# High Country Club - Maui "Palms at Wailea" Review (part 1)



## travelguy (Dec 19, 2007)

*Experience Polynesian Paradise at the Palms with HCC (Hawaiian Country Club)! This property is the perfect home base for all the sun, snorkeling, shopping, surfing, sailing, and sightseeing that South Maui has to offer.*

*SYNOPSIS:*

The High Country Club Palms at Wailea property on Maui is the perfect “anti-resort” experience! If you’re looking for a busy, crowded and loud resort atmosphere, don’t come here! It is utterly peaceful and serene at the Palms at Wailea property. You are surrounded by the fragrant smell of gardenia and hibiscus while the soft sounds of the tropical birds fill the air.

The 1,200 square foot luxury condo is situated in a beautiful setting. It features two bedrooms, two baths, a wide-open living area, gourmet kitchen, dining area and large lanai (porch) around the perimeter of the unit that’s perfect for even the most ambitious entertaining. The property is a cool respite from the activities that the sunkist South Coast of Maui has to offer. Whether your vacation passions include splashes and sunsets, bogeys and boarding, or nature and napping, the Palms at Wailea property is perfect for your vacation lifestyle!

*LOCATION:*

The High Country Club Palms at Wailea property is located in the well manicured, planned community of Wailea on the Southwest coast of Maui, home to some of the best resorts and beaches in the world. The HCC property is located 19 miles from Kahului International Airport. It is at the most makai (towards the ocean) section of the Palms at Wailea resort so it's much closer to the ocean than much of the resort.

The property is not oceanfront and the vast flora surrounding the property yard prevents an ocean-view. However, the High Country Club property is close enough to the ocean that we could stroll down to the beach and watch the Maui sunset each evening in front of the ten million dollar beachfront homes. My view is that the property’s proximity to the ocean is not important because there are different world-class beaches to visit every day. The closest beach access is just down a short hill and a block south from the unit, about a 5-10 minute walk. 

*DECOR:*

The décor at the Palms at Wailea unit is a contemporary Hawaiian style that is comfortable, colorful and calming. It uses colors from the earth and ocean such as seafoam green, lavender, tans, browns, creams and lava black. There are marble tile floors throughout the unit with large area rugs to accent distinct living areas. Carefully selected Polynesian accents with bamboo, black metal sculpturing, walnut and oak are used to create highlights. Recessed ceilings and walls of floor-to-ceiling windows create an open air effect in the living areas and master bedroom suite that open to the large lanai. This mix of Maui and metro combine to create a property as relaxing as a mid-afternoon beach nap.

*RESIDENCE:*

As you approach the outside of the High Country Club Palms at Wailea property, you are greeted by a band of playful geckos who scurry about to clear the way for your arrival. The entry into the unit opens into the hallway to the bedrooms and several marble steps down into the main living area

Upon entering the LIVING AREA, your attention is immediately drawn to the walls of glass that open fully to the lanai by a series of sliding glass doors. Seating in the Living Area is defined by a Zoccolo wool area rug made up of random earth-tone color blocks. The seating includes a sofa (non sleeper) and two comfy chairs in matching brown fabric. They are grouped in front of a 37” LCD flat screen TV and DVD player.

The seating area is supplemented with a substantial round metal coffee table, matching floor and table lamp, a walnut end table and four foot-long sofa table. A ceiling fan with palm paddles keeps the area breezy and cool. The area is uniquely accented with striped ceramic vases, pillows in various colors, a metal wall sculpture, wooden bowls and metal rope baskets

The Dining Area, adjacent to the Living Area, has a circular walnut table with six high-back walnut chairs bearing leather upholstery. A 6’ x 9’ moss green wool area rug defines the eating area and a basic black metal chandelier with square cream lamp shades hangs above the table. Three large metal trellis wall hangings with candles fill the Dining Area wall.

The KITCHEN AREA is just off the Dining and Living Area. A “U” shaped granite countertop faces large windows that open to the Lanai. Major appliances include a double door stainless steel refrig, Fisher & Paykel double drawer dish washer, Dacor oven and touch control sealed cooktop, Dacor microwave and large wine cooler. The standard plethora of small appliances are on hand including a heavy-duty stainless blender to make those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas (for après beach or pre-sunset). Oak custom cabinets contain all the gourmet cooking utensils, pots and pans, glasses, silverware, and lanai-ready grilling utensils you need. Recessed lighting, miniature halogen track lighting and under-cabinet lighting make this a bright and happy gourmet kitchen!

Down the hall from the Entry Area is the MASTER BEDROOM SUITE. This room has a wall of sliding glass doors covered with louvered blinds. Sliding glass doors open to several wide steps that go directly onto the Lanai. A comfortable queen-size bed with a tufted upholstered and tacked headboard is flanked by a lava black Baronette dresser and night stands. Two very cool pastel pink ceramic lamps are perched on either side of the bed. An intriguing abstract seascape painting hangs on the wall and a ceiling fan with palm paddles hangs in the center of the room. A 20” LCD TV with built-in DVD player is mounted in the corner of the room.

