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 Vallarta Living | Resort Lifestyles
Timeshare News
TheTimeShareBeat.com
Some of the timeshare press releases of interest that crossed our desks last month include the following:
Starwood Vacation Ownership is expanding its Sheraton Vistana Villages, located at 12401 International Drive in the heart of Orlando's theme park attractions. The current expansion phase will include 200 new villas, a new swimming pool complex, a new recreation building that will house a second fitness center, game room and arcade, as well as an activities desk with sports, pool games and equipment.
Nova Scotia, Canada is joining the luxury Private Residence Club world with its new RCI-affiliated White Point Residence Club, located on Nova Scotia's South Shore.
Fleetwood Enterprises, one of the nation's largest producers of recreational vehicles, is setting up a new points-based timesharing product, affiliated with RCI. Called the Fleetwood Vacation Club, it will offer consumers access to high-end Class A diesel and Class C gas-powered luxury motor coaches from participating Fleetwood RV franchisees to be located across the United States.
Fairfield has acquired the Franklin Printing building adjacent to the French Quarter in downtown New Orleans, with plans to convert the former industrial complex into a 119-unit timeshare resort. The new resort, to be called Fairfield New Orleans at La Belle Maison, marks Fairfields second timeshare project in the Crescent City.
In Hawaii, Kapalua Bay, LLC & Marriott have joined forces to redevelop the Kapalua Bay Hotel and neighboring Kapalua Shops property beginning in the spring of 2006. The project will include a Ritz-Carlton Club fractional ownership component.
Shell Vacations has recently added the Mountainside Lodge to its growing stable of resorts. Located in the popular four seasons resort area of Whistler, in British Columbia, Canada, the property has two components: a 41-unit existing timeshare plan, partially owned by about 1,600 existing interval owners as well as 37 all-suite units. The hotel units will all be converted to timeshare units.
Eagle Crest Resorts has begun work on its new Brasada Ranch, located in Central Oregon's high desert outside of Bend. Brasada Ranch will feature 900 real estate units spread over its 1,800 acres, half of which will be preserved as open space. Fractional ownership will be one of the components offered at the resort.
Timeshare Talk
All-inclusive vacations can be great. The premise is simple and provides a similar experience to one you would enjoy aboard your favorite cruise liner. Once "on-board", just about everything else is included. Food, beverages (including cocktails), shows, activities, fiestas, tips, and general entertainment as well as other guest services.
In the United States and Canada the concept, although recognized by many, is not available at most timeshare resorts. If you want to enjoy this type of timeshare holiday you should seek resorts in Europe, Latin America or the Caribbean.
All-Inclusive truly offers a unique lifestyle for timeshare owners who really want to enjoy the experience of being waited on hand and foot without having to constantly reach into their wallets.
Many resort companies that offer this type of timeshare product literally create an atmosphere for their members and guests that is unique to the timeshare industry. They not only want you to enjoy your current holiday, they want you to come back, and often.
Owning timeshare intervals at an all-inclusive resort can offer a greater variety of flexibility to a vacation plan as well. However, lifestyle must be the primary reason for acquiring a timeshare interest and when considering all-inclusive timeshare ownership programs, lifestyle is even more important.
There are well over 5,000 timeshare destinations in the vacation ownership industry, however most do not offer the all-inclusive vacation experience, nor will they in the foreseeable future.
When vacationing at resorts that are both a timeshare property and an all-inclusive, you will in all likelihood be invited to the timeshare presentation during your stay. By all means take advantage of this invitation.
Assuming that this will be the "usual" timeshare presentation or the same type of program you either own or have considered in the past could be an error. It is not, and you may discover a vacation lifestyle that is perfect for your consideration.
Among the companies that offer the all-inclusive style of timesharing programs you will discover that the variety of options in terms of use, destinations and benefits will vary drastically from company to company.
Most all-inclusive timeshare vacations are limited to the number of properties within the specific resort system. They in fact may only have one or two properties that include the all-inclusive benefit. When you travel elsewhere you may not be able to enjoy the all-inclusive feature.
If all-inclusive ownership appeals to your appetite you should perhaps consider a timeshare company with multiple properties, in various destinations, where the all-inclusive benefit is included and guaranteed.
The ideal candidates for this style of vacation ownership system are those who enjoy the destinations and services the company provides. (Not the external exchange system, sister resorts, or other forms of exchanging that may be offered to a prospective owner.)
Should the all-inclusive benefit be appealing and you have located a specific resort in a specific destination that you will visit often, then this could be just the vacation plan for you.
However, if you like all-inclusive and want to experience this benefit often and in a variety of locations then you would be best advised to consider a company with a large resort base within its organization.
Most all-inclusive timeshare plans require an additional fee of you every time you visit a participating resort. This fee in most situations is in addition to your regular annual maintenance fee or club dues, and covers the expense of all meals, cocktails (most resorts), activities, tips, entertainment and guest services.
A simple yet effective formula to determine your individual value of the imposed fee for these services is to consider what you traditionally spend over the course of a vacation for these services.
If you normally spend $100 per day for food, beverage, tips and entertainment over a week's vacation time, this will be $700. Obviously if the all-inclusive fee is more than this amount you must consider the added benefits, if any, to justify the fee.
Many resorts offer the all-inclusive package for only the days you require. You may only want all-inclusive for two or three days during your vacation, allowing you to utilize your vacation budget elsewhere and experience other establishments within the area.
All-inclusive timeshare resorts dominate the Mayan Riviera on the Yucatan coast of Mexico (and are increasingly showing up in other parts of Mexico as well). There are so many wonderful sites and cultural aspects of this area that for most travelers it could be a lost opportunity not to experience the diversity provided from ancient ruins to tropical islands. An all-inclusive "as-needed" timeshare program might be best for this particular vacation experience.
Whether your stay is entirely all-inclusive or just a portion, either will provide an experience that is convenient, flexible and, most importantly, memorable.
NOTICE: Should you decide to acquire a timeshare interest with the all-inclusive feature make sure your ownership documents clearly state and warrant that there are controls and/or maximums allowed for any increases in the all-inclusive portion (fees) of your timeshare program, as there should be regarding maintenance fees.
It is also advisable to make absolutely certain that any all-inclusive fees that may be required by you to be paid are due and payable ONLY when the actual use of the all-inclusive benefit is being exercised.
If these controls regarding the all-inclusive benefit are not included in the documents, smartly turn 180 degrees and depart the auditorium. |
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