“This is a rich man’s vacation on a normal man’s salary,” says Ron Riley, CLUB WYNDHAM® owner since 1998 in describing why he enjoys vacationing with timeshare. In addition to Riley and his wife, more than a dozen owners participated in the video. Other owners will share their experiences in a blog in order to clearly convey the variety of reasons they cherish their vacation ownership.


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This month, Hilton Grand Vacations went around the world to see and talk to their owners while they were out enjoying their vacations and captured not only beautiful locations but from-the-heart words on why vacations are important and why timeshares are a better way to vacation. The video captures owner experiences on the beaches of Hawaii, the wonder of the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, and the streets of New York City to name just a few.

Bill and Phyllis Hopkins of Ohio are this month’s spotlight owners. They have been Hilton Grand Vacations Club Members since 2007 and they own at West 57th Street by Hilton Club in New York City as well as at Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando. When asked why they love their timeshare so much, they said, “Membership resolves the potential ‘beach house dilemma’ of vacationing in the same place year after year. Our passion is to explore new places and discover new cultures.” With timeshare they have gotten to do that, visiting Paris, Brussels and London as well as many U.S destinations.

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Divi Resorts is an exclusively Caribbean resort group with 11 resorts on six Caribbean islands: Aruba, Barbados, Bonaire, Cayman Brac, St Croix, and St Maarten. Already having the advantage of beautiful unique locales, Divi has been busy modernizing and improving all the resorts in the portfolio to create truly world-class vacation destinations and innovative vacation ownership products.

Divi wraps a major renovation and expansion program in 2011. In Aruba, Divi completed the final phase of a $50 million project at the Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort including new luxury golf view suites and 45 full ownership condominiums; and began renovations on the resort’s original 162 units. The Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort added 140 new luxury beachfront suites on the white sands of Palm Beach complete with freshwater pools and trendy Pure Beach Restaurant. The Divi Little Bay Beach Resort in St Maarten got a total refresh in 2009; and the Divi Flamingo Beach Resort in Bonaire renovated all suites in late 2010.

The Divi signature look and feel in all renovations is about modern luxury, featuring natural stone tile, stainless steel appliances, flat screen televisions, and of course – private balconies with tropical views and island breezes.

Despite the slow economy, 2010 was a strong year for Divi Resorts, with some of the highest timeshare sales on record. Divi credits the success to the company’s focus on product improvement.

So what’s new for 2011? Divi is expanding into niche markets, and creating new vacation ownership programs to meet the changing demands of today’s timeshare owners.

“We’re very confident in the quality of our physical product after our renovation programs. We’ve got beautiful resorts in some breathtaking locations,” says Mark Steward, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Divi Hotels Marketing, Inc. “Now we’re looking closely at how our guests vacation, and creating new vacation ownership programs to meet their needs.

Timesharing today is about flexibility and unique experiences.”

Divi Resorts now offers a Vacation Club program with flexible travel options allowing owners to vacation at any Divi Caribbean resort, or trade into over 3,500 resorts worldwide in the RCI Points exchange program.

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The contrasts of the Gold Coast unite to deliver every holiday experience you could desire in one friendly place. More than 300 days of sunshine each year allow you to explore more than 70 kilometres of unspoiled coastline and beaches as well as 100,000 hectares of World Heritage rainforest. Here you can discover native Australian wildlife in their natural habitat. As Australia’s sixth largest city, the Gold Coast is also home to a broad assortment of after dark entertainment opportunities, perfect for quiet and intimate gatherings or more extravagant and festive get-togethers. The Gold Coast invites you to dine in some of its 600 restaurants and cafes and enjoy the southern hemisphere’s largest range of attractions and activities, all while discovering rich Australian landscapes just 20 minutes’ drive from the city heart.

The Gold Coast is all about fun, entertainment, nightlife and shopping. There are the lively precincts of Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Broadbeach – plus the ever active Broadwater and Southport Seaway. You can easily fill your day with thrill rides, water slides, jet boats, surf breaks or just lounging around. It’s just as active by night with bright lights, dining and dance venues, bustling bars and casino spread throughout this city by the sea. Retail enthusiasts can nab endless bargains among a range of popular brand factory outlets, luxurious high fashion boutique stores, plus popular arts, crafts and local produce markets. Golfing resorts are also a major part of why the Gold Coast is Famous for fun.

As a major coastal hub of South East Queensland, the Gold Coast has much to offer international visitors.

The Gold Coast is one big adventure waiting to be discovered. Amazing new hotel properties such as the five star Peppers Broadbeach and Hilton Surfers Paradise have been welcoming guests making it a very exciting time to visit the city. Exciting too are the numerous things to see and do throughout the region that are sure to encourage travellers to place Australia’s Gold Coast on their must-do list. Just 40 minutes’ drive from the city heart is a hinterland of subtropical rainforest, interspersed with mountain villages, bushwalks, waterfalls and swimming holes, plus valleys of working produce farms and cattle stations. Day tours are extremely popular, where roaming wildlife and an array of flora and fauna represent nature at its finest. If you’re feeling active you can try hang gliding, horse riding, 4WD tours, hot air ballooning, ATV adventures or canopy walks.