The Master Bath area extends from the Master Bedroom. It has a long marble vanity with single bowl and mirrors everywhere bathed in great overhead and front lighting. A shower/tub combination is farther down the Master Bath extension and is equipped with both a “rain” and regular showerhead as well as a built-in shower bench. There is a separate toilet area with pocket door and a large closet with double mirrored doors

Farther down the hallway is a second BEDROOM. In keeping with the open theme of the Palms at Wailea property design, the wall between this Bedroom and Living Area opens fully by a series of louvered, sliding doors. The Bedroom has two twin beds, a small night stand and tall, narrow dresser. The room also contains a spacious closet with dual mirrored doors. A ceiling fan keeps the room airy. A 20” LCD TV with built in DVD player and Xbox (with games) is in this room but the cable is not connected to this TV due to the concrete walls of the unit (better for severe storms but bad for getting the Disney Channel in the kid’s bedroom)..

A hall LAUNDRY closet houses a mid-size Maytag washer and dryer.

_continued ..._


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## travelguy (Dec 19, 2007)

*High Country Club - Maui "Palms at Wailea" Review (part 2)*

*AMENETIES:*

Possibly the best feature of the High Country Club Palms at Maui is the large LANAI which wraps around the south and west side of the unit. The Lanai is flooded with sun but is deep enough to offer plenty of shade closer to the inside walls. The Lanai has stucco arches, a partially open lattice roof and floor of diamond shaped tiles

Two tall bar stools face a counter just outside a double kitchen window that opens to serve beverages and food to guests on the Lanai. Relax in one of the four metal stationary rocker chairs with vertical striped padding which are placed around a large wrought iron table. There is a party-size Blue Ember grill for Lanai cookfests complemented by great arsenal of grilling utensils. At the bedroom end of the Lanai, a wrought iron game table with ceramic top and two wrought iron and wicker chairs provide a place for high stakes gaming or just random chit-chat.

Bordering the Lanai is a rolling grassy yard lined with palms and high hedges which create a private sanctuary unlike any touristy resort. Tropical birds cavort in the area, geckos scurry about and occasionally a cat from one of the luxury homes beyond the hedge ambles through the yard.

The Palms resort has a large pool (for the kids) and larger hot tub (for us older folks). Parking is assigned by unit and is directly in front of the HCC unit.

High Country Club gives you everything but the beach dog to enjoy your vacation in Paradise! I’m sure that they would even stock the property with a surf loving black labrador and golden retriever if HCC didn’t have a “no pets” policy. The unit comes outfitted with beach chairs, snorkel equipment for three, a large cooler, boogie boards for two and a skim board. Beach towels are provided and, as usual, High Country Club is “kid friendly” with a high chair, Pack N’ Play, kid beach stuff and games. A Coleman blow-up bed is available to increase sleeping capacity to six and extra linens are provided.

The unit has effective Fujitsu remote controlled climate control separately for each room. Local phone calls are free from the unit’s direct phone line and a concierge is on-site for all travel needs.

As mentioned before, the High Country Club property is not oceanfront. However, this was a blessing for us since it gave us the incentive to drive to a different South Maui BEACH each day and we found some great gems! My favorite beaches listed from North to South are:

_Keawakapu__ Beach_ – Down the hill from the HCC Palms and south one block. There is a parking lot if you don’t want to do the 5-10 minute walk. The beach is nice and uncrowded with families from nearby homes. Great for long walks and watching the Maui sunset from this beach is a must (bring a beach chair)!

_Ulua__ Beach_ – Wailea. Nice parking lot and facilities. This beach was crowded both on the beach and in the water. It’s a great beach esthetically and is long but not deep. The area is overdived and snorkeling is only OK near its northern reef.

_Wailea__ Beach_ – World class beach in front of the Four Seasons Resort. The big parking lot fills quickly and the medium size beach is very crowded. It’s the typical upscale resort attitude but friendly. There is just OK snorkeling near the southern rocks. If you like the hustle and bustle of Waikiki beach, you’ll love this.

_Po’olenalena Beach (South)_ – South Wailea. This beautiful beach is long and wide with good sand and no crowds. The swimming is great and the snorkeling on the north end is outrageous!

_Po’olenalena Beach (North)_ – South Wailea. Go on a sandy trail to north of the main beach parking lot, hike over a lava rock outcropping and down into a hidden cove. This hidden beach has very few people on it, if any. The swimming is great and snorkeling is some of the best on Maui. Expect to see plentiful marine life including huge sea turtles, octopus, eels, lobster, etc at the south rock outcropping and coral reef. The BEST!

_Chang’s Beach_ – South Wailea. Parking for nine cars only with access through a gate at the Makena Surf complex. There is almost no one on his beach. Snorkeling is great on the south lava rock outcropping and coral reef underwater. You can typically frolic about with the great sea turtles. Boogie boarding is awesome when it’s windy.

_Black__ Sand Beach_ – Makena. Nice to check out and for a walk because it’s, well … black sand! Not nice enough to hang out or swim on this beach. 

