Timeshare Forecast: Sunny with a Chance of Extra Vacation Fun

Recently Pricewaterhouse Coopers released the results of an annual study they undertake to evaluate the climate in the timeshare industry. A press release that detailed the study characterized the outlook for timeshares as sunny. This is great news as you look at your schedule for the upcoming year. The resorts you already love and the ones you want to try for the first time are ready and waiting to accommodate you.

Timeshare sales based on purchasing weeks at a resort remain strong, while the market for points-based timeshares is growing rapidly as well. The increased flexibility and a wide array of options for upgrades make timeshare travel a very attractive choice. You can get five-star treatment, help with planning activities, discounts on local attractions, and much more. Planning your vacation is a lot easier when you don’t have to do it all yourself.

People are realizing what some of you already know—the opportunity to customize your vacation time is invaluable. More and more people are opting to take short getaways in addition to longer vacations. Also, with today’s hectic pace, everyone cannot take the long leisurely vacation that they would like to take. But it is possible to get away for a long weekend.

People are opting to take more off-peak vacations. We expect to see people vacationing in the summer or during the winter holiday season, but more travelers are seeing the advantages at other times of the year. Vacationers are adding an extra day to their three day weekends, like Columbus Day or Veterans Day. They are also using their timeshare points to vacation on weekends that don't center around holidays, times when fewer people are heading to vacation destinations.

We are seeing more people chose to celebrate special occasions with a short trip. Your anniversary, promotion, birthday and other milestones deserve their due. Why not celebrate with a change of scenery? To assist you in finding the perfect long or short get-a-way, visit our sponsor, Timeshare Giant to search for and even book your next timeshare vacation.

Join the Fun as Quebec City Turns 400!

Time to brush up on that high school French you've never had a chance to use. If you've never been to Quebec City in Canada, this is the year to go. Quebec City is celebrating its 400th birthday and is pulling out all the stops: a floating dance floor the size of Kansas, roaming costumed opera singers, fireworks, the World Hockey Championships, an 1,800-foot multimedia screen, more fireworks, and parades of giant characters with a grand finale from the always fabulous Cirque du Soleil.

Sometimes called the poor man's Paris, Quebec City evokes favorable comparisons to European cities with its narrow, twisting streets filled with eclectic shops. Horse-drawn carriages, open air markets, galleries, churches, centuries-old buildings, and quaint inns all give Quebec City a distinct Old World flavor. Walking through Quebec City, sampling the shops and restaurants tucked around each bend in the road is a delightful way to spend a day. Walking is the preferred mode of getting around in the city, but you may want to take the funiculars (cable-driven lifts) to navigate some of the steeper steps and slopes. Taxis abound, but try a carriage ride for a delightful visit to the past.

Special events are planned throughout the year, starting with the city's famous Winter Carnival from February 1-17 to the Cirque du Soleil grand finale on October 19. There will be so many amazing things to do and see in Quebec City this year, you may want to book more than one week in a nearby timeshare. If you plan to go for Winter Carnival, the Chalets la Falaise (above, left) are nestled in the mountains in the middle of downhill and cross-country ski country and just minutes from Quebec City. An all-season resort, Chalets la Falaise offer summer boating, whale-watching and are an easy trip to the St. Lawrence River spectacular, The Walking Road, planned for August 15.

No matter when you visit Quebec City this year, prepare to be dazzled. For a complete listing of timeshares available in the Quebec City area, click the post title.

New to Timeshares? What to Consider in Making a Purchase

For people who love resort vacations, wanting to stretch their vacation dollar further, and wanting to step away from the 4-walled limitations of a hotel room, timeshare ownership is a ever-growing popular alternative. More economically sound than renting hotels, timeshare ownership allows its owners not only to maximize your investment dollars but also offers the ability to either establish a family vacation tradition in a really nice place or can provide you with the flexibility to vacation in the lap of luxury in the vacation locale of your choice. So if you are considering buying a timeshare, but haven’t done so yet, here are some tips on what to look for.

Timeshare owners make their buying decisions based on 2 reasons: (1) They buy to experience a family tradition each year at a special location, or (2) They buy with thoughts of exchanging time at their home resort for time at thousands of other resort timeshares around the world. You might also want to consider the flexibility of buying a timeshare that would achieve both goals so that as you get older and your lifestyle changes, as your kids grow up, and as you and your spouse finally get the time to travel the world, you can make the most of your investment.

