Top 25 High-End Butler and Professional Staff Services

"No man is a hero to his valet." - Mme Anne-Marie Bigot de Cornuel (1605-1694).

A BUTLER is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its appearance. A butler is usually male, and in charge of male servants, while a housekeeper is usually a woman, and in charge of female servants. Traditionally, male servants (such as footmen) were rarer and therefore better paid and of higher status than female servants. The butler, as the senior male servant, has the highest servant status. He can also be sometimes used as a chauffeur.

In modern houses where the butler is the most senior worker, titles such as majordomo, butler administrator, house manager, manservant, staff manager, chief of staff, staff captain, estate manager and head of household staff are sometimes given. The precise duties of the employee will vary to some extent in line with the title given, but perhaps, more importantly in line with the requirements of the individual employer. In the grandest homes or when the employer owns more than one residence, there is sometimes an estate manager of higher rank than the butler.

Butler & Professional Staff News, Reviews & Resources

• Bernard Lafferty - (1945-1996). Was an Irish butler and heir to American tobacco heiress and philanthropist, Doris Duke. Duke hired Lafferty in 1987 and named him the executor of her $1.2 billion estate six months prior to her death in October 1993. Had also worked for Peggy Lee and Elizabeth Taylor.
• BUTLER - Wikipedia.
• Flamboyant life & death of a billionaire butler - The Irish Times.
• International Butlers - since 2005. "High-end butler training and coaching." With passion International Butlers offers a number of training modules that enable the participants to create the discrete and luxury environment your distinguished guests are seeking. With the acquired skills and knowledge.
• NANNY - Wikipedia.
• Norland College - since 1892. Discover Norland, our world famous higher education college in Bath providing guaranteed employment opportunities working with children and families.
• The Remains of the Day - actor Anthony Hopkins as the butler of Darlington Hall Mr. James Stevens.
• Rich Chinese, Inspired by ‘Downton,’ Fuel Demand for Butlers - The New York Times.
• Seeking a butler who acts just like Jeeves - is this the worst job ad ever? - "An ad posted by a wealthy Russian family asks for a butler who can ‘solve any issue’, is familiar with Jeeves and Wooster - and isn’t a Libra or Aries."
• The Help: Demand for Housekeepers & Butlers Is on the Rise - The Wall Street Journal.
• The International Butler Academy - since 1999. "The International Butler Academy (TIBA) is a unique, exclusive and professional butling and house management school. We are proud to be the finest and most innovative butler service training institute in the world. We are equally proud that some of the world's wealthiest families, international businesses, five-star hotels, resorts, private clubs and cruise lines turn to us for staff training, recruitment and our highly specialized consulting services."
• The trick to having it all: asking for help … and hiring a butler - The Guardian.
• These Butlers Are Neither Carson Nor Hudson - "The rise of 'executive butlers' - a breed whose job combines silver polishing with being a concierge and a maitre d’ - reflects the changing nature of the very rich."
• Wanted: San Francisco butler to whip home into shape (salary: $175,000) - The Guardian.
• What is a Norland Nanny? - "A Norland Nanny is not just any old nanny, this is considered to be the best of the best in childcare. You will find royalty and those of high social standing regulars using Norland Nannies, and whilst they certainly don’t come for a low price, they offer a standard which simply cannot be matched."
• 'Whatever the price is, I’ll pay for it' - "Meet the mums who are too posh to parent."
• Where Did the Royals Find Prince George’s Nanny? - "At Norland College, future nannies take courses on early childhood education and cooking alongside learning to fend off kidnappers and shielding strollers from paparazzi."