_Big Beach at Makena_ – This is the beach you see on the post cards. It’s long and deep, nestled between a volcanic cliff on one side and tree lined volcanic rock outcropping on the other. Not much snorkeling is done here. The views of the ocean and other islands is great. Go to the second entrance to avoid the crowds. NICE!

The High Country Club concierge and Palms at Wailea concierge gave us exceptional service both pre-trip and during our stay. I sent a list of questions and requests prior to travel and all were responded to cheerfully, quickly and efficiently. We received all the support and suggestions we needed to maximize our Maui experience.

Disability Access – Unfortunately, the hillside design of the property makes this unit difficult for those with disabilities. There are a number of steps into the unit and then several inside steps down into the living and entertainment areas of the unit.

*INSIDER TIPS:*

Whatever you do, buy the book “Maui Revealed” by Andrew Doughty on Amazon, or at the Maui Costco (usually). This book is a must for Maui trip planning. Also, you should rent a car to see what South Maui has to offer. Get a convertible if possible and let the sun shine in!

Now to dispel the myth that the best selling coffee in Maui is Hawaiian Kona coffee … it’s not. Starbucks is the Maui best seller but locations are still hard to find on this java challenged island. The closest Star-stop is in Kukui Mall on S. Kihei road, about a mile north of the Palms at Wailea.

South Maui has some good restaurants if you decide to leave the High Country Club lanai and its party grill. Roy’s Restaurant may be the best in Hawaii and is located nearby in Kihei. Sensei Sushi has well reviewed Asian fusion and is nearby on S. Kihei Road. Shaka Pizza will deliver their delicious pizza and stromboli directly to your lanai. And of course Spago is close by in the Shops at Wailea. Wolfgang Puck on Maui! What’s not to like?

South Maui activities are available for golfers, surfers and beachcombers alike and include snorkeling and diving, windsurfing and kayaking, swimming with the dolphins and whale watching (in season), sightseeing and shopping, and of course endless strolls on the beaches.

Gym-rat suggestion: Even in Paradise, you may prefer to be pro-active in preventing those Polynesian pounds from piling onto your person! If so, check out the new Powerhouse Gym (more normal than the name sounds) on S Kihei Rd about 2 miles north of the Palms at Wailea

The town of Kihei is several minutes north of the HCC property and offers many local restaurants, surf/snorkel/dive shops, clothing stores and tourist trinkets. Several blocks south is the Shops at Wailea which is a Beverly Hills type mall experience with many high-end chain stores and restaurants (but not one stinkin’ Starbucks???). A Costco is located just outside the Kahului airport and a Safeway is three miles north on S. Kihei Road.

*RATING:*

*I’m impressed that High Country Club is able to offer a property of this caliber to its members in such an expensive paradise. The location is great, the furnishings are outstanding and the lanai is perfect. I’ll hold back half a point only because the unit is not ocean-front, even though that is not economically feasible. Rating – 9.5.  *


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## travelguy (Dec 19, 2007)

*Review Postscript*

I finally found time to get this review posted in the forum.  I had trouble due to the length.  Note that Sherpa.com also posted an abridged version of the review and it's also posted on DC4MS.com.

We are already booked to go back to the High Country Club Maui property next year.  

Hope you all find this informative and enjoy it!


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## saluki (Dec 19, 2007)

Thanks, Doug. 

That is phenomenal! Beautifully organized & written. 9.5 for the villa & 10.5 for the review. Maui is sounding really good right now - especially with this snow I am looking at out my office window.


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## oldkey (Dec 19, 2007)

*Thank you for the review*

My father and brother will be at the property the first week of February and my wife and I will be with another couple President's week. We can't wait....

But - one of the two couples will be sleeping in the room with two twin beds. Did you notice, can they be easily moved together to form one bed?

Thank you again for the review.


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## travelguy (Dec 20, 2007)

*The Ratings*



saluki said:


> Thanks, Doug.
> 
> That is phenomenal! Beautifully organized & written. 9.5 for the villa & 10.5 for the review. Maui is sounding really good right now - especially with this snow I am looking at out my office window.



Thanks.

I'm having some trouble with the rating system for the High Country Club properties.  Keep in mind that these are TUG ratings and, according to the TUG resort review guidelines, the HCC properties are rated against all other timeshare and fractional resorts.  Having been to 13 of the HCC properties, I would rate all of them as being much superior to any timeshare or fractional I've stayed at including HGVC, MVC, HVC, 4Seasons, Ritz, etc.

So if these properties are all superior to the other timeshare/fractional properties, they should all rate at 10 or just below on the TUG resort review scale.  The problem is that you can only change ratings in 1/2 point increments.  That means that most properties will probably average about 9.5 because I can always find something to nit pick about.  

The Breckenridge Lodge was an easy 10 and I suspect the Beaver Creek Village may be a 10 also (staying there in Feb so I'll let you know).  I'm not sure which property may be lower than a 9.5 but it may be Snowmass due to the size BUT it's ski-in/ski-out (I've thrown the boot and I'm in litigation with the injured skier  ).  We just got back from the High Country Club Turks & Caicos Villa Renaissance property and I'm resisting giving that a 10 just on principle because I'm trying to stay a least a little unbiased. 