The Tamborine Rainforest Skywalk is set on 30 acres of stunning rainforest and allows visitors to explore along a spectacular elevated walkway, high above the ground in the beautiful rainforest canopy, descending gradually to the densely vegetated rainforest floor. The walk follows points of interest including rockpools and waterfalls, a butterfly lookout, local history enclosure and sheltered rest areas along the way, until reaching the amazing Skywalk, a 40 metre long cantilever soaring 30 metres above the valley, creek and the rainforest canopy below.

Bed-and-breakfast outlets, wineries, boutique distilleries, breweries, restaurants, rustic homesteads, plus local produce, arts and crafts and jewellery stores are scattered throughout this rural setting. Foremost among the magical experiences on offer to travellers are an overnight stay at award winning, boutique establishments, Peppers Ruffles Lodge & Spa and the Escarpment Retreat. The architecturally stunning Peppers property offers the height of style and comfort with eight beautifully appointed villas and exclusive one or two bedroom executive suite, complete with day spa, an infinity edge swimming pool, heated therapeutic spa, golf practice area, walking tracks plus a lounge, bar and dining area.

Similarly, the Escarpment Retreat’s appeal has been reconfirmed after recently being awarded one of TripAdvisor’s Top Ten Relaxation/Spa Hotels in the South Pacific. Such recognition places the small, boutique Mount Tamborine six-villa retreat alongside International favourites such as the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora and the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia.

To gain your bearings upon arrival at the Gold Coast, venture to the all-new Skypoint Observation Deck, situated on Level 77 and Level 78 of the World’s tallest residential tower, the iconic Q1. This attraction tells the Gold Coast story via glass window overlays, foot level signs, informative feature zones, static displays and video presentations that promote the lifestyle and the entire spectrum of experiences available on the Gold Coast. This high climbing chameleon doubles as a chic, high-altitude lounge bar after-dark with a hot line-up of live entertainment every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night and a new cocktail menu including the signature ‘Mile High.’

Among the new and exciting dining fare currently available on the Gold Coast are the in-house options at the newly branded QT Gold Coast hotel in Surfers Paradise. The Stingray Lounge is a sophisticated refuge defined by impressive lofty ceilings, architecturally designed space, plus extensive mix of lounge, bar and table seating. And forget what you think you know about hotel restaurants, QT Gold Coast’s Bazaar reinterprets the traditional hotel dining concept by marrying the infectious energy of the inspired international street stalls, souks and bodegas, with QT Gold Coast sophistication.

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From the moment members set foot onto Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club in Puerto Plata on the beautiful North Coast of the Dominican Republic, they know they are very important people and are living the V.I.P dream. LHVC has refined the V.I.P treatment to an artform so that what members see, taste, experience, and how they are treated leaves a lasting impression. It is truly unlike anything they have ever experienced on vacation before, and is the secret to LHVC’s blooming success.

Lavish Welcome Parties and Specialized Celebrations
Weekly V.I.P parties for over a thousand people are just the beginning of each week at Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club. The impressive staging and lighting, live entertainment, enormous spread of international foods with 23 food stations, personal service, and a fireworks display on the beach and under the stars can only be found at LHVC. It’s Lifestyle’s own signature way of saying, “Welcome Home, You are Special and This is All About You.”

Specialty parties and “over the top” celebrations are also just a normal part of vacationing at LHVC. To help bring in the New Year for 2011, Lifestyle brought in “the world’s greatest 70s show band,” The Right On Band, to perform live for New Year’s Eve 2010. Having played for President Obama’s inauguration as well as for two other U.S. Presidents, introduced and accompanied by celebrities like George Lopez and Smokey Robinson, and having performed in Time Square, New York City for New Year’s Eve, The Right On Band made Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club in Puerto Plata a very special place to be. The 10-piece band and its full horn section rocked the house with their Motown, Disco and Funk tunes, performing in their signature flamboyant 70s costumes and wigs for 3,000 members and their closest friends for two and a half hours.

“We were thrilled to have had such a high caliber band entertain our members and guests,” said Hans Larcher, Managing Director, Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club. “We have already booked them again for New Year’s Eve 2011.”

More Luxury Accommodations
LHVC makes the same commitment to excellence when it comes to quality and variety of accommodations for its members and guests. Just a year after first offering its new Presidential Suites by Lifestyle on the Amber Coast of Cofresi Beach in Puerto Plata, in partnership with Spain-based Globalia Corporation, Lifestyle has now completed Phase II with the addition of four new buildings and 24 two-bedroom suites. Presidential Suites By Lifestyle Cofresi Beach features ultra-modern, one and two bedrooms, full kitchen, dining area plus living room with pull down Murphy Bed to accommodate eight people. Property amenities include the JAZZ French Fusion Restaurant and Bourbon Street Bar, and the new BLUES Las Vegas style buffet eatery situated in front of a large swimming pool with waterfall, hot tub, three professional tennis courts, wireless internet, private beach and access to all Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort facilities and amenities.

“We are delighted over the success and demand for this product,” said Larcher. “Our goal was to offer an upscale new concept to provide our members and guests with a totally new experience. Phase II of the Presidential Suites will allow us to continue delivering on that promise.”

