N E W S U P D AT E
Club Las Calas W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 w w w . r e s o r t - s o l u t i o n s . c o . u k
CC1115-115162
Creating a lifetime of holiday memories year after year
Chairman’s letter Well, it has been an eventful year. When I wrote to you after the AGM, I told you that we, as your elected committee, had a number of priorities to address including tackling the challenges of the bars and restaurants, the sales situation following notice of the termination of the CLC contract and commitment to continue to look at helping owners who have weeks for resale. Taking these in order: We put out a survey to owners with 4 options for the bars and restaurants and have received some good feedback – not as much as we would have liked but we have got a very clear picture of where you seem to want to go with this thorny problem. We are now looking to progress the ideas and will be in a position to start to make changes well before the summer period next year.
These will include some rejigging of what we offer in each facility, and will make both of them more efficient and welcoming. We know that service and menu choice are of prime importance to you and these issues are being addressed as I write. We are now looking in depth at the costings and long term potential to turn the current losses around. In the interim we are trialling new initiatives such as the theme nights in 361, which have proved popular. I would stress though that we all have a part to play, we will need all owners to try out the facilities and, once they prove to be what you want from your holiday destination, use them. When we put out any survey (in the future we may need to solicit your views on other matters important to you) we need to alert you to our request quickly and easily and we want to get as many responses as possible. The best way to do this is by email as additional postage costs cannot be justified. Therefore, please tell us your up-to-date email address so that we can ensure the database is current. Please email Resort Solutions with these details now, and at the end of January we will identify an owner with a registered email address as the recipient of a free rental week at Las Calas – in either 2016 or 2017 to include a complimentary meal for two in one of the on-site restaurants.
Speaking of Resort Solutions I am pleased to tell you that, after exhaustive investigations into alternative service providers and the possibility of managing the Club in house, we followed a rigorous procurement process which concluded (in agreement with fellow Directors of CMS Ltd) that RSL should be appointed as the provider of Management Services for the clubs under the Diamond Group umbrella for a further eight years. Collectively we believe that RSL offer the best fit for the needs of the clubs. Under the new agreement all the Clubs will benefit financially from re-negotiated terms including the removal of any ongoing contractual bonus award. This clause was championed by the previous Chairman of Las Calas as it was felt that a bonus award would encourage the management company to strive to deliver better results. The current board of Directors feel that delivering results should be expected, rather than rewarded, and as such this benefit to RSL has been removed from the revised contract. Also, under the new contract, the award of any inflationary annual increase in management charge is linked to UK CPI rather than RPI. The need for investment in new IT infrastructure to support the service the Management Company can give to us has been agreed and work has already started on this. Finally, the Service Level Agreement (SLA) which forms the basis of the services provided under the management agreement has been completely re-drafted and brought up to date to reflect the needs of the individual Clubs, and the service delivery expected from the management company. We are extremely confident that together with RSL we are in a good position to move forward with the development needed in our Club. As I advised at the AGM, the contract with CLC will be terminated at the end of the year and we expect the CLC sales personnel to have left by then. The good news is that the weeks CLC took on as part of the contract will remain in their hands. We will continue to benefit from the maintenance income this brings and we will still see their guests enjoying our resort and the facilities we offer.
