For most Americans, the lifestyles of the rich and famous exist only in the shows we binge-watch and the Instagram accounts we obsessively scroll through. But Anna S., a 28-year-old marketing manager living in the San Francisco Bay Area, recently stayed at her childhood friend Taylor's luxury vacation home for a week, and got a first-hand glimpse into what the 1% really live like.
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While Anna came from a solid middle-class background, Taylor was born into fabulous wealth as the daughter of a billionaire tech mogul. They'd been best friends since kindergarten, but the gulf between their financial realities made Taylor's world of utmost luxury seem like science fiction to Anna.
But after scoring an invite to the family's annual summer getaway at their luxury Florida home, Anna was finally able to experience the overt luxury she'd previously only seen through Taylor's rose-tinted social media posts.
“I knew Taylor's family was wealthy, but I never expected the over-the-top luxury I witnessed that week,” Anna said. “I felt like I'd officially entered the realm of the ultra-rich.”
Royal staff
“The first big culture shock was the sheer number of staff,” Anna says. “There were always over 20 people looking after us!”
In fact, Anna soon realized that to live such a lavish life, she needed a small army: the family hired an army of butlers, gardeners, and personal chefs to cater to their every need and keep the palace grounds immaculate.
“I really didn't have to do anything myself,” Anna said. “It was a lazy person's paradise.”
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Unrealistic amenities
From the opulent marble-clad main residence filled with priceless artwork to a wine cellar that (Anna estimates) holds 15,000 bottles of wine, it's clear that no expense was spared in creating this paradise on earth.
“The amenities were straight out of a James Bond movie,” says Anna, “including tennis courts, two swimming pools, a state-of-the-art cinema and even a bowling alley and putting green!”
But the most extravagant feature was the massive spa and fitness complex, which surpassed even the most all-inclusive resorts.
“The spa had a full service beauty salon and anti-gravity massage chairs! I got 3 hot stone massages! Free!”
Unusual means of transportation
Anna expected Taylor's family to own a fleet of luxury cars, but they were discreet about this subject.
She was amazed to see the super-rich driving around town in regular people's cars.
“One day, Taylor's dad, who likes to do his own grocery shopping, got in his Acura and went to the store,” she said. “It's a nice car, but I was kind of shocked that it wasn't a Bentley or something.”
Non-stop luxury and service
But what really surprised Anna was how thoughtfully and preemptively the staff anticipated and catered to customers' every fleeting desire.
“The service was excellent throughout,” she says. “Before I even knew I wanted or needed something, the staff had already handed it to me. Need a refill? Done. If you were feeling cold, they had a heated towel rail for you.”
For Anna, being rich meant accumulating these small acts.
Money is not an issue
But perhaps the biggest revelation for Anna was how meaningless her family saw money.
“On our second day at the beach, Taylor told me she had a leak in her pipes and it was going to cost a fortune to fix,” Anna recalls. “More than I make in a year! But to her, it was the same price as an oil change.”
False Sense of Security
Overall, Anna walked away in awe of this other world where she had everything she ever wanted.
“I never wanted to leave 'The Estate' and spared no expense in creating a literal man-made paradise, completely isolated from the hassles of the real world,” she said. “I felt like I was living in a protected bubble where nothing could go wrong.”
But ultimately, Anna’s experience left her with a humble awe of her good fortune and a sense of security in what she has.
“I got to experience what it's like to be part of the 1% of the 1% for a blissful week. It was heaven – no complaints at all!” she said. “But it did feel a bit like a bit of a stretch – at the end of the day, I just want to make my own bed and my own food. Maybe it's my working class background but I don't see myself being able to keep this up for long. Well maybe I could. For now I'm happy to be on holiday with Taylor!”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What I Learned from Living Like a Rich Person for a Week
