Private Residence Clubs Fractional Ownership Condominium Hotels

THE RITZ-CARLTON DESTINATION CLUB AND THE ABERCROMBIE & KENT RESIDENCE CLUB UNVEIL FIRST OF ITS KIND PARTNERSHIP

2010-10-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Announced today, industry leading, equity based, luxury destination clubs, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club, have forged a new exchange opportunity for the benefit of their Members. This strategic alliance presents Members of both Clubs an expanding universe of extraordinary destinations only these two renowned companies can provide. This affiliation marks a first for the destination club industry through The Lion & Crown Travel Co., LLC, the exclusive external exchange company for The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club.

The collaboration allows Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members access to 17 Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club residences in North America’s finest beach, mountain and golf destinations including Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Snowmass-Aspen, Colo.; Kiawah Island, S.C.; Punta Cana; Sun Valley, Idaho; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Hawaii’s Big Island; Turks & Caicos; and Los Cabos, Punta Mita and Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. In return, Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club Members are able to convert their nights for use at 10 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club locations in Aspen Highlands, Bachelor Gulch and Vail*, Colo.; St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.; Jupiter, Fla.; San Francisco and North Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Kapalua Bay in Maui and Kauai Lagoons, Hawaii; and Abaco, The Bahamas.

“Beyond our exceptional Ritz-Carlton Destination Club properties, it is our mission to continually offer our discerning Members the finest partners and most exclusive vacation experiences,” said Peter J. Watzka, executive vice president and chief operating officer for The Ritz-Carlton Development Company, Inc. (an affiliate of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC). “We see this relationship as a tremendous first step in building a worldwide, branded network of exchange and travel services for the destination club segment.”

“Additionally, we see our alliance with Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club as a logical extension of the newly formed relationship between The Ritz-Carlton and Abercrombie & Kent brands announced with the launch of The Ritz-Carlton Rewards program last month,” continued Watzka.

“This exclusive relationship demonstrates our commitment to expand the range of destinations and luxury vacation experiences our members can enjoy around the world,” explains Abercrombie & Kent founder and executive chairman Geoffrey Kent. “Both clubs were founded on an equity model, a fundamentally more conservative choice than other clubs in the industry.”

Both Ritz-Carlton Destination Club and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club Members benefit from coordination of everything from airport pick-up and pre-arrival provisioning of the residence, to arranging a seamless vacation experience. Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members may also escape with Abercrombie & Kent on a variety of luxury and adventure travel experiences, discovering inspiring destinations that include Antarctica, China, India and the Galápagos Islands, at their most intimate and authentic. The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members can participate in this program in a variety of ways, including preferred access to Abercrombie & Kent tours on all seven continents; opportunities to participate in three exclusive trips created especially for The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club Members in 2011; and the option to utilize Abercrombie & Kent Private Travel to personalize itineraries through their Member Experience Advisor.

Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Trump SoHo Gets Financing Boost

2010-09-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

Trump SoHo, the flashy downtown hotel-condo project that has struggled to sell units, announced Wednesday it has restructured its financing with iStar Financial in a deal that increases its loan by $20 million.

The deal gives the 391-unit development more breathing room as it tries to ride out a turbulent real-estate market that's been particularly hard on condo hotels. It shows that iStar, which already has lent more than $250 million to Trump SoHo, has faith in the project. But it's not clear whether it will be enough to restore the project to health.

The Trump SoHo developer, a venture of the Sapir Organization and Bayrock Group, also revealed new details of its plan with a California financial company to offer financing to potential buyers who can't get enough credit to purchase a unit.

Analysts say both measures are intended to inject some momentum into the condo sales process, which has been sluggish and has raised some concern about the long-term viability of the Trump SoHo as a condo-hotel project. About a quarter of the 391 condo units are in contract, but only about two dozen of them have closed.

"The increase in the loan amount demonstrates the ongoing confidence and support of our lender, iStar," a Trump SoHo spokeswoman said in a statement. iStar officials didn't respond to requests for comment.

A Trump SoHo spokeswoman declined to say how the $20 million will be used. Often in restructurings of this type, lenders increase the amounts of loans simply to give developers funds to keep current on interest payments. The restructuring "allows some room for management and the developer to enact their plan," says Bradley Burwell, a hotel analyst with commercial broker CB Richard Ellis.

Mr. Burwell also said the new loan was another sign that lenders have been reluctant to foreclose when there may be limited opportunities to sell and they are uncomfortable taking hits to their balance sheets.

The Trump SoHo faces unusual challenges because, under the zoning rules that allowed it to move forward, condo owners are permitted to stay in their units no more than 120 days a year. On other days, they're part of the hotel operation. This arrangement has made it particularly difficult for buyers to obtain financing.

In an effort to get over that hurdle, Trump SoHo said CalCon Mutual Mortgage, a San Diego-based lender, would provide financing for condo sales and "is accepting applications from qualified existing buyers," according to a statement from Rodrigo Nino, president of Prodigy International, the Trump SoHo's sales and marketing company. The Trump Organization has a licensing and management agreement with Trump SoHo.

CalCon is offering loans to potential buyers as well as owners in contract who can't get the financing to close, said Josh Erskine, CalCon's president. He said U.S. buyers need to put down deposits of 40% of the purchase price, and foreign buyers are required to put down 50%. Most sales so far have been to foreign buyers, people familiar with the matter said.

The Wall Street Journal previously reported that the Trump SoHo was taking another uncommon step to close on deals: it is offering discounts of up to 25% off the agreed-upon purchase price as an extra inducement to convince buyers who might be getting cold feet to close on a deal.

"We look forward to contract holders honoring their commitments," Mr. Nino also said in his statement.

Donald Trump hasn't invested money in the project but his company, the Trump Organization has a licensing and management agreement that allows the development to use the Trump name. The deal gives Mr. Trump and his children—Eric, Ivanka and Donald Jr.—an equity stake in the project.

Original article Wall Street Journal

The Strip's CityCenter hotels up the ante

2010-01-05T13:24:00.001-07:00

High-tech touches and green innovations are set on a luxurious stage at the Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental and Aria Resort & Casino.

Packed into 67 acres between the Monte Carlo and the Bellagio casino hotels, CityCenter is billed not just as the Las Vegas Strip's next evolutionary phase, but also as a spectacle capable of pulling the region's tourism from its death spiral.

Yet with nearly 5,900 new luxury hotel rooms to fill, that spiral may be intensifying. Between Dec. 1 and 16, the developers unveiled the 1,495-guest room Vdara, the 392-guest room Mandarin Oriental, and the 4,004-guest room Aria Resort & Casino and its 17 restaurants and cafes.

As a whole, the hotels offer a template for 21st century Vegas; it's the locus of sophisticated recreation for the well-heeled brainiac. Stuffed with whiz-bang technology, cutting-edge green operations and urbane décor, the hotels create a new kind of wonderland where pampered lifestyles tread softly on the planet's resources.

Vdara and the Mandarin Oriental offer a respite from sensory overload with casino-free lodging. The centerpiece, Aria Resort & Casino, provides an orgy of deluxe gambling, dining and people-watching.

The complex is connected by sometimes-confusing ramps, escalators and a three-station monorail, which make the place look more like a futuristic airport than a distillation of Manhattan. Without the chaos of taxis, office workers and urban grit, many areas feel more like a fantasy Manhattan, a sort of Theme Park for Rich People.

The cleanliness is a plus, the product of many eco-conscious, unseen factors. CityCenter made environmental impact central to its design and operation, and most buildings boast one of the highest ratings of sustainability, the U.S. Green Building Council's Gold LEED certification. Happily, natural light and fresh air are abundant in most private and many public spaces.

Clean air was one welcome surprise in a three-day visit to the new hotels. (The 400-room boutique Harmon Hotel won't open until late this year). Though a similar design sensibility of modern, curvilinear shapes and earth-tone palettes unites the hotels, each offers distinct amenities and advantages. Here are the highlights from my recent stays at all three.

Vdara

With nary a slot machine on the property, entering the 57-story Vdara is practically serene. Had I booked one of the hotel's natural-gas-powered limos, I could have offset my airplane flight's carbon emissions. Yet my arrival was cushioned by the lobby's light perfume, a 32-foot Frank Stella artwork and a (mostly) competent staff seasoned after 16 days on the job.

Though it has a sizable spa, pool complex, restaurant, bar and nearly 1,500 suites, the hotel's orderly layout makes it easy to navigate. Originally designed as a condo hotel, the 500- to 1,650-square-foot suites have the most residential yet urban feel of the three hotels. Even in the smallest suite, there's room for a lush king bed, sofa bed, reading chair, desk, kitchen, dining table and a free-standing spa bathtub.
Vdara (an invented name) is one of the few upscale Las Vegas hotels hospitable to families. Spring for one of its 250 Panoramic rooms, and you'll get a four-person dining room table, a washer-dryer and full-sized kitchen appliances.

Vdara also may be CityCenter's best hotel for conducting business, given the guest rooms' generous work spaces, laptop safes, fast wireless access and media hubs that can connect an array of electronic devices to the flat-screen TV. Those features and access to the compact fitness center are covered by a $15 daily resort fee.

A pool deck offers a variety of smallish swimming/dipping spaces and views of buildings. Life is better indoors: Even the smallest, lowest-price rooms offer multiple, wired-for-technology work spaces. The wide array of green materials in the custom-designed décor shows that sustainable design doesn't always mean burlap and bamboo. Design firm BBG-BBGM used stone, wood and metal to create a durable, eco-friendly and more natural environment, said Julia Monk, managing partner.

Vdara, which is behind Aria, is removed from the intensity of the Strip and from most CityCenter visitors. A corridor connects the hotel to a monorail that zips to the Bellagio, Crystals and the Monte Carlo. Just don't expect to transfer easily to any other hotel in the complex. Despite the developers' boasts of the center's "connectivity and access," Vdara refused to move my luggage across the road to Aria. This eco-conscious hotel required that my guest and I retrieve the car, drive the confusing loops to Aria and park again, instead of allowing a bellman to push a cart half a block down the sidewalk.

2600 W. Harmon Ave., Las Vegas, (866) 745-7767, www.vdara.com
Doubles from $129
Check CityCenter Rates at Hotels.com by city, dates and number of guests

Aria Resort & Casino

Aria is a universe unto itself, though the curving steel-and-glass structure designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects serves as CityCenter's crossroads. It's the destination for high-energy, high-priced activities such as gambling, drinking and dining.

Its two hotel towers, nine bars, 17 restaurants, 1,840-seat theater, gift shop, spa, pool and 300,000 square feet of meeting space mean you need never leave. Even if you're not a Vegas person who loves the roar of gambling energy, Aria offers a sophisticated new take on casino hotels that should appeal to the poker-phobic.

You need a flow chart to track the contributions of every designer and architect who gave the place its many distinct personalities. Some modern-day Mussolini must have made the hotel crews operate on time, which may explain how every restaurant was ready with menu samples at the Dec. 16 grand opening party. Most large hotel projects open in stages, yet all but Aria's pool and several Peter Marino-designed deluxe suites were ready for the gala, though paying guests, including me, arrived the next afternoon, its first open-to-the-public day.

Compared with Vdara, Aria's handsome guest rooms are less spacious and offer fewer in-room amenities, but the ivory, green and brown palette, walnut furnishings and chrome accents make it feel as luxuriously cozy. Aria switches up the predictable hotel room layout with built-in wood media centers (bring your own cords), automated curtains that wrap an entire wall and a large spa tub within the marble shower enclosure.

Day 1 revealed that the hotel's 10,000 employees are inexperienced. Few were well versed in the hotel's layout, fewer understood the room's high-tech features, and restaurant service was often awkward and slow. Service was almost absent in the 80,000-square-foot spa, where you may have to hunt for the coed Shio Salt Room and Ganbanyoku stone beds (heated granite slabs). Without a spa treatment, visiting the gym or spa costs hotel guests $30.

Still, the resort begs for superlatives, and earns a few, given that it's billed as the world's largest Gold LEED-certified building and has highly advanced in-room technology. A central control panel can open the windows, adjust the lights, temperature, TV, music and check flight information. Yet two engineers had to be summoned at midnight after the software crashed.

Despite its opening-day jitters, Aria's sophisticated design, cuisine, technology and commitment to environmentally sound practices set a new standard in hospitality and Vegas-style excess. Now, thanks to recycling programs, limousines fueled with compressed natural gas and ventilation married to slot machines that's built to clean and circulate the air, it's possible to enjoy excess responsibly.
3730 Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, (866) 359-7757, www.arialasvegas.com
Doubles from $159
Check CityCenter Rates at Hotels.com by city, dates and number of guests

Mandarin Oriental

The happiest words ever spoken to an exhausted traveler are these: "Consider it done." The staff members at the Mandarin Oriental follow up those reassuring words with the kind of service that has nearly vanished from luxury hotels with staff cutbacks.

Service was prompt, personal and attuned to privacy on my visit, two weeks after its Dec. 4 opening. A nice touch: A valet closet opens to the hallway to allow staff members to deliver laundry, mail or packages without disturbing the room occupants.

As the most luxurious, nongaming hotel in CityCenter, the 47-story Mandarin Oriental brings new aesthetics and expectations to hospitality. Guests get stunning views from the 23rd floor check-in desk, which is flanked by a tea lounge, the Mandarin Bar and Twist, the only U.S. restaurant by Pierre Gagnaire.

Interior designer Adam D. Tihany created an elegant, intimate and, ultimately, escapist environment where guests can, he said, "have moments where you don't have to think about anything but enjoying yourself."
He delivered on that promise with the room design, a mix of maximum-impact materials such as marble shower tile, leather and shell headboards, chrome accents and velvet upholstery. Sliding panels reminiscent of a tea house move to conceal the bathroom windows and reveal a softly rendered portrait of an Asian woman.

The guest rooms and public spaces subtly reference Asian design with art and decorative accents -- paintings of kimonos, panels that slide like shoji screens, pendant lamps that resemble Japanese lanterns, and high-sheen built-in drawers that suggest the lacquer and tiers of Tansu chests.

This level of service and style comes with a price: Plan on spending $345 for the least expensive room, $30 for valet parking, $18 to steam a dress and $100 to visit the spa without scheduling a treatment. Massages are a minimum of 80 minutes and cost $260 on weekends. Yet the portions and quality of food at the MOzen Bistro yielded one of the best values in the complex. The menu's mix of Indian, Chinese and other Asian flavors in the entrees, such as a complex curry and rice or a rack of lamb, are mostly $25 to $38.

Guests also get indulgent little extras in the rooms: yoga CDs and a mat; abundant Schott stemware in the bar stocked with half-bottles of liquor; a safe with a jewelry tray; and a fully outfitted bathroom with a multi-nozzle hair dryer and a flat iron in a silver leather case.

The rooms are wired with a high-tech system that can automatically control the drapes, temperature, TV and more. With most of the glitches fixed, this system worked.

Tihany's modernized view of Asia is, indeed, an escape to an idealized existence. It's ideal for CityCenter, a place that raises the stakes on fantasy, luxury and, ultimately, the future of Vegas hospitality.

3752 S. Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 590-8888, www.mandarinoriental.com
Doubles from $345

Original Story: LA Times

One Steamboat Place logs $15.25 million in 1st round of closings

2009-11-29T09:25:00.001-07:00

Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs real estate market received a qualified boost Monday when the first 13 condominium sales closed at One Steamboat Place for a combined $15.25 million.

Photo by Matt Stensland

Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp. Ambassador Robb Stevenson walks through the new promenade in front of One Steamboat Place on Wednesday. The luxury condominium project had 13 sales close Monday for a total of $15.25 million.

This week’s closings included 10 residence club sales totaling $4.45 million and three whole-ownership sales that combined for $10.8 million. The most expensive was a penthouse condominium that sold for $4.2 million, according to records at the Routt County Assessor’s Office.

Keith Marlow, Timbers Resorts director of sales, said it would be several weeks before the next round of sales are closed but declined to discuss the details of this week’s transactions.

“We’re very, very proud of what we’ve accomplished,” Marlow said. “When the first sale closed last week, (Timbers CEO) David Burden happened to be in town, and we drank a champagne toast in the gentleman’s unit. But we still have a lot of work to do, and we don’t want to pound our chest or report daily numbers. It’s going to take all winter to close all of these units as we work on an individual basis with the buyers.”

Project Director Chris Burden told the Steamboat Pilot & Today on Nov. 12 that his company expected to close 100 transactions within 30 days. Marlow said Wednesday that some buyers, who have been waiting for two years to close on the new condominiums, have asked for additional days to work on the details of their financing.

The news at One Steamboat Place, where the new public plaza opened Wednesday, comes near the end of a difficult year in which the third-quarter dollar volume of $227 million was just 38 percent of the $597 million recorded through the third quarter of 2008. In comparison to One Steamboat Place’s $15.25 million in closings during the first three days of the week, the entire Steamboat market saw $27.24 million in sales during the month of September this year.

If there is an asterisk next to last week’s closings at One Steamboat Place, it’s that virtually all of the whole ownership sales and the bulk of the residence club sales represent contracts were signed as of August 2007. So, they don’t represent new business.

However, Realtor Pam Vanatta, co-owner of Prudential Steamboat Realty, said although this month’s closings at One Steamboat Place represent contracts written in another year, she thinks they will reflect positively on the current Steamboat market as it turns the calendar page to 2010.