I asked wife #1 what her choice would be between the High Country Club Maui and Turks & Caicos properties after our return from Turks last week.  I figured that this would be the ultimate "laypersons" determination of which resort should rank higher.  Her response after a looong pause and much reflection .... "we're gonna need more weeks"!


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## travelguy (Dec 20, 2007)

oldkey said:


> My father and brother will be at the property the first week of February and my wife and I will be with another couple President's week. We can't wait....
> 
> But - one of the two couples will be sleeping in the room with two twin beds. Did you notice, can they be easily moved together to form one bed?
> 
> Thank you again for the review.




OK,

It looked like the two beds could easily be pushed together.  As I recall, there was just a night stand between the beds.

Enjoy your trip and don't forget to feed the geckos!


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## vivalour (Dec 20, 2007)

travelguy said:


> Having been to 13 of the HCC properties, I would rate all of them as being much superior to any timeshare



Super-good info -- many thanks!   Hmmm, so you've been to 13 properties in how many years?   Should take us about 6 1/2 years.  At least we won't run out of HCC places to crash -- if all goes well.


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## pwrshift (Dec 20, 2007)

Great review, but it seems like a small suite compared to my Marriott's which average out about 1300 sq ft...and sleep 8.  Where would 4 adults and 4 kids sleep in this HCC property?   Sofabeds?   Murphybeds?  

Their Orlando property seems to be able to sleep 12 ... but this one??


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 20, 2007)

travelguy said:


> Having been to 13 of the HCC properties, I would rate all of them as being much superior to any timeshare or fractional I've stayed at including HGVC, MVC, HVC, 4Seasons, Ritz, etc.
> 
> We just got back from the High Country Club Turks & Caicos Villa Renaissance property and I'm resisting giving that a 10 just on principle because I'm trying to stay a least a little unbiased.



wow...I have only visited 5 of the properties....you are indeed a lucky dog.

We loved Turks & Caicos and would rate it a 9.5 (because it was a 2BDR) and would have rated it a 10+ if it had 3 bedrooms.


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## travelguy (Dec 21, 2007)

*Private Condo vs. Busy Mega-Resort*



pwrshift said:


> Great review, but it seems like a small suite compared to my Marriott's which average out about 1300 sq ft...and sleep 8.  Where would 4 adults and 4 kids sleep in this HCC property?   Sofabeds?   Murphybeds?
> 
> Their Orlando property seems to be able to sleep 12 ... but this one??



PS,

The High County Club Maui property feels like a BIG 1200 s.f. because the living and entertainment area is designed so well.  It's open and airy, has a higher ceiling, and has a glass wall that totally opens to the outside.  We spent most of our time on the private lanai which almost doubles the true living area.  The property only sleeps 4 but you could have 20 guests in the living areas all day without feeling crowed.

Steamboat and I have had the discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of a crowded and busy oceanfront resort vs. a private off-beach condo.  It seems that the actual accommodations at some oceanfront properties require the same walk to the water as condos located off-beach.  HGVC HHV and Ritz Maui are great examples of this.  Many times we walked to the beach from the HCC Maui property and didn't see anyone along the way.

It's a personal preference thing but I believe I'll sacrifice "ocean-front" for serenity and the ability to stretch out and enjoy my vacation.


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## travelguy (Dec 21, 2007)

vivalour said:


> Super-good info -- many thanks!   Hmmm, so you've been to 13 properties in how many years?   Should take us about 6 1/2 years.  At least we won't run out of HCC places to crash -- if all goes well.



I've "been to" 13 properties, not "stayed at" 13.

I spent a day last February touring the High Country Club Summit and Eagle County properties with Casey (VP of Properties).  Here's a previous link to that trip: High Country Club Colorado Property Tour

That's six properties that I visited.  Here's the list of the High Country Club properties we've stayed at during our first year of Membership:

Breckenridge Lodge  Breckenridge Lodge Review

Snowmass Village

New York City 1600 Broadway On The Square

Hilton Head Island Sea Pines

Maui Palms at Wailea

Orlando ChampionsGate

Turks and Caicos Villa Renaissance

We also have a January trip to Stowe StoweFlake to finish off our membership year. 

I have some additional reviews almost ready.  I'll get 'em posted soon.


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## vivalour (Dec 21, 2007)

travelguy said:


> I have some additional reviews almost ready.  I'll get 'em posted soon.



Looking forward to them.


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## travelguy (Dec 22, 2007)

*Coming Soon .....*



vivalour said:


> Looking forward to them.



The High Country Club New York City 1600 On the Square review is done and I'll post as soon as I finish formatting.

_Any requests on which I should work on next???_


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## vivalour (Dec 22, 2007)

travelguy said:


> The High Country Club New York City 1600 On the Square review is done and I'll post as soon as I finish formatting.
> 
> _Any requests on which I should work on next???_



No rush, but how about Hilton Head -- convenient for some of us east coasters for summer -- did you stay or visit?


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 22, 2007)

vivalour said:


> No rush, but how about Hilton Head -- convenient for some of us east coasters for summer -- did you stay or visit?



