Halogen Guides

The Five Most Exotic Destination Club Homes

2008-05-14T09:17:48-07:00

Cabo, Aspen, and Scottsdale are the bread and butter mainstay locations for destination club homes. And while access to homes in tried and true, not to mention close at hand, locations is a major reason for joining, destination clubs are noticing that members still have a sense of wanderlust, and are buying more homes in more far-flung locations to satisfy it. Halogen Guides has hand-picked five fascinating homes that will tickle your fancy and find you yearning for breathless nights on the Bahia coast or snorkeling alongside the sting rays of the Seychelles.

Warapuru, Brazil

Solstice members are a spoiled bunch. Solstice’s Warapuru, an ultra modern eco-friendly residence on Brazil’s Bahia coast, looks over white sand beaches and floppy palms. Ten minutes from Itacare, it boasts five bedrooms, dual master suites for couples, wireless internet, a media room, beach club, gourmet kitchen, tennis courts, a fitness center, five separate pools, and spa/bath amenities.
An unspoiled contemporary residence that brings to mind James Bond (on his off-time), this home stands as one of the most eco-friendly and unique among the Solstice portfolio.

LikuLiku Bay, Waya Island, Fiji Islands

Distinctive Holiday Homes has an impressive (and expanding) portfolio of multi-million dollar homes, luxury yachts and apartments in some of the world’s most top locations. One of these locations happens to be in the stunning island nation of Fiji. This 2000 square foot three-bedroom, three-bath air-conditioned lodge is a modern take on the local style. In the heart of a resort developed by some of the founding shareholders of Distinctive Holiday Homes, it sits in front of a two-mile beach and marine reserve, voted one of the top 10 beaches in the world by Condé Nast.

The Seychelles

Banyan Tree Private Collection, the first asset-backed Destination Club in Asia, offers some of the most chic two-bedroom villas at the world’s most exotic locations in Asia and Europe. Known for their natural, yet luxurious take on the villa, the Seychelles property is one to be reckoned with. Perched on a hill above the Indian Ocean on Mahe Island, one of the 115 islands that make up a spectacular retreat once thought to be The Garden of Eden by General Gordon. Golf, nature tours, artist studios, and home to two UNESCO heritage sites including the largest coral atoll in the world, the two-bedroom home is a tropical bungalow with floppy trees and a floor plan perfect for a small family in search of heaven on earth or lovers in need of an exotic escape.

Alaska

If protecting and preserving the environment tops your list of necessities Everlands, an invitation only club that focuses on the environment and ‘the sporting life,’ may be for you. Five percent of the club’s proceeds go towards the Everlands Foundation, focused on environmental preservation. Imagine being nestled in a fishing lodge deep in the pristine wilderness of Alaska with access to two outpost camps in the heart of the largest state park with private waterways where you can catch artic char, Chinook and sockeye salmon. The lodge also owns and operates three Havilland Beaver airplanes for the daredevil outdoorsman in all of you.

St. Barths, West Indies

We’re fans of One Key for a few reasons, predominately because they offer a flexible approach to the destination club concept. By purchasing a One Key Travel Card, you’re able to purchase a 15-, 25- or 45-night card that allows access to a portfolio of $2 million to $4 million homes within the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico. Among their portfolio, we uncovered a vacation home in the always ‘au courant’ island of St. Barths. Fit for the overworked starlet or high-stressed CEO, this home overlooks the baby blues below, offering bespoke amenities and the colorful island flavor of French Caribbean life.

The Halogen Guides Take: Are Destination Club Plans Too Confusing?

2008-05-12T15:52:57-07:00

One of the main draws of destination club membership is the promise of simplicity. No more worrying about the upkeep of a second home. No more hours spent researching hotels, villas or hot destinations for your next trip. Just book your week at one of your club’s many homes and you’re done. But if being a member of a destination club means the end of your vacation planning headaches, choosing among a club’s myriad tiers of memberships is no doubt its own challenge.

These days a single destination club might have six, 12 or even 15 separate plan options. Quintess, LRW offers no fewer than 12 tiers of membership, depending on both the number of nights and whether holiday reservations are included. Ultimate Resort has ten membership plans; five for homes with an average value of $1.5 million, and five for homes with an average of $3 million, while the soon to launch Ultimate Escapes, a marriage between Private Escapes and Ultimate Resort, will boast 15 plans across three separate tiers of clubs. Exclusive Resort just increased the number of plans in their line-up from four to six. Sure, there are clubs like the Lusso Collection with one level of membership, but the trend over the last year has been for clubs to rollout more plans, rather than streamline offerings.

The good news? Consumers have more choices. The bad news? Well, consumers have more choices, which can require even more number crunching to get to that bottom line out of pocket cost. While it’s clear that the destination clubs are offering more plans in an effort to accommodate the varying vacation preferences of members, the profusion of membership levels could potentially confuse the consumer, especially when clubs offer holiday reservations as an extra or tack on friends and family access as a bonus fee.

Industry leader Exclusive Resorts’ new membership matrix seems like a step in the right direction. They’ve done away with names for their various membership tiers (the standard practice seems to be a gradation of slightly more superlative names for each level) in favor plans named after the number of days they include. But in the same breath, the destination club giant managed to muddle the offering by introducing a less than straightforward à la carte option for preferred holiday booking—a non-refundable, one time fee of $59,000 or $39,000 paid per week of holiday reservation allowance. Of course the number of weeks of holiday reservations you can book depends on your membership tier, and the plans force you to put a premium on one set of holiday versus another. And there’s no guarantee for any specific holiday, only for one of those holidays.

The challenge for destination clubs is to accommodate a wide variety of tastes and habits while presenting a cohesive and compelling product to potential members. This is no small feat when factors as wide-ranging as holiday availability, home value, reserved usage and space-available reservations must be considered. Most clubs would argue that the primary motivation in introducing new plans, and in changing preexisting membership schemes, is to accommodate consumer preference. But there is also a general trend towards offering more membership options with an entry level price tag, no doubt easier to swallow in a recession. This points to both the maturation of the industry as a whole as it moves beyond its initial high net worth target demographic to a broader mass affluent clientele as well as perhaps a recognition on the part of the clubs that in the current economic climate wealthy individuals may not be turning away from luxury habits, but they may be scaling back a bit.

With the destination club industry predicting solid growth into the future, it seems likely that we’ll see membership plans continue to multiply as the clubs seek to accommodate and court an expanding demographic. The challenge for clubs? Streamlining their sales pitch to new members.

Are there simply too many plans out there? How do you think destination clubs can best decipher their array of plans to potential members? Weigh in below.

