A trend is on the rise, the trend of fractional ownership. People are increasingly buying their second homes through fractional ownership, realizing the high benefits that come at a low cost. Fractional ownership is the share of an expensive asset (yacht, sports car, aircraft, etc), in this case a property. The property is owned and shared by several individuals who are allotted specific time periods for use. This is very popular with expensive vacation properties and resorts. Fractional ownership allows people to enjoy a beautiful, elegant vacation home in a premier location at a fraction of the price of full ownership. By participating in fractional ownership, the individual gives up the exclusive use and freedoms that come with whole ownership, but he is also minimizing costs and risks.
Fractionals present an ideal opportunity for a family or group of friends to join their resources together and afford something they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to. In most cases, a third party or management company takes care of the property’s upkeep, utilities, taxes and insurance. All the owners have to do is pay a monthly fee. The key to the success of Fractionals is their management.
Fractionals may sound like timeshares, but they are very different. Unlike timeshares, with Fractionals there is a deed involved (it’s just split up into shares), and the individual actually owns a part of the asset. This share can be passed down in a will or it can be sold. The deed of a fractional property is usually divided into fourths, eights or thirteenths.
To find out more about fractional ownership and properties available in the Rocky Mountains, contact Rocky Mountain Luxury Properties.

Photo By: Derek Lichtfuss
My college roommates dropped through Vail this past weekend, which was clearly a pleasant surprise. They quickly forced me to realize how truly fortunate I am to be living in the mountains for the summer months. Complaining of 100 degree days in Baltimore and D.C. was the first step to this realization. Step two was noticing that due to the lack of extreme humidity, my friend Tommy was not sweating bullets. Step three was the presence of sunshine on a regular basis. Step four? All of it involves the weather.
Aside from the occasional storm that rolls through the Valley, the weather in the summer here is practically unbeatable. A slight breeze constantly trickles through my screened in doors, brushing against my puffy blonde afro. I cannot say how happy I am to not endure the humidity rocking the Chesapeake Bay region. In Colorado a common motto is: “If you don’t like the weather, wait twenty minutes”.
On a typical day you can see for what seems to be an eternity, and notice nothing but ecstatic blue skies, and rays beaming off of the oddly (well, to me…) white-capped Rockies. Within the next twenty minutes, a squall will have crept up, threatened, and gone on its merry way.
Over the weekend, we decided to head back to the Colorado River Center, where RMVR has taken several company rafting trip — connections. During our three hour float, I must say that the sun came and went at least 20 times. We experience heat, rain, wind, clouds, and vibrant sunshine: the full range of meteorological emotions. The motto certainly proved true to us. I have yet to visit Colorado in the winter, but I would imagine the weather is much the same, just a bit colder.
For more information about current conditions, summer or winter, as well as lodging deals throughout Colorado among other destinations, please contact our concierge service. Or visit our website at http://rockymountainvacationrentals.com or call 1-888-866-2305.
Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals is currently offering 25% off Fourth of July weekend vacations. You don’t want to miss the Fourth of July in the Vail Valley! Great family events, fireworks shows and a beautiful location are all planned for the weekend. Places sell out fast so book your trip today! 1-888-
The Teva Mountain Games are the nation’s largest mountain sport event. Celebrating mountain lifestyle, outdoor competitions and events and music concerts- the 2010 Teva Mountain Games hosted form June 3 to June 6 in the Vail Valley are gone be an incredible event you should not miss.
Top professional and also amateur athletes from all around the world will compete in eight different sports in overall 24 different disciplines for over $ 100,000 in prize money. The eight sports are biking, climbing, dogs competing, running, fishing, kayaking, rafting and stand up paddling.
