Destination clubs, residence funds and luxury travel clubs provide their members with access to multiple luxury vacation homes, located all over the world. The homes are typically multi-million dollar residences, and are sited in major cities, at beaches, in mountains and leisure locations.
Membership of the clubs is an alternative to buying a second home. The clubs are sometimes also compared to, or even mixed up with, private residence clubs, but there are several key differences between the two.
If you're just starting out learning about the clubs and funds read the overview and the glossary. Then you can start to compare them in the comparison table. One way to financially compare them is using a cost per night calculation and we've provided downloadable spreadsheets for these calculations. Here are the top reasons to join a club, but they are not for everybody and here are the reasons not to join.
And for a real in-depth look at the clubs, their homes and services, comparisons to alternatives and questions to consider before joining, download our Guide for Prospective Members.
The map shows some of the main destinations where the clubs have homes. Click on the markers to see the actual homes.
The latest news and research on the clubs is included below.
In the new merged destination club that combines Ultimate Resort with Private Escapes there will be three club levels with homes values at $1m, $2m and $3m. CEO Jim Tousignant recently unveiled the pricing plans for each of these club levels.
Luxury destination club Lusso has just added a new home on the Turks and Caicos Island of Providenciales. Provo as it is affectionately known, is starting to be a popular location for several destination clubs.
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) just reported US vacation home sales dropped 30.6 percent to 740,000 in 2007. This drop is in marked contrast to the increase in shared luxury vacation homes which, as we reported two weeks ago, saw an 8% growth to $2.3bn in 2007.
The calendar may say Spring but with so much snow in the mountains this year, most ski resorts are open well into April and some are even going into May. For anyone who's not yet "skied out" this year, here is the availability at some destination club homes.
The Portofino Club was the second destination club to form, but this early birth has led to some growing pains, and the club is undergoing a restructuring and recapitalization.
The 17th century farmhouse, called Rigo Salcio, was just nominated for the 2008 International Property Awards in the Best International Redevelopment category.
Founder and CEO of LUSSO, Steve Greer, was kind enough to share his personal journey and insight into the destination club industry as a whole and LUSSO in particular, in this exclusive interview.
For folks who are interested in previewing the destination club experience, without committing to the full membership plans, Ultimate Resort now offers a way to try out the club.
In an article headlined "A Second Act for Destination Clubs", the Times gave a good review of destination clubs.
New to the world of Destination Clubs? Maybe you just heard about them and want a quick and easy way to get going, and boost your knowledge on these luxury vacation options? The following articles will get you up to speed in no time. Soon you will be the one explaining this ever-growing luxury trend to your friends and family.
As of March 1st, the luxury vacation club Distinctive Holiday Homes has changed its membership plans and lowered the annual dues while increasing the initial membership fee on most plans.
Ultimate Resort has just acquired another destination club, Ventures Equity. The acquisition adds 6 new homes, with an average value of about $3m each, to Ultimates highest level "Elite" club.
In the current financial climate we wanted to see what sort of financial packages each of the different destination clubs were offering to help members with their joining fees. We asked each of the clubs about the packages that they offer.
Quintess is building on its partnership with The Leading Hotels of the World to provide a variety of unique travel opportunities called Q Leading Experiences.
It seems that many of the destination clubs are out competing each other to offer joining incentives at the moment.
If you are age 50 or up and looking for a destination club geared specifically to your demographic, Golden Years Holidays Club (GYH), a UK public company, might be worth checking out.
Choosing a destination club can take a bit of thought and research. How do you know which one is best for you and your family? By following these simple guidelines our hope is that you will find the perfect club for your future vacations.
The Lusso Collection is increasing its member deposit from March 1st and also changing its membership rewards feature.
Under the heading "Paradise Lost" Fortune magazine just reported on the ascendancy and subsequent tribulations of Tim Blixseth and his Yellowstone Club. The article also covers his ultra luxury destination club, Yellowstone Club World.
Accredited investors who enjoy traveling to luxurious destinations and prefer to own a portfolio of homes instead of renting them should take a look at Equity Estates, LLC. This new destination club has recently launched and offers luxury vacations and a promising end goal for investors.
Sailor hats and boat shoes fly off storeroom shelves as Quintess members prepare for their voyages on Lady Quintess, a Viking Sport Cruiser 70' Motor Yacht. On February 29, 2008 members can set sail and explore the Eastern Seaboard from Hyannis and Annapolis to Miami Beach and the Florida Keys.