For a comprehensive analysis of club plans in their many permutations, download our decision guide to destination clubs.

How Are Bay Area Fractional Developments Faring the Recession?

2008-05-09T16:54:57-07:00

With the domestic real estate market in a slowdown and consumers weighing their options more carefully than ever, fractional developments are facing real challenges when it comes to marketing and selling their shares. The past year has seen developments in once-booming markets like Las Vegas, Miami and Phoenix dramatically cut back in scope—or fail entirely. And in an environment where home prices are falling by double digit percentages in much of the country, the deeded real estate offered by fractional properties may seem more like a liability than a perk.

But what about developments in perennial markets, like San Francisco? Are they immune to the challenges faced by fractional properties in more volatile markets? Halogen Guides recently visited two area private residence clubs, the Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences in San Francisco and the Orchard at Carneros Inn in Napa Valley, to discuss the implications of the current recession on sales at the properties.

The Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences

The Ritz’s fractional offering in the city consists of 49 units ranging from one to three bedrooms starting at $230,000 for a one-twelfth share, with annual dues starting at $11,000. When we visited the recently opened property in March, some work was still being done, but both the lobby and the residents’ lounge on the 12th floor were completed, and we were able to tour an operational unit. According to the club, who would not give us specifics on their sales numbers, potential buyers have been more cautious about signing on the dotted line than they had initially predicted, but they remain optimistic about the long-term numbers.

The club has taken the path of opening a limited number of operational units, and completing inventory only as demand requires. Smart move, considering the overhead that can be saved on upkeep and finishing for residences that are not likely to see immediate use.

The Orchard at Carneros Inn

The Orchard has taken a different approach to opening up their inventory. They opened all 17 of their two-bedroom cottages at once, and sold out a small number of introductory shares before implementing a price increase and opening up the entire inventory this year. The one-tenth shares now go for $300,000 with annual dues running $8,100. The Orchard has currently sold 20 of a total of 170 stakes, but their recent partnering with Timbers Resorts, well-known for its marketing prowess, and a national marketing campaign set to drop at the end of this month, are likely to result in numbers ticking up more quickly in coming months.

This fact could make now a good time to buy in for potential members, who will likely be able to take advantage of increased availability while owner-to-home ratio remains relatively low. New exchange options garnered through the new partnership with Timbers may also be a point of interest for those potential buyers weighing fractional ownership against destination club membership.

The Halogen Guides Take

It’s no surprise that in the current economic climate, even those buyers with the means to consider high-end vacation property during a market slowdown may be holding the purse strings a little tighter, especially when it comes to unproven investments like fractional ownership. With fractional developments often touting deeded ownership as the biggest perk of PRCs over destination clubs, fractionals can become a hard sell in a down market. But for properties in evergreen tourist areas like San Francisco, New York or Cabo San Lucas, the outlook is sunnier than for most. Our prediction? Fractionals will have to step up to the plate with better exchange options to compete with the lower commitment option of joining a destination club in this time of economic uncertainty.

Ultimate Resort Partners with Bombardier Flexjet

2008-05-08T17:25:36-07:00

Destination clubs pride themselves on taking care of every detail to make members’ vacations as hassle-free as possible; stocking the fridge with your favorite food, making sure children are well occupied with video games, arranging for tours at local attractions. But with the on-time departure rate for commercial airlines at a record low—not to mention all the other hassles associated with flying commercially, from lost baggage to getting squeezed into a center seat, just getting there can be hassle enough.

Thankfully, Ultimate Resort members will now have the option of traveling in style and comfort on the way to their next vacation destination, due to a recently announced partnership with Bombardier Flexjet and Bombardier Skyjet. Ultimate Resort members will receive discounted prices and incentives on fractional jet shares and prepaid Flexjet 25 fractional cards, as well as charter cards and on-demand charter service from Skyjet. The Flexjet and Skyjet programs offer access to fleets of popular private aircraft such as the Learjet 60 XR and the Challenger 605.

Ultimate Resort joins several other destination clubs who have partnerships with private aviation providers. Exclusive Resorts works with Marquis Jet, and Quintess has partnered with Sentient.

Wealthy Want to Rent not Own, Says Wall Street Journal

2008-05-08T12:11:43-07:00

Is renting rather than owning becoming not only the chic, but the smart option for the affluent as the U.S. enters tougher economic times? In his daily blog, Wall Street Journal reporter and anthropologist of the wealthy, Robert Frank, points to a recent survey by Prince & Associates that finds that those with a net worth between $1 million and $10 million are likely to rent luxury goods over the next year.

The majority of the survey respondents with a net worth in that range say that they’re likely to rent handbags, vehicles, watches and other jewelry as well as works of art. For those worth over $10 million, the interest in renting drops to 25 percent of respondents who are predictably more interested in renting art than the latest Fendi handbag.

So what does this mean for destination clubs? While Frank didn’t specifically point out this high end vacation home, the survey could mean good news for clubs. A willingness to rent a Fendi handbag, Cartier watch or painting to hang over the mantle is a reflection of, says Frank, an affluent buyer who wants access to high-end goods for less, and those even wealthier consumers who are seeking variety without necessarily committing to ownership.

Then again, it could be plain ol’ economics. The interest in renting art over owning it is perhaps a reaction to the run up in an art market that is now cresting as auction houses face lower sales. The attraction for short-term hand bag rentals could be linked to the weak dollar and the ever rising price tag on Italian, designer-stamped leather. Given the state of the real estate market in some major second home locales, destination clubs could ride this wave too.

What’s your take? Do you think the current state of the real estate market has created a wider opportunity for destination clubs to go after new members who in past years may have simply purchased a second home?

The Halogen Guides Take: Are Destination Clubs and Fractionals Becoming More Alike?

2008-05-07T16:38:42-07:00

Don’t get us wrong. We know the distinct differences that separate destination clubs from fractional residences, but at Halogen Guides, we can’t help but notice that these two alternatives to vacation home ownership are sharing more of the same features.

Case in point, a big move by fractional residences into programs that allow for swapping. Recently, Preferred Residences launched a new exchange program for fractional ownership properties that will also offer members discounts hotel properties in the network. We’ve also seen stand alone luxury properties, like the Orchard at the Carneros Inn linking up with a big name fractional developers, like Timbers Resort, which has six developments, including Esperanza, in Cabo San Lucas and a Tuscan retreat, Castello di Casole, in Italy. Throw in the growth of fractionals among hoteliers, notably Ritz-Carlton CLub which allows its fractional owners to use their weeks at other Ritz-Carlton Club properties and gives owners drastically reduced rates on stays at thier hotels, and it seems that buyers have more options than ever.

