European Timeshare

For several months, I have been writing updates on Donald Trump’s progress (and lack of progress) in building a luxury golf resort with a hotel and timeshare units near Aberdeen, Scotland.

Trump’s project has faced multiple stumbling blocks, not the least of which has been a Scots farmer, who stalwartly refuses to sell his farmland to the Trump organization. Other objections have included the environmental impact the resort will have on native grasses and wildlife, on the coastline ecosystem, and on the peaceful lifestyle the area’s residents currently enjoy.

If Donald Trump has his way, the Trump organization will build a five-star hotel, two golf courses, approximately 500 luxury homes, and nearly 1000 timeshare units, five miles north of Aberdeen. Trump’s plan is to create a golf mecca to honor his mother, who was born on Scotland’s Isle of Lewis.

On November 20, the Aberdeenshire Council Formartine Area Committee met for nearly three hours, again hashing out the pros and cons of permitting the construction of Trump’s resort and timeshare units. Although the committee eventually issued approval of the plans, (voting 7-4 in favor of the golf resort) ministers of the Scottish government still have the option to halt the development at any point along the way.

The UK Daily Record reports that opponents of the resort and timeshare development call it a “gated community for the super-rich” and that opponents fear it will ruin the coastline. Supporters say the hotel, golf course, and timeshare units will create 6000 much needed jobs.

Donald Trump claims that approval by the Aberdeenshire committee is “a tremendous victory.” But an environmental activist group, known as Sustainable Aberdeenshire, plans to continue its fight against the golf resort and timeshare units. They claim that the project’s application is “legally flawed” (according to The Scotsman) and make further claims that Trump’s implied promise of attracting the British Open to the course will never happen. Climatic conditions along the coastline periodically result in blinding fog that, although infrequent, happens often enough that the threat of heavy fog is sure to scare away planners of such a prestigious and significant golf event.

Something tells me the controversy around this hotel and timeshare units is far from over, so expect me to keep passing along updates as they come my way. Be sure to also read our Timeshare Owners Blog tomorrow, when I’ll be writing a related post about one of the few times that someone has pulled one over on Donald Trump.

Other Options for Scotland Timeshare Resales:

• Cameron House
• Edinburgh Residence
• Great Glen Water Park Club
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge and Hilton Craigendarroch
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club
• Moness Country Club
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club

It’s Monday, and for many people it is the first day back at work after a long holiday weekend that probably involved overeating, too much football (hey, maybe there’s no such thing as too much football), and perhaps too much time with relatives and in-laws.

I thought you’d appreciate something on the lighter side.

Last month Travelodge UK published the results of a study they did that involved guests in 310 Travelodge Hotels. The study, conducted by OnePoll in July of 2007, involved 3000 British adults and here’s what it found.

The number of hotel guests who sleepwalk has increased sevenfold over the past year, and 95 percent of the sleepwalkers have been male and nude!

I can honestly say, it has never really occurred to me that a measurable number of hotel guests sleepwalk, such that they leave their (presumably locked) hotel room and wander into the corridors or lobby. Nor has it ever occurred to me that so many Brits don’t own pajamas.

The study went on to say that, the sleepwalkers often asked the hotel desk clerks one of the following questions:

• Where is the bathroom?
• Can I check out, as I am late for work?
• Do you have a copy of today’s paper?

After over 400 incidents of sleepwalking in their hotels this past year, with over 360 of those being by nude hotel guests, Travelodge has issued a training memo to employees on handling the matter, including advice to keep a stock of towels in the reception area to preserve guest’s dignity.

Sleep expert Chris Idzikowski, from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre says: “Sleepwalking is a serious disorder that can develop for a variety of reasons. It can be triggered by a stressful lifestyle, sleep deprivation, alcohol abuse or not breathing properly during the night.”

Now, aren’t you glad you read the Timeshare Owners Blog today?

You’ve had a good laugh. You have an interesting bit of information to share with your coworkers, and most importantly, you will never again spend a night in a hotel, motel or timeshare resort without your pajamas.

And for more information on great timeshare resorts where you can enjoy a good night’s sleep, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW and learn about the excellent opportunities in timeshare resales and timeshare rentals.