LHVC’s variety of upscale accommodations offerings also encompasses the Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort with four distinct developments including The Tropical, The Crown Suites, The Crown Villas, and the Residence Suites; as well as Dream Suites By Lifestyle, also launched in 2010 in Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata and in Punta Cana.

Gourmet Restaurants and Themed Bars
Along with the growth and variety of upscale accommodations, comes a constant flow of new restaurants, new culinary concepts and brand new themed bars. LHVC just opened its 11th on-property restaurant, BLUES, featuring a high-end Las Vegas Style buffet for breakfast and lunch including international dishes from around the world and different specialty items daily on the grill such as blackened fresh grouper, gourmet burgers and fresh homemade pasta. An organic salad bar is also featured.

Other newly opened restaurants in the last year at LHVC include the JAZZ French Fusion restaurant with authentic Cajun and Creole menu items and signature dishes like Cajun Dusted Caribbean Sea Bass and NOLA Seafood Etoufée and the AZUL Gourmet restaurant on the third floor of the resort’s Member Services Building which demonstrates attention to every detail from silverware to wait staff uniforms, and operates to the equivalence of a Michelin Star Restaurant. Menu items include Filet Mignon with Bernaise Sauce and Lobster in lemon butter. The restaurant’s modern blue lighting and intimate atmosphere inspire its name, which means blue in Spanish.

These newest additions complement LHVC’s complete array of dining choices, which also include the Mexican, Italian, Asian Fusion, Seafood, buffet and Simply Gourmet restaurants located throughout the resort. The “white glove” Simply Gourmet is well known by members and guests for its elegant lighted menus, which provide easy reading and intimate lighting. There’s even a good oldfashioned ice cream shop called SCOOPS to provide custom, cool desserts.

LHVC’s new selection of 20 customized bars includes a rum bar, champagne bar, vodka, gin, brandy, whiskey, tequila and bourbon bars, and specialty bars such as a liqueur, wine, martini, and on tap beer bar, as well as coffee and drink dessert bars. Each themed bar features a fun name and ambiance with its own specialty drink menu. For example, Anja’s Lounge, a Brandy Bar, serves an Apple Sidecar, Beach Street Cooler and Summer Slush while Cosmopolitan’s Martini Bar serves Chocolate Martinis, Appletinis and Lemon Drops, and The Spot Vodka Bar features a French Kiss, Bay Breeze and Absolut Pleasure.

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RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands, has significantly enhanced its RCI® Weeks program to allow members to know the trading power value of their vacation interval once deposited with RCI.

For the first time in its 36-year history, RCI Weeks members are able to compare the trading power value of their deposited week to the trading power value of the timeshare interval they want to exchange into and can also for the first time combine deposited timeshare intervals allowing them to transact into higher-valued vacations.

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This past August, Wyndham Vacation Ownership, a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies,
opened its brand-new 19-story tower at Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort in Orlando, Florida. This latest expansion adds 300 units to the world-class property, which is situated immediately adjacent to the Walt Disney World Resort. The property now boasts approximately 1,150 units sprawled across 58 acres.

And what is perhaps the most innovative feature isn’t the bed, television or a kitchen appliance – although it can be found in the kitchen.

Intelity, an Orlando based hospitality technology firm, has deployed an innovative and interactive guest web experience, Wyndham Connect, exclusively across all Wyndham Hotel Group brands in North America, as well as Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort, and provided access to its Interactive Customer Experience (ICE) suite of products.

This partnership works in concert with Wyndham Worldwide’s strategic sourcing group, which seeks to leverage global purchasing to achieve savings, support brand standards and improve the guest experience at all Wyndham properties.

While staying at the Wyndham Bonnet Creek, owners and guests have easy and convenient access to local information and services. From finding nearby restaurants, to local maps and directions, flight and airline information, to local offers and discounts – Wyndham Connect, via the ICE interface, helps vacation owners, vacation exchangers and nightly guests be productive and proactive on the road and enables them to connect to all the information they need.

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Matthew Spence

While the UK is lapping up one of its best years ever for tourist numbers, one company that has found the sweet spot on the British and Irish holiday front is Natural Retreats. Fiona Klonarides meets founder Matthew Spence, the man behind a brand that is going places – from “best of British” to global in the not too distant future.

More than a few vacation club members have been breathing collective sighs of relief this year. Having paid for their holidays upfront in better times, they haven’t had to dig deep to escape to far-off shores or sneak in a week close to home.

Last year visitor numbers to Britain rocketed; ditto this year, as figures remain high. The isle we are falling in love with again isn’t a taverna-dotted gem somewhere in the Mediterranean– no, it’s our very own big, very green Britain, dramatic cliffs and all. One company that has hit the sweet spot on the UK holiday front is Natural Retreats, whose almost uncanny knack for identifying what consumers want, and where, stems from its founder Matthew Spence, who came up with the idea during a major light bulb moment during a holiday in the U.S.

While visiting Yellowstone National Park, he was struck by its natural beauty but also by the sore lack of good quality self-catering accommodation; the concept for Natural Retreats was born.

