World Peace Begins with Bringing Peace Into My Own World by Taking Time Off

…You may be thinking, why is a Karen posting a blog about World Peace on her timeshare blog? Read on!

I remember back in the early 70’s as a young girl, seeing Volkswagen Buses, which often had a non-conforming ‘hippie’ at the wheel. A “Visualize World Peace” bumper sticker was a common sighting on a VW Bus, and seemed almost a ‘staple’ accessory for a free thinker who owned a car.

Then the age of the “Yuppie” came along in the 80’s, and more luxury cars rolled off the production lines to meet the demands of this new breed of people. The purchases they made seemed to place a high priority in ‘making a statement’ in the world. Some owners of yuppie cars sometimes donned a different version of the 70’s bumper sticker that said “Visualize Whirled Peas”…! I remember laughing at that bumper sticker whenever I’d see it, admiring how clever it was… but perhaps the owners really believed the sentiment of World Peace was a joke.

Now more than ever, people are overly-worked, overly-burdened, overly-stressed, and overly-ill, spinning wildly, due to simply not prioritizing the time and space to simply relax and take time to re-group, on the excuse that ‘time is money’, or the list of responsibilities is never-ending. Rest and Relaxation in our world is pushed in the back of the line, in the name of getting ahead, staying ahead, or simply catching up. Westerners are operating at such a high pace, often an entire year passes by without even the thought of taking time off to restore the body, mind, and spirit.

Instead of spending money on vacationing, some people are instead spending money on medical bills and other therapies due stressful lifestyles. Even doctors are telling patients to take time to relax, encouraging vacation time. Rest and Relaxation is no longer a luxury. It is a matter of survival.

I can personally testify that this has been a part of my life story. I, too, have been overly-stressed for years on end, foregoing valuable timeshare vacation time in the name of getting ahead or staying ahead in my career, only to find that earlier this year, I was sick for almost 2 months. My body crashed. My mind crashed. I just couldn’t keep up any more. I knew at that point that things needed to change, in order for me to re-claim my authentic enthusiasm for life. I find it ironic that I’m in the timeshare business, which is luxury vacations made affordable, and I wasn’t even giving myself the time to experience the wonderful product I’ve chosen to advocate as my career over the past 23 years!

I’m a big advocate of the economic benefits of timeshare, but now more than ever, I also value the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits of timeshare vacationing. It is now a matter of survival for me to pamper myself with at least one week each year to a very special place to leave my cares behind.

Regardless of the type of setting or amenities that suit your tastes, there are almost 6,000 timeshare resorts on our planet now. Millions of families just like you are already timeshare owners. Timeshare Owners who value the importance of taking time off with their loved ones are staying at rejuvenating, luxurious (and affordable) timeshare resorts right now, as you are reading this sentence.

After working hard all year, leave behind the idea of stuffing the family into hotel rooms. Experience timeshare vacationing and you’ll not just see the economic value of timeshare vacationing; you’ll experience a rejuvenating peace in your life, year after year. It’s more important than ever.

Imagine yourself enjoying time away on an island, such as the island of Kauai at the Kauai Beachboy. Or the sweet scent of pines in the crisp mountain air of Lake Tahoe at Marriott’s Timber Lodge. Perhaps a trip South of the Border to Mexico at the Dreams Los Cabos & Club Casa Dorada Beach and Golf Resort is in your list of desires. Take some time for yourself and your family. Do it in luxury. Make it count. Make it memorable. Make it peaceful.

World Peace: Let it begin with me.

Starwood Unveils Latest Masterpiece, The Phoenician Residences

The timeshare/fractional ownership industry continues to pick up steam, even while other sectors of the economy are struggling. Apparently, people see the value in luxury vacationing more than ever, particularly in the midst of stressful times.

Among the constant parade of new timeshare resorts being unveiled almost on a weekly basis from big-name companies, like Marriott, Wyndham, Westin, and others, is Starwood’s fabulous Phoenician Residences in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the base of Camelback Mountain.

The Phoenician Residences is the newest family member in Starwood’s “The Luxury Collection”, comprised of an elite ensemble of 69 of the globe’s finest hotels and resorts, spanning over 26 countries in top-end vacation destinations.

