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Demeure - UE

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holiday travel

it would be great to hear from those that joined Demeure about their experience. It would also be good to hear from Duo members and those moving to AK via the settlement on their experiences. This input could influence some decisions for those of us who have not picked a team yet.
 

Kagehitokiri2

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http://destinationclubnews.com/News_Demeure_Updates_Members_On_Ultimate_Escapes_Situation.php

Nine former Ultimate Escapes properties and 139 Ultimate Escapes members have since joined the Demeure family according to Dan Nedelko, Demeure's Marketing Director.

Demeure will not be leasing or purchasing the remainder of the former Ultimate Escapes properties outside of the nine already acquired.

The nine properties purchased by Demeure will be available for sale to members at the same price received from CapitalSource...While the majority of the former Ultimate Escapes residences will not be included in the Demeure catalogue, over 250 properties are still available to members procured through more traditional channels.

...Some former travel planners will remain with Demeure, working from "virtual offices" offsite.

Demeure told us that they will soon be introducing a "try before you buy" option

some good news.
 

AKTHUE

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Sorry, but I'm going to rant here. How is anyone supposed to have any faith or trust in Demeure when this is totally different than what Demeure had promised in so many communications with UE members? And how about all the press releases? Furthermore, they had specifically stated to at least one person that they thought high 100s of UE members had joined Demeure. 139 is not high hundreds unless you think 25-35% off should be close enough.

One of the real advantages to a properly run DC is that you know exactly how each house will be amenitized before walking in the door. Sure Demeure may have access to over 250 properties, but ask them if they've ever been to those properties, much less gotten them standardized across the "portfolio."

Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it is a shame that CapSource took this bid. It seems they've significantly impaired one of the few main assets of UE - the members.
 

AKTHUE

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Sorry, but I'm going to rant here. How is anyone supposed to have any faith or trust in Demeure when this is totally different than what Demeure had promised in so many communications with UE members? And how about all the press releases? Furthermore, they had specifically stated to at least one person that they thought high 100s of UE members had joined Demeure. 139 is not high hundreds unless you think 25-35% off should be close enough.

One of the real advantages to a properly run DC is that you know exactly how each house will be amenitized before walking in the door. Sure Demeure may have access to over 250 properties, but ask them if they've ever been to those properties, much less gotten them standardized across the "portfolio."

Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it is a shame that CapSource took this bid. It seems they've significantly impaired one of the few main assets of UE - the members.

+1 Agree with everything you've said.

Not sure I believe there are even 139 who took the offer. There's no way to verify, is there? Certainly Demeure kept changing just about everything they claimed.

This ends up being high priced homeaway.com with cash pre-committed.

Did anyone on this discussion sign up for Demeure? None of the people I know who were UE members signed up.
 

Kagehitokiri2

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the 139 could have very low commitments.

so they kept 2 employees. odd. why bother? nice for those 2 employees though. but wait, which employees? execs rather than travel planners?

trials are never a bad thing.

seems to me the lease model could have been used, like second home destinations, but regardless, its nice to see they are no longer rolling deposits into dues.

...

bottom line, the ridiculousness of the DC industry continues. in this case, still goes back to UE/PE, but now primary DC lender capsource, and demeure is another example of something thats not a DC in the DC space.
 
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demeure

I do not know anyone who signed up personally either. I know that Peter Schwartz, CEO, personally put in a lot of effort to persuade people to join (including me). However I would bet a lot of the people that came over already have a second home and they contributed the use of this to fund a lot of their travel commitment--that is really the model that Peter is creating--a shared usage club as opposed to homeaway which is more of a broker. I had heard rumors that a lot of the people who were signing up also had low travel commitments (PE premier or good negotiators). I would still be interested in hearing about the experience but do not believe that making a commitment to this sort of program and pricing makes sense for our family. We were successful without much effort at obtaining replacement homes/condos for teh four trips we had on the books through April at better than Demeure pricing and locations---but when the economy heats up that may no longer be the case. Hope everyone had a happy holiday season in spite of the UE/CS/Q stress.
 

