Nantucket Independent Article June 23rd, 2010

THE NANTUCKET INDEPENDENT • JUNE 23, 2010

BY ALICIA HULL

INDEPENDENT SPECIAL WRITER

Are you being served?

Whether you stay overnight in a friend’s house or rent a $10,000 a week

waterfront home, the luxury and con-

venience of a hotel room is now avail-

able in just about any place on the is-

land.

Vacationing has always been a time

to relax and unwind, but with new con-

cierge services sprouting up on the is-

land, taking a vacation on Nantucket is

becoming a worry-free experience.

The last decade has seen a loss of

1,500 lodging rooms on island, as

many guest houses and inns have gone

out of business or have become private

homes. With the loss of rooms for the

day-tripper, there has been an increase

in the number of vacation homes avail-

able for rent. It was just a matter of

time for concierge services to attract

the attention of island entrepreneurs.

“The idea is that they show up and

it’s done,” said Ben Goldberg, who cre-

ated Enjoy Nantucket, a concierge and

rental service. “The house is perfectly

clean, the dining room is set and there

are fl owers and groceries as well as

drinks in the fridge.”

Since 1997, Goldberg and his wife

Jenny have perfected life for landlords

and their tenants. They take care of ev-

erything behind the scenes, including

unpacking suitcases, planning parties

and providing rental equipment for

babies and the beach. Essentially, the

Goldbergs manage the household.

“The goal is for them to shop, enjoy

their families and friends and not have

to deal with all of that stuff,” said Gold-

berg.

Even for newer companies, like Ack

Fast Services started by island native

Amanda Ciarmataro in 2008, business

is booming.

“I would say we are doubled right

now in business since last year,” she

said. “It’s really stressful. We have

grown really fast, really quickly. I’m

excited and grateful for the people

who are supporting me.”

Goldberg offered similar sentiments

about Enjoy Nantucket.

“This has been my busiest season

all around,” said Goldberg. “There is

defi nitely a need for it [concierge ser-

vices] on island. There is tons of room

for people like me to be doing this,

and I also think everyone should work

together.”

As business grows, so have the ser-

vices offered by concierge companies.

Although they vary from business

to business, many island companies

now include baby equipment rentals

among the services they provide. Par-

ents are given the opportunity to rent

baby goods such as high chairs, stroll-

ers and cribs and have them delivered

right to their home.

“As a parent, if you’re traveling

with your kids, whether it’s on a boat

or in a plane, it’s quite a process,” said

Ciarmataro. “The last thing you want

to do when you get here is go out to

the store. For families, it’s a nice luxury

for them - an expense they are willing

to pay instead of feeling overwhelmed

once they are on vacation.”

In addition, the concierge is available

to fi nd and schedule babysitters.

Nannytucket, a concierge compa-

ny that specializes in babysitting, was

founded by Heather North-McGraw.

Nannytucket allows vacationers access

to quality, worry-free childcare. Par-

ents can book a sitter online, over the

phone, or through a secondary compa-

ny such as AckFast or Enjoy Nantucket.

Each babysitter undergoes an applica-

tion/interview process as well as back-

ground checks before being listed as an

acceptable childcare provider.

As July and August approach, Gold-

berg offers advice for individuals just

starting out in a business he has per-

fected.

“Keep everything you do private,” he

said. “I’ve noticed that a lot of people

don’t want their names out there. We

are there to assist. To my clients, I am a

personal assistant, a chef and a friend.”