And it’s the same multiple vacation options that destination clubs are pitching to new members. A real estate portfolio filled with multi-million dollar homes in locations that are most likely on the top of your family’s must-visit list. Think Mexico, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Colorado ski destinations and Tuscany. Exclusive Resorts has homes in 35 destinations. When the merger between Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes is complete, the new entity, Ultimate Escapes will have homes in nearly 50. Some destination clubs are even owners at fractional developments. Exclusive Resorts recently signed on to buy 12 units at the new Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardhelli Square in San Francisco.

Destination clubs and fractionals often have many of the same perks as well, like private chefs, car pickups from the airport, spa services and concierges, and also many of the same challenges, including holiday availability. After all, those owners of a ski fractional in Aspen that are unable to book a prime week in February are likely just as disappointed as the destination club member who can’t secure a reservation at a ski home in town.

Of course, there is that one no-small-matter of real estate ownership. Most destination clubs operate non-equity models and insist that a non-deeded membership model is the way to go for streamlined access to multiple vacation properties without the hassles of ownership. Fractionals, on the other hand, use this deeded real estate ownership as a prime part of the sales pitch. And while a developer is unlikely to tell a buyer that they will turn a profit when reselling a fractional, especially in a down real estate market, they might give a nod towards a string of rapid fire preconstruction price increases for shares. With fractional resale rates still unproven and one destination club powerhouse now refunding 75 percent of its deposit (down from 80 percent), for the buyer deciding between the two option, the decision likely isn’t just financial.

Readers, weigh in. Do you think that destination clubs and fractional developments are becoming more alike as they rollout more services? What would be your preference for a vacation home alternative?

Starwood Extends Its Reach in Manhattan with a W Hotel and Residences

2008-05-06T18:08:42-07:00

With the real estate market in a slowdown, particularly in markets like Phoenix, Las Vegas and Miami, where the memory of recent boom times has barely had a chance to fade away, perennial bloomers like New York and San Francisco are becoming increasingly appealing bets for luxury developers. W Hotels is no doubt banking on this seemingly unshakable New York real estate market as the opening of its new downtown property at 123 Washington Street approaches.

W New York-Downtown Hotel & Residences, slated to open its doors in 2008, is Starwood’s most recent project in Manhattan, and will bring the number of hotels the company is operating in the city to twelve. It is W’s first foray into whole ownership residences in New York, a move that St. Regis, another luxury brand under the Starwood umbrella, took a few years ago. The 57-story tower features 222 whole ownership units alongside 217 guest rooms, and is located just a block away from the new Freedom Tower. And expect Big Apple prices. After all, this is a city where the average condominium easily tops $1 million.

Guess the Billionaire: Who is the Mystery Quintess Investor?

2008-05-05T15:43:14-07:00

Quintess, LRW set tongues wagging last month when it revealed that an individual investor took a $210 million stake in the destination club’s parent company. That $210 million is no small chunk of change of course, but adding even more to the intrigue was the news that the investor, who prefers to remain anonymous, is a member of that most exclusive of clubs, the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans.

In an industry not necessarily known for intrigue, the news has inspired quite a few free-wheeling theories on the identity of Quintess’ wealthy benefactor. Are we looking for a needle in a haystack? Perhaps, but Quintess has been kind enough to divulge one choice tidbit: the investor’s fortune comes from real estate. Makes sense, seeing as destination clubs are essentially real estate holding corporations passing time in the travel and leisure industry. With this nugget of information, the field of potential candidates is narrowed to the 33 that Forbes have grouped under the real estate category. From here, of course, it’s still anyone’s guess.

Halogen Guides Suspects

Donald Trump: With a net worth of $3 billion, “The Donald” could easily afford an investment of this magnitude, and with a strong interest in resort real estate, a destination club stake might make a lot of sense. On the other hand, anonymous investments aren’t exactly the limelight-seeking Trump’s style. After all, has his hairness ever passed up the opportunity to put his name on something?

Timothy Blixseth: It’s been a rough year for the western real estate maverick. His divorce from wife Edra has taken a nasty turn, and on top of that a group of Yellowstone Club members led by cycling great Greg Lemond have filed suit against him. With control of the Yellowstone Club still up in the air—and likely to be decided in a courtroom—it’s possible that Blixseth considered an investment in Quintess as a hedge against the sinking fortunes of his own beyond-ultra-luxury club.

J. Joseph Ricketts: The TD Ameritrade founder has amassed a fortune of over $2.6 billion, but his first stab at a destination club, the ultra-luxury Ciel, stopped seeking new members last year and changed its focus to land conservation. Would Ricketts consider another stab at the industry with an investment in Quintess?

Jorge Perez: The condo-king of Florida took a hit last year as the Miami real estate market turned sour. But Perez has more than buoyed himself with substantial real estate investments throughout Latin America. Always on the lookout for new markets, could Perez have taken an interest in destination clubs?

Mortimer Zuckerman: The real estate and print (read:old) media impresario might look upon a destination club investment as a way to freshen his staid image. It would certainly do more for it than his frequent appearances on the McLaughlin Group.

Any more shots in the dark? Leave a comment and let us know who you think Quintess’ billionaire angel is.

Luxury Developers Look at the Next Dubai

2008-05-05T13:23:46-07:00

Sure Dubai has man made, palm tree-shaped islands lined with hotels and vacation residences, plus the Burj Dubai, the tallest skyscraper in the world, which makes the Sears Tower look like a walk-up brownstone, but there is another Middle East destination looking to shake up the luxury real estate market.

Neither Abu Dhabi nor even Dubai has landed at the top American vacationers must-go lists, but the regions’ expansive beaches, luxury hotels and increasingly grand real estate projects have made them major destinations for European travelers. Abu Dhabi is already a stop on cruise ship itineraries and is served by direct flights from New York, but now by landing some name brand developments and attractions, the region is actively targeting a broader swath of travelers.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts recently announced that it was building its first Westin Hotel in Abu Dhabi, slated to open in 2009. The hotel will be part of the Abu Dhabi Golf Course, Hotel, Residences and Spa, a development that will also be home to some 252 vacation villas and town homes, as well as a wellness center. The homes, when completed in 2010, will surround a golf course with a club managed by Troon Golf, a brand that any golf club swinging Arizona resident would recognize. The Shangri-la hotel also has residences in Abu Dhabi.

