Destination: Luxury

While most luxury destination clubs purchase new or existing homes, one club has chosen to build many of its own properties. Exclusive Resorts has grown in three years to 2,500 members. With more members comes demand for more properties, Harris says. As such, the group has been able to design their own homes. “We have a group of architects and designers working with builders and hotel developers to influence the design and construction of homes to our specifications,” Harris says.

Exclusive Resorts is also in a position to partner with high-end resorts. For example, The Ritz Carlton is opening a hotel in Grand Cayman and has offered Exclusive Resorts the opportunity to build 10 houses on their property. The members who stay in those homes will have the benefit of privacy but will still have access to the hotel and its amenities.

In terms of services provided to members, most clubs are similar in their offerings. For starters, a team of planners from the destination club will help arrange details of your trip. This could include booking flights, organizing ground transportation, or sending you a grocery checklist to complete and return so that your refrigerator can be stocked ahead of time.

Upon arrival, your personal concierge—available around the clock—will walk you through the home so you can become acquainted with it. A native of the area, the concierge will be able to suggest restaurants, give you insider tips on shopping, arrange tee times at the best golf courses, and make dinner reservations. A housekeeper, who might also cook you breakfast upon your request, will clean your house daily. The concierge can also arrange private chef or spa experiences for a fee above your membership dues.

Quintess has taken service one step further by giving members access to its concierges any time, anywhere. That is, you can use the club’s concierge service from your hometown or even during non-Quintess travel to help plan an anniversary party, arrange a girls’ getaway weekend, reserve theater tickets, or even contact rock stars. “One member had inquired whether Pat Benatar was able to come to their home to perform,” Short recalls. “We found out she was available.”

For Members Only

Although it’s easy to get caught up in the romance of luxury destinations and high-class homes, members should ask how their destination club views membership caps and whether the club’s properties are leased or owned.

Membership caps are a matter of personal preference. Do you want to belong to an exclusive club that will only allow 400 other like-minded members? Or do you want to belong to a club with unlimited membership?

According to Harris, the more members you have, the more real estate that’s available. “We have learned that members prefer more choices, more variety, and more homes,” he says. “We did at one point think of capping the club. But by selling more memberships, we can buy more houses in more locations.”