LaTour Hotels and Resorts, which offers personalized luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties worldwide, has announced Guy Hall as vice president of operations and business development of Asia.

Guy Hall is a skilled industry professional, who brings a wealth of management experience and business development knowledge to the company.

Hall's primary responsibility will be working closely with the principals of IndoChine Resort and Spa in Phuket, Thailand, supporting them as they bring the project to completion. As such, he will oversee the property management and rental program for the resort, which is a joint venture with the IndoChine Group of Singapore. Throughout Asia, Hall will direct all resort and HOA management activities and facilitate client relationships as they develop in the future.

"Most importantly, Guy will help us maintain IndoChine Resort and Spa as the premier hybrid luxury resort of the region," said Tom LaTour, CEO and chairman of LaTour Hotels and Resorts. "And he will play a significant role in our company’s future success."

Subsequently, Hall will also lead potential new business development for LaTour IndoChine as the joint venture expands and takes on more mixed-use resorts in Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Bangkok and other key destination areas within Thailand.

Hall previously held multiple positions at Grand Pacific Resorts Inc. in Carlsbad, Calif, including director of new business development and regional director of operations. In these roles he has earned awards, such as the Leadership Award” and “General Manager of the Year.” In addition, he has worked at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc., Tricom Management Inc. and Rosewood Hotels and Resorts Inc. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor of business administration in marketing and economics.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts, which offers personalized luxury hospitality management services for four-star and five-star properties worldwide, has been selected to manage Celeste Beach Residences & Spa, located in Huatulco, Oaxaca, the hidden jewel of Mexico.

The resort will carry the first LaTour Signature Group private label, reserved for five-star properties and highlighting the pillars of the LaTour Signature experience: culinary, wine, wellness, entertainment and concierge.

"This oceanfront resort and private residence club was designed to carry the LaTour Signature brand and will benefit immensely from the exclusive experience of veteran hotelier Tom LaTour," said Sean Zimmerman, founding partner of SIA Living, the sales and marketing partner for the property. "Celeste will be the finest resort in the region."

Celeste Beach Residences & Spa is a private, gated community offering a collection of two- and three-bedroom residences with an average of 2,384 square feet. The community is comprised of 21 luxury condominiums in seven buildings nestled in a private cove along the Pacific Ocean. All 21 residences are nearing completion and are scheduled to open in December 2011. Pre-sales are underway with 30 percent of the fractional residences already sold in just 12 months.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts has consulted on the property since its inception and will manage Celeste’s homeowners association, concierge services, extensive residential services for owners, rental program and exchange opportunities.

"The goal of Celeste, as with every property managed by LaTour Hotels and Resorts, is to deliver extraordinary experiences for discerning guests who expect nothing less," said Tom LaTour, CEO and chairman of LaTour Hotels and Resorts. "We believe the key to a great service company is integrity – not just towards guests, but also towards employees, partners and neighbors, creating an idyllic escape from the everyday world."

Located in Huatulco, a city known for its rich traditions, modern amenities and ideal year-round weather, Celeste is situated in the coveted Tejoncito Bay, just steps from the beach. The property combines the benefits of luxury real estate with virgin beaches and unspoiled tropical landscape. Huatulco offers over 20 miles of coastline, nine distinct bays and 40,000 acres of National Park designated by FONATUR, the Mexican government’s tourism agency.

Drawing on these influences is the award-winning architecture firm HKS Inc., which brings more than 60 years of international experience in the architectural design of commercial, resort and residential properties. The design, construction and branding of the resort will capture the essence of the region’s ancient culture through the use of natural stones, woods and textiles while adding luxurious touches.

Amenities and activities at Celeste Beach Residences & Spa include a beachfront pool, a relaxation pool, spa, Palapa Bar and Grill, golf course privileges, boating excursions, eco tours, a wellness center, a fitness and yoga center and classes, a members' wine lounge, wine program and in-residence chefs. The resort’s signature restaurant will be market-based, taking advantage of the bountiful local offerings from land and sea.

In line with Huatulco’s dedication to environmentally-friendly practices, Celeste is committed to creating one of the cleanest developments in Mexico by building a low impact and eco-friendly master plan. Huatulco is the first sustainable community in the Americas and the third worldwide to be recognized by EarthCheck. EarthCheck is the largest environmental management system used by the travel and tourism industry for the benchmarking and certification of their operational practices.

The resort will donate a portion of unit sales to charitable organizations in the community to benefit community residents, businesses and organizations. The LaTour management team will also incorporate its own sustainability and social responsibility programs.

In Mexico, LaTour also manages El Secreto Residences and El Caracol Condos & Penthouses in San Miguel de Allende; Delcanto, a condominium resort in Nuevo Vallarta; and Los Veneros Resort Residences & Beach Club, a resort community in Punta Mita.

For more information on Celeste Beach Residences & Spa, visit www.bahiaceleste.com.

About ResortCom International/ LaTour Hotels & Resorts
San Diego-based ResortCom International provides resort management, rental, reservations, travel and financial services to the vacation ownership, fractional and luxury resort industry.

A division of ResortCom International, LaTour Hotels & Resorts is headquartered in San Diego and San Francisco and offers customized, luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties. The company’s goal is to make the ownership experience as unique, tailored and memorable as possible through superior service, distinctive amenities, imaginative activities and an obsessive attention-to-detail.

Offering services ranging from conceptual planning through marketing, sales, staffing and operations, LaTour Hotels & Resorts specializes in managing new and existing luxury fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments. The global company currently operates properties in the United States, Mexico and Thailand with expansion plans throughout Asia, South America and Europe.

LaTour Hotels & Resorts offers two product lines: one delivers extraordinary, highly personalized vacation experiences at four-star urban and resort properties, and LaTour Signature Group private label is limited to five-star developments. For more information, visit www.latourhotelsandresorts.com or contact us at 619-683-2470 ext. 1659 or email peterg@resortcom.com.

ResortCom, known as the top performer in global portfolio management, also includes Tapestry Resorts, a full-service hospitality management and solutions company. For more information, visit www.resortcom.com.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts, which offers personalized luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties worldwide, has announced it will manage Los Veneros Resort and Residences, located on the prestigious Punta de Mita peninsula along the northern coast of the Bay of Banderas on the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts will offer management of the Homeowners Association, concierge services, extensive residential services for owners, a rental program and exchange opportunities.

"Mexico is my favorite vacation destination in the world, particularly Punta de Mita," said Tom LaTour, chairman of LaTour Hotels and Resorts. "Introducing the LaTour brand to this extraordinary coastal locale is crucial to our long term objectives."

Los Veneros is an oceanfront resort and residential community currently comprised of 91 luxury residences in three buildings spread across 37 acres. Sixty-six of the homes are finished and 25 are nearing completion, scheduled to open in December 2010. In addition, the property presents a chic Beach Club with bar and grill, an oceanfront pool, recreational water sports and spa and health club facilities. The community also features a large reception and Discovery Center, lush gardens and walking trails. Future phases will expand on Los Veneros’ offerings.

Located on the beachfront of Banderas Bay, the largest natural bay in Mexico, Los Veneros is a natural sanctuary where an expansive stretch of smooth white sand beach meets a tropical jungle landscape and ecological reserve. Harmoniously combining the beauty of its location with the comforts and amenities of a world-class destination, the focal gathering point of Los Veneros is its Beach Club where surfside activities abound. The broad beach fronting Los Veneros is ideal for leisurely strolls, beach volleyball or building sandcastles.

The inviting waters are a natural playground for all types of ocean activities, including kitesurfing/windsurfing, kayaking, standup paddle surfing – and is also recognized as one of the most favored surf breaks in the region. With one of six popular surf breaks in the Punta de Mita region, the area is growing in popularity as an accessible surf destination. Other nearby recreational activities include snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sailing and whale watching.

Within the secure, gated community of Los Veneros, the collection of fully-furnished luxury residences feature spacious three- to four-bedroom floor plans with sizeable balconies or terraces for enjoying indoor/outdoor living. In some instances, residences have their own private pools. There is also a large swimming pool located in front of each building, offering residents and guests additional options for enjoying the tropical outdoors.

The developer of Los Veneros is a joint venture between ICON Group and OUEST Developments, both of which have had a long proven track record of success in the luxury residential market in Mexico.

Through their extensive program of travel services, LaTour Hotels and Resorts will offer vacation rentals at Los Veneros.

In Mexico, LaTour also manages El Secreto Residences and El Caracol Condos & Penthhouses in San Miguel de Allende. Delcanto, a condominium resort currently under construction in Nuevo Vallarta on Flamingos Beach, will also be managed by LaTour Hotels and Resorts upon its completion in late 2010.

For more information on Los Veneros, visit www.losveneros.com.

About LaTour Hotels & Resorts
With headquarters in San Diego and San Francisco, LaTour Hotels & Resorts offers customized, luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties. The company’s goal is to make the ownership experience as unique, tailored and memorable as possible through superior service, distinctive amenities, imaginative activities and an obsessive attention-to-detail.

Offering services ranging from conceptual planning through marketing, sales, staffing and operations, LaTour Hotels & Resorts specializes in managing new and existing luxury fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments. The global company currently operates properties in the United States, Mexico and Thailand with expansion plans throughout Asia, South America and Europe.

For more information contact us at 619-683-2470 ext. 1659 or e-mail peterg@resortcom.com.

Last month, we showed how leading shared ownership and hospitality companies are riding the green wave to cut expenses, increase profits, and help our planet. In this issue, we cite more practices to help you achieve these goals.



Four of the best ways to do so are topics in top author and consultant Andrew Winston’s Green Recovery. He recommends that you:
- Get lean
- Get smart
- Get creative
- Get your people – employees, customers, suppliers, shareholders - engaged

Reuse, Recycle, Relax
The usual "3R’s" theme in greening, adopted by the growing Element by Westin lodging brand, is "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." They have added more "R’s;" see below.