Among the impressive amenities on the 250-acres site, you’ll find interesting dining experiences, Nine shimmering swimming pools, a USGA championship golf complex, boasting an impressive collection of three distinctive nine-hole courses including driving range, the ‘Tennis Garden’ with 12 lighted tennis courts, with various playing surfaces to customize the perfect tennis game. After an active outing, in the therapeutic desert sun, indulge in the ‘Centre for Well Being’ spa, for a relaxation/meditation experience not soon to be forgotten.

Members can purchase a three-week Club Interest with two fixed weeks during peak seasons, and one floating week during the summer. Prices range from $150,000 - $400,000. As a brand-new vacation ownership opportunity, interests are only available by purchasing directly from Starwood.

Most of us only dream of such an elaborate vacation experience -but do not be discouraged - there are thousands of equally incredible timeshare/vacation ownership opportunities that can be grabbed up on the resale market, and can be purchased at a fraction of the price of developer-direct retail pricing, typically available in 1-week incraments to customize your vacation needs. Browse through Timeshare Giant and see what you come up with!

New Fractional Ownership Properties to Open in Florida

Florida is the most sought timeshare vacation destination in the United States. The vacation ownership industry is responding to consumer demand with plans to build some fabulous new properties. Here's a peek at what the future holds.

Watson Island on Biscayne Bay off the coast of Miami will be the home of 105 new fractional ownership residences. Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is in the process of developing a 10-acre site on the island with a 147-room hotel, suites and poolside villas. The Residences at Island Gardens (left) will be housed at the top of an impressive 39-story tower designed to resemble a stylized lighthouse. One- to four-bedroom units will be offered in 1/8 shares at prices ranging from $195,000 to $765,000 per fraction.

Designed by architects Eric Kuhne & Associates with interiors by renowned Piero Lissoni & Associati, residences will feature floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall windows with fabulous views of Miami's skyline and Biscayne Bay. Sangri-La's signature beds and bed linens, luxury bathrooms, wireless internet service and 24-hour butler service are among the planned amenities.

The Shangri-La hotel is part of the $480 million mixed-use Island Gardens project being developed by Flagstone Property Group. Expected to open in 2010, planned features include sophisticated shops and restaurants and a 50-slip super-yacht harbor in a galleried garden setting.

Hyatt Siesta Key Beach Residence Club will rise in place of the demolished Sea Castle motel on the beach of Siesta Key near Sarasota. Hyatt Vacation Ownership will break ground on the 6-story, 44-unit vacation ownership property this spring. Phase I of the Triton Companies development, with expected occupancy in 2009, will offer 11 luxuriously furnished residences of 1,600 to 2,600 square feet to be sold in 1/8 fractional shares at a cost of $200,000 to $750,000.

Like most Hyatt properties, the Siesta Key will offer hotel-like amenities such as full-time front desk and staff, concierge services, pool, fitness center, spa, massage and valet parking. Fractional owners will enjoy privileges at an adjoining beach club.

Explore the Everglades by Canoe

If you've always hankered to explore America's most famous swamp, this is the time to visit the Everglades. Unlike summer when the Everglades are sweltering, sweaty and a-buzz with mosquitoes the size of whale harpoons, in winter the swamp is not too hot, not too cold, not too humid and there's nary a mosquito in slapping distance. The conditions are perfect for a canoe or kayak trek through the primeval Ten Thousand Islands region of the Gulf Coast.

While most people visit the Everglades from the east side entrance near Miami, explorers will want to enter from Everglades City near Naples on the gulf side of the park. The small rural community of Everglades City is an active commercial and sport-fishing port and the jumping off point for most canoe and kayak excursions into the swamp. You'll find a number of full-service outfitters and a variety of guided tours available in Everglades City, including mangrove tunnels, sunset tours and moonlit paddles. A new GPS-marked paddle trail system through the Ten Thousand Islands area can lead you on a long, overnight trek from Everglades City to Goodland, but shorter day-trip routes are also available. Paddlers will also find fun and adventure cruising Collier County's new GPS-marked Paradise Coast Blueway. While you're paddling in the Everglades, watch for alligators sunning themselves, blue herons and egrets stalking fish in the shallows, and the amazing anhingas, a bird that dives and swims underwater to catch its darting, silvery prey.

