NEW: A new development is that the property owner has turned management of the on-site hotel over to Hyatt, though Four Seasons continues...
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NEW: A new development is that the property owner has turned management of the on-site hotel over to Hyatt, though Four Seasons continues to manage the Residence Club. However, residence club members will continue to have full access to hotel facilities. Not yet sure how matters like tennis and golf will sort out. An important development!
ORIGINAL: We purchased our fourth Four Seasons
Residence Club week at Aviara in 2003. The
nightly musical entertainment in the lounge is
a particular plus with this resort, which is
still
expanding.
A wonderful place to be - we like
the location north of San Diego. The property
was originally a failed Japanese development
venture that was sitting idle, and some have
criticized the location as "other than world
class." However, we like the relatively slow
pace of life north of San Diego compared to the
hustle of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
I will add that
we purchased our week at Aviara through
SmartChoice
Timeshare Realty, and their service was
knowledgable and entirely professional.
I have voiced concern for some time at the
limited exchange program offered by Four
Seasons, compared to other hotel-based
competitors such as Westin and Marriott, and
also compared to competitors at the high end,
such as
Exclusive Resorts. Additionally, the new
developments at Jackson Hole and Costa Rica are
no longer on a traditional "timeshare" model,
making exchanges at those locations considerably
more difficult. An alternative way of
facilitating exchange seems so far not to have
been considered by Four Seasons.
However, I find that this
situation has recently begun to improve. An
expanded exchange
program includes access to several western
mountain resorts, to Villa La Estancia in Cabo
San Lucas, to the Phillips Club in New York
City, and also, recently, on a limited basis to
available condominium units at Four Seasons
Great Exuma through 2007. There is also talk
that some new residence clubs will adhere to the
original Aviara/Scottsdale model, for example, a
development planned in Orlando at Celebration
(no specific date provided).
The lack of exchange options for settings of
equivalent quality has in my opinion always been
the greatest drawback to the Four Seasons
Residence Club program. Perhaps the company is
now addressing this concern with some
seriousness.