If you are buying for a family get away and aren't very concerned about exchanging then ask yourself these questions: Is the resort location in a place special to your heart, that you would really like to experience as a tradition each year? Do you enjoy the amenities and activities the resort location offers? How nicely appointed is the resort? Do the amenities and furnishings in the condo residences fit your vacation lifestyle? Do you like the grounds? Your answers to these questions will guide your decision and also help you maximize your investment in your timeshare vacation lifestyle.

If you are looking at your timeshare purchase primarily to be used for exchange with timeshares elsewhere, chose your location carefully; The your success with your timeshare exchanges is often hinged on the desirability of the resort, the resort location, unit size, supply, and demand.

I've found most timeshare buyers are attracted to the timeshare concept for both reasons. They have a special connection or affinity to the resort location they chose for their home resort, and they also love the flexibility of exchanging their time for time at other timeshare resorts as an added bonus to their ownership.

You can research timeshare options in your favorite corner of the Earth at www.TimeshareGiant.com. You can search for properties, sell your timeshare, or even rent a timeshare.

With Dollar Falling, Savvy Travelers Vacation in America

This is a great time to vacation in America. The value of the dollar is at record lows against the Euro, Loonie and Pound. Your money won't go very far these days in Europe, Canada or Great Britain. But in America you can enjoy a luxurious vacation at hundreds of timeshares in every corner of the country.

America is a vast country that offers a wide variety of vacation opportunities. From shore to shining shore, you'll find innumerable timeshares that offer every kind of vacation environment imaginable. From the lush tropical islands of Hawaii to the frozen snow-covered tundra of Alaska, from the arid desert of Arizona to the humid Gulf Coast of Florida, somewhere in America you'll find your preferred vacation environment. Take a look at some of these delightful timeshare locations. Use Timeshare Giant to locate timeshares in your favorite parts of the country; just click the post title.

Bask in the warm desert heat of sunny Scottsdale, Arizona this winter. Renowned for world-class golf, Scottsdale offers fabulous shopping, delightful restaurants and sophisticated entertainment. Set amidst the splendor of the Sonora Desert, the Sheraton Desert Oasis (left) provides a stunning setting for a winter getaway. Towering saguaros and palms dot the 10-acre resort. Sip a cool beverage while enjoying another breathtaking sunset from the charming clubhouse. The fabulous 4500-square-foot swimming pool boasts cascading waterfalls and a secluded spa grotto. Feel pampered this winter when you stay at a Sheraton Desert Oasis timeshare.

Prefer white powder to white sand? Head for the slopes at Lake Tahoe, straddling the borders of California and Nevada. You'll enjoy breathtaking downhill runs from Marriott's Timber Lodge in South Lake Tahoe, California. Stunning natural beauty surrounds Marriott's Timber Lodge which is adjacent to Heavenly gondola. Enjoy the toasty heated pool after a day on the slopes or stretch out your tired muscles in one of the three whirlpools. A fitness center, ski storage, wonderful on site restaurant and children's activity center add to the convenience of a ski getaway at Marriott's Timber Lodge. At the end of an enjoyable day, retire to your spacious timeshare for a hot toddy and a cuddle in front of the fireplace. Life just doesn't get much better!

Exchange Company Awards Can Increase Timeshare Value

RCI and Interval International are the 2 largest timeshare exchange companies in the world. Almost always, when a timeshare resort is newly developed, its developer will choose to affiliate the new resort with either RCI (Resort Condominiums International), or II (Interval International). Both exchange companies have a similar system in which they recognize the outstanding resorts affiliated with their exchange network, for standards of excellence in important categories, but there are a few slight differences in how each exchange company bestows an award.

RCI designates their superlative timeshares as Gold Crown Resorts. Interval International lavishes its Five Star Award on their premier timeshares. What does it mean when an exchange company bestows such a recognition award on a timeshare? Does it compare to the vaunted Michelin Guide's 4-star rating? Or is it just a lot of meaningless hype?

Actually, a Gold Crown Resort or Five Star Award rating is as coveted in the timeshare industry as those Michelin stars are by restaurants and hotels. A premier designation is an outside validation a resort's claim to quality, boosting the prestige of the resort. It assures both buyers and existing owners that the timeshare management is committed to providing high quality amenities, superior service and excellent maintenance. Also, because exchange systems trade accommodations of similar quality, owning a timeshare that has received a recognition award gives you an entree into other award-winning resorts.

Unfortunately, recognition awards do not always guarantee similarly luxurious accommodations and amenities. Here's how the awards stack up:

• Interval International's Five Star Award is the only level of award an affiliated resort can obtain. There is no 4, 3, 2, or 1-Star rating. The 5-Star rating is based on its own Quality Rating Survey which rates five general criteria: area, site, amenities, units and guest services. "Scores are weighted according to the type of vacation experience," explains II spokesman Chris Boesch. "For example, a resort in an urban area may not be required to have a full-size kitchen but may offer more in the way of guest services." Once a Five Star Award is given, II monitors continued quality via guest comment cards. (This is why it's so important to keep II informed by completing your guest comment card at the end of your vacation.)



• RCI's Gold Crown Resort is based on a detailed list of specific criteria that a resort must meet to be recognized. Two lesser levels of recognition are also offered: the Silver Crown Resort designation for resorts that come close but not quite up to the gold standard and the RCI Hospitality award for resorts that meet a minimum standard of excellence. RCI also uses guest comment cards to monitor continued quality. To maintain a Gold Crown Award, however, a resort must also continue to meet specific requirements for resort amenities, guest services, unit amenities/interiors and resort maintenance.
  

You'll note that RCI uses a rating system with a hierarchy of benchmarks while II uses more of a checklist. Without a lesser number of stars to denote various levels of quality, II's Five Star Award can be a bit misleading. Not all II resorts receive a Five Star Award, of course, but neither does the award guarantee quite as discernible a standard of quality as RCI's Gold Crown award. You can't necessarily assume that an II Five Star Award resort will be comparable to hotel that receives a AAA 5-diamond or Mobil 5-star rating.

In 2006, rating organizations in the United Kingdom imposed a new program that rates all of the nation's accommodations by a common set of standards. The same rating criteria and guidelines are now used by VisitBritain, VisitEngland, VisitScotland, VisitWales, the Automobile Association and the Royal Automobile Club to determine the number of stars to award a hotel or resort. Each organization accepts the others' ratings and ratings are jointly published.

While this won't change II or RCI timeshare ratings, it will provide consumers with a more exact idea of a timeshare resort's quality. Consumers might demand more details about an II Five Star Award resort that only receives a 3-star rating on the UK's national rating system. While hotels and resorts are not required to participate in the national rating system, those that don't are prohibited from being promoted by UK tourist boards or journalists. The system doesn't have a specific category for timeshares, but will evaluate them if the property is mixed-use or offers rentals. Properties pay an assessment fee to be evaluated.

A program similar to the UK's national ratings system may never "cross the pond," but some standardization would certainly benefit consumers and timeshare owners.

Escape to Napa Valley Wine Country This Fall

The skies are sunny, the temperatures still pleasant and, most importantly, the crowds are gone. Late fall and early winter are the perfect time to visit the wine country in northern California's Napa Valley. Wineries are eager to greet new customers and, with the crowds and bus tours gone, there's time to linger over a sampling session and enjoy a comfortable chat about the finer points of each wine.

Napa Valley is the home of America's world-class wines and wineries. With a climate and soils to rival France's best, grapes have been grown, crushed and fermented in Napa Valley since the 1800s. When Inglenook wines won gold at the 1889 World's Fair in Paris, the world's wine connoisseurs first took notice of Napa Valley. New techniques and procedures introduced in the 1930s, notably by Brother Timothy of the Christian Brothers winery, ushered in the modern era of commercial wine production, gaining California wines national recognition.

It was Robert Mondavi, a son of Italian immigrants, who brought the large-scale production improvements and marketing strategies to the Valley in the mid-1960s that truly launched America's wine industry into the world arena. When Napa Valley wines bested several of France's most famous labels in blind taste tests at the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, Napa Valley wines finally garnered the worldwide acclaim they enjoy today.

A visit to California's wine country is most enjoyable when you stay at Shell Vacations Club at Vino Bello Resort. Conveniently located in Napa, California, gateway to the Napa Valley wine region, the richly-appointed Tuscan Style vacation residences feature kitchens with granite countertops, the living areas feature finely-detailed woods, rich textures, and a special bottle of Napa Valley wine waiting just for you upon check-in. After an active day cruising through the Valley, you'll enjoy returning to the rejuvenating relaxation of Shell Vacations Club Vino Bello Resort.

If you enjoy an active lifestyle, Napa Valley offers wonderful bicycle trails through serene countryside. Rent or bring your own wheels for lovely rides between wineries and the valley's charming towns. Or rent horses for an exhilarating ride past vast vineyards. Try an early morning ride or hike when tendrils of fog catch in the valley and dew glistens on the grape vines -- breathtaking. For an impressive aerial view of Napa Valley, the adventurous can take a serene balloon ride or cruise above the valley with Wine Country Helicopters. Whatever you like to do, you'll find plenty of recreational activities in the Napa, California area, including golfing, tennis, fishing, riding and boating.

After an energetic day cycling between wineries, spend a relaxing day being pampered at one of Napa's soothing spas. Spa Terra, an intriguing underground spa cave, just opened this year. Ask for the Solo Vina, an invigorating exfoliating grape seed scrub. Or try a wonderfully relaxing soak at Calistoga's natural hot springs.

If you crave a little culture with your vino, COPIA, the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts provides copious information on all three in visually stunning displays. Outstanding museums abound in Napa Valley. The amazing 217-acre di Rosa Preserve showcases the unique art of more than 900 artists, but make sure you call ahead for current visiting times. Modern art junkies will want to view the impressive Hess Collection and photo buffs won't want to miss Mumm Napa Valley. For history, head for the excellent Napa Valley Museum.

Up valley, shopaholic heaven can be found in St. Helena. Check out the amazing display of wine accessories at Wine Hardware or drool over to-die-for shoes at Foot Candy. Closer to home, the new Oxbow Public Market is scheduled to open in downtown Napa any day now. The 40,000 square foot marketplace will be a foodie's paradise featuring local food vendors, artisan cafes and organic farm stands. A scenic outdoor deck with seating along the beautiful Napa River will make this a delightful spot for lunch or an early evening supper.

But, of course, the reason people flock to Napa Valley is the wine and food. Among the excellent wineries you won't want to miss are Opus One, Quintessa, Rubicon, Clos Pegase, the Hess Collection, Groth, Bouchaine and Far Niente. Call ahead as some wineries offer tastings by appointment only and many charge a tasting fee. If you want to avoid the worst of the traffic, avoid Highway 29 and take the Silverado Trail that runs north-south along the east side of the valley.

For a memorable meal, sample Bistro Jeanty, La Toque or Julia's Kitchen. The Bounty Hunter wine bar in downtown Napa offers more than 40 wines by the glass but serves up some great down-home cooking too. Don't miss their famous Beer-Can Chicken. If you're looking for something distinctly local and a bit offbeat, Taylor's Automatic Refresher is a charming, old-fashioned, high-quality burger stand offering some of the finest wine and beer in the valley. For the ultimate gastronomic experience, lunch at the French Laundry. Their famous nine-course dinner requires at least a 60-day advance reservation and weighs in at $240 per person, but you can sample the same gourmet excellence at a much more reasonable cost at lunch. Bon appetite!

Spend Halloween With Ghost of Pirate Jean Lafitte

Dark clouds scuttle across the moon, shadows of the night creep across your path, dry leaves rustle ominously underfoot and the scritch scratch of barren branches sends shivers up your spine. Halloween is coming and those who relish a good scare can get their fill of the heebie jeebies in New Orleans. More often associated with great jazz, fabulous food or the excesses of Mardi Gras, New Orleans is #5 in the Travel Channel's list of World's Creepiest Destinations.

Voodoo and mystery imbue New Orleans culture. Halloween addicts will want to visit the crypt of voodoo queen Marie Laveau in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. In the 1830s the Haitian woman was a famous fortune teller, reading the future for the wealthy women of New Orleans' high society. It was rumored that using voodoo she could make a person's enemies die -- for the small fee of $1000. Her death in 1881 was shrouded in mystery. Visitors to her crypt may glimpse a tall woman, a snake coiled about her body, leading ghosts in a voodoo dance.