With a handpicked portfolio of eight resorts already in operation in the UK and Ireland, Natural Retreats will have twenty locations by the end of next year – and forty by the end of 2013. Guests can stay, let or exchange, the choice is theirs, and one of the standouts of the Natural Retreats experience is the concierge service. Couple that with hasslefree, low cost ownership (weeks purchased can be sold, gifted or willed, and the original investment pays for itself in a few years), you have a recipe for success.

A core part of the Natural Retreats experience is savouring the flavour of the location. The main ingredient is the resorts. Beautiful stone barn conversions in the Llyn Peninsula… glass-fronted eco homes in the Yorkshire Dales, warm, stylish and woody…Cornish beach cottages by Fistral’s salty surf…and castles with character in Ireland’s beauty spots. The icing on the cake is the attention to detail: a welcome hamper of local organic goodies including wine, juice and milk, bread, eggs, Wensleydale cheeses, muesli, fruit, Taylor’s of Harrogate tea and fresh coffee, and of course the signature service, courtesy of the company’s Concierge Team.

With details of a new resort in Lanzarote about to be announced, Matthew Spence speaks to Fiona Klonarides about how it all started, the potential for global branding, and what’s in store next.

Q: What is your background and how did the Natural Retreats story begin? What was the spark that ignited the concept and the company?
I’d spent many years working in international leisure property, which had given me the opportunity to experience some of the worlds most beautiful and luxurious destinations and it had always been in my mind that the UK really lacked outstanding accommodation in some of our most stunning natural treasures.

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If you want to know why South Africa is growing as a tourist destination just ask Stuart Lamont, President and CEO of the country’s leading vacation ownership specialists, Club Leisure Group.

Lamont will tell you that South Africa has the world’s largest deposits of gold, chromium, platinum and manganese; that South African Breweries is the second largest brewing company in the world (supplying China with 50% of its beer annually); and that Durban is the largest port in Africa (the ninth largest in the world). The list goes on.

Also impressive are the figures behind the company he runs, Club Leisure Group. The Pretoria-born property developer joined Club Leisure Group in 1994 and with a handpicked team driving the company’s concerted vision, CLG now has inventory in more than 150 resorts, serving 200,000 members and employing 2,500 personnel. It has offices around the globe, in London, Brussels, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Australia’s Gold Coast and Swaziland, as well as more than 40 marketing outlets throughout Southern Africa.

The CLG story goes back to 1990. Thanks to his ability to accurately assess market trends, one of the founders of Flexi Holiday Club, Tony Ridl, was already maximising emerging market opportunities early on. Almost twenty-two years later he still plays a pivotal role in designing, developing and launching innovative products and services (in 11 different languages) to ensure CLG’s international members enjoy the highest quality holidays in quite spectacular South African destinations.

Taking the golf holiday experience to a whole new level
There are spectacular locations aplenty within the Golf Resorts Club portfolio. Clubs that resemble exclusive country estates dot the GRC website’s golf map, stretching from the Western Cape up to Limpopo. Set in endless private hectares, next to nature reserves, huge lagoons, sweeping coastlines or flanked by the Drakensberg Mountains, many of them make Europe’s more compact resorts look rather tiny.

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In 2001 a 5,000-year old rock drawing depicting a man on skis holding a stick was discovered at Steinjkjer in Norway; in 1924, the oldest ski found to date was unearthed in a mire near Kalvträsk in Sweden. Far from being any old plank, experts carbon dated it back to 3200 BC. It seems as if we’ve been skiing, in some form or another, “since snow began.” It’s hard to prove exactly who the father of skiing as we know it really was, but modern day legend points to Scandinavia again – this time to a man called Sondre Norheim from the Norwegian farmlands of Telemark. Norheim supposedly invented the first bindings made of birch so that skiers could go further, faster, without worrying about their skis coming off. In 1870, Sondre Norheim took things a big step further by designing a short, curved, flexible ski made for easy turning in soft snow. In fact he was quite the skier himself, winning the first Norwegian national skiing competition aged forty-three in Christiania, now Oslo and there’s even a book about him on Amazon.com.

The St. Moritz story
The story of the ski resort, on the other hand, begins in Switzerland. In September 1864, St. Moritz hotel owner Johannes Badrutt made a bet with four of his British summer guests at the end of the summer. He invited them to return for the winter, assuring them that if they didn’t enjoy their snow-bound visit he’d cover the cost of their journey from London to St. Moritz and back. However if they liked the place in winter they could stay as long as they wished, as his guests. The deal was sealed and the guests returned, delighted with the generous terms of the wager. They came for Christmas and didn’t leave until Easter.

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Destination resorts have come a long way since the first purpose-built complexes of the ‘60s. In those days, timeshares were about “same place, same time, next year”. These days guests still want sun, sand, sea but it’s the extraordinary experiences that distinguish an incredible getaway from a hum drum holiday. It’s about the quest for something new: vineyards, castles, riads and catamarans, to name a few.

Are the days of the single activity, single season over? Who is driving what – is it “build it and they will come”, or “they want to go there, so build it”? Of course it’s not just the diversity of resorts that matters, it’s the diversity within the resorts themselves, giving consumers a choice of onsite amenities, services and leisure facilities, ideally tied in with local attractions, be they golf, beaches, mountains, lakes, and so on.

