La Belle Maison

[claire_ont]

I am considering my options as to where I want my home resort, and I am starting to like the idea of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, at least occasionally. Royal Vista for Snowbird season in Pompano Beach is also in the running.

For those who have owned La Belle Maison for a while, was the resort built prior to Katrina? If so was it impacted by the flooding with Katrina? Last question, if it was impacted, how bad was the special assessment?

Claire

 

[pacodemountainside]

I am considering my options as to where I want my home resort, and I am starting to like the idea of Mardi Gras in New Orleans, at least occasionally. Royal Vista for Snowbird season in Pompano Beach is also in the running.

For those who have owned La Belle Maison for a while, was the resort built prior to Katrina? If so was it impacted by the flooding with Katrina? Last question, if it was impacted, how bad was the special assessment?

Claire

Ron P. is resident expert on LBM, so hopefully he will chime in.

Essentially all buildings in French Quarter and surrounding area were built many many years ago and have historic designation. Tear downs are generally verboten.

Wyndham shows LBM was built in 2008, which is post Katrina, although I would bet farm it was a remodel. Not sure what a SA at any resort several years ago has to do with anything!

MF are below average but parking is ballpark $200 for a week. Also, subject to points inflation , 189K for one BR in prime season! BC is only 166K and older resorts 105K.


Since all UDI owners have crack at Mardi Gras it is booked out early in ARP reservation window.

 

[SmithOp]

I recall Ron saying you need event week 9 if you want Mardi Gras, and if you are bidding on one Ron probably is too. . You might like the parade week prior.

 

[pacodemountainside]

LBM vs AVP

I recall Ron saying you need event week 9 if you want Mardi Gras, and if you are bidding on one Ron probably is too. . You might like the parade week prior.

Clarification!

LBM is all UDI points.

At AVP Developer who owned before Wyndham sold 5 hot event weeks for around 20% premium. If you do not own no way in Hell can one book Mardi Gras.

Non event weeks go for nothing while event weeks maybe $1K+.

Non event weeks can be converted to UDI points for around $2,500, but not that much Mardi Gras inventory in this bucket!

Agree week before is much better for "over the hill gang". Tons of beads, but no problem getting street side seat in Garden District
sans drunks on Canal Street!

 

[ronparise]

La Belle Maison was built in 2008 according to the Wyndham Website But also according to the wyndham website La Belle Maison is in the original Franklin Printing Company, built i the early 1900's

There are actually 2 buildings one was demolished by Wyndham,,all thats left is the facad. Wyndham added 3 stories to the second building

So you tell me. Was La Belle Maison built in the early 1900's or 2008? .. 2008 is when Wyndham converted it to Timeshares..everything inside is new

I dont think Katrina had an impact (or would have had an impact) Heres something I found on the internet

Furthermore -- and this is very important to understand -- the major tourist destinations came through virtually unscathed. The French Quarter, Fauborg Marginy, the Garden District, St. Charles Avenue, and Magazine Street all sit on the high ground along the Mississippi River. They flooded relatively little, if at all.

Paco is right. La Belle Maison is a UDI resort. The La Belle Maison Points work for Mardi Gras. Some of the units are in Club Wyndham Access (reportedly 25%, but I havent seen the list) I own both Labelle Maison Points and Club Wyndham Access and I was able to use both to get reservations for Mardi Gras 2014..at exactly 7 am, 13 months in advance but no two bedrooms (I was not quick enough).. I think Mardi Gras week was completely booked just a few minutes after 7am Jan 28 this year

Those of you that follow my posts know that I also own at Wyndhams Avenue Plaza..Avenue Plaza has 250 units. Some are floating weeks, some event weeks, some of those weeks have been converted to points and 63 units are in Worldmark

The World Mark units are sold out for Mardi Gras 2014. Mardi Gras Tuesday is March 4. All 63 were gone by Jan 28 exactly 13 months before.

The regular float weeks at Avenue Plaza cannot be used for Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras and the week before Mardi Gras are designated event weeks, (the week 9 owners always get Mardi Gras, and the owners of Week 8 always get the week before Mardi Gras when ever they fall on the calendar

There are less than the equivalent of 50 units (2500 weeks) that have been converted to Wyndham points..and Im not sure they can even be used for ARP for the event weeks.

For 3 years running Ive gotten a few Mardi Gras reservations with regular Wyndhan points at exactly 10 months before the Friday before Mardi Gras Later this month we'll see

Two other weeks resorts in New Orleans use the "event week" concept for Mardi Gras. Club La Pension, The Quarter House. In both cases Week 9 is Mardi Gras week and Week 8 is the week before.l..I dont know how the othe timeshare properties in New Orleans handle Mardi Geas


So if you want a reservation for Mardi Gras good luck, and by the way, I will be up early on reservaion day. good luck


Laissez les bons temps rouler

 

[lprstn]

If you are buying Wyndham points, getting the lowest maintence fees is the 1st consideration. Then if you want priority booking 13 months out you 'can' pick that resort. The truth is if you book 10 months out you will be fine getting whatever you want.

 

[MFT]

Wyndham (Fairfleod) owned the La Belle Maison property prior to Katrina, and had begun the renovations. How do I know? I bought LBM from Fairfield a week prior to Katrina!

We bought LBM on Aug 22, 2005, and Katrina hit on Aug 29th. We bought it from the Fairfield office on Canal ST, within view of LBM. They couldn't take us on a tour, but instead showed artist pictures of what it would look like, and pointed over to the building from the Fairfield office. Because of Katrina, our documents were delayed by months, but finally hit the system.

So I'm not sure why the Wyndham site is showing 2008 (that may have been when it opened), as the project was delayed by about a year because of the hurricane. When we purchased in 2005, we were told that scheduled opening was 2006 or 2007. But initial construction started prior to Katrina. Also, there were no special assessments if I recall.

Carl