As of today, the 2010 Teva Mountain Games will start off on Thursday June 3 at 10am with the Bud Light Lime Steep Creek Championship which will be presented by Thule at the Homestake Creek, Red Cliff. Homestake Creek is dropping 480 feet per mile which makes this competition one of the most popular and interesting not only to race but also to watch. If you want to compete in the quarter mile creek race register fast- there is only a limited number of starter places for the first round- so make sure you get in there! The ten fastest female and the ten fastest male will then compete in a second round and the fastest time will determine the winners.
Registration for the race on race day opens at 8am at the Homestake Creek – Red Cliff. At 8.30am there will be the possibility to practice in the Steep Creek. At 9.30am the time trail will start. So if you are only there to watch the challenging race- try to make it there by 9.30am to see all competitors. And then at 10am the Steep Creek Championship will kick off. Check regularly the Teva Mountain Games website to see if there were any changes in the schedule!
The Steep Creek Championship is gone be a popular and promising competition since there will be professional athletes from all around the world to win the $ 2000 Price money for the first man and for the first woman. The second man and woman can each win $ 1000 and the third will get $ 500. The 2009 winners of the Steep Creek championship are Mike Dawson from New Zealand and Nikki Kelly.
To round the first day and the first competition of the 2010 Teva mountain games up- there will be a free concert in the heart of Vail Village. Starting at 7pm at Checkpoint Charlie there is gone be the first half of the Bud Light Mountains of Music show where DJs and Band will rock the village.
Try to make it to Vail to the first great day of the 2010 Teva Mountain Games. If you need some great lodging deal to stay for the whole games check this out!
For some people traveling is something that happens year round, while others wait all year for that one special vacation. My personal philosophy is that the key to happiness is always having something to look forward to; for me that being a vacation. I thought I’d share of my personal travel tips- they are easy and will help you plan the perfect escape!
Happy travels!
I didn’t know what to expect for the annual Lamb Cook-off, a part of the Taste of Vail going on now, but I gave myself a pat on the back after attending with some co-workers and friends- every dish we tried were from Vail’s best chefs and was accompanied by some of the best wine I’ve tried. To top it all off, we had warm spring weather and I actually had to take my coat off!
The Vail Lamb cook-off had some tough competitors, but Restaurant Kelly Liken took the first place position with lamb confit created by sous chef Hunter Smith. Unfortunately I arrived late and didn’t make it to their tent in time, which is why next year I will plan to arrive early, which is my number one tip is to get there early! Here are my recommendations for next year:
1. Get there early if you intend to try many samples! Long lines are guaranteed to form at the Kelly Liken, La Tour, Lodge at Vail, and Ocotillo. (the Lodge at Vail took third place this year with their lamb pastrami sandwich, while Ocotillo took second with unforgettable lamb tamales)
2. Grab an office-mate, friend, mother, sister, brother, father or a ski group, then pair up and you can find and split the tastings. You will both get to experience more and spend less on tickets.
3. Be green by bringing your own fork and cloth napkin. Use the recycle containers that can be found every 40 feet along Gore Creek Drive.
4. Spend the $60 for all access! It is more than worth it, by purchasing an all access pass you may taste every restaurant’s submission, as well as sample every attending winery. If you purchased a ticket for every place, it would add up to over $150.
5. Walk to the event! Trust me, after all of this wonderful food, you will be grateful for the walk back to your hotel, condo, villa, or vehicle!
I grew up in a family of five and can gratefully say that we had our share of family vacations; all of which were spent in a hotel. Twenty three years later my vacations have evolved from family time to group vacations with good friends.
This past weekend, myself and 12 friends rented a ski-in /ski-out vacation home in Breckenridge, CO. We arrived to find the home nestled high in the tress overlooking Breckenridge Mountain. The view was enough to make everyone want to stay longer…
As we toured the house I was pleased to find that the amenities of a hotel were still present in vacation rentals, plus some. I found that each bathroom was stocked with Aveda products, beautifully folded towels, laundry detergent was provided for the washer and dryer, and the house was stocked with plenty of comfortable blankets for everyone. I began to realize that this was the VIP experience, without the price!