Vanatta, who has clients buying at One Steamboat Place, said the sales reflect a “will to close” on the part of those buyers, which is reminiscent of the market before the noteworthy increases in the valuation of properties between 2005 and 2007 and the speculative investment that resulted.

“Historically, the Steamboat market was never just an investment,” Vanatta said. “People have always purchased property here because they wanted to be here. We’re going back to a time when people bought because they wanted to enjoy Steamboat.”

The residence club sales all ranged from $415,000 to $495,000. All 10 of them were for four-bedroom, four-bath condominiums. A round of three-bedroom residence club sales is expected to begin closing soon.

One Steamboat Place initially offered 80 condominiums including 38 whole-ownership vacation homes priced from $2.5 million to $4.7 million, plus 42 residence club condos being marketed as one-eighth shares. The first residence club shares represented 336 fractions. The initial club offerings ranged in price from $625,000 to $735,000.

In early 2008, the developers reported that they had sale agreements for 148 eight-shares in the $600,000 price range.

Later, one-twelfth ownership opportunities were introduced at $370,000 with the intent of incremental steps in price as units went under contract.

One Steamboat Place principal David Burden said the eight-shares represent Timbers’ bread and butter at its resort developments, and the 12-shares are brought on line when the market indicates a demand for a more diversified product. Burden described the development as a $200 million construction project.

Towers and cables spanning Mount Werner Circle for the new gondola linking Resort Ventures West-developed Trailhead Lodge with One Steamboat Place were in place this week and await cabins and testing before the anticipated February opening.

Chris Burden told the Pilot & Today this month that One Steamboat Place will open to guests Jan. 9. Timbers Resorts projects 80 percent occupancy during ski season.

For More Information Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Original Story: Steamboat Pilot & Today

How Ritz-Carlton Stays At The Top

2009-10-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

An interview with Simon F. Cooper, president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.

Ritz-Carlton has become a leading brand in luxury lodging by rigorously adhering to its own standards. It is the only service company in America that has won the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award twice, and Training Magazine has called it the best company in the nation for employee training. Its unique culture starts with a motto: "We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen." One of its remarkable policies is to permit every employee to spend up to $2,000 making any single guest satisfied. Ritz-Carlton codifies its expectations regarding service in "The 12 Service Values," "The Credo," "The Three Steps of Service," "The 6th Diamond" and other proprietary statements that are taught to all 38,000 employees throughout 73 properties in 24 countries. Simon Cooper, who has led Ritz-Carlton for the past eight years, talks about what makes Ritz-Carlton, well, the Ritz.
Forbes: What is the Ritz-Carlton model?
Cooper: We focus on three fundamentals. First, location--making sure we get absolutely the best location, where our luxury customers want to stay. Second, product--building the right physical product for what our guests want today and what they will want tomorrow, which means an investment of between $500,000 and over $1 million per room. That's the platform. Third, people--our ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. They animate the platform. But you must get the first two right. If you're not in the right location, or if you don't have the right physical product, then employees, ladies and gentlemen, can only do so much.
How do you ensure everyone is on the same page?
We use what we call "lineup," which is a Ritz-Carlton tradition. The concept comes from the early restaurants of France, where the chef got his whole team and all the waiters and waitresses and the maitre d' together at 5:30 in the evening. It's a sort of round table. Everybody is there. The chef communicates what they are going to be serving. For the Ritz-Carlton, we want every single hotel, everywhere in the world, every partner, every shift, to utilize lineup, which typically takes around 15 minutes every day. Part of the lineup everywhere around the world is a "wow story," which means talking about great things that our ladies and gentlemen have done. That is a wonderful training and communication tool, where every department layers on the department message. And it's based on having the same message everywhere, every day, and then each hotel layers on its own message.
How do the ladies and gentlemen focus on service?
We entrust every single Ritz-Carlton staff member, without approval from their general manager, to spend up to $2,000 on a guest. And that's not per year. It's per incident. When you say up to $2,000, suddenly somebody says, wow, this isn't just about rebating a movie because your room was late, this is a really meaningful amount. It doesn't get used much, but it displays a deep trust in our staff's judgment. Frankly, they could go over that amount, with the general manager's permission.
The concept is to do something, to create an absolutely wonderful stay for a guest. Significantly, there is no assumption that it's because there is a problem. It could be that someone finds out it's a guest's birthday, and the next thing you know there's champagne and cake in the room. A lot of the stuff that crosses my desk is not that they overcame a problem but that they used their $2,000 to create an outstanding experience.
There are stories about hiring a carpenter to build a shoe tree for a guest; a laundry manager who couldn't get the stain out of a dress after trying twice flying up from Puerto Rico to New York to return the dress personally; or when in Dubai a waiter overheard a gentleman musing with his wife, who was in a wheelchair, that it was a shame he couldn't get her down to the beach. The waiter told maintenance, who passed word, and the next afternoon there was a wooden walkway down the beach to a tent that was set up for them to have dinner in. That's not out of the ordinary, and the general manager didn't know about it until it was built.
As chief executive, how do you manage your day and your staff?
The current economic climate requires me to spend more time on the road than in the corporate office. Thanks to technologies like the BlackBerry and cellphones, I have global reach wherever I am in the world. When I'm at home, I usually spend a few hours at my desk on weekends, preparing for the days ahead, returning e-mails. My assistant's desk is always full when she comes in early on Monday morning.
To manage my staff, I value everyone's opinion and listen to the pros and cons of every issue, but at the end of the day, the decision rests with me, and we move on to the next topic. As Harry Truman said, the buck stops here.
How do you keep up with trends?
We do a great deal of research that focuses on a broad study of luxury products and the market for high-end goods and services. Often you can see a trend coming before it becomes one by analyzing the data and studying the researchers' conclusions and predictions. At Ritz-Carlton, we want to set trends, not follow them. On the other hand, we do not position ourselves as a trendy hotel company.
How do you measure success?
On the customer side, Gallup does phone interviews for us, asking two types of questions, functional and emotional. On the functional side, we ask: How was the meal? Was the food hot? Was the service good? Did you like the menu? How was your room service? Was your bedroom clean? And Gallup has established "indicators," where this is one question that if answered as five out of five indicates that all the other questions will be answered positively. Our functional indicator is "The room was clean." On the emotional side, our indicator is "I had a sense of well-being." We know we must first pass the functional question before the guest will focus on the emotional question.
For employees, the most important internal metric we measure is voluntary turnover, which is an indicator of talent acquisition and training. We hire typically about 2% of the people who apply for jobs with us. Bringing on the right ladies and gentlemen and then nurturing them to provide them with career opportunities will reduce turnover. Training is really important, because it nurtures the careers of our ladies and gentlemen. Naturally, in a tough economic climate keeping staff satisfied is more challenging, but obviously it's as important as ever.
Isn't your growth as a hotel company limited by how many hotels you can build?
A breakthrough in our thinking was understanding that we are not a hotel brand but a lifestyle brand. For a hotel company, growth is reliant on the development of new properties, which is limited. But as a lifestyle brand, we can offer the unique Ritz-Carlton lifestyle in non-hotel formats as well. Whether you are spending a night, spending a week, buying five weeks of fractional ownership or buying a lifetime in the Ritz-Carlton, with Ritz-Carlton Residence, we feel that we represent lifestyle, that we have moved beyond being just a hotel company.
More than 3,000 people have bought in for several million dollars each, and to me those people are brand devotees for life. Of course, all strategies are sensitive to significant market turns, but from the long-term perspective of growing a customer base that is absolutely married to the brand, it has worked out extremely well.
What is the key to building a successful corporate culture?
A culture is built on trust. And if leadership doesn't live the values that it requires of the organization, that is the swiftest way to undermine the culture. No culture sticks if it's not lived at the highest levels of the organization. It takes an extraordinarily long time to build a culture.

For More Information: Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Original Article: Forbes

Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa Opens in Park City

2009-08-07T11:04:00.005-07:00

Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa Opens in Park City, Utah;
First Ski Property for The Waldorf Astoria Collection

The prestigious Waldorf Astoria Collection opened its first ski resort, the Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa, in Park City, Utah. Dakota Mountain Lodge is located at the base of The Canyons® Resort, one of the top-rated mountains for skiing and snowboarding in the United States. Featuring 175 elegantly appointed guestrooms, world-renowned Golden Door Spa and award-winning Spruce restaurant, Dakota Mountain Lodge is Park City’s newest luxury property.

“Dakota Mountain Lodge is our vision of the perfect Park City experience: unparalleled access to world class amenities and service befitting a Waldorf Astoria Collection luxury property, within a stunning alpine setting,” said General Manager Jim Miller. “With an exceptional spa, fine cuisine and elegantly appointed accommodations, we are delighted to bring a new standard of luxury to Park City.”
Dakota Mountain Lodge & Golden Door Spa reflects a contemporary mountain elegance with dark finished woods, tile and stonework – a sophisticated and subtle departure from typical mountain lodge decor. Guests can gather year-round in the large outdoor courtyard that features fire pits and a heated pool and whirlpool spas with sweeping views of the surrounding mountain vistas.

Guestrooms are finished with custom designed furniture, natural colors and rich interiors to create a casual yet sophisticated retreat. Available in king or queen rooms, each room is designed with a gas fireplace, 42” HDTV, spacious bath with jetted tubs and/or steam showers, and private patio or balcony. Suites are one-to-four-bedroom, some loft style, and feature large gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The Presidential Suite is a six bedroom suite with private study, massage room and exhibition kitchen. Guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Wasatch Mountains in the suite’s Great Room through floor to ceiling windows.

Dakota Mountain Lodge features world-class wellness destination Golden Door Spa, widely recognized as the first luxury destination spa in the United States. As one of only six Golden Door spa locations in the world, the resort offers both a destination spa program and individual treatments in a resort setting from Golden Door. The 16,000-square-foot facility with 15 treatment rooms will serve as a day spa for locals, a resort spa for travelers and a destination wellness retreat for spa aficionados. The full service spa features a custom designed fitness center with an extensive menu of classes as well as a hair and nail spa.

Guests will also enjoy the first outpost of award-winning Spruce restaurant of San Francisco, which was named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in 2008. Featuring the same convivial sophistication as the flagship location, the restaurant’s winning formula combines gracious, top-tier service, an exceptional wine program and Executive Chef Mark Sullivan’s contemporary American cuisine that showcases the finest in local and seasonal ingredients. The 5,000-square-foot restaurant has 160 seats with indoor and seasonal outdoor seating, private dining areas and a lounge.

The hotel also offers the option of full ownership with 104 spacious residences, ranging from 359-square-foot studios to 2,015-square-foot four-bedroom, four-bath suites. Hotel residences range in price from $400,000 to $2 million.*

For Information Please Visit CondominiumHotels.com/Contact.php

ROBB REPORT SELECTS THE RITZ-CARLTON CLUB AS THE “BEST OF THE BEST”

2009-06-04T09:55:00.005-07:00

Ritz-Carlton Club San Francisco

The Ritz-Carlton Club, the premier fractional ownership program, has been awarded the distinction of top “Fractional” vacation home purveyor in the world for Robb Report’s 21st annual “Best of the Best” issue. A leading source for the luxury lifestyle, Robb Report has recognized The Club three times in this category.

This year, as The Ritz-Carlton Club celebrates its tenth anniversary, the brand has evolved to offer Members an expanded collection of vacation options beyond the award-winning fractional offering. The new Ritz-Carlton Destination Club is an equity-based program offering two choices – either a Home Club Membership (identical to the successful fractional ownership offering) which provides titled use of a residence for Members to return to throughout the year, or the newest deeded enhancement, Portfolio Membership, which affords the opportunity to discover a wide variety of premier destinations and accommodations through a points-based currency.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized by Robb Report as “Best of the Best,” and it reaffirms the quality and prestige of our membership program,” said Peter J. Watzka, executive vice president and chief operating officer for The Ritz-Carlton Development Company, Inc. (an affiliate of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.).

Based on a full year’s search, the “Best of the Best” winners were chosen on the basis of quality of facilities, services and amenities as of March 2009. Yet, as Robb Report highlights in the magazine, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club has much more in store for the future by providing unparalleled experiences to its membership in beach, golf, ski and city destinations.

With locations in San Francisco; Aspen, Colo. and St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. to name a few, The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club offers the legendary service for which The Ritz-Carlton is renowned. Members benefit from a heightened level of service as they are paired with their very own member experience manager who will serve as their primary liaison. Additionally, Members will enjoy the privilege of a dedicated concierge staff providing services that include everything from airport pick-up and pre-arrival provisioning of the residence, to unpacking and pressing pre-sent garments and arranging a complete vacation itinerary.

About The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club is an equity-based luxury travel program where Members select either a Home Club Membership which provides a titled residence and usage at a property they can return to every year, or a deeded Portfolio Membership which affords the opportunity to discover a wide variety of locations and experiences. Combining an innovative choice for luxury vacations at some of the most sought-after destinations in the world and coupled with the legendary services of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club offers an inspirational vacation lifestyle tailored to each Member’s expectations.

For More Information: Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Ritz-Carlton New Destination Club

2009-05-09T10:23:00.004-07:00

Ritz-Carlton Destination Club

After 80 years and more than 70 hotels providing legendary service, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, raises the bar again with the unveiling of a new way to enjoy an inspiring vacation lifestyle: The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club.

An evolution of The Ritz-Carlton Club, this equity-based private membership program offers two choices -- either a Home Club Membership (identical to the successful fractional ownership offering) which provides use of a titled residence at a property they can return to throughout the year, or a deeded, Portfolio Membership which affords the opportunity to discover a wide variety of premier destinations and accommodations.

Portfolio Membership

Many of the most distinctive travelers want the freedom and flexibility to visit an array of the world's most beautiful and elegant destinations. If you count yourself in their number, Ritz-Carlton Portfolio Membership will be your natural choice.

Portfolio Members use The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club currency called "Club Points" to craft the kinds of escapes others only dream of. Ritz-Carlton Destination Club vacation homes are yours to choose from.

With Portfolio Membership in The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, you'll find destinations that are available on your dates of travel. As a Portfolio Member, you'll have access to the Ritz-Carlton destination Club online member reservation system, which makes finding and reserving your vacation home nearly effortless. This powerful tool gives you real-time destination availability information, while offering the elegant simplicity you expect from The Ritz-Carlton experience.

Ritz-Carlton Destinations

With Portfolio Membership in The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, you own an interest in Ritz-Carlton Destination Clubs' select collection of unique luxury properties and gain access to dozens of The Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts. This collection includes Ritz-Carlton Club properties in Colorado, California, Hawaii, Florida, Bahamas and St. Thomas. In addition membership includes a usage plan for select Ritz-Carlton Hotels worldwide in twenty different countries. It's an entirely new way to experience renowned service and quality worldwide.

Membership Levels

Portfolio Memberships offer a beneficial interest in a trust where Members customize their vacations through a points-based currency. This annual allotment of currency is used to reserve accommodations based on travel dates and residence floor plan. Initial membership grants 5,000 Club points, but additional interests can be purchased in 2,500 point increments. Portfolio Membership pricing starts at $120,000 for 5,000 annual Club points.

The Portfolio Membership option allows the ultimate flexibility for the Member who prefers a different experience each time they travel. For example, a Member may decide to use a four-bedroom residence in Abaco, The Bahamas for a family celebration and use a one-bedroom in San Francisco for a romantic getaway. When choosing from the collection of residences, each is assigned a varying nightly point value. The new Hotel Exchange Program also enables Members who purchased a Portfolio Membership to utilize up to a 25% portion of their Club points at participating Ritz-Carlton hotels and resorts worldwide.

If you would like more information from Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, Please Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

First Home At Christophe Harbour Ready For Construction

2009-04-06T20:13:00.011-07:00

Christophe Harbour, St. Kitts

At the height of the Caribbean season, Christophe Harbour recently celebrated another milestone in its steady development on 2,500 acres at the southeast peninsula of St. Kitts.

A crowd of media, government officials, local contractors, builders, and the homeowners’ families gathered at Sandy Bank Bay on Thursday, March 19 to break ground on the first home at Christophe Harbour.

Unspoiled and undiscovered, the Caribbean island of St. Kitts will soon offer one of the world's most sophisticated and desirable resorts. Christophe Harbour, on St. Kitts’ stunning southeastern peninsula, will set the scene for an unprecedented master-planned resort. The project spans 2,500 acres with access to six spectacular beaches. Its natural harbour, sheltered by green hills and high bluffs, will provide the ideal setting for mega-yachts as centerpieces of a seaside village of restaurants, shops, boutiques and a five-star luxury boutique hotel managed by Mandarin Oriental Hotels. Atop the green cliffs will be a Tom Fazio championship golf course and clubhouse plus a collection of luxurious villas, and private homesites.

Christophe Harbour offers exceptional real estate opportunities for second- and third- homeowners seeking resort residences that include services from Mandarin Oriental. All of the condo hotel residences at the Mandarin Oriental are fully furnished with optional rental management programs available. A very limited number of condo hotel residences will be released in the founders program; reservations for these are presently being accepted. Plan your tropical escape for St. Kitts now. Resort Home price range is from the 500's to 2.6 million.

