In this issue:
• Banking with The Registry Collection• HOA 2010 Budget and Call Recap
• Highlights of Refurbishment
• Rental Update & Specials
• Re-Sale Opportunities
• What's New in Town?
• Coming Up: February & March Events
Friendly Reminders
- If you are interested in making one of your weeks available to rent, please don't forget to fill out a Rental Authorization Form, which is available in the Owners Only area of the website, and return it to the Les Saisons Concierge by fax 208-725-0234 or email concierge@prr.net.
- If you would like to bank one of your weeks with The Registry Collection, you must do so at least 90 days prior to the arrival date of the week you would like to exchange. To bank your week, please call The Registry Collection directly at 800-548-2300. Please keep in mind you need to have an active account with The Registry Collection in order to bank your week.
- Please contact the Les Saisons Concierge if your contact information changes. This includes mailing addresses, mobile numbers and email addresses. We want to make sure that all your information is up-to-date in our records so that we don't fail to contact you with important information.
- Send us your photos! If you have great photos from your recent vacation in Sun Valley, and don't mind sharing, email them to the Les Saisons Concierge and we will include them in an upcoming Newsletter!
Banking with The Registry Collection
It's not often that a Les Saisons owner is eager to exchange a sought after week in Sun Valley for a handful of points to be used at an indefinite time in an undecided location. But for Les Saisons owners Tim and Lynn Peters, a little bit of planning and some frequent flyer miles led to a remarkable European adventure courtesy of The Registry Collection - a membership program that proves time and again to be a valuable amenity to Les Saisons owners who aren't able to use their assigned weeks. Here's a glimpse at what some of those points can do for you...
HOA 2010 Budget and Conference Call Recap
Thank you to everyone who participated in our owner conference calls on December 9 and 10, 2009. More than 50% of Les Saisons owners participated in these calls, which were an effective way for us to ensure that all owners had an opportunity to fully review the annual operating budget for 2010, ask questions and also access an on-line presentation with information on resort operations, maintenance, refurbishment, rentals and re-sales. The overall feedback from owners was very positive and we plan to host similar calls in subsequent years. We established the 2010 operating budget with no increase in assessments. Although the budget is very tight, we are confident that we can manage the property to our owners' expectations and we ask for everyone's assistance and cooperation in conserving utilities (electricity, water and gas) during each and every stay. We will continue to look for every opportunity to save and reduce expenses next year and beyond, but it is not realistic to expect that we will be able to hold the budgets at their current levels in future years. Should an owner have any outstanding questions or comments regarding the budget or the information that was shared during the conference calls, please contact the Resort Manager.
Highlights of Les Saisons Refurbishment
Beginning in the fall of 2010, Les Saisons will commence Phase I of a two-phase refurbishment plan that is scheduled to take place over the next two years. The two-phase refurbishment will target residence living areas, master bedrooms and guest bedrooms as well as various common areas throughout the resort.
Refurbishment items in Phase I will include new sectional sofas in residence living rooms, comfortable new patio furniture for the balconies, new bedding, mattresses and nightstands for each master bedroom, including the 2 bedroom lower master, as well as credenzas and flat screen televisions to replace the existing armoires.
Phase II, which will begin in the Fall of 2011, will target the downstairs guest bedrooms in all residences. As with Phase I, all guest rooms will receive new bedding, new mattresses, nightstands, a credenza and flat screen television to replace the current armoire. The benches located at the foot of the double beds in the third bedroom will also be replaced with chests.
At this stage PRR has two design firms preparing to submit proposals for the refurbishment. Upon review of each proposal, PRR will recommend one of the firms to the Les Saisons Board, and the selected candidate will hopefully be approved by the Board by the end of February.
Rental Update & Specials
2010 winter rentals have been steady, with New Year's and President's Weekend bringing in many vacation rentals for the holidays. But with over two months of the winter season still remaining, fresh snow and fantastic skiing to carry us until Baldy closes in April, we still have prime rental availability with special rental opportunities available as the winter winds down.
Les Saisons' complimentary valet service to the lifts at the base of Baldy and Dollar Mountain as well as throughout town is one of the many benefits the resort has to offer. Residences are available from $300 - $800 per night, depending on your arrival date this winter and residence size. Please contact the Les Saisons Concierge for more information.
Re-Sale Opportunities
2009 proved to be a great year for buyers looking to purchase a fractional interest at Les Saisons, with a total of five re-sales taking place throughout the year. One interest in the 2 bedroom residence and four interests in the 3 bedroom residences sold in 2009, with the last one closing in December. As 2010 gets underway, there are currently three, 3 bedroom 1/8 interests available for sale and one, 2 bedroom 1/8 interest that is also on the market.
For buyers, pricing has never been better at Les Saisons. For current listing prices or to schedule a tour of the resort and learn more about fractional ownership, please contact Resort Manager Jon Gilmour at jgilmour@prr.net or 208-727-1616. Jon has an active Real Estate License with Sun Valley Brokers, L.L.C. and is able to assist you with all your questions regarding fractional ownership.
Ketchum Roundup: What's New in Town?
Winter got off to a slow start this year with mid January feeling more like late April and snow depths that reminded us of how Sun Valley got its name. Then Mother Nature renewed our spirits with what we were all craving, snow! Lots of it. A total of 128" has fallen this season, giving us several powder days, white mountains and snow mounds higher than your SUV. Yes, winter is here and the skiing is great. It's time to put those snow guns to rest and break out the fat skis.
Downtown Ketchum has also been revitalized by the addition of two new hot spots you shouldn't miss next time you're in town. Sego Restaurant & Bar, located on Washington Avenue near 5th Street, is a sophisticated restaurant specializing in exceptional hand crafted cuisine. Artwork in the restaurant is provided locally by the Gail Severn Gallery and come summer, Sego will feature a sculpture and vegetable garden just across the street. Sego is a welcome addition to Ketchum's fine dining scene.
And over on Main Street, Whiskey Jacques re-opened its newly built two-story venue in mid-December, after a fire destroyed the original building in the fall of 2008. Patrons of the resurrected watering hole were greeted by many of the same old bartenders, great live music and a floor plan similar in design to the one before. With weekly performances by Ketchum's favorite hometown bands, as well as out of state headliners, there's no shortage of entertainment.
Coming Up in Sun Valley: February & March Events
February and March have a packed calendar of events with a number of local fundraisers, the Sun Valley Winter Artist Series, Full Moon Dinners at Galena Lodge and outdoor winter concerts. Take a look below at a summary of upcoming event information or visit the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber of Commerce for a complete list of activities.
Camp Rainbow Gold's 8th Annual Share Your Heart Ball on 2/20/10Learn More Full Moon Dinners at Galena Lodge 2/26/10 - 2/28/10 & 3/27/10 - 3/29/10
Learn More Sun Valley Winter Artist Series: Classical Piano - An Evening of Russian Music on 2/27/10 and
Sun Valley Winter Artists Series: A Gershwin Celebration on 3/10/10
Learn More The Fur Ball: A Benefit for the Animal Shelter on 3/6/10
Learn More 5th Annual Twilight Snowshoe Event to Benefit Expedition Inspiration's Fund for Breast Cancer Research on 3/21/10
Learn More Wintersol Festival - Outdoor Concerts with The Wailers on 3/5/10 and another musical guest TBA on 3/6/10
Learn More