One of the many advantages of a vacation rental vs. hotel stay is having a full kitchen to take advantage of. We didn’t waste any time to cook up a fest of steaks, tilapia, pasta, and veggies. Had we had gone to town and had such a wonderful meal; we would have been spending at minimum $25 a person. For less than $100 all 13 of us enjoyed a home cooked meal with leftovers to spare. Did I mention we weren’t spending $ 8 a cocktail?
Everyone seemed to agree that the back deck hot tub overlooking Breckenridge Mountain was the highlight of our vacation rental. After a day on the slopes, nothing felt better than skiing back to the house and jumping in the hot tub for a little relaxation. There was plenty to keep us occupied at the house; from the pool table, to board games, to just hanging out. It was such a good feeling to have the space and resources to spend time with one another, without that typical cooped up feeling that other accommodations give you. All groups should consider a renting a vacation home from Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals for their next holiday.
CSA
Families looking to plan their next vacation typically let one common denominator influence their decision on where and when to travel; price. These days it’s common for one to search Expedia or Hotels.com and take the quoted room rates at face value, book the hotel room and disregard what they have sacrificed for this booking. However, savvy vacation planners know that the buck doesn’t stop here and there are many things such as one’s health, the cost of food, privacy and the overall experience that comes into play when making a lodging decision.
Consider the trade-off of staying in a hotel room vs. renting a vacation rental from a reputed company such as Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals. For arguments sake, let’s say a family of five books lodging at a standard hotel room in Vail, CO for 5 nights at $249.00 a night. Without a proper kitchen, this family will be spending at minimum $200 a day eating out (remember we’re in Vail). So the real cost of their hotel stay is closer to $500 a day. This is a large price to pay considering the sacrifices that are being made to ones diet, only to be cramped into a small space, competing for the next spot in the bathroom. Fun.
The wise consumer, who opts to stay in a professionally managed vacation rental property, receives the benefit of a fully functional kitchen, space for each family member and uncompromising privacy for under $400 a night. One $200 trip to the grocery store and a family has enough food to enjoy home cooked meals all week long in an intimate setting. For once the primary goal of quality family time isn’t lost by crowded restaurants, temptations, and the hustle and bustle of a hotel.
Any health conscientious individual can quickly weight the consequences of eating out every meal for five days. Living well shouldn’t stop because one is on vacation; vacationers’ remorse doesn’t have to come into play once back to the “real world”.
This market is saturated with competitive pricing options for vacation lodgings. But what one can’t comprise is the how the choice of lodging is responsible for the overall experience of a destination. So my advice is weigh your options, what you want to get out of your holiday and talk to a local from Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals to get you exactly where you want to be.
CSA
Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, formerly Vail Ski Vacations, is pleased to announce our expansion from 2 markets to 6 in Colorado as early as next month! These six markets include: Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, and Keystone. We will have local sales agents in each area who are intimately familiar with each vacation property in each area, as well as local/annual events, concierge services, and fun activities in the respective areas.
Owner and Founder, Tommy Z. Hoffman, sees a great opportunity in the growth of the business. These six markets produce an estimated $1 billion in vacation rentals sales annually, and Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, capturing 5% of this market, will see $50 million annually. Through the company’s exceptional guest accommodations from its local, knowledgeable, and friendly staff, along with their additional expertise and achievements in Concierge and Real Estate services, Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com projects an unprecedented growth through all of its new endeavors. Owner, Hoffman, and Director of Sales and Operations, James Bengala, have already hired locals in each of the respective markets to contribute to the growth and success of the company.
The company’s new websites in Aspen/Snowmass, Vail/Beaver Creek, and Breckenridge/Keystone will not only allow consumers to view over 5,500 properties in these six locations in the Rocky Mountains, but will also grant customers the ability to book their vacation lodging directly through RockyMountainVacationRentals.com, (the seventh and final website of the original company, vailskivacations.com) as a result of their new partnership with Instant Software, Inc. (ISI), the leader in internet accessibility to vacation rental properties worldwide. The addition of ISI’s property links and the expansion of the company indicate the ongoing evolution and growth-potential of Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com as a leading force in the vacation rental industry.
