Quintess Members Visit Bali, Zululand via Leading Hotels

Taking a page from the book of other hybrid destination/travel clubs, Quintessoffers an additional option for members who buy into their portfolio of multi-million dollar homes in resorts and vacation cities around the world. Members, who pay as little as $210,000 membership fee and $21,000 annual dues for access to as few as 20 non-holiday days at these houses, also may choose to use 10 of their days on "Leading Experiences" at Quintess's hotel partner, Leading Hotels of the World. That means a stay at such places as Karma Jimbaran on Bali...a safari with base camp at Thanda, a set of bush villas in Zululand, South Africa... or a dive trip at the Great Barrier Reef while staying on the private Australian island of Hayman, pictured above.

"Best:" Exclusive, Quintess, Solstice

Would you choose a destination club simply because it was named "Best of the Best" by the luxury-goods magazine Robb Report? Of course not. Still, it is undoubtedly a good selling point for Exclusive Resorts (best "full-size" club), Quintess ("mid-sized") and Solstice ("boutique") to advertise in looking for new members. The Best of the Best June 2008 issue notes that instead of 10 properties promised a year ago, Solstice winds up with 14 (including one at Villa Dolce in Florence, shown above) plus a 90-foot yacht, for its 92 members. By comparison Quintess has 425 members at over 80 homes, while Exclusive has a whopping 350 homes and more than 3,000 members.

No Debt: BelleHavens' Smart Club Pitch

The destination club BelleHavens, which is in the same deluxe class as Exclusive Resorts and Quintess, has a unique selling point that should appeal to mortgage-wary travelers: the homes in its portfolio are owned by members rather than the club's overseers, and are debt-free. BelleHavens thus calls itself the first "equity membership" club with asset protection as a key factor. That doesn't mean that visits to properties such as those at La Quinta, CA (shown); Palm Coast, FL; Kohala Coast, Hawaii; Hilton Head, SC; Los Cabos, Mexico; and midtown Manhattan come cheaply. The current price of a BelleHavens Equity Membership is a one-time deposit of $225,000 and annual dues of $18,500. Still, that means a reasonable average price of about $615 per night based on 30 nights annual usage. And peace of mind? Priceless.

Aspen Favorite of Destination Clubs

No surprise as more and more "destination clubs" are putting down roots in Aspen. A recent Aspen Daily News article indicated the following clubs have properties there

• LUSSO Collection -- townhome at Aspen Highlands.
• Exclusive Resorts, -- townhome at Two Creeks and a large block of time at the Timbers Club.
• Portofino Club -- condo at the Snowmass Club
• Quintess (includes The Leading Residences of the World)-- three properties in Aspen
• Solstice Club -- two houses in Aspen's best year-round neighborhood, the West End
• High Country Club -- condo in Snowmass
• Oyster Circle Club -- said to have plans to buy in Aspen or Snowmass.