QUINTESS-LUXURY
CLUB LIVING AT A PRICE
By Michael Hepworth
There is clearly a demand from people of substance to
have a private home to stay in some of the top destinations of the world
instead of booking into a luxury hotel. Quintess, a company geared
for just that is now selling memberships to this “exclusive club,”
based out of Boulder,
Colorado. All the homes are purchased outright, and re-decorated in the
style that the kind of people who join such an exclusive club as this are
used to. Places to find these homes include
Aspen,
Jackson Hole,
New York,
Cabo San Lucas
,
Costa Rica
,
Napa
Valley, Lake Tahoe,
Miami, St.Thomas in USVI,
Hawaii,
Paris,
London, and in
Perthshire,
Scotland. To keep the club exclusive
enough, Quintess will cap the membership at 1,000, and will remain an
invitation only club. All
stays are well planned in advance by the company, and the first thing
arranged is a shopping list of drinks and food that await you when you
arrive. The local concierge will have all that arranged for you in minute
detail, and they will arrange for any trips or excursions you may need.
They will arrange for babysitters or nannies if you will need them, and
there will always be complete business access to the computers and the
internet, ion case you need to keep in touch with your offices around the
globe.
Rich Journey recently stayed a few nights at the La
Quinta home in California
that is available to the members. Located on the Greg Norman Golf Course
and overlooking the 17th tee, this 4,725 square foot home has 3
bedrooms and 3 ½ bathrooms in the main house, and a swimming pool and hot
tub. The theme of this particular home is the “Rat Pack, “ and with
images of the famous four all over the place it is hard not to feel quite
special. A golf cart in the garage allows you to cruise around the area,
and the views of the
Chocolate
Mountains
are quite spectacular. It is the peace and quietness in the desert at
night that makes this region so appealing, and with a fully stocked fridge
in the fabulous kitchen, who could ask for anything more.
This club is so exclusive, that at last count there
were about 300 members who had a choice of 56 homes in 28 resort and city
destinations, and they are adding new homes at the rate of about one per
month. Quintess is also the only club to partner up with a high profile
and luxury hotel organization, this one being Leading Hotels of the
World. All Quintess members will have the opportunity to become
members of the Leading Hotels of the World acclaimed Leaders Club
Program-providing a customized level of benefits. This gives members
access to more than 440 Leading Hotels, and includes automatic upgrades,
personalized gifts on arrival, similar benefits at Relais & Chateaux
properties, airline club memberships, car hire and other exclusive offers.
Two of the newest properties are located on the
Pronghorn Estate in
Bend
,
Oregon, close to the
Cascade Mountains. It is home to a Tom Fazio designed championship golf course that has
been featured in many golf magazines in 2007, and I have been hearing
great things about this particular development for some time from business
associates, who love the fact that the development is on 20,000 acres of
protected federal wild lands. Memberships
begin at $195,000 and the deposit is completely refundable during the
first year and 80% refundable after that. Members also pay annual dues.
Many similar clubs have faded or dropped off the scene, but according to
Robb Report, Quintess seem to be rapidly expanding. With a ratio of
members to homes at about six to one, the chances of being locked out of
your choice home at any time of the year except maybe holidays is slim
indeed.
Phone: 1-800-223-6800
www.quintess.com
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