Smash hit

About 40% of my clients are British, and half of these are expats based in the States. The rest live in the UK. Of these, the single guys fly me into London, while the men with families generally come to America. They can’t justify a two-day absence on their own turf, but when they’re away on business, it’s a different story.

In the days leading up to an appointment, there are certain rituals I like to undertake. I practise Bikram yoga and visit a spa for a manicure, pedicure, waxing and a facial. I always buy new lingerie — and it has to be good quality. Last year, I spent £4,000 on La Perla, Agent Provocateur and Wolford. I stay in a luxury hotel the night before, to relax and be pampered. The preparation is as much about putting me in the right place mentally as it is physically.

The men I meet love to surprise me. Typically, they will send a driver to collect me from the airport, and sometimes I’ll open the door to find a bouquet of red roses and a bottle of champagne for me to drink en route. Often, they send me for a massage while they’re out doing their own thing, because you can’t be together all the time.

My favourite beach in the world is totally inaccessible by land — it’s in Hawaii. From there, it’s a short hop to a private island that you need a personal invitation to go to. I love New York’s Trump International because the concierge can pull off the near-impossible: last time I visited, she found us a space, that night, at Thomas Keller’s Per Se. Another of my clients owns a stunning penthouse overlooking the Thames. The staff never ask questions, and once, they opened the pool for us at 4am.

Another great date was to Courchevel 1850 in season, staying at the Aman Resort Le Mélézin, a luxury hotel that you can ski into and out of, and that has bathtubs with views of the mountains. I’ve also enjoyed yachting in the Med and Ferrari racing in Monaco. And it’s always nice being flown home in a private Gulfstream Jet. I guess the guys I meet are the ones who like expensive toys. I suppose I fall into that category, too, so spending £15,000 on me doesn’t seem that much.

I’ve forged some amazing friendships through this business. I will sometimes stay longer than I’m paid to, if we really hit it off. I correspond with authors, political journalists and even a former Bush aide, all of whom see me as their muse. I’ve received hundreds of inquiries from women who want to do this; however, the market is small and hard to penetrate.

Being a courtesan isn’t something that you do for a long time. You can meet individuals who are extremely gifted and compatible with you in a variety of ways, but you still have to maintain a distance. Because when you have such a wonderful trip that you forget there is a financial motive behind it, reality can come back and bite you both. It is a continuous process of breaking down barriers, then having to rebuild them. And there are times when I feel that having to be constantly emotionally unavailable is too much.

I consider this a stage in my life, a learning curve. I don’t know when I’ll retire. It could be in two months or two years, but when I feel that one day is the same as the next, I will probably pack my case and head back to Europe to rejoin the rat race.

Jet Set Lara was speaking to Victoria Gill

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