In case you have forgotten that page in American history, witch-hunting hysteria reached its peak in the US in 1692, in the city of Salem, MA. About 20 people—men as well as women—living in the area around Salem were either hanged or stoned as witches, while hundreds of others were imprisoned, suspected of witchcraft.
I presume the only witches you will run into today in that charming corner of New England will be wearing costumes and face paint and thrusting out open bags or plastic pumpkins, demanding treats. The fact is, any day of the year is a fun time to visit Salem; the city has done an excellent job turning it’s illustrious past into tourism dollars. But if you ever have the chance to spend Halloween (or any time in October) in Salem, you are in for a special treat.
From candlelight ghost tours to nightly cemetery visits, the city of Salem pulls out all the stops to celebrate a haunted Halloween.
And for taking advantage of one of the best Halloween celebrations in the country, a Boston timeshare is the perfect unhaunted place to relax.
San Diego Fires and Status at Resorts and Timeshares
Continuing with our updates from last week on California timeshare resorts and hotels, I’d like to share the following items with you.
SeaWorld San Diego and Legoland, both of which closed last week, reopened on Friday. Hotels and timeshare resorts in the central part of San Diego (near the Convention Center) were never in danger from the fires. Carol Wallace president and CEO of the San Diego Convention Center Corp., was quoted in Travel Weekly as saying, “We are open for business despite the challenges posed by these devastating fires.”
Likewise, it was not necessary to close the world-famous San Diego Zoo, and the animals were never threatened by the fires. The Wild Animal Park in San Pasqual Valley did not fare as well, losing some 600 acres of their big game grazing area in the Witch Creek fire, but the animals remained safe, as many had been relocated in a precautionary measure.
Based on their locations, Carlsbad timeshares and Solana Beach timeshares should have escaped the fires, however they have no doubt had to deal with smoke and ash fallout. If you own timeshare at Grand Pacific Palisades Timeshare Resort, Carlsbad Inn Beach Timeshare Resort, Tamarack Beach Timeshare Resort, or Carlsbad Seapointe Timeshare Resort, these properties have reported that they are undamaged. The Welk Resort in San Diego was evacuated, but was scheduled to reopen for business by Saturday, Oct. 27. Their online booking system remains down.
For specific information about any California timeshare resorts, you should call to check their status. While most have escaped the fires, some resorts have been closed because they are in a mandatory evacuation area, or because they currently lack electricity or water service. Other timeshare resorts are being used as housing areas for evacuees or emergency personnel. Contact your timeshare resort directly, or call 877-477-7368 for general information about hotel and resorts in the San Diego area.
Two websites, in addition to those we published on Friday, may also be helpful:
Before I close, I want to also remind you of the same message I sent following Hurricane Katrina. Loss of property is painful and heartbreaking, but loss of income devastates individuals and families in even more destructive ways. Millions of people in California earn their livelihoods at businesses that rely heavily on tourist dollars. One of the best ways to help in the post-fire recovery, is to move forward with plans you have for a California trip or vacation. The state of California is, in fact, still open for business; let’s not leave them high and dry at a time when they need us most.
Great job Timeshare Perspective! Your magazine is barely 2 years old yet you have already carved out your spot in the world of timesharing with your fabulous layout, timely news, and reliable content.
Timeshare Perspective Magazine has grown from 300 subscribers in 2005, to more than 5,000 subscribers today, with thousands more people reading the magazine online. But according to Paul Mattimoe, president and CEO of Perspective International Ltd., “This is only the beginning…”
Sharon Mattimoe, co-creator of the magazine and chief operations officer says, “We know our regular advertisers like what we do, but to have a large proportion of the European Industry also vote for us, lets us know that we are on the right track for the future and delivering what we set out to deliver-a credible independently global B2B industry magazine.”
Congratulations from all of us at Sell My Timeshare NOW and the Timeshare Owners Blog.
Most of us assume the rule of thumb for tipping in the US is 15 percent of our restaurant tab, one or two dollars per bag for luggage, and whatever is left over in bills and change when the pizza is delivered to our front door. Beyond that, the guidelines are fuzzy. How much do we tip other delivery people? Doormen? Hairdressers? And who has any idea about the proper protocol for leaving tips at timeshare resorts?
After reading an interesting article on tipping in Forbes Traveler, I learned the following:
For taxis in South America, it is sufficient to round up to the next dollar. In Africa, 10 percent is the standard tip for a taxi driver, while in India, taxi drivers receive no tips at all.
In Japan, tipping anyone, even the restaurant staff, is considered rude and offensive. But in China, 3 percent is the norm and in Hong Kong, 10 to 15 percent is standard, unless the tip is already included in your bill.
In most parts of Europe, the tip for restaurant service is built into the bill, but you are still expected to leave 5 to 10 percent on top of that.
But after realizing how different tipping standards can be for various services and from one country to the next, I began to do more research on what is standard, at least in the US, for tipping at timeshare resorts.
When and How Much are Timeshare Owners Tipping?
Many timeshare owners say they never leave tips for the maid service at their timeshare resort. They feel that, as timeshare owners, they are already paying for housekeeping, especially at a resort that does not offer daily cleaning service. This is certainly a valid way of looking at the issue of tipping during a timeshare vacation, and I don’t think anyone ever got kicked out of their timeshare for failing to leave the maid a tip.
On the other hand, numerous timeshare owners say they always tip. Comments we found included: “we always tip,” and “we tip according to the service”. And while daily or mid-week cleaning services may not be standard, many timeshare owners pointed out instances where the housekeeping staff made sure they were well stocked with supplies, such as coffee and bath towels—attention these timeshare owners felt merited a good tip and created motivation for tipping at timeshares.
You can’t assume that timeshare resorts in other countries operate the way they do in the US. A member of a prominent online timeshare forum recently reported that he was told at Hacienda Del Mar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the resort charges $4 (US dollars) per day as a housekeeping fee, but the money only covers uniforms and that the maids are paid in tips, but no salaries.
Some timeshare owners say they leave $3 to $5 per day if the timeshare provides daily cleaning services. Other timeshare owners leave $30 to $50 at the end of a one-week timeshare vacation. But as many timeshare owners mentioned, the maid service may be different from day to day. If you wait until the end of the week to tip for maid service at your timeshare resort, your gratuity may not wind up in the hands of the person who actually did the work.
Guidelines for Tipping at Timeshares
So with all of those different perspectives, here are the best tips I found overall for leaving tips during your timeshare vacation:
If you have daily maid service at your timeshare, you probably should consider leaving a tip.
Tipping is customary in most European timeshares.
If you ask for special services, be prepared to say “thank you” with a tip.
And here’s the best tip of all: consider leaving a generous tip at the beginning of your timeshare vacation. It’s a great way to inspire people to give you lots of good service and help make your timeshare vacation especially pleasant.
The Timeshare Authoritywould love to hear what you personal policy is on leaving tips for the housekeeping staff at your timeshare resort. You are always welcome to leave your comments here on our blog, or to visit us at SellMyTimeshareNOW.com onFacebook and start a discussion there.
