The Latest in Luxury Resort & Real Estate News

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Marriott Vacation Club International Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Timeshare Business

(ORLANDO, FL) -- Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), Marriott International's growing vacation ownership division, announced April 15 the celebration of its silver anniversary of being in the timeshare industry.

"Frankly, it's changed our lives," says Peter Pfiel, an owner at Marriott's Monarch at Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island, S.C., since 1984.

Pfiel and his family made the trip from Cincinnati to Marriott's very first vacation ownership resort every summer. Twenty five years later, Pfiel and his wife are retired just three miles from their Monarch villa, where they still own two weeks so their grown children can visit.

"The joy of being able to turn over the keys to my son and his family ... that's the fulfillment of a different dream than we had when we bought," Pfiel admits.

Today, the Pfiels are among nearly 400,000 Marriott timeshare owners at more than 50 Marriott Vacation Club resorts throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

"This year marks a great milestone and one I am very proud of - the silver anniversary of Marriott Vacation Club International," says Marriott Vacation Club president Stephen P. Weisz, whose division started with 7,000 owners at the end of its first year in business.

"On the business side, it's been amazing to watch MVCI revolutionize an entire industry. On the personal side, it's exciting to think of all of the families who are creating a lifetime of vacation memories through Marriott Vacation Club."

In 1984, Marriott became the first branded hospitality company by nearly a decade to enter the timeshare industry when it acquired American Resorts and its 184-villa project that became known as Marriott's Monarch at Sea Pines.  In many respects, Marriott was a pioneer in the fledgling timeshare industry, bringing instant credibility and establishing a benchmark for other branded hospital companies to follow.

With the launch of its premier resort, one of Marriott Vacation Club's biggest innovations was replacing the industry-standard model of fixed weeks and units with seasonally-based, floating time and property use. 

Ten years ago, Marriott launched the Ritz-Carlton Club, catering to the high net worth clientele, and in 2001, the company rolled out the Grand Residences timeshare brand with a South Lake Tahoe, Calif., location.

Overall, Marriott Vacation Club's diverse portfolio now comprises more than 10,600 timeshare resort villas throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe and Asia. 


Of the 400,000 families who own vacation units, the "Marriott way," gives them options to exchange weeks with priority within the Marriott Vacation Club portfolio or within Interval International's network of 2,400-plus resorts in 75-plus countries, trade their week(s) for Marriott Rewards points, or rent their week(s).

"Over the next 25 years we'll continue to experiment with our product form," Weisz says. . "We'll continue to understand how we can give our customers more flexibility and work with the best of the best to make sure the physical product is current for generations to come and will continue our legacy of creating unforgettable vacation experiences."

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New Private Residence Club Takes Shape in Pristine Lakefront Maine Setting

(FALMOUTH, ME) -- The private residence club concept is coming to New England thanks to local Perry and Melinda Williams.  Eager to share their enthusiasm for Maine lakefront living with other families, the Williams family recently announced the creation of a new private residence club that will debut this summer in the Sebago Lakes Region.

The Maine Lakefront Club, comprising a collection of existing, estate-style homes with an average price of $1.5 million, will offer deeded, shared ownership in the PRC for $275,000. The Williams are in the process of closing on the first home, and will add more properties to the club's portfolio as demand dictates. The club's hassle-free ownership and affordable luxury will provide a highly desirable vacation home alternative for frequent visitors.

"All of our properties will feature private lake frontage and docks, complemented by exquisite furnishings and design," says Perry Williams. "The lack of new construction makes Maine Lakefront Club an environmentally friendly project, and the use of existing homes means we'll have some of the most desirable locations available in the Sebago Lakes Region."  

Maine Lakefront Club offers exclusive services and amenities unrivaled by ordinary vacation rentals or whole ownership properties in the area. Owners will benefit from daily housekeeping, pre-arrival grocery shopping, and year-round maintenance.

Canoes, kayaks, and bicycles also will be provided to members, and a club concierge is available to coordinate boat, Jet Ski, and snowmobile rentals, babysitting services, dinner reservations, golf tee times and more. 

Unlike most residence clubs, Maine Lakefront Club offers a dog-friendly vacation home experience. As pet owners, the Williams recognize that including the family dog is integral to the lakefront vacation experience.

"Sebago Lake provides as much adventure for dogs as it does for families," Perry Williams explains. "This type of vacationing would be incomplete for our members without their best friend."  Maine Lakefront Club is a joint venture with DCP International, pioneer of the private residence club concept. In 1991, DCP founded the world's first PRC, the Deer Valley Club, in Deer Valley, Utah, and has since consulted with developers on dozens of residence clubs worldwide. 

"Residence-club ownership is a sensible purchase in any economy because the risk is minimal while the benefits are tremendous," says DCP Principal Steve Dering. "Pricing reflects the amount of use people typically get from their vacation homes, while offering the added value of resort-style services and amenities."

Dering adds that private residence club ownership, by its very nature, is also a more green friendly way to enjoy a vacation home because multiple owners are sharing one residence.

"This eliminates the wasteful practice of developing multiple, whole ownership units that typically are unoccupied 70 percent of the year," Dering points out.

The Williams have committed to donating one percent of gross profits to The Lakes Environmental Association based in Bridgton, Maine, and staff will manage the properties in an eco-friendly manner.

"Maine lakes have provided years of enjoyment for our family and our pets," Melinda Williams says. "We want to ensure that the lakes remain pristine for future generations of Maine enthusiasts." 

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La Reunion Resort Officially Opens New Pete Dye-designed Golf Course in Guatemala

(ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA) -- Hall of Fame golf course designer Pete Dye and architect/son, Perry Dye, have officially put golf in Guatemala on the map.  Denver-based Dye Designs recently announced the official opening of Fuego Maya at La Reunion resort, the latest new design effort in the Dye Golf portfolio. 

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony, celebrated March 28, was attended by Guatemala Vice President Dr. Rafael Espada, and the country's director of tourism, Roberto Robles.

Both recognized the Dye family for their "great contribution to development and tourism in Guatemala through the game of golf."

"The course looks amazing, and is in wonderful shape," Pete Dye said upon his arrival at Fuego Maya, the centerpiece to a matured resort-style community.


"Both Perry and the superintendent have done a fantastic job. We are thrilled to see how many jobs we have brought to Antigua because of this project, and we can't wait to work in Guatemala again."

Flanked by four volcanoes, Fuego Maya golf course is a challenging layout with unparalleled views.  On a clear day, golfers can see 50 miles to the Pacific Ocean.  Fuego, the most prominent volcano, can often be seen smoking - adding to the mystical effect of the area. 

Guatemala is a country rich with Mayan culture and heritage, which is reflected in the design of the fantastic clubhouse and 25-room Preferred Boutique hotel on the property. The staff is friendly and welcoming, always making La Reunion feel like a second home for visitors.

"Our main contribution to Guatemala is that of creating jobs, and in doing so, our focus is on training and giving support to the personnel hired, with the view to developing a highly qualified staff to service discriminating customers from around the world," developer Roberto Roesch said at the ceremony.

"We are also fostering a sense of social responsibility, and La Reunion is playing a very important role in contributing to the improvement of the life for the local population."

The opening festivities also included the Dye Designs Invitational, a charity tournament that raised over $10,000 for the local school in El Porvenier,  a small town near the golf course development.  All funds went towards the creation of a computer center for elementary students at the school.

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