A variation on that, well-publicized on the Outer Banks of NC, substitutes "Relax" for "Recycle" on recycled bags the area’s Sun Realty (sunrealty.com) gives guests using timeshare or condo units. It balances the operational and social goals expressed in the first two words with the third, "relax," vital to vacations. That low-key approach gets vacationers thinking and acting more responsively than a more aggressive effort.

The popular 204-unit timeshare-condo Barrier Island Station Resort, Duck, NC, now managed by SPM Resorts (Myrtle Beach, SC), has begun another "R:" Renovation. SPM is taking steps to "Restore" and "Repair" the resort selectively where it needs work: outdoor wood surfaces, indoor pool and recreational area. They are "Rebuilding" areas in disrepair, "Refurnishing" units as called for.

Renovation has long been a vital element of shared ownership success. Before today’s purpose-built resorts, early projects upgraded motels, hotels and condos into timeshare. The tradition continues, at a much higher level, at Fairmont Heritage Place at Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, acclaimed fractional residences in a former chocolate factory.

At Barrier Island, guest and owner engagement includes operating instructions not to lower air conditioning and refrigerator temperatures below specified points to avoid causing breakdowns, thus saving energy. Also, renovation efforts are inducing owners to continue paying annual fees, rather than defaulting, letting weeks go to foreclosure.

Varied on-site amenities make it easy for visitors to walk or bike, not drive: nearby ocean beaches, 150-foot outdoor and 15-foot children’s swimming pools with huge sunbathing area, tennis, basketball, shuffleboard, and planned "Recreation." Nearby Fourth of July fireworks were visible from the project’s beaches and some unit balconies.

On the northern island of the Outer Banks, Duck’s conveniences make it easy to walk, jog or bike, or at most have a short ride. Over six miles of paved trails parallel the state road through town. Nearby facilities include many restaurants and stores,. Results include less car use and pollution, more healthful exercise.

It’s easy to enjoy all of this – and relax – even if you’re inside working (such as writing a Trades article from a suite overlooking the pools…), viewing owners enjoying vacation ownership’s bounty, enthusiastic about the resort’s "Renewal."

Thanks to them for buying into this great vacation lifestyle, and to you, whatever your industry role, for making it feasible.

Green & Sustainability: "LaTour" de Force
Resort leaders, throughout the industry, are taking actions to pursue Andrew Winston’s four major steps to greening. Tapestry Resorts and LaTour Hotels & Resorts, two sister companies, are among those using a broad range of sustainable practices that meet Winston’s criteria.

One could even say they have woven a green "tapestry" that blends those practices with these overall goals at their corporate office and individual properties:

- Curtail electric power, water and utility expenses where feasible
- Reduce consumption of "throw-away" goods
- Use more products of quality that last longer and create less waste
- Promote reuse and recycling.
- Be more socially responsible and protect our planet

Following are numerous ways – big and small –Tapestry’s properties are going green.

Janeth Olachea, General Manager, Park Plaza Resort (Park City, Utah), a Tapestry Resort, says, "Some of our new green and energy efficiency initiatives include:
- Recycling program in residences
- Use of low-impact and biodegradable laundry and cleaning products
- 100% renewable fiber source paper products
- New thermostat controls in units with movement and body heat sensors
- Upgrades to atrium windows and boilers"

She concludes, "We will continue to look for opportunities to implement sustainable practices, including the protection of our natural and cultural heritage, social and economic benefits, and environmentally-friendly operations."

Sem Cuevas, General Manager, Club Cala de Palmas Resort (Humacao, Puerto Rico), a Tapestry Resort, engages employees by "educating and inspiring them to support the environment through their actions at home and while at work."

Other steps include "installing energy-efficient systems such as A/C units; switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs; using more eco-friendly laundry processes; and installing more water-efficient system such as low-flow toilets."

At Tonopalo, a LaTour Private Residence Club (Lake Tahoe, California), Brad Carter, General Manager, listed many ways his club, its employees, upscale members, and suppliers are going green. They have one of the most comprehensive green action lists of any resort.

He says, "Taking care of our planet is important to me, the team at Tonopalo, and our owners. Here’s how we try to make a difference:
- Promoting and implementing the ‘3 R’s’ – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
- Educating owners on how to be green – creating the 'buzz'
- Implementing refuse recycle program
- Training staff on ways to reduce consumption, importance of doing so
- Using local vendors, suppliers and contractors when possible to reduce carbon footprint
- Putting pressure on vendors, suppliers and contractors to use and supply earth-friendly products and practice green policies
- Un-warming homes (in cooler months) right after checkout
- Pool: Installing Energy Star variable speed pool & spa pumps, solar pool cover to reduce load on gas heater, more efficient pool & spa heaters
- Installing programmable thermostats throughout with max heat-max cool parameters
- Switching exterior lighting, both essential and non-essential, to timers and motion sensors
- Using paper goods made with recycled and/or post-consumer products"

Tapestry Resorts and LaTour Hotels and Resorts are the two operating hospitality divisions of ResortCom International, San Diego, CA. LaTour represents four- and five-star properties. Tapestry focuses on three to four-star properties, with a primary focus on timeshare resorts.

Changing the Corporate Hospitality Climate
You may have, or be able to develop, in-house green and sustainability expertise. Outside consultants may be able to help your firm move ahead dramatically in this process.

ICF International (ICF) (www.icfi.com), has found many cost-effective ways to make a compelling business case for environmental performance improvement in the hospitality sector. ICF is one of the world’s leading consulting and advisory firms in energy efficiency, climate change, and corporate sustainability.

For several years, ICF has supported many of the world’s largest global lodging companies on energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives. ICF has played a key role in the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star hospitality program.

"Because properties, particularly for larger brands, are so geographically diverse, this presents significant opportunities for portfolio-wide operational cost savings," says ICF’s Jean Hand.

"Their scale allows for simple no-cost and low-cost performance improvement interventions to generate big savings across the entire portfolio. That in turn paves the way for more strategic investments in new technology, equipment upgrades, or onsite renewable energy."

Recent successes for ICF and its clients include 20% savings at the Jin Mao Tower (fifth tallest building in the world by roof height (1,214 feet), 88 stories with five-star, 555 room Grand Hyatt Hotel on upper floors and 36% savings at the URBN Hotel – both in Shanghai.

The URBN, a 26-room luxury boutique, is China’s "first carbon neutral hotel." That means the property has taken steps, such as use of renewable energy sources and higher energy efficiency, to completely offset its carbon dioxide emissions. Attaining that status was even more notable, because ICF reduced the property’s energy footprint significantly using only operational changes.

Another fascinating aspect of that project, which the owners plan to carry forward into additional URBNs (www.urbnhotels.com) in China: It is a sustainable project redeveloped from "a renovated factory warehouse. Interiors are made with 100% local materials and recycled wood from old houses, reclaimed bricks and walls stacked with vintage suitcase – made in Shanghai, of course," says the company’s website.

At Jin Mao, innovative approaches to large restaurant exhaust hoods took care of a serious pressurization problem. The situation wasted energy and jeopardized wall integrity by pulling humid outdoor air into wall cavities. Besides energy savings from the changes, the structural issues, left uncorrected, could have led to substantial property damages and perhaps even bodily harm.

Employee Training & Performance Improvement
With employee engagement a green key, ICF has been instrumental in helping implement performance improvement programs for major hotel brands in North America. In China and India, it has trained over 3,000 building managers on no and low-cost opportunities to save energy.

"Simple interventions such as coil temperature resets, more frequent cleaning of HVAC coils and filters, guest room temperature management, and optimized hallway lighting strategies can generate immediate, tangible savings. Yet, these are often missed by traditional equipment-oriented energy management solutions," says ICF’s Jean Hand.

Free Financial Diagnostic Tool
The ICF approach towards corporate sustainability and environmental performance improvement is grounded in business fundamentals. The firm seeks to help clients "size the opportunity" of a sustainability program –financially – before getting started.

ICF offers a free "pro forma" financial diagnostic for electricity and natural gas usage. This tool entails internal and external comparative property benchmarking to help quantify the expected business upside from improving performance as part of corporate sustainability. It can be used free for up to 20 locations to identify where to focus efforts.

A recorded presentation describing this service is at this link: http://www.icfi.com/Brainshark/UPDATED-pro-forma/UPDATEDProForma.htm.

To learn more, contact Jean Hand: Jhand@icfi.com.

Green Building
John Farrow, President & CEO, Farrow Commercial (www.farrowcommercial.com), Santa Rosa, CA, has done work for many vacation ownership developers, including Wyndham Worldwide and Diamond Resorts, on new and existing projects.

A major theme is "Making ‘Going Green’ Easy." They do this using the USGBC (US Green Building Council)’s LEED green building system for "strategies aimed at improving performance across all metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality (such as air quality and noise reduction), and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts."

Mr. Farrow says, "The highest and best, most cost-effective way to realize the most savings is to install motion detector that shut off A/C or heat when any exterior door is opened. Opening the door cuts off power to the HVAC unit. This and related steps can achieve 20-50% annual energy savings."

For greater impact, the firm analyzes LEED plus other factors, such as ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), in creating effective air barriers and incorporating needed mechanical changes. Mr. Farrow says his firm "seeks to find ways to best minimize the loss of energy, and work with physical properties of air, water and energy."

They also consider relevant local factors, such as using reflective glass and blackout drapes to block light on the Las Vegas Strip. He says they "find ways to work using resources of the area, such as solar roof panels in high-sun areas and wind in Palm Springs or Palm Desert."

Green Branding: Any Size or Scale
URBN Hotels is planning a major green rollout, but has only one property at this time. For its growing Element by Westin brand, begun two years ago, Starwood has greened its essence.

Now with 7 properties in the U.S. and four more to open in the next year, Starwood’s website says the extended stay Element has made a brand-wide commitment for all properties to pursue LEED Certification. "The Element philosophy is to satisfy guests’ needs while keeping the environment in mind."

