Guy's Guide to Smart Vacation Ownership

(By Personality)

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. October 14, 2008

FEBRUARY 21, 2007. For those who aren't ready to commit to a lifelong vacation, these flexible second (or third or fourth) home options may very well be the answer. With partner destinations, restaurants, spas and activities galore, these "new breeds" of vacation ownership have been designed to combine the best of both (or three or four) worlds...

The Scenester: At the Todd Oldham-designed Fairfax* in South Beach, slated for completion by the end of 2007, ownership offers access to an extensive list of VIP amenities, including: private reserved beach chairs; complimentary membership to private rooftop club (and VIP passes); exclusive access to David Barton gym; pre-stocked groceries, toiletries, etc. and advance placement of personal items on request; room service from Enoteca Spiaggia, the on-site destination restaurant overseen by award-winning Chef Tony Matuano; and 24-hour on-site multi-lingual concierge service. Behind-the-velvet-rope quarter fractions are available from $250,000. www.fairfaxsouthbeach.com

The Traditionalist: He winters in the Caribbean...summers in the Hamptons (and tends to use seasons as verbs). Rendezvous Bay Hotel & Villas, the founding beach resort on the island of Anguilla has unveiled plans for an unparalleled luxury resort with full ownership residences ranging from $3 to $20 million and fractional apartments from just $250,000. Located on Anguilla's finest beach, Rendezvous has been family-owned and operated for 50 years, and restrictions usually apply to foreign beach ownership, making ownership here a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This beyond-five-star project is slated for completion in early 2009 and will include signature restaurants and a world-class spa. A limited number of residences will be available for purchase in early 2007. http://www.rendezvousbay.com/site/cgi-bin

The Family Man: Ultimate Resort* is an exclusive destination club (now the second largest in the industry) that offers members access to private homes with an average value between $2 and $5 million. Providing all the services and amenities of five-star resorts, members also enjoy additional "homey" perks and personal touches, such as digital art technology and pre-stocked everything: groceries, toiletries, wine cellars - and even diapers and other bulky baby needs. This option is ideal for those who enjoy traveling but don't want the hassles of upkeep or the limitations of a single location. Ultimate homes are located in prime metropolitan and resort destinations throughout the world (Los Cabos, Oahu, Vail, Paris, New York and many more). It's heaven on earth for the travelin' man and his brood. www.ultimateresort.com

The Exotic Romantic: On St. Barths, Isle de France Club (at the legendary Hotel St.-Barth-Isle-de-France) offers the opportunity to "own the unownable" with deeded fractional memberships starting at $250,000. Members can spend their annual allotted time in their villa or opt to use one of the Club's partners, such as Riad Farnatchi in Marrakech or A.W.O.L. Again, a fully-staffed yacht available for charter through the Caribbean or Mediterranean Sea. Champagne, darling? www.foliocollection.com

The Guys' Guy: Newfound Property International currently caters to more adventurous vacationers with its two (soon to be three - stay tuned for news on Nevis!) resort destinations. NPI's flagship project is Humber Valley Resort in Newfoundland with custom-built fully-furnished residences in a resort community on the shores of Deer Lake. The one-bedroom apartments start at approximately $304,000 and are the perfect year-round base for the ultimate "active" vacation with picturesque skiing, fishing, golf, hiking, snowmobiling and countless backcountry adventures. So manly, you can skip the cologne. www.newfoundproperty.com/humber-valley.asp

More tropically-minded men might prefer Ocean's Edge, on St. Kitts. This breathtaking collection of apartments, cottages and individual villas on the barely-discovered Caribbean island of St Kitts is slated for completion in December 2008 with one-bedroom apartments starting at $300,000. www.newfoundproperty.com/oceans-edge.asp

Creative commitment. Now if they just had a theory about your girlfriend...