New High Country Club Properties

travelguy · Feb 14, 2007

High Country Club has updated their Destinations page on the web site. These are the properties in-development. Properties are listed in alphabetical order. Note the new additions:

Bonita Beach, Florida
Costa Rica
Lake Tahoe, California
Las Vegas, Nevada <<< NEW :whoopie:
Miami, Florida <<< NEW :clap:

Orange County, California
Outer Banks, North Carolina <<< NEW
Paris, France
Scottsdale, Arizona
St. Thomas
Whistler, British Columbia

I received an e-mail from High Country Club that the next properties available will probably be Tahoe, Costa Rica and Miami.

High Country Club appears to be ramping up the propery acquisition process to keep up with the growing membership. All good news for current members!

Bourne · Feb 14, 2007

If you look at the locations, HCC has an uncanny resemblance to Private Escapes. Therir targeted membership fees is similar to PE Premiere. Compare the locations and properties and they pop up in the same development / building. The difference is HCC tends to go for smaller but better located properties i.e. on the beach.

HCC and Private Escapes are the closest competitors on the lower end of DC food chain. IMHO, HCC may finally end up having a milti tier membership plan similar to PE when it scales up to 2-3 mil properties or end up merging with Private Escapes.

Steamboat Bill · Feb 14, 2007

Bourne said:
If you look at the locations, HCC has an uncanny resemblance to Private Escapes. Therir targeted membership fees is similar to PE Premiere. Compare the locations and properties and they pop up in the same development / building. The difference is HCC tends to go for smaller but better located properties i.e. on the beach.

HCC and Private Escapes are the closest competitors on the lower end of DC food chain. IMHO, HCC may finally end up having a milti tier membership plan similar to PE when it scales up to 2-3 mil properties or end up merging with Private Escapes.

I agree...smart people often feed off each other!

I highly doubt HCC will ever buy $2-3m properties...they are focused on $800-$1.2m properties.

It would not surprise me to see more consolidations in the DC industry...perhaps a HCC-PE merger will happen in the future....I actually hope Exclusive Resorts buys HCC in the future.

travelguy · Feb 15, 2007

High Country Club & Private Escapes

Bourne said:
If you look at the locations, HCC has an uncanny resemblance to Private Escapes. Therir targeted membership fees is similar to PE Premiere. Compare the locations and properties and they pop up in the same development / building. The difference is HCC tends to go for smaller but better located properties i.e. on the beach.

HCC and Private Escapes are the closest competitors on the lower end of DC food chain. IMHO, HCC may finally end up having a milti tier membership plan similar to PE when it scales up to 2-3 mil properties or end up merging with Private Escapes.

Bourne,

These are very interesting thoughts that I've previously discussed with High Country Club. They have always said that they DO NOT plan to have a multi-tiered membership.

They have also said that they intend to stick with the $850,000 average property which will adjust upward with "location inflation". So the properties may average $1.2M in several years for example. Note that some of their properties are “flagship” properties that cost a good bit more. One example is the High Country Club “lodge” in Breckenridge which is 4,800 s.f. on 5 acres of Breckenridge mountain!

Their members have a great impact on the selection of new High Country Club locations. The recent changes of properties "In Development" bear this out. Overall, I’m pleased with the selection of new locations and the speed at which they are bringing them online.

travelguy · Feb 15, 2007

A SECOND Vegas Property!

travelguy said:
High Country Club has updated their Destinations page on the web site. These are the properties in-development. Properties are listed in alphabetical order. Note the new additions:

Bonita Beach, Florida
Costa Rica
Lake Tahoe, California
Las Vegas, Nevada <<< NEW :whoopie:
Miami, Florida <<< NEW
Orange County, California
Outer Banks, North Carolina <<< NEW
Paris, France
Scottsdale, Arizona
St. Thomas
Whistler, British Columbia

I confirmed with High Country Club that the Vegas property in development is IN ADDITION TO the property that they have a down payment on at the new "W" resort complex.

They decided to move forward with another Vegas property in order to get one online in the near future. The "W" project is morphing into a great resort complex but it won't be ready until 2009.

Steamboat Bill · Feb 15, 2007

travelguy said:
I confirmed with High Country Club that the Vegas property in development is IN ADDITION TO the property that they have a down payment on at the new "W" resort complex.

They decided to move forward with another Vegas property in order to get one online in the near future. The "W" project is morphing into a great resort complex but it won't be ready until 2009.

I was one of the members that strongly reccomended adding Las Vegas ASAP. This would compliment the NYC property for 3/4 night options. It is nice to see a developer actually listen to it's members....and they made the change within 2 weeks. I also provided them with some market research from yahoo Travel and other sites stating the LV is a top adult destination and waiting for 2009 when the W is supposed to be built is TOO long to wait.

Bourne · Feb 18, 2007

Speaking of properties, the photos for Stowe & Hilton Head have been updated on the website.

I spoke to Casey last week while he was in Maui. The property out there was being furnished and should be ready in a few weeks.

travelguy · Feb 18, 2007

I believe the High Country Club website also has new pictures of the Orlando, Rosemary Beach, La Quinta, Mammoth and New York City properties. Or did I miss these updates before?

Steamboat Bill · Feb 18, 2007

Bourne said:
I spoke to Casey last week while he was in Maui. The property out there was being furnished and should be ready in a few weeks.

Do you know that name of that development in Maui?

I asked BocaBum99 to check out that area for me as he was in Maui this past week.

He said everything in that area is extremely nice..... :clap:

caribbeansun · Feb 19, 2007

It would be nice if they'd add more properties on the east coast and Caribbean that aren't just ski properties.