I visited HHI in April and the HCC property is very nice.


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## travelguy (Dec 23, 2007)

vivalour said:


> No rush, but how about Hilton Head -- convenient for some of us east coasters for summer -- did you stay or visit?



We've stayed at all the locations I listed above.  NYC was 4 days but the other stays were all a week.


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## Cathyb (Dec 23, 2007)

OK, I have been in a fog this past year   What is High Country Club -- lead me to their websites and more info.  Is that what our La Costa Country Club has that they are selling now in Carlsbad, CA?


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## pwrshift (Dec 23, 2007)

I can see the competition now for the sparse east coast locations...e4specially if HCC has 10% of their members in Canada, as per population comparisions.



vivalour said:


> No rush, but how about Hilton Head -- convenient for some of us east coasters for summer -- did you stay or visit?


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 23, 2007)

pwrshift said:


> I can see the competition now for the sparse east coast locations...e4specially if HCC has 10% of their members in Canada, as per population comparisions.



Where else do you want to see East coast locations?

HCC polled its members and NOT many East coast sites made the list.


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## GregGH (Dec 23, 2007)

*more pictures ?*

Enjoy the written reviews -- but -- oh -- wouldn't a few pictures just add to the  sense of luxury ??

We now have 500k ( raised from 100k ) for attachments for this forum --or use another photo hosting site and link -- 

More photo's  ... please ... 

Greg


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## vivalour (Dec 23, 2007)

Steamboat Bill said:


> Where else do you want to see East coast locations?
> 
> HCC polled its members and NOT many East coast sites made the list.



When was the poll? Could be there are more members with diff views at this point. At any rate, I am no expert on vacation spots, but Mt. Tremblant could be a good counterbalance to Co & the Rockies, both north and south. It's not the Rockies, but skiing is excellent, wonderful golf, tons of luxury property, good access to Montreal with great food for all the foodies here, fun in winter & summer. With the recent membership increase in HCC, maybe another poll in the New Year would be useful.

Have a good one, Bill and all the very best to you and yours in 2008.


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 23, 2007)

GregGH said:


> Enjoy the written reviews -- but -- oh -- wouldn't a few pictures just add to the  sense of luxury ??
> 
> We now have 500k ( raised from 100k ) for attachments for this forum --or use another photo hosting site and link --
> 
> ...



500k is still very small...photos are on the HCC web site, services like flicker.com, and other web sites like www.destinationclubforums.com



vivalour said:


> When was the poll? Could be there are more members with diff views at this point. At any rate, I am no expert on vacation spots, but Mt. Tremblant could be a good counterbalance to Co & the Rockies, both north and south. It's not the Rockies, but skiing is excellent, wonderful golf, tons of luxury property, good access to Montreal with great food for all the foodies here, fun in winter & summer. With the recent membership increase in HCC, maybe another poll in the New Year would be useful.
> 
> Have a good one, Bill and all the very best to you and yours in 2008.



I agree Mt Tremblant would be an awesome choice, also another NYC unit, Boston, Williamsburgh, Buffalo (just kidding) and possibly Washington DC.

I want to also wish everyone here a Happy Hanukkah, Christmas, EID, Kwanzaa and New Year.

Hopefully HCC will repeat their poll....an online one (with real-time results) would be nice.


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## pwrshift (Dec 23, 2007)

Who did HCC survey ... all their west coast members?

How about Fort Lauderdale facing the beach, South Beach ON the beach, Hilton Head ON the beach, Marco Island ON the beach, Palm Beach ON the beach, Fort Lauderdale ON Las Olas Blvd, Boca ON the beach just to name a few of the cheaper locations due to the RE crunch.

Urban centres like 2-3 bdrm suites in Boston, more in NYC, Chicago North Michigan area, Toronto downtown, Montreal Old Town to name a few more.  A few resale suites in the Westin at Blue Mountain (condo hotel) and at the JW Marriott Red Leaves (condo hotel) north of Toronto?

Europe ... too many to choose that rank way way ahead of HCC's Italy one.


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## vivalour (Dec 23, 2007)

pwrshift said:


> Who did HCC survey ... all their west coast members? QUOTE]
> 
> No offence, but I think you have to join HCC in order to vote. Happy travels to you and best for 2008....


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## travelguy (Dec 24, 2007)

*A Word is worth a thousand Pictures!!*



GregGH said:


> Enjoy the written reviews -- but -- oh -- wouldn't a few pictures just add to the  sense of luxury ??
> 
> We now have 500k ( raised from 100k ) for attachments for this forum --or use another photo hosting site and link --
> 
> ...



We lug around two digital cameras as part of our travel gear but almost never take any pictures.  We just kind of get caught up in the "living" part of our travels and don't have a sense that anything is special enough to take pictures.  In other words, vacationing has become a part of our normal lifestyle so nothing stands out enough to demand a picture be taken.  (I realize this doesn't make much sense but bear with me.)  

Also note that the High Country Club web site has great, professionally taken pictures that would make my pictures look, well, amateur! 