Contact - CondominiumHotels.com For Full Information packages

Slice of Paradise in Bora Bora - Four Seasons Private Residences

2009-03-27T07:18:00.007-07:00

Bora Bora – merely speaking these evocative

words surely conjure up dreamy images of

Heaven on earth. And justifiably so, for Bora

Bora is, one of the world’s most mystical places

to visit. Now, for a very fortunate few Bora Bora

lovers, a chance to actually OWN their own slice

of Paradise!

The incredibly crystalline, turquoise lagoon

is set in a perfect oval, encircling the towering

Mt. Oteman’u, sits in the cobalt-blue Pacific,

and altogether creates a serene, tranquil oasis

of luxury.

James Michener appointed this fair queen of

an isle as “the most beautiful island in the world”

decades ago, and still, to this day, the island

transfixes every one lucky enough to behold

Bora Bora.

Up until very recently, Bora Bora was available

to foreign visitors only for short visits. It was

mostly starry-eyed honeymooners that ventured

to this South Seas getaway to enjoy the ultruluxe

hotels in Bora Bora, and revel in their glorious,

unique overwater bungalows.

New developments in French Polynesia have

now made it possible for a fortunate few to buy

property located adjacent to the Four Season

Bora Bora Resort, located Motu Tehotu, a small

islet on Bora’s northeastern barrier reef.

Accessed upon the internet under “Own

Bora Bora,” this is truly a rare and unique “one

of a kind” opportunity. Just 15 parcels of land,

ranging from ½ to 1 ½ acre lots, are available.

Eight lots face the Pacific Ocean with its tranquil

sea breezes, and the remaining seven front the

dreamy Bora Bora lagoon, with its quintessentially

recognizable Mt. Oteman’u taking center

stage.

Home designs are by Toronto designer firm

Yabu Pushelberg, and will feature traditional a

free-flowing architectural floor plan, with such

Polynesian details as thatched pandanus roofs,

rough-hewn beams, limestone walls, natural

colored textiles and, of course, infinity edged

swimming pools.

All are full ownership private residences, says

Jim Jacobson, the company’s Director of Global

Sales, adding that perhaps as many as five home

sites are already under serious consideration.

Property taxes are low in French Polynesia

to begin with, continues Jacobson, and a further

tantalizing extra is that developer Thierry Barbion

has paid more than five years of the development’s

property taxes in advance.

Interested buyers will be asked to fill out a

simple, two-page foreign investment application

form.

The home sites are connected to the nearby

Four Seasons Resort, reached by a pleasant,

other-worldly quarter mile mile walk. Or call the

hotel’s Concierge for a golf cart ride, if you wish.

Five floor plans are offered, Pearl, Presidential,

Villa, Lagoon and Pacific, from smallest to

largest.

Prices for the lots range from $3,000,000 to

$7,000,000 and construction costs are estimated

from $3.6 million for the smaller floor plans to

$17,000,000 for the massive 11,500-square foot

oceanfront floor plans.

Pricey, to be sure, but as John Lactot,

the project’s VP of Sales and Marketing says:

“you’ve entered the stratosphere. This is Bora

Bora, Four Seasons and there’s only 15. Once

they’re gone, they’re gone!”

Act fast, now, or forever bid adieu to owning

a slice of Paradise, Bora Bora style

Article above by Larry Dunbar - Caviar Affair

For More Information - Visit: CondominiumHotels.com

Try Out The Abercrombie and Kent Residence Club

2009-03-26T08:05:00.009-07:00

Abercrombie & Kent - Los Cabos, Mexico

Abercrombie & Kent - Deer Valley, Utah

Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club

Abercrombie and Kent brings nearly 50 years of unsurpassed travel expertise to the world of destination clubs. Now you can have access to extraordinary homes, European villas, boutique hotels and insider experiences in coveted locales around the globe.

A&K Equity Membership

The A&K Residence Club is not your typical destination club. A&K Residence Club is the largest equity-based club in the destination club industry. Unlike non-equity clubs, A&K Residence Club members own the club and have direct input into how club resources are used. All the residences are owned debt-free. A&K manages the club on the members' behalf.

A&K Destinations

Membership in the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club provides access to a growing collection of private residences and travel experiences around the world, with a personalized service component that allows you and your family to simply - enjoy.

A&K residences offer everything that makes a house a home, not to mention everything that makes a vacation extraordinary. Gourmet kitchens, spacious family living areas and the finest furnishings surround you with comfort and style. At every destination, you’ll have Members-only access to spas at exclusive resorts and preferred golf privileges at private courses. And, inside the homes and out, children will find plenty to keep them busy, from video games to local activities.

The A&K property portfolio from, private residences to European villas to luxury urban apartments to boutique hotel suites, is unparalleled. Members have access to over 40 locations with on-site destination host to arrange one-of-a-kind, exclusive "insider access" excursions that give members an authentic, indigenous experience at each location.

Membership Levels

The Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club currently offers three categories of equity memberships, each one tailored to fit the needs and lifestyles of their Members. Membership options available include 15, 30 and 45 vacation days per year with cost ranging from $225,000 to $495,000 to join.

Trial Membership Available Until April 15

Between now and April 15, A&K Residence Club is offering Trial Memberships ranging from $7,000 to $11,000 for a seven night stay at one of seventeen three- and four- bedroom residences during 2009. This allows you to take your family and friends to one of their incredible homes for less than the cost of renting a single luxury hotel room. Further, you will receive the incredible A&K service that A&K members enjoy - from pre-arrival planning with A&K Global Experience Managers to dedicated service from A&K Destination Hosts.

As of today, the following are just a few examples of extraordinary vacations that are still available:

Spring and Summer Beach Excursions to Mexico, Hawaii, Dominican Republic, or Turks and Caicos

Golf Getaways to Scottsdale, Arizona; Kiawah Island, South Carolina; or La Quinta, California

Mountain Retreats to Deer Valley, Sun Valley, Lake Tahoe, or Snowmass

Fall and Winter Vacations to Hawaii, Mexico, Lake Tahoe, Deer Valley, Jackson Hole, and Snowmass Colorado.

Visit our website: PrivateDestinationClubs.com

Use our Contact Form to have a representative from A&K schedule you vacation today!

New Hilton brand expected to replace Cosmopolitan - Denizen Hotels will also come to other tourist destinations

2009-03-12T07:01:00.006-07:00

Hilton Hotels Corp. said Tuesday it's creating an eclectic brand called Denizen Hotels and is working to bring that brand to Las Vegas and other major destinations worldwide.

The Denizen brand is expected to take the place of the Cosmopolitan, an under-construction resort at Harmon Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard, as Hilton Hotels executives have been working at the Cosmopolitan site for months.

A Cosmopolitan spokeswoman would not confirm that scenario.

Hilton, based in Beverly Hills, has been working on a new hotel brand with the idea that it would replace the Cosmopolitan name, according to people familiar with the project. The Cosmopolitan was created by developer Ian Bruce Eichner, whose resort was foreclosed upon by Deutsche Bank last year.

Deutsche Bank, which now owns the project, has hired several development and design firms to work on the resort since it bought the property in a foreclosure sale in September. At the time, developers said the 3,000-room resort, including nearly 2,200 condo-hotel units, was expected to open in mid-2010.

The bank has yet to name two key roles: a casino and hotel manager. The casino manager, which could be a separate company, would need a Nevada gaming license – a process that could take up to a year – to operate the casino.

The bank recently expressed dissatisfaction with the design of the rooms underway at the resort and may redesign them.

The Denizen brand is part of a trend in the hotel industry of creating upscale, boutique brands catering to more discriminating and worldly customers.

In an interview with HotelWorld Network Tuesday, Ross Klein, Hilton Hotels' Global Head of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, said the brand was developed with the troubled economy in mind. "Had Hilton launched at an earlier time, the company would be doing recalibrating to the concept, due to the economic situation," the publication said.

Klein told the publication that about 70 percent of the design of each Denizen-branded property will be brand-specific and about 30 percent will be unique to the location.

A Web site for Denizen Hotels uses images of clean-energy windmills to describe the proposed Las Vegas location, which would cater to the type of customer who describes himself as an "eco innovator".

"I want to feel socially responsible in my consumer choices," this prototypical customer says.

"Denizen Hotels, a lifestyle brand that will attract business and leisure travelers across cultures and generations and has an authenticity that will appeal to today’s sensibilities, will be highlighted by exceptional design and service at an accessible price point," Hilton said in a statement, adding it will be part of Hilton's luxury portfolio that includes the Waldorf Astoria and Conrad Hotels & Resorts brands.

Hilton said development negotiations are under way for Denizen resorts and destinations in key cities including Abu Dhabi; Austin, Texas; Beverly Hills and Hollywood; Buenos Aires; Cancun and Los Cabos, Mexico; Istanbul; Jerusalem; Las Vegas; London; Miami; Montreal; New York; and Washington, D.C.

Hilton is already a big player in Las Vegas with several brands including Hilton Grand Vacations, Embassy Suites, Doubletree, Hampton Inn, Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn. It also markets rooms for the Las Vegas Hilton hotel-casino.

A spokeswoman said the company had no further details on plans to bring the brand to Las Vegas.

For More Information Visit: CondominiumHotels.com - enter "Denizen Hotel" in projects of interest

Hyatt Siesta Key Beach - Residence Club

2009-03-05T15:56:00.008-07:00

Hyatt Siesta Key Beach is a first of its kind luxury fractional ownership resort in Sarasota, Florida. The beachfront resort will feature a boutique collection of 44 designer-furnished residences. Residences will include luxury brands such as Wolf, Sub Zero and Fisher Paykel. Other finishes will include custom furniture and décor, Italian-crafted kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and lavish linens. Ownership at Hyatt Siesta Key Beach includes 365-day Cabana Club privileges*. Initial release is 1/8 (six weeks) and 1/16 (three weeks) fractions with early buyer incentive pricing starting in the low $100,000's to the mid $300,000's. An early summer 2009 opening is planned

For More Information - PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Contact.html

Hyatt Siesta Key Beach is Hyatt Vacation Ownership’s 15th luxury resort property. Other resorts are in Key West and Bonita Springs, FL; Carmel and Truckee, CA; San Antonio, TX; Aspen, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge, CO; Lake Tahoe, NV; Sedona, AZ and Dorado, Puerto Rico with Fifth Avenue, New York City coming soon.

St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort - Well Under Way

2009-02-20T07:11:00.004-07:00

Recession or not, The St. Regis Resort & Residences in Bal Harbour is well under way toward completion over the next year and a half. One of three 27-story beachfront towers has reached the 21st floor, while construction of the other two is to the 13th and fifth floors.

The Atlantic Ocean-side project, which broke ground nearly a year ago, offers 268 ultra-luxury residences, 37 condo-hotel suites, 183 hotel rooms (including a presidential suite) and 24 St. Regis Residence Club units. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. is partnering with Miami-based Related Group on the development, which has an estimated value of over $1 billion at sellout.

With starting prices at $1.9 million and an average of $4.1 million per unit, the St. Regis is at a level well above most concern over the economy, says John Manrique, the project’s vice president of sales and marketing. Even though a recovery may be well under way by the time its units open in mid-to-late 2010, its prospective buyers are looking at units as secondary homes rather than simply short-term real estate investments.

“We’re lucky enough to be in one of those spots that doesn’t feel it as much,” says John Manrique and adding “We’re blessed with a great location and the St. Regis brand.”

The nine-acre site at 9701 Collins Ave., with 1,000 feet of shoreline, is the former site of the Sheraton Bal Harbour hotel and is among the last remaining beachfronts suitable for high-end development on the north end of Miami Beach. Plans for St. Regis were announced in March 2005, at the height of South Florida’s luxury condo boom.

Manrique describes the Bal Harbour project’s buyers as being reflective of the “face of Miami,” largely international but with a fair amount coming from New York City. He notes that prospects are aware of current conditions in the market, yet aren’t impacted as much at higher income levels.

“It’s truly an emotional purchase for themselves and their families,” he says. “They’re thinking more with their lifestyle than their checkbook.”

Amenities being promoted by the St. Regis Bal Harbour include “white glove” butler service, 24-hour in-room dining and a 12,000-square-foot Remede Spa. The towers are across the street from the popular Bal Harbour Shops and are convenient to the Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports, as well as private jet service at the Opa-locka executive airport.

Private condominiums and condo-hotel units both start at $1.9 million. Contact CondominiumHotels.com for details

Fractional residences are also planned, but prices are not yet available. Contact PrivateResidenceClubs.com to join interest list

Auberge Resorts To Manage Pond Bay On St. John

2009-02-19T08:01:00.008-07:00

Auberge Resorts, owners and operators of award-winning luxury resorts and private residence clubs, announced today that the company will assume the hospitality management of Pond Bay, FOLIO Collection’s new private residence club on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Opening in December 2009, Pond Bay was developed by FOLIO Collection, creators of Isle de France Club on St. Barth’s and a growing international stable of luxury private residence clubs. Pond Bay is set on 15 acres of beachfront property overlooking Chocolate Hole Bay and borders a serene pond on the southwest coast of the island. Designed as an intimate village blending contemporary and Caribbean influences, the club features 50 three- and four-bedroom cottages and villas in hillside, pond-side and beachfront settings. The club also features an array of luxury resort amenities, including a beachfront swimming pool, a beach club, a new Auberge 75-seat restaurant and a 10,000-square-foot destination spa and fitness center. Rounding out the Pond Bay lifestyle is a full range of personal services, from pre-arrival shopping, concierge and 24-hour room service, to wine storage, babysitting and shuttle service to nearby Cruz Bay, the social center of St. John.

“If we were to design the perfect Caribbean retreat, Pond Bay would be it; the site is exquisite,” said Mark Harmon, Principal and Chief Executive Officer, Auberge Resorts.” “We look forward to putting the Auberge imprint of exceptional cuisine and wine on the restaurant and bringing our signature Auberge experiences to this spectacular destination spa. Pond Bay will offer an exciting new Caribbean destination for buyers and an ideal exchange option for members at the other private residence clubs in our collection.”

“We are delighted to collaborate with Auberge Resorts on Pond Bay,” said Bob Emmett, Co-founder and Managing Director, FOLIO Collection. “This is an exceptional opportunity that opens the door for our Owners to enjoy very special privileges at Auberge’s private clubs located in some of the world’s most desirable destinations.”

Ownership at Pond Bay will be in deeded one-tenth fractional interests, with each Owner receiving four weeks of guaranteed use plus additional space-available use annually. Pre-opening prices begin at $315,000. Pond Bay Owners also will gain privileged access to resort destinations beyond the Caribbean through membership in the soon-to-launch Auberge Collection, Auberge Resorts’ portfolio of residence clubs. Owners may exchange part of their guaranteed time at Auberge’s award-winning residence clubs, Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley, Esperanza in Los Cabos, Mexico, Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and at the Village Homes at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina.

Owners will also enjoy a host of preferred rates and benefits at Auberge resorts, including Napa Valley’s Auberge du Soleil and Calistoga Ranch; Rancho Valencia Resort; Esperanza; the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina; and Encantado in Santa Fe, as well as FOLIO Collection’s growing international stable of private residence clubs.

“With our new Auberge Collection, the membership experience will be more than the sum of its parts,” Harmon said. “Owners at one world-class club will gain exceptional privileges at other resorts and clubs that are the best in their class. At the core of the collection is our legacy as a hotel company, which has enabled us to perfect the resort experience for our owners and guests. We belive it will differentiate the Auberge Collection from the many options currently available.”

If you would like more information from The Pond Bay Club: Visit PrivateResidenceClubs.com/St-John-Residence-Clubs and we will respond to your inquiry promptly.

Ritz-Carlton Club Vail

2009-02-13T07:16:00.008-07:00

To experience the fullness of the Number 1 Ski Resort in North America (as voted in SKI Magazine's Annual Reader Survey for 2007), look no further than the incomparable destination of Vail, Colorado. Within Lionshead Village, The Ritz-Carlton Club will be adding its tenth property to its growing portfolio of world-renowned locations.

Since introducing its fractional-ownership residence clubs in 1999, Ritz-Carlton has become a ubiquitous part of that segment of the second-home market, especially in Colorado, where the brand already has two clubs in Aspen and at the Beaver Creek Resort. Now comes a Vail project. In the town’s

Lionshead Village section, it consists of 45 two- to four-bedroom condominiums sold in one-12th deeded fractional shares that grant owners three weeks of use a year. The residences will be in a castle-like six-story building that will also hold 71 full-ownership residences, which were first offered for sale in early 2007 and currently start at $2.9 million. The fractional residences, from 1,300 to 2,874 square feet, are sold furnished and include hardwood floors, coffered ceilings and gas fireplaces. There will be a private lounge with a bar, a library, a fitness center, a children’s activity program, spa treatment rooms and the pool. A gondola and a lift that connect the town to the resort’s mountain are within walking distance; a new gondola closer to the project’s site is planned.

Fractional shares start at $250,000 - for more information visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Vail-Residence-Clubs

The Ritz-Carlton Residences at Kapalua Bay

2009-02-12T07:05:00.006-07:00

The island of Maui boasts over 30 miles of white sand beaches that range from world-renowned stretches of sand that are easily accessible to undeveloped secret spots known only to locals. Each of them however, features Maui's signature crystal-blue waters, gentle cooling breezes and endless skies. Whether you're looking to do some snorkeling, swimming, diving, surfing or just lie in the sun, Maui has more beaches to do them on than you can imagine.

