Attn: Owners, renters & potential buyers

Sol mar owners, potential owners, and renters. Please be aware that the Bulnes family (they own Sol Mar & Playa Grande) will not be going through with the Pacific Dunes project. Instead, they plan to tear down all the Sol Mar hotel units on the sand and rebuild new units. So, if you own one of these units, you should contact management to find out what will happen to your unit. If you are renting a hotel unit after the end of this year, be aware that the unit may be torn down and you'll have nowhere to stay. If you're thinking of buying a hotel unit, then you'd better find out what you will receive in exchange for the unit you're currently buying that will be torn down. Supposedly, letters are going out to Sol Mar owners soon. FYI.

I was not aware of the Pacific Dunes project. I have owned at Solmar for 10 years they use to have owner meetings weekly [without having to sit through a sales presentation] they stopped this to my knowledge approx. 3 years ago. It was a nice way to meet others that owned the same week and find out about new projects etc.

Does anyone know what is being built on the beach on the other side of Finnestera? I was @Solmar in Dec. and no one I talked to really seemed to know who or what was being built. A couple of years earlier there was a sign out there but that was before any construction.

I do not own a hotel unit but, have being going to Solmar since 1980 and loved being right on the beach. I am sure whatever they do will be nice but wonder how much of an increase this will cost us in maintenance fees.

Capella is the name of the resort being built on the other side of the Finisterra. http://www.capellacabo.com

I thought that Capella was a full-time or fractional ownership, at least that is what I heard last November when I was there.

I used the term 'resort' very loosely. Yes, they are fractional and full ownership units at Capella. Estancia is also fractional, but most people still refer to it as a resort. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... :)

How absolutely awful to think of the tearing down of the cute hotel units on the beach. They are the only ones we stay in...because of their simplicity and connection to the beach/ocean and privacy. If they are to be replaced, the ambiance will be severely and adversely impacted and we will be unlikely to want to stay there.

Has the information regarding the potential removal of all the beach units been verified? I noticed this was referenced as "hotel" I thought the hotel units were in the building behind the orginal bar and actually attached to the lobby area. This had been referenced as building "H". The units on the beach had recently been refurbished and the Solmar would not take everything down at once. They would lose to much business. You will notice they do one building at a time. The Blunes family has been around a long time and I find it hard to believe they would take such drastic measures.

Again I ask has this information been verified as true?

Patsy

I would think the units on the beach would be there bread and butter. If it is the hotel units and not the timeshare part, I don't think they are the one's on the beach.

My husband and I just returned from a two week stay at Solmar (week 41 and 42). We heard all kinds of rumors from various owners, other resorts and timeshare sales people about the plans to tear down the hotel units on the beach. Unfortunately we could not get any straight answer at all from Solmar or Playa Grande staff or sales people about what is happening. Playa Grande sales staff did their best to try and convince many of us to trade up our unit to a unit at Playa Grande, however they were not willing to give us any kind of deal. It was very frustrating. It would be nice to know what the truth is. I also heard we would be receiving letters sometime in November, again these were rumors.

probably with the maintenance fee bill. double whammy

I was at Playa Grande at the beginning of this month. They are selling the new units at Solmar. They are going to be floating units sold on a 50-year contract, and the prices are divided into winter, summer and holiday weeks. I asked if you could get a fixed week, and they said yes but you'd have to pay an 'upgrade' fee for the fixed week. I asked which units were being torn down, and they said all of the hotel units on the beach, the restaurants and the pools. They said that their goal was to create the first 6-star resort in Cabo. There will be studios all the way up to 4-bedroom units. I asked what would happen to the people who currently own a hotel unit, and they said that they are legally obligated to honor the existing contracts so they will be given a studio unit in the new section until their contract runs out, but will not be allowed to extend it unless they upgraded.

All of this information came from the sales shark manager and I can guarantee you that they are selling the new units right now (I personally saw the sales sheet with prices!). Whether or not they will ever be built is another story. After all, there is the Pacific Dunes project that they started selling that will never come to fruition. Wonder what they are going to do with the people who bought units in that doomed project? Maybe they are re-doing Solmar to accommodate those Pacific Dunes buyers? I have no idea...

Hi Deb just saw your listing, it was a great trip thanks yes rumors are flying

I can not imagine anyone being intersted in a 50 year contract. It is not deeeded only a rtu so why would anyone care?? It was my understanding that Senior Blunes was trying to keep Solmar & as pristeen as it was and am very disappointed to hear of the new development. My first visit to solmar was 1980 the airport was a tent and as the town became "rowdy" I still enjoyed the peace and quite of Solmar & this is why I bought I felt it would remain the same. So Sad to hear other wise.

I believe that Señor Bulnes' kids have taken over. I don't think that they share the vision of their father. Yes, it is sad.

When we were at Solmar 10/17 to 10/24, Senor Bulnes and his wife were there. I saw Senor Bulnes at breakfast the last morning and we saw what appeared to be engineers, architechts, etc. wandering the hotel complex with drawings and walkie talkies, etc. throughout the week. I believe Senor Bulnes is making the decisions on this one and his bottom line is probably the almighty buck.

I just returned from Playa Grande this past Sunday. I now have accurate information on the new Grand Solmar Lands End Resort & Spa. I wrote up a very long, detailed explanation and I even have photos of the architectural drawings, etc. Rather than rewriting it up here, please read my post on the Playa Grande owners website: http://www.playagrandeclub.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=758

I hope this info helps everyone.

`I am wondering about paying the 09 maintenance fees. i have 2 units on beach 1201-1202 wk 18-19/ approx 17 years left on time. what do you think they should sell for now, or trade for. i havent been there now for 3years. i do like the beach units where we are though.

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A friend of mine just got back from his week in a hotel unit. He went on the tour and got the information and he is less than pleased. He bought his hotel unit specifically because of the location, low-key atmosphere and ability to walk right out onto the sand. When the salesman told him how great the new unit would be with fridge and full kitchen, his response was "I don't come down here to cook".

My suggestion would be to vote with your wallet. Don't buy their food or drinks or tours or anything. Since their decisions about the "upgrade" to the resort seem to be only about money, make your own decisions based on money and let them know what you are doing. Tell the manager/concierge/bartender that you are not spending money at the resort because you are unhappy with what they are doing.

Personally, as the owner of a hotel unit, when my unit gets exchanged for a new one I will be looking into how much I can get for it on the resale market. Maybe if everyone in the first batch of buildings to be demolished floods the resale market with their units, they might have a harder time selling their 6 star 50-year units at their asking price.

As background, I have been to Solmar many times and while I have enjoyed every trip there, there are always things that are less than ideal. This is quite a bit more than a little inconvenience though and needs some more forceful response.

Just curious, what happens if someone buys a hotel unit on the open market now and then their unit gets torn down, do they get the upgraded unit for nothing?? My wife and I spent out honeymoon there two years ago and loved it. Thanks.