Where most vacation rental companies in Vail’s market economy suffered an estimated 20%-60% decrease in sales for the 2008-2009 year, wholesale vacation rental company, Vail Ski Vacations, experienced a 26% increase in Sales over last season. This year, Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com projects over $ 6 million in sales combined between Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge and Keystone. Once each new market generates a benchmark in sales, RockyMountainVacationRentals.com will open individual offices in each of its new locations, hiring only the most qualified and experienced local sales agents to work in conjunction with nearly every property management company, hotel, and privately-owned vacation rental home in the area, making RockyMountainVacationRentals.com the only third-party wholesale vacation rental company in Colorado operating on a local level.
RockyMountainVacationRentals.com and GuestStream Internet Marketing Solutions have teamed up in a strategic partnership to develop the new RockyMountainVacationRentals.com website for Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, and Keystone. GuestStream are website designers that are in the process of creating the most dynamic websites for Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals to ensure the highest Return on Investment for a new online, real time, booking website at the local level. The staff at GuestStream is highly qualified and experienced in the production of top sales through the most proficient tactics for search engine optimization to help RockyMountainVacationRentals.com increase their markets, consumers, sales, and popularity as one of the leaders in the ski tourism and vacation planning industries.
By January 01, 2010, Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com foresees an expansion to an additional 10 ski markets and 3 coastal markets with local sales agents in each area. These sales agents will have entrepreneurial mindsets to help build each regional section of the company from the ground-up. RockyMountainVacationRentals.com anticipates a presence in over 100 markets by 2015, an enlargement that will delegate the company as the one-stop shop for booking vacation rentals nationwide. The ISI property link on each website provides real-time, live availability and immediate online access to the thousands of properties that have partnered up with Instant Software, along with the most extensive list of local property management companies, to offer unbiased reviews on the available properties in each area. Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com is not a property management company, but rather a third-party intermediary vacation rental planning company that works exclusively with both the customers and the property providers to best accommodate their individual clients.
Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com is the one and only third-party intermediary lodging provider and concierge service that operates on a local level to give consumers the most comprehensive look at vacation rentals. Their goal is to ensure that each client walks away with the ideal vacation from start to finish, including dining reservations, family activities (anything from horseback riding to white-water rafting), ski-lift tickets, and even wine delivery services! No task is too great for the local specialists at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, which is why their expansion to four new markets in Colorado will heighten the nationwide standards of the vacation rental industry.
What better way to celebrate our country’s independence than watching the nation’s best atheletes compete in a little contact sport? The 37th annual Vail Lacrosse Shootout is already underway and will continue to thrill Vail Valley residents through the 5th of July. The weather is perfect, the competition is fierce and the stakes are high as America’s top lacrosse players show off their talent in the Vail Shootout. Touted as one of the premier lacrosse tournaments nationwide, the Vail Shootout hosts nearly 100 men’s and women’s team from all over the United States. The best of the best—including legends Gary and Paul Gait, the Powell brothers, and two players from Syracuse’s national championship team—always jump at the opportunity to play lacrosse in one of the most beautiful settings the US has to offer. While games will take place all day throughout the week, the men’s and women’s elite championship games will be held on July 5th at Ford Field. Come and enjoy the fun, and let Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals be your resource for the most affordable lodging in the valley. We offer properties for families of all sizes. Check out our website at Vailskivacations.com and come celebrate the 4th of July with us in Vail!
The Vail Shootout is just one of the many events taking place in Vail this summer. In fact, if lacrosse doesn’t interest you, there are certainly other attractions that will suit your preferences. The Vail community also hosts a variety of music festivals and other sporting events throughout the summer. However, what we all need is a little vacation and Vail is the perfect place to relax, kick back and enjoy the Colorado Mountains. 
