Exclusive Resorts

Next Great Place: A New Travel Experience Network From An Exclusive Resorts Alumnus

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

Next Great Place residences at Capella Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas

Tom Filippini has both a significant background and pedigree in the high end travel industry, and is a substantial traveler himself. Filippini has visited roughly 50 countries and nearly every state in the US. And, this passion led Filippini to become one of the co-founders of Exclusive Resorts, the world's largest destination club, where he served as Executive Vice President, generating over $750 million in new membership sales. Filippini and fellow Exclusive Resorts alum Erik Mitisek have since left their positions with ER, and have launched Next Great Place, an online travel planning company that streamlines the process of planning and booking unique, complex vacations.

The Next Great Place process begins with travelers submitting a vacation request, detailing information such as destination desired, number of guests, and budget. Next Great Place subsequently submits the request to a vetted group of vendors in the desired destinations. Over the next 48 hours, those suppliers create customized travel proposals that are returned to the traveler who chooses the proposal they like the most, locking in the proposed rates.

"Our vision is to improve the lives of travelers by facilitating their enjoyment of more frequent and better vacations with family and friends," Filippini told Luxist, "Our online travel network will match travelers seeking custom experiences to pre-screened travel suppliers, ultimately creating a more efficient and hassle-free way to plan unique vacations." Next Great Place will target family-oriented accommodations including condo-hotel residences and individual villas with each supplier vetted using the company's proprietary 300-point checklist to ensure the highest quality standards in every destination.

The video below shows the back story of exactly how a luxury residence meets the high, detail-oriented standards of Next Great Place. From thread counts to toilet seats, this video shows how exacting these people are!

Tags: beaver creek, cabo san lucas, Capella Pedregal, destination clubs, Esperanza, Exclusive Resorts, Next Great Place, Tom Filippini, vacation club

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Inspirato: A New Luxury Vacation Club Designed By Brent Handler, Co-Founder of Exclusive Resorts (with Video)

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

This week marks the launch of Inspirato, the next intriguing idea of Exclusive Resorts co-founder Brent Handler. Inspirato combines the advantages of independent villa rental with the personalized services and amenities of private luxury vacation clubs. Inspirato membership provides access to a portfolio of multi-million dollar vacation homes that are controlled and operated through the company's long-term lease arrangements, along with personalized service and support. I interviewed Brent recently, and asked him questions about his new venture and adventure.

How did your entrepreneurial spirit and your Exclusive Resorts background inform your creating the new club, Inspirato?

I am the co-founder of Exclusive Resorts, and started the whole Exclusive Resorts Destination Club idea in my basement. This experience was a consequence of my being a serial entrepreneur. I always find more enjoyment in building something than maintaining and protecting something. This is why I left ER over a year ago. I still love Exclusive Resorts, but I wanted more challenges. This is the curse and blessing of having this type of entrepreneurial DNA. I am always thinking of what to do next, of different opportunities. So, I began thinking: I have always enjoyed vacation travel and remembered a statistic that really interested me and stayed with me: the villa/vacation rental industry was one that garnered $24B or so in recent years.

Why did you find that interesting?

It is interesting because that's a large dollar amount, and the villa rental experience is generally not curated for the user. We began due diligence, and discovered that those who rented villas did it through brokers, meaning the renters had no idea about the quality of the homes or their interiors. There were no travel planners at the beginning, or dedicated people to help the villa renters once they were there. So, to an entreprenuer's mind -- here was an opportunity! What we did was apply the benefits of the branded club experience to a completely different market segment, which was in this case the villa rental industry.

And this is how Inspirato was conceived?

In general, yes. Along with three other co-founders, my brother Brad who started Exclusive Resorts with me, Brian Corbett, a senior leader at Exclusive Resorts who managed the Once in a Lifetime program, and Martin Pucher, another entrepreneur from the tech world, we put together Inspirato as a way to make luxury vacation travel even easier. And I think we have succeeded. Our club is unique, in that it has no prepaid days, no upfront fees, no nightly minimum, no reservation rules, yet the members receive all the service benefits similar to destination clubs or branded clubs, like the Ritz Carlton or the Four Seasons. At Inspirato, there are Personal Vacation Advisors who learn each member's preferences and assists in vacation planning, residence selection and booking, and a Destination Concierge that offers local expertise and dedicated assistance before arrival and during the member's vacation. In collaboration with the member's Personal Vacation Advisor, Destination Concierges are experts at planning the ideal vacation that suits each member's personal preferences, from recommending and arranging activities for all ages; booking spa, golf and restaurant reservations; securing on-site transportation; and assisting with any needs during their stay.

Tags: Brent Handler, Exclusive Resorts, Inspirato, Villa Rental industry, Villa RentalVacation Clubs

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Destination Club Holiday Gift Memberships, Part 2: Exclusive Resorts' Five Most Popular Resorts And Residences

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Exclusive Resorts is the oldest and largest destination club in the world. Its members have gone on over 100,000 vacations, and on average, according to its CEO Jeff Potter, ER has maintained a 95% satisfaction rate. This year, over 150 members joined and almost as many upgraded their membership. With 3,500 members, and in a year where many clubs have not done well, ER has opened 65 new residences, since January 2009. One of ER's other notable differentiators is their large number of residences in each destination.

I have written about Exclusive Resorts in Luxist before, and the most recent article dealt with the $10,000 gift card if a potential member joins by December 15th. "We have received many calls about this," says Jeff Hartman, VP of Corporate Communications, " and many want to give these as Christmas gifts to family, friends and business associates. A great idea, especially with that extra $10,000 they can spend!!"

I recently asked Jeff Hartman and Anne Griebling, ER's Communications Manager, about the most popular member choices in destinations and residences of 2010. Here is the list, with Anne's comments.

Tags: Casole dElsa Exclusive Resorts Residence, Exclisvie Resorts Lake Tahoe, Exclusive Resorts, Exclusive Resorts Destination Club, Exclusive Resorts Northstar at Tahoe, Los Cabos Mexico Exclusive Resorts, Miraval Exlcusive Resorts, Punta Ballena Exclusive Resorts, Real Del Mar Residence Exclusive Resorts

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Good News For The Vacation Homeless: Luxury Membership Options Emerge Following The Ultimate Escapes Bankruptcy

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Demeure's Borgo De Vagli residence, Tuscany

For those of us who have followed the fallout from the Ultimate Escapes bankruptcy, it has been a bumpy ride. I have written about this bankruptcy before on Luxist, but here is a small refresher précis.

Ultimate Escapes was a high end, luxury, non-equity based destination club, and the second largest in the industry. Members paid between $150,000 and $800,000 membership deposit, and many thousands more in annual dues. For those fees, they took vacations to exotic places and stay in exceptional residences, villas and condos. There were over 1400 members when the club bankrupted in mid-September, 2010. It was then the fifth major bankruptcy in five years for the non-equity destination club space. Prior to Ultimate escapes was Tanner & Haley, Lusso, High Country Club, Solstice, and now this. For members, industry watchers and many others, this bankruptcy began a serious re-thinking process. What is the matter?

As with many complex problems, this one appeared easy to solve. Many believed it was the non-equity model on which literally all of the bankrupted clubs were based, and in part, but only in part, it was. The first generation non-equity model was broadly based on a kind of Wild West 2004-2008 YAHOO-type optimism: clubs will certainly grow if -- real estate values would appreciate, and if members continued to join. If this growth hormone were in place, and why shouldn't it be?.. then the members will receive what was promised to them: 80% of their deposits back upon resignation from the club, and the 3 in 1 out option borrowed from the timeshare industry: If three new members joined, you could resign. Simple. Seemed so reasonable in those pre-Madoff times.

And because it seemed so reasonable, and times were so optimistic, many clubs bought properties and others were leased when prices were at an all-time high. Then, suddenly, in October of 2008, the perfect storm appeared: real estate values declined, Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros. deflated. But no matter what, lenders wanted mortgage payments and lessors wanted their rent. With these occurrences, the first generation club model looked like a house of cards, easily toppled by the dark winds of a collapsing economy and potential members' deciding against joining any club, even, as one member said to me, "a church group." Thus, with this last bankruptcy, following much the same process as the others, many felt this was the last gasp for the non-equity based club.

BUT! The model is not dead: it is evolving....

Tags: Abercrombie Kent Residence Club, Boundless Journeys, Demeure Club, Destination Club, DUO by Quintess, Exclusive Resorts, Post Ultimate escapes Bankruptcy, Quintess, Second Home Destinations, Ultimate escapes bankruptcy

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A New Exclusive Resorts Holiday Offer: $10,000 Gift Card To Join Before December 15th

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Real del Mar Residence, Exclusive Resorts

Members of Exclusive Resorts, the world's largest destination club, have long enjoyed a substantial list of white glove services over the years as part of their membership. With the holidays coming closer, Exclusive Resorts is rewarding new members who join before December 15, 2010 with even more services -- by giving them a $10,000 gift card to be used for private chefs, spa treatments, customized excursions, tee times, and more.

This offer is one that might tempt Ultimate Escapes members, as their club bankrupted in September. I have written about this bankruptcy on Luxist before. The members of this club, around 1400, have since received many offers from Demeure, Duo byQuintess and others. Though the $10,000 Exclusive Resorts offer is not specific to Ultimate Escapes members, it may provide more incentive for those who are not yet committed to any club or Villa rental service, and who still are searching for a destination club to join. Since their inception, Exclusive Resorts has maintained a membership satisfaction score in excess of 90% every year, demonstrating the care taken with each member.

Also, despite the poor state of the economy, Exclusive Resorts exceeded many of their goals for 2010, in terms of new membership sales. When the year began, Chairman Steve Case appeared on CNBC and said that a "decent" year was expected for the club. Since then, Exclusive Resorts has sold well over 150 new memberships YTD, with over 100 upgrades from current members. They have also executed their 100,000th vacation this year.

From the business side of the equation, Exclusive Resorts has also spent much of 2010 on reducing costs, an initiative that has them at or under budget for all major cost categories. Last December, Exclusive Resorts finished 2009 with their best sales month of the year. With this intriguing $10,000 incentive, 2010 may be just as lucrative.

Luxist is grateful to Destination Club News for referring this story to us.

Tags: Demeure, Destination Club News, destination club offers, Duo by Quintess, Exclusive Resorts, Steve Case, Ultimate Escapes Bankruptcy

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Viva Vdara!: Exclusive Resorts Adds Ten New Residences in Las Vegas

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: By Design

Recently, I wrote a Luxist article about the relevance of Exclusive Resorts and their permanent mark on the destination club industry. Exclusive Resorts has announced the opening of 10 new residences for members at Vdara Hotel & Spa at CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip.

All are corner units, located high in the building, custom-designed and furnished to suit club member tastes. Each two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath residence features an open floor plan, fully equipped kitchen, and spa-style bathrooms, wrapped by windows showcasing city and mountain views. Amenities include round-the-clock concierge service, gourmet in-room dining, and preferred reservations at MGM MIRAGE restaurants and shows.

Tags: citycenter, destination club, destination clubs, exclusive resorts, las vegas, vdara

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From Conspicuous to Conscious Consumption: Redesigning the Meaning of Luxury

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth, By Design

Looking for the green shoots of optimism is not easy -- especially after two winters of discontent. Yet, there appears to be a resurgence of optimism, a new energy that may have the power to redesign as it redefines new ways of perceiving the idea and the reality of luxury.

On the plus side is the Wall Street Journal. In the 03/08/2010 article entitled The Ten Best Places For Second Homes, Steven M. Sears declared, "At long last, the market for luxury real estate is coming back to life. Prices for primary residences, which plunged at least 20% from the peak in 2007, appear to have bottomed. In some of the snappiest locations, scattered bidding wars are breaking out and prices are turning upward. In Greenwich, Conn., realty brokers say, the final months of 2009 were almost record-setters for sales volume, as two years of pent-up demand was unleashed."

Also pertinent are data in the newest Wealth Report (3/15/10), with inferences that seem promising: "Retail chains post a 3.7% increase in February comps, with luxury outperforming the overall group. Consumers are again indulging in luxury purchases."

Could this mean that the 2009 severe recession earthquake is behind us? Well, hopefully. But it's necessary to remember the concept of false positives. In medicine, economics, statistics, pregnancy tests and LIFE, they are results that look good but, after the dust settles, may not yield the results originally expected. Consistently valid results take time. So with the shoots of hope within the numbers above, there is still room/time for questioning. We receive clearer pictures as time goes on, understanding that hope should be tempered by the economic history of the recent past.

Maybe the consensus of philosophers and economists were right – that it takes trauma to change minds and actions, and because of this unexpected economic jolt, what has also changed over the past 18 or more months is an unexpected evolution in the definitions and dimensions of luxury.

Tags: Abercrombie Kent Residence Club, changes in luxury buying, consequences of recession, CRM, Exclusive Resorts, Exquisite Safaris, luxury buying, luxury trends, second home buying

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Enlivening Exclusive Resorts: Moving Forward in the Destination Club Industry

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: By Design

Bovey Castle, England

As with many great ideas, this one started small, and from unpleasant, stressful experiences. Exclusive Resorts was originally founded seven years ago, by Brad and Brent Handler, two brothers who had consistently experienced classic vacation dilemmas with their own families. When traveling with children, grandparents and friends to high-end resorts and hotels, they experienced the same problems again and again: not enough room, no kitchens, child-unfriendly spaces, and the distinct impression from some hotel staffs that larger families with children were noisome rather than welcome.