We are fully aware of the need to find an alternative and creative means of getting new owners to take over club owned weeks, as well as finding a way to openly promote resale weeks on behalf of our owners. As I told you before, we are restricted by the resolution passed at the 2010 AGM to NOT re-instate the owners’ resale list. The Committee think that times have changed and owners may now have different views. Please tell us if you agree by sending a message to the committee email address. We have had to make the decision not to open the Privilege Club for new membership in 2016, but we will consider this decision annually. We are well on the way to solutions to these difficult issues and I expect to be able to bring you completely up to date at next year’s AGM - but should we make headway quicker than that I will put information on the Club’s website, so keep looking. For some time now, I have had owners request that the owners’ site meetings are
reintroduced. This was reinforced at the AGM and the owners’ meeting recommenced in September. The meetings are going well with a full exchange of views taking place and with Rachel able to keep owners informed on resort matters. I hope they continue to be positive and constructive meetings. The big issue that has come out of these meetings is the WiFi connection on site. Whilst there are some infrastructure issues to overcome we are hopeful of a more adequate solution being in place in the foreseeable future. The refurbishment of the apartments continues to remain on track and we have received very positive feedback. I am pleased to see that the resort continues to look good, despite all the building work going on, and I thank you all for your patience – it will all be worth it! Along the way we have identified other areas where change may be made to the resort whilst the area in question is closed to visitors. We continue to listen to feedback from owners and guests staying in refurbished apartments and will
keep these in mind as we move forward. Rachel’s update gives you more detail on some of these additional improvements. The leisure centre roof has been replaced and the entrance to the centre has been improved. When we start work on Las Calas 2 in earnest, we will fit the (much needed) drainage around the bar area so visitors who are on site during wet weather no longer have the issue with the bar floor flooding. During the refurbishment programme, the availability of additional rental weeks will continue to be more limited so if you are not using your week, please put it up for rent with Resort Solutions. I am pleased to confirm that we have once again retained RCI Gold Crown status and my thanks go to the management teams both on and off site for their involvement in this achievement. We also continue to get good feedback from guests visiting from our exchange partners. Recently Dial an Exchange acknowledged the excellent feedback and reviews from their guests exchanging into Las Calas, which they say is a favourite destination resort for their members. We are always conscious of the need to keep maintenance fees at an acceptable level, so ownership at Las Calas continues to offer great value for money. Despite the financial impact on the club of the termination of the CLC contract, I am pleased to tell you that the increase in fees for 2016 has been kept down to 2.21%
for those owners paying in sterling. This means that for a 1 bedroom apartment the weekly fee increase is only £6.50. From January 2016 the utility fee will increase to €20 per week. This obviously only affects non owners as owners will continue to receive a full credit in the form of a voucher to be used in the bars. This increase is the first since the fee was introduced in 2013. The committee have revisited the future needs of the club and are committed to the following mission statement: To deliver exceptional holiday experiences for all, by providing quality accommodation, great onsite facilities and value for money. We will continue to ensure that everything we consider or put forward to you fits this goal. Best Wishes for a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year. Mike West Chairman
News AGM The 2016 Annual General Meeting for Club Las Calas will take place on Sunday 12th June 2016 starting at 1.00pm. The meeting will take place at the Kettering Park Hotel, Kettering, Northants. Further information will be forwarded to all members closer to the date. The Scottish Information meeting will take place at The Glasgow City Hotel on Saturday 30th April at 11.00am.
Plan your way to a great holiday! Holidays are all about great times and great memories, but don’t risk having a holiday from hell by not planning ahead. Of course, there is always the unknown, but if you can tick the list below before you travel you should be in for a lovely holiday, and will be protected should the unforeseen happen: 1. Complete your holiday planner (and return it to RSL!). This helps the resort to prepare your accommodation to meet your requirements, and if at all possible, have it available for you on arrival. If you do not complete your holiday planner and return it to RSL you may not be allocated the apartment that you own. 2. Get travel insurance sorted. This is an absolute must, but it is amazing how many people think they can rely on the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). 3. Check your passport and EHIC are in date (do this early!). 4. Protect your spending money by using a currency card rather than carrying cash around with you. 5. Check out the current restrictions regarding carry-on luggage.
Helpful websites: www.resort-solutions.co.uk
(where you can complete your holiday planner online)
www.gov.uk/european-health-insurance-card
(where you can apply for your EHIC)
www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport
Resort update
Refurbishment 2015 and beyond
“WOW”, “Amazing”, “Beautiful”, “Quality”, “Fantastic” and “Transformed” Just some of the descriptions you use on first seeing the newly refurbished apartments. Some 56 apartments have now been completed on schedule and on budget in 2015. This is an excellent achievement, Paco and the Team deserve to be congratulated. Not only have they delivered what was promised, but more: exterior white and green paintwork; exterior lighting improved; gardens redesigned, adding colour and variety; troublesome palm trees removed in Calas III; extra en suite shower room added to 4 of the two bedroom units in Calas III; and of course the added extras in the duplex apartments of new handrail, telephone downstairs, more cupboard space and new kitchen windows.
guests, the committee are proposing that modifications are made to the bathrooms in apartments 101, 247, 267 and 320 to make them more comfortable and accessible for less mobile guests. The proposal is to widen the doorway into the bathroom and replace the existing baths with a walk-in shower. The committee believe that this is something that is needed, and will also help those existing owners who are less mobile.
Mimosa will be the first area to be completed in 2016, starting in week 53 and then reopening at the end of week 6. Apartments 263 and 268 will have an added en suite shower room; the pool will also be repaired and repainted. We then move into Calas II in week 14 and reopen at the end of week 23. This area will be one of the most A new ramp has been built between Calas disruptive as reception and Skyline are both I and Calas II, which means that every apartment can now be accessed easily from located within it. We also need to close the ramp connecting Calas II and Mimosa. We the lift. This is great news for everyone and will keep Skyline open as much as possible, enables ease of movement of luggage and assists our less physically able visitors. Also, but during the demolition stage we will close during the day and re-open at 18.30 in an effort to cater for a wider audience of
for Happy Hour. 361 will serve breakfasts during this period of closure. Updates will be posted on the website. For the full refurbishment schedule please login to the owners section on the Las Calas website. Resort solutions have, or will be, writing to everyone that is directly affected by the refurbishment in the future. We have kept all owners and guests informed and this has resulted in very few dissatisfied guests. Please remember that during 2016 and the first half of 2017 we will be utilising Club owned weeks to re-allocate owners, and as such you may find availability limited at certain times of year. Our advice is to look ahead and book as early as possible.
We would like to thank you for your understanding during these phases of refurbishment, everyone has been very supportive and excited about the whole project. The end result will give Las Calas the power to offer even better holidays in beautiful apartments refurbished to a high standard that we can all be proud of. Continuing to build on the past 30 years of improvements, yes that long!! As many of you who have visited Las Calas this year will know, we have introduced an animations program led by Georgina and Szandra. This has made a real difference to the atmosphere on site and it is wonderful to see so many people joining in the fun.
2016 Refurbishment schedule (Easter weeks 12 & 13) Phase
Weeks affected
Apts to be refurbished
Total apts to be completed
1
53,01,02,03,04,05,06
263-272 (Mimosa)
10 (8 x 1 bed, 2 x 2 bed)
2
14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23
247-262 (Calas 2)
15 (13 x 1 beds, 2 x 2 beds)
3
24,25,26,27,28,29
319-322, 350, 352, 353
7 ( 6 x 1 bed, 1 x penthouse)
4
35,36,37,38,39,40
309-312, 340, 342, 343
7 ( 6 x 1 bed, 1 x penthouse)
5
41-51 incl
202-216
15 (13 x 1 bed, 2 x 2 bed) Total: 54 apts to be completed.
NEW - Club E Card This is our new initiative to improve your dining experience at Las Calas. The Club E Card can be loaded in either facility: 361 or Skyline, and used in either of these areas. To get started all you need is your passport so that the card can be initiated with an identity number unique to you. So easy. You can load this card with as little or as much currency as you wish. If you load the card with €100 we will give you a bonus of €5. Every time you use your card you will receive a receipt that includes the balance left on the card. Any money left on the card can be used on your next visit to Las Calas.
The owners vouchers can also be added to the Club E Card, giving you an extra €15 (per week owned) to spend in either facility. This is only the beginning of our cashless living option at Las Calas. In the future we hope to be able to offer this in the Leisure Centre and Reception also.
Lanzarote Operation Santa Christmas is a very special time of year and should be filled with laughter, joy and children’s faces filled with anticipation. However, many needy children do not have the same anticipation as their “Dear Santa” letters are left unanswered, and they never receive any material evidence that he exists. Our aim is to bring Operation Santa to life and bring Santa to needy children who would otherwise have no Christmas at all. Lanzarote is a small island, but unfortunately it has an ever growing number of needy and disadvantaged children. Being one of the smaller islands it doesn’t have the same kind of support from charities as the larger islands do. Being an island totally dependent on tourism we thought it would be a lovely idea for the Management & staff of the Diamond Club group in Lanzarote to join forces and launch “Operation Santa”, in preparation for Christmas 2016. In order for it to be a
great success, we are asking for help and collaboration from all our lovely owners who return to the island year after year, and love the island as much as we do. We would like to invite all our owners to donate a new toy to “Operation Santa” when coming out to the island during 2016. This toy can be for any age of child, from newborn to 16 years old, and for either gender. This can be anything from something as simple as a pack of felt tipped pens and a colouring book to a doll, teddy bear, toy train, toy plane etc. Each resort will be collecting the toys throughout 2016. At the end of November 2016 we would like to donate all the toys collected to the local department of Social Services, who will then distribute the toys to the neediest children and local children’s home. We feel every child deserves a new toy at Christmas and by working together we can help keep the magic of Santa special for these disadvantaged children.
How to pay your invoice On the reverse side of your invoice you will find all the options available to make your maintenance fee payment. It is essential that you quote your contract number(s) as a reference with every transaction made. Resort Solutions can assist Owners in paying their maintenance fees by spreading their payments using Direct Debit. There is a small administration fee of 5% taken in the first instalment for every year you elect to pay by this method.
Simply return the completed Direct Debit mandate enclosed with your Newsletter. Once the Direct Debit is in place, you will not need to worry about your maintenance fees again. Your completed mandate will be carried over from one year to the next so there is no need to cancel and renew at the end of the year. You will be notified of your annual maintenance fee as usual in December.
Don’t forget that during this busy period you can also pay your fees 24/7 online by visiting www.resort-solutions.co.uk We recommend that when using the pay online facility, Owners check their bank statement before they call RSL with any queries.
Family ‘Summer Fun’ at Las Calas Book two consecutive rental weeks - based on 2 adults and 2 children (12 yrs and under) sharing a 1 bed apartment and including breakfast. Offer available for dates between week 26 (30th June 2016) and week 34 (25th August 2016). Quote: CALAS16 *Subject to availability. Book by January 31st 2016.
for just
£499*
Instagram Competition
Your best photo memories could win you a fantastic prize!
We invite you to share your memories – and you could win a complimentary stay at Las Calas, plus an excursion for up to 4 people! All you need to do is upload photographs that capture your best holiday memories to Instagram using the hashtag #clublascalasmemories You will be able to see what other owners have sent in by searching #clublascalasmemories For information on Instagram go to www.instagram.com - failing that we suggest you consult your children or your grandchildren! A selection of the best photographs will be on display at the resort and the winners announced at the 2016 AGM.
