timeshare blog

Each year, Send Me On Vacation plans an annual getaway experience to help provide much-needed vacations to women who have undergone cancer treatment. The beautiful Maui vacation resort, Lumeria Maui Resort and Spa in Makawao, Hawaii, will be the site of this year’s annual event.

The Lumeria Maui Resort and Spa, was originally built in 1909, and carefully restored in 2011 as a retreat destination for nurturing the body, mind, and spirit—making it an ideal representation of the Send Me On Vacation mission. Targeting women who are cancer survivors and whose lives have been changed by the cost of treatments and the physical and emotional trauma of battling cancer, Send Me On Vacation uses these retreat experiences to spread the message and raise support for its cause.

You can be part of this year’s event, raising funds and awareness for Send Me On Vacation, while enjoying the beauty and serenity of the six-acre resort, situated on the slopes of Haleakala. Scheduled for November 1-5, 2013, special pricing to be part of the experience is $699 per person double occupancy, with a single occupancy rate of $1,359. This includes your 5-star accommodations, breakfast, yoga classes, and a special Send Me On Vacation event dinner. A Charity Golf Tournament will be held on November 3, and is sponsored by Chicago Title. Entry fee for the tournament is $150.

To reserve your room and golf, call Lumeria Maui toll-free at 855-579-8877 and request the Send Me On Vacation Event package, booking code SMOV. Additional room nights are available at the special SMOV rate.

An Introduction to Lumeria Maui with Xorin Balbes from Lumeria maui on Vimeo.

The life and culture of Hawaii is one of many stories being told this summer at the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which means you can actually explore Hawaii during a Washington DC vacation.

Beginning June 26 and running through June 30, and again on July 3 through 7, the language, dance, and music of Hawaii will be part of the international cultural events, displays, and demonstrations in the spotlight at the Smithsonian. The festival includes international performers, artists, crafts people, storytellers, and other cultural practitioners. The Hawaii delegation will include kumu hula (hula teachers) and dancers, Hawaiian musicians and singers, a Niihau shell lei maker and Hawaiian language experts. Here is the full schedule for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

To be exhibited on the Mall outside the Smithsonian, the culture of Hawaii is being celebrated along with that of Poland, Wales, Hungary, Bolivia and other countries or regions with indigenous languages that are in danger of disappearing. Festival hours are 11 AM to 5:30 PM with special events planned for most evenings.

Events will include a Hawaiian chant demonstration following the Festival’s opening ceremony (noon, June 26), a Hawaiian music and dance concert (6 p.m., June 27) