Saturday, March 3, 2007

Inn at Aspen – Managed by ResortQuest and Trappeur’s Crossing Resort Condominiums in Steamboat Colorado


The Inn at Aspen Resort and Conference Hotel welcomes you to our 122 nicely appointed guest rooms (hotel rooms, studios, junior suites, and royal suites), 5000 square feet of meeting space, the Elkhorn Restaurant, banquet facilities, heated outdoor pool, hot tub and workout center.

The Inn at Aspen Snowmass in Colorado is located just outside of Aspen Colorado. Our unique hotel accommodations provide ski-in/ski-out convenience to Buttermilk Mountain, home of the ESPN Winter X Games. No lines and the lift tickets provide access to all four mountains. Downtown Aspen and Snowmass in CO are just minutes away, offering endless possibilities for dining, nightlife, and mountain adventure.

Whether it’s replacing the pillows or providing kids with a movie night, complete with popcorn, we listen to our guests’ wishes at the Inn at Aspen Colorado. All rooms feature individually controlled heating, voicemail, high speed internet, cable TV, radio, balcony or terrace, iron/ironing board, and cribs on request. Each of the rooms provide a refrigerator, coffee maker, plush terrycloth bathrobes and a hairdryer. Daily housekeeping and a concierge help to make your visit to the Inn at Aspen like a home away from home.

If you’re looking for a moderately priced getaway, the Inn at Aspen is the perfect destination for your next mountain vacation. Whether you are looking for a corporate retreat, wedding, family reunion, church retreat or just simply a chance to get away and play, The Inn at Aspen Snowmass will elevate your hotel and travel experience.

Contact ResortQuest at 970.925.1400 to book your travel vacations at the Inn at Aspen in Colorado today. The Inn at Aspen is managed by ResortQuest.


Conveniently located just two blocks from the gondola, Trappeur’s Crossing Resort is a short walk to the restaurants, bars, and shops at the Steamboat Ski Area base. In the winter our complimentary, on-call shuttle service ensures that all of Steamboat Springs is easily accessed. Trappeur’s Crossing Resort in Steamboat CO offers four lodges – Trappeur’s Crossing Lodge, Timberline Lodge, Champagne Lodge and Aspen Lodge. These accommodations surround the Trappeur’s amenities and conference center, meeting and reception lounge, the indoor and outdoor pool, hot tubs, sauna, fitness center and summer tennis courts. An additional outdoor pool and two hot tubs opened in fall of 2006.

Choose from one to four bedroom deluxe condominiums with in-room, complimentary high speed internet access, a fully-equipped kitchen, gas-log fireplace, private balcony, private ski-lockers, underground heated parking, laundry facilities and daily housekeeping.

The Trappeur’s Crossing Resort in Steamboat Colorado is managed by ResortQuest at 888.683.9836.

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Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa in the Daintree Rainforest

Located in the tropical rain forests of Daintree in Queensland Australia, the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa is an ecotourism and eco-adventure haven for adventure seekers, environmental tours, health and wellness retreats and of course private 5 star boutique accommodations. The Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa in the rainforests of Queensland is a unique tree house resort just forty minutes away from Port Douglas near the Great Barrier Reefs of Australia.

Winner of 4 World Awards in 2005, the luxurious and boutique Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa is the premier location for a health and wellness vacation or a travel tour into the oldest Australian tropical forests. With the ultimate boutique accommodations in this ecological reserve that provides natural beauty, fine dining, a luxurious spa and adventure travel tours and packages, the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa in the world famous Daintree Forests of Australia’s Queensland province is a high-end luxury accommodation hotel retreat destination for conferences, adventure seeking individuals, nature lovers, bird and animal watchers, corporate events, conferences, honeymoons, weddings and of course romantic getaways. The Australia Queensland Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel resort in the Daintree rain forest simply the best escape that you could ever do for yourself. Authentic culture, award winning restaurants, the Daintree Spa and unique boutique five star accommodation hotel villas are waiting for you and your family today at the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel resort, so make you reservation booking today.


A small and intimate hotel suite community at the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa within the beautiful tropical rain forests of Queensland only features an exclusive collection of fifteen rainforest villa hotel suites that are considered to be luxury five star accommodation options for you. Called the Spa Villas at Daintree, these luxury accommodation hotel guest rooms at the Queensland Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel resort will come with internet access (right now it’s still on dial-up connection), telephone services, tea and coffee, Television and a CD player, full balcony with sweeping rainforest views, air conditioning as well as a ceiling fan to keep you cool during the hot afternoons, mini bar, house movies, ensuite bath room as well as a luxurious and boutique Jacuzzi on the patio balcony. The Resort Hotel facilities at the boutique Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa resort hotel destination in the tropical rainforests of Queensland Australia will feature an covered swimming pool with beautiful expansive sun deck where you can catch the sun’s rays in addition to a fine dining restaurant, Art Gallery featuring works of art by Aboriginals in the Queensland area, transfer services as well as the luxurious Daintree Spa Wellbeing Centre at the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa resort hotel. In addition, casual, loose fitting clothing is preferable as it is in the middle of the rain forests of Queensland Australia but during your dining experiences at Julaymba Restaurant, smart casual or business casual attire is recommended. The resort hotel itself at the boutique 5 star Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa will provide a great selection of tropical adventure seeking tours and activities, ecotourism packages, rainforest and reef activities. Rates, bookings and contact information for the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa


You can refer to the online marketing web site for the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa resort hotel in Queensland Australia where you will find three different sets of hotel rates. There are special rates and hotel resort pricing for the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel for wedding events as well as group incentives. Please visit the five star boutique web site at daintree-ecolodge.com.au/Daintree_Lodge_Spa_Environment.htm for these details. The luxurious tropical hideaway resort at the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel is located at 20 Daintree Road in Queensland 4873 Australia. The office hours are 7 to 6 while the Daintree Spa is open between 10 and 6. You can email the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa hotel of Queensland Australia at info@daintree-ecolodge.com.au.


With the use of very high-end natural products, some from Aboriginol tribes and traditions, the Daintree Spa resort provides some unique Spa treatments like the signature Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa Walbul-Walbul Butterfly, the Shine Face, Jina Treatment, Wawu Dingkarr – Spirit of Man, Milka Marri for peaceful content, the Wuri Julma Corroboree Dance Massage and the Julma massage. Other Spa and beauty treatments at the Daintree Spa hotel resort destination include the Bijarril Dreaming therapy, purely bathing, tropical exotics and naturopathic consultations.


The boutique 5 star Daintree hotel also features aboriginal artwork and cultural workshops in addition to an award winning Expedition. For adventure seekers staying at the 5 star Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa resort, there are tonnes of ecotourism adventures that you can experience during your Australia Travel holiday. There are also plenty of rainforest and reef exploration tours that you can experience at the Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa resort destination hotel being the base in Queensland Australia.

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Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Telluride Travel to Colorado

It’s the astonishing natural beauty that draws people to this small corner of the world – not to mention world-class skiing, nationally renowned festivals and an amazing resort community consisting of two colourful towns filled with non-stop events and activities. Simply put, the Telluride area is one of the grandest, most delightful places you’ll ever ski or vacation.

For more information, please contact ResortQuest at 970.728.6621 or visit the Telluride ResortQuest web site at www.ResortQuest.com today to book your next Colorado vacation.

Situated in a boxed canyon surrounded by the highest concentration of 14,000 foot peaks in the continental United States, the historic mining town of Telluride draws you into its postcard scenery where old Victorian homes line the streets like candy canes, and Main Street has the bustling energy of any thriving city neighbourhood. Everything in Telluride Colorado is within walking distance – including the Telluride gondola and ski lifts. Whether you’re looking for great boutique shopping in Telluride, or a cup of coffee or cappuccino with the morning paper, a five-star Telluride dinner at any of of the many distinctive restaurants, or you would like to people watch, at only about a mile square, you’re never far from the action at this Colorado resort town.

Platformed at mid-mountain Telluride CO and rising more than 9,000 feet in elevation, the European-style town of Mountain Village Telluride hosts rejunvenating spas, gorgeous lodges, world class golf and is the center for all ski-school adventures and services. Connected to the town of Telluride by a free 12 minute gondola, Mountain Village Colorado is a great escape that offers some of the best sunsets and alpenglow around.

Whatever your preference, the town of Telluride or Mountain Village Colorado, ResortQuest Telluride offers something for everyone with the area’s best selection of vacation rentals: a unique blend of condominiums, townhomes, private homes, suites, studios and hotel rooms sure to suit all tastes and budgets. We are certain that you will love Telluride Colorado as much as we do!

The Telluride CO Scene at a Glance
Nestled in the Canyons of Colorado the excitement awaits:


Ouray Ice Climbing Festival (January)
Comdey Festival (February)
AIDS Benefit Fashion Show & Gay Ski Week (February – March)
Mountain Film Festival (May)
Balloon Rally and Festival (June)
Wild West Festival (June)
Telluride Bluegrass Festival (June)
Telluride Jazz Festival (August)
Culinary Arts Festival (August)
Telluride Film Festival (September)
Blues and Brews Festival (September)
New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks (December)


Try Cosmopolitan (American), 221 South Oak Bistro (American), Allred’s (American and French) or La Marmotte (French). For something more casual at Telluride Colorado, try Honga’s Lotus Petal (Pan-Asian), Rustico (Italian), Cornerhouse Grill (American) or Fat Alley Barbeque (American).


Popular bars include the New Sheridan, Brown Dog and Last Dollar Saloon. For art, try the Telluride Gallery for Fine Arts. For a good book and cuppa joe, try Between the Covers Bookstore & Coffee House. Try Two Skirts and Scarpe for great boutique women’s clothing at Telluride CO. For other clothing and sporting goods, Bounty Hunter and Telluride Sports can certainly deck you out.


Telluride Historical Museum, the historic Sheridan Opera House, Telluride Helitrax, Telluride Outside (guided fishing, biking, river rafting and Jeep tours), Bridal Veil Falls.


The Bear Creek Lodge is Mountain Village’s newest deluxe ski-in/ski-out lodge in Telluride Colorado. The ski slopes are conveniently accessed via a semi-private lift. Enjoy tranquility, exquisite views and the finest accommodations in these spacious one to four bedroom condominiums. Amenities include an outdoor pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, fitness center, business center, high speed internet access in each condominium, complimentary shuttle service to Mountain Village Center, underground parking, ski-valet service, concierge and more. Every one, two three and four bedroom unit at the Bear Creek Lodge in Telluride Colorado is fully equipped with the finest furnishings, stainless steel appliances, spacious bathrooms and closets, washer dryers and much more. Plus maid service is offered every other day. Most of the condominiums have their own private balcony.

Break Creek Lodge at Telluride Colorado is truly your home-away-from-home, so book through ResortQuest today at 888.683.9836.

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Broome Cable Beach Club Resort in Western Australia

If you like tranquil sleeps among the wilderness, than the Broome Cable Beach Club Resort hotel is perfect for Australia travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. If you like to visit the Kimberly Region Australia outback, then the Cable Beach Club Resort hotel in Broome is also a perfect fit.

For those who love luxurious hotels and boutique accommodations guest suites and rooms, the romantic villas at Broome Cable Beach Club Resort in the Kimberly Region open up onto open courtyards and spas that hotel guests can forever enjoy during their stay. For those who like the studio style rooms at this boutique Cable Beach Club Resort hotel in Broome in the Kimberly Region of Western Australia, you can stay at a luxury five star accommodation guestroom that opens up views of the Cable Beach from your private balcony as well as the surrounding wilderness. The sky is definitely the limit when it comes to the boutique luxury Broome Cable Beach Club Resort hotel and five star accommodations, so what are you waiting for? Beautiful sunrises and sunsets, fine dining with Australian cuisine, seafood and cocktails and the most beautiful of natural settings in travel Australia, the Cable Beach Club Resort hotel in Broome Kimberly Region is a world class destination resort for any lifestyle and age.


If you are looking for a luxury room that is unpretentious in nature, then the Broome Cable Beach Club Resort hotel guest suites are perfect for you. With four different types of floor plan layouts offered at this gorgeous hotel in the Kimberly outback region, Western Australia presents the traveler’s dream when it comes to world class intimate, unique and well appointed furnished rooms for guests. There are four different studio guest rooms at the Kimberly Region Cable Beach Club Resort hotel which include the garden view, pool terrace, pool view and ocean view studio guestrooms. Featuring four different bungalow boutique five-star hotel rooms, the Cable Beach Club Resort Broome in Western Australia travel holidays will provide: superior, spa superior, deluxe and spa deluxe bunglows for visitors. The Villas are fully furnished boutique five star hotel accommodations at the Broome Cable Beach Club Resort in Kimberly Region outback Western Australia holidays and they also have a resort style courtyard and private spa for you and your family or partner. There are three 5 star villa boutique hotel guest suites at the Kimberly outback Cable Beach Club hotel which includes McAlpine, John Olsen and Villas. Desigend by Humphrey Price Jones, Elizabeth Durack as well as Sir Sidney Nolan, this world renowned team of designers have put together exotic art and design features in these guest suites at Cable Beach Club Resort hotel in Broome so that you will never forget the Kimberly outback region of Western Australia … ever.


For luxury accommodations bookings, you can actually go online web site here: http://www.cablebeachclub.com/index.site.rooms.3.html to check for availability and actually book your hotel reservation online here http://www.cablebeachclub.com/index.site.bookings.83.html. At this web address, you will also find the current Kimberly Region Broome Cable Beach Club Resort Hotel rates between June 01, 2006 and May 31, 2007 for all guest rooms and suites. This is also the place where you can cancel your booking reservation at this boutique hotel in Western Australia. Currently the Broome Cable Beach Hotel Resort and Spa provides a ‘Stay 5 Pay 4’ special package for Australia travel packages and holidays. Broome Cable Beach Hotel Resort Restaurants, Bars, Weddings, Honeymoons, Conference and Events


Also, the Broome Cable Beach Hotel Resort in Kimberly Region is a perfect natural and pristine outback setting for wedding parties, ceremonies as well as honeymoons. You can download a PDF document of the packages, ranges, venues and facilities at the Cable Beach Resort Hotel in Broome Western Australia holiday travel. As for this Western Australia boutique five-star hotel accommodation at the Cable Beach Resort Hotel will feature world class meetings, events and conference facilities for groups between ten and two hundred guests. For floor plan and room capacity details, you can download another PDF document online at http://www.cablebeachclub.com/index.site.meetingServices.79.html.

Contact Information for the Broome Cable Beach Club Resort in Kimberly Region Western Australia. You can make contact by phone at +61 8 9192 0400 or email the Cable Beach Club Broome boutique hotel at info@cablebeachclub.com.

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Monday, February 26, 2007

Merribrook Retreat Margaret River Boutique Accommodations

Experience and passionate staff, one hundred and sixty acres of paradise sanctuary and the most luxurious Margaret River five star hotel accommodations are ready for you at the Merribrook Retreat in the wine region of Western Australia.

From a romantic getaway, wedding party or corporate retreat, this Australia Merribrook Retreat Margaret River is the perfect vacation holiday or business trip for anyone. This luxury boutique hotel accommodation at the Margaret River Merribrook Retreat is located in the heart of the wine region that is also close to many of the most exclusive white sand beaches and sparkling blue lakes of Western Australia. The five star luxury accommodation suites at Merribrook Retreat Margaret River hotel in Western Australia is yours to discover and experience

Consistently ranked as one of the top holiday destination hotel resorts in the Margaret River wine region, the Merribrook Retreat Hotel in Western Australia does not need accolades and hotel awards to attract Australia travel vacationers and adventure seekers. The luxury five star accommodations speak for themselves and the Merribrook Retreat Hotel resort in Margaret River provides forest edge garden studios, a lake house and luxury lakeview villa apartments for your vacation stay. Perfect for those getaways for romantic couples or honeymoons, the Margaret River Forest Edge Garden Studio at the Merribrook Retreat resort is clean, simple and simply breathtaking in every way. From your queen size bed to the many standard hotel resort amenities like televions, DVD and CD collections as well as your own lakeside lodge accommodations, this luxury retreat hotel guest suite at the Merribrook Retreat Lake resort is often booked early. This boutique 5 star guest suite at the Forest Edge Garden Studio costs two hundred and thirty five AUD per evening stay.


This nature retreat villa at the Merribrook Retreat Margaret River boutique accommodations is about seven hundred meters away from the main retreat at this resort and features your own private lake Paulownia and a comfortable king size bed along with a grilling area on the private deck. The chic Lake House guest suite at the Merribrook Retreat hotel is four hundred and thirty dollars per night. The Margaret River Merribrook Retreat hotel in Western Australia also features the Lakeview Retreat Villa at three hundred and fourteen Australian dollars per evening which is a very stylish and well appointed boutique accommodation in this resort. Natural tones and fabrics are used in the interior appointments in addition to floor to ceiling glass and the Lakeview Retreat villa accommodation at Merribrook Retreat Margaret River in Western Australia also features a queen size bed and double bubble bath for romantic getaways. If you are planning a trip to Australia and travel vacations to Western Margaret River wine region, check out the Merribrook Retreat Lake resort for more information.


With great facilities and wellness & health packages offered at this boutique 5 star hotel accommodation, there is no reason why you shouldn’t let you body and mind take a rest to indulge in an extensive list of spa treatments and massages that the Merribrook Retreat hotel provides to hotel guests. There are three main services and packages offered by this resort boutique hotel in Margaret River that include the Three Day Revitalising Getaway or the Six Day Health Program as well as a Corporate Executive Health program for your company getaway. You can read more about these packages offered by the Merribrook Retreat Hotel Resort online at their web site located at: http://www.merribrook.com.au/page.php?c=18.


By doing so, your staff and employees as well as yourself will open up to everything that the Margaret River Merribrook Retreat hotel resort can offer including boutique conference facilities, team building exercises, facilitators and programs for corporations. In addition, the offerings of the Western Australia Merribrook Hotel Resort Retreat Lake at Margaret River corporate programs can be read online at their website: http://www.merribrook.com.au/page.php?c=29. Contact Info
You can send the Merribrook Retreat an online enquiry at the following URL: http://www.merribrook.com.au/page.php?c=contact. In addition, the Western Australia travel Margaret River Merribrook Retreat Hotel resort is located at PO Box 27 in Cowaramup in Western Australia 6284 by post and by location, it’s Armstrong Road in Margaret River. To find out more about the various adventures and tour packages available through the Merribrook Retreat Margaret River five star boutique hotel in Western Australia travel holidays, you can visit http://www.merribrook.com.au/page.php?c=12. For the Cape to Cape Walk, please visit this web address: http://www.merribrook.com.au/page.php?c=24.

For a current listing and details about purchasing real estate in Australia and other presales apartments, click here.

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Playa Herradura Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort

Located in the beautiful city of Puntarenas, the Costa Rica travel guide and holiday vacations have singled out the Los Sueños Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort at Playa Herradura as the ultimate dream getaway in Costa Rica. The boutique 5 star Los Suenos Hotel Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort is a five star Puntarenas getaway in Costa Rica.

If you have never been to Costa Rica, maybe it’s about time for you to discover some of the most magical tropical places in the world. With pristine rainforests, national parks, watersports and the most impressive array of fauna and wildlife, the Costa Rica Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & 5 Star Golf Resort is located along the Playa Herradura which is part of a one thousand one hundred acre untouched rainforest with the most amazing historical colonial architecture in buildings as well as the most magnificent five star resort destination at Los Suenos hotel. The Resort is also a perfect setting for large events (for corporate functions, weddings and parties) as there is over eleven thousand nine hundred square feet of function space. In addition, a luxury and boutique eighteen hole golf course at La Iguana is just nestled beside 5 star boutique Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Puntarenas travel holiday vacation in addition to the Stellaris Casino.


Some quick facts about the luxury hotel travel include property details that offer four floors of amazing 5 star boutique one hundred and ninety one hotel guestrooms and ten guest suites. The impressive conference facilities at the Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort five star boutique Costa Rica Playa Herradura hotel is a perfect way to do business travel to Puntarenas and anywhere else for that matter. In addition, there is over six thousand three hundred square feet in total meeting and conference space in the Puntarenas five star boutique Los Suenos Costa Rica Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort. The Playa Herradura check in time for the Los Suenos Hotel in Puntarenas is the usual at four o’clock and the check out time is twelve noon. Express check in and out is also provided for exclusive guests at the boutique Los Suenos Costa Rica Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort too. Pets are unfortunately not allowed at the luxury Costa Rica Los Suenos boutique accommodations at this time. Located along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica travel holidays and Puntarenas dream vacations to the Playa Herradura Los Suenos Marriott Hotel provides over eleven hundred acres of pristine rain forests, colonial designed architecture, the La Iguana Golf Course and an onsite casino at the boutique 5 star Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort in Costa Rica. For a downloadable brochure of the five star Hotel is available at online at the following web site address for you to download: marriott.com/property/abouthotel/default/sjols.


There are many ways to contact this luxury boutique accommodation for your travel plans. Firstly, you can visit the Puntarenas hotel five star Playa Herradura Los Suenos Marriott Ocean & Golf Resort hotel online at the following web site URL (as you can see, it’s part of the corporate Marriott website presence) marriott.com/property/abouthotel/default/sjols. The physical location of this Pacific Ocean boutique accommodation is at 800 MTS (West from Herradura entrance) in Playa Herradura, Costa Rica. To Contact the resort hotel and accommodations, please contact them at 011 506 630 9000 or for sales and reservations at 011 506 2980000 extension 808. You can also contact the hotel resort toll-free number at 1800 228 9290 or you can check room and suite availability online at the boutique Puntarenas Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach Costa Rice resort accommodations.


From services and features, restaurants and lounges, recreation, golf, spa and fitness resources, the boutique Costa Rica Playa Herradura Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach resort hotel in Puntarenas travel beach holidays provides the utmost in amenities to the hotel guests. As far as complimentary services, all resort hotel guests will receive newspaper and coffee and tea. In addition, some other services provided by the boutique Los Suenos Resort Marriott Hotel Golf and Beach Resort Puntarenas offers a beauty shop, gift shop and newsstand in addition to babysitting services for families and laundry/room services. There are a number of fine dining and casual restaurants to choose from at the luxury Playa Herradura Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach Hotel in Costa Rica for your travel dream vacation. This includes La Vista Restaurant, Nuevo Latino, Arrecife Pool Bar and Grill, La Casa del Café, Hoyo 19, Puesta del Sol and room services, all provided to you by the luxurious and boutique 5 star Beach hotel. Costa Rica travel holidays have never been so enjoyable then now, as the five star boutique Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach Marriott hotel provides a heated outdoor pool, as well as many activities nearby that include scuba, diving, water sports, nature preserve hiking, walking trails, jogging, surfing, tennis, volleyball and a sauna. In addition, the Puntarenas Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach hotel in Marriott Playa Costa Rica travel holidays will provide a championship golf course in addition to a world-class spa providing body scrub, wrap, facial treatments, manicures and pedicures in addition to massages. The boutique spa is called the Puntarenas Poseidon Fitness & Spa and appointment reservations are required. In addition, the luxury 5 star Los Suenos Resort Golf and Beach Puntarenas resort hotel in Playa herradura provides a fitness center with all the latest equipment. Costa Rica travel is exciting and relaxing, so make sure you consider staying here.

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Travel Real Estate – Before you purchase your recreational property

There are certain tips and checklists that travel enthusiasts must attend to when deciding whether or not to purchase recreational real estate at Canada’s winter resorts. Travel real estate as it is termed is recreational full ownership or fractional ownership based. Again, taken from Ski Press Magazine.


When it comes to spending quality time in ski country, the choice is clear: buy or rent. Not surprisingly, that is the last thing that’s clear. What is very unclear is which one is right for you. So let’s look at this rationally.

What’s so great about owning your own little slice of heaven?
- There actually is pride in ownership of recreational property
- You have a place to store your ski gear
- You might make a capital gain on the real estate property
- Your friends will all want to visit
- There will be extra virgin olive oil in the cupboard when you start preparing dinner

What’s not so great about ownership of recreational property?
- You’re stuck, baby. You know where you’re going… and going… and going
- Your friends will all want to visit… and stay in your place for free
- If it breaks, you have to fix it or pay for someone else to fix it.
- It’ll break
- You’ll get repetitive stress syndrome from writing cheques to cover the mortgage, condo fees, resort-association fees, special assessments, and user fees

On the other hand, you can rent recreational real estate. Renting is good isn’t it?
- Renting costs less up front
- You can visit new places every year
- If it breaks, it’s not your problem
- You’ll never look at something you don’t like and use the word ‘renovate’

Renting recreational property isn’t without its own drawbacks, though.
- So long, cash, it’s been good to know you
- You’re always a stranger, in a strange land
- Don’t even think about brining a black light into the bedroom
- You take higher quality cooking utensils camping than they supply in the condo


In a word, no. At least not if you’re thinking along the lines of a traditional 75 per cent mortgage. No way, here’s why.

Gross vs Net: Yes, that’s an expensive recreational condo you’re staying in and maybe thinking of buying. But unless you live at the resort, someone else is going to have to manage it for you. They take anywhere from 40% to 50% off the top for their services. Before other expenses.

Other Expenses 1: things break and have to be replaced; not wilful damage kind of break, but dropped glass, damaged appliance, leaking plumbing kind of break. Your insurance – another expense-doesn’t cover that. And then there’s phone, TV, hydro…. Those are all other expenses.

Other Expenses II: In at least three of the four highlighted areas, there’s a resort association that markets the resort. They charge homeowners a fee, kind of like another level of tax, based on size or revenue. And then there’s the actual property tax.

Other Expenses III: Common area expenses never go away. And special assessments – fix the roof, fix the pool, fix the hot tub, replace the furniture – seem to crop up more frequently than you’d expect.

Rack vs Reality: The nightly rack rate for your condominium recreational property seems high. But to hedge their bets, most big resort condos wholesale blocks of room nights to package companies. Don’t bank on the rack rate.

One Season; Two Shoulders: Shoulder seasons – early and late- attract, well cheapskates. Your recreational condo will either be vacant or inexpensive for all but the heart of the season.

So buy with your eyes open. Yes, there’s some income. There just may not be as much as you think.


Not everywhere can be – or wants to be – Whistler, Banff, or Tremblant. If you’d like to spend your time in this kind of place big ski-town locals claim their town used to be, here are three spots you might want to consider purchasing recreational property.

Fernie, British Columbia
Fernie is a century-old mining town that’s making a big splash in mountain resort tourism. Anchored by Fernie Alpine Resort’s 2,500 acres of power-perfect skiing, the town is enjoying unprecedented international profile. “We’ve been discovered by the Brits and Aussies,” claims mayor Randall MacNair.

While Fernie’s travel destination skier business is likely to get a real boost when Cranbrook’s airport – about a hour and a half drive – goes international, in the not too distant future, the town has already become a favourite of Calgarians.

And why not? Aside from FAR’s groomed runs, alpine bowls and tempting backcountry, Fernie’s a hotspot for cat skiing, and snowmobiling in winter; fishing, hiking, mountain biking and golf in the summer. An increasingly sophisticated mix of good dining, shopping, and high-touch spas, appended to what Mayor MacNair likes to call a “real town,” makes Fernie one hot item.

Golden, BC
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort seemed, for so many years, to be almost ghostlike, a chimera whispered on the wind blowing down from Rogers Pass. But with 2,750 acres and a vertical of 1,260 metres, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort has kicked some life into formerly sleepy Golden.

“Golden’s gone crazy,” claims Janet Crandell, publisher of the Golden Star Weekly. “We’ve travelled light years from where we were just a decade ago because of the real estate recreational development of the ski hill.”

Three hours from Calgary and six from Edmonton, Golden is also cashing in on the petrocrazed economy of recreationally challenged Alberta and remaking itself into a four-season destination resort town. It has great skiing, a whole roster of summertime activities, and new resort real estate lodging project are being snapped up as fast as plans can be approved.

Big White, British Columbia
Big White Ski Resort, snuggled up against the Monashee Mountains, has spent the past half decade building itself into a regional powerhouse. With 777 metres of vertical, 2,765 acres and almost double that of accessible nearcountry terrain, and an average snowfall of 750 centimetres (that’s 27.5 feet!), Big White Ski Resort is one BC’s big players. Its village offers a critical mass of lodging, real estate opportunities and all the usual amenities.

But unlike the others, it also has nearby Kelowna – one of Canada’s fastest growing cities – as an urban lure. “A lot of growth around here is being fuelled by retired and semi-retired people who are embracing a very active lifestyle,” says Steve MacNaull, business reporter for the Kelowna Daily Courier. “They’re building big homes and want all the toys to pursue their passions.”

What are you waiting for?


Let’s start with minimum requirements – basics for a family of four:
- Ski country vacation home: $200,000 plus (up to $5 million)
- Yearly property taxes, resort association fees, utilities, $8000 plus
- Monthly recreational condo common-area costs: $150 plus
- Special assessments (new roof, etc.): unpredictable
- Recreational property insurance: $1000 plus
- New bed linens, towels, duvets, etc.: $500
- Outfitting kitchen: $1500
- New TV and sound system: $2500
- New furniture: $10000 plus
- Refitting the “owners closet” to hold your stuff: $750
- Season passes (you’re not day skiers any more): $2800 plus
- Membership in the Saturday/Sunday ski club (so you can cut lift lines): $1500
- Incidentals: 5% of above

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