Thus, Element starts with the usual eco-friendly "3 R’s," with key aspects of each on its website:
- Reduce: Element Hotels strives to satisfy guests’ needs while being kind to the environment. All guest room kitchen appliances are Energy Star-rated. We use as many recycled materials as possible in design and construction.
- Reuse: The Element design incorporates eco-friendly materials wherever possible. Floors feature carpets with up to 100% recycled content and recycled carpet cushions. Art on the walls is mounted on a base made from recycled tires. And low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints improve indoor air quality for guests and staff.
- Recycle: We use silverware and glassware to reduce waste generated by plastic utensils and paper cups. Bath amenities are in a dispenser system rather than wasteful multiple mini-bottles. And guest rooms include recycling bins for paper, plastic and glass.

Element adds more "R’s," through food and beverage offerings and atmosphere. First, "Rise," with a healthful, complimentary breakfast. Second, "Restore," allows creation of simple, delicious foods or culinary masterpieces in your fully equipped kitchen. Third, "Relax" at free evening get-togethers three times a week, where guests can mingle and enjoy carefully selected food and beverage pairings.

20-20 Green Vision
Green is expanding in Starwood’s focus and mission. For its 1,000 properties (including Starwood Vacation Ownership and Private Residence Club properties) with a total of almost 300,000 rooms or suites, the company recently announced targeted reductions of 30% in energy usage and 20% in water usage by 2020.

To attract more green meetings, essential to business development at properties throughout the U.S. and abroad, Denise Coll, Starwood’s President of North American Operations, just introduced its 18 Sustainable Meeting Practices in five core areas. These may provide ideas for you to adapt to your own business, or factors to consider in your next corporate meeting:
- Paperless Meeting Planning
- Sustainable Meeting Services, such as:
      - Post-consumer recycled paper products; double-sided printing
      - Potted plants or organically grown flowers
      - Recycling bins in meeting spaces

- Sustainable F&B (Food & Beverage) Practices, such as:
      - Sustainable food options
      - Tables without table coverings
      - Eco-friendly alternatives to bottled water

- Impact Assessment Tools
      - Meeting Impact Report tool to demonstrate meeting’s environmental impact

- Socially Conscious Activities
      - Attendees can give back to local community

Sustainable Food for Thought: Engaging Your Senses & Sensibility
This menu for sustainable culinary delights hits its peak at the celebrated Blue Duck Tavern (across from the Fairmont Washington, where ARDA has its annual fall conference) in the Park Hyatt Washington.

Renée Sharrow, the hotel’s Marketing Communications Manager, says, "Executive Chef Brian McBride has created award-winning cuisine by sourcing the season’s best ingredients from local farmers and artisanal producers. The restaurant recently received the Couteaux Award for its commitment to organic practices. Our menu lists the producer and location of each major ingredient, so diners know the source of their food."

She adds, "The hotel and restaurant compost trash and food products in the back of the house. Employees can find bins in the restaurant, banquet space and the employee cafeteria."

While Chef McBride leads the kitchen’s "greens" team, , "The hotel has an active Green Team, which promotes these initiatives and keeps employees engaged. The Green Team hosts activities throughout the year: an eco-friendly barbecue, Earth Day lunch with games, dedicated bulletin board with hotel ‘green’ facts, and more."

The Masters of Food & Wine series, which Park Hyatt holds at properties in Washington, Buenos Aires and Paris, includes seminars, wine tastings, and eco-friendly gourmet meals consistent with each property’s green practices.

Recent Washington events included:
- A sustainable food panel featuring two supplier-producers; a co-founder of 11-location FRESHFARM markets, that focus on organic and sustainable foods; Chef McBride, who discussed supply challenges and opportunities.
- Tasting of 14 sustainably produced California Chardonnays.
- A 5-course, 8-wine dinner demonstrating that "gourmet" and "sustainable" are complementary in great chefs’ kitchens.

Other Green Resources
- Good to Green: Managing Business Risks and Opportunities in the Age of Environmental Awareness, by John-David Phyper & Paul MacLean. Outstanding book published by Wiley; outstanding chapters on green strategic plan, management systems, green marketing, oil alternatives, managing HR resources to nurture innovation culture

- www.Intelex.com: top software for major facets of environmental management, maximizing ROI; can obtain excellent Whitepaper on Sustainability ROI through their website (416-599-6009).

- Green articles on major brands such as Marriott, with its "Queen of Green," Kathleen Matthews (including news on green timeshare resorts); Wyndham; Fairmont; all have won awards (that can be good for engagement) for green initiatives.

- Best Hospitality Practices: Check out the World Travel & Tourism site to learn what some leading firms have done. (www.wttc.org)

- Healthful food: consider teaming with firms such as Whole Foods (wholefoods.com). Get ideas from websites such as their and others, such as Pret à Manger(www.pret.com).

Armed with a skill set strong on branding, industry veteran Tom LaTour, who retired in 2006 as chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, LLC, is applying his decades of hospitality knowledge and considerable reputation to raise the profile of the management company he has been heading as part of a joint venture with Resort COM International by regrinding it with his name.

Formerly known as Resort COM Elite, the newly named LaTour Hotels and Resorts will continue to operate as a luxury management company providing services for four-star properties that include fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments.

The original name stemmed from parent Resort COM International, a provider of financial resort management, rental, reservations and travel services to the vacation ownership, fractional and luxury resort industry, which wanted some derivation of its name in its management arm to drive customer awareness. However, consumer feedback proved the name wasn’t being grasped as well as it could have been and lacked a “warm and fuzzy" vibe that the company was trying to connote for its products. "We came to the conclusion it wasn’t our best effort," La Tour explained.

As the JV mulled other names, it opted to enhance the tiered structure it had in place. At the upper end is LaTour Signature Group, which provides exclusive management services to five-star properties in developments of up to 100 units. LaTour launched it in 2007 as a JV business with the former Resort COM Elite with an eye toward delivering sophisticated lifestyle experiences to owners and developers of vacation resorts in urban and destination locations.

At the opposite end there is Tapestry Resorts, a full-service hospitality management division of Resort COM International that focuses on providing solutions to sold-out timeshare resorts and vacation clubs, including on-site management, board support, liquidity management and financial services.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts took the middle slot and started getting "pretty good feedback," according to LaTour, who serves as the management firm’s chairman and CEO. "We’ve undertaken the change and we think it should improve our position in the marketplace and tell a better story," he added.

Intrinsic to that story is the usage of the LaTour name and what it implies for the owners and developers who have, or might, place their properties with the reframed group. With more than four decades in hospitality and better than half of that time spent at Kimpton elevating the stature of the boutique hotel concept, LaTour is considered among the industry’s stalwarts, a sentiment bolstered by his quick bounce back into the industry less than a year after retiring from Kimpton.

Indeed, the executive could be considered his own brand. He already has his name on a Napa Valley, CA winery and the five key standards, known as LaTour Brand Pillars, that support the Signature Group properties. These entail concierge, culinary, entertaining, wellness/health and wine (LaTour wines are used) experiences and services.

"Brands are essentially a promise, a promise to deliver against a reputation I wanted to make sure I wasn’t appearing so egotistical to put my name on it, but at the end of the day LaTour has been in hospitality for more years than I’d like to have in print. The 23 years at Kimpton set the stage for my next exploration or learning in the business. And I am still learning," LaTour said.

Among the things learned early on, LaTour noted, was major hotel companies were shy of getting involved with mixed-use models that incorporated fractional, wholly owned and condo-hotel units, thus opening a niche for the LaTour management concepts.

Currently, there are five LaTour Hotels and Resorts operating. These include: Tonopalo Private Residence Club in Lake Tahoe, CA; the Lodge at Stillwater in Deer Valley, UT; IndoChine Resort and Villas in Phuket, Thailand; and El Secretor and El Caracole in San Miguel de Aliened, Mexico. Another property, DelCanto Resort in Nuevo Valarta, Mexico is under construction and slated to open this summer.

Properties in the LaTour Hotels and Resorts category incorporate three of the five "brand pillars" found in the Signature Group.

The LaTour Signature Group included the Dewa Resort in Phuket, Thailand and two other properties under construction – The Wyoming Club in Black Hills, WY, and Olamar Resorts in Cabo San Luca, Mexico.

LaTour said the company would be looking to expand, but he feels it is a "little bit quiet on the development side" in the U.S. and that it will be sometime before there will be new resort development. "Mexico and Southeast Asia are actually more vibrant than the U.S. right now, so we’re concentrating in the areas where there’s activity. Go fish where they’re biting," he said. "For example, I was in Acapulco (Mexico) last week and Mexico City residents are buying whole-ownership condos and fractions in Acapulco and sales there are actually pretty good. You could not say the same for U.S. destinations for sales."

LaTour Hotels and Resorts is working on projects in Huachuca, Mexico; Phuket, Thailand; and in Brazil. Also, at press time, it was about to go under contract with a 90-unit, urban, fractional, whole-ownership project in Bogota, Colombia.

While he doesn’t see much opportunity ahead for the company to take advantage of distressed branded properties in the LaTour niches, the CEO acknowledged the company is tracking independents "that are having trouble with their lenders or where the owner wants to make a change."

Interestingly, LaTour expected the third and fourth quarters this year to see a "robust revival leading to the return of some equilibrium in the marketplace, and that will provide opportunities for us to grow rapidly. Our international thrust is going to also pay dividends based on our time there."

Veteran hotelier Tom LaTour has announced the newly rebranded LaTour Hotels & Resorts, previously known as ResortCom Elite, which offers personalized, luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties. A joint venture between LaTour and ResortCom International, LaTour Hotels & Resorts specializes in managing new and existing luxury fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments, including golf, ski, urban and oceanfront locations worldwide. LaTour will also continue overseeing LaTour Signature Group, providing exclusive services to select five-star properties, as an elite brand of LaTour Hotels & Resorts.

Currently, LaTour Hotels & Resorts operates seven developments, representing nearly 500 units, with nearly 400 more units at multiple properties planned in the near future. For every client, the company’s goal is transform the ownership experience through superior service, distinctive amenities, imaginative activities and an obsessive attention-to-detail.