Additionally, Abu Dhabi is getting its own branch of the Guggenheim museum, a 450,000 square foot desert outpost designed by Frank Gehry. The Guggenheim will make its home on Saadiyat Island along with the Abu Dhabi Louvre and a handful of other cultural attractions. But Saadiyat Island, unlike some of those palm tree-shaped marvels in Dubai, differs in one distinct way from the heavily man-made aesthetic in the area—it’s naturally occurring.

Luxury Real Estate Insider: Saddling Up to the Equestrian Demographic

2008-05-02T14:09:50-07:00

In the world of residential developments, horses just may be the new golf, as an increasing number of developers are rolling out fractional real estate communities to cater to this well-heeled equestrian audience.

And the numbers tell the story. According to the American Horse Council Federation, nearly two million people own the 9.2 million horses in the U.S., and horseback riding is among the five fastest-growing sports in the country. In total, from racing to riding to showing, horses are a $112 billion industry. “You can’t imagine how much money is spent on horses, whether it be polo, trail riding in the West, or hunting/jumping and dressage,” said Jim Rossi, founder and CEO of Saratoga Polo Retreat, a private residence club in the famed equestrian-centered town of Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “Even the trainers and groomers drive Lamborghinis.”

The destination club industry is already targeting activities to this audience. Exclusive Resorts, Ultimate Resort, and Quintess, LRW among others have added horseback riding components to their leisure activities. Everlands, a new ultra–luxury destination club, purchased the historic Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Mont., where pack riding, wrangling and other equine experiences playing a key role, and a selection of 70 horses is available to members.

On the fractional real estate front, there are a handful of new options. Meriwether Ranch, located on Montana’s Big Hole River in the southwest part of the state caters to the equestrian enthusiast. It is selling shares in 4,000 square foot riverfront residences for $328,000, and that secures 28 nights of annual use. There are also 2,000 square foot homes clustered around the Casting Pond being offered in 21-night blocks for $148,000. Both include unlimited additional time on a space-available basis. Owners have access to the Crane Meadow Equestrian Center with a 16,000 square foot indoor riding arena, 22-stall barn with full boarding and grooming and fully equipped tack rooms. Meriwether allows members to bring their own horses or ride those owned by the ranch.

There is also shared ownership real estate at the Hideout at Flitner Ranch, a world-class horse ranch that produces high-quality Quarter horses in north central Wyoming, near the town of Greybull. The ranch offers daily lessons in horsemanship as well as long and short pack rides and other equine activities. Each of the development’s 3,500 square foot three-bedroom residences is being sold in one-eighth shares for $175,000, which includes four weeks use each year and additional space-available reservations. The club currently has two residences completed, with plans for nine more.

Saratoga Springs, N.Y. is home to one of the oldest polo clubs in the nation and is a major draw on the professional polo circuit. Near the club’s Whitney Field, Saratoga is building the first polo-themed private residence club. It will have an assortment of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences. The homes will be built and designed in the classic Victorian Adirondack Lodge style, using natural stone, wood and tile. One-eighth shares start at $175,000.

There are also new developments for buyers looking at whole ownership. Poplar Grove, a gated community 12 minutes from downtown Charleston, S.C., is marketing home sites to the eco-sensitive equestrian. Each of the 20- to 200-acre spreads will include their own barn or paddock. The development, set on 6,000 acres that was once a rice plantation, also has plans for the first green barn and equestrian center, with generous stalls and pasture acreage, turn out paddocks, round rings and a covered arena. There are also some 50 miles of equestrian trails and an on-site resident equestrian director to offer riding lessons and clinics, daily. And part-time residents don’t need to worry about leaving their horses at the development. In the proper luxury real estate spirit, even horses have access to a private concierge service for both exercise and vet care.

The Halogen Guides Take: What's in a Fractional Name?

2008-05-01T17:29:15-07:00

The language of real estate seems to have always been designed to impress and, in a certain sense, confuse the consumer. Savvy buyers have learned to read the code behind the superlatives: “cozy” more often than not just means a place is small. “Rustic”? Try dilapidated. But in the nascent fractional real estate market, even the most well-informed buyers are likely to be left scratching their heads at the profusion of euphemisms developers use to define their products.

Fractional homes are alternatively called private residence clubs (or PRCs for those in the know), residence clubs, fractional resort real estate and most recently, as Luxian, a new development in Scottsdale, Ariz. coined, equity resort ownership. And it’s about to get even more mind-boggling. The new destination club being launched by Abercrombie and Kent is set to confuse matters further with its decision to call itself a residence club.

More than anything, it’s the relative newness of fractional real estate that accounts for the proliferation of names for what is, in most cases, essentially the same model of ownership. But beyond this, there is the need felt by developers to overcome what is seen as more or less the original sin of fractional real estate—the time share—and all of the associations that go with it, from tacky locations to shoddy properties and unscrupulous developers. That so many fractional developments call themselves clubs, and not only clubs, but private clubs, plays directly to this need to connote that very air of exclusivity and membership—that necessary exclusion of the too-common Florida condo timeshare owner with his wine coolers and fanny pack—that fractional real estate leveraged to appeal to a new luxury demographic in the first place.

Fractional real estate developers have their sights set on the aging, mass-affluent boomer with the desire for a luxurious second home but perhaps not the time or interest to use it every weekend. But if fractional real estate marketers feel they have succeeded in eliminating the taint of timeshare ownership with their naming conventions, they may be struggling with the altogether different challenge of coming up with a cohesive name for their product. After all, it has to be catchy enough to stick in the mind of the consumer, but clear enough to eliminate confusion among buyers. What’s needed at this point is a general agreement on what the industry will term their real estate product. This sentiment was recently expressed during a casual meeting of fractional developers at our offices in San Franciscio. Perhaps it can be a topic for next year’s Ragatz!

Which name should be adopted as an industry standard? Weigh in with your own suggestions.

Nikki Beach Joins the Condo Fray with Developments in Exotic Locales

2008-05-01T16:46:40-07:00

Nikki Beach Hotels and Resorts is joining the already-overstocked condo-hotel market with not one, but five, new residential resorts in warm-weather destinations across the globe. All condominiums will be attached to a five-star Nikki Beach resort, with each property boasting the hip restaurants, social atmosphere and deluxe spas for which Nikki Beach is known. Membership in an optional rental pool program will be available to all condo-hotel owners.

New developments on the Nikki Beach roster include a resort on the northeast tip of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, two condo-hotel projects in Panama, an outpost in Fortim Midelo on the Cape Verde Islands, and an option on Roatan, an island off the coast of Honduras. The Turks and Caicos resort is already operational, and the rest of the developments, which offer a mix of condo-hotel and resort real estate options, will open their doors by 2010.