The Ritz-Carlton Residences at Kapalua Bay is located at the northwest tip of Maui and is surrounded by some of the most spectacular natural beauty on earth. The Kapalua Resort has 23,000-acres of pristine Hawaiian landscape from aquamarine blue sea to the emerald mountain peaks. A true paradise can be yours to discover on panoramic beaches and among 100 miles of trails for hiking, biking, equestrian and tropical trekking. Owners at Kapalua Bay will also enjoy the unparalleled level of service the Ritz-Carlton Residences are renowned for at this truly one-of-a-kind Hawaiian retreat.

Beginning at the shoreline and terraced up a gentle slope, The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Kapalua Bay are comprised of just 84 three- and four-bedroom fee simple whole ownership condominiums, fashioned into just four intimate low-rise structures. Ranging from approximately 3,002 – 4,271 square feet including approximately 600 – 1,150 square feet of lanai, these luxury Residences provide a Hawaiian sense of place and seclusion complemented by dramatic backdrops of striking ocean, mountain and uninterrupted neighbor island views of Lana‘i and Moloka‘i

For More Details Contact: CondominiumHotels.com

The Ritz-Carlton Club has fractional ownership to offer at Kapalua. Visit our sister website PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Hawaii for Ritz-Carlton Club information.

Viceroy Resort and Residences Anguilla - Resort Residences Available Spring 2009

2009-02-07T07:58:00.008-07:00

Welcome to an experience unparalleled anywhere in the Caribbean. Viceroy Anguilla promises every luxury and convenience of a refined island residence made irresistible by five-star hotel service and a surprising array of resort amenities. Situated on over 36 lush acres, with 3,200 feet of beachfront land along Barnes and Meads Bays, Viceroy Anguilla Resort & Residences is a superbly designed array of luxury homes. Comprised of individual villas, townhomes and low-rise resort residence buildings, all of the residential options promise the exceptional signature Viceroy style, and of course, astonishing views of some of the most coveted beaches on earth.

Anguilla is located in the British West Indies and just five miles from St. Maarten—close enough for easy access yet secluded enough to be one of the world’s most exclusive destinations. There are no cruise ships, no casinos and no crowds. What you will find in great abundance is serenity, exclusivity and in every direction, white powder beaches and warm turquoise waters. Fulfill your own unique notion of paradise with an elegant resort residence in the Queen's Leeward Islands. Resort Homes available from $930,000 to 9.9 million.

With rock-solid financial strength Viceroy Anguilla has already sold over 70% of its Kelly Wearstler-designed residences. A select few will enjoy Spring 2009 Grand Opening price incentives.

Discover why the New York Times calls Viceroy Anguilla "the #1 Reason to Go to the Caribbean." Enjoy a complimentary 2-night stay, an opportunity to sample the exquisite Viceroy Anguilla residences and the world's most spectacular beaches.

For More Information: CondominiumHotels.com - Ask about our commission rebate program

DISCOVER VICEROY ANGUILLA TODAY

Hyatt Olive 8 Condominium Hotel Opens Today

2009-02-02T11:13:00.005-07:00

The highly anticipated Hyatt at Olive 8 opens its doors today in the heart of Seattle’s thriving entertainment and dining district. Located at the corner of Olive and 8th, the new condominium hotel – on track to be Seattle’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified hotel – is a striking addition to the city’s skyline and adds a new, more eco-friendly experience to the Pacific Northwest hospitality market. One of the first in a new generation of environmentally conscious hotels across the country, Hyatt at Olive 8 offers its residents and guests a truly luxurious “green” stay, from energy-efficient rooms to the locally sourced food and beverages at Urbane and all-natural, results-driven spa treatments at Elaia.

“From the sleek, all-glass exterior and stunning blue glass architectural elements to the living rooftop and in-room energy saving amenities, the building’s green design will make a lasting impact in a city known for its environmental consciousness,” commented Mark Stiebeling, general manager, Hyatt at Olive 8. “We have worked hard to create a truly unique hotel experience for our guests, and are excited to open the 120th full service Hyatt hotel in the United States here in the Seattle market.”

A new landmark property from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, the 346-room Hyatt at Olive 8 is located on the first 17 floors of the Olive 8 building, topped by 230 condominium homes on the upper 22 floors. Offering first-rate hotel amenities from spacious guest rooms to striking meeting spaces and an on-site yoga studio, Hyatt at Olive 8 pairs world-class service with comprehensive environmentally-sound practices, including:

Green Meeting Initiatives: Hyatt at Olive 8 offers more than 11,000 square feet of green meeting space perfect for groups looking to host eco-friendly social or business functions. A distinctive 7,000 square-foot ballroom provides an elegant setting for large-scale events, while six additional day-lit meeting spaces boast 15-foot floor-to-ceiling windows, reducing the need for artificial light. Hyatt at Olive 8 also provides filtered water instead of bottled water, paperless check-in and electronic folios, fitted tablecloths to decrease laundry and water consumption, and many additional green meeting options for environmentally conscious groups.

Building Design: As valuable in function as they are form, Hyatt at Olive 8’s sleek 100 percent glass exterior, energy-efficient infrastructure and visible living rooftop will make a lasting impact on the Seattle area. The building uses 32 percent less water, 20 percent less power, and creates less storm water runoff than other similar-sized buildings in its class. During construction, the project diverted more than 95 percent of construction debris from landfill disposal by redirecting recyclable material back into the building process.

Effortless Eco-Consciousness: Saving energy is simple for guests of Hyatt at Olive 8. All guest rooms are equipped with Watt Stopper® master power controls for lighting to conserve electricity, as well as Toto® dual flush toilets and Bricor® water reducing shower heads that conserve water without compromising water pressure. Additionally, the hotel’s green housekeeping programs utilize cleaning materials and chemicals that are environmentally friendly.

Hyatt at Olive 8 will also be home to the luxurious eco-friendly Elaia spa and sophisticated Urbane restaurant. Located on the second floor of the hotel, and scheduled to open late February, Elaia (pronounced e-lay-a) brings a uniquely holistic and all-natural approach to skincare in Seattle. Twelve spacious treatment suites – including one couple’s suite – will provide a relaxing environment for the spa’s personalized services, which include Elaia’s signature olive oil and “Market Fresh” treatments. Spa guests will also have access to private locker rooms, as well as the hotel’s sauna, steam room, 65-foot saline lap pool and co-ed Jacuzzi. In addition, both spa and hotel guests will be able to take advantage of a 2,400 square-foot Stay Fit@Hyatt Fitness Center and on-site yoga classes.

Offering Seattle residents and out-of-town guests a true taste of the Pacific Northwest, the comfortable yet cultured Urbane restaurant and bar – scheduled to open on February 8 – will offer Northwest inspired cuisine made with ingredients supplied by regional farmers. Featuring a flexible menu that follows local growing seasons, Urbane will open with a range of delectable offerings, including a Dungeness crab risotto topped with a tangy lemon parsley sauce, and a sticky toffee pudding with Mt. Rainier honey meringue ice cream. Furthering the Northwest ambiance, the restaurant and bar will serve wines and beers exclusively produced by Washington and Oregon wineries and breweries. In addition to serving full breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, the restaurant provides room and catering services for Hyatt at Olive 8 guests, and will manage a full service coffee and wine bar nestled within the Hyatt at Olive 8 lobby.

Located in the Northeast corner of Seattle’s downtown core, the new hotel, spa and restaurant are only one block from the Washington State Convention and Trade Center and within walking distance of many of the city’s most famous attractions, including Pike Place Market, the Seattle waterfront and the Seattle Art Museum.

About Hyatt at Olive 8
A striking addition to the Seattle skyline, the new landmark Hyatt at Olive 8 is set to be the city’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified “green” hotel. Co-designed by Seattle architecture firm MulvannyG2 and renowned New York architect Richard Gluckman, the state-of-the-art hotel features striking design elements including a sleek glass façade and one of the city’s largest living rooftops. The 346 luxury guest rooms occupy the 39-story building’s first 17 floors (condominiums are housed above), and the world-class property offers a range of on-site amenities, including 11,000 square feet of green meeting space, the eco-conscious Elaia spa, a 65-foot lap pool, a 2,400 square-foot StayFit@Hyatt facility, environmentally sound housekeeping and dry-cleaning services, valet parking and 24-hour room service. Additionally, the ground floor is home to Urbane, a 108-seat restaurant and bar serving fresh Northwest cuisine to Seattle residents and guests alike.

Of the original 230 condominiums, 46 remain available on the market - ranging in price from the 700's to 7.3 million for one penthouse residence. Contact CondominiumHotels.com for more information.

Four Seasons Residence Club Vail

2009-01-09T07:47:00.005-07:00

The town of Vail, which was incorporated more than 40 years ago, recently found itself in a bit of a midlife crisis. While the ski resort remained one of the world’s best known, the town below had grown a bit dated, with a number of its buildings still stuck in the ’70s. The response was a large-scale renewal effort, now valued at around $2 billion, that includes this 2.7-acre Four Seasons-branded project. Its plans call for a 121-room resort and 35 condominiums in a 10-story building near the entrance to Vail Village. Nineteen of the residences will be two- to four-bedroom, 1,835- to 3,500-square-foot furnished units that are sold in one-12th fractional shares. Fractional owners will be granted at least three weeks of use a year, including one week in winter and one in summer that will be assigned on a rotating schedule. The rest of the residences are whole-ownership, 1,650- to 5,800-square-foot units with one to five bedrooms. Both types of residences will include gas fireplaces and terraces, and most will have views of the mountain. For amenities, there will be the spa, a fitness center, a fine-dining restaurant and a 75-foot-long pool and whirlpools in a courtyard. The ski lounge will include a bar and an outdoor terrace, and ski and snowboard valet service will be offered nearby at the resort’s Vista Bahn lift.

Full ownership residences start at $5.3 million, shared ownership at $406,000

For More Information visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

For Resales at Four Seasons Residence Clubs - Aviara, Troon North Scottsdale, Punta Mita and Jackson Hole visit: FourSeasonResales.com

Trump SoHo New York - Condominium Hotel Opening Fall 2009

2009-01-07T10:00:00.005-07:00

Downtown New York will greet its first ultra-luxury high-rise hotel when Trump SoHo New York opens in Fall 2009. Located at 246 Spring Street in the heart of the fashionable SoHo district, the dramatic, 46-story, 400-room glass tower neighbors numerous art galleries and chic boutiques. In addition to panoramic views, cutting-edge design, and expansive suites -- including the largest penthouse suite on the East Coast -- Trump SoHo New York will offer such Trump Hotel Collection hallmarks as world-class dining, The Spa at Trump, and the signature service of the Trump Attache.

Trump SoHo New York is being developed through a joint venture among The Trump Organization, The Sapir Organization and Bayrock Group LLC.

Trump Hotel Collection, which embodies the vision of Donald J. Trump and his three grown children -- Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric -- has been raising the bar on the top-end travel experience with a style of customized service unmatched in the market. Trump SoHo New York will join the flagship Trump International Hotel & Tower New York and sister Trump Hotel Collection properties Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago and Trump Hotel Las Vegas, both of which opened earlier this year, as well as Trump International Hotel & Tower Fort Lauderdale, opening mid-2009.

"The opening of Trump SoHo New York will mark a number of firsts not only for Trump Hotel Collection, but for Downtown New York as well," explained Ivanka Trump, executive vice president of development and acquisitions, The Trump Organization. "Aside from bringing the spacious rooms and top-notch amenities of a Midtown luxury hotel to SoHo, we will be home of the first outpost of the renowned Quattro restaurant in South Beach. We're the first and only hotel in New York to outfit our interiors with Fendi Casa. And you'll find there's nothing like The Spa at Trump anywhere in the city."

"Like all of our hotels, Trump SoHo New York will make a bold statement -- not just architecturally but with the level of service and the abundance of amenities," added Jim Petrus, chief operating officer, Trump Hotel Collection. "Trump SoHo New York will be the only Downtown hotel delivering this level of luxury. We have unbeatable penthouses, spacious rooms and suites, a hot restaurant concept, and an incredible spa. You will see Trump SoHo New York quickly become a favorite of sports stars and other celebrities, as well as business and leisure travelers attracted by its style and sophistication."

Guests will enter Trump SoHo New York through a dramatic, two-story conservatory into a spacious lobby with intimate seating and artwork commissioned by local artists. Perched high above is the comfortable library, granting bibliophiles a bird's eye view of the lobby. The street level will offer a landscaped urban plaza with decorative lighting and abundant seating, while the seventh floor will host the pool deck with cabanas.

Ideal for events such as weddings, cocktail receptions and private screenings, the SoHi venue on the 46th floor will offer breathtaking panoramic views of Manhattan from its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Capacious Suites, Elegant Accommodations

Designed by Rockwell Group, Trump SoHo New York's 400 rooms and suites enjoy a sophisticated, loft-inspired design with custom furnishings by Fendi Casa. Floor-to-ceiling windows grant an unrivaled view of the city's spectacular skyline, extending to the Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and Empire State Building. Accommodations include 131 deluxe one-bedroom and 245 studio suites ranging from 422 to 905 square feet, many of which can be combined to create sprawling double-bedroom suites. Large, luxurious bathrooms will feature custom fixtures, a standalone shower and separate tub. All bedrooms will feature a custom mattress along with each guest's preference from the Trump Pillow Menu.

Eleven spectacular penthouse suites crown the top three floors of Trump SoHo New York, including the largest suite on the East Coast, measuring 10,045 square feet. This duplex boasts three master suites and one guest bedroom, five-and-a-half baths, terraces, a double-height living room, and study/conference room. Other indulgent features include a recording studio and mixing booth, gym, playroom, catering kitchen, and wine tunnel.

World-Class Dining by Way of South Beach

An exquisite menu of classic and contemporary Northern Italian cuisine, along with an extensive wine list -- from every region in Italy, as well as France and the New World -- will debut at Trump SoHo New York with the opening of the 190-seat Quattro.

Quattro will span three levels -- ground, mezzanine and balcony -- on two floors, with two private dining rooms featuring wood shutters. Studio A Design has translated the materials of the South Beach restaurant for SoHo, including custom Murano chandeliers, absolute black granite, limestone, custom tiles and beveled mirror bricks, leather, and iridescent draperies.

A separate bar operated by Quattro will serve as hotel bar by day and destination bar with a door policy after 10 p.m. Quattro will also provide in-room dining for Trump SoHo New York. Additionally, Quattro will serve high tea in the lobby and service the 12,000-square-foot banquet room, which will offer Italian and Continental menus.

The Spa at Trump

With over 11,000 square feet between the seventh and eighth floors, The Spa at Trump at Trump SoHo New York will feature private treatment rooms and a state-of-the-art fitness center, as well as unique facilities and services. Every moment of the spa journey caters to the individual guest's desires, expressed through his or her selected Trump Personal Intention -- Calm, Balance, Purify, Heal or Revitalize -- with every step guided by the dedicated Spa Attache. An exclusive arrangement with Kate Somerville brings this celebrity skin health expert's products and treatments to The Spa at Trump, along with additional premier skin and body care brands.

Conference & Banquet Facilities

Trump SoHo New York will offer 12,000 square feet of meeting and event space -- including a conference room, event hall and ballroom -- outfitted with state-of-the-art presentation technology and audio-visual features.

The Trump Attache

A signature of the Trump Hotel Collection, the Trump Attache exists to provide uncompromising, 24-hour service upon request, from personal shopping and preparation of personalized business cards and stationery, to arranging for laundry and dry cleaning. The Attache will meticulously record each guest's preferences and maintain a detailed guest history to ensure that no stay feels like the first and no request needs repeating.

For More Information: visit CondominiumHotels.com

Residences at Little Nell

2009-01-05T21:08:00.004-07:00

ASPEN — Who says opulence is dead in Aspen?

At a time when doom and gloom dominate the real estate market, one of the most luxurious developments in Aspen’s history is racing toward its opening. Construction of The Residences at the Little Nell is essentially completed, a tour of the property showed last week.

Owners will find amenities like a rooftop pool and hot tubs in which they'll feel close enough to reach out and grab Aspen Mountain; they also provide stunning views of town. The fitness center has spin bikes and Nautilus weight machines that would put most gyms to shame. The artwork for common areas will be high-end gallery quality. An elevator will pop owners and guests from a ski locker room right to the Little Nell slope a few yards from the Silver Queen Gondola.

The Residences at the Little Nell, known simply as RLN, is on the west side of the gondola, a bookend opposite The Little Nell hotel on the east side.

The condominiums range in size from 2,800 square feet for three bedrooms to 3,700 square feet for four bedrooms. The building is configured so that all of them offer views of Aspen Mountain. Occupants of some units could sit in their connected living room and kitchens and critique the style of skiers out of the slopes just a few yards away.

Interior features include black walnut floors, Viking appliances in the gourmet kitchens, electric sun shades, steam rooms the size of studio apartments, handcrafted furnishings, granite and marble countertops, and grand fireplaces.

All of the 19 three-bedroom condos and the four four-bedroom condos have slight differences in floor plans and decor.

“We left the cookie cutter at home,” said Brooke Peterson, representative of the development group.