LaTour Hotels & Resorts works in partnership with Tapestry Resorts, the recently consolidated, full-service hospitality division of ResortCom International, to provide its clients with established infrastructure for service delivery. The company then focuses on customizing extraordinary guest experiences with its specialized LaTour Brand Pillars, featuring at least three pillars at LaTour Hotels and Resorts properties and all five at LaTour Signature Group properties: culinary, wine, wellness/health, entertaining and concierge.

LaTour Hotels & Resorts is led by LaTour, chairman and CEO, and John Small, vice chairman. LaTour brings more than 40 years of experience in the hospitality and travel industries, including 23 years at Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, where he pioneered the concept of the boutique hotel. Small is one of the world’s most well known hospitality executives. He has worked on six continents and has held key management positions at some of the world's leading properties.

In addition, the company’s executive management team has proven resort industry experience in conceptual planning; expert property and HOA management; financial management support; creation of fully integrated information technology system for reservations and collections; skilled sales and marketing assistance – from developer inventory through resales; exchange and rental opportunities; property branding; staffing and more.

LaTour Hotels & Resorts clients include Tonopalo Private Residence Club in Lake Tahoe, Calif.; El Secreto and El Caracol in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; IndoChine Resort and Villas and Dewa Phuket in Phuket, Thailand; and Lodge at Stillwater in Deer Valley, Utah; as well as an in-construction project, Delcanto Resort in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico scheduled to open summer 2010. LaTour Signature Group has two projects in various stages of construction: The Wyoming Club in Black Hills, Wyo.; Olamar Resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

About LaTour Hotels & Resorts
With headquarters in San Diego and San Francisco, LaTour Hotels & Resorts, previously known as ResortCom Elite, offers customized, luxury hospitality management services for four- and five-star properties. A joint venture between veteran hotelier Tom LaTour and ResortCom International, the company’s goal is to make the ownership experience as unique, tailored and memorable as possible through superior service, distinctive amenities, imaginative activities and an obsessive attention-to-detail.

Offering services ranging from conceptual planning through marketing, sales, staffing and operations, LaTour Hotels & Resorts specializes in managing new and existing luxury fractional, private residence club, hotel, mixed-use and condo resort developments. The global company currently operates properties in the United States, Mexico and Thailand with upcoming expansion plans throughout South America, Europe and Asia.

ResortCom Elite, in a joint-venture with LaTour Signature Group that provides management services for fractional market properties that meet 3.5 to four Diamond or Star status, was selected to manage Tonopalo, a l9-unit luxury private residence club in North Lake Tahoe. The club opened in 2003 and quickly sold out with 1/7th chapter fractional ownerships purchased from $350,000 to $850,000. (Some resales are now available.)

Set amidst the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Tonopalo is a beautifully appointed property located on a private 270-foot stretch of white sand beach. Each of the three- and four-bedroom, 1,700 to 3,000 square foot homes are fully furnished and accessorized. All of the residences provide extensive living and dining areas, fireplaces, double master bedrooms, gourmet kitchens and lake views from outdoor patios and/or decks.

“It does not surprise me how quickly Tonopalo sold out – it’s a great opportunity for anyone who wants to own a piece of the ‘playground of the Pacific West’,” said Tom LaTour, founder of LaTour Signature Group. “The club fits perfectly with our ResortCom Elite group of resorts. It offers exceptional amenities and services to its owners in picture-perfect Lake Tahoe.”

Owners at Tonopalo are able to enjoy the Tahoe’s numerous outdoor activities, including world-class skiing, championship golf, mountain biking, water sports and year-round fishing. The club features a wide sandy beach, 300-foot pier and luxury lakeside mountain lounge. Tonopalo’s unique amenities also include kayaks, sailboats, pool, hot tub, fitness center, game room, on-site concierge and housekeeping services and a 26-foot Formula speedboat.

Tonopalo’s 1/7th chapter ownership guarantees each owner six weeks of usage per year. Owners also have access to Space Available, a program that allows unlimited use of the property in addition to the six guaranteed weeks anytime there is vacancy.  

Tonopalo has been part of the ResortCom Elite family since 2008. In addition to Tonopalo, ResortCom Elite manages similar properties in different locations around the world. Through ResortCom's Exchange programs, Tonopalo owners are able to exchange weeks with owners at other ResortCom Elite properties.  

"We were looking for a management company with both breadth and depth of experience in managing high-end vacation properties, and have found that in ResortCom," said Lauri Steel, president of the Tonopalo Homeowners Association Board of Directors. "ResortCom really understands how fractional ownership is different from other kinds of resorts." 

For more information, visit http://www.tonopalo.net.

Bustling with affluent leisure and business travelers, Asia has become an exemplary model for the hospitality industry, with many successful luxury hotels and lifestyle brands. Realizing the potential of this market and other areas around the globe, LaTour Signature Group, a joint-venture enterprise with ResortCom Elite that provides management services to small, luxury fractional ownership properties, and IndoChine Group, an international lifestyle brand, have teamed up to create the LaTour IndoChine Hotel Group. The newly formed hotel management company is also announcing its first project, the IndoChine Resort and Villas, in Phuket, Thailand.

Based in Singapore, the LaTour IndoChine Hotel Group will provide comprehensive specialized services to developers entering the realm of boutique hotels and six-star hotels, as well as whole and fractional ownership villas. The group plans to expand further into Asia, in addition to the Middle East, New Zealand and Australia.

“By combining the strengths of the LaTour Signature Group and the IndoChine Group, we are able to further assist developers and manage properties with global influence,” said Tom LaTour, founder of LaTour Signature Group. “For example, the IndoChine Resort and Villas represent an ideal opportunity to create a premier hybrid luxury resort for the region and Middle East overall.”

The first property in the LaTour IndoChine Hotel Group’s portfolio, the IndoChine Resort and Villas in Phuket, Thailand promises to be a haven of contemporary Asian living for refreshing and rejuvenating the body and mind. Overlooking Kalim Beach and the Andaman Sea, the resort consists of one- to six-bedroom villas, ocean view studios and a large entertainment complex featuring restaurants, deli, bakery, rooftop beach bar and nightclub. The property will include elevated terraces, a stunning waterfall, two natural pools and five spacious spa treatment rooms, along with full-time butler service and high speed wireless Internet throughout all accommodations.

“The IndoChine Resort and Villas is the first of many LaTour IndoChine properties to come,” said Michael Ma, chief executive of the IndoChine Group. “And by providing all the necessary services and expert advice luxury resorts and hotels need, the LaTour IndoChine Hotel Group will help them successfully launch into the Asian market.”

About LaTour Signature Group Launched by Tom LaTour in 2007, LaTour Signature Group delivers an exceptional five-star vacation resort “lifestyle” experience to select developers and owners of new and existing properties by managing all of the operational aspects of fractional interest resorts, boutique hotels and condominium resorts.

By delivering management services that are unprecedented in the industry, LaTour Signature Group is committed to becoming the ultimate brand for private residence clubs and luxury fractional properties through superior service, distinctive amenities, chef-driven restaurants and culinary activities and superior attention to detail.

LaTour Signature Group will manage all resort operations – including the training and supervising of staff, reservation coordination and concierge services as well as sales and marketing of fractional rentals. When brought in on the ground floor, LaTour Signature Group can effectively lend its expertise and direction to the resort’s conceptual design and operational functionality and provide referrals and recommendations for other key partner alliances, such as real estate sales and marketing.

The LaTour Signature Group offers two product lines to the rapidly growing fractional market. The first is the private label brand of LaTour Signature for private residence club properties with a five Diamond or Star rating. The other is the ResortCom Elite line, which operates under the luxury division of San Diego-based ResortCom International, for properties that meet four Diamond or Star status.

For more information about LaTour Signature Group, visit www.latoursignaturegroup.com, or call 415-568-2210.

About ResortCom Elite
Based in San Diego, ResortCom Elite is the luxury division of its parent company, ResortCom International, and provides financial services, concierge and owner services and resort operations to private residence clubs, luxury fractional ownership properties and condo hotels. Under the direction of Chairman John Small and President Jeff Healy, ResortCom International’s 200 employees in offices in California and Florida and 800 employees worldwide at its resorts, provide exceptional services to over 50 clients worldwide and more than 200,000 satisfied owners at resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. (including Hawaii). 

  About the IndoChine Group Pte Ltd
The IndoChine Group of bars, restaurants, clubs, villas and resorts is a unique reflection of contemporary Asian lifestyle and is synonymous for its authentic ‘nutriceutical’ cuisine, award-winning designs, prominent events and internationally famed parties. Apart from the 15 venues in Singapore, the IndoChine Group also has venues in Kalim Beach, Phuket; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Hamburg, Germany; New Delhi, India, and most recently, at the fX X’nter in Jakarta, Indonesia, bringing it to a total of 26 internationally.

Extremely popular with the jet-set crowd, local and international guests are offered more than just a bevy of restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels and resorts; they are presented with an adventurous yet sophisticated and holistic entertainment experience not found anywhere else. The group is also fast growing into an international lifestyle group, with an expansion into the Asia-Pacific region as well as into the Middle East and Europe.

For more information, please visit www.IndoChine-Group.com.

Tom LaTour established Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants as the leader in the boutique hotel segment, growing the chain to 40 hotels and restaurants in 17 cities in the U.S. and Canada. Now, the former Kimpton chairman and CEO and founding principal of LaTour Signature Group, has earned a Platinum Circle lifetime achievement award from Hospitality Design Magazine – recognizing LaTour’s lustrous 20-year career with the hotel giant.

LaTour is now taking his vast hospitality experience and placing his signature touch on the booming shared-ownership vacation home market with his latest enterprise, LaTour Signature Group.

"I found it irresistible not to retire," said LaTour, an accomplished vintner and restaurateur, also named one of the "26 Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs" by Inc. magazine in 2005. "I couldn’t stop thinking about ways to wine and dine luxury resort guests. So I found a niche that hadn’t been filled yet – the very upscale 50 to 150-unit fractional resorts."

