Del Pacifico Starts New Residence Club

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Del Pacifico, a master-planned resort community on the central coast of Costa Rica near Quepos and Manuel Antonio, recently announced the launch of the Del Pacifico Club, a private residence club offering fractional real estate and carefree ownership.

Fractional real estate and residence clubs have grown in popularity because of the market conditions and buyers get much more home for the money, lower upkeep costs and the ease of ownership. Many consumers are finding it's the smarter way to own a second or third vacation home, especially overseas.

Owners can choose from one-, two- and three-bedroom villas at Del Pacifico Club, nestled on a hilltop overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and woven into the very fabric of Costa Rica's rich cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty. Owners at the Del Pacifico Club, located in Esterillos, Costa Rica, will have exclusive access to the amenities of its sister property the Alma del Pacifico Hotel, one of the top-rated hotels in Central America.

Club owners also will enjoy private beach access, restaurant and bars, fitness facilities and the resort's acclaimed spa.

"We are excited to add the Del Pacifico Club to the other real estate offerings at Del Pacifico", says Barry Strudwick, developer/partner at Del Pacifico. "The residence club will give the ability for people who love beautiful Costa Rica but realistically would only visit their home here 5-6 times per year. They'll enjoy a luxury home and the services of a boutique hotel for a fraction of the cost and none of the hassles associated with owning international real estate or a home in Costa Rica."

Del Pacifico Club will feature fractional ownership shares of one-bedroom Plaza Studios and two-bedroom and three-bedroom villas. All the Del Pacifico Club units come fully furnished with prices starting at $39,000.

Buyers receive a 1/10th-deeded real estate interest in this world-class Costa Rica vacation home without the hassles of full-ownership. Like other forms of real estate, fractional residence club ownership interests can be sold, willed, deeded or placed in a trust.

Residence Club Partners of Asheville, NC, the management company at Del Pacifico Club, feels this model will change the future of second home ownership in Costa Rica forever.

"In addition to a growing trend in fractional ownership and residence club home ownership versus whole ownership, owners are demanding more services and hassle free ownership that residence club owners enjoy at all of our clubs," says Mandy Allfrey of Residence Club Partners. "Owner services at our clubs include a club concierge, housekeeping, onsite management and very unique custom experience packages, things you don't get with the typical real estate purchase."

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Hilton Hotels Shares Global Spa Trends Study

Generational use of spas, the overall impact of spas on hotels and the increasing significance of male spa-goers are some of the key topics discussed in, "Emerging Global Spa Trends," a Hilton Blue Paper recently released by Hilton Hotels & Resorts. 

The report outlines insights from a collection of industry experts, including the Hilton Worldwide spa team, founders of top spa product brands and other thought leaders in this space. The Hilton Blue Paper also includes a survey of 6,000 respondents throughout the United States, Great Britain, Australia and China to offer additional global and regional insight.

A key finding of the research is that nearly 50 percent of the respondents said the existence of a spa is an important factor in selecting a hotel, with Chinese travelers finding it most important followed by those from Australia.

"Spa is a key differentiator for us within both the leisure and business travel segments today," said Dave Horton, global head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. "This new research emphasizes the importance of spas in the decision to book a hotel stay, particularly in the rapidly expanding Chinese market. Of particular note, we found that 69 percent of travelers said they were at least somewhat likely to visit the spa at their hotel. Through innovative concepts like eforea: spa at Hilton we are providing unique spa experiences for our guests and best in class solutions for our owners."

In summary, the Hilton Blue Paper identifies spa-goers and spa behavior based on generation, highlighting key differentiators and motivators for each age group. Following are some of the reports more interesting findings:

• Hilton is seeing an "increasingly savvy modern spa guest, who is more enlightened about the overall efficacy of spa treatments and related products."

• The study highlights the growing importance of men to the global spa industry and how a successful spa should tailor its offerings for this audience.

• Touches on the need for global spa concepts to offer consistent services across their portfolios while also allowing for local flexibility.

• Underscores the overall importance of spas to the hotel industry, which are offering properties a distinct competitive advantage in booking, driving revenue and attracting local customers beyond the overnight guest

• Notes the significance of business travelers, who are increasingly looking for relevant ways to decompress between meetings, as well as extend their visits as part of the "blended travel" experience

• Offers additional insight on regional trends being seen by experts throughout the Americas, Middle East and Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific

"While we find that many of the global spa trends are consistent around the world, there are also notable and significant regional differences," said Tyra Lowman, senior director, global spa, full service and luxury brands, Hilton Worldwide. "A successful spa concept on a global scale is one that offers reliable services across its portfolio while respecting regional differences by providing locally influenced treatments and services."

This Hilton Blue Paper is released as eforea: spa at Hilton, the global spa concept created by Hilton Worldwide, continues to expand its global footprint. Since its October 2010 launch by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, eforea has grown to include 11 locations in seven countries, with more than 90 additional locations in development, making it one of the fastest growing spa concepts in the world. The concept is currently available to properties across Hilton Worldwide's Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton and Embassy Suites Hotels brands. Hilton Worldwide is one of the world's largest spa operators today, with more than 250 spas across the company's ten market leading brands.