If you’ve ever dreamt of holidaying like the ultra-rich—think chefs-on-call, jaw-dropping views, infinity pools, and $20,000-a-night villas—BINGE’s newest reality TV show, Billion Dollar Playground, is your backstage pass to that fantasy life… and I should know. I was actually there!
Yes, I was fortunate enough (and admittedly a bit nervous) to be the primary guest in the first two episodes of this lavish new show with a bunch of my glamorous girlfriends. From the moment I stepped off our private jet onto the red carpet that was rolled out for us, I knew I was in for a luxurious wild ride.
The show is best described as part Below Deck and part Luxury Escapes. It is set inside Australia’s most elite short-stay homes, managed by the high-end concierge company Luxico.
Billion Dollar Playground follows a team of hospitality pros catering to the kind of clientele who think nothing of demanding helicopter-delivered oysters or fireworks displays on 48 hours’ notice. The team includes everyone from butlers to private chefs, all working overtime to anticipate every outrageous guest request.
Our group appeared in Episodes 1 and 2 of the show, and I finally got a chance to see the finished product recently. Whilst we did experience a few hiccups during our stay, it was only when I watched the first episode that I realised all the drama that was unfolding around me.
What it was like behind the scenes as a primary guest on Episode 1 of Billion Dollar Playground
Episode 1 kicked off with a bang as Head Concierge Salvatore tries to lead his team to prepare the house for our arrival. The conflict between Salvatore and Heaven was one of the core storylines of the first episode as they continually clashed.
Things only got more tense as new concierge Jasmine joined the team and created more conflict with Heaven upon her arrival. I was shocked because Heaven treated us like royalty the whole time and she was vibrant and energetic – always coming up with creative ideas for us, that enhanced our stay.
Then there was the debacle of the missing vintage Dom Perignon (which my group paid a lot of $$ for). Luckily, Jasmine stated that she knew what would distract our group, wheeling out the hunky chefs!
Whilst the good looks and charms of the male crew were noticed by the ladies, they were dismissed by fellow guest, Monika, who had plenty to complain about throughout both episodes.
Chefs Matt and George did their best to keep us distracted from the delay with delicious canapés, but things got tense when the $2,000 caviar was being served with no champagne in sight. It was lucky that the team’s Handyman, Jay, turned up with a replacement bottle just in time, or he would have had a lot of thirsty ladies to contend with.
Following that, unbeknownst to the chefs and the crew, I had invited two of my friends to join us for dinner and one guest, Athanasia, brought her dog Saki.
As dogs are not allowed in the house, Salvatore had a visible meltdown. He contacted the owner for approval, and we agreed to pay extra cleaning fees. Matt and George were (rightfully) not happy to cater for last-minute guests and Saki – especially after the Michelin-hatted chefs were asked to prepare dog food for Saki.
Things only got more chaotic for the crew with the trip to Luna Park for our dessert experience. At the time, we had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. We were delighted to be chauffeured to Luna Park in a decked-out party Limo — until we arrived and had to wait more than half an hour.
The viewers missed out on seeing us dancing in the limousine, Beyoncé style. In the end, the wait was so worth it. The private Luna Park experience was nothing short of magical. We loved Matt and George’s dessert masterpiece so much that we all had seconds!
From the luxurious villas to the wild party scenes (which I may or may not have danced through in Ep 2), Billion Dollar Playground is pure escapism. Whether you’re watching for the ultra-lux locations, the staff drama, or to live vicariously through the guests, you won’t want to miss a second.
The preview for Ep 2 shows the conflict with Salvatore and Heaven becoming explosive. Demands from my group start to border on obnoxious and I deliver some constructive feedback to Jasmine. I can’t talk about it till next week, but trust me things some how get even more dramatic.
Billion Dollar Playground episodes drop weekly from May 13 on BINGE and Foxtel.
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