Kagehitokiri2

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I would bet a lot of the people that came over already have a second home and they contributed the use of this to fund a lot of their travel commitment--that is really the model that Peter is creating--a shared usage club as opposed to homeaway which is more of a broker.
good point. demeure's comments on that >
http://destinationclubnews.com/News_Demeure_Closes_On_Select_Assets_From_Ultimate_Escapes_Estate.php

beginning with bringing all of the Ultimate Escapes members with homes they wish to contribute to the club set up in the Demeure system.
 
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AKTHUE

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Doesn't that quote Demeure saying in November that they closed on 11 former UE homes from CapitalSource? Yet today they say they only closed on 9? Back in November they didn't say they "hoped to" or were "in the process or" or "planned to". They said they had closed on 11. If that statement had been truthful, it would be impossible to be reporting a smaller number now. Just like a month ago they said they were in the process of extending job offers to the UE travel planners ... when it turns out they let almost all of them go.

Demeure demonstrates you can't trust what they say to be true.

Life is too short to do business with people who demonstrate that they aren't trustworthy.
 
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This seems like a very signficant change in their model again.

http://destinationclubnews.com/forum/demeure/note-from-demeure-ceo-greg-martin/

Sounds like now they are focusing on doing affiliations with local villa leasing providers. So what's the advantage of going through Demeure? Is the travel planner for free? Do the villa rental agencies pay Demeure a fee for steering folks their way, which then pays for the website/travel planner?

They also did away with the 3 and 5 year membership model, where you committed to a certain amount of travel with them. Now it's pay as you go with no membership fees. I thought that was one of the main reasons you supposedly got discounts.

So is CapSource kicking themselves for having done that deal? They've got a portfolio of houses, no UE members paying to keep those houses up, and the value which was the membership seems squandered away. What am I missing?
 

Kagehitokiri2

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OneMoreTime

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CapSource Kicking themselves?

This seems like a very signficant change in their model again.

http://destinationclubnews.com/forum/demeure/note-from-demeure-ceo-greg-martin/

So is CapSource kicking themselves for having done that deal? They've got a portfolio of houses, no UE members paying to keep those houses up, and the value which was the membership seems squandered away. What am I missing?

Maybe, but probably not. CapSource knew that the real value was in the Member's from interviews posted on DC News, but chose to go for the real estate only play. There were other options and groups but that would have required buy in from CapSource- probably easier to sell a loss and keep your job, than have to support an investment.

It is a shame, not for CapSource, but for all the former Members....
 

Kagehitokiri2

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Kagehitokiri2

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Guaranteed lowest rates

Pay the lowest price available anywhere. Seriously: there's no catch!

The best prices you'll find anywhere

Our property owners commit to providing Demeure members with the best available rate — no matter where else their homes might be listed. We continually update our prices to reflect seasonal fluctuations and new special offers. We guarantee you’ll get the lowest price for your villa.
now that is interesting... but no mention of price matching or anything else...
 

Chicagomark

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Tried them around an upcoming Miami Trip......

Hit them a couple of weeks ago on Monday morning at 9am asking what they had available in Miami six weeks out that had at least two bedrooms and two baths. Heard from them 28 hours later with one, and only one offering. A unit that is for sale in MLS at the Sayan Building and listed out loud as a foreclosure for $625 a night. Ended up using VRBO and paying a little more, and staying in a two bedroom, two bath unit condo unit at One Bal Harbour hotel.
 

Kagehitokiri2

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$625 a night. Ended up using VRBO and paying a little more, and staying in a two bedroom, two bath unit condo unit at One Bal Harbour hotel.

enjoy your stay, it was built as a regent hotel

btw ive seen setai 2BR oceanfront from $1000 in the past
 

Kagehitokiri2

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btw ive seen setai 2BR oceanfront from $1000 in the past

considering this is a fairly recent post, and last one in thread, i guess i should point out that management has been forced out at setai, and there is a pending/developing dispute, as well as reports of service drops and staff departures
 

AKTHUE

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I have been amazed at the ads that Demeure has run, in the Wall Street Journal and other places. How can they afford so much marketing expense?

Has anyone traveled with them?
 
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