“They all have different ‘wow factors,’” said R.J. Gallagher, managing director of sales and marketing for RLN. “To me that rooftop is pretty outrageous.”

It caught the eye of Marc Siegel as well. The Michigan eye surgeon and his wife, Lori, were among the initial buyers of a fractional ownership interest in the project 3 1/2 years ago. As avid skiers, they were drawn by what he called “an A-plus” location at the base of Aspen Mountain. The Siegels have visited Aspen frequently throughout this decade and sniffed around property but never bought a home until now.

“It just fits all the things we were looking for,” Siegel said.

This week, they toured the three-bedroom condos where they will spend up to six weeks per year. “It was jaw-dropping beautiful,” Siegel said. “I was expecting it to be beautiful, but this exceeded expectations.”

RLN has 208 six-week ownership interests. A flexible-use plan means the owners aren’t tied to any one specific condo. They will rotate among the pool of units during their stays.

All but eight ownership interests in the three-bedroom units have been sold. Prices started at $1 million and climbed to $1.9 million. Gallagher said sales efforts were essentially suspended in September, partially because the economy soured so drastically but primarily so the team could focus on working with owners and prepare for closings.

Peterson, also an Aspen attorney, closed on the first sale last Tuesday — eight years to the week that he started work on the project. Construction costs exceeded $150 million for RLN, he said. That doesn’t include property acquisition costs that weren’t revealed. The old Tipple Inn, Tippler dance club and several single-family residences — all pricey slopeside properties — had to be bought.

Membership definitely has its privileges. RLN will be managed by the Aspen Skiing Co.’s Little Nell hotel, Aspen’s only Mobil five-star and AAA five-diamond property. There will be a staff of 40 full-time equivalent employees; 24-hour concierge service and pre-arrival stocking of groceries; 24-hour maid and room service; valet parking for an underground garage; and use of two Audi luxury cars for buyers who don’t want to rent a vehicle.

Il Mulino, which Zagat’s has voted the No. 1 Italian restaurant in New York City for more than two decades, will open with indoor space and a 3,000-square-foot deck in spring 2009. High-end retail shops will also line Dean Street.

Gallagher said it is anticipated that owners will use their weeks 90 to 95 percent of the time, even though they can rent out the units in whole or partially. Nearly 30 percent of buyers purchased more than one interest. Six buyers have filed lawsuits trying to cancel their contracts on grounds that the terms were violated. The development group maintains the contracts were honored and have requested arbitration in the cases.

The first units will be occupied by owners in early February. All of the units will be fully occupied for the first time on President’s Day weekend.

For More Information Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Palazzo Tornabuoni Opens in Florence

2009-01-02T14:49:00.005-07:00

Palazzo Tornabuoni

Florence is one of those rare places in the world where the past and present live harmoniously side by side. The cobble stone streets, palazzos, bell towers, and fortresses of 500 years ago still stand, now home to a thriving and exciting international community. The quest for beauty during the Renaissance, lead by residents such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo - made Florence the cradle of western civilization. Today new Florentine artisans, designers and artists continue to impact the world with their own sense of beauty. At Palazzo Tornabuoni the beauty of the two periods are seamlessly interwoven to create elegant and contemporary homes. Members of Palazzo Tornabuoni will enjoy a unique lifestyle born of the best of centuries of Florentine life.

The advent of sophisticated European private residence clubs has arrived in Florence. Palazzo Tornabuoni is an exciting new Four Seasons Residence Club allowing owners to experience Italian life in a 15th century palace located in the heart of Florence. This very elegant property is being restored to all its original grandeur and charm. This former home of noble Renaissance families will soon be reborn as Europe's most elegant private residence clubs.

Palazzo Tornabuoni members enjoy the ultimate Florentine lifestyle and will have access to one of Florence's most important landmarks, comprised of up to 36 elegant studio, one, two and three-bedroom residences. Palazzo Tornabuoni - a luxury living experience beyond any other. Four Seasons fractional ownership at Palazzo Tornabuoni starts at € 220,000 Euro.

For More Information - Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Italy-Residence-Clubs

Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley Arizona

2008-12-19T09:44:00.005-07:00

Last month, the Ritz-Carlton, Paradise Valley, cleared a major hurdle, as voters approved a ballot referendum allowing the project to go ahead. Construction was to begin last summer, but opposition from a local group, reportedly focused on the density of the development’s residences, delayed its start. Work is now about to begin, and according to the developer, interest from buyers has been high. On 105 acres at the base of Camelback Mountain about 14 miles northeast of downtown Phoenix, the project is to include a 225-room resort and 161 residences. Most of the residences — and the first available for purchase — will be two- to three-bedroom Spanish Colonial Revival-style villas of at least 2,300 square feet. The free-standing villas, for which buyers can choose finishing details, will include terraces and gas fireplaces. Also planned are larger houses, from 4,000 square feet, and one-acre homesites on which buyers can build homes independently or with the help of the developer. As for amenities, there will be the spa, nine swimming pools, a restaurant and private, in-home chef service. A concierge service will help residents book activities like golf at nearby courses, where they will be offered preferential tee times. Adjoining the site, on the other side of the city line in Scottsdale, is an 18-acre project by the same developer that includes plans for a shopping center filled with upscale restaurants and boutiques like Hermès, as well as one of the first Edition hotels, a new brand by Ian Schrager and Marriott.

For More Information Visit: CondominiumHotels.com

Original Article: NY Times

Private residence club can make vacation home abroad a dream come true

2008-12-12T11:43:00.004-07:00

Los Angeles resident and admitted Italo-phile Vera Campbell wanted a vacation villa in Tuscany. Not just any old house -- she wanted a place where she could host a dozen friends, sip a little Vino Nobile and savor la dolce vita without worrying about burst pipes or leaky roofs.

"If I had tried to find all of that in a private home, with all of the maintenance costs, it would have been in the millions," Campbell said.

Then, she toured Castello di Casole, a private residence club set on 4,000 acres of rolling hills on the outskirts of Siena. It includes a 17th century castle that is being reinvented as a boutique hotel as well as eight large renovated farmhouses. For $600,000, Campbell bought a one-tenth share of one of the houses and, paying $15,000 in annual dues, is guaranteed at least four weeks a year in her 4,000-square-foot villa and full use of all amenities.

Before she arrives on visits, a phone call ensures that her kitchen is stocked, her hot tub is bubbling at exactly the right temperature and her artwork is hung just so. She faxes the concierge her itinerary with special restaurant and private winery tour requests. Staff members plot out the trip, complete with driving directions and estimated driving times.

"I knew what all the complications and costs could be on buying and maintaining a foreign property that would be sitting empty most of the time," said Campbell, so she considered the residence club a good option.

Among shared vacation home alternatives, private residence clubs like Castello di Casole are a relatively new concept that has grown quickly over the last few years as prices for prime resort real estate have topped out and residence club developers have refined the concept to appeal to upscale buyers.

In a residence club, members purchase a deeded share in a resort residence and, after paying annual dues, can stay for three to 12 weeks a year and use all of its amenities. Most clubs also have space-available provisions that allow members to stay for an unlimited number of days on a last-minute basis without charge.

Since the residences tend to be high-end properties in fabled locations (think slope-side in Aspen, oceanfront in Maui) with top-of-the line services, these clubs can present a more affordable way to vacation like a rock star than owning a second home outright. Some clubs have reciprocal agreements with others that allow members to swap reserved time for time at another location, but what sets residence clubs apart from condo hotels is that owners are not allowed to rent their shares to the general public.

Richard Ragatz, president of Eugene, Ore.-based Ragatz Associates, a consulting firm that specializes in fractional resort real estate, said that part-ownership has a very practical side: "The amount of time you spend on vacation is typically such a small fraction of the time you own a home . . . and people are recognizing that."

Still a fledgling industry, the number of private residence clubs selling shares worldwide jumped from 40 in 2004 to 300 in 2007, according to Ragatz's yearly study of the industry. Although the rate of increase in membership sales slowed over the last year in the down real estate market, the study found that memberships among the 153 clubs selling shares last year amounted to $1.2 billion.

This is in contrast with time shares, but Ragatz said the clubs are more upscale and generally have fewer owners (five to 12 on average versus up to 50).

Members have access to a group of residences, which increases the overall time available and offers a better shot at prime holiday vacations.

Residence club memberships can be resold, with resale rates varying with the local market.

James Chung, president of New York-based Reach Advisors, a market research firm that specializes in resort and real estate information, said that potential buyers should examine a club's resale level before buying.

"But I always advise people not to buy resort property as an investment unless they're really going to use it," Chung said.

Avid golfer Sharon Tso, who owns a one-ninth share at the Residence Club at PGA West in La Quinta, said that she and her husband, Leslie, were attracted by the high-end amenities. As members of the private residence club, she and her husband were able to buy memberships at the Club at PGA West, a six-course golf club that only offers private memberships on a limited basis. And since the residence club is associated with the La Quinta resort, members can use its pool, restaurants and spa.

The club accommodations -- a 3,500-square-foot villa with private splash pool and guest casita -- are much bigger and nicer than a home the pair could have purchased on their own in the same area for their $600,000 vacation home budget. They paid $180,000 for their membership.

"It costs a little more than what we would have spent on a house to maintain," Tso said of the $1,100-a-month fee, "but since there's no work for us, it is worth it."

A full staff attends to their every need.

"The back of our car was scraping along the driveway when we were there once, and after we told them about it, we came back one afternoon to find they had constructed a metal ramp to keep our car from scraping," Tso said. "They bring it out every time we go now."

Unlike destination clubs, in which members choose from a diverse selection of properties, private residence clubs appeal to people who want to return to the same location over and over for the skiing, golf, hiking or wineries. Being entrenched in a location, in turn, enables the clubs to offer unique amenities. Ski resorts can offer season-pass and other frequent-user discounts, while beach and desert clubs can offer exclusive access to local tennis and golf club memberships.

At Palazzo Tornabuoni, a renovated 15th century Medici palace that is due to reopen as a residence club in Florence in the spring of 2009, co-owner and developer Byrne Murphy said members tend to be culture vultures entranced with the region's art, food and wine. Since Murphy's partner, Jacopo Mazzei, is from an old, well-connected Florentine family, club members gain special access to recreational activities and civic functions as well as art collections, gardens and wine cellars rarely seen by the public.

According to Chung, who conducts membership satisfaction reports for residence clubs, the biggest complaint among members generally is that they sometimes don't get as much access as they would like. Although many clubs have space-available provisions, which allow members to stay there on a whim, it's not as easy for some to get there.

"Those who aren't tied to a school vacation schedule, like retirees and empty nesters, tend to make out like bandits, and it can cause some resentment," he said.

To confront this issue, Chung said, some clubs have limited their memberships or geographically dispersed members to lower the potential for members' school vacations to coincide.

Tom Fulton, chief executive of Epiphany Clubs, who developed one of the first private residence clubs in 1993, the Franz Klammer Lodge in Telluride, Colo., said that he has tried to address this issue with the club at Tristant, a recent venture in Telluride. The club guarantees its members 100% availability, and Fulton insures this policy by keeping the number of owners per unit very low (five versus eight to 12) and securing extra local accommodations for members to use during peak times.

"We want people to use the club exactly as they would their own home," Fulton said. So even though members don't always stay in the same unit, they are guaranteed access to one of the units at all times.

Clubs that have fewer members, however, are more expensive. Memberships at Solaris, Fulton's latest venture in Vail, Colo., will start at $1.9 million.

For that price, some potential members might resort to the old-fashioned idea of buying a home of their own.

Article from LA Times - by Jennifer Lisle

Mondrian in South Beach Opens During Art Basel

2008-12-04T06:30:00.009-07:00

Morgans Hotel Group, the groundbreaking innovator that introduced the world to iconic brands such as Delano in Miami Beach, Royalton in New York City and Sanderson in London, unveiled Mondrian in South Beach December 1. Inspired by its LA namesake - known for cutting-edge design and glamorous nightlife personified by the original Skybar - South Beach is the latest in an exclusive collection of cities that welcomes the Mondrian brand. Mondrian also represents the first time the company offers private residences and condo-hotel ownership.

Conceived by Marcel Wanders, Fast Company's 2008 "Masters of Design," as Sleeping Beauty's castle, residents and guests will truly live within a modern fantasy. Wanders inverts traditional design elements to create chic, dramatic living spaces, furnished with original pieces from his design studio, where he produces everything from lighting to flooring, including iconic pieces such as the Knotted Chair. Exteriors offer entry to a magical world, including an oasis of lush gardens with an intimate outdoor pool bar, private cabanas created with curtains of living foliage and even an adult sandbox. While Delano's signature "Water Salon" became an international destination, Mondrian will raise the bar for poolside decadence with Wanders' fantastical designs.

Also envisioned by Wanders, the hotel will feature Morgans' world-renowned agua spa, opening early in 2009. With a mirrored Bisazza-mosaic reception desk that scatters light across the dimly lit room and a manicure area accessed through a hidden door, the spa will debut an exclusive skincare line and several new treatments.

Jeffrey Chodorow also presents the latest Asia de Cuba restaurant, bringing a vibrant, social atmosphere with innovative menus that incorporate the best of Asian and Latin cuisines. Under the culinary direction of Executive Chef Bryan Flyer, diners will indulge in Asia de Cuba's imaginative dishes in portions intended for sharing. The royal communal table, made popular at the first Asia de Cuba at Morgans in New York City, is situated upon a custom carpet and steals the spotlight in this space. Golden bells above the table call out to diners to take their seats and crystal chandeliers set within the bells shower guests with faceted light. Deep cushioned booths line the walls of the room, and the restaurant opens out onto the terrace where patrons can enjoy a cool breeze or escape to one of the private dining gardens and "kissing corners."

Rounding out the complete lifestyle offerings, Morgans unveils its newest hot spot, Sunset Lounge. Conceptualized by nightlife impresario Ben Pundole of Skybar and Bungalow 8 at St Martins Lane, Sunset Lounge offers a nightlife experience with live Latin and Spanish music, a handcrafted specialty cocktail list and sunset views over the downtown Miami skyline. Golden candelabras and onyx jewel-cut stools are playfully dotted between ottomans and new antiques, a striking contrast of the imaginative and the forgotten. Gold leaf wallpaper surrounds the stretch patterned sofa that is set upon a staged, dark herringbone floor.

"We believe Mondrian in South Beach is the most exciting new property the city has seen in decades. With Marcel Wanders' first hotel design in the US and a move onto West Avenue, we're redefining the destination and offering spectacular views of the Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay. Mondrian is so extraordinary and is targeting such a unique customer that it will lead for years as a one-of-a-kind, coveted experience for guests and locals alike," said Fred Kleisner, President & CEO of Morgans Hotel Group.

From developer Keith Menin of Sanctuary Group, Mondrian is located at 1100 West Ave and offers ownership in a waterfront property with private, VIP boat access to Biscayne Bay and breathtaking views of downtown Miami. The property features 335 hotel residences of studios, one-and two-bedroom residences, and four tower suites priced from $500,000 to $6 million. With over 80 percent of the property sold, limited ownership opportunities are still available.

For More Information - Visit CondominiumHotels.com/Miami-Condo-Hotels.html

Ritz-Carlton Northstar Highlands - Lake Tahoe

2008-11-21T07:03:00.007-07:00

Many experienced visitors to the Tahoe area prefer the North Shore. This end of the scenic lake is less developed and is actually more accessible to the San Francisco Bay area. A number of new golf clubs have been built in the area and many of its famed resorts have been exciting new options. Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort near Truckee is a prime example.

The Ritz-Carlton Club is set to open its new fractional ownership residences in the Northstar Highlands adjacent to the Ritz-Carlton Highlands Hotel. There will be 78 ski-in-ski-out residences nestled in this mid-mountain location. Members will enjoy the use of all facilities of the neighboring Five Star Ritz-Carlton Highlands.

This includes a luxurious new spa featuring 16 indoor-outdoor treatment spaces, pool and whirlpool. The property will also feature a new gondola service connecting the Highlands to The Village at Northstar below.

The residences will have all the comforts one would expect from Ritz-Carlton, including a fully equipped gourmet kitchen, spacious living room with a gas fireplace and entertainment center, luxuriously appointed master bathrooms with vanities and heated floors, balconies and ski valet. There will be 26 two-bedroom residences 43 three-bedroom residences and nine, four-bedroom residences.

The North Shore at Lake Tahoe has always been more popular with well-heeled visitors. The views are just as spectacular but the crowds are much thinner. The density of housing is lower, especially on the California side of the North Shore. Most of the families from the bay area choose this side for vacation homes. Peace and quiet are necessary for a relaxing vacation within a short drive of the faster-paced casino action. If you like old- time western towns, be sure to take in downtown Truckee where many of the original Gold Rush structures are still in tact.

Golf options

Ritz-Carlton Club Lake Tahoe members have access to great golf though the Tahoe Mountain Club. This golf access includes Old Greenwood, Grays Crossing and Coyote Moon. Old Greenwood is a highly rated Jack Nicklaus signature design. This dramatic layout is carved out of 600 acres of towering pines and features numerous high mountain lakes and streams. Nicklaus designs always feature the best quality in shaping and conditioning. When the course opened in 2005, it received many awards including being rated No. 4 Best New Upscale Public Course by Golf Digest Magazine and No. 10 Best New Public Course by Golf Magazine.

The Golf Club at Gray’s Crossing is another great option. This Peter Jacobson and Jim Hardy creation is one of only two layouts in California to obtain the designation as an Audubon International Gold Signature Sanctuary. Great lengths were taken here to protect the environment framed by towering lodgepole and Jeffrey pines.

Coyote Moon is a fairly new public venue in nearby Truckee, which opened in 2000. This Brad Bell creation is a wonderful layout and highly rated. The course is cut out of a grove of huge pine trees and encompasses 250 acres. The feature shaping is high-end here with excellent conditioning to boot.

The Tahoe Mountain Club also offers a luxury private dining club located right on the North Shore and panoramic views. Wild Goose is a must for those who want to enjoy dinner on the lake no matter what the season.

Not only do you have access to the best here in Lake Tahoe, but The Ritz-Carlton Club, Lake Tahoe at Northstar Ownership allows you to experience other remarkable destinations in Hawaii, Aspen, San Francisco, St. Thomas, South Beach and the Bahamas. Fractional ownership at Ritz-Carlton Club Northstar starts at $215,000.

For More Information Please Visit: PrivateresidenceClubs.com/Lake-Tahoe-Residence-Clubs

Northstar Rising - Hyatt Residence Club is opening this December

2008-11-19T14:00:00.008-07:00

With private clubs and loyalty rewards, family packages and immaculate grooming, upscale lodging and cutting-edge terrain parks, this little-known Tahoe gem is quietly becoming the Deer Valley of the Far West.

Northstar Lodge - Hyatt Residence Club is opening this December

Ritz-Carlton Highlands is opening next year at Northstar - offering fractional ownership at Ritz-Carlton Club Lake Tahoe and whole ownership at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe

“You’re coming to town and you’re going to Northstar?” my Tahoe friends cough in disbelief. To them—all hard-skiing locals—Northstar-at-Tahoe’s steadily surging popularity (No. 3 for skier visits in all of Tahoe) is hard to comprehend. It has no signature steeps, a la Squaw Valley or Kirkwood. It lacks the big, in-your-face views of Heavenly, offering glimpses of Lake Tahoe from only one sliver of its summit. It has none of the rugged topographical drama so signature to the basin. It’s the un-Tahoe, and my friends want no part of it—at least not on skis. “We’ll meet you in Northstar’s village for dinner,” several of them say, “but if you want to ski together, then you’ll have to come to Squaw.”

On the face of it, Tahoe seems easy enough to understand: beautiful lake, sunny skies, biblical deluges of snow. And because this expansive mountain playground is on the California/Nevada border, there is gambling aplenty and all the nighttime sass and kitsch that goes with it. And did we mention the astonishingly lovely lake?

But to people who call Tahoe home, or who weekend there religiously, or who visit annually, this description is mere caricature. The real Tahoe is far richer and quirkier, more individualistic and harder to know. It possesses an intrinsic, hard-to-define quality that makes it much more than the sum of its parts. It hooks skiers and doesn’t let them go. At each of its signature mountains—Squaw, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl, Alpine Meadows, Homewood and Mt. Rose—Tahoe’s skiing touches the soul.

And then there’s Northstar.

So why am I here today, rocketing down long, broad boulevards at the heels of longtime Tahoe locals Tom and Carla Beebe? And why is this well-groomed cruiser’s paradise Tahoe’s third most popular resort? And why is the steel frame of a giant Ritz-Carlton— what will be, in fall of 2009, the only full-service hotel of its caliber anywhere in California skidom—rising right here on the slopes of a resort that many people outside Northern California have never heard of? Here, at a mountain with terrain that many locals deride and—perhaps most astounding—in a location without views of Lake Tahoe itself?

The answers, I soon discover, have as much to do with Northstar itself as they do with its surroundings—the wonderful, strange, rewarding creature called Tahoe.

Northstar itself—a thickly forested cinder cone turned tree farm turned master-planned ski and summer resort—is roomy and flawless, as current in its amenities as any mountain resort you’ll find, and intently devoted to the cheerful delivery of innovative, accommodating service. What that means on this particular Saturday morning is that management has opened the 2,904-acre mountain early for members of its various locker rooms and private clubs. Tom and Carla, members of the “Platinum Locker Room,” meet me in Northstar’s newly rebuilt village (formerly something out of the ’70s, now an appealing updated take on Beaver Creek) and we head up the gondola for a tour.

Northstar is located near Lake Tahoe’s north shore, halfway between the historic town of Truckee, Calif., and the lakefront town of Kings Beach (about 10 minutes by car from each). Offering views primarily of a scenic alpine basin called the Martis Valley, the resort is situated entirely below tree line, well-protected from the winds that often hammer the rest of the Sierra crest. When it’s snowing and blowing, Northstar’s long boulevards are the north shore’s best place to ski. Otherwise, it has long been considered “a family place.”

“Northstar? I’m not sure I’m gonna like it,” Carla recalls thinking five years ago when Tom suggested they try a season here. Her reaction is common among hardcore Tahoe locals, who cheerfully frequent Northstar’s restaurants and free open-air ice rink but have long disdained its slopes, often without firsthand experience. But the Beebes decided to take a chance—and now they’re hooked.

They start their ski days in a convenient free satellite parking lot at the foot of Northstar Drive, where they have yet to wait more than two minutes from the time they lock their car to the time they step onto the complimentary shuttle. The bus drives 1.3 miles uphill, past roads accessing the 35-year-old development’s original rec center, fire hall, 300 homes and 1,150 condos. The Beebes step out onto the curb of the new village, which was grafted to the original village in an inviting semicircle of terraced levels. The distance from the bus stop to the Platinum Locker Room is only steps. There, a concierge serves morning espresso (with continental breakfast) and afternoon wine (with appetizers). Daily ski tuning is included in membership, and the enormous lockers with equipment dryers would make any pro athlete envious.

Despite appreciating this level of service, Carla and Tom Beebe are hardly Mel and Don Trump. The two (he’s a woodworker; she’s his business manager) are fit, down-to-earth ski and cycling fanatics. They work hard but organize their days around mountain sports. They say a warm hello to everyone they know—and they seem to know most everyone they see. Residents of nearby Truckee, they have spent more than 30 winters with local season passes dangling around their necks—including 20 years as devoted pass holders at the regional king of cool, Squaw Valley USA. In other words, they may be circling 50, but these two can ski. And today, with the mountain not yet open to the public, there’s little need to hold back.

The morning sunlight is bright and glancing, rendering everything crystal sharp. The air atop Mt. Pluto—some 2,500 feet above the Village—is shockingly cold. I follow Tom and Carla down broad, pine-flanked ribbons of perfect corduroy at thrilling, unfettered speeds. Logger’s Loops unfurls beneath us, rolling and banked. Then Iron Horse, a wide, wavy avenue nearly a mile long. Next is Lookout Mountain’s Prosser, which rides like a high-tech roller coaster, buttery smooth as it drops its passengers into weightlessness then bends them with G-forces. Then the Promised Land, where powder day magic happens amidst big trees. Everywhere we go the well-groomed mountain feels more like a place I know intimately than one I rarely ski, as though my skis are engineered to sync intuitively with each pitch and roll, and all I have to do is ride the flow and unlock the speed. We ski nonstop run after nonstop run like this, hopping on high-speed lifts to zoom back up to the top. I’d be lying if I said it was a deeply soulful experience, but it is pure fun.

“I’m not looking for absolute excitement here,” Tom says, acknowledging that Northstar is not one of Tahoe’s spine-tingling mountains full of stirring landscapes and expert thrills. “I’m just looking for good, quality skiing.” And in a region filled with great skiers who churn up snow as soon as it falls, Tom says he’s also on the hunt for more powder skiing with less of a crowd—which he and Carla have found in abundance in Northstar’s off-piste woods. “The powder skiing here is fabulous,” Carla says. Tom just smiles and nods. It’s only when they show me where they go on powder days, slipping through hidden openings into roomy glades, that I begin to get a sense of Northstar’s secreted slice of Tahoe soul.

In 1972, when Northstar-at-Tahoe first opened to the public, its then-tiny ski area was an amenity of its master-planned community, rather than its centerpiece. In those days, the idea of a self-contained recreational community de-emphasizing the car was cutting-edge. Northstar won awards for its visionary design, which was emulated at other recreational real estate developments of the era. The community—designed from the beginning to be a community, to foster connections among its users and to provide them with quality shared time—also featured a golf course, single-family homes and condos nestled amidst pines, a free bus system and a compact village center with a couple of restaurants and shops. The rest of the Tahoe basin offered plenty of jaw-dropping vistas and Wild West flavor; Northstar was about having a good life in a convenient, inclusive, low-stress environment.

Back then, Northstar’s ski terrain consisted only of a shallow basin on the very front side of the mountain, while Squaw was essentially the same dramatic size it is today. “We had to be innovative to be competitive,” says Julie Maurer, who started at Northstar as a part-time courtesy guide and public relations assistant in 1982, when it was owned by Louisiana Pacific, and is still on board today as the VP of marketing for its current parent company, Booth Creek. “Customer service and quality have always been paramount, across the board, no matter what it is we’re delivering.”

As a result, the Northstar of today features cushioned rattan conversation nooks throughout its village and carefully leveled steps up to the lifts, while adjacent resorts offer scuffed plastic chairs and slippery slopes. Food on Northstar’s roomy mountaintop sundecks includes rotisserie turkey legs and smoked ham steaks so large that a $12 plateful of either could easily feed two. Lessons for capable skiers and boarders (Level 6 and above) are free. The Mommy, Daddy and Me program shows parents how to have a pleasant experience getting their wee ones on skis—also for free. Litter is baited with $75 resort cash cards to encourage employees to pick it up. Ski racks at busy lunch spots are marked with names of states, making it easier to find gear after a leisurely sun-baked break over heaping plates of freshly made Mexican fare and midday beers. There are signs at the bottom of lifts reading “No smoking or swearing,” but there’s also a cool cabin in the woods where the jib-set is encouraged hang out.

And the ways Northstar strives and innovates in the realm of customer service doesn’t stop there. For destination visitors, Northstar delivers plush new slopeside condos that are notably large, bucking the nationwide trend of cramping visitors so that they get out of their rooms and spend. For teens and jib junkies, an entire section of the mountain has been turned into the West’s most progressive array of terrain parks, under the savvy leadership of Chris Gunnarson and Snow Park Technologies, designers of the pipes and jumps at the Winter X Games. For brown-baggers, picnic tables and Adirondack chairs are placed at the mountain’s scenic spots. For the up-market, there are discreet private clubs at summit and base. And do you recall how I felt as though my skis were somehow engineered to respond to Northstar’s slopes? It turns out the reverse is true—Northstar’s slopes have been tenderly resculpted to maximize the experience of today’s skis.

Northstar’s milieu is another story altogether. Some 13 million people live within a four-hour drive of Tahoe’s 15 ski areas. It’s a big market, and one that has long been underserved by Tahoe’s offerings in two key areas: great resort hotels and top-notch service.

Many of Tahoe’s resorts are old-style day areas operating on Forest Service lands, possessing little or no real estate to develop. For places like Alpine Meadows, which is about the same size as Northstar but skis more like Alta, Utah, this has meant none of the robust revenue stream that other North American resorts have relied on to fund face-lifts. And there’s been little incentive: With such a captive audience, one resort executive explains, many in the Tahoe ski and travel industry have remained complacent and let the lake do all the work.

Notwithstanding the recent improvements to Heavenly, Squaw and Kirkwood, the overall Tahoe mountain experience remains fragmented and, in many cases, woefully out of date. Its great skiing and superb dining aren’t easy to link together. The best restaurants are in Truckee and South Lake, with a smattering of others around the lake basin. The only full-service hotel that isn’t also somehow strange to visit is in Incline. The most exciting ski terrain is at Squaw, but Alpine, Sugar Bowl, Mt. Rose and Kirkwood also deliver thrills. The best lake views are at Homewood, Heavenly and Diamond Peak. The liveliest shopping is in Truckee. The grooviest gambling is at Crystal Bay. The best nightlife—the only nightlife, really—is on the South Shore. You get the picture.

But one central place that can consistently deliver a great ski getaway, superb service and an on-the-money lunch, all in one? That’s where Northstar and the Ritz-Carlton come in.

Unlike Tahoe’s other big resorts, Northstar is built on a huge swath of private land—some 8,000 acres. It’s not the most breathtaking site in the Sierra, but it is lovely. Skiing occupies 2,904 of those acres (including 414 newly opened acres this season), with another 490 to be added in the near future. Northstar’s approved master plan, in place since the ’70s, has always called for more than 3,200 lodging units (currently there are 1,697, of which 247 are new). In other words, Northstar has the land and the permits to build another 1,503 homes, condos and hotel rooms.

When this plan was rediscovered by owner Booth Creek, it was like found treasure—particularly since most of the remaining developable real estate is located in a prime slopeside location, uphill from the village in an area now called the Highlands.

In conjunction with savvy developers East West Partners, Northstar earmarked the very best Highlands site for the amenity all of Tahoe lacks the most: a luxurious, world-class ski-in/ski-out hotel. The partnership with Ritz-Carlton should be a perfect fit. When the six-story, 405,000-square-foot Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, opens in 2009, guests will enter via a grand, three-story circular staircase that will wind past multi-level fireplaces; they’ll have their choice of 170 full-service hotel rooms ranging in size from 500 to 1,500 square feet. (The even more discriminating can select from 23 private residences serviced by a private entrance.) The castle on the hill will have no lake view, but it will have everything else.

Downhill from the new Ritz construction site, the Village at Northstar is bustling. Kids are careening around the ice rink screeching happily while parents socialize over drinks in the rink-side cabanas. A local bluegrass band plays on a nearby stage. My friends from Squaw who demurred from meeting me on the mountain are happy to come up for dinner with their kids. The line for sushi at Mikuni is long, but no one seems to mind. Everyone is having a blast.

Northstar may only be soul-stirring on stormy powder days, when the winds that whip across the Sierra crest close the lifts at other resorts and skiers like Carla and Tom Beebe find themselves alone among Northstar’s roomy trees. But sometimes soulful isn’t all that matters.

After five winters here, Carla certainly has no doubts. “We really like the way the place is run,” she says. “The employees are truly friendly. There’s a nice group of skiers here, and we’ve made great friends. It’s like a little family. The mountain is buffed. And,” she says again, “the powder skiing is fabulous.”

“At Squaw, I always felt like a visitor,” she continues. “At Northstar, I feel like I’m home.”

Article by Susan Reifer, Contributor, SKI Magazine - November 2008 edition

The Hyatt Residence Clubs new luxury Northstar Lodge is the latest offering from East West Partners, and represents the newest way to live in The Village at Northstar. Right outside your door at Northstar Lodge is America's number 3 "family friendly" rated ski area, according to USA Today. The Northstar ski area boast over 83 groomed ski trails and 2,400-acres of terrain to match any other Tahoe mountain. Fractional ownership at Northstar Lodge also includes membership in Tahoe Mountain Club, offering two championship golf courses - Old Greenwood and Coyote Moon. The entire Lake Tahoe area is yours to discover with endless activities and recreation for all seasons. Sun and fun is always included with life in Tahoe. Ownership at Northstar Lodge - Hyatt Residence Club starts at $150,000.

For More Information on The Northstar Lodge - Hyatt Residence Club & The Ritz-Carlton Club Northstar Highlands Please Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Lake-Tahoe-Residence-Clubs

For More Information on whole ownership at The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton Highlands - Please visit: LuxeResortHomes.com/Lake-Tahoe-Resort-Homes

Fairmont Heritage Place Increases Portfolio With New Sun and Ski Destinations

2008-11-19T11:36:00.004-07:00

New Property Additions Strengthen the Brand's Collection of World-Class Fractional Products

Fairmont Heritage Place, the private residence club offering from Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, today announced that it has assumed management of two North American-based private residence clubs formerly operated by Storied Places(R), an Intrawest company. Joining Fairmont Heritage Place's exclusive collection are the Fairmont Heritage Place at Nature's Door, Whistler and Fairmont Heritage Place Inspiration, Miramar Beach in Sandestin, Florida. These additions enhance and extend the Fairmont Heritage Place portfolio, which now consists of five locations, over 200 luxury homes and more than 2,000 homeowners worldwide.

"The addition of these leading resort destinations, combined with recently announced private residence projects in places like the Kingdom of Sheba development on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Zimbali in South Africa and Vail, Colorado, supports our residential growth strategy of adding developments that are of the highest quality, situated in the world's most spectacular locations, and offer a unique mix of lifestyle and leisure offerings," said Thomas W. Storey, President, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. "New homeowners will have the opportunity to enjoy the exclusive benefits and privileges of Fairmont Heritage Place, such as club-to-hotel exchanges, and we look forward to providing them with the personalized and thoughtful service that has made Fairmont famous throughout the world."

Providing ski-in, ski-out access next to the Dave Murray Downhill Olympic Ski run, Fairmont Heritage Place at Nature's Door, Whistler features 22 well-appointed and fully furnished vacation homes. Reflecting the rustic charm of the Pacific Northwest, these luxury homes range in size from three to four-bedrooms and offer mountain inspired amenities like private outdoor hot tubs, customary wood-burning fireplaces, and wrap-around decks providing unparalleled views of Whistler Blackcomb. Original artwork by local British Columbian artisans adorn each home and all feature private media centers equipped with large flat panel televisions and DVD players.

