DC4MS

Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club.

This new Club has been created for discerning travelers who don’t just want to go to a destination, but want to get inside it. We will serve as your personal guide, allowing you to discover each destination as an insider rather than a visitor.

We will be officially launching the Club in the summer, but in the meantime, I would be happy to discuss this exciting new offering with you and answer any immediate questions you might have.

Warm regards,

Stan

.................................................. ..................
Stan Bonnemort
Executive Director, Membership Sales
Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club
D: 801-456-1562
TF: 866-342-8367, Ext. 112
F: 801-456-1601
Email: sbonnemort@akresidenceclub.com
Web: Abercrombie & Kent Residences - Luxury Residences, Exclusive Destinations, Destination Club & Luxury Private Vacation Homes


Note: At this time, membership in the Abercrombie & Kent Residence Club is not being offered in the State of New York or to residents of the State of New York.

Kagehitokiri

he was the director of sales at bellehavens
BelleHavens | Destination Club | Luxury Vacation Ownership

NeilGoBlue

AK is not marketing to new members right now.. the game plan is to market only to friends and family. They expect to have at least 50 people sign up in the next few weeks... AK execs, Fortress capital execs, intrawest execs, etc.

Once this is done. Membership numbers will be between 200 and 300 and then they will officially launch the club with all the marketing materials etc. By then they will have significantly expanded the desitnations through various means.

Seems like a pretty good plan...

Kagehitokiri

wow, thumbs up.

DC4MS

Perhaps they should offer a "DestinationClubForums.com Special" online here!

jam

I talked with Stan yesterday about the upcoming offering. It has some very appealing features. In addition to the equity type model that Crescendo and Bellhavens had and those properties, A&K have leased some of their managed European Villas. They explain that it makes more sense to rent these for the prime months than to own them for the entire year. I have not seen the financials but this makes sense. He says the expense is incorporated into the model. This appeals to me because it offers more European access than most US based clubs. They also have a mechanism to exchange days for credit on A&K trips. If you have never traveled with A&K, they are over the top nice. The best rooms in the best hotels in every location. Included meals are usually at the highest rated restaurants in the city. They also have ala Carte dining nights, where you and your party go anywhere to eat that you like, bring back the receipt and get reimbursed for everything except the alcohol. In addition, they have special access activites almost everyday that offer private concerts or inside the velvet rope type experiences that other groups do not have. At the higher usage levels, the expense credits for trading days offer a significant discount from A&K brochure rates. I think this club is going to be worth considertion.

Kagehitokiri

can you give any actual numbers for the 'exchange/credit' system?

one thing you could do with that is buy the signature service package if they have any of the villas that offer that in the club's property portfolio. i just noticed that offering the other day while doing some searches for some posters on flyertalk.

personally, id always be interested in european destinations like >
- leisure in scotland and tuscany
- swiss mountains
- london
- mediterranean beaches

NeilGoBlue

I can give you the minium exchanges.. but they are looking to upgrade the exchanges exponetially, and my guess is that when the club is launched it will be potentially very enticing.

I only have a 15 day plan, so i don't value the exchange to AK's luxury travel.. If i had a 45 day plan.. I think I would value it..

Kagehitokiri

so its not firm yet? (just curious, im not really considering joining)

jam

Kage: This is unofficial but my understanding. In the 15 day plan you can use 7 days for credit and 10 days in the 30 and 45 day plan. The dues are about 16,700, 29,450 and 42,000 for the three levels. That makes dues 933 a day for the 45 day plan. They can be traded in at $1400 a day on an
A&K trip. That is about a 33% discount.

Kagehitokiri

thanks for the info, very interesting.

so $9,333 > $14,000.
thatd be a week @ $1K pppd.
(or less than 2 days of private jet trip - $4K pppd )

or a £7K/wk villa thats not in the club portfolio. one of the villas i looked at recently was that much for "signature service" in cote d'azur.

travelenthusiast

Neilgoblue ... what made you decide to stay with the club during this "transition"? Was it your past expereinces, the equity model, the knowledge that A&K was involved??? Do tell ...

NeilGoBlue

All of the three.. including the fact that the new club was a 3MM per home club... while BH was only 2-2.5...

I'm very excited overall.. more details will come out in the next few months when they officially launch the new club..

travelenthusiast

Thanks for your quick reply.

What other clubs did you look at before making your decision?? (Also, how did you get your custom Avitar on the site??)

Kagehitokiri

NeilGoBlue, you were a member of Bellehavens for some time, correct?

i believe TarheelTraveler's situation was similar, with Crescendo.

welcome to the forum intheknow i take it youve seen the other merger discussion in this forum?

travelenthusiast

Hi Kagehitokiri ... just getting caught up in the reading of stuff. Just joined the Forum. Any suggestions as to how to best use this?