Launched in 2007, LaTour Signature Group is a joint-venture consulting and management company with ResortCom Elite, created to transform luxury vacation experiences at select five-star fractional resort properties throughout North America and Mexico. The company will manage all resort operations – including the training and supervising of staff, reservation coordination and concierge services, as well as sales and marketing of fractional rentals.

The first LaTour Signature Group property, “Olamar” in Cabo San Lucas, marks the company’s foray into Mexico’s flourishing shared vacation ownership industry. Currently under construction on the secluded Monuments Beach, Olamar will feature elegant, fully furnished three- and four-bedroom beachfront residences are now selling from the mid $300,000s for one-eighth interest, and whole ownership of oceanfront villas from $2 million. Visit www.olamarliving.com.

"Our objective is to provide a relationship-based, amenity-rich experience for high-end vacationers at exquisite properties," said La Tour. "We will offer much more than a room in a high rise on the beach."

About LaTour Signature Group
By delivering management services that are unprecedented in the industry, LaTour Signature Group is committed to becoming the ultimate brand for private residence clubs and luxury fractional properties through superior service, distinctive amenities, chef-driven restaurants and culinary activities and obsessive attention to detail.

LaTour Signature Group will deliver hand-picked and exceptionally trained resort staff, highly personalized concierge services and world-class leisure, recreational and health and wellness programs, as well as privately stocked wine cellars and other one-of-a-kind culinary experiences from cooking classes to excursions to local farmers markets.

When brought in on the ground floor, LaTour Signature Group can effectively lend its expertise and direction to the resort’s conceptual design and operational functionality and provide referrals and recommendations for other key partner alliances, such as real estate sales and marketing.

For more information about LaTour Signature Group, visit www.latoursignaturegroup.com, or call 415-568-2210.

After more than two decades of creating award-winning hotels and chef-driven restaurants for hospitality leader Kimpton Hotels, Tom LaTour is now putting his signature touch on the booming real estate market of small, elite fractional ownership resort properties.

LaTour, former chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, recently launched LaTour Signature Group – a joint-venture enterprise with ResortCom Elite that is transforming luxury vacation experiences at elite fractional resort properties throughout North America.

Much like he did with boutique hotel properties around the United States and Canada, LaTour is currently revolutionizing the burgeoning vacation home ownership industry by serving up an exceptional five-star resort "lifestyle" experience to the developers and owners of new and existing properties in popular and emerging ski, golf, oceanfront and urban locations.

"We intend to become the ultimate brand for smaller fractional properties," says LaTour, who has the proven experience and passion to lead the explosive growth in this niche market and deliver on a promise that fractional buyers will get more than just part-time accommodations.

According to the veteran hotelier, LaTour Signature Group is achieving this exclusive vacation lifestyle experience by managing all operations – including the training and supervising of staff, reservation coordination and concierge services as well as sales and marketing of fractional rentals. When brought in on the ground floor, LaTour Signature Group can also effectively lend its expertise and direction to the resort’s conceptual design and operational functionality and provide referrals and recommendations for other key partner alliances, such as real estate sales and marketing.

"At a LaTour property you’ll get an ownership lifestyle that includes superior service, luxury resort activities and amenities, monumental memories and long-lasting relationships," says the lifestyle connoisseur LaTour, a gourmet cook who also owns and operates a 25-acre vineyard in Napa Valley, California.

From cooking classes and shopping trips to local farmers markets to personally-stocked wine cellars in private villas for intimate entertaining, these are just a few of the signature “LaTour touches” that will be attractive to the highly educated, well-cultured and world-traveling owners.

Buyers at these levels generally have a higher income level, more discretionary dollars to spend, discriminating tastes and exceptional expectations. “Our products provide them with the ultimate vacation that vastly exceeds anything now available,” says LaTour, who for more than two decades catered to this well-heeled business and leisure traveler.

Ragatz Associates, the industry’s preeminent consultancy company to this emerging market and the host of an annual fractional interest symposium, estimates that the fastest growing segment is the upper-tier, higher-priced projects that LaTour Signature Group is targeting.

The group offers two product lines: The LaTour Signature Group private label brand for private residence clubs with a five Diamond or Star rating. The other is The ResortCom Elite line, which operates under the luxury division of ResortCom International and is for properties that meet the four Diamond or Star status.

The company has already signed contracts to provide life-enhancing memories for owners at three luxury properties currently under construction in the western region of the United States and is in negotiation with projects in Baja California (Rosarito and Ensenada), Los Cabos (Loreto), Punta Mita and Playa del Carmen.

According to LaTour, his handpicked executive group is taking on very select fractional resort developments this year and then will continue with several preferred clients each year through the end of the decade.

In addition to LaTour, the ResortCom Elite principals involved include John E. Small, who has more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, including key management positions at some of the world’s leading properties, and Jeff Healy, who brings extensive financial experience in the fractional, resort and timeshare industry. Small and LaTour were colleagues when they were vice presidents at Amfac Hotels and Resorts in San Francisco in the 1980s, and have remained friends since.

"This is an exciting time for us to be in this rapidly expanding fractional ownership resort industry," says Small, explaining that this joint-venture partnership offers the best of LaTour touches upfront with ResortCom Elite providing the necessary behind-the-scenes infrastructure to support the top-notch resort services to developers and owner guests.

For more information about LaTour Signature Group, visit www.latoursignaturegroup.com, or call 415-568-2210.

About Thomas W. LaTour
The former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group has more than 40 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry. A graduate of Michigan State University, he worked for Amfac Hotels and American Airlines before joining Kimpton in 1983. After a 23-year career at Kimpton, during which his dedication and visionary leadership established it as the leader in the boutique/lifestyle hotel segment, he left to launch the LaTour Signature Group in 2007. In addition to heading this business venture, he remains on the board of directors for Kimpton, and along with his wife Barbara, owns and operates the 25-acre LaTour Vineyards in Napa Valley, producing barrel fermented Chardonnay and a luscious Syrah (www.latourvineyards.com). About ResortCom Elite Based in San Diego, ResortCom Elite is the luxury division of its parent company, ResortCom International, and provides financial services, concierge and owner services and resort operations to private residence clubs, luxury fractional ownership properties and condo hotels.  Under the direction of Chairman John Small and President Jeff Healy, ResortCom International’s 600 employees in offices in California and Florida, provide exceptional services to over 50 clients worldwide and more than 200,000 satisfied owners at resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. (including Hawaii).

LaTour Signature Group, a manager of five-star vacation resorts for developers and owners of elite fractional ownership properties, has signed contracts with three luxury projects currently under construction in the western United States.

The exclusive private residence clubs to get the LaTour Signature touch are located in such popular vacation destinations as Southern California and Park City, and include a ski lodge, an oceanfront hotel and a golf country club community.

According to Tom LaTour, the former CEO of Kimpton Hotel Group, who is driving the joint-venture business enterprise with ResortCom Elite, these new deals mark the company’s strong push into the booming shared-ownership vacation travel industry.

“Our charge is to provide the ultimate in personalized vacation experiences and life-enhancing memories for owners at these high-end luxury properties,” says La Tour, a hospitality veteran known for creating boutique properties with chef-inspired restaurants in vibrant urban locales.

Working first with developers of private residence clubs, and then ultimately the owners, he says LaTour Signature Group will provide “touch points” such as hand-picked and exceptionally trained resort staff, highly personalized hospitality services and world-class leisure and recreational amenities – in particular: privately stocked wine cellars and other one-of-a-kind culinary experiences from cooking classes to excursions to local farmers markets.

LaTour’s new properties include:
- Sage Hen Hollows in the ski resort town of Deer Crest, Utah, will include 30 upscale homes and 30 condominiums by New Century Group. Construction is slated to begin in Fall 2007.

- New Century Group’s 13 newly-constructed million-dollar private residences at the Polo Estates in La Quinta, California.

- San Diego-based Ocean Front Development, Inc., for Surfer’s Point, a small luxury resort hotel offering fractional ownership of beachfront suites in Encinitas, near the world-famous Del Mar Thoroughbred Race Track and La Costa Resort & Spa.

John E. Small, chairman of San Diego-based ResortCom Elite, says that these contract agreements put the LaTour Signature Group on course to meet its goal of working with select fractional resort developments this year, and then continuing with several preferred clients each year through the end of the decade.

For more information about LaTour Signature Group, visit www.latoursignaturegroup.com or call (415) 568-2210.

About LaTour Signature Group
Launched by Tom LaTour in 2007, the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group, LaTour Signature Group delivers an exceptional five-star vacation resort “lifestyle” experience to select developers and owners of new and existing properties by managing all of the operational aspects of fractional interest resorts.

By delivering management services that are unprecedented in the industry, LaTour Signature Group is committed to becoming the ultimate brand for private residence clubs and luxury fractional properties by transforming the ownership experience through superior service, distinctive amenities, chef-driven restaurants and culinary activities and obsessive attention to detail.

The LaTour Signature Group, a joint-venture business with ResortCom Elite, the luxury division of ResortCom International, offers two product lines to the rapidly growing fractional market. The first is the private label brand of LaTour Signature for private residence club properties with a five Diamond or Star rating. The other is The ResortCom Elite line, which operates under the luxury division of San Diego-based ResortCom International, for properties that meet the four Diamond or Star status.

About ResortCom Elite
Based in San Diego, ResortCom Elite is the luxury division of its parent company, ResortCom International, and provides financial services, concierge and owner services and resort operations to private residence clubs, luxury fractional ownership properties and condo hotels.  Under the direction of Chairman John Small and President Jeff Healy, ResortCom International’s 600 employees in offices in California and Florida, provide exceptional services to over 50 clients worldwide and more than 200,000 satisfied owners at resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. (including Hawaii).

After more than two decades of creating award-winning hotels and chef-driven restaurants for hospitality-leader Kimpton Hotels, Tom LaTour now plans to put his signature touch on the booming real estate market of small, elite fractional ownership resort properties.

