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Five thousand people in the world belong to the Exclusive Resorts network. For a total of 30 days in a year, members of the club can set up house in a New York penthouse, live the dolce vita in a glamorous Tuscan villa, or relax in a six-bedroom Mexican hacienda.
Exclusive Resorts is an upscale version of the sharing economy – basically a club where members get to experience incredible villas around the world for a one-time fee. The difference between the club and a vacation home rental is that Exclusive Resorts owns the villas, staffs them and takes care of every single detail of the vacations.
As luxury travel becomes more accessible to a broader number of people who can comfortably pay top dollar for hotel rooms, high net-worth travelers are turning to companies like Exclusive Resorts to break away from the crowds.
Exclusive Resort in Manhattan, New York
Exclusive Resort’s network has 400 properties in 120 locations worldwide. The one-time fee for a 30-year membership is $250,000. Alternatively, the club offers a four-year option for $85,000. Members pay a daily vacation fee of $1,250 for each night they use a home, for an allotted 30 nights a year. On average, members take six trips annually.
The club offers members a lot of value in a myriad of different ways than traditional vacation homes. Ann Layton, a Toronto-based spokesperson for the group, says, “We like to say the membership fee is less expensive than even the smallest condo in South Beach, Florida. When you arrive, every single thing you want is already there for you.”
Exclusive Resorts stays even include a personal concierge service. In advance of guests arriving, for example, the concierge will ask for a shopping list to stock the pantry and fridge with their favorite foods and drinks.
Exclusive Resort in Manhattan, New York.
Layton points out that status, here, is not a driver for members. Rather, busy entrepreneurs consider it the ultimate way to unplug and reconnect with their families, from the nuclear unit to multi-generational groups.
Indeed, Exclusive Resorts, which is headquartered in Denver, seems to have tapped into the multi-generation family holiday trend.
Many Exclusive Resorts members are siblings who bring cousins and parents together for a big family holiday; five bedrooms is the typical starting point for villas. The club allows members the ability to try a new destination with every vacation.
San Francisco Fairmont Ghirardelli Exclusive resort.
“The quality is consistent. You don’t have to go out for meal. A chef can cook for you or you can cook yourself in a chef-grade kitchen equipped with the latest appliances,” says Layton. All the shopping will get done at a local market.
Many members also aim to leave their 30-year memberships to their children, Layton adds.
San Francisco Fairmont Ghirardelli Exclusive resort.
Another trend aligning with the Exclusive Resorts model is the desire for the high net worth travelers to get away in groups. Millennials, for example, enjoy traveling with friends while cultivating authentic experiences.
Exclusive Resorts also allows members to explore the world through carefully curated VIP experiences. The company features an extensive Experience Collection designed to check off guests bucket list experiences, from private yacht excursions and African safaris, to exclusive wellness boot camps and tickets to the ultimate social events. ■
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