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Luxury Homes w/ DRI

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RuralEngineer

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Anyone heard about DRI's purchase of 1400 homes? I'm down here at Grand Villas this weekend but don't have time to do the update. Sounds interesting but only available to Gold members.

Stephen
 
RuralEngineer said:
Anyone heard about DRI's purchase of 1400 homes? I'm down here at Grand Villas this weekend but don't have time to do the update. Sounds interesting but only available to Gold members.

Stephen
Click to expand...

Sounds like made-up salesman stories. I don't see anything on the web page and haven't heard anything. Well, only time will tell but I am pretty skeptical.
 
Sounds like a sales pitch to me too. Why would they limit making money on something like this to Gold and Platinum members only? I'm sure it's just a coincidence that you are Silver Elite and they said this would only be available to Gold and above. ;)
 
I heard that DRI pick-up Island One resorts in FL.
 
During my "owner's update" 2 weeks ago at Falls Creek, my sales person showed me some pictures of the homes DRI purchased for rentals. She didn't say much about them and didn't really try to use them as leverage to try to get us to Gold level.

I also haven't seen anything in the website about them and wondered if silver just wasn't special enough to view them.
 
RuralEngineer said:
Anyone heard about DRI's purchase of 1400 homes? I'm down here at Grand Villas this weekend but don't have time to do the update. Sounds interesting but only available to Gold members.

Stephen
Click to expand...

TheWizz said:
Sounds like a sales pitch to me too. Why would they limit making money on something like this to Gold and Platinum members only? I'm sure it's just a coincidence that you are Silver Elite and they said this would only be available to Gold and above. ;)
Click to expand...

If this is the case, limiting access to gold and higher is exactly the strategy I would expect Diamond to follow. Their strategy is to load as much value as possible at gold level and higher to get as many owners as possible at that level. They see the future for the company as being a one-stop leisure and travel service provided to people who are regularly spending $20,000 or more on travel and leisure services.

There are definitely going to be two classes of members at Diamond. The who are Club members at the Gold level or higher, and those who aren't. Those who aren't will pretty much have access to what they own - either directly or what they can reserve through the club with their points. But if they are Club members and aren't gold or higher, they will find that the elites will get t0 make reservations ahead of them, the elites points will be more valuable because the elites will get free room upgrades, the elites will have reduced annual Club dues, the elites points will have more value if they use points for travel services or maintenance fee payments.

And the elites will be given more options for places to use their points, such as access to special properties such as vacation homes.
 
Analysis

I think your analysis is correct. I have been hearing of some these changes for some time. The luxury house program will be available in 2014. Demographics and the market would seem to support this strategy.

stephen
 
DRI Revamped Loyalty Program

I saw this thread but did not respond to it because I thought that it was discussed already, but maybe it was just on our Facebook DRI page that we talked about it.

DRI has revamped its benefits for loyalty members particularly at the Gold and Platinum levels. They have enhanced the benefits to make it more attractive for current owners to go to the Gold and Platinum levels. The luxury residences are an option for Gold and Platinum members. There was a brochure that I saw that had these luxury residences in them, but a lot of it will depend upon availability. When I was at the San Luis Bay Inn at Avila Beach over Labor Day weekend, the salesman tried rolled this out for me to go to platinum. I had already read and saw the document before him as my friends on our DRI Facebook site had already posted the new benefits earlier in August. I believe they rolled these new benefits out in the UK first. The salesman I saw told me that he had just received the document the day before. I believed him because he did not know what was really on it and I told him more than he did me. Some of the new benefits will be things like grocery shopping for you prior to your arrival, being able to select a specific room for your reservation, VIP airport lounge access, priority check in at 2:00 p.m., elite room keys and passports, complimentary guest passes, 25% discounts to Gold and Platinum members when the make exchanges with Interval International, Gold and platinum members will have earlier access to the more select resorts in the Club Select program and if you are silver, gold or platinum you will have the ability to RENT points if you need more to complete a reservation. Each level gets a better discount on renting the points.

When I reviewed these perks, I came to the conclusion that one should not be buying extra points just to get these benefits. Your decision to buy more points should be based upon if you need them to get the accommodations that you NEED annually. One has to remember that the loyalty benefits are only good at DRI properties and not affiliates and DRI has many affiliates. The renting of points is a good thing, but not for one to buy extra points in order to do that. These may be some nice perks but perks that many may not use.
 
I now see exactly why this is targeted to Gold and Plat members: it's a LOT of points per night for most of these places! I saw them range from ~2700 to ~20,000 points per night. If I was allowed to use all my points for two years for the high-end places, I could still only stay there for three nights (60k pts)! Some in the 3000-6000 pts per night range look quite nice and definitely an option to consider ever so often... The list of properties and points requirements can be found at this link:

dls.diamondresorts.com
 
RuralEngineer said:
Anyone heard about DRI's purchase of 1400 homes? I'm down here at Grand Villas this weekend but don't have time to do the update. Sounds interesting but only available to Gold members.

Stephen
Click to expand...

Log on to the Diamond website go to My Reservations then Diamond Luxury Selections. It is explained there.
 
For only 15,555 points/night you can stay at the Polynesian Kapalua Estate, a 5 bedroom home on Maui. :eek:
 
Here's a good review of two luxury home rental membership companies. Inspirato charges $17500 to join and $3000 per year thereafter. Portico charges $2500 to join and $2500 per year thereafter. The kicker is you still pay $300-6000 per night to stay at these residences. They claim that is saving you 50% off the retail rental rate for these residences.

http://www.sherpareport.com/destination-clubs/inspirato-compared-portico.html

Comparing the DRI Luxury Selection, for roughly the same cost per year in DRI MFs, I can rent hundreds of 2-7BR homes all over the world for 6-10+ nights w/ my annual points and no additional per night charges like with Portico and Inspirato.
 
business model

thanks, that serves to validate the business model. i think DRI continues to deliver value and options.

stephen
 
TheWizz said:
I now see exactly why this is targeted to Gold and Plat members: it's a LOT of points per night for most of these places! I saw them range from ~2700 to ~20,000 points per night. If I was allowed to use all my points for two years for the high-end places, I could still only stay there for three nights (60k pts)! Some in the 3000-6000 pts per night range look quite nice and definitely an option to consider ever so often... The list of properties and points requirements can be found at this link:

dls.diamondresorts.com
Click to expand...

I received the offer last year from DRI. You can find it at member's home page under reservation - Diamond Luxury selection.


The point charge per night is anywhere from 3,055 to 38,000 points per night depends on the location, lodge size and season. As the one at Deerbrook, Snowmass, Colorado, a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bathroom sleeps 10 in winter ski season may cost about 33,000 per night. With my points, I probably can stay about 2 nights skiing if I choose. It seems to a beautiful place. But I rather use my points for many vacations elsewhere than 2 nights in the Deerbrook. Guess it is good that you have an opportunity to be able to consider it. I do like skiing, I am comfortable in a clean resort that can ski in and ski out, having a nice heated swimming pool and hot tub on the property and nice restaurants. Actually, I just returned from Killington Grand Hotel and Resort- my perfect winter resort.

https://dls.diamondresorts.com/properties/1066
 
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