After a day spent paddling through sawgrass, wandering the mangrove tunnels, exploring the cypress forest and enjoying the exotic wildlife in the swamp, head back to your luxurious timeshare in Naples on Florida's gorgeous Gulf Coast. The Charter Club Resort of Naples Bay (above, left) offers superb accommodations (right) coupled with excellent onsite amenities and a wide variety of area activities. For those who want to enjoy the flora and fauna of the Everglades more comfortably, the fabulous Naples-Caribbean Garden's Zoological Park, Rookery Bay, is located just fives miles south of Naples. And when you're not on the beach, you'll find plenty of charming boutiques and exciting eateries to explore in Naples. Click the post title to preview a complete listing of fabulous timeshares in the Naples, Florida area.

Advantages of Timeshare Exchange

Beach? Mountains? Desert? Big city? Where you like to spend your vacation and how you like to spend your leisure time are two of the most important factors driving the selection of vacation property. When people invest in a timeshare property, they choose one that will provide the leisure experience they crave. Location, climate, resort amenities, leisure activities and accommodations are at the top of the list when buyers shop for a timeshare. Most people look for a property that suits their interests and lifestyle and look forward to returning year after year, like visiting a dear friend.

But occasionally, everyone wants a change. Perhaps a change of scenery from mountain to beach, a change of pace from laid-back resort to flashy big city, or a change of activities from winter skiing to summer hiking sounds appealing. The advantage of timeshare ownership is that you can have it all through timeshare exchange programs.

You can experience an infinite number of vacation experiences through exchange programs. By joining an exchange service (RCI and Interval International are the two biggest), you can trade your week or interval for a new and different vacation at comparable resorts around the world. Many resorts also offer owners the opportunity to exchange their timeshare for another within the home resort's property portfolio. Exchanging through your home resort generally guarantees comparable accommodations and amenities.

Here's how it works: You place your property into the exchange company's pool of available resort weeks and choose an available resort and week from the pool. There's generally a rating system to assure parity -- that you get what you give -- but you can often arrange to upgrade your choice. Expect to pay an exchange fee and annual membership fee to the exchange company. Before you exchange, you'll want to notify your resort/property management firm to clarify any rules or regulations that may govern exchanges. When you buy your timeshare, ask about exchange policies. As a purchase incentive, resort developers often pay a new owner's first year membership fee in an exchange program.

You can also "bank" your timeshare. If you can't use your timeshare during your usual interval and don't wish to exchange it in the current year, you can place your timeshare in the exchange company's pool and use your exchange option in a different year. Some exchange programs will also let you exchange your timeshare week for airfare, hotel stays or rental cars.

How Timeshare Ownership Works

Timeshare ownership takes the stress out of vacations. You're not saddled with the mortgage and upkeep of a second home that you may use only a few weeks out of the year. When you purchase a timeshare property, you purchase just the time you need -- and you lock in future vacations at today's low prices. That's a considerable benefit with hotel rates on the upswing.

At a timeshare resort, units are divided into usage intervals, commonly one week. You purchase only the number of weeks you plan to vacation each year, typically one to two weeks. Owners pay an annual maintenance fee to cover maintenance and management of the property so that when you arrive for your vacation, you are guaranteed a care-free, relaxing visit.

Some timeshares are sold on a points system which places a point value on the size and quality of the accommodations as well as the desirability of each week in the year. For example, purchasing weeks at a Vail ski resort timeshare may cost you more during peak January/February ski months when demand is highest than during summer months.

Most timeshare purchases provide you with a deeded real estate interest in the property. In some programs, such as Vacation Clubs, your membership purchases the right to use, but not own the club's properties. (See our January 16 post for a rundown on different types of vacation ownership.) There may be financial and tax advantages to deeded ownership, but it is the desire to invest in leisure time that generally drives timeshare purchases.

A variety of accommodation factors affect the price of timeshare properties, including:

• Square footage of the unit
• Number of bedrooms and baths
• Luxury features such as fireplaces, hot tubs, whirlpool baths, etc.
• Resort amenities
• Location
• Season of use

Traditionally, when you purchase a timeshare property, you are purchasing the use of a particular size unit at a vacation resort for one week during a specific period or season. Points programs allow you to redeem the points at any number of resort locations, for a variety of accommodations and number of days, depending on the restraints of the program. Points programs are often linked to lodging and travel loyalty programs which can expand both your travel choices and purchasing power.

Next time: The advantages of timeshare exchange

What Do Timeshare Owners Know That You Don't?