Notice to owners staying in weeks 14-15 & 41-42, 2016 Due to the refurbishment scheduled for Las Calas II apartments in phase 2 and phase 5 (2016), Skyline will be closed during the daytime for weeks 14, 15, 41 & 42 and will open at 6.30pm for happy hour. During this period 361 will be fully operational. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Diane Williams Staff Member
Diane Williams Staff Member of the Year 2015 Diane has now been with us since 15th June 2011. I am sure you will agree she deserves this accolade of Staff Member of the Year. She is bubbly and smiley, with a cheeky sense of humour! Diane was born in Hertfordshire and has just one sister, she says that in many ways they are complete opposites! Diane left home at 17 to attend university and confesses that her behaviour was not becoming of a 17 year old student! Lanzarote became her home in 1997 when she worked for Thomson’s as a children’s rep, so she is used to being in the public eye. Dressing up as a dragon, or doing silly dances, has never fazed her. Diane realised it was time to move on when she was spotted singing in the
Thomson cabaret and was offered a job in a Karaoke bar, singing and getting paid! She went on to become the other half of the duo “Rock Steady” with “Wey Hey Chris” in Charlie’s Bar and describes these times as “crazy but fun” - once over, she swore she would never sing in public again. Then along came Sharon and the formation of the most popular duo in Lanzarote: “Sweet Sensation”. The duo perform every Sunday night in Skyline. It is the most popular night of the week there. Diane and Sharon are brilliant, so next time you are on site do not forget to book your table. Diane loves tea and cake whilst listening to rock music, she also has a passion for dancing for which she rarely finds time these days. Her two adorable cats, Beebo and Buffy, are almost 18 months old. She loves nothing more than curling up with her “babies” on the sofa and watching Bargain Hunt, Great British Bake Off and, of course, Strictly! Well done Diane!
Resort Solutions rental service If you are unable to travel to your week next year and exchange is not a suitable option, have you thought about renting it out?
Resort Solutions (RSL) offers a rental service to Owners. While there is no guarantee of success, you will receive a refund of any rent achieved less a small commission to RSL. RSL has a cross marketing agreement across all the Clubs under its management. This means that rental promotions and offers go out to a large database to maximise the opportunity to rent available weeks. If an Owner’s apartment has not achieved a rental 8 weeks before the start date
of the week, the Owner can either call RSL to remove it from the rental program or leave it and RSL will promote late availability offers to try and secure one. Late availability will be marketed at a discount of up to 50% off the standard rental rate. Please contact the CUSTOMER CARE team at Resort Solutions by emailing admin@resort-solutions.co.uk or calling 01858 431160.
Top tip: The earlier RSL has your week available for promotion on the rental program the more your chance of success!
Beware! Scammers are on the rise! Unfortunately, for many years the timeshare industry has had its reputation tarnished by scam companies. Owners were initially caught out by bogus holiday club companies offering the world on a plate, for a hefty one-time fee. Many of these holiday clubs also promised to take away Owners’ existing timeshare weeks. Far too often and despite paying thousands of pounds, the holidays failed to materialise and the owners were left paying the maintenance fees on their existing weeks. The RDO and TATOC have worked with the authorities to identify and close down such operations and have been successful in many cases. However some of these unscrupulous outfits have metamorphosed into a bigger threat and have resurfaced in the guise of claims companies. Many owners are initially lured in by the promise that the “claims company” will act on their behalf in fighting the resort to release them from their timeshare obligations which will otherwise “hound them to and beyond the grave”! Owners should be aware that Resort Solutions has never and never will seek to enforce timeshare ownership on the beneficiaries of an estate in the event of the death of a timeshare owner.
effectively prohibits the owner from talking directly to the Committee or the Management Company. Why do they insist on this? They do so because if Owners contacted the Committee or Management Company directly with legitimate reasons why they could no longer keep their timeshare, consideration will be given to their individual circumstances and in cases of severe medical or financial difficulties Owners will be allowed to leave the Club - free of charge. The advice to owners from TATOC and RDO is to treat these companies with extreme caution and if Owners find themselves in difficulty, in the first instance talk to the Committee or the Management Company. Please think carefully before parting with any money and if in doubt consult the TATOC and RDO websites or call the TATOC helpline on 0845 230 2430.
There have been stories where owners have been so frightened by what they have been told they have paid £12,000 for this service. Often the claims company forces the owner to sign a Third Party Authorisation form which
Helpful websites: www.tatoc.co.uk www.rdo.org www.mindtimeshare.com www.timesharebusinesscheck.org.uk
with so much more!