My review process is to take a bunch of notes when we are at a property and then organize the review on the way home.  I really don't spend much time on the review when I'm at the propery ... becuase I'm on vacation!!  The final "creative" stage and writing are done back at my office (in lieu of real work) or on the way to our next property.  I'm a procrastinator by nature so I have several reviews that are 95% done.  Mrs. TravelGuy (a.k.a. Wife #1) proofs the review once it's done and then we argue about why I'm not going to make any of the changes that she recommends.  

Having said all that, we have made a conscious effort to take pictures for the DC4MS web site as well as TUG starting with the High Country Club Turks and Caicos Villa Renaissance property (we took two or three ... hey, it's a start!).  I'll get them posted as soon as I'm back from Vegas (New Years baby!) and Stowe (Snow baby!).  Oh, and I'll need some time to procrastinate about it also ......


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## travelguy (Dec 24, 2007)

*What tha...?*



pwrshift said:


> Who did HCC survey ... all their west coast members?
> 
> How about Fort Lauderdale facing the beach, South Beach ON the beach, Hilton Head ON the beach, Marco Island ON the beach, Palm Beach ON the beach, Fort Lauderdale ON Las Olas Blvd, Boca ON the beach just to name a few of the cheaper locations due to the RE crunch.
> 
> ...




PDawg,

With all due respect, thank goodness you're not a High Country Club member.  You'd skew-up the new property polling!  About the only property I agree with you is SoBe and I have a HGVC SoBe property so no rush for HCC on that account.  

The Hilton Head Island golf property is as good as, if not better than, an ocean-front property as you'll see in my upcoming review.  And before you start ... I'm more of a hardcore beach bum than you'll ever be!  I log more time on the sand than the average life guard and I'm the poster boy for skin cancer and sun bleached hair.  So ... if I am good with an off-beach house, it must be pretty good.  I've been manic-depressive on week two of a Hilton Head Island vacation after moving from the High Country Club HHI Sea Pines house to an ocean-front Marriott timeshare. No comparison, High Country Club wins hands down!!

And Lauderdale???  R U Kiddin Me?  Why would I go to Lauderdale when I can use that week in Turks or Cabo or Playa del Carmen or Wailea or Waikoloa or ... you get the point.

And where are you going in Europe next year that's better than Tuscany????  Lauderdale????


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 24, 2007)

travelguy said:


> And Lauderdale???  R U Kiddin Me?  Why would I go to Lauderdale when I can use that week in Turks or Cabo or Playa del Carmen or Wailea or Waikoloa or ... you get the point.



As someone that grew up in Fort Lauderdale, I fully agree with you on this statement that those locations are better destinations.


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## pwrshift (Dec 26, 2007)

I like Lauderdale cause I usually go EY for 4 weeks...and drive there...so that 'probably' means I can't go to Turks that way or for the 4 weeks.  Give that one to Marriott BeachPlace or Ocean Pointe I guess.   I also wouldn't compare Ft Laud to Turks --- except for snowbirds like me.

I also like the 3 & 4 night stay idea with HCC very much ... for driving escapes to Stowe (in summer - I'm not a skier), NYC.  As new locations, Montreal, Tremblant, Muskoka Lakes, Quebec City, Toronto, Boston, Chicago, would all fit into short term driving escapes for me.

Europe is different - but a nice HCC suite on the Grand Canal in Venice would be wonderful for 4 nights, Florence on the Arno for 4 nights also nice, Rome for a week, Amalfi for 4 nights, a week in London facing the Thames and a week in Paris right on the Champs Elysses, etc.  A 2 week stay in Tuscany would put me to sleep.

HCC was obviously started for skiers and west coasters.  To grow they need to grow east IMO.

Brian


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## Steamboat Bill (Dec 26, 2007)

pwrshift said:


> HCC was obviously started for skiers and west coasters.  To grow they need to grow east IMO.
> 
> Brian



I agree with you and have been requesting more east coast locations.

More members = More homes


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## oldkey (Feb 10, 2008)

*Beach Towels at HCC Palms?*

For those of you that have been to the Maui property....

....where are the beach towels in the unit? My brother and father just left on Saturday and could not find them. They only went to the beach twice so they just brought towels from the bathrooms. My wife, myself and another couple are heading to Maui this Saturday (staying at HCC Palms) and would we are hoping not to bring much at all....just a small carry on.

Brother and father loved the condo. But - DVD player skipped quite a bit, they could not start the grill and they could not find the beach towels. They were also a little freaked out with the geckos hanging from the ceiling above them when they ate on the lanai....kept thinking they were going to fall into their food. .

All in all they had a great trip.....loved the property.


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## Tedpilot (Feb 10, 2008)

The local contact should be able to help you find the stuff you need and also rectify any issues you have with the unit.  Also, send a precursor to Chris or your agent at HCC and they will make sure everything is in order.

Ted


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## travelguy (Feb 11, 2008)

oldkey said:


> For those of you that have been to the Maui property....
> 
> ....where are the beach towels in the unit? My brother and father just left on Saturday and could not find them. They only went to the beach twice so they just brought towels from the bathrooms. My wife, myself and another couple are heading to Maui this Saturday (staying at HCC Palms) and would we are hoping not to bring much at all....just a small carry on.
> 
> ...