LaTour, former chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotel & Restaurants, announced today that he’s launching a new joint-venture business with ResortCom Elite, the luxury division of ResortCom International, that will transform luxury resort vacation experiences at fractional ownership properties throughout North America.

Much like he did with boutique properties around the U.S. and Canada, LaTour wants to revolutionize the burgeoning vacation home ownership industry by serving up an exceptional five-star vacation resort “lifestyle” experience to the developers and owners of new and existing properties in popular and emerging ski, golf, oceanfront and urban locations.

Two years ago while vacationing in Punta Mita, Mexico, LaTour had an epiphany that stirred his creative juices and jolted him out of semi-retirement. “I saw the beginnings of this smaller, more exclusive shared-ownership vacation travel category forming, and was intrigued at the possibility of influencing its evolution.”

With his past experiences and forward vision, the renowned executive wants to deliver on a brand promise that fractional buyers will get much more than just part-time accommodations. "At a LaTour Signature property they’ll be getting an ownership lifestyle that includes superior service, luxury resort activities and amenities, monumental memories and long-lasting relationships."

According to the veteran hotelier, LaTour Signature Group will achieve this by managing all aspects of a fractional interest resort operations – including the training and supervising of staff, reservation coordination and concierge services and managing the sales and marketing of fractional rentals. When brought in on the ground floor, LaTour Signature Group can effectively lend their expertise and direction to the resort’s conceptual design and operational functionality and provide referrals and recommendations for other key partner alliances, such as the real estate sales and marketing of a fractional property.

"We intend to become the ultimate brand for smaller fractional properties," says LaTour, who has the proven experience and burning passion to lead the explosive growth in this niche market.

Ragatz Associates is the industry’s preeminent consultancy company to the market and hosts an annual fractional interest symposium. Ragatz estimates that the fastest growing segment is the upper-tier, higher-priced fractional interest projects that La Tour Signature Group will be targeting.

Under his business genius, his hand-picked executive group will focus on providing personalized vacation experiences and life-enhancing memories for owners at the highest end luxury properties with 100 units or less.

Similar to the distinctive upscale experiences he created for leisure guests at the 39 Kimpton hotels and restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada, LaTour says initially he’ll work with the developers and ultimately, with owners of exclusive properties to provide such LaTour Signature Group "touch points" as hand-picked and exceptionally trained staff, personalized services and world-class amenities.

According to LaTour, the group expects to take on very select fractional resort developments this year and then continue with several preferred clients per year through the end of the decade.

In addition to LaTour, the ResortCom Elite principals involved in the new business endeavor include John E. Small, who has more than 30 years in the hospitality industry including key management positions at some of the world’s leading properties, and Jeff Healy, who brings extensive financial experience in the fractional, resort and timeshare industry. Small and LaTour were colleagues when they were Vice Presidents at Amfac Hotels and Resorts in San Francisco in the 1980’s and have remained friends since.

"This is an exciting time for us to be in this rapidly expanding fractional ownership resort industry," Small says, explaining that his joint-venture partnership will offer the best of LaTour Signature touches upfront with ResortCom Elite providing the necessary behind-the-scenes infrastructure to support the top-notch resort services to developers and owner guests.

"This buyer generally has a very high income level, more discretionary income, more discriminating tastes and exceptional expectations," says LaTour. "LaTour Signature Group will provide the ultimate vacation product that vastly exceeds anything now available."

For more information about LaTour Signature Group, visit www.latoursignaturegroup.com or call (415) 568-2210.

About Thomas W. LaTour
The former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group has more than 40 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry. A graduate of Michigan State University, he worked for Amfac Hotels and American Airlines before joining Kimpton in 1983. After a 23-year career at Kimpton, during which his dedication and visionary leadership established it as the leader in the boutique/lifestyle hotel segment, he left to launch the LaTour Signature Group in 2007.

In addition to heading this new business venture, he remains on the board of directors for Kimpton, and along with his wife Barbara, owns and operates the 25-acre LaTour Vineyards in Napa Valley, producing barrel fermented Chardonnay and a luscious Syrah (www.latourvineyards.com).

About ResortCom Elite
Based in San Diego, ResortCom Elite is the luxury division of its parent company, ResortCom International, and provides financial services, concierge and owner services and resort operations to private residence clubs, luxury fractional ownership properties and condo hotels.  Under the direction of Chairman John Small and President Jeff Healy, ResortCom International’s 600 employees in offices in California and Florida, provide exceptional services to over 50 clients worldwide and more than 200,000 satisfied owners at resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico and the U.S. (including Hawaii)

Tom LaTour Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants for staying at fleabag hotels so that we don't have to.

Tom LaTour's motto might as well be In vino veritas. Once a year, the chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, which owns 38 properties in 16 cities, personally conducts one of the daily wine tastings in each of his hotels. While he plies guests with Chardonnay, he asks them where else they travel regularly. "It's a great way to find out where we might want to open up a new property," he says.

Kimpton is opening a lot of new properties these days. "It is an exceptional company," says Thomas Callahan, co-CEO of PKF Consulting, a lodging industry research firm. "They are extremely creative and have now gone from a regional boutique hotel chain to a national presence. Tom deserves all the credit for that."

LaTour's reconnaissance goes beyond pouring wine for weary business travelers. The 61-year-old hotelier often leaves behind Kimpton's creature comforts (where rooms feature luxuries like Missoni bed throws and 42-inch flat screen TVs) to stay at fleabag joints. It's all in an effort to identify properties for acquisition. That's because Kimpton doesn't build hotels from the ground up but instead renovates old hotels that have fallen on hard times or reimagines historically significant buildings, such as the circa 1795 Tariff Building in Washington, D.C., which Kimpton transformed into the Hotel Monaco.

To make sure an acquisition won't prove to be a money pit, LaTour spends the night to experience firsthand the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. Sometimes the due diligence can be daunting. In what is now the Chicago Monaco, for example, LaTour spent the night battling pests. "You couldn't take your shoes off," he recalls.

Before each new hotel opens to the public, LaTour returns to spend a week in the rooms, troubleshooting details down to how well the stopper in the bathroom sink works. "My pet peeve," he admits, adding: "The culture of an enterprise is a reflection of the people at the top."

Though his values are clearly reflected throughout the Kimpton empire, LaTour did not start the company. It was founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, a San Francisco investment banker. LaTour, a veteran of big travel companies, joined two years later, to add operational expertise. When Kimpton died in 2001, LaTour assumed the titles of chairman and CEO.

It was a trying time. Travel industry receipts plummeted in the wake of the dot-com bust and 9/11. Revenue at Kimpton's hotels in San Francisco, which accounted for a third of the chain's overall business, tumbled by 30%, leaving the company painfully exposed. LaTour sold four properties and has since made geographic diversification a priority, expanding from Miami to San Diego, with more to come. "There are 30-odd cities on USA Today's weather map for a reason," says LaTour. "Those are where the business travelers are. I want a Kimpton hotel in each one."

As the business grows, some admirers worry that Kimpton will lose sight of the details. But LaTour vows to hold the line on quality. One gets the sense that he has stayed in too many rooms where the sink stoppers didn't work well to let the matter drop entirely.

Kimpton walks the eco walk.

I spent three environmentally responsible nights in the Red Hot Chili Peppers suite at the Hotel Triton in San Francisco in mid-February. I used a recycling basket to separate paper from trash, I slept between sheets of organic cotton, and I low-flow showered. The experience felt good, was good for me—and, Kimpton executives might say, for the rest of the world.

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants isn't the only chain to think ecologically, or "eco." Another one with a rigorous and high profile eco program is Toronto-based Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and the Green Hotel Association in Houston claims 250 member hotels and several thousand customers. In addition, individual properties, like the La Cabana All Suite Beach Resort on the Caribbean island of Aruba, stress environmental sensitivity.

The Triton is the template for Kimpton's reputation as an environmentally sensitive chain. Kimpton aims to be known for energy-saving retrofits, recycling, a sensible approach to consumption, and style. Recognition came last fall from California's Green Lodging Program. "We chose the Triton to launch the program," says Roni Java, public information officer for the program sponsor, the state's Integrated Waste Management Board. "The Triton is an exemplary green hotel on so many different fronts. If there's a way to save energy or protect the environment, they're doing it."

The Green Lodging Program began as a way to encourage employees who travel on state business to patronize hotels with environmental protection policies in place. Rate used to be the sole criterion. "What we wanted to do was take that existing program and add a new dimension to it," Java says.

Now that Kimpton has paved the way, the state is looking for other hotel involvement. A major chain "looks like it's coming on board with us and trying to bring its San Diego properties into the program," Java says. "They're working with us right now to get certified." The state is reaching out to large chains like Choice, Hilton and Marriott, she says. "What we want to do is make everybody aware of the program so they come to us," she says. The program's home page, www.ciwmb.ca.gov/EPP/greenlodging, features green resources for travelers, green resources for hotels, applications and forms for the program and other resources.

"All the recycling in the world will not do an ounce of good if we do not individually and collectively purchase products made from recycled-content materials," Java says. "It's all about reducing our impact on the environment."

The low-impact Peppers lair, aka the Red Hot Love Nest, is one of several celebrity Eco-suites in the Triton. It is Peppered with photos of this seminal '90s punk-funk band, the headboard of the comfortable king bed boasts Man Ray's flying lips, and the walls of the well-appointed bathroom are a marvel of decoupage honoring the Dada movement of the early 20th century. Despite its kinetic quality, the suite, also featuring a big (but not flat-screen) TV and free Wi-Fi, is peaceful. It's a good place to work and relax.

The Love Nest also features energy-saving fluorescent lighting, low-flow showerheads and toilets, recycling baskets to separate trash from paper, and non-chemical cleaning materials for housekeeping. The linens and towels are organic cotton and tent cards tell guests they can opt out of changing them daily. They're taking that route more and more often, the Kimpton brain trust tells me.