Overlooking the protected wetlands of Choctawhatchee Bay and nestled amongst the lush fairways and manicured greens of the award-winning Burnt Pine Golf Club rests the 20 luxury homes of Fairmont Heritage Place Inspiration, Miramar Beach. Here homeowners enjoy the comfort of three-bedroom residences that showcase vaulted ceilings, wrought-iron canopy beds, and kitchenettes featuring White Carrera Bianco marble and stainless steel countertops. Within the resort development itself, homeowners also have convenient access to the new Village of Baytowne Wharf, four-championship golf courses, the Sandestin Golf Academy, a 98 slip-marina, 15 tennis courts, and 17 restaurants including waterfront dining.

"These exquisite private residence clubs are extremely successful and consistently receive some of the highest guest satisfaction ratings in the lodging industry," said Brian Collins, President at Intrawest ULC. "There is tremendous compatibility with our Storied Places fractional ownership concept and Fairmont's private residence club. This new ownership model will introduce the Fairmont brand to Sandestin and deepen their brand presence at Whistler Blackcomb which will maximize the benefits for owners. As we look toward the future, Intrawest will continue to seek opportunities to partner with Fairmont to design, build, manage and operate new and innovative real estate projects."

Fairmont Heritage Place is a leading operator of private residence clubs throughout the world. Featuring luxury home developments in world-class destinations like San Francisco, Telluride and Acapulco, Fairmont Heritage Place combines the impressive amenities and attentive service of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts with the luxurious comforts of an elegant private retreat. Fairmont Heritage Place owners, as well as being able to enjoy their own homes, can utilize their allotted time at other Fairmont Heritage Place locations around the world. They also have the unique opportunity to enjoy exchange privileges at Fairmont's collection of distinctive hotels and resorts, including landmark properties like the century-old Savoy hotel in London and The Fairmont Banff Springs in the Canadian Rockies.

About Fairmont Heritage Place

Fairmont Heritage Place is an exclusive private residence club collection offering vacation home ownership in some of the world's most sought after locations. Fairmont Heritage Place Acapulco, its first residence club, opened in September 2004 and is now sold out. Fairmont Heritage Place also manages the Fairmont Heritage Place Franz Klammer Lodge in Telluride, Colorado and San Francisco's Fairmont Heritage Place, Ghirardelli Square, which officially opened in August 2008. Sales are currently underway for Fairmont Heritage Place, Kingdom of Sheba, on the Crescent of The Palm Jumeirah island in Dubai, and Fairmont Heritage Place, Zimbali, South Africa. Future development is being planned at select Fairmont resort locations including Vail, Colorado; Rock Ki, Dominican Republic; Oman; and Palm Desert, California.

For More Information Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Five Years in the Making, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences in Seattle Opens

2008-11-18T11:59:00.006-07:00

Five years in the making, Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Seattle opened its doors to the public this month.

Four Seasons Hotel Seattle offers the consummate Seattle experience to the area’s growing number of leisure and business travelers from around the globe. A dramatic departure from its previous address at The Olympic Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Seattle is a modern, waterfront hotel with a variety of amenities that reflect the best of the Northwest’s culture and natural beauty.

Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Seattle is a $150 million, 21-story ultra-luxury development with 36 residences above 147 guest rooms located in Seattle’s Pike Place Market District in the heart of downtown. Developed by The Seattle Hotel Group LLC, a private, local company, the property features spacious, modern interiors and one-of-a-kind views of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains.

“When Four Seasons left Seattle in 2003, a local group quickly formed to bring it back in an extraordinary way. The new Four Seasons will allow guests and residents to experience the Northwest like never before,” said John Oppenheimer, managing partner of the Seattle Hotel Group, developer of Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Seattle. “We are so honored to return this international icon and hospitality leader to our city.”

The 147 guest rooms and 36 Private Residences at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle are ideally situated in the cultural and business heart of downtown, just steps from Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum and the city’s best shopping, dining and entertainment venues.

“Four Seasons is delighted to return to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest with a contemporary new building on such a breathtaking and conveniently located site,” said Ben Trodd, General Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. “Visitors and residents can experience the best of Seattle in an exciting new way, from dining in the chic, water-view restaurant to having a cedar-scented Spa treatment.”

In preparation for its opening, the hotel held two job fairs, considered more than 3,000 applicants for its 235 positions, administered an average of 160 hours of training to each new staff member and custom-fit approximately 2,700 uniform pieces by hand. Fifty of the 235 employees, or 20 percent, have transferred to Seattle from 19 other Four Seasons properties.

Within the hotel, ART Restaurant and Lounge features acclaimed Seattle chef and Four Seasons veteran Kerry Sear’s “best source” philosophy of incorporating the freshest local ingredients into creative and memorable preparations. The main dining room shares panoramic water and mountain views with the lounge, private event room and counter, which offers inventive and convenient meals throughout the day. More than 160 wines from a 12-foot wine wall will be available by the glass.

The 6,000-ft2 (557 m2) full-service Spa at Four Seasons reflects the company’s commitment to providing a luxury destination spa in every city and resort location. The Spa captures the serenity of nature by infusing indigenous Pacific Northwest elements such as herbs, coffee and cedar into its treatments. After experiencing The Ultimate Unwind or another restorative journey, guests and residents can relax by downtown’s only outdoor infinity-edge pool and fireplace overlooking Elliott Bay.

Four Seasons Hotel Seattle’s grand ballroom provides the perfect backdrop for a timeless Seattle event. Two-story-tall windows frame panoramic westerly mountain and water views. The hotel’s modern art collection focuses on 16 works by masters of the Northwest School, and original works from private collections lend an unexpected flair throughout the hotel.

Residents of Four Seasons have access to residential concierge service, valet parking, 24-hour room service and the hotel’s full spectrum of amenities and services. Whether having Four Seasons cater an event at home or tend to their affairs while they’re away, residents live an effortless lifestyle in homes ranging from 1,300 to more than 7,500 square feet and from $2 million to more than $15 million. A limited number of residences remain available.

For More Information Visit: LuxuryUrbanLiving.com/Seattle

Gansevoort Hotel Toronto

2008-11-17T10:52:00.007-07:00

It has been less than five years since the first Gansevoort hotel helped breathe life into the now ultra-fashionable meatpacking district of Manhattan, and in that time the brand has pushed to cement itself among the top names of the luxury development world. Last March, a second Gansevoort project, its first with residences, opened in South Beach in Miami, and another hotel in New York is planned to open in fall 2010 on Park Avenue South. That may seem like quite a lot of activity for a still-young brand, especially in the current economic climate, but Gansevoort seems to be showing no signs of slowing down. Now a fourth project, this one on Richmond Street West in downtown Toronto’s entertainment district, is on the way. Plans call for 150 hotel rooms and 120 whole-ownership studio-to-three-bedroom residences in a modern, cubist-looking 35-story tower. The residences, from 700 to 4,000 square feet, will have large terraces with gardens hanging over their sides, and owners will be able to enter their units in a rental program to serve as hotel rooms while they are away. Also planned are a full-service spa and the rooftop area with a heated outdoor pool, lounge and a bar. The development’s plans also include a significant effort toward energy efficiency and sustainable building techniques; it is seeking LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Pricing expected to start at $500,000 - For More Information Contact CondominiumHotels.com

Canyon Ranch - opens in Miami Beach

2008-11-11T14:55:00.005-07:00

Morning dip in the ocean? Check. Haute cuisine by the beach? Check. Cardiometabolic stress test? Check.

Add medical diagnostics to the South Florida vacation must-do list for guests checking in to the region's newest resort this week. Canyon Ranch Living-Miami Beach hopes to cut through the growing list of high-end hotel offerings with a pricey mix of health screenings, spa treatments and wellness services running the gamut from nutrition to midlife angst.

Day One at Canyon Ranch might include a coordination and balance assessment ($165), followed by a 100-minute Japanese bathing ritual ($330), and then on to an 80-minute stone massage ($240) and a $350 insomnia consultation with a medical doctor.

Developers hope their $500 million Canyon Ranch, like its namesake Arizona resort, will attract throngs of affluent baby boomers willing to pay handsomely to ward off aging. But this week's opening comes during lean times for the luxury market in general, adding to the financial pressure for a condominium resort that revolves around expensive -- if healthful -- indulgences.

''We have very, very wealthy buyers,'' said Eric Sheppard, a partner in WSG Development. (A publicist later volunteered CSI:Miami star David Caruso is among the Canyon Ranch Miami Beach owners.) ``People are buying the lifestyle of mind, body, spirt and a healthy living.''

WSG launched Canyon Ranch Miami Beach at the site of the old Carillon hotel in 2005, at the height of South Florida's condominium boom. It offered 581 units -- 431 standard condominiums and 150 condo-hotel units -- for prices ranging from $500,000 to $8 million. More than 500 units sold, and Sheppard said he's seen roughly 10 percent of buyers try to back out of their contracts.

In this battered condo market, developers cherish cancellation rates that low. But Canyon Ranch can't rest easy once a contract closes. To remain profitable, it needs a population of unit owners eager to pay not just their monthly dues, but to participate in the expensive lifestyle Canyon Ranch offers.

The resort employs a full-time medical staff of 11, including a Chinese medicine specialist, nutritionist and a physical therapist. Private rooms surrounding the 75,000-square-foot health club (including a 32-foot-tall climbing wall) contain equipment for conducting tests on oxygen saturation and bone density, along with body composition scans designed to guide the fitness staff in creating exercise regimens.

Dr. Karen Koffler, the former head of integrative medicine at Evanston Northwestern Hospital in Illinois, ducks into a darkened room a few steps from the treadmills containing a $125,000 body scanner.

''It's the best bone-density and body-composition machine that is made,'' said Koffler, a medical doctor and the resort's clinical director.

While it can detect signs of bone loss on spines and hips, the device also allows fitness instructors to ditch the metal calipers typically used to measure body fat in favor of a digital image that can reveal a person's true fitness level.

''There's a lot of...skinny-fat women,'' Koffler said. ``They're thin because genetically they were blessed with the tendency to be thin. But if you peer under the tissue, there's fat under there because they're not physically active.''

To ensure clients follow the staff's workout regimens, trainers issue memory sticks embedded with each routine. When plugged into the gym's weight machines and cardio equipment, the cards won't let users lift too much and will take note if the intensity level falls short of the work-out plan.

For More Information Condominiumhotels.com/Contact

Article written by Douglas Hanks - posted on MiamiHerald.com - November 11, 2008

Capella Pedregal Alliance With Ultimate Escapes

2008-11-07T20:18:00.004-07:00

Capella Pedregal, Cabo's hottest new resort and residential community, just got a little hotter. In a new, unprecedented alliance with luxury destination club Ultimate Escapes®, owners at Capella Pedregal now have access to residences at 23 fabulous resort and metropolitan destinations around the globe.

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (PRWEB) November 6, 2008 -- Capella Pedregal, Cabo's hottest new resort and residential community, just got a little hotter. In a new, unprecedented alliance with luxury destination club Ultimate Escapes®, owners at Capella Pedregal now have access to residences at 23 fabulous resort and metropolitan destinations around the globe.

"We are proud and excited to be the first private residence club to partner with a destination club," said Juan Diaz Rivera, marketing director, Capella Pedregal. "This unprecedented partnership is offering owners at Capella Pedregal an opportunity to build equity by owning real estate in Cabo, while providing them with access to Ultimate Escape's global portfolio of properties through Ultimate Escapes Developer Affiliate Program - it's the best of both worlds."

Amenities at Capella Pedregal include fractional ownership in a luxury Viking yacht at the Capella Yacht Club, access to all of the amenities of the Capella Resort and Spa to open on-site in March 2009 and a prime location on 24 acres of pristine beach. The Ultimate Escapes Developer Affiliate Program is another unique amenity that gives current and prospective owners the opportunity to enjoy vacations at Ultimate Escapes destinations worldwide including luxurious mountain and ski spots such as Deer Valley and Beaver Creek, major metropolitan cities including New York, Paris and London, golf destinations like Tuscany and Scottsdale and beach resorts from Belize to the British Virgin Islands.

"Cabo San Lucas is the most sought after vacation destination for our members," said Gregg Amonette, senior vice president, Business Development for Ultimate Escapes. "We're thrilled to align ourselves with a property of this caliber and are confident that Capella Pedregal will become a highly desired destination for our members."

Set to debut in March 2009, Capella Pedregal is Capella Hotels and Resorts' preeminent beachfront resort and residential community. Accessed via a private mountainside tunnel, Capella Pedregal will be comprised of a 66-room Capella Resort and Spa, 38 shared-ownership Capella Residences and 11 private, full-ownership Casonas. The only luxury hotel and residence resort with immediate proximity to the world-class Cabo Marina, Capella Pedregal offers its owners and guests unprecedented access to a fleet of luxury Viking sport fishers and cruisers at the Capella Yacht Club. Resort guests and residents will enjoy amenities including a 10,000-square-foot Sylvia Sepielli-designed signature Auriga spa and wellness center; their own personal majordomo; and attendance by Capella's signature Personal Assistants who are on hand to arrange anything from dining reservations to yacht excursions and access to Cabo's many attractions.

Visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com/Cabo-San-Lucas-Residence-Clubs.html

$640M Project Breaks Ground in Tough Times

2008-11-04T06:38:00.008-07:00

MIAMI-Seven years ago Mehmet Bayraktar, chairman and CEO of Flagstone Property Group, was invited to Watson Island by the City of Miami, which was looking to plan a marina on the site that sits just off the MacArthur Causeway between Downtown and Miami Beach. Last week, Bayraktar celebrated an event he has been waiting for since 2001: the groundbreaking of Island Gardens, a $640 million mixed-use yachting resort on the island.

Island Gardens, to be developed and owned by Flagstone, will be built on a 24-acre site owned by the city adjacent to the Miami Children’s Museum. The development is set to feature two towers and 221,000 sf of retail space. The first tower will house a 150-room Shangri-La Hotel and 98 luxury fractional residences to be managed by Shangri-La Hotels.

“We are selling a one-eighth fractional ownership that allows buyers to have 45 days per year of usage,” says Philip C. Freedman, Flagstone’s vice president of residential sales. Pricing starts at $215,000 for a 1,200-sf, one-bedroom unit and goes up to $850,000 for a 3,770-sf, four-bedroom unit. Freedman believes the units will sell, even during tough economic times. “There are 267 fractional clubs worldwide,” he explains. “Last year they accounted for $2.6 billion in sales, and the year before was $2.1 billion. Sales have consistently gone up 20 to 30%, and we have 141 fractions sold to date,” he adds.

The second tower at Island Gardens will include a 350-room hotel run by a four-star brand to be announced later this month, Bayraktar tells GlobeSt.com. The two-level retail space is set to feature 60 luxury shops, 18 waterfront restaurants and outdoor and indoor seating for more than 1,500 guests. In addition, the project is planning a “super-yacht harbor” designed for mega-yachts and giga-yachts longer than 400 feet. According to Flagstone, Island Gardens is the only location under development in North America to accommodate these vessels. Public gardens featuring waterfalls and artwork are also being planned for the site.

Approximately 18% of the fractional ownership units are committed, says Bayraktar, and letters of intent have been received for about 15% of the retail portion. According to Flagstone, institutional equity in form of 35% of project costs has been closed with ING Clarion. Flagstone will seek to borrow the rest by 2010, a deadline set by the City of Miami. The developer is currently at various stages of debt placement based on components of the project. Flagstone says some components have received their loan commitment and agreements are being drafted and others have been committed and approved by a lead bank and are in the process of being syndicated.

“I hope and believe we’ve been very lucky that now things are slowing down,” Bayraktar tells GlobeSt.com of the current downturn. “This is the perfect time for construction—for labor and materials—and once we open in fall of 2011, things should be going in the other direction.”

Story written by: Crystal Proenza - GlobeSt.com November 3. 2008 - Original Story

For More Information Please Visit: LuxeFractionalOwnership.com/Miami-Fractional-Ownership

The Ritz-Carlton Montreal Gets Fresh Look

2008-10-26T09:48:00.005-07:00

In The Way We Were's famous closing scene, Barbra Streisand's Katie bumps into her ex, Robert Redford's Hubble, and his new, demure, blond girlfriend, in front of New York's Plaza Hotel on a blustery fall day. "Your girl is lovely, Hubble," she says magnanimously, brushing aside a windblown strand of his flaxen hair with a begloved hand. (Unfortunately, I seem to run into exes with, say, a 7-Eleven, a bum, and maybe a garbage can in the background.) That may be because I don't live in a '70s Hollywood romance set to Streisand's swelling misty watercoloured vocals, and also because, sadly, Toronto doesn't have its own version of the Plaza. Every city needs that kind of fabled, cinematic hotel, where sad rendezvous feel glamorous because they happen in front of a grand marquee and debauchery has all the glitz of a Fitzgerald novel because it happens in a marbled ballroom.

Montreal's --and Canada's --answer to that sort of storied property is the Ritz-Carlton. Perched in Montreal's boutique-laced Golden Square Mile, the grande dame of Sherbrooke Street was the first Ritz Carlton in the world, and has played majestic host to a ridiculously long list of glamourati: stars (Paul Newman, Sophia Loren, and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who had their first wedding there), French presidents (Charles de Gaulle), royalty (Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip) and the Shah of Iran).