No need to bring beach towels.  As many beach towels as you want are available from the pool or at the Palms front desk concierge.  My wife changed them out every day but you can keep them all week and return them at the end of the week.

We didn't have trouble with the DVD player but only used it several times.  I use Tivo2Go off the laptop so I don't use DVDs much.  When I have a problem like this, a quick e-mail or call to HCC concierge and they have replaced anything that needed replacing without question.  The coffee maker at the Beaver Creek Arrowhead property was malfunctioning last week and they sent a brand new one to the unit immediately upon my contact with them.  (They understand the IMPORTANCE of JAVA to my lifestyle! )  

Same with the grill, although it worked great for us.  Maybe we wore out the grill when we were at the HCC Palms, we used it so much.  We did run out of gas at the apres ski deck grill at the Beaver Creek Village Hall property two weeks ago and the local concierge sent someone to change the tank in a snowstorm!  They also dropped off extra firewood and a box of "firestarters" for good measure.  

Be nice to the geckos!  Remember that they are the natives and we are only tourists to their island.  

Let me know if you have any more questions.


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## oldkey (Feb 23, 2008)

*Just finishing our stay....*

....had a great time at this wonderful property. Also had a chance to run out  to the new property here on Maui and met with Casey, Scott and a myriad of craftsmen working to get it ready for mid-March occupancy....more on that later.

No way can I add more than did Travelguy in his original post, so I will just highlight some helpful additional tips and make a few comments and pictures:

http://www.putfile.com/album/0/oldkey

Tips:

- If you can plan it right, shop in Kahalui on your way. Costco is just like your Costco at home....the prices have to be the best on the island. It's very, very close to the airport. There is also a Super Walmart and Big K-Mart. The Ahi Shashimi was only $11.99/pound at Costco vs $19.99/pound at the close by Safeway. The Ahi Poke was also cheap and very good. The close by safeway is very expensive.
- The grill on the patio is incredible. Plan to grill as often as you can. Eat outside often.
- If you plan to use the snorkel gear, chairs, etc, available at the condo, take them out when you arrive and get them ready. The member before us left the gear in the bags wet and full of sand....it took us 25 minutes to get the gear clean enough to use and another 20 minutes to clean up all the sand we spilled in the bedroom before we realized the problem. The Outrigger staff cleans the condo but does not check the gear. Please clean the gear when you leave.  
- If two couples are traveling together, be sure to have your HCC conceirge have the Palms pull the two twin beds in the second bedroom together and use a king fitted sheet to keep them together. They do not have king duvet covers, but the two stretched out across the beds worked just fine.
- There is a communal fridge and kitchen area at the pool should you want to bring your own drinks and food....curiously, everyone seemed to ignore the no alchohol sign.
- There are pool towels available at the front desk for the asking......as many as you need and they can be changed out as often as you like. But - they are not really beach towels.....small in my opinion for the beach. We spent $12 for huge beach towels at Costco and were much happier.
- Have your own sunset wine tasting by driving or walking to Ulua beach - very close to the condo. The wine tasted so much better sitting with friends watching the sunset......we saw a number of people with full blown picnics. Remember that there are two chairs and a cooler at the condo.
- Walk all over the Wailea area, especially to the Shops at Wailea and on the paved path connecting the Marriott down to the Fairmont. The Marriott, Grand Wailea Hotel, Four Seasons and Fairmont are all beautiful.....worth a visit, with many great restaurants.
- The Maui Dive Shop in the Shops at Wailea rent great equipment for about $7/day.....fast and convenient.
- For those of you unclear about what to do with the wine cooler below the microwave we offer a suggestiuon - mini-kegs of Heineken from Costco.
http://www.putfile.com/album/178354

Be warned:

- the second bedroom has a door but not a true wall. The "wall" is actually 4 sliding "shutters" - really a room divider with slats. When laying in that room, you hear absolutely everything from the main living area and anyone in the living area hears everything in the bedroom - everything. There simply is no privacy. Anyone in this second bedroom finds it difficult to continue sleeping if someone from the other bedroom gets up first. OK for kids, tough for a second couple. To make matters worse, that second couple needs to leave their bedroom and go to a bathroom in the hall....visible from the dining room table. Again, not very private. We traveled as two couples and would probably not do so again at this location. The second couple really gets the short end of the stick. We switched bedrooms half way through the trip.
- As noted, there are sixteen steps from the parking lot down to the front door of the condo......not very accessible for a disabled person.

All in all, we had a great time in a wonderful section of Maui. Wailea is truly beautiful. This is a great condo in an extremely expensive area.


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## annenp (Aug 15, 2008)

Doug the High Country Club - Maui "Palms at Wailea sounds great!!

As a HGVC owner how can I access this resort??


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## vineyarder (Aug 15, 2008)

annenp said:


> Doug the High Country Club - Maui "Palms at Wailea sounds great!!
> 
> As a HGVC owner how can I access this resort??



You just need to join High Country Club; www.highcountryclub.com - plans start at just $30K.