When the 2009 British Open is played at Turnberry Golf Course, it will no longer be a Westin resort property under the ownership of Starwood Hotel and Timeshare Resorts.

Starwood has announced that they are selling the resort, which include the 219-room luxury five-star hotel. A spokesperson for the Starwood Hotel and Timeshare Resorts said in an interview earlier this month, “In line with Starwood’s asset strategy, the Westin Turnberry Resort, Aryshire, has taken the decision to resource an investment partner to realize the development potential of the resort, where there are 300 acres of undeveloped land.”

…hmmmm…300 acres could mean a lot of space for a timeshare resort and fractional ownership property.

Hotels Magazine quoted legendary European Tour golfer, Colin Montgomerie as describing Turnberry golf course as, “one of the best in the world”.

The links at Turnberry have been the site of three previous British Open tournaments: 1994, when Nick Price won there; 1986 when Greg Norman took home the Claret Jug, and in 1977 when Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus battled in the legendary Duel in the Sun, in which Watson eventually claimed the win.

PGA Tour winner Bobby Cole says, “The weather that year during the 1977 Open was atypically mild for a British Open. Watson and Nicklaus were so far ahead of the rest of us in the fourth round, that it was as if they played their own tournament and the rest of us were only playing for third place. The Americans played very well that year. Tommy Horton, a British golfer was the only person to finish in the top twelve spots who wasn’t an American.”

Bobby Cole, who has worn our logo at Sell My Timeshare NOW, when he competes, finished T15 in the 1977 Open at Turnberry.

Starwood Hotels are looking for an outside investor to buy the property and fund a multimillion pound development program, with an asking price of £100 million (GBP), which is more than 200 million US dollars.

I’m just wondering if the new owners can have a timeshare resort completed at Turnberry in time for the 2009 Open.

Just an afterthought: Isn’t it a strange irony that the same time the Turnberry Golf Resort was going on the market for hundreds of millions, Xbox was making the Turnberry Golf Resort a free download for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08. It seems that gamers were complaining they didn’t want to give up Microsoft Points in order to get it.

Other great Scotland timeshare resorts and Scotland timeshare resales:

• Scandinavian Village Timeshare Resale
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club Timeshare Resale
• Moness Country Club Timeshare Resale
• Edinburgh Residence Timeshare Resale
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Craigendarroch
• Great Glen Water Park Club Timeshare Resale
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club Timeshare Resale
• Cameron House Timeshare Resale

And here’s one of the most charming YouTube videos about the British Open, Nike’s own special version of Tiger Woods wining at St. Andrews.

Right now, it seems as if one lone Scotsman is standing between Donald Trump and his plan to build Trump International Golf Links.

This past June, (June 11,12, The Timeshare Owners Blog) I wrote about Trump’s plan to develop approximately 1000 acres with two championship golf courses, a 450-room luxury hotel, between 500 and 1000 timeshare villas or vacation residences, a golf academy, and perhaps even a turf grass research center. The project is an enormous undertaking (the only kind the Donald seems to get involved with) and could bring many benefits in the form of jobs for area residents and tourist dollars into the local economy of the coastal farming area near Aberdeen, Scotland.

But problems that have ranged from environmental issues, to permitting, to securing the land, have now delayed construction on the golf resort and timeshare villas by more than a year.

The most recent thorn in the side of the Trump Organization is a farmer and fisherman by the name of Michael Forbes, who owns roughly 23 acres of land that Trump would like to own in order to move the project forward. Forbes, who was quoted in NY Daily News as saying that the land had been in his family for generations and would never be sold to someone like Donald Trump, has now become a target for Trump’s vocalizations. Trump has been very outspoken with his claims that the farm’s appearance is “disgusting” and that Forbes is just trying to “raise the stakes”.

So move over, Rosie O’Donnell, it looks like you may have to share the Trump hot seat with Mr. Forbes, at least for a while.

In the meantime, there’s nothing to stop you from enjoying a Scotland timeshare vacation in a great timeshare resale or timeshare rental.

• Cameron House
• Edinburgh Residence
• Great Glen Water Park Club
• Hilton International Grand Vacations at Hilton Coylumbridge and Hilton Craigendarroch
• Loch Rannoch Highland Club
• Moness Country Club
• Sunterra Resort Kenmore Club