The hotel, which first opened in 1912, was designed by New York architecture firm Warren ... Wetmore (it also divined Grand Central Station). The palazzo-style neo-classical pile has temporarily shut its opulent doors to undergo a massive 15-month, $100-million reno that will see 130 cushier rooms, 34 residences and 15 condo hotel suites. (Construction is slated to begin this winter.) While the Ritz-Carlton is being escorted into a swankier present, many of its old-fashioned hallmarks (such as its original white-shuttered marquee) will be carefully restored. The hotel lobby will feature one of Cesar Ritz's requisite design features: a coiling Cinderella staircase in the lobby (originally fashioned so that female guests, bedecked in their finest, could make dramatic entrances and be properly admired by their suitors waiting below).

"A lot of Montrealers see the Ritz as a kind of a shrine," says Montreal designer Patty Xenos, who is fashioning the hotel's new residences. "It was the first building to be designed as a landmark. The ghosts of this building are incredible." The facade of the building, with all of its intricate, hand-carved detailing (a so-called pearl necklace and lace crown) will also be preserved. All of that artful stonework, Ms. Xenos remarks, decorates the top of the building. "This kind of building wasn't designed to be seen from a passing car, the way we might see it today. It was meant to be appreciated from afar. You would notice the cornice above the treeline as you'd approach it slowly from your horse-drawn carriage."

In taking on this project, Ms. Xenos determined to spoil the mod new condos and residences with the same kind of decadent touches that defined the hotel's first incarnation, reimagining some classic features to suit the contemporary glamourpuss. The residential lobby will feel like a precious, light-glutted jewel box: floors will be round-cut inlaid marble (a nod to the hotel's original flooring); ceilings will be gleaming silver-leaf; instead of a trad chandelier, there will be what looks like a rain cloud of dangling crystal droplets ("I wanted the ghost of a chandelier," she explains) and sleek columns (as opposed to the standard Doric variety) will moonlight as lampposts, their faces made of hand-carved light-refracting crystal.

The suites -- ranging from 1,060 to 5,640 square feet -- will also cosset its residences with every (un)imaginable flourish. "With any great building, every detail has a story. We tried to bring back that tradition," Ms. Xenos says. When the hotel's eastern facade was torn down for the reno, cornices and emblems were saved from the rubble, and will make their way (mounted or framed) into the residential lobbies. "It's history as art," says Ms. Xenos.

Of her overarching esthetic philosophy, she offers: "I was truly allergic to trends. The minute a

trend appears, it's already over." Among those defining details: heavy, castle-befitting eight-foot doors ("I didn't want anyone to go to Rona or Home Depot to buy a door frame!" says Ms. Xenos), herringbone-patterned marble flooring in the living areas, and service elevators with secret passageways that usher caterers, dog walkers, nannies, shrinks on house-calls, private kabbalah instructors, etc., into the kitchen, as if magically ("That's five-star living! Service has to be invisible," laughs Ms. Xenos). Cleverly designed to combat wind-savaged, sun-deprived Montreal winters, Poggenpohl kitchens are panelled with windows (dressed in fresh, white shutters) and the feel-good backsplash is its own light-therapy system. The panel, an LED-source, is meant to stand-in for sunlight, reproducing all the colours of the rainbow in lulling succession. (NASA developed this kind of therapy to help rescue space-bound astronauts from depression.) Another (better!) cure for depression: Move into the Montreal Ritz.

Article written by Olivia Stren, National Post - published October 25, 2008

Visit CondominiumHotels.com for more information on Ritz-Carlton Montreal

Financial Crisis: Luxury brands boom as rich fly to quality

2008-10-17T17:08:00.013-07:00

Interesting article written by Jessica Fellowes

October 17, 2008

Telegraph.co.uk

But there’s one market that is showing remarkable resilience: luxury. Private jets, diamonds, art, antiques, Rolls-Royces and even Savile Row suits are all still selling, showing signs of bullishness in a financially fragile world.

Could luxury be the one remaining boom in the bust?

If you wanted to judge the optimism of luxury consumers this week, you couldn’t have done much better than attend Thursday night’s London launch party of The Wall Street Journal’s new magazine, WSJ, dripping with adverts for brands such as Chanel, Dior and Armani.

The Royal Academy of Arts was buzzing with the capital’s glitterati. Erin O’Connor, supermodel and face of M&S, was there, draped in designer labels – Moschino jacket, Dries Van Noten shirt, Smythson bag. “I always buy luxury when it’s purposeful and well thought out,” she says. And it’s this attitude that may explain the surprising strength of the luxury market at a time when, in many households, even the bare necessities are being cut back.

The art market is certainly confident. Damien Hirst’s sale last month surprised everyone by breaking all his previous records: he walked away from Sotheby’s with £111 million, on the same day [Sept 15] that traders at Lehman Brothers were losing more – much more.

And although at the opening day of the annual Frieze Art Fair in London’s Regent’s Park this week there wasn’t the usual feeding frenzy, Charles Dupplin, art market expert at Hiscox Insurance, says: “There are trades going on. Everyone is there, they’re just sitting on their hands a bit.”

Matthew Paton of Christie’s has his own explanation for robust art sales in a downturn: “Serious collectors might wait 40 years for the thing they want to come up – so they’ll buy at any time. There are lots of dealers in London this week for Frieze, and we’re expecting our sales this weekend to go well. But these are people who buy with an eye and a heart, not just for investment.”

Cartier had a successful week, launching 70 new pieces at the Paris Biennale, and reports that £1 million necklaces are still selling. Christie’s also held a sale of jewels on Wednesday night in New York where most pieces went below the estimate but still at healthy prices (£1.5million for a pear-shaped purplish-pink ring).

However, it is worth noting that it is not just British buyers who are delving into their pockets: four out of the five top lots went to Middle Eastern clients. No wonder Christie’s current excitement is the masterpiece exhibition it is shortly to hold in Abu Dhabi.

Mark Law, chairman of Partridge Fine Art, says: “We’re selling to Americans now the dollar is stronger. Only last week I sold a rosewood inlaid table for £70,000. People are definitely still buying – but they’re asking serious questions before they commit.”

Foreign investment could well be the reason the British luxury market is bearing up. “Business is amazing,” says Rodney Turner, director of the Rolls-Royce showroom in Berkeley Square. “We’re selling to Nigerians, the Middle East and Asian clients. But our UK customers are holding back.”

John Guy, retail and luxury goods analyst at MF Global, a brokerage firm, says: “It’s an international market now for luxury commodities and you have to measure it in those terms.

Demand falls away in Britain because conspicuous consumption doesn’t go down too well, whereas in China and Russia, showing off one’s wealth is a sign of power. Look at the first week of October, where sales at LVMH [owners of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy champagne] were up 12 per cent. That’s an acceleration.

But it’s a very difficult market in terms of where demand goes. The barriers aren’t closed to tourism now in the way they were after 9/11, and currency is likely to offset softer underlying demand to a degree in 2009.” So, at an international level, a brand can post good results because of frequent travel, strong currencies and emerging markets (such as India and China). But if it is based only in Britain, can it remain as strong?

Burberry, which posted 13 per cent sales increases in the six months to September 30, showed that it was its Spanish, American and Japanese markets which were faltering, while Britain remained “solid”.

However, contradicting the argument that you need international bases to survive, there are glimmers of hope at a more local level. Patrick Grant, owner of Savile Row tailors Norton & Sons, says: “Orders to the end of the third quarter are up 54 per cent, and nearly three-quarters of our sales are from UK clients. We’re lucky to have a very consistent level of repeat customers, plus our clothes are investments.”

Other smaller luxury brands, such as Holland & Holland, makers of guns with prices starting at £5,000, say they are still continuing to sell well. There is even one shop in the upmarket mall Royal Exchange, in the City, which claims that people are buying as much as before; the only difference is that shoppers are requesting that their purchases are not put in the branded bags: they don’t want to show that they have cash to splash.

James Ogilvy, chief executive of Luxury Briefing, which produces a monthly intelligence report on the luxury industry, says: “We’re in the middle of the maelstrom now, which affects confidence, but luxury is a long-term business for the brands involved. The customer base is broader than it was with some brands having more than 200 stores worldwide.

“Emerging markets, too, may counteract the stagnation of some of the more mature markets. But people who are used to luxury will buy carefully and ensure better value for their money.”

It is this flight to quality by consumers that provides the key to understanding why luxury brands will survive this recession, particularly those with heritage and a strong identity.

None the less, launching a private jet company in the height of the downturn might seem like madness. But Chris Moody’s Fractional Jets Europe is designed for the times.

“People have still got to do business but they need to work smarter than ever before,” says Moody, who brings together the sellers of fractional shares in a jet with those who want to buy.

Fractional ownership – we knew it as ''timeshares’’ in the Eighties – is currently providing buoyancy in the luxury market. Clients are splitting the costs of yachts, jets or holiday villas with their fellow rich elite. There is also now a host of companies simply reselling empty seats on pre-booked private jet flights, including privatejetshare.com, LunaJets, NetJets, lastminutejet.com to name but a few.

But while private jets help people do business, what of the ultra-luxury market that is the playground of the super rich? Philippe Lamblin, chief executive of PrivatSea, a membership club for super yachts, is less ebullient: “People just aren’t buying into the big toys. We had 60 yachts moored in St Tropez last year – now there are just 30.”

Recessions aren’t always the worst time to launch a business, though.

Just a few months after the great stock market crash of 1929, which marked the onset of the American Depression, Henry Luce founded Fortune magazine. Daringly, it was printed on good quality paper and cost a dollar an issue at a time when most publications cost around five cents. Sometimes bucking the trend is a good way to get noticed: plus, as is clear now, people will put their trust in good quality when times are tough.

Chris Moody makes a pertinent point: “For every one person losing millions, there’s someone on the other side of the deal making a fortune. Look at Sir Philip Green, who went to Reykjavik this week to look into buying their retail group Baugur.”

Taking over Baugur’s debts would give Green huge control of the public purse – it owns shares in Jane Norman, Karen Millen, French Connection and Oasis. So perhaps we should give the last word to the Top Shop magnate and high street king whom I met at the WSJ party. What does he, one of the few men thought to be immune to economic hardship, think of the recession?

Sir Philip shrugged. “It’s going to get to all of us, innit?”

Original Article

The Abaco Club on Winding Bay

2008-10-06T09:28:00.002-07:00

The Ritz-Carlton Club has its sights on The Bahamas, the industry’s leading private residence club continues its expansion at The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Managed Club.

A secluded residential development and sporting retreat, The Abaco Club offers more than two miles of pristine powder soft beaches, stunning turquoise waters and a multitude of activities from golf and fly fishing to horseback riding and a full-service spa. The fractional ownership, Ritz-Carlton Club, Abaco now joins the property’s existing real estate offerings of estate lots and turn-key cottages.

This fractional program is a points-based concept where Members have three membership options:

* Select Membership – 500 points
* Preferred Membership – 1,000 points
* Premium Membership – 1,500 points

With initial membership pricing starting at $110,000, Members receive points annually for use toward their vacations in Abaco. This approach provides increased flexibility as each Member can select the travel dates and residence floor plan best suited for their trip. Additionally, when choosing from the collection of homes, each residence is assigned a varying nightly point value.

The possibilities are endless on how a Member might enjoy their Ritz-Carlton Club membership. For instance, a Member could elect to spend 14 nights (1,190 points) in a cliff-side cottage with the family to escape the winter chill, seven nights (280 points) in a similar cottage in summer while the kids are on vacation and four nights (30 points) in a cabana in the fall for a romantic getaway.*

“For those seeking a vacation home alternative in The Bahamas, The Ritz-Carlton Club provides a lifestyle like no other,” said Peter J. Watzka, executive vice president and chief operating officer for The Ritz-Carlton Development Company, Inc. (an affiliate of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C). “It affords a carefree home ownership experience, complete with a staff of dedicated Ladies and Gentlemen to assist Members with their every need. This island destination, and specifically The Abaco Club, is the ideal setting to expand our growing brand.”

Now in sales, The Ritz-Carlton Club, Abaco is targeted for first phase occupancy in December 2008, and ultimately offering 16 homes in the program. Furthermore, the concept grants a deeded interest as part of a Bahamian real estate trust. This approach allows Members to will the interest to their heirs, if desired. Membership also includes privileged access to the 7,183 yard / par 72, Scottish-style links golf course designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie – named number one in The Bahamas by Golfweek in 2007.

“The key ingredient to this new concept is Member feedback,” continued Watzka. “Our Members told us they are looking for enhanced flexibility when using their second homes. As a result, we designed a program as diverse as their travel plans.”

When making a reservation, Members may choose from four, fully furnished home options. The cabanas will provide approximately 570 square feet of living space. Overlooking Winding Bay, cliff-side cottages will include from two- to three-bedroom floor plans (roughly 1,656 – 2,385 square feet). Two-story, four-bedroom fairway villas (approximately 2,800 square feet) will meander along the golf course, and finally, two-story beachfront cottages will offer a three-bedroom floor plan at approximately 2,250 square feet. All homes will boast a blend of southern hospitality with large porches and comfortable furnishings, as well as a Caribbean color palette.

The Ritz-Carlton Club lifestyle is tailored to each Member’s preferences. Services include pre-arrival provisioning of the Member’s residence, such as pre-stocking of their refrigerator; concierge services; storage of personal items; assistance with travel arrangements; vacation activity planning; and twice-daily housekeeping. Ritz-Carlton Club Members will also take pleasure in the octagonally-designed clubhouse featuring gourmet dining and entertainment, as well as views of the bay and its double crescent shoreline. At the beach, Members will discover numerous water activities including snorkeling at a nearby coral reef, and Buster’s, a casual thatched-roof bar and grill at the water’s edge.

In addition, Members will have the option of traveling to other destinations through reciprocal use privileges at Ritz-Carlton Club locations from San Francisco to Aspen, Colo.

Architects collaborating on the fractional residence designs are Plan It Bahamas located in Nassau, The Bahamas, and Cooper Johnson Smith Architects, Inc. in Tampa, Fla.

About The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Managed Club Located on Abaco in The Bahamas, The Abaco Club on Winding Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Managed Club is an island sanctuary coupled with Founder and Chairman, Peter de Savary’s vision and service excellence of The Ritz-Carlton. This 534-acre retreat offers estate home lots, cottages, cabanas, fractional residences and golf and social memberships, all of which provide Members and Guest Members with a calming respite. Diversions are plentiful including: the world’s first Scottish-style links golf course in the tropics (designed by Donald Steel and Tom Mackenzie), clubhouse, dining, spa, tennis courts, and fitness and equestrian centers. Snorkeling, diving, deep sea fishing and flats bone fishing are also part of The Club’s available activities. Serviced by cities in Florida and Nassau, Bahamas, Abaco is easily accessed by commercial airlines or private jet to Marsh Harbour Airport. For those with private planes, The Abaco Club has its own terminal, inclusive of The Bahamas Customs and Immigration services.

About The Ritz-Carlton Club
The Ritz-Carlton Club is a deeded, fractional ownership real estate offering combining the benefits of vacation home ownership with personalized Ritz-Carlton services and amenities. Designed as a private club, The Ritz-Carlton Club offers Members the opportunity to access their luxuriously-appointed home Club or other Ritz-Carlton Clubs through reciprocal use privileges in accordance with reservation procedures. Members also have the ability to utilize additional time as available.

For More Information visit: PrivateResidenceClubs.com

Jumeirah to Manage Luxury Residence Club in The US Virgin Islands

2008-10-03T14:18:00.004-07:00

Jumeirah, the Dubai-based luxury international hospitality management group and Timbers Resorts have joined together to build a luxurious multi-use resort occupying the entire western tip of St. Thomas. The Jumeirah Botany Bay Resort, a five-star boutique hotel of 84 rooms, spread over nine graceful buildings in an intimate and secluded setting. Scheduled to open in 2011, the 400-acre resort will also include 30 fractional residences, 30 whole ownership villas and up to 20 grand estates. These serviced residences will be managed by Jumeirah Living, combining the luxury of a prestige hotel with all the privacy and comforts of home.

Previously owned by The Corning Family as their private estate, Jumeirah at Botany Bay is now available to owners seeking a relaxed and intimate home or retreat. The property’s ideal location provides easy access clear blue water, a pristine coral reef with rare staghorn coral and nature conservancy. In addition, the western location of the property means that it boasts many of the most spectacular views of the St. Thomas sunsets. With its unique topography, The Preserve at Botany Bay offers resort residences that provide both commanding ocean views and easy beach access to two, intimate beach coves. Property owners will enjoy home ownership in an intimate setting while having at their fingertips the amenities and services of a luxury boutique hotel. The Preserve at Botany Bay is an unprecedented opportunity in the Virgin Islands.

The Timbers Company is renowned for developing luxury residence clubs and resorts such as The Timbers Club in Snowmass, Colorado; The Rocks Luxury Residence Club in Scottsdale, Arizona; the Esperanza Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; the Castello di Casole in Tuscany, Italy; and One Steamboat Place in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

For more information visit PrivateResidenceClubs.com