At the same time, a new luxury travel idea was already in the air. That year, 2002, a company called Private Retreats, based in Telluride, Colorado, was launched to address the same vacation dilemma. It was called a destination club, a new idea with a model that combined two vastly different yet already successful industries: the country club and the fractional jet business. From the country club model came the idea of paying a membership deposit and annual dues, and from the fractional jet world came the idea of paying the dues and deposit in relation to the amount of time the potential member wished to use, so there was a range of pricing, usually from one month to three, or more or less. But in both cases, the member did not own or invest in the club, or the homes, instead he or she paid to use, and so it was called a non-equity club.

Source

Tags: Americas Group, destination, Destination Clubs, Exclusive Resorts, Miraval, Sea Island, Steve Case

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The Design Of A Great Vacation: Quintess and the Destination Club Experience

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: By Design

As with many great ideas, the destination club idea was not born in a vacuum. Its distant ideological cousin, the timeshare, originated in the '70's in Europe. It was a simple idea, buying space for time, but because of some developers' sales techniques, the timeshare developed a less than stellar reputation. However, the idea itself remained viable, and it evolved – from owning a 1/30th share in a small apartment, to owning shares in much more substantive residences, and in the clubs themselves,. The membership deed or the fractional share all came with significant amenities: private chefs, limo drivers, dedicated destination hosts, existing only to make dinner arrangements, acquiring the best concert tickets, creating worry-free vacations on every known dimension.

The destination club idea took hold in the early 2000s. In the beginning, were the nonequity clubs, then came the equity based ones. With the former, the member did not own anything, paid a one-time membership deposit, annual dues, and vacationed in elite destinations in $2-6M homes. With the equity-based clubs, the members owned the clubs, bought the homes and had much to say in the club management.

But there was a dark side to this idea – and it was its explosive and unexpected growth. In 2003, the sales volume was a modest $513.M. In 2006, it ballooned to $2.5B.

All went well until the industry hit a major bump in July of 2006, with Tanner & Haley, the first Destination Club, to bankrupt, followed by many others. Out of the 31 functioning destination clubs extant in 2006, there are now, in 2010, five. But these five are strong,fiscally transparent, and consumer-centric, taking a lessons-learned approach from the failed clubs. The equity-based clubs, where the members own the residences, are Equity Estates, and Abercrombie & Kent Residence Clubs. The non-equity clubs, are Exclusive Resorts, oldest and largest, Ultimate Escapes, the second largest with has multi-leveled membership plans, and, Quintess arguably, one of the smaller and most boutique-like, with many architecturally significant homes, all priced at 4M and up.

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Tags: destination clubs, DestinationClubs, Exclusive resorts, Quintess, Ultimate escapes

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Andre Agassi Partners Up With Exclusive Resorts

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf may be retired from tennis but they are certainly not kicking back. In addition to the resort they are working on in Idaho and their furniture line, they have also recently announced that their Agassi Graf Development company will be working with Exclusive Resorts, the destination club headed by Steve Case. The company will co-develop luxury resort real estate, design Agassi-Graf Tennis and Fitness Centers, and enhance the tennis and fitness experiences at the Exclusive Resorts destination residences.

The early 2007 grand opening of the Exclusive Resprts Poro-Poro resort in Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica, will be a benefit for the Agassi Foundation. Selected Foundation donors will have the opportunity to meet and play tennis with Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf. They still have time for a little tennis after all.

Source

Tags: agassi, destination clubs, exclusive resorts, ExclusiveResorts, graf, tennis

Destination Clubs and the NFL

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

We've mentioned Exclusive Resorts, a luxury residence club, before. It's just one of the destination clubs that has popped up in the last few years. Exclusive Resorts has now partnered up with The National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Exclusive Resorts will make a $25,000 charitable donation on behalf of NFLPA and for each NFLPA member who joins Exclusive Resorts, the club will make an additional contribution to a charitable organization designated by the NFLPA. The Helium Report questions whether former NFL players are the right association for a luxury brand but as they point out, former quarterback Steve Young already appears in ads for Private Escapes and the New England Patriots have a deal with Dream Catchers. It seems to me that for the most part, an association with the NFL doesn't detract from the exclusivity factor but only increases it.

Source

Tags: destination club, exclusive resorts, football, luxury, nfl, vacation

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