# Lusso Collection article



## Steamboat Bill (Oct 3, 2007)

Here is an interesting new article on Lusso

http://www.twincities.com/ci_7030267?source=rss


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## vivalour (Oct 3, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Here is an interesting new article on Lusso
> 
> http://www.twincities.com/ci_7030267?source=rss



Love it!  Sounds perfect for us too except that it's beyond our vacation budget right now....


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## LTTravel (Oct 3, 2007)

I think Lusso has potential for a great DC. Just a few more destinations and it may take off. There homes appear to be top notch as well as their service and one of the few DC's with potential appreciation in value. If they could get some of the market from ER and pass the 200 member mark (they are only at 100) they will probably have about 20 destinations and 40 homes at that point and should escalate.


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## Kagehitokiri (Oct 3, 2007)

im definitely keeping an eye on them, as well as ciel (i think ciel's exec plan is ~$500K) cmon beachfront homes! 

probably the only thing keeping numbers down is marketing/awareness..

thinking about that, ill bet UR/PE uses the PE name.
http://www.heliumreport.com/archive...-on-destination-clubs-private-residence-clubs


> A notable 1.1 million wealthy (top 10%) Americans will be in the market for a second home this year, the American Affluence Research Center reported. Yet “about 6 in 10 of the affluent...indicate no familiarity with either the private residence or destination club concepts,” according to the Center’s study...Among the survey respondents familiar with destination clubs, 67% recognized Exclusive Resorts and 37% recognized Private Escapes. The third most-recognized brand was Portofino, at 19%. These numbers closely correlate to the AARC’s survey in spring 2005.


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 3, 2007)

Individual Lusso Membership

Deposit = $395,000
Dues = $26,500

Assume = 28 nights (they advertise unlimited)

Lost opportunity cost (@5%) = $19750 + $26,500 (annual dues) = $46,250 per year

$46,250 / 28 nights = $1,652 per night

$46,250 / 35 nights = $1,321 per night

$46,250 / 42 nights = $1,101 per night

At no time will Member-to-property ratio exceed 5.5:1—the lowest in the industry. 
In total, only 550 Memberships will be issued.
An average of more than $3 million in value per home.


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## Kagehitokiri (Oct 3, 2007)

is info on their reservation system online anywhere?


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 3, 2007)

Kagehitokiri said:


> is info on their reservation system online anywhere?



http://www.lussocollection.com/page/membership_options.jsp

http://www.lussocollection.com/page/Facts_and_Features.jsp


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## Kagehitokiri (Oct 3, 2007)

sorry, i meant other than "4 standard reservations" and "2 advanced reservations"

for example here is what i know about ciel >

explorer 
- up to 9 reservations(1 week) from 3 months > 12 months out
- 90 day space available window
- 1 26-day reservation(4 reservations combined), rest up to 13 days(2 reservations combined)
- use each property up to 40 days(14 properties X 40 days = 560 days)

executive 
- up to 7 reservations(1 week) from 2 months > 12 months out
- 60 day space available window
- reservations up to 13 days(2 reservations combined)
- use each property up to 20 days(14 properties X 20 days = 280 days)

both have 1 "premium" week and 1 gift week

http://www.heliumreport.com/archives/659-ciel-rolls-out-a-new-membership-option
talks about some of that

compared to Solstice Collection
http://solsticecollection.com/participation/membership-plans.php
signature (base plan) >
"Membership includes 14 days of Advance Reservations, half of which may be reserved up to eight months in advance, half of which may be reserved up to five months in advance. Further, Signature Members may reserve unlimited Spontaneous Use days 45 days from desired date at no additional fee."


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## LTTravel (Oct 3, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Individual Lusso Membership
> 
> 
> Lost opportunity cost (@5%) = $19750 + $26,500 (annual dues) = $46,250 per year
> ...



