve to embrace and share precious time with family and friends. It’s great to have Irena and Highland Europe on this journey, as we share the same philosophy of excellence and leadership in everything we do.”

The Pais-born company opens the doors of exclusive homes to travellers, personalising them with high-quality services and experiences. It does so with a community approach, connecting homeowners experience providers and travellers who share the same love for memorable travel moments. 

Through partnerships with homeowners, the Le Collectionist platform offers clients access to a highly-curated list of ‘only the most exceptional’ homes, which are located in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations. In fact, of the homeowners that apply to Le Collectionist each year, only 3% make the cut. 

Le Collectionist currently partners with owners of 1,800 properties across 30 destinations including the French Riviera, the South-West of France, the Balearic Islands, Portuguese destinations including Comporta and the Algarve, Italian regions like Puglia and Tuscany, the French, Swiss and Austrian Alps, and also the Caribbean, Morocco, South Africa and Costa Rica and more.

Over the years, the company has established a global presence, notably through making key strategic acquisitions. Examples include the takeover of Swiss company Bramble Ski and French Alps real estate key player Vallat group, to expand its hugely popular ski offering. Having focused first on Europe before expanding on a global scale, Le Collectionist’s further acquisitions include a Greek property rental company, The Greek Villas. 

Travel has always been a personal experience. It’s always been about creating memories and embarking on unique experiences, but, since the pandemic, this is a trend that has stepped up a level. It’s estimated that the global luxury travel market will exceed a value of $50 billion by 2028 as a result, and Le Collectionist wants to lead the way forward. 

Irena Goldenberg, Partner at Highland Europe said: “Le Collectionist has become a beacon for luxury, experiential holidays. It’s a testament to the team and their unique and tailored approach to curating holidays that the company is now the world’s leading luxury experience provider, and a trusted brand, with the leading customer satisfaction metrics across the entire industry. The team is as selective about the owners they partner with and the experiences they offer as their customers, and we’re thrilled to be joining them.“

With Le Collectionist, users can expect a level of personalisation and luxury that isn’t really comparable with other services currently on the market. Delivered through on-the-ground teams who create bespoke experiences and itineraries for guests, each one is handcrafted and curated through Le Collectionist’s partnerships with trusted guides, experience providers, restaurateurs, chefs and other local artisans and helps to support local communities, skills, traditions, and craftsmanship.

With this new funding, the firm is opening more than 120 positions in 2023 to develop both its central office in Paris and existing local offices in the South-East and South-West of France, Barcelona, Ibiza and Switzerland, as well as to open new local offices in London and NYC.

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Patricia Allen
Patricia Allen
is the Head of Content at EU-Startups. With a background in politics, Patricia has a real passion for how shared ideas across communities and cultures can bring new initiatives and innovations for the future. She spends her time bringing you the latest news and updates of startups across Europe, and curating our social media.
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