The Four Seasons will open its first resort in Colorado in late 2009, just in time for next season’s ski year! The Vail location will be called “The Four Seasons Residence Club Vail”, and will offer both fractional and whole ownership residences along with 121 hotel rooms.
The Four Seasons at the base of Vail Mountain will be an intimate ambiance and size, with just 16 properties available for full-ownership, and 19 properties available for fractional-ownership, only 10 of which are still available for sale.
Call Vail Ski Vacations.com –soon to be Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.com–at (970)-477-1777 today to request information about this once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity for you and your family! Fractional properties are deeded interests, so you can will them down to your family members, ensuring the property to be a special part of your family’s heritage for years and years to come. They are also fully kept up by a property management and housekeeping team, as one of the highest points of concern for the Four Seasons Residence Club Vail is the refined elegance and utmost sophistication of each of its properties.
Four Seasons Marketing and Project Manager, Christa Johnson, says, “We’ve wanted to have a presence in Vail for a long time because of the area’s deep bond with true ski culture”, and we at Vail Ski Vacations.com predict an infinite continuation of the “true ski culture” Johnston described as more and more Luxury Hotels and Properties provide lodging options for our most adamant Colorado skiers.
Over the last two years, Vail has transformed into a mountain town of raw, inspired elegance and sophistication, while maintaining its rugged and natural Colorado foundations. The Four Seasons Residence Club Vail will add to Vail’s rustic yet refined atmosphere, and is a smart investment for those interested in an affordable way to invest without an over-the-top, second mortgage.
Let VailSkiVacations.com be your guide to the perfect vacation or the perfect real estate investment by calling our friendly, knowledgeable, local lodging consultants to get professional help and local insight on the greatest properties in Vail and Beaver Creek, and, COMING SOON, properties in Aspen, Snowmass, Breckenridge, and Keystone! 

VailSkiVacations.com–soon to be RockyMountainVacationRentals.com–is fully up and running this summer and offering available premiere lodging in the Vail/Beaver Creek areas. Local Coloradans believe the saying, “You move here for the winter, but you stay here for the summer”! If you’ve never enjoyed a Rocky Mountain Summer, then visit our website today at www.vailskivacations.com or call our office @ 970-477-1777 to book a summer lodge with one of our local specialists!
Vail is becoming an increasingly popular summer destination for outdoor adventure gurus from around the world. The small town of about 4,500 people is surrounded by White River National Forest and divided by the Colorado River, where you will often find people relaxing on tubes, fishing, kayaking, and more! Vail is also a great place for camping trips and hiking, with popular wilderness area, Mount of the Holy Cross (at 14,005 feet!), just 14 miles away from Vail Mountain. The town’s population drops dramatically in the summer, so you don’t get the sensation that we’re a “tourist trap” destination when you stay here. Bars and nightclubs are filled with regulars. Art Exhibitions and Music Festivals liven up the Village. From the time you wake up ’til the time you go to sleep, Vail summers offer constant activities that will have you falling in love with our mountaintown before it’s time to go home.
…Who knows? Maybe you’ll come for the summer and just end up moving here, like we did.
Vail summer activities are fun for the whole family! Nova Guides is one of the premiere outdoor recreation companys that has been servicing Vail and the surrounding areas for over 20 years. You can enjoy Whitewater Rafting activities in many locations around Vail, from the lower Eagle River, to Brown’s Canyon of the Arkansas River, to the Shoshone rapids and Gore Canyon of the Colorado River! Whether you’re new to rafting or have class V rapids training, Nova Guides will take care of you and your family and give you a trip to remember! Visit NovaGuides.com to set up your family adventure packages, including Jeep & Hummer Tours, ATV Tours, Guided Fishing, Mountain Biking, Paintballing, Hiking trips, and more!!
The Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival from July 1st-August 4th is an annual summer tradition that helps make our mountains come alive with world-class orchestras, soloists, and venues! Summers in Vail aren’t just about outdoor sports; we are filled with culturally innovative and inspiring events such as this one that continues to generate dynamism and widespread, communal awareness. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to listen to superlative music in an exceptional setting. Visit the Vail Music Festival’s website to purchase your tickets at www.vailmusicfestival.org, and don’t forget to book your lodging TODAY for the festival directly with our local sales agents at vailskivacations.com !!!
What are you waiting for? We know you can hardly wait to enjoy your summer vacation here in the Valley with us. Once you book your luxury lodging rental, we encourage you to take advantage of our premium concierge services that will take care of planning all of your activities, events, dining, and more before you even arrive. Make this summer an exciting one for you and your family! Hop in the car and drive to the Rockies, and experience what it feels like to come alive.
Never satisfied with remaining static, or complacent in this economy, VailSkiVacations.com and VailBeaverCreekLuxuryProperties.com are now expanding to encompass the Denver and Front Range. This alluring market is void of a company that operates in our manner, and as such we made a calculated decision to expand operations. Our expansion to Denver will be formulated under two subsidiaries, each offering outstanding customer service and a functional business model that enhances customer relationships.
Similar to our Vail Valley operations, LuxuryRentalsofDenver.com and LuxuryPropertiesofDenver.com will feature high end properties that are available for rent or for sale on the market. Differentiating our company from our competition is certainly critical, and easily accomplished with our innovative business model. Because our company operates as a hybrid of a travel agent and a property management company we have access to a large, diverse inventory of the area’s best properties.

This unprecedented access to booking a wide array of rentals ensures we offer highly competitive prices while matching you and your preferences to the perfect accommodations. Independence from owning properties guarantees we present an unbiased practice to finding you lodging, resulting in better customer service and a great selection of properties.
Please check out our new websites for LuxuryRentalsofDenver.com and DenverLuxuryProperties.com to view our inventory and other information about this exciting market expansion!
In true hybrid nature VailSkiVacations.com combines the most promising traits of property management companies with those of travel agents. The end result is a new, innovative business that can provide customers with better customer service through our employee’s ability to utilize a large inventory of competitively priced accommodations. Unlike property management companies which are restricted to booking their properties, VailSkiVacations.com is free of such constraints. This ensures an unbiased approach when helping our guests!
Our company employs a staff of Vail locals which guarantees you’ll be working with knowledgeable employees, this benefits you as we have experience matching guests with the perfect lodging in the Vail Valley. Understanding what will please our guests lets us provide you with lodging options custom tailored to your preferences. Intrigued? Call 1-877-411-8245 or visit our website to learn more.
This business plan has now been developed in the Denver market, our two subsidiaries focus on luxury rentals and properties in Denver with the same attention to customer service that defines VailSkiVacations.com. Denver’s real estate market hasn’t been serviced in an efficient and caring manner for years, and as such LuxuryPropertiesofDenver.com and LuxuryRentalsofDenver.com look to establish new standards.
Just wanted to send out an alert that beautiful, fresh snow is pounding Vail and Beaver Creek right now! With a reported 12 inches in the last 48 hours, and another 3-5 inches expected today, now is a great time to get to Vail.
Even if you can’t make it to Vail for the next few incredible days, feel confident that the season is roaring at full swing now with over 6 feet of snow in January. Vail has a great base, tons of new snow, a fully operating terrain park and so much more to offer you!

Staff member Graham Swalling gets deep
All of us at VailSkiVacations.com are confident you’ll enjoy your Vail vacation, but we’re also here to assist you. With a well rounded, educated, local staff our company aids you in booking accommodations by not only doing the research and work for you…..but offering the best selection and prices in the Vail Valley. As such we guarantee satisfaction.
If you’re traveling through Denver and would like to check out our wonderful capital look no farther than LuxuryRentalsofDenver.com or LuxuryPropertiesofDenver.com.