What do 4 million Americans know that you don't? The joy of owning a timeshare vacation property. People who purchase timeshares are making a well-considered investment in their future. Timeshare owners understand the value of leisure time. They understand the need to relax, change environments and recharge their batteries. They value quality time spent vacationing with their family. Timeshare owners are more likely than non-owners to (1) actually take all their vacation days and (2) spend them vacationing, as opposed to staying home and working around the house.

Some of the major benefits that attract savvy vacationers to timeshare ownership include:

• Luxury accommodations. Timeshares consistently provide spacious, high-quality accommodations. When you own a timeshare, you acquire a home away from home. Accommodations typically include spacious floor plans furnished with home-like amenities, including fully equipped kitchens with dining areas, stereo, TV, DVD/VCR players, washer and dryer, etc. Timeshares come in a variety of configurations to fit the many needs of owners from studio units to 3-bedroom villas.


• Resort-style amenities. Timeshares provide the resort amenities that make for a fun and relaxing vacation: swimming pool, tennis courts, Jacuzzi, hot tub, spa and fitness facilities, playground and planned activities for your children. Nearby you'll generally find championship golf courses, boating, skiing, water sports, amusement and theme parks, fabulous restaurants, fun shopping and much more. On a timeshare vacation you won't hear, "I'm bored;" you'll hear, "What's next!"


• Fabulous locations. There are timeshare properties everywhere you want to be. In the U.S., you'll find timeshares in every desirable vacation location from exciting big cities to serene mountain hideaways to sunny, sandy beaches to prime ski resorts. No matter what your preferred vacation environment, you'll find a timeshare resort waiting for you. From Alaska and Hawaii to the Florida Keys and from Maine to Southern California, there are timeshares across the length and breadth of America. If you crave international travel, you'll find timeshares in 100 countries around the world.


• Flexibility. The unique advantage of timeshare ownership is its exchange potential. Timeshare owners can trade their vacation time at their home resort for vacation time at more than 5,000 resorts in nearly 100 countries around the world. You can ski the slopes of Aspen one year, then bask on the soft coral sands of the Caribbean the next. You can vacation at the same time every year or change your vacation dates each year to accommodate your schedule. You can even control the size of your vacation space through the exchange system. Enjoy a cozy, romantic vacation with your spouse in Hawaii, then exchange for a villa in Fort Lauderdale and host the whole clan for a family reunion blowout on the Gulf Coast.

Timeshare ownership takes the work out of vacation planning so you can spend all your time relaxing and enjoying yourself. The timeshare industry enjoys an 80% approval rating. Maybe it's time you found out what timeshare owners know. Click the post title and start enjoying and looking forward to your vacations!

Sun and Sand Preferred by Timeshare Owners

With the world at their fingertips, where do timeshare owners plan to travel to in the next two years? Here are the results of the latest Interval International poll which surveyed 3,500 II members:

50% Florida

41% California

32% Hawaii

23% Arizona

22% New York

20% Nevada

18% Colorado

17% South Carolina

15% Alaska

13% North Carolina

What attracts timeshare vacationers? A September 2006 poll of 1,547 RCI members asked them to rate the features they would look for when they purchased their next timeshare. It's no surprise that beaches and entertainment topped the list.

59% Beach

43% Attractions, entertainment

34% Tropics

33% Mountains

30% History, culture

27% Lake

20% Golf

12% Gaming, gambling

12% City, urban

10% Snow skiing

8% Desert

With more than 4 million American households taking timeshare vacations and an 80% satisfaction rating, it's not surprising that 31% of current owners are in the market to buy a second (or third or fourth) timeshare property. More people are getting savvy to the advantages of timeshare vacation ownership. Year-end figures for 2006 (the latest available) show 69% of owners are new to timeshares. To meet the continually growing demand, more than 58,000 timeshare units are planned for development across the U.S. in coming years. Where are the "hot spot" locations for new timeshare development?

21% Mountains

20% Florida

14% Pacific

11% California

8% South Atlantic

8% Northeast

8% South Carolina

6% South Central

5% Midwest

Browse the timeshare listings at Timeshare Giant (just click the link or post title) to preview timeshare vacation properties across the U.S. and all over the world. Timeshare Giant gives you a detailed overview of each timeshare property, complete with a slide show of the property, list of features and nice roundup of nearby amenities. You can even rent timeshares to try them out before buying on Timeshare Giant. Wherever you like to vacation and whatever you like to do, there's a timeshare out there waiting for you -- and you can find it on Timeshare Giant.