Lusso gives 100% refund plus 50% of increase in membership fee. If you had joined at $325,000 a year ago you would have gotten $360,000 on resignation. >10% return in one year. Plus, they were offering free dues for 18 months at that time. Not a bad deal so far for those that joined. So if you had joined a year ago you would still have six more months to travel for free and have had at least a 10% return on investment. I think that the prices will go to at least ER prices once they get 20 destinations. They allow 28 days in reservations in the next year and 14 days in reservations in 1-2 year period on the books at one time with unlimited last minute booding in the 14 day period. With free airport transfers and SUV on site, it looks pretty good to me. Like all the DC's in the early charter phase(It probably started at around $250,000 two years ago), I wish I had joined early. But that is when it is most risky.


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## Steamboat Bill (Oct 3, 2007)

LTTravel said:


> Like all the DC's in the early charter phase(It probably started at around $250,000 two years ago), I wish I had joined early. But that is when it is most risky.



That will be engraved on our tombstones.


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## Kagehitokiri (Oct 3, 2007)

Lusso started at $325K - "Inaugural Memberships (available for a limited time)"

archive from 7/9/2006 >
http://web.archive.org/web/20060709194539/http://www.lussocollection.com/page/membership_options.jsp

also first article on Helium Report 06/15/2006  >
http://www.heliumreport.com/archives/296-new-club-announcement-the-lusso-collection

so about the same as ER (before Affil, added much later) and LRW, and others.

personally, im fine waiting and paying more. i want to know exactly what im getting, and begin extensive use as soon as i sign the contract. i look at the deposit as something i "write off" in the sense that im going to MAKE so much over the course of my life as a member (the savings you have from being a member) that it is really insignificant in the LONG run.

the real thing is not the deposit increases, but the dropping of benefits. like equity, and things like that.


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## LTTravel (Oct 3, 2007)

Kagehitokiri said:


> Lusso started at $325K - "Inaugural Memberships (available for a limited time)"
> 
> .



At that point they had over 36 members. Lusso was started in Minnesota but did not launch nationally until they had the homes and members. Those members got in at well below $325,000.


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## Kagehitokiri (Oct 3, 2007)

so talking about the soft launch / "stealth mode"... one would have had to be "in the know" in order to join at whatever the low price might have been.

kind of like when Amanpuri sold their first phase of villas, apparently.

if they had 36 members then, wow are they growing slow 

BTW LTTravel, thanks for linking that Cabo villa site in that other thread.


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## 3DH (Jan 14, 2008)

Kagehitokiri said:


> sorry, i meant other than "4 standard reservations" and "2 advanced reservations"



At any given time, a LUSSO member may have 4 "standard" reservations (max 14 days each, but no more than 35 days total at any one time) booked between 15 and 365 days of traveling. Upon commencement of a vacation, another reservation may be made within 365 days. In addition to those 4 reservations, 2 "advanced" reservations may be made (up to 14 days, total) from 366 to 720 days outside of the travel date.

Any travel booked within 15 days of travel is above and beyond the limitations specified above, and does not count to any maximum days.

Each year, you are in a holiday "rotation group", guaranteeing the availability of a property within the specified holiday time period.

Maybe this helps, or maybe this is as clear as mud...!


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## Steamboat Bill (Jan 14, 2008)

3DH said:


> Each year, you are in a holiday "rotation group", guaranteeing the availability of a property within the specified holiday time period.



How does this work?

I assume Christmas and New Year's weeks are the most popular. What is your experience with LUSSO those weeks?


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## 3DH (Jan 15, 2008)

While this sounds much more complicated than it is, here is the short of it...

1/3 of the membership is put in each rotation group... with Christmas and New Years split further to make 1/6 of the membership in each of those. With a member:home ration of no more than 5.5:1, assuming (with that ratio) there are 120 members and 22 homes, 40 people would be in the priority release for each holiday rotation (each of more than one week EXCEPT for Christmas and New Years). Those in the Christmas or New Year rotation for that given year would have 20 people (1/6 of the membership) competing for 22 homes... more than enough for one week each.

That isn't to say that you would get your first choice, but you ARE at least guaranteed a reservation of some sort during your priority release.

Now, as far as my experience... I was not in the rotation for New Years this year, but was still able to secure a reservation for that time, AFTER it was released to the general membership. Ditto for spring break... Aspen was still available after the priority release time. So, my experience has shown remarkable availability, even in holiday times!


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