In this ever changing landscape, one thing is clear: resort operators and developers know how important it is to offer consumers a diverse destination portfolio.

When commercial jet travel took off in the ‘60s places like Greece, Spain and France became the exotic hotspots of their time. The food may have been “foreign” but the beaches were idyllic. Summer lingered longer on those sun-kissed shores and it wasn’t long before those once secret Mediterranean beaches were all over the holiday brochures.

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CEO and president of Cancun-based tour and excursion-providers, Yucatán Holidays, Erika Garcia is pretty excited: “We just learned that Orbitz has listed Cancun as the number one, top global destination!” she exclaims.

“Earlier in May, Cancun had already been listed in the Orbitz Index as second of ‘Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations for 2010,’” adds Jesus Almaguer, director of the city’s visitors bureau. This comes as no surprise to Cancun’s Secretariat of Tourism D’Ario Flota. “We survey the 6 million visitors per year here all the time who say they’ve had unforgettable vacations,” he says. “Visitors from all over the world return to Cancun year after year. And they tell us they feel 100 percent confident about security throughout their stay.”

I know Flota feels the need to mention security due to recent negative press concerning border unrest. But with the tender care afforded us by a special security unit assigned solely to assist tourists, I felt more comfortable than at home! Plus, where else in the world can you find such perfect ingredients for an ideal holiday? Unspoiled, white-sand beaches; warm, Caribbean climate; exceptional hospitality…. Check. But wait. There’s more! “Sure, most of Yucatán Holidays’ guests are coming for a beach vacation,” says Garcia. “But with our vacations, they have so many additional options! You should see a kid snorkeling over the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the longest reef on the continent. Or talk to a couple after they’ve gotten out into the community, learned about the history of the Mayan people and viewed how we live today.”

“I can’t tell you how many people have told me this trip has changed their lives! One couple called me the other day and said, ‘Erika, we can’t go home yet!’” laughs Garcia. “I told them to relax; we can help them.” “Yucatán Holidays makes it easy to add on days to their stay. We do what it takes to protect our resort clients’ interests. With us, their special guests never need to go online, call another resort provider or a travel agent.” The Yucatán Peninsula has supported a sophisticated level of civilization since as early as 1,000 B.C. “We’ve found that visitors want to explore the local history, culture and heritage,” she adds. “Yucatán Holidays is the first local tour provider to incorporate our rich heritage into a sustainable tourism portfolio.”

One of their steps in meeting this commitment is to partner with an alternative tourism agency called Kanché. “Visitors interested in science and nature can take a Kanché tour through protected jungles and mangrove forests and learn about the fascinating history and culture of the region,” adds Garcia. “We are a major supporter of this non-profit, non-governmental group.”

But this is just one layer of the Yucatán Holidays onion I peeled back on a recent trip there. Fresh off the plane, my first stop is to Ocean Spa Hotel in the heart of Cancun.

Day 1: Sensations massage, sensational meal
After checking in, I am treated to an 80-minute-long Sensations massage that turns me into pliable puddles of joy. Lia at Ocean Spa Hotel’s Germaine De Capuccini spa uses four different techniques including acupressure, reflexology, lymphatic drainage and body stretching – decidedly therapeutic – to send me to a different plane. Soon I’m humming a restful “Om.”

The next morning I visit the buffet table of the all-inclusive Ocean Spa Hotel’s indoor/outdoor restaurant, where I make the day’s toughest decision: Should I go native with Mexican-styled refried beans, huevos rancheros and tortillas or stick to a made-to-order omelet? Instead, I opt to sample one of the Ocean Spa’s juice therapy concoctions. Wellness is a common theme at Ocean Spa, from activities promoting exercise to restorative spa treatments and healthy food choices. The menu promises that my choice, the ‘Purify,’ an elixir of pineapple, lime, pear, kiwi and even a touch of cactus and parsley leaves, will rid me of unwanted toxins. It sounds perfect.

Thus detoxed, I believe I’m ready for the resort’s morning Latin dance class. Along with several other women and one brave fellow, we all cha-cha, hip-swivel and shimmy through an hour of salsa, bachata, merengue and mambo. (Relax. It isn’t as hard as it sounds.)

Later in the evening, my Yucatán Holidays pals and I attend an impressive evening show at the Hacienda Andalucia. An old-time hacienda that’s been converted into an equestrian venue is a weekly draw for locals and tourists alike. While we enjoy a truly sumptuous buffet, we are entertained by Mexican folk singers and dancers. After we’re suitably fortified, we watch the show as horseback riders demonstrate their skills, balancing precariously on their galloping steeds while performing intricatelychoreographed feats.

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Of all the shared-ownership resorts in the world, there are probably not many that can justifiably include the words safari and beach in their name. But Royal Reserve Safari & Beach Club, an RCI-affiliated resort with Gold Crown status that is set among coconut palm groves on the white sandy beach at Kikambala, has all the reason in the world to.

Royal Reserve, located 30 kilometers north of Mombasa, Kenya, comprises 46 units of one and two bedroom apartments. These units are tastefully furnished, spacious and fully air conditioned, offering you the comforts and conveniences of home.

