missyrcrews' story is a perfect launch into the story of our 4th timeshare purchase:
for the love of a single, independent resort.
#4: Sometime prior to late 2002, our WM switched exchange affiliation from RCI to II. We signed up for both and I found a local resort, through the II catalog, that I simply had to visit. It called to me: a ranch resort with ~2500 acres, horses, hot springs, history, and more. Attempts to exchange in against WM failed, possibly due to "quality filters" protecting the WM owner from exchanging into a perceived dump. ;-) The resort I was trying to visit was, ummmm, "
rustic."
We thought to book the resort directly for an upcoming milestone birthday (mine) and drove 1.5 hours up from the San Diego coastal region into the hills. The security guards at the gate refused us entry, "Owners ONLY" and we turned back to try the reception desk. Refused again, we tried the sales office, thinking, "We'll take a TOUR and ask to purchase a trial weekend through them?" SHOCK: The sales fellow wouldn't tour us. After a brief chat he straightened his shoulders and ended the conversation with, "You wouldn't like it here." What? This property is all I've been dreaming about for months! I
know I'd love it here. I guess we just aren't the "right KIND of people?" Who does that these days?
We went to Paris for my birthday weekend.
On return, I began scouting for a resale at the resort and researching all I could find on how their ownership model worked. I decided that I strongly wanted an "Every ODD month" ownership -- but finally found an "Every EVEN month" instead on eBay. I bought that gem for $1 plus my closing costs. By August 2003, I returned to the property as an OWNER and entered the gate for the
very first time. Years later we found the Odd month membership and added that, too, giving us year-round access. Whoo-hoo!
So why did I love that property? Let's say it was a unique model of "country club meets timeshare." It was sold as timeshare (deeded property) but run like a country club with an unmatched set of resort amenities. Owners had access, in their ownership months (odd/even), to
everything:
- HORSES!! One could join a guided trail ride ... or complete the ranch's "Independent Rider" training and exam. As Independent Riders, we could "check out" ranch horses as if we were wranglers: fetch'em yourself from the paddock, clean and tack them, ride out ... return ... and put them away. No more "nose to tail trail rides." The ranch offered such beautiful spaces to explore on horseback. This was my #1 draw, my path back to horses and horsemanship w/out having to own the horses directly. Of course, the ranch was happy to board an owner's horse at a really great price (far, far, far below similar boarding facilities) which I later enjoyed as I purchased my favorite ranch horse and later added a 2nd horse to our lives.
- Hot Springs! Historic, natural (no chemicals added) and simply marvelous! A great hangout after horseback riding!
- Tennis courts.
- Golf Course and driving range.
- Private airport for owners and glider rides.
- Historic cantina and restaurant.
- Charming cottages from the 1880's and, more recently added units from 1980's. We preferred staying in the older units when traveling alone but the newer units when traveling with friends and family. The units were simply adorable with thick stucco and wooden beam contruction, huge stone fireplaces, etc.
- Miles and miles of trails to explore -- by foot, by bicycle or by horse.
- FRIENDS! This is where the Country Club aspect kicked in -- I formed great friendships at the barn, others formed great friendships at the golf course. Any time you showed up you were certain to run into at least a few familiar faces. You might not have recognized everyone at the pool -- but you were certain to know the people at your favorite venue: barn, air strip, golf course, tennis courts, etc.
Was it worth it / Did I love it? Absolutely! We gathered the entire family there, booking up to 5 units at a time, to celebrate just about everything: Holidays, birthdays, milestones. No other "timeshare" compared. It wasn't just a place to visit -- it was "coming HOME." It was, for me, CAMELOT. It changed my life.
It changed my life? Yes! Like many other owners, we purchased a second home in the area. I'm now here full-time, with the horses, some chickens, a garden, etc. While the resort itself closed down in 2012, I'm still living in the "glow": I have dear friendships from the ranch; I have the horses and a possibly budding career related to them; I am living my dream.
So WM, our first timeshare, introduced me to the Ranch through the II catalog. And the rest is history. My history, a love story.