Once at their destination, the entertainers may or may not need to hit the town. When traveling for business, a car service or a limousine company is usually called in to chauffeur the celebrity around. This is usually done in a “charter” mode, meaning that the car and drivers are at the celebrity’s service for hours on end (8 or more). Again, the cost of this service increases when there is an entourage in tow, which creates a need for additional charters. At a cost of $80 per hour and per vehicles, a typical invoice can reach $2000 or $3000 by the end of the trip. The problem is that the clients are usually invoiced later, which leads them to over-indulge. I remember this client who asked us to hold off payment to a reputable limousine company as they were still extending him credit despite his outstanding balance. We had to pull the plug once the bill reached $20,000 within a span of 2 months and force the client to address the issue and authorize payment.
However, if traveling for personal purposes or even while on vacation, an entertainer may decide to rent out a luxury vehicle for the length of the stay. I am talking Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maseratti from specialized shops in LA, Miami or NYC or whatever hot spot they are visiting. This can be an exhilarating and exciting option, for about the same cost as the charter (about $1000 and more per day). Unfortunately, the worse offenders rarely stop at one car as the entourage often get their own as well, resulting in a higher bill than expected. In a world of excess and opulence, I have become accustomed to rental bills higher than the price of a small car.
When it comes to accommodation, entertainers know only one word: luxury. Having experienced those types of hotels thanks to my association with my clients, I can understand the addictive nature of a luxury hotel. It is a world where well known luxury brands such as Four Seasons®, St Regis® and Ritz-Carlton® are as familiar to its members as Mandarin Oriental®, Mondrian®, Parker Meridien® and W®. For all their hard work, entertainers deserve such pampering and the perks associated with those hotels. It offers them well needed privacy and the opportunity to rub shoulders with their peers. As with everything, some clients tend to overdo it. Keep in mind that the starting rate for such hotels is over $300 a night for a standard room. It would be too easy if most clients wanted a room, but they all want a suite. We are talking at least $700 a night or more in some hotels and even several thousands in others. So after a few days in such hotels, factoring in incidentals and the additional rooms for the entourage, we are talking $10,000 or more per stay. If things were not bad enough, some hotels are now catering to the ultra-wealthy. Such a hotel in a major city in the Southeast offers suites starting at $2500. This is where I draw the line for entry-level and mid-level entertainers: proceed at your own risks. A 7 day stay at this hotel came up to over $20,000 for an entertainer and his girlfriend. That included a $2500 room service bill. And it was in a regular suite. A 5 minutes drive from his primary residence. He checked himself out immediately after being notified of his tab.
It is an established fact that traveling in style is a costly endeavor. I would thus discourage anyone from traveling for no other reason than to get away and with a big entourage, or at least limit such behavior. My cost saving suggestions would be as follows:
Plan ahead for those business related trips as they are usually scheduled far in advance for the most part.
Have someone keep an eye on the entourage’s incidentals to reduce waste (I have seen an entourage incur $400 each in incidentals for a one night stay)
Be aware of one’s league in the wealth spectrum as ultra-luxurious items should only be reserved for the ultra-rich
In closing, I do not suggest avoiding all those perks because they are the fruits of an artist’s labor, but it is easy getting caught up. It’s easier said than done, but balance is key! Then again, this is why they hire a business manager after all.
However, if traveling for personal purposes or even while on vacation, an entertainer may decide to rent out a luxury vehicle for the length of the stay. I am talking Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maseratti from specialized shops in LA, Miami or NYC or whatever hot spot they are visiting. This can be an exhilarating and exciting option, for about the same cost as the charter (about $1000 and more per day). Unfortunately, the worse offenders rarely stop at one car as the entourage often get their own as well, resulting in a higher bill than expected. In a world of excess and opulence, I have become accustomed to rental bills higher than the price of a small car.
When it comes to accommodation, entertainers know only one word: luxury. Having experienced those types of hotels thanks to my association with my clients, I can understand the addictive nature of a luxury hotel. It is a world where well known luxury brands such as Four Seasons®, St Regis® and Ritz-Carlton® are as familiar to its members as Mandarin Oriental®, Mondrian®, Parker Meridien® and W®. For all their hard work, entertainers deserve such pampering and the perks associated with those hotels. It offers them well needed privacy and the opportunity to rub shoulders with their peers. As with everything, some clients tend to overdo it. Keep in mind that the starting rate for such hotels is over $300 a night for a standard room. It would be too easy if most clients wanted a room, but they all want a suite. We are talking at least $700 a night or more in some hotels and even several thousands in others. So after a few days in such hotels, factoring in incidentals and the additional rooms for the entourage, we are talking $10,000 or more per stay. If things were not bad enough, some hotels are now catering to the ultra-wealthy. Such a hotel in a major city in the Southeast offers suites starting at $2500. This is where I draw the line for entry-level and mid-level entertainers: proceed at your own risks. A 7 day stay at this hotel came up to over $20,000 for an entertainer and his girlfriend. That included a $2500 room service bill. And it was in a regular suite. A 5 minutes drive from his primary residence. He checked himself out immediately after being notified of his tab.
It is an established fact that traveling in style is a costly endeavor. I would thus discourage anyone from traveling for no other reason than to get away and with a big entourage, or at least limit such behavior. My cost saving suggestions would be as follows:
Plan ahead for those business related trips as they are usually scheduled far in advance for the most part.
Have someone keep an eye on the entourage’s incidentals to reduce waste (I have seen an entourage incur $400 each in incidentals for a one night stay)
Be aware of one’s league in the wealth spectrum as ultra-luxurious items should only be reserved for the ultra-rich
In closing, I do not suggest avoiding all those perks because they are the fruits of an artist’s labor, but it is easy getting caught up. It’s easier said than done, but balance is key! Then again, this is why they hire a business manager after all.
1 comment:
JL,
Good info, but especially good writing style.
Joel.
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