Relaxation, along with personalized and friendly service is what you can expect from Royal Reserve Safari and Beach Club, situated on the beachside in Kikambala and nestled in tropical gardens. From its blue horizons to the white sandy beaches, swaying palms and the calm turquoise waters, Royal Reserve is the perfect setting for short getaways and for family vacations. The friendly and caring staff at Royal Reserve are dedicated to ensuring that each guest’s holiday is a relaxing, tropical break and that Royal Reserve is a home away from home.

Classic Design
Royal Reserve Safari & Beach Club’s classic home design has a strong coastal architectural character, with 34 units of two-bedroom apartments and 12 units of one-bedroom apartments. The comfortable and spacious apartments four (one bedroom) or six people (two bedroom). The fully air-conditioned apartments are self-catering and have a full bathroom and a separate shower room, satellite T.V. mosquito nets and telephone, plus a well-appointed kitchen that features a refrigerator, microwave, stovetop, toaster, boiling kettle, coffee maker and utensils. Baby cots and high-chairs are available for infants on request. Daily housekeeping service is provided.

The apartments are grouped around a central pool; balconies offer views of either the blue waters of Indian Ocean or the vivid colors of the landscaped gardens.

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Party Like A Rock Star
The live band, enormous stage and lighting, impressive spread of international cuisine, personal service, entertainment and fireworks on the beach under the stars is something that can only be found at LHVC. Just call it Lifestyles’ own signature, “over the top” style to state, without apology, that member satisfaction is what it’s all about. In fact, the weekly parties are just the beginning.

Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club challenges its staff and employees to bring out the best of the best every day for members who call LHVC home away from home. It means continually coming up with exciting concepts such as new restaurants. It means designing new chic beach areas for relaxing, dreaming and indulging in the worship of the sun, sand and sea. It means creating special V.I.P experiences just for members, like V.I.P transportation that includes limousines, golf carts, helicopter transfers and much more. It also means that LHVC team members never stop challenging themselves to find that next level.

“Just because we are successful in Puerto Plata with our four core products of The Tropical, The Crown Suites, The Crown Villas and The Residence Suites, it doesn’t mean we stop there,” said Hans Larcher, Managing Director of Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Club. “Our members come back to us because they feel secure putting their vacation dreams into our hands. This trust means that we are constantly reinventing and improving the experience by creating something new all the time that is both exciting and different. We give people more than they expect with exotic locations, luxury amenities, state of the art facilities, attentive service and some of the best cuisine on the Island. We are always upping our game and never can it be more seen and tasted than with our food, ”

Dining Fit for the Royal Family
LHVC’s international culinary A-team consists of Food and Beverage Director Fadi Hamad and Executive Chef Manny Slomovits. Their task is to provide unique and five star dining experiences for all guests at the ten plus restaurants currently open at Lifestyle Holidays Vacation Resort. This team manages to create unforgettable dining experiences with carefully crafted cuisine concepts every day.

“We have the talent, the facilities and the backing of the LHVC organization, which allows us to create high end, unique concepts that are exciting for us and our guests.” Hamad explains. “For example, in one of our newest restaurants, JAZZ, we have prepared a menu that combines upscale French cuisine with a bit of Cajun and Creole down home flavors. We have coined it ‘French Fusion’ and from the raving of our guests, the end result is an unforgettable dining experience.”

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There’s something quite therapeutic about spending an hour or so browsing holiday resort websites. It’s armchair travelling at its finest: no tickets to buy, no airport delays and no end of holiday options, from castles in Scotland to game reserve lodges in South Africa.

A few years ago I edited the in-house magazine for a resort developer in Spain. One of the sections was “Editor’s Letters”; readers wrote in to share their holiday experiences, all with one thread in common – their timeshare membership. It was afascinating insight into what we do when we finally get away for a holiday and usuallyone or two photos would fall out of the letters that arrived on my desk.

What struck me most wasn’t the number of letters the Spanish postman delivered but the sheer breadth of these holiday stories – often with anecdotes a particular memberof staff who’d made the family’s holiday that bit more memorable.

There was a particularly colourful photo of an older couple who had just tied the knot and flew to Kenya to celebrate. They spent the first week of the rest of their lives feasting like kings in a safari setting, in rather unusual company. There were no smiling relatives to be seen in the photo as they’d flown out alone; instead, they posed with four jovial yet slightly formidable looking Masai warriors, who, according to the wife’s letter, had presented them each with a pair of leather handmade sandals as a wedding gift. The joy of their Kenyan adventure was obvious in that one photo and you’d be hard-pressed to find a happier snapshot in any wedding album.

The most poignant letter of all, though, was from a lady who had recently been widowed. The thought of returning to the Spanish resort where she and her husband had spent their holidays was almost too much and she had vowed never to holiday again. Thanks, however, to some persistent but gentle pressure from her two best friends, she finally relented. Paper-clipped to the letter was a photo of three lovely ladies in Tenerife. There they were, the British version of the “Golden Girls”, celebrating a night to remember (thanks, in equal parts to a great dinner, complimentary bottle of cava and a charming head waiter). The lady signed off by saying this holiday had inspired her to plan more trips with her friends, something her husband would have wanted, and they were already planning a follow-up trip next winter.

