Club Med Columbus Isle

For those of you with a little extra cash.

http://www.lesresidencesacolumbusisle.com/english.php

Jim



How many gold bar beads?

Jim,
I just have two questions. Please define "a little extra cash". Which one is yours?

John

Wow Jim!

These look fabulous! After seeing the site and going for a smoke, I confess my nicotine-fuelled brain got to work and I started thinking about it, ha ha:

- you get 4 weeks per year, with access to the village. 4 weeks in May would cost you about $5,000, so you'd save that.

- you could rent it out for part of the rest of the year. Of course, that depends on the demand and I suppose the Jade section of Cancun is an indicator. So there's a savings, too!

- I see it has a private pool, which would be fantastic, as long as there weren't any little kids around to pee in it (a big problem in the summer months at the main village pool).

On the other hand:

- the village is closed for 6-8 weeks in the fall (hurricane season), so if you visited then, you'd have to get your own food and wouldn't have access to the sports, etc.

- and of course, there's the price. I just wondered how much they're going to ask (couldn't find anything on the net, but I doubt this is going to be cheap).

So I guess I'd better go get a lottery ticket and hope for the best. Fingers crossed!!!

Trish

Dive now; work later!

Same concept as in Albion. We met quite some larger families and groups who had rented (or even own) a villa. If you're a larger number of GMs (6 or more), a villa is definitely a possible way to go. A lot of privacy, private pool, butler service, etc. if one is looking for that.

BTW, the GMs in the villas had bracelets of a different colour. I asked what for and the CDV told me, that they make everything possible to satisfy them to 100 % and even more.

Its like the silver or clear bracelets at Punta, to get the extra treatment. It would be nice to be able to rent it out, but the renters probably not get the same benefits for using CM as the owner would. It would be interesting to find out what cost they are asking. That would determine my definition of a little extra cash. Still have to fly down there and seems limited flights to Columbus Isle anyway.

Jim

How many gold bar beads?

Re the flights: you either go with Spirit Airlines out of Lauderdale or you fly out of Miami with Bahamas Air or Air Nassau - and your luggage arrives the week after you do...

So then it is good to have 4 weeks there.

How many gold bar beads?

Yeah, getting there is a pain in the ass. My guess is that renters would get to use CM otherwise it cuts down on the investment aspect. Also renting out places can be a hassle/expensive. I look at a vacation property once and the management had a rental program where you retained the right to use it for X times and agreed not to rent it out yourself. In return it went into a rental pool and the management service took carry of renting it out, cleaning it, etc and took 1/3 of the rental rate as its fee. Rental units were put on a list and once your unit was rented it went down to the bottom and would only be rented once it got to the top. Also if you want to claim this as an investment property and be able to depreciate it you can only use it two weeks a year (plus time for maintenance work so you might be able to stretch another week). You also have to pay a monthly assessment to cover the upkeep of common areas. Also, you need to consider or evaluate CM's ability to quit the resort especially if a hurricane hits it. All in all a lot to think about.

On the other hand, if you have enough cash to buy one of these, I'm guessing you have your own private plane to fly down there. So no lost luggage issues!

Dive now; work later!

Trish,
I think that you just put it into perspective for all of us.

John

You mean you guys don't have your own plane? Yikes, hopefully you are not going to tell me you fly coach.

Jim

No, Jim, I don't fly coach, I will be sailing over on my yacht. We might be able to fit you in.

John

quote:

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Originally posted by John-Chicago

No, Jim, I don't fly coach, I will be sailing over on my yacht. We might be able to fit you in.

John

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Great! I was going to take my yacht but it is a long way to row.

Jim

you guys,
hopefully you know where the marina is, cuz right now, as we speak, there is a boat on the reefs..washed up with the rought weather, trying to get in.

but I guess with all your money, by then you'll have your private harbour

Trish, when are you coming back??? it's hammer (head) time!!

Carpe Diem

Scratch that yacht thing.

John

Actually, what we're hoping for eventually is Club Med Assisted Living on San Sal....with GO's (and a new PADI speciality level for geriatric diving).....

Adria

All right, ReefPolice!! What a way to spend your last days. Of course, there are those who would say some of the Club locations are becoming that way on their own.

John

quote:

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Originally posted by ReefPolice

Actually, what we're hoping for eventually is Club Med Assisted Living on San Sal....with GO's (and a new PADI speciality level for geriatric diving).....

Adria

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Ah yes, and if we could have those valets on the dive boat, like they do on the dive boats at El Gouna, that would be the best!!! (They haul all your gear on board, set it up for you to check - AND they bring you a lovely, hot mint tea... )

- Trish

Dive now; work later!