So far there is not an abundance of information available on pricing for the units, though the website for their Playa Blanca development in Panama claims they have sold out the 266 condo-hotel units on the property and are opening phase two sales on whole ownership residences. Time will tell if the combination of a recognizable brand and a selection of more exotic locations will allow Nikki Beach to succeed in the condo-hotel game where many others have recently failed.

Halogen Guides Features Cabo San Lucas Developers

2008-05-01T16:26:55-07:00

Cabo San Lucas continues to rule the roost when it comes to luxury second home developments. In our recent article on the top ten locations for destination club homes worldwide, Cabo easily topped the list with 66 homes, and the perennial tourist favorite on the Sea of Cortez isn’t hurting for fractional or whole ownership offerings either. Ritz-Carlton Club’s Quivira Los Cabos residences, set to open in 2009, will feature full ownership homes ranging from $4.8 million to over $11 million, and Capella’s Cabo resort, Capella Pedregal, is currently offering one-eighth shares of residences and casonas that run between $475,000 and $540,000. Doors are slated to open this summer.

For golf enthusiasts, Querencia, which dubs itself Cabo’s first private golf club, offers whole ownership homes, ranging from $550,000 to a eye-popping $14 million, bundled with a Tom Fazio-designed course, a full spa, tennis courts and a fitness center. And if 18 holes just isn’t enough, fear not; a Gil Hanse-designed course on the way as well. Misión la Serena in San José del Cabo offers its own draw for Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman loyalists looking to go the fractional route.

Is your head spinning yet? In truth, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With the abundance of options, from condo-hotels to destination clubs, and private residence clubs to resort real estate, wrapping your mind around the Cabo market can be a challenge. And then there are the ins and outs of buying in a foreign market to consider.

For an in-depth look at luxury real estate offerings in Cabo San Lucas, check out our second destination guide. Halogen Guides is putting together the web’s most complete guides to buying into the world’s most popular luxury real estate markets, with detailed listings of properties, and articles on how far your housing dollar will go. Our San Francisco and Wine Country guide is already live, with Aspen and Lake Tahoe versions coming soon.

The Timbers Joins Forces with Napa Fractional Development the Orchard at Carneros Inn

2008-04-30T15:46:28-07:00

Earlier this month, Halogen Guides visited the Orchard, a fractional ownership offering at the PlumpJack-operated Carneros Inn in Napa Valley. At the time, PlumpJack was in negotiation with Timbers Resorts to form a partnership that would result in the Orchard being added to the Timbers Collection. Now it’s official.

The marriage of the two companies is good news for both prospective members and the sales team at Carneros Inn. Buyers will now have access to Timbers Collection properties in Tuscany, the Caribbean, Scottsdale, Cabo San Lucas, and the Colorado ski towns of Snowmass and Steamboat Springs. The Orchard, which just recently opened up a large number of shares in its 17 residences, will certainly benefit from the Timbers renowned marketing department.

Timbers Resorts will take over real estate responsibilities at the Orchard at Carneros Inn, and PlumpJack will assume operations at One Steamboat Place when it opens its doors in 2009. The hope is that PlumpJack will be able to bring its penchant for fine dining, spa treatments and service to the newest property in the Timbers family. The companies will also partner on a development at the base of Squaw Mountain near Lake Tahoe, where PlumpJack holds property, and a new oceanfront Timbers Resort in Mexico that will feature a spa, fine dining and both fractional and whole ownership options.

Orient-Express Travel Brand Branches Into Luxury Lifestyle Developments

2008-04-29T18:14:06-07:00

The market for vacation home real estate is getting increasingly crowded with hoteliers. One recent entrant, Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises, a hotel and leisure company with investments in 39 international hotels including the famous Hotel Cipriani in Venice, has now branched into the second home market. This luxury hotel company is working on high-end lifestyle developments in the Caribbean, Mexico, Thailand and the U.S. that offer a range of full ownership condominiums and villas linked with luxury resorts and spas.

Properties include Mediterranean-style villas with private pools as well as yacht club residences in St. Martin, custom homes situated on a 600-acre private golf club in Charlottesville, W.Va., seaside villas at the Maroma Resort & Spa on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, and luxury villas complete with private pools at the Napasai Beach Resort & Villas in Koh Samui, Thailand.

Appealing particularly to boaters and yachtsmen, the condominiums at the Cupecoy Yacht Club on the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Martin are situated on a marina that can accommodate more than 40 vessels of up to 70 feet, and yachts ranging from 90 feet to 300 feet. Non-boating residents won’t be bored either; the development, modeled after the port towns of Southern France, boasts charming pathways that wind through gardens, connecting boutiques, a central piazza, full-service spa, fitness center, tennis center, swimming pool and nearby white-sand Cupecoy beach.

The Cupecoy Yacht Club’s 180 Mediterranean-style residences range from one- to four-bedrooms, and feature private covered terraces; some also include private pools and gardens. The target market is potential vacation home buyers, and the development is aiming for turnkey living by offering full décor packages. One ownership perk? A water taxi will transport visitors directly from the airport to the marina. The condominiums, on sale now, range from $500,000 to $2.5 million.

But is there room for another player in the hotelier-turned-residential-developer game? Every major hotel brand from Ritz-Carlton and Mandarin Oriental, to Four Seasons and even Shangri-La has launched a resort real estate product. All of these developers are facing the real estate slowdown, so new projects are only going to have to work harder to market their homes, no matter how fabulous, to an increasingly weary vacation home buyer.

UPDATE: How Do New Exclusive Resorts Plans Stack Up Against the Competition?

2008-04-25T17:10:41-07:00

With new membership plans being unveiled by Exclusive Resorts and the rollout of a suite of new plans from the soon to be formed Ultimate Escapes, the playing field at the high end of the destination club market has changed once again. Using our cost-per-night analysis, Halogen Guides took a look at these new plans to see how the latest offerings measure up.

Destination club industry leader Exclusive Resorts just announced an overhaul to its plans adding two more to its lineup and restructuring the offering to include plans with 10 to 60 days. Taken as a whole, the new membership plans do constitute an increase in price. Individually however, certain tiers of membership now have smaller deposits than before, albeit with increased annual dues.

The new 40 day plan, for instance, actually commands a lower membership deposit of $409,900—some $50,000 less than the $459,000 deposit attached to the former Elite plan with 45 days, its closest equivalent in the previous model. At the same time, Exclusive Resorts has reduced the refundable percentage of membership deposits from 80 percent to 75 percent. These changes go along with new procedures for priority holiday access and extended family sharing options.