If you travel to New Orleans for Halloween, set the stage for spooky fun by staying in the Jean Lafitte House timeshare. Named for the notorious Caribbean pirate Jean Lafitte, the house was built in 1831 by Lafitte's ally, the fierce pirate captain Renne Beluche. Meticulously restored, the living areas are elegantly furnished, providing a luxurious base from which to launch nightly forays in search of the supernatural. Nestled in a charming residential area of the French Quarter, the Jean Lafitte House timeshare provides a delightfully relaxing respite from the rambunctious nightlife of the Quarter. You'll find eclectic shops and wonderful restaurants within easy walking distance, or take a leisurely stroll through the Market or Jackson Square. For more information about the Jean Lafitte House timeshare shown in the photos, click here.

For adults in quest of haunted spirits, New Orleans abounds with spooky tours through cemeteries and candle-lit haunted houses. Along with jazz and oyster bars, you'll find the Lalaurie Ghosts in the French Quarter or you may spot the tragic apparition at the French Opera House. Discover the legends behind the ghostly lore at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum or meet the city's most notorious characters at the Wax Museum on Conti Street in the French Quarter. If you like to vamp it up, Freaks, Follies and Sideshows is the theme of this year's annual gay costume ball and fundraiser which attracts party lovers from across the country. Anne Rice fans have resurrected the defunct Coven Ball as The Witching Hour Ball to pay homage to vampire Lestat and his fanged friends. A haunted riverfront, tours of ghost-haunted cemeteries, scarecrows at the botanical gardens and a voodoo music fest are just some of the frightful activities that await you in New Orleans.

For a complete listing of New Orleans timeshares for sale or rent, click this link or the post title to visit Timeshare Giant.

Follow Fall Migrations to Elegant Williamsburg

The sun is riding lower in the sky. It's still dark when the alarm rings and the skies are gray with dusk on the drive home from work. Fall is slowly creeping across the country, bringing crisp days, cool nights and falling leaves. In the north feeders that just weeks ago were crowded with birds are nearly empty. The skies are filled with the "V" formations of migrating geese honking their way across the sky. In the evening clouds of birds swirl over dessicated farm fields to scratch among the dying cornstalks before taking flight again. It's migration season and the flocks are heading south, as am I to a delightful Williamsburg, Virginia timeshare.

Just northeast of the Williamsburg timeshare I'm calling home for the week, less than an hour's drive away, is one of the nation's premier birding sites in the Chesapeake Bay area. The Presquile National Wildlife Refuge along the James River offers numerous parks, hiking trails and scenic drives from which migrating flocks can be observed.

The Virginia Bird and Wildlife Trail Guide is an excellent resource packed with well-known and obscure hiking trails, scenic drives, parks and historic sites of interest to birders and non-birders alike. The book can be purchased for $8.50 at www.dgif.virginia.gov/vbwt or by calling 866-748-2298. Additional bird-watching information is available at http://www.virginiabirding.com/ and at the Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory site at http://www.cvwo.org/.

Fall is one of my favorite times of year to be in Williamsburg. There are so many lovely timeshares to choose from on Timeshare Giant. This time I'm combining luxury with colonial elegance at Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony (right). Spend an exhilarating day hiking, biking, horseback riding, golfing on the championship golf course or visiting the numerous nearby attractions.

Return home to your timeshare for a revitalizing steam in the sauna and a luxurious soak in the hot tub before enjoying a sumptuous dinner in the award-winning dining room at Ford's Colony. End your evening with a cozy snuggle in front of the fireplace. My idea of a perfect fall day!

Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony offers superior amenities in elegantly appointed villas with privately screened porches overlooking the magnificent golf course fairways and gardens. The 54-hole course was designed by golf's legendary Dan Maples. For more information on Marriott's Manor Club at Ford's Colony, click the post title. You'll find a nice variety of Williamsburg timeshares for purchase or rent on the Timeshare Giant website; just click here for a complete listing.

If this is your first trip to Williamsburg, you'll want to take a walk back in time to the 18th century historic community of Colonial Williamsburg. You can visit with authentically dressed tradespeople and see how things were done in colonial times. Make sure you take a horse-drawn carriage ride in the evening as the as the streetlights are lit -- by candlel