Privacy is a safety issue now
For a long time, privacy on vacation meant avoiding photographers. It still does, but the bigger risk today is what a trip reveals about the house you left behind.
In late 2024, the FBI warned the major sports leagues about organized theft groups breaking into athletes' homes while they were at games or traveling. Investigators said the groups used public information and social media to learn their targets' routines. Some break-ins happened with people still inside. The FBI's advice was simple: be careful what you post, and don't post in real time when you're away.
That warning applies just as much to a holiday in St. Barths as it does to a road game. Every person who knows your itinerary, and every photo that shows where you are, is a way in. Private travel isn't about hiding. It's about controlling who knows what, and when.
This guide walks through how we plan trips for public figures, athletes and executives: what happens before you book, how you arrive, where you stay, who's in the house, and what to do once you're there.
Before the trip: decide who knows what
Most privacy problems start weeks before anyone gets on a plane, when an itinerary gets forwarded one too many times.
Keep the circle small. Decide who needs the full itinerary and who needs only their piece of it. The driver needs a pickup time. The chef needs dietary needs and a headcount. Neither needs the guest list, the address of the next stop or the flight number.
Book under a company or a working name. Villas, cars and yachts can be contracted through a business entity or held under an alias, with the guest's real name shared only where the law requires it. Owners and managers see a booking, not a celebrity.
Put NDAs in place early. A non-disclosure agreement should cover everyone who will see the guest or the home: staff, drivers, chefs, crew, trainers, stylists and any vendor coming onto the property. Sign it before details are shared, not on arrival. Have your attorney review the terms, so it covers photos, social media and conversations with the press, and runs past the end of the stay.
Use one point of contact. When every request goes through one person, there's one record of who was told what. That person also becomes the one number staff call when something unexpected happens, instead of calling the guest.
Arrival: the most exposed hour of the trip
Airports and hotel lobbies are where guests are most likely to be recognized, photographed or followed. A good arrival plan gets you from the plane to a closed gate with as few public moments as possible.
Fly private, or use a private terminal. Private aviation terminals (FBOs) let you walk from the aircraft to a waiting car without passing through the main airport. Guests flying commercial can often book a meet-and-greet service that handles check-in and escorts them through a separate route.
Choose the car with care. An unmarked, late-model SUV with tinted windows draws less attention than a stretch limousine or a bright supercar. Save the exotic car for later in the week, when you choose to be seen.
Vary the timing. Arrival times shared with a wide group become predictable. We give the exact time only to the people who need it, and we avoid arriving at the same hour the rest of the group is posting from the airport.
Go straight in. Bags, groceries and room setup are handled before you arrive, so you aren't standing in a driveway while staff unload. The gate closes behind the car.
The home: what makes a property private
A gate isn't enough on its own. When we vet a home for a high-profile guest, we look at how it can be seen, reached and watched.
Sight lines. Can the pool, terrace or bedrooms be seen from the street, a neighbor's balcony, the beach or the water? Waterfront homes in places like Miami and Malibu are often most exposed from boats offshore. Tall hedges, screened terraces and covered outdoor areas matter more than square footage.
Layers of access. The most private homes sit inside a guard-gated community or on a private island, then behind their own gate. Every layer gives security a chance to stop an unexpected visitor before they reach the door.
A separate service entrance. Staff, deliveries and vendors should be able to come and go without crossing the guest's path or opening the main gate.
Cameras and alarms that work. We confirm that cameras cover the gate, driveway and perimeter, that someone is watching them, and that the alarm is monitored. We also ask who else has access to the camera feeds, since that should be a short list.
Room for security. If the guest travels with a protection team, the house needs a place for them to sleep, eat and watch the property without sharing the guest's space.
Nothing online. The best homes for this kind of stay aren't advertised with interior photos and an exact location. Fewer people know what the inside looks like, and fewer people know where it is.
The people: vetting and briefing staff
The house is only as private as the people inside it. Most leaks don't come from photographers. They come from someone who was in the room.
Vet before you hire. Every chef, housekeeper, butler, driver and captain who will see the guest should have a background check, done with their consent and in line with local law, plus references from earlier work with private clients. We prefer people we've placed before and who have kept past stays quiet.
Keep the team the same. One steady crew for the whole stay is easier to trust than a rotating cast of day workers. Every new face is one more person who knows who's in the house.
Brief them on the rules. Phones stay away while on duty. No photos of the guest, the home or anything in it. No names in group chats or texts; the guest has a code name. Questions from outsiders, including neighbors, go to the point of contact.
Check every visitor. The FBI has warned that people casing athletes' homes have posed as lawn workers, delivery drivers and repair technicians. Anyone arriving at the gate should be expected, on a list and confirmed before they're let in.
Pay for discretion, and notice it. Staff who protect a guest's privacy should be paid well and thanked. People who feel trusted tend to protect that trust.
During the stay: staying private once you're there
Post later, not live. Share photos after you've left a place, not while you're in it. Turn off location tags, and check the background of every photo for house numbers, street signs, boat names or a recognizable view. The same goes for everyone in your group, including family and friends.
Bring the outside in. A private chef, an in-villa spa day, a trainer at the house or a yacht day that leaves from the dock keeps you out of public places without making the trip feel smaller.
Plan nights out like arrivals. For dinners and clubs, book under the working name, use a private entrance or room when there is one, and go in and out by car rather than walking the strip. Choose places with a record of protecting guests' privacy.
Keep deliveries to one route. Shopping, flowers and packages go to the point of contact or come through the service entrance. Nothing is left at the front gate with a name on it.
Remember the house you left. While you're away, your own home needs the same thought: monitored alarms, someone checking on it, and no posts that tell people it's empty.
Private travel FAQ
Can I rent a villa without using my real name? In most cases the booking can be made through a company or under a working name, with your legal name shared only where the law requires it, such as for a lease, a customs form or a tax filing.
Should villa staff sign an NDA? Yes. Everyone who will see you or the home should sign before they're given any details. Have your attorney review the terms, so they cover photos, social media and press, and continue after the stay ends.
What makes a rental home secure enough for a celebrity or athlete? Look for limited sight lines from the street and the water, a guard-gated community or private gate, a separate service entrance, monitored cameras and alarms, and space for a security team. Homes that aren't publicly listed with interior photos are a plus.
How do I arrive without being photographed? Fly private or use a private aviation terminal, travel in an unmarked vehicle, keep the arrival time to a small group, and have the home ready so you can go straight inside.
Is it safe to post on social media while I'm traveling? Post after you've left a location, not while you're there. The FBI has advised athletes to avoid real-time posts while away and photos that show valuables or the inside of their homes.
Can a concierge arrange my own security team? Yes. We work with your existing protection team, or arrange licensed local security, and plan the house and schedule around them.
Plan a private stay with Aspect
We work with public figures, professional athletes, executives and the managers and agents who travel with them. Tell us where you're going, who's coming and how private the trip needs to be. We'll handle the home, the arrival, the staff and the details, and keep the circle of people who know as small as possible.
Your inquiry goes to one person on our team and stays there. Start a confidential inquiry:www.travelwithaspect.com
