onefinestay Celebrates the Launch of 'Guestbook'

LONDON, February 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Pioneering start-up onefinestay appoints former Wallpaper* magazine senior editor Alex Bagner to create its new print publication

onefinestay, the world's first unhotel, recently celebrated the launch of Guestbook, a new quarterly print lifestyle publication.

Launched in London in May 2010, onefinestay redefines city travel: live like a local by staying in a distinctive home while the owner is out of town, but with all the comforts and conveniences of a hotel. Guests enjoy 5* linens, fluffy towels, luxury toiletries and even an iPhone for the duration of their stay, while members earn an extra income from their house or apartment at times when it would otherwise stand vacant. This concept has proved popular, with the company successfully expanding to New York in May 2012 and further international expansion plans afoot. Over 1,000 members across both cities now exclusively list their homes with onefinestay.

Guestbook - a journal about living beautifully, and sharing it - is a new publication from onefinestay. It intends to capture the novel concept and lifestyle choice represented by the company's proposition, which goes beyond offering a new way of travelling or a smart way of earning an extra income.

"I wanted to capture our members' high-spirited, rich and creative lives and present them in a form away from the practicalities of a business and the constraints of web design," says Alex Bagner who joined onefinestay in September from Wallpaper*, where she was a senior editor. In her role as Head of Editorial, she is also tasked with building an in-house editorial team and overseeing content and creative across the company.

With the intention to create something thoughtful, informed and at times whimsical, the 96-page launch issue of Guestbook is divided into three 'rooms'. The Salon is filled with debate and conversation about the home; the Gallery provides a chance to view onefinestay's carefully curated portfolio; and the Snug offers a peek behind the scenes of the company.

Art directed by Field Projects, Guestbook commissioned award-winning photographers Jason Evans, Stefan Ruiz, and Leigh Johnson, to produce a series of 'at home' photo stories. Regular New Yorker contributor Ian Bilbey was also commissioned to provide charming illustrations which feature on the cover and section openers.

Greg Marsh, CEO and co-founder of onefinestay says, "As a business founded by a team of tech entrepreneurs, the turn to a traditional print publication might come as a surprise. With Guestbook we wanted to create something engaging and full of the character that we revere in our members' homes, as well as building a global lifestyle brand as we expand internationally."

onefinestay is not the only online business leveraging print, with many arguing that it retains a unique hold, for lifestyle brands in particular. This is evidenced by the anticipated launch of a print magazine by Net-a-Porter later this year, which joins the likes of the successful own-brand magazine by Asos. notonthehighstreet.com has taken a different approach in its foray into print, with the founders producing a book about how they built the company, alongside its traditional print catalogue.

A quarterly publication, Guestbook will be given for free to members of onefinestay who list their homes with the company, as well as guests who stay in those homes. It is also stocked at selected locations including independent coffee shops, boutiques and galleries across London and New York.

About onefinestay:

onefinestay redefines the experience of city travel: live like a local by staying in a distinctive home while the owner is out of town, with a service which offers all the convenience and comfort of a hotel. Guests enjoy luxury amenities like 5* hotel linens and toiletries and every guest is also lent an iPhone for the duration of their stay which is stocked with local tips from the home's owner, and from which they can make free local calls. Members benefit by earning an income from a house or flat which would otherwise stand vacant, without the risk or hassle associated with alternatives like holiday rental or short letting. Since its launch in 2010, onefinestay has signed up over a thousand members, and today manages an exclusive portfolio of over $2.5bn of beautiful upscale homes in London and New York.

Request a copy of Guestbook online from http://www.onefinestay.com/guestbook.

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SOURCE onefinestay