Halogen Guide’s cost-per-night analysis reveals that the new plans are more expensive on a per night basis than previously, though not by much. The ten-day Associate level plan used to balance out to $1,548 a night, assuming full use, while the new ten-day plan clicks in at $1,740 nightly. Each tier’s cost per night increases by around $200.

When looking at the new Exclusive Resort’s plans versus plans at other destination clubs, we make a few assumptions. First, we calculate the cost-per-night assuming that a member uses all of their nights in a plan. Second we don’t factor in the extra fee that Exclusive Resorts tacks on for allowing unaccompanied use by extended family, a perk that some clubs, including Quintess, LRW throw in for free.

Following the upcoming merger between Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes, the new mega club, Ultimate Escapes, will actually operate three distinct destination clubs based on the value of homes offered. Its Elite club will have homes worth around $3 million, comparable to the average value of homes in the Exclusive Resorts’ portfolio. Ultimate Escapes and Exclusive Resorts plans do not mirror each other in terms of number of days offered or holiday availability, making a direct value comparison difficult, however the clubs offer a similar range of plans.

On a simple cost-per-night basis, Exclusive Resort’s 20-day plan is the better deal at $1,245 per night according to our cost per night analysis, compared to Ultimate Escapes’ Elite Club 21-day plan which costs $1,495 per night. That extra $250 a night does however get you one holiday reservation a year at Ultimate Escapes. On the other hand Ultimate’s Elite 42-day plan costs only $950 if every night is used, less than the cost per night for any of the new Exclusive Resort’s plans, including the comparable 40 and 50 night plans. Looking at annual dues alone, Ultimate Escapes and the new Exclusive Resort plans have comparable annual fees, with the exception of the highest level of plans, where Ultimate Escapes fees clock in lower than Exclusive Resorts.

Quintess, LRW, a destination club where average home values top $4 million has a total of 12 membership offerings, including six plans that don’t include holiday usage. The club does market those non-holiday plans to prospects but had removed them from its website. Next week the club plans to once again begin featuring these non-holiday options online. No doubt the move is, in part, a response to Exclusive Resort’s roll out of its new non-holiday selections.

Quintess’ non-holiday plans range from 20 to 75 days and membership deposits are anywhere from $30,000 to $160,000 less than their holiday plan counterparts. So how to Quintess’ non-holiday plans measure up against Exclusive Resorts’ offering? On the 20, 30, and 60 day plans, Exclusive Resort’s membership deposits are lower than the comparable Quintess plans. The Quintess membership deposit is actually lower than Exclusive Resorts’ on the 40 and 50 day plans. On the annual dues front, the 20 and 30 night plans are close to Quintess plans. The big annual dues difference comes with the 40, 50 and 60 night plans where Quintess’ annual fees are anywhere from $7,900 to some $11,000 less than the Exclusive plans. And it is those annual dues that most impact the cost per night difference between the two clubs. Quintess non-holiday plans are anywhere from $44 to $295 lower a night with the biggest cost difference on the 40 and 50 night plans.

If you take the new Exclusive plans and match them against Quintess’ holiday inclusive plans, the number crunching, well, gets more complex. After all you’ll need to account for Exclusive’s one time holiday supplement of $39,000 or $59,000, depending on the desired holiday. Without factoring in those costs, a basic comparison shows that Quintess’ holiday plans, not surprisingly, carry a higher membership deposit, but those plans still have lower annual fees than Exclusive Resorts and, therefore a lower cost per night.

With clubs turning towards rolling out more plans, rather than streamlining offerings, there are multiple ways to crunch the numbers. Destination clubs will even admit that the mix can be mind boggling and confusing for consumers. The next challenge for destination clubs? Trying to make their portfolio of six, 12, or 15-odd plans decipherable to a whole new group of potential destination club members. Get your calculators ready.

High Country Club Announces Hike in Membership Deposit and Fees

2008-04-25T11:18:01-07:00

Denver-based High Country Club has announced price increases for both membership deposits and annual dues for each of its destination club tiers. The cost increases, which come into effect June 1, represent an incremental bump, reflecting both an adjustment for inflation and the nearly ubiquitous industry practice of increasing price tags at least once a year. In fact, the overall increase in membership deposit prices from 2007 to 2008 is the same as High Country Club’s last increase from 2006 to 2007: 19%.

Membership dues will jump from $25,000 to $30,000 for the seven-night Companion level plan, $40,000 to $50,000 for the 15-night Associate plan, $50,000 to $60,000 for 25-night Affiliate level of membership and $70,000 to $80,000 for the top level Private plan.

Annual dues are increasing anywhere from $200 to $600 depending on the plan. The club, which serves the entry level of the destination club market, with homes valued at $1 million and below, remains a strong value even after the price increases. The cost-per-night for an Associate Plan sees the biggest jump, but that rise of $47 to $387 a night is almost negligible. The cost-per-night for the Private plan increases just $23 to $320 a night. High Country Club currently has over 325 members and 35 properties in its portfolio.

Exclusive Resorts Rolls Out New Membership Plans, More à la Carte Choices

2008-04-24T14:55:58-07:00

Destination club Exclusive Resorts rolled out six new membership plans to replace its existing stable of four levels. The plans, available in ten day increments from 10 to 60 days, include access to advanced reservations, but holiday bookings are now only available for an extra charge. Members will have the option of purchasing one week of holiday time for every 20 days of usage; to wit, a member at the 20 day level may purchase one week of holiday time, while a member at the 40 day plan may purchase two. Along with the announcement of the new plans, effective at the end of April, the club also reduced its membership refund promise to 75 percent of the initial deposit, down from 80 percent.

“We have spent a long time and a lot of energy trying to really understand how consumers want to buy this membership product,” said Brent Handler, Exclusive Resort’s president. “Effectively we have unbundled memberships.”

Reigning in Holiday Availability

Previously, the club had combined features such as advanced reservations, space-available reservations and, most importantly, holiday reservations in each of its plans, with higher-end options including improved access to reservations during the most popular vacation seasons. The new plans include one week of advanced reservation for every ten days of membership purchased, but Exclusive Resorts has opted to sell holiday reservations for an additional non-refundable, one-time fee. The option to reserve one week annually at Christmas, New Years or President’s Day every year for the duration of your membership costs an extra $59,000, while a guaranteed slot during spring break week, the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving can be secured for $39,000.

“All hospitality companies have supply and demand imbalances as it relates to peak travel times,” admits Handler. The move to sell holiday reservations separately brings more control to the club and allows it to more easily manage availability during the most sought after vacation times. “We can control it down to the holiday. We can sell holidays or not sell holidays,” he said.