Top 25 High-End Butler & Professional Staff Services

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• AMERICAN YACHT INSTITUTE - since 1994. Specialize in training future professional staff.
• Bespoke Bureau - since 2001. "The World's Best Household Staff." We're the leading Domestic Staff Placement & Training Agency of Butlers, Housekeepers, House Managers, Private PA, Chauffeurs, Domestic Couples, 5 star Hotel Staff, Cabin and Yacht Interior Crew. London's leading high-end domestic staff agency with the world famous British Butler Academy to boot.
• BUTLER FOR YOU - since 2006. "International Household Staff Agency." Butler For You is a global household staff agency with over 10 years of successful placements. We place housekeepers, nannies, butlers, domestic couples and chefs at estates, prestigious hotels and on private yachts.
• Crew Unlimited - "Established in 1983 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, has become known as one of the top yacht crew placement agencies in the world. Finding yacht jobs and travel jobs on luxury charter yachts, private yachts, and estates, in popular cruising areas such as the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Bahamas, the US North East, for Captains, Chefs, Mates, Engineers, Steward(esse)s, and Deckhands, all around the world, is our expertise!"
• Eden Nannies & Maternity Nurses - since 2001. "One of the leading providers of private childcare in the UK and overseas." We are a London-based nanny agency and one of the leading providers of private childcare in the UK and overseas. For over 15 years we have handpicked the best childcare staff on behalf of the families we work for.
• FLOATING LIFE - since 2002. "Crew selection and management." Floating Life Yacht Management provides a crew management service to support in the smooth and effective running of Yacht human resources, such as: verifying qualifications; monitoring certification & medical insurance; travel expenses; handling contract negotiation, define objectives and performance assessment. We assist in crew recruitment to ensure the best-suited crew are selected.
• GREYCOAT PLACEMENTS - since 1996. "Setting the Standard in Recruitment." We offer a uniquely personal service - no other agency can offer as much. We know that it is the people that make the difference so if you are looking for Household or Estate staff, Childcare staff or Catering and Hospitality staff either in the UK or Internationally, we aim to deliver results.
• Hampton Domestics - since 1991. "Licensed and Bonded Domestic Placement Agency serving NY, Palm Beach, Miami and The Hamptons." Hampton Domestics doesn't stop working for you once we've found the employees that you require. We follow-up with our clients regularly. After a placement has been made, we make periodic contact with our clients so that we can be available if you have any problems or concerns. We want to ensure that you'll have a comfortable employer-employee relationship. We can provide assistance and/or advice regarding salary, vacation, and employee performance issues.
• Hemisphere Crew Solutions - "Hemisphere Monaco is a specialist superyacht service provider founded in 2012. We provide a collection of in-house elements to Captains and decision makers, enabling them to operate their yachts safely and effectively." Our offices are centrally located in Monaco; the hub of the superyacht community. Located in the prestigious principality, we are strategically placed for easy access to our clients and their yachts.
• HILL ROBINSON - since 2001. "Crew selection and recruitment." Finding and keeping good crew is critical. Hill Robinson will take care of your crew selection and recruitment using our advanced HRcrew database.
• HOME STAFFING NETWORK International - since 2004. "Mutual Satisfaction Is Our Goal." A home is an expression of our personality and creativity, the place that ideally brings us peace and pleasure. Maintaining your home can also be the aspect of your life that takes up much personal time and energy, and finding the right people to assist you can be a challenge. The Home Staffing Network is at your service!
• IMPERIAL RECRUITMENT - since 2002. "Imperial Recruitment is the largest domestic recruitment agency supplying staff for all domestic situations throughout the UK and abroad."
• INTERNATIONAL YACHT CREW - since 2013. "The 'In' Yacht Crew."
• LUXURY ASSETS - since 2011. "Staff Placement with Integrity". Luxury Assets is a high-end international domestic staff agency for private households, family offices, yachts and jets and has offices in London, UK and Zurich, Switzerland.
• Luxury Yacht Group - since 2001. "Professional Yacht Crew Placement." Luxury Yacht Group recruits more yacht crew each year than any other company. With 17 dedicated crew placement coordinators we have the largest and best trained staff in the industry to help guide your job search.
• Nanny & Butler - since 2012. "Private Childcare & Household Staff Agency." Leading global Bespoke Search Consultancy. Based in London and Rome we are the leader in the placement of Childcare and Household Staff. With many years of experience we are able to provide you with a complete bespoke service offering you quality placements that will match your specific personal requirements.
• Norland Agency - since 1892. "We offer a personalised service with over 129 years of experience." Norland Agency is the only nanny agency to exclusively place Norland Nannies and Norland Maternity Nurses, that is, nannies who successfully complete their training at Norland. We have been placing nannies in London, across the UK and overseas since 1892.
• PAVILLION AGENCY - since 1962. "The Leader in the Field of Personal Service." Pavillion Agency has grown to be the largest household staffing agency in the U.S. Our expert and caring team has over 200 years of combined experience in the placement of nannies, chefs, butlers, chauffeurs, housekeepers, house/estate managers, personal assistants, baby nurses, domestic couples, laundress/ladies maids and much more.
• Polo & Tweed - since 2013. "Domestic Helper Staffing Agency." We are a luxury domestic service recruitment specialist based in London, who raises the bar in recruitment. British domestic staff are considered to be the best in the world at service. If you are looking to recruit the perfect staff please get in touch: Butlers, Nannies, Maternity Nurses, Housekeepers, Chefs, Security, PAs, Estate/House Managers, Domestic Couples.
• Savoy Butler Service - since 1885. "Celebrating 125 Years." The Savoy has long had an ethos of ‘personal service naturally’, and was the first hotel to establish its own school to train professionals.The Savoy Academy trains a new generation of butlers who combine the discretion of a traditional English butler with the efficiency of a 21st century personal assistant.
• THE CREW NETWORK - since 1998. "The world's premiere crew agency." With offices positioned in key yachting hot spots, The Crew Network is ideally placed to assist you in finding the perfect yacht crew. Having offices in Fort Lauderdale, Antibes and Viareggio gives you access to the best quality crew at all times."
• THE GUILD OF PROFESSIONAL ENGLISH BUTLERS - since 1998. "The Guild of Professional English Butlers has been training hotel butlers for the past fifteen years. The training provided by The Guild covers, theory, practical and role-play in the areas and situations that a hotel butler has to deal with in their working day."
• The Help Company - "Exceptional placements since 1983." The Help Company is the BEST agency to provide families and individuals with the utmost in domestic, family and personal care services available. Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. Also offers you a premier list of consultants to train your domestic staff. Your house will run like a five star hotel in areas such as laundry, cooking, housekeeping, etiquette, and organization.
• THE INTERNATIONAL GUILD OF PROFESSIONAL BUTLERS - since 1997. "The World's Finest Private Staff." Our Services include recruitment & training of Private Staff such as butlers, household managers, personal assistants, chefs, couples etc.
• The International Institute of Modern Butlers - since 2004. "Rent-a-Butler." The International Institute of Modern Butlers LLC is dedicated to raising service standards in all service professions through innovative on-site and long-distance consultation, training, books, and articles in order to bring about intelligently executed, anticipatory, and invisible service in the style of the traditional British Butler adapted to modern needs and markets around the world. Butlers and Household Managers are available in most locations around the world for temporary assignments of anything from half a day to several months.
• THE LADY - since 1885. "For elegant women with elegant minds." Britain's longest-running weekly women's magazine. It has been in continuous publication since 1885 and is based in London. It is particularly notable for its classified advertisements for domestic service and child care.
• YACHTCHEFS.COM - since 2003. "Our Mission: to be your first port of call for chef recruitment in the super yacht industry." Chef Placement Service - 24/7 Service! Chef recruitment for yachts.
• Zomelle - since 2012. Home Staffing and Home Management. Zomelle helps families & busy professionals manage their home.