The trust is Tom LaTour, chairman and CEO of the San Francisco-based company Bill Kimpton founded in 1981; Niki Leondakis, COO; and Steve Pinetti, senior vice president of sales and marketing. They spend an hour with me in the Creative Zone, a meeting room on the second floor of the 140-unit hotel. The Zone's walls showcase a wrap-around mural featuring largely briny motifs (Hotel Indigo has its nautilus; the Triton has King Neptune). It's a blue room so vivid it's peaceful.

By the time you read this, Kimpton will have rolled out the first of three phases of a plan to make all of its 38 properties eco-hotels. Not only is the plan socially responsible, it's good business, the Kimpton executives say. And it resonates with both vendors and guests.

Since last fall, when Kimpton accelerated its marketing, Pinetti and other staffers have been developing environ-mental standards for the brand. Items under consideration include everything from the complimentary organic coffee available in the lobbies to room deodorizers, says Pinetti. Phase I also mandates company-wide printing using recycled paper and soy-based ink.

Staff and employees are testing these products in various hotels, attempting to measure their environmental sensitivity and, in housekeeping, the cleaning power of non-chemical products. Cost is a factor but not an issue, Pinetti suggests. "There are an inordinate number of vendors looking for the opportunity to provide green products and partner with companies like us."

The company also has hired Danny Seo as its "ecostylist" to create "green" proprietary materials for Kimpton and guide the brand on sustainability issues.

Now that the products are nearly nailed down, Pinetti and other executives have to spread the word to the 5,500 Kimpton employees. A similar process will apply in Phase II, which targets bedding, use of organic foods in Kimpton restaurants and alliances with environmentally forward food operations like Paul Newman's. Phase II will bring the restaurants into the recy-cling program, expand the retrofit of faucets and toilets for water conservation, mandate remanufactured toner cartridges for printers, develop Green and Eco award programs, and create a Kimpton Nationwide Eco Team.

Phase III will be launched by Sept. 1 and focus on eco design and development, including furnishings and hotel infrastructure. Kimpton wants to use recycled wood in its flooring and will pay attention to how and where it's harvested. This last phase will involve construction, sourcing vendors who use items such as "rescued" wood and avoid using timber from the rain forest, Pinetti says. The fundamental notion is balance, a watchword of Bill Kimpton's from the start.

The social responsibility at the heart of environmental sensitivity was part of "Bill's nature," LaTour says. "What he brought to the enterprise was, fundamentally, balance. What you take out you should put back; that was the nature of how our behavior evolved, from Bill's natural being. Stay in balance all the time."

"There's a business case for doing this kind of thing," Leondakis says. "As this rolls out across the company, it'll move to the forefront," Pinetti adds.

"It's good business. It's good for business," says LaTour. "It's not just because we're altruistic and we feel good, it's good for business. Otherwise, the investors would say, what are you guys doing? A lot of people think it's going to cost more. It's actually more advantageous to be ecofriendly than not."

There also are payoffs in marketing and employee retention. "Many consumers are paying attention to the products they buy and the choices they make and vendor and supplier treatment of the community and environment," Leondakis says. "Many people say we're heading toward a tipping point: If you're not environmentally conscious, your company will be blackballed from people's choices."

In addition, today's workforce wants to operate in a socially responsible environment, she suggests." Employees today want to come to work every day not just for the paycheck but to feel good about what they're doing...It's very important to them to be aligned with the values of the people they work for, so from an employee retention standpoint, this helps us retain and attract them so we can select from the best and the brightest."

Environmental sensitivity also aims to reduce stress. "A sense of survival seems to hit folks at an earlier age," Pinetti says. "The information flow is causing people to move more quickly, and that need for speed is causing anxiety. In school, there are many more classes about the environment, about survival of the world. Terrorism is the threat of the day, but the more global threat is to the environment."

Heather Thompson, a hospitality student at the University of San Francisco who was sitting in on the session with her mentor, Leondakis, elaborates. Her classes often touch on the fragility of the world, communicating a sense that precious environments "will be gone" soon, she says.

Joining an environmentally sensitive company generates "pride in where you work," says Thompson, who works part-time in a Kimpton restaurant. "You know they're proud of doing something that's helping the world. That's an awesome thing to know about who you're working for."

RUNNING ON GREEN POWER
Various other companies are exploring alternative energy sources and signing contracts to save on power and cost. At Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, the Toronto-based luxury flag, environmental sensitivity has long been imbedded in the culture.

Since 1990, Fairmont's 25,000 employees have been involved in a Green Partnership Program of environmental stewardship. In November, Michelle White became environmental affairs manager, charged with setting the tone and executing plans spanning forestry management, reef reclamation, deployment of naturally derived fertilizers, and species protection.

Since the fall, White has attempted to weld numbers to Fairmont's efforts.

"It's not enough for us as a company to qualitatively say we recycle," she says. "We want to say, this is what we recycle, this is how much we recycle. We want to have numbers to support our studies. We want to be very consistent across the board." The in-house database EnergyTrac monitors the brand's consumption of energy and water and "any special initiatives like large-scale engineering and retrofitting."

Among Fairmont initiatives: protecting endangered species, like the sea turtle at the Fairmont Princess and Fairmont Pierre Marques in Acapulco; using naturally derived fertilizers in irrigating the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii to nurture plant life at that resort; fostering a partnership between the Fairmont Washington, DC and Washington Gas Energy Services to buy power from the West Virginia Mountaineer Wind Energy Center; and replanting the Fairmont Mayakoba in Mexico to mitigate erosion.

Each hotel has a "green team" of eight to ten employees who identify issues that must be addressed. Properties compete for Environmental Hotel of the Year. "Most of the initiatives are very property-driven and we're very proud of them," White says. Vendors cooperate, too: The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto has persuaded a packaging vendor to trim excess, she says, and in 2003, the Fairmont Newfoundland introduced an antistatic block to its dryers. Equivalent to about 750 sheets of a product like Bounce, the block greatly reduces packaging and saves the company from having to buy about 23,000 sheets of fabric softener per year, White says.

Many environmental efforts are invisible to the guest, White notes, like composting and recycling of amenities to local charities. There's in-room recycling, too. "This program is not expensive," she says. "The green teams participate on a voluntary basis and run their programs exceptionally efficiently.

"We want to make sure to protect all the resources on which our industry is based," she says. "Nobody wants an ocean resort where the coral reef is damaged or dying."

In addition, the program creates jobs. There's an environmental systems manager at the Fairmont Lake Louise, and various hotels employ stewards to process the recycling, which involves sorting, storage and cardboard crushing.

Geared toward developing a "more sustainable framework," the Fairmont program is "an outgoing project with constantly moving targets," White says. Fairmont has even codified it in "The Green Partner-ship Guide: A Practical Guide to Greening Your Hotel." Published in 1990 and updated in 2001, it contains tips for hotel-iers and references to companies involved in all things green.

In the Caribbean, where so much is imported, environmental sensitivity is beginning to take root, too. Among its pioneers: the La Cabana All Suite Beach Resort, at 811 units the largest resort in Aruba.

Once a month, employees form a team to pick up garbage on the premises and on the public beaches, says Lou Rolofsen, general manager. In addition, a program separating bottles and cans recycled more than 90,000 kilograms of material in 2004, says Frank Sabajo, environmental and safety manager. "It doesn't go to the landfill anymore," he says. "It's priceless, what we're doing."

Because there is only one utility on the island and it's government-owned, La Cabana can't negotiate rates. But it can reduce usage, says Sabajo; cutting consumption has since 1999 saved La Cabana more than $585,000 in electricity costs. Buying energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs and installing capacitor banks on chillers also has saved money, he says.

Consistency is still elusive in a mixed-use development of condo, timeshare and hotel units: Hotel linens are changed daily, timeshare linens twice a week. "We can educate owners that cutting down on laundry expenses is to their benefit on maintenance fees," says Leslie Brea, quality assurance manager. "It's difficult to understand for regular hotel guests who pay a nightly rate that they don't get fresh linen every day. I hope it will change so regular hotels participate more in these types of programs."

Even though Kimpton hasn't joined it—sales and marketing chief Steve Pinetti says it won't link up with such an organization until its own programs are in place—there also is a Green Hotel Association. Based in Houston, the GHA is both a mail order business for items spanning aerators and recycling baskets as well as a trade association, says Patty Griffin, founder and president. Dues are $1 per guestroom per year, with a minimum of $100 and a maximum of $750. "If hotels use our ideas, they'll save more money than that," she says.

The core of the GHA is empowerment, Griffin suggests. "The idea is that the hotelier would form a green team with one person from each department. They would check off what they're already doing and make a plan for the following year," Griffin says.

Such plans "really charge up the employees," she says. "Housekeepers know what's being missed and what they need to do more of. These are the ones who can get this program going. Everything that has anything to do with the environment comes down to our health.

"Once owners and managers understand it's health we're really talking about when we talk about the environment, it's a bigger deal, with huge money savings to be had."

The Big Ideas
- Empower your employees. Management must set the environmental tone and enlist employees in spreading environmental ideas and practices.

- Work with vendors. Kimpton says negotiating in volume for green products can make them "competitive-priced" with their non-green counterparts.

- Tie it all together. Once hoteliers recognize that the environment is what determines health, making environmental sensitivity part of the culture of an individual property or flag becomes a no-brainer.


-Carlo Wolff editor@lhonline.com

San Francisco's largest hotel firm, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants LLC, is preparing a national expansion and rebranding aimed at producing "the next Four Seasons," CEO Tom LaTour said.

The new campaign, which involves a new brand based on Hotel Palomar and changes to hotels across the country, comes as Kimpton continues to add properties. Over the past 18 months, it has added seven hotels in New York, Boston and Washington, D.C., bringing its total count to 38.

In the coming year, the company plans to open additional properties in San Diego, south Florida and Dallas. All told, Kimpton is aiming to nearly double its size to 60 properties over five years. The ultimate goal, LaTour said, is to be in every city on the USA Today weather map.