The move by Exclusive Resorts effectively widens the options on the entry level, said Handler, noting that the club wanted “to assess if there was a way to make membership appeal to a broader cross section of candidates.” There are now three plans for less than $300,000 offering between 10 to 30 days of use, compared just two plans under the old membership structure with offerings between 10 and 15 days.

Club Drops Deposit Refund to 75 Percent

Perhaps the biggest news to come with the rollout of the new plans is the club’s move to a 75 percent membership refund, down from the previous 80 percent guarantee. Handler said the move would positively impact the overall health of the club and its members, downplaying any suggestion that new members might balk at this lowered refund.

“Membership deposits are debt,” said Handler. The less debt on the books, he said, “the better for the company and the better for all of the members. We are a stronger club with less debt.” Handler insisted that the drop in the percentage of the deposit refunded would be seen as negligible in the eyes of new members, especially because the club has effectively added more days of use to less expensive plans and increased annual dues slightly. Specifically, he pointed to the old 15 day plan, which carried a membership deposit of $239,000 and annual dues of $13,000. Under the new plan structure, members can sign up for a 20 night plan for $199,900, some $40,000 less than the old plan which had five fewer nights. Annual dues, however, will ring in at an additional $6,000.

We’ve taken a look at the real cost per night of Exclusive Resort’s new plans and found that the lowest cost per night drops with the new offerings. Under the old structure, the cost per night—assuming that members used all of their allotted nights—ranged from $1,195 to $1,598. With the new model, the cost per night has widened to between $1,122 and $1,740, depending on the plan.

So what does this mean for current members? Well, members can do nothing and stick to their current plan, or they can opt for one of the new offerings. Those current members who opt to switch will get a 100 percent credit for what they paid for their current membership to put towards the cost of a new plan. The one catch? Only upgrades are allowed.

Areas Popular with Second Homes Buyers Suffering in Real Estate Slowdown

2008-04-24T13:37:39-07:00

The Wall Street Journal’s quarterly survey of the housing market published today revealed that areas popular among vacation home buyers are among the hardest hit by the economic downturn and are likely to continue to be impacted.

The Journal’s analysis looked at 28 metropolitan areas taking into account both prospective growth as well as current housing sales inventory as it relates to the recent pace of sales activity. Among the areas struggling the most are the Phoenix area, a popular winter home location for snowbirds, San Diego, which attracts part-time residents fleeing Arizona’s summer heat, and Las Vegas which has seen a massive building boom over the last few years including numerous high rise residences on or just off the Strip. The average home prices have dropped 25 percent in Las Vegas over the last 12 months, according to the Journal which pulled home value data from Zillow.com. Not surprisingly several Florida cities including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando were noted for their high sales inventory and drop in the average value of homes over the last 12 months. In Miami and Ft. Lauderdale alone, it would take some 34 months to sell all of the homes available at the current sales pace.

So how does a consumer in the market for a vacation retreat digest these latest gloomy numbers? Depends on the product. The sales slowdown has undoubtedly hit the condo-hotel market hard as some projects in those areas face foreclosure and even potential lawsuits from buyers. Fractional projects continue to spring up but we’ve seen fewer announcements of new developments in those areas as big name developers eye more urban markets like San Francisco and popular vacation destinations outside of the U.S. such as Cabo San Lucas. There are also destination clubs, which in some respects, allow potential buyers to sit on the real estate sidelines by making an investment in a club, rather than deeded ownership. Most clubs offer just an 80 percent refund on the deposit membership but when housing prices are still dipping in area like south Florida perhaps today’s buyers can find comfort in parting with just 20 percent of their outlay.

Private Residence Club Spotlight: The Orchard at Carneros Inn

2008-04-23T19:18:52-07:00

For this week’s spotlight segment, we had the opportunity to write up a property that we’ve experienced for ourselves. Occasionally, clubs invite us to spend a night or two at their properties to get an idea of what a stay might be like for their members. While we’re not under the illusion that our experience of these clubs mirrors the experience of a member exactly, visits like these do give us a chance to see the properties, sample amenities and investigate first hand how the clubs measure up to their marketing materials. Recently, the Orchard at Carneros Inn, a luxury fractional offering in Napa Valley, extended us such an invitation, and we spent a weekend on the property enjoying their hospitality.

Wine country is a favorite getaway for Bay Area residents. Proximity makes it an obvious choice for those of us in San Francisco, but the cadre of local vineyards, small and large, scattered among the rolling fields of rural Napa Valley are enough to draw anyone looking for a dose of pinot with their relaxing weekend. The Carneros Inn is set at the southern end of the valley; its own little compound surrounded by bucolic farm lands.

What’s For Sale

The Orchard is the name of the fractional community at the Carneros Inn, made up of 17 two-bedroom cottages clustered in their own area of the resort. The 1,750 square foot homes are sold in one-tenth slices, and go for $300,000 per share with annual dues running $8,100. This scores you three weeks of reserved use per year, and unlimited space-available use.

Cottages have a modern aesthetic and feature a host of amenities the likes of which you’d expect from a high-end resort—think heated limestone floors in the bathrooms, private in-ground spas in the outdoor living areas, an indoor gas—and outdoor wood-burning—fireplace and, of course, a full kitchen with Viking range. But the presence of smaller, more thoughtful touches—cottages are named after local land owners and the images decorating the walls are prints of antique photographs collected from local families—really sets the Orchard apart and makes it feel like a fixture in the community, rather than a development of luxury homes set down on top of it. A local firm, Shopworks, designed the cottages and conceptualized the interiors for the entire resort, and the social hub of the resort is a stomping ground for locals as well as guests.

What You Get

Possibly the most notable perks of ownership at Carneros aren’t in the cottages themselves, but lie in the resort amenities at hand. The compound has its own spa, offering a plethora of treatments featuring local ingredients and even boasting its own signature fragrance, developed by providing local families with mason jars and asking them to fill them with their favorite scents from the area.

And then of course there’s FARM, the on-site restaurant; a sophisticated and elegant establishment where local ingredients and vintages are highlighted to great effect. Bikes are available for tooling around the property, and bellmen on golf carts are available to cart you home if you’ve tasted a few too many bottles at dinner. The resort also offers a boutique, a small grocer, a second more casual restaurant, and both a family pool and an adults-only infinity edged number. The social areas are often bustling, and offer a surprising contrast to the very private feel of the cottages.