They have FL, NY, NC, SC, VT, Turks, St. Thomas - any others I've missed?

steve b · Feb 19, 2007

Turks and Caicos?

I joined HCC primarily because of its anouncement to add a property in the Turks. Anybody have any updates?

Steamboat Bill · Feb 19, 2007

steve b said:
I joined HCC primarily because of its anouncement to add a property in the Turks. Anybody have any updates?

Congrats.....

HCC told me Turks and Caicos should be ready in April.

I MAY go in June....it looks amazing and a short flight from South Florida.

Here is the web site of the property http://www.villarenaissance.com/rates.html

Summer rates are $650 per night, Christmas/New years is $1075 per night and the Winter rates are $860 per night.

Two Bedroom Ocean Front Deluxe Suite, Ocean front living/dining area and terrace, powder room, 2 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Private balcony overlooking pool and garden (1700 sq ft)

Thus, at my HCC member cost of $300 per night...I am getting a GREAT deal.

steve b · Feb 19, 2007

sweet suite
We love the turks and can't wait to go. I would love to write a review for Tug when it opens
steve b

Bourne · Feb 19, 2007

Those rates are with cookie-cutter upgrades and furnishings.

HCC upgrades the place a bit which adds another 100-200 dollars in nightly rate.

Another small comparison. Private Escapes went with Somerset for their entry level at Turks & Caicos. Though Somerset is a little better than VR, the unit that HCC provides is an oceanfront one compared to a garden view at Somerset.

Steamboat Bill · Feb 20, 2007

Bourne said:
Those rates are with cookie-cutter upgrades and furnishings.

HCC upgrades the place a bit which adds another 100-200 dollars in nightly rate.

Another small comparison. Private Escapes went with Somerset for their entry level at Turks & Caicos. Though Somerset is a little better than VR, the unit that HCC provides is an oceanfront one compared to a garden view at Somerset.

One of the things that impressed me about HCC was their choices of locations where HCC buys their properties. It seems that they are buying the BEST location properties with the LEAST amount of money.

For example, they bought Black Bear in Deer Valley. This is in a killer location directly across the street from Stein Erickson lodge that costs 2-4x the price. They they have an intereior desigener customize the units to look fantastic. HCC is also adding locations similar to Exclusive Resorts and Private Escapes, but they appear to be buying SMARTER properties.

travelguy · Feb 20, 2007

High Country Club GREAT Locations!

Steamboat Bill said:
One of the things that impressed me about HCC was their choices of locations where HCC buys their properties. It seems that they are buying the BEST location properties with the LEAST amount of money.

For example, they bought Black Bear in Deer Valley. This is in a killer location directly across the street from Stein Erickson lodge that costs 2-4x the price. They they have an intereior desigener customize the units to look fantastic. HCC is also adding locations similar to Exclusive Resorts and Private Escapes, but they appear to be buying SMARTER properties.

Bill,

High Country Club gets GREAT locations because the founders are from the Commercial Real Estate business. They understand the value of real estate is dependent on location, location, location!

Steamboat Bill · Feb 20, 2007

I am going to Park City on Friday for a week. I just checked HCC web site and Deer Valley is still available. Unfortunately, I have already booked my Westgate Park City. I almost would like to stay in Deer Valley and let the Westgate go to waste. I will try to arrange a visit if the property is still free when I am out there.

Amazing that the week after President's Day and there is still availability.

PerryM · Feb 21, 2007

Check this out

Steamboat Bill said:
I am going to Park City on Friday for a week. I just checked HCC web site and Deer Valley is still available. Unfortunately, I have already booked my Westgate Park City. I almost would like to stay in Deer Valley and let the Westgate go to waste. I will try to arrange a visit if the property is still free when I am out there.

Amazing that the week after President's Day and there is still availability.

Bill, check out the Timber Wolf Lodges while at The Canyons. These are fantastic and just $550k for a 2BR.

I did tell HCC about them but they did nothing.

Steamboat Bill · Feb 21, 2007

PerryM said:
Bill, check out the Timber Wolf Lodges while at The Canyons. These are fantastic and just $550k for a 2BR.

I did tell HCC about them but they did nothing.

They do look pretty nice, except they are not ski-in/out.

I am going to visit a few properties this week in Park City. I think the best bang is the new Westgate Condos that are fully furnished and ski-in/out for $900k but I will visit a realtor while in town.

I will do some leg work for HCC and hopefully they will buy in the Canyons as this is my personal favorite ski mountain.

PerryM · Feb 21, 2007

Steamboat Bill said:
They do look pretty nice, except they are not ski-in/out.

I am going to visit a few properties this week in Park City. I think the best bang is the new Westgate Condos that are fully furnished and ski-in/out for $900k but I will visit a realtor while in town.

I will do some leg work for HCC and hopefully they will buy in the Canyons as this is my personal favorite ski mountain.

For $900k they could almost buy 2 Timber Wolf units! I've been in them and they are fantastic. They started off as fractionals and the developer went belly up - the mess took 5 years to straighten out and thus they are vastly underpriced.

Bourne · Feb 22, 2007

Turks and Caicos property is now being furnished for usage. Should be available from Apr-May onwards...

Steamboat Bill · Feb 23, 2007

Bourne said:
Turks and Caicos property is now being furnished for usage. Should be available from Apr-May onwards...

I may book that for a week in June or July as it is close to South Florida!

Bourne · Mar 1, 2007

FYI

New photos updated for the Hawaii properties.