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## osloboso (Sep 10, 2008)

travelguy said:


> Thanks.
> 
> 
> I asked wife #1 what her choice would be between the High Country Club Maui and Turks & Caicos properties after our return from Turks last week.  I figured that this would be the ultimate "laypersons" determination of which resort should rank higher.  Her response after a looong pause and much reflection .... "we're gonna need more weeks"!



Just wondering what your other wives think! and how many?


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## alwysonvac (Sep 10, 2008)

annenp said:
			
		

> Doug the High Country Club - Maui "Palms at Wailea sounds great!!
> As a HGVC owner how can I access this resort??





vineyarder said:


> You just need to join High Country Club; www.highcountryclub.com - plans start at just $30K.



Another option is to rent (see websites below)

http://outriggerpalmsatwaileacondo.com/
http://mauiownercondos.com/palms.php
http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/region/usa/hawaii/maui/south-maui/wailea/the-palms-at-wailea


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## GregGH (Sep 12, 2008)

osloboso said:


> Just wondering what your other wives think! and how many?
> 
> I asked wife #1 what her choice would be



I have used this once ( and got a huge head slap - afterwards  - but was worth it ) -- introduce your better half as ... " and this is my FIRST wife "

Greg

ps - it is fun re-reading some of these posts --and yes--I  still want more pictures linked or attached -  thanks for bumping the thread --since then I have joined HCC as a  eastern guy and a  Cdn guy  ( there are more of us than you might think ).


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## travelguy (Sep 12, 2008)

*TravelWife #1*



osloboso said:


> Just wondering what your other wives think! and how many?



I'm still with TravelWife #1 after 30+ years!!  It's either love or insanity, you choose.  

I use the term "wife #1" in two different vernaculars (guy talk):

A) Marital bliss (most days) - "#1" as in "Best" wife ever!

B) Un-Marital bliss (a select few days) - "#1" as in replaceable by secession to #2, etc.

Although our sherpas do most of the heavy lifting during our many travels, TravelWife is irreplaceable for her packing and grilling skills among others.  (_She has an uncanny ability to fill a suitcase to 49.5 pounds!_)  She also handles translating work in foreign countries and ALWAYS lets me have the window seat on our many flights. 

What's not to love!


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## travelguy (Sep 12, 2008)

*Snorkle gear and future photos.*



alwysonvac said:


> Another option is to rent (see websites below)



It's true that you can rent at the Palms resort but you cannot rent the High Country Club unit as it's reserved for member use only.  I've seen a huge difference in a number of the Outrigger rental unit's furnishings and quality of upkeep vs. the HCC property.  Some of the rental units have a better view of the ocean but they are located way up the hill, away from the ocean.  I'd rather be closer to the beach and have the privacy of the huge lanai and lawn.

One of the big advantages to a Destination Club membership is the quality of furnishings, appliances and electronics.  The also have much better amenities and personal concierge service if you desire.  _(When was the last time your timeshare had multiple beach chairs, beach toys and snorkle gear in the unit for your use?)_

We're headed back to the High Country Club Palms property in November.  I'll make sure that the sherpas pack the photo gear and I'll post some pictures upon our return.


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## Sherpa (Sep 12, 2008)

travelguy said:


> Although our sherpas do most of the heavy lifting during our many travels,
> 
> 
> What's not to love!




Glad to hear that those Sherpas are proving useful !!!!!!!

They can also be excellent Guides.



_(Sorry couldn't resist   )_


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## zentraveler (Nov 22, 2008)

travelguy said:


> It's true that you can rent at the Palms resort but you cannot rent the High Country Club unit as it's reserved for member use only.  I've seen a huge difference in a number of the Outrigger rental unit's furnishings and quality of upkeep vs. the HCC property.  Some of the rental units have a better view of the ocean but they are located way up the hill, away from the ocean.  I'd rather be closer to the beach and have the privacy of the huge lanai and lawn.
> 
> One of the big advantages to a Destination Club membership is the quality of furnishings, appliances and electronics.  The also have much better amenities and personal concierge service if you desire.  _(When was the last time your timeshare had multiple beach chairs, beach toys and snorkle gear in the unit for your use?)_
> 
> We're headed back to the High Country Club Palms property in November.  I'll make sure that the sherpas pack the photo gear and I'll post some pictures upon our return.



A naive question surely, from a 10 year FS Aviara owner, but completely new to exchanging of any kind:  Is it possible to exchange from FS to HCC? It does not show up on the FS direct exchange list. Through RCI or II? (Again sorry for such a simple question but this whole exchange business has a lot of staggering number moving parts  )


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## GregGH (Nov 23, 2008)

zentraveler said:


> A naive question surely, from a 10 year FS Aviara owner, but completely new to exchanging of any kind:  Is it possible to exchange from FS to HCC? It does not show up on the FS direct exchange list. Through RCI or II? (Again sorry for such a simple question but this whole exchange business has a lot of staggering number moving parts  )



You can swap thru Registry Collection (part of RCI ) -- Aviara doesn't support this  - you do it as an owner --try a search to see more

Greg


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