The Halogen Guides Take

What can we say? We like the Orchard at the Carneros Inn. The local touches, great restaurant and comprehensive spa make it a stand out, and all of the standard amenities are accounted for. Add to that the undertones of sustainable farming and architecture—floors at FARM are made from recycled railroad ties and suites at the hotel are modular pre-fab units—and there’s a lot to laud.

That said, the Orchard might not be a perfect fit for everyone. The cottages, with their two-bedroom layouts, king-sized beds and grown-up atmosphere, give off a decidedly couples-weekend vibe. If a family retreat is what you have in mind, these Napa love-nests might not be your best bet.

And there were a few things we would have liked to see in the cottages; for instance an iPod dock so we could listen to our own tunes over the integrated Bose speaker system, or a recycling bin to stay in step with the resort’s green efforts. A final snafu was an owner’s compendium that sometimes didn’t match the controls in the home (instructions for shower fixtures that were different than the ones in our bathrooms and a note saying that our in-ground spa was not yet operational when it in fact was working, caused a bit of confusion), but overall it didn’t affect our ability to kick back with a glass of wine and take in the vineyard views.

The Orchard at Carneros Inn is one of two fractional options in the Napa area. The Lodges at Calistoga Ranch, further north, offer luxury residences in the Auberge-run resort with two weeks of planned use. Several destination clubs also have homes in the valley, including Solstice and Quintess, LRW.

Preferred Residences Launches With New Fractional Exchange Program

2008-04-23T18:24:07-07:00

The recent launch of Preferred Residences heralds the arrival of a new branded exchange program for luxury fractionals and high-end condo-hotel properties. In our private residence club outlook for 2008, we predicted the emergence of stronger exchange programs for fractional owners. The launch of Preferred Residences is an effort on the part of several companies to join forces to fill this niche. Interval International, a leader in the vacation ownership industry with a network of 2,200 resorts and 1.9 million members, and Preferred Hotel Group, which has 140 hotels and resorts spread across the globe, are forming Preferred Residences to provide fractional developments with a quality-controlled, branded umbrella organization under which to provide broad exchange options with a standardized points system.

The program is set up to offer owners optimum flexibility in scheduling stays at resorts and residences included in the network. In addition to fractional exchange privileges, the model promises other perks. Owners will enjoy preferential pricing and upgrades on stays at participating hotels in the Preferred Hotel Group, including discounts of 20 to 50 percent off published rates. Members will also receive a complimentary membership in Hertz #1 Gold Club and access to a 24-hour concierge available by phone or email to make dinner reservations and tee times. Complimentary Prestige access to 500 VIP airport lounges in 90 countries and discounts on Delta AirElite business jets are also included in membership. Additionally, owners receive a 15 percent discount on Preferred Golf Club membership, which includes an annual complimentary round of golf at each of the more-than-40 Preferred Golf Club resorts from Dromoland Castle in Ireland to the Sea Island Resort in Georgia.

The fractional real estate industry has long been in need of a straightforward exchange program, with many existing programs lacking cohesion and convenience, or merely lacking a sufficient number of options to make the programs compelling. It remains to be seen if Preferred Residences will break the mold; press materials on the organization are scant, and seem to be focused simply on attracting developments rather than educating consumers on this concept. In fact, at this point it seems Preferred Residences has only one club in its ranks, La Tranquila Breathtaking Resort in Punta Mita, Mexico, making it difficult to predict what the scope of their offerings is likely to become.

Halogen Guides will be following the development of this new option as it expands its portfolio of clubs, and as those clubs begin to market the concept to potential buyers. An easy to navigate exchange program would certainly add to the appeal of fractional ownership, coupling aspects that make the destination club model attractive to potential vacation home buyers—namely variety and flexibility—with the allure of deeded property ownership.

Crowded House: Fitting the Whole Gang into Three Bedrooms or Less

2008-04-23T14:46:15-07:00

Four best friends, a couple of rounds on a world-class golf course and a luxurious destination club. Mix liberally with red meat, cold drinks, cigars and perhaps a bawdy joke or two and you’ve got yourself a recipe for the perfect boys getaway weekend. But if you don’t do all your homework, some members of your party may have more to complain about than their crummy performance on the back nine.

While destination clubs promise hassle-free vacations at grand, well-appointed homes, the fact is that both the number of bedrooms and how the club appoints each bedroom can dramatically impact the number of guests a residence can accommodate. After all, while you and your friends may be close, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Larry and Frank will be game to share a room, let alone a bed.

The lesson for potential, and current, destination club members is to look not just at the number of bedrooms in a home or what the club claims is the home’s occupancy, but also at the specific configuration of the bedrooms when planning a trip. And if you see a potential problem, investigate how your club may be able to reconfigure its bedrooms for your specific party.

Destination club homes range from units as small as one-bedroom, to residences with more than six-bedrooms. While clubs often tout the size of their homes as one of their great advantages, Halogen Guides found in a analysis of club’s real estate portfolios that as many as 30 percent of all destination club homes have three or fewer bedrooms. In certain locations, this is to be expected, particularly properties in urban areas. But we also found that there are homes with a smaller number of bedrooms in areas one might typically expect to find larger residences. For instance High Country Club’s one-bedroom Tuscany residence in Merlino, Italy, and Exclusive Resorts’ one-bedroom “casitas” outside Tuscon, Ariz. at the Miraval Resort, a destination that no doubt is ideal for a couple’s retreat but also a girlfriend’s getaway. Clubs may also have multiple homes in a single location with varying numbers of bedrooms. Exclusive Resorts has both three- and four-bedroom homes available for members in Scottsdale, Ariz., a destination which has proven to be a particularly popular destination for buddy trips, due in no small part to the abundance of great golfing in the area.

The couple’s weekend poses another set of accommodation challenges. With many homes configured for families, your couple friends may find themselves sleeping in separate beds in the same room. Most destination clubs try to be as flexible as possible regarding sleeping arrangements, and by default will configure homes for maximum accommodation. The Lusso Collection, for example, usually furnishes each bedroom, besides the master suite, with double twin beds, and in some cases uses bunk beds. Lusso will convert the twin beds to kings when possible. Quintess, whose homes often have four-, five- or six-bedrooms, reports that it does not frequently receive requests for alternate sleeping arrangements. Quintess will not generally switch out furniture, but the club does help arrange for rooms at nearby hotels for additional guests.

Clubs will work with members to accommodate their guests, but as a rule it’s best to plan ahead and let them know exactly what your requirements are. There are always emergency options, of course. But woe unto he who draws the last straw and ends up on the Aerobed, now standard in most clubs’ homes.