Along the way, the firm wants to get more business from existing customers - and will be renaming every one of its properties as part of the push, said LaTour. Those loyal to individual properties, like the Palomar and the Hotel Monaco, will see lookalikes in other cities. More important to LaTour, people staying at any of his hotels will be clearly told, for the first time, that they are inside the Kimpton family of properties.

A new turn
The branding effort is a new turn for a firm whose goal has always been to make each property as unique as possible, particularly when all of them were in San Francisco and within a few blocks of one another.

"We didn't have any idea we'd end up with 38, soon to be 40, hotels," said LaTour. "It was stupid that we didn't."

With 2004 sales of $400 million, Kimpton is spending just $2 million on its rebranding. But it views the initiative as key to making its near-doubling in size successful.

LaTour has spent the past six months traveling to each of the Kimpton hotels, meeting the close to 6,000 workers and preparing for the minutiae of the rebranding.

The updates include changing property names and signs to something along the lines of "Palomar, a Kimpton Hotel" or "Monaco, a Kimpton Hotel." Details are still being finalized. The Kimpton name will adorn keycards, stationery, pens, elevator posters - often to the exclusion of the name of the property itself. The company even threw the ying-and-yang symbol out of its logo, leaving only the word "Kimpton" in all caps against a shaded background.

Targeting customers
The company has also launched national marketing campaigns targeting women travelers - a fast-growing segment - and gays and lesbians. The campaigns both include a charity component, along with special deals, including honeymoon packages for the gays and lesbians and a wellness package for women.

The company also hopes its in-room yoga program will appeal to women. It has also launched sensitivity training to better serve gay and lesbian guests.

In today's rapidly changing and highly competitive hospitality industry, there are many different roads that can lead top managers to new career heights and greater achievements. One increasingly popular route paving the way to expanded personal growth and professional success is via fractional resort management.

One of the fastest growing and most fascinating segments of the lodging industry is shared-ownership vacation resorts, including fractional interest, private residence clubs and destination clubs.

According to the latest figures released by Ragatz Associates, this segment grew 8.3 percent in 2007 with sales volume estimated at $2.3 billion -- this despite the dramatic decrease in the country's overall residential resort industry.

In its most recent report, the research firm also noted that there now are more than 300 such developments throughout North America, in desirable destinations such as Aspen, Maui, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the Caribbean. Most often built alongside a golf, beach or ski resort, the owners get use of the many five-star facilities and amenities, as well as other luxury hotel-like perks, including concierge services, in-villa dining and daily housekeeping.

Marriott, Disney, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons are among the big companies that have embraced the emerging concept, although most fractional resorts are small private developments with no big brand flag or corporate infrastructure. And this is why management opportunities exist.

Management role changes at fractionals
As more and more shared-ownership properties are being developed in North America and around the world, there's an increased need for top-level management that can take the lead from conceptual planning through marketing, sales, staffing and operations.

But most importantly, there is the simple and most challenging management responsibility of providing owner-guests with the top-flight services and exceptional lifestyle experiences they've bought into and rightly have come to expect.

In many ways, managing a fractional property is akin to a five-star luxury resort hotel. The objective for both is to provide life-enhancing memories to high-end vacationers at exquisite properties.

At all levels and in every segment, the lodging industry is in the midst of an evolution in which savvy management who hope to compete on more than price alone are shifting from merely selling goods or services to wrapping those tangibles in experiences.

Progressive industry leaders share the belief that the service economy is over; now all business is show business. For lodging management who embrace the experience revolution, this is paying off with higher margins and greater customer loyalty.

But at an independent fractional property, you don't have an established infrastructure providing a variety of show-biz style branded services and corporate resources, so the key is for management and each distinct property to create its own emotional branding. (This concept, by the way, has been executed brilliantly in the boutique hotel segment for several years.)

In other words, you link customers' lifestyle aspirations to services that not only fulfill basic physical needs but also capture their hearts and engage their imaginations like no place else.

Survey after customer survey indicates that an emotional experience is quintessential for a memorable vacation. To assure that visits to fractional properties are truly memorable, management needs to provide five key brand pillars: culinary, wine, wellness, entertainment and concierge. On the culinary side, signature restaurants and access to private wine cellars and personal chefs are just a few of the ways that fractional management can transform a simple meal into an extraordinary experience.

As the ultimate host, an onsite concierge must become more familiar with each owner-guests' travel and lifestyle preferences in order to provide even higher levels of intuitive, personalized service.

Creating these types of emotional and experience-driven bonds with customers ensures that your competitors have little or no chance of supplanting you. This means that simply measuring customer satisfaction - although a useful indicator of performance - is unlikely to be enough.

In fact, one of the world's leading gurus on customer loyalty, Frederick Reicheld advocates measuring loyalty by asking: "How likely is it you would recommend us to a friend?

This requires building an emotional attachment to the property, delivering a consistently wonderful experience and creating "devoted fans" -- owners with high expectations who not only buy from you again and again, but tell others about you, too.

These experience-driven pillars are new to the residential real estate world, and part of the fractional management challenge is teaching real estate sales agents how to sell these emotionally charged lifestyle choices.

There are other differences between corporate owned luxury hotels and independent fractional resorts. Although they may have their own standards, independent properties don't have the strict guidelines set forth by a franchisor, such as quality assurance and customer support. Creating a customized framework for the fractional resort is a huge job, but greatly benefits the customer and the overall organization. Anyone can compete at the physical level, with designer-label sheets and pillows, soaking tubs, dual shower heads, and organic shampoos and other accoutrements. But when a fractional owner is asked what they remember most about their vacation experience – the answer should be the people.

Staff caters to owner satisfaction
You can cement owner relationships by bringing pleasurable, life-enhancing or "wow" experiences to their lives. This is more than just serving up standard resort-style services with a friendly smile. Finding and managing talent remains at or near the top of nearly every lodging executive's agenda.

A highly interactive service delivery process like that at fractional resorts requires hiring folks with the right stuff. And that doesn't necessarily mean those with the most relevant work-related experiences. Recruit staff based on their attitude and approach rather than advanced degrees and lengthy resumes.

Training and rewarding customer-centric employees is paramount for management. Staff should be directed to the desired performance levels with personal, hands-on coaching techniques and mile-stone activities. A big part of this comes from instilling in all staffers a keen social awareness: being empathetic to guests, sensing others feelings and perspectives, and then taking an active interest in anticipating, recognizing and meeting their needs.

In the fractional segment, which caters to an international globe-trotting set, there also is an ever greater emphasis on chasing talent from around the world. At Mission La Serena, a luxury beachfront factional in Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico, the general manager is Agathoclis Neocleous. He has worked at properties from Greece and Switzerland to Mexico, and speaks Greek, English, French and Spanish.

Having a personal conversation with your customers in their native language indicates that you know them intimately and personally, and is the epitome of emotional branding.

And that, after all, is truly what sets shared-ownership properties apart from the rest and what makes the leap from hotel management to fractionals so appealing.

Tom LaTour is one of the founding partners of LaTour Signature Group, a joint-venture business with ResortCom Elite that provides superior management services to small, luxury fractional ownership properties throughout North America. Mr. LaTour can be contacted at 415-568-2210 or tlatour@latoursignaturegroup.com

Reprinted with permission from www.hotelexecutive.com

Like a proud parent, Tom LaTour, the chairman and CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, has photos at the ready for when the conversation turns to his baby, the 25-acre vineyard on Mount Veeder, overlooking Napa Valley, that he purchased five years ago. Passing the 8-by-10s across the coffee table in a suite at the Onyx Hotel, the 112-room Boston property that Kimpton opened in late spring, LaTour notes that the vineyard produces Chardonnay, Pinot, and Syrah grapes. Then he presents a bottle of his Chardonnay, the 2002 vintage that, with an initial release of 600 cases, marks the debut of the LaTour Vineyards label. "It's a big, bold, buttery, rich California Chardonnay," says LaTour.

It is all of those, and as a fixture on the wine lists at the restaurants and lounges in or adjacent to each of the 39 Kimpton hotels in the United States and Canada, the wine is also an example of an executive's enviable ability to incorporate his favorite pastime into his business plan. "There's some method to the madness," says LaTour. "But there's also a great deal of personal satisfaction of walking around the vineyard on Saturday morning, talking with the guys, working with the horticulturist, and getting in the winery with the winemaker."

Kimpton's latest property is a long way-geographically and aesthetically-from LaTour's vineyard. The 205-room 70 Park Avenue Hotel in the Murray Hill section of Manhattan, formerly the Doral Park Avenue Hotel, opened this summer after a $19 million renovation. "We wanted each room to have the feel of a Park Avenue apartment," says LaTour. "Everyone, at some point in his life, whether from seeing it in a movie or reading it in a novel, has said, 'Wouldn't it be great to have a pied-à-terre on Park Avenue?' " Adjacent to the hotel is the Silverleaf Tavern, which offers a wine selection that includes, of course, LaTour Chardonnay.

The wine is also available through the Kimpton Life Wine Society (www.kimptonlifewinesociety.com), a club whose members can purchase rare vintages and receive invitations to private tastings and dinners with winemakers. The wine society is also another example of the boss's mixing business and pleasure. "You try to create a relationship with the customer in his or her particular area of interest," explains LaTour, who sends complimentary bottles of his Chardonnay to guests who frequently stay at the hotels. "You want this customer to be able to say, 'Well, I know that guy. He's a winemaker.' "

The 60-year-old LaTour took up the craft strictly as a hobby in 1990, when he and his wife, Barbara, purchased a weekend home in St. Helena in the Napa Valley, planted grapevines on the one-acre lot, and made wine from the harvests in the garage of his San Francisco home. However, LaTour's introduction to the vintner lifestyle came much earlier, in the late 1970s, when he ran the Silverado Country Club Resort in Napa. "I got to meet many of the winemakers in the area-Bob Mondavi, Joe Phelps-and I got the sense from them that this was a pretty neat lifestyle, and decided someday maybe it would be fun to have a vineyard. It took a while, but we did it."