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Sara, an eighth-grade student at Christel House Mexico, aspires to be a lawyer. Not for money, privilege or prestige, but to help families in distress. Families like her own.

At 14, Sara knows too well the struggle and stress of poverty. She shares a tiny house built of cinder block and tin with her mother, stepfather, siblings, nieces and nephews. Her family lives in a neighborhood plagued by violence, gangs, drugs and teenage pregnancy. Sara can’t play in the park anymore—not since her brother was shot; it’s too dangerous. Her parents battle substance abuse. And violence often erupts in her home.

This harsh environment might be part of Sara’s past and present, but it’s not her future. For the past eight years, Sara has attended Christel House Mexico. At first, she attended only in the afternoons as part of a program that supplemented the public school curriculum and offered children a safe place from the violence of their neighborhoods. At Christel House, Sara received tutoring and help with her homework. She studied art, music and dance. Today, Sara and her brother, Ulises, are full-time students at Christel House. “At school, we are given breakfast and lunch. My mom doesn’t have to worry about food for us. And she’s able to go to work knowing that we’re safe.”

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The Anfi Group
Situated on the year-round sunny island of Gran Canaria, Anfi del Mar is a 5-star Vacation Membership Resort and winner of the ‘CNBC International Property Award 2008’. The Anfi story began with the vision of one man – Anfi Group’s late founder, the Norwegian entrepreneur Björn Lyng. He wanted to create a holiday paradise with a commitment to excellence, which Members could call their “home from home”.

It became clear from the beginning that Anfi would break the mould of any holiday concept available in the Canary Islands. The first step of this hugely ambitious development began in 1985 with the excavation of over 2 million cubic metres of rock from an arid cliff face. The barren hillside was soon to become a tropical vacation paradise – home to 33,000 member families worldwide.

Four extraordinary Clubs were constructed in sequence: Anfi Beach Club, Club Puerto Anfi, Club Monte Anfi and Club Gran Anfi – each with its own unique design and layout.

Accommodation ranges from spacious studio apartments of 65m² to 3-bedroom penthouse suites of a staggering 342m². Apartments are finished to the highest specifications and include hot tubs, marble-finished bathrooms, integrated entertainment systems, flat-screen televisions in lounge and all bedrooms, fully fitted and equipped kitchen including dishwasher & washer/dryer, spacious terraces with sun loungers and dining furniture. All apartments enjoy breathtaking views over Anfi’s tropical gardens, extensive poolside areas and the Atlantic Ocean beyond.

The on-site facilities further heighten the Anfi Vacation Experience. The jewels of Anfi’s crown are the 250-metre white Caribbeansand beach and adjacent 13,000m² heartshaped island, which boasts a golf pitch & putt area, sunbathing terraces and a secured seawater swimming area.

The resort is also home to a 72-berth marina, supermarkets, night-market, shopping centre and numerous bars and restaurants. In addition, the resort’s On-Site Services provide a wide range of amenities and there is nightly entertainment around a vibrant plaza area. On-site sporting facilities include a fully equipped gym, tennis and paddle courts, extensive water sports, including a PADI certified dive school.

One would image the phenomenal success of Anfi del Mar to be unbeatable, however, 1998 saw Björn Lyng and his team of groundbreaking architects, designers and engineers set to work on what was to become the Anfi Group’s most challenging project to date – Anfi Tauro Golf & Luxury Resorts.

Located in the awe-inspiring Tauro Valley – the perfect setting for a new Eden – this new resort will encompass: vacation membership resorts, fractional ownership, luxury villas and town-houses, a marina village with leisure-harbour, shopping centre and beach, along with infinite possibilities to practise sports, wellness and culinary facilities. In short: a complete leisure paradise tailored especially for today’s holiday seeker.

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Mnarani has a certain “je ne sais quoi” that you feel the moment you walk through our doors. A uniquely appealing quality not easily defined, but instantly noticeable as a physical reaction in the soles of your feet and a joyful feeling of well-being in your soul. It’s more than the warmth and hospitality of the staff, it’s more than the simple delights of space and comfort and it’s more than the sensory stimuli of myriad sights, sounds and smells and the endless tropical canvas of colors… It’s the very heart of Mnarani welcoming you here.

Situated on the cliffs of Kilifi Creek, just where the creek meets and merges with the Indian Ocean, Mnarani provides perfectly for the beach and turquoise ocean under one foot and the activity and adventure of creek-life under the other. Kilifi lives and breathes the gentle sea breeze, at the edge of the ocean, between Malindi and Mombasa. Set in 40 acres of landscaped tropical garden, fragranced by Frangipani blossoms and balmy ocean breezes, Mnarani is an idyllic retreat and holiday destination.

Paths through the grounds lead you down onto the soft white sand of Mnarani’s private cove. This beautiful little beach offers great facilities for water sports – from sailing to exhilarating jet-ski rides – or for simply enjoying a swim or relaxing on a lounger under a thatched parasol.

With breathtaking surroundings and recreational facilities that cater for every taste, Mnarani caters equally well for family holidays, or the ultimate romantic getaway or honeymoon destination.

Kenyan Culture and History
Kenya has a culture born of a myriad sources and this proudly reflects her strength – the ability to integrate the best of many worlds into her own unique and endlessly beautiful culture – a culture appropriately matched by a country as diverse and beautiful as its people.

Recognizing its value on the trade route along the east coast of Africa, the Portuguese took control of Mombasa towards the end of the 15th century and dominated this region until their expulsion in the 1700s. Two Arab dynasties followed, and Arab rule lasted until the British government declared a protectorate over Kenya at the end of the 18th century. The first murmurings of political protest were heard in the early 1920s, and efforts to gain freedom from British rules saw the start of the Mau Mau movement in about 1947. The movement gained momentum and – despite British government action – Kikuyu resistance spearheaded the Kenya independence movement and Jomo Kenyatta, who had been jailed as a Mau Mau leader in 1953, became president of an independent Kenya 10 years later. After Kenyatta’s death in 1978, he was succeeded by Daniel arap Moi, who stepped down following elections in 2002. The position was then assumed by Mwai Kibaki, who is the current president of Kenya.

Interestingly enough, the Maasai tribe, which is synonymous with Kenya, represents only 1.5% of the country’s population. These fearless tribesmen in their bright red clothing are an intriguing and somewhat mystical part of Kenyan culture.

Resort Accommodation and Facilities
Offering either double or twin bed accommodations, with a choice of ocean-facing Creek rooms or Garden rooms centered around beautiful treed gardens overlooking the creek, the rooms offer ultimate relaxation and comfort. Moving into this deliciously cool air-conditioned space and the romance of soft, white mosquito netting, reaffirms your pleasure at being here and ensures the sweetest dreams. While the nets are beautiful, they are also practical. Mosquito-borne diseases are not entirely eradicated, although visits to Africa are made safer by a compulsory yellow fever vaccination; malaria is a risk throughout the country and prophylactics are recommended, as is the use of insect repellent.

The rooms are simply and tastefully decorated with hardwood furniture and a touch of Arabic style. The en suite bathrooms provide for your every need with generous counter tops, baths and showers.

Dining at Mnarani
Our Mnarani Restaurant serves an enticing, healthy and varied breakfast, lunch and dinner buffet, featuring international specialty nights. Our buffet tables are loaded with a fantastic variety of choice foods, guaranteed to  satisfy any hunger and offer the finest dining. Fresh produce arrives daily from Kilifi farms, and our delicious seafood is supplied by local fisherman. A fabulous a la carte menu, with an array of mouthwatering starters, meals and desserts, is also available.

The main bar forms part of the main open-plan lounge and dining area. Serving house wines, beers, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks, this bar commands stunning views of the swimming pool, creek and ocean.

The beach bar is a fabulous, informal, fun location to relax with a drink and enjoy good company, a little music, the passing activities of the cove and creek and the wonderful island vibe of Mnarani.

Activities and Excursions
Our animation team is always hard at work ensuring that your stay with us is fun-filled and memorable. Each month of the year sees a new animation program – a jam-packed calendar of events, carefully planned for your pleasure. We have made every effort to ensure that there are activities to cater for all ages and the variety means that there is something that appeals to everyone.

Water sport activities include creek fishing, creek safaris, jet skiing, kayaking, , sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, waterskiing, windsurfing, and banana tube and pontoon rides. A sunset cruise also is available. Land activities include cycling, squash and playing a round or two of Crazy Golf; other excursions and day trips are available.

More pedestrian pursuits also can be found: Mnarani offers board games, TV and DVD Hire, and a TV lounge.

The resort also features The Mnarani Health & Wellness Centre, a resort shop, and conference and wedding facilities. Mnarani offers laundry service and foreign currency exchange as well.

Climate
The coastal areas are hot and tropical, tempered by cooling ocean breezes, The rainy season is May to June, The lowlands are hot and dry, while the highlands are more temperate, The mountainous regions can get very cold at altitude. Guests are advised to take special care and apply sun protection at all times; with the cool breeze coming off the ocean, one can easily underestimate the strength of the African sun.

Mnarani Hotel, located at B 8, Kilifi, Kilifi, Kenya, is affiliated with the Africa Vacation Club. For more information, contact:
Thie Corneil Services Ltd/Africa
Vacation Club
PO Box 397-00621
Nairobi
Kenya
Tel: +254 20 2441207/8
Cell: +254 724 255868 or 734 603535
www.africavacationclub.com
www.mnarani.co.za

And RCI, the global leader in vacation exchange and one of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), offers a variety of accommodation solutions for its members holding a dream ticket to watch the world’s most thrilling football in South Africa.

With football matches taking place up and down the country, from Johannesburg to Durban, and Cape Town to Pretoria, RCI’s 47 affiliated resorts, some in close proximity to the stadiums, offer exceptional accommodation for fans and their families. Currently, 38 of the resorts have 714 weeks of accommodation available to RCI members throughout the duration of 11 June to 11 July, while 61 weeks are available as rental apartments. In addition to providing easy access to the action at five out of the 10 stadiums, the resorts offer a spacious and comfortable place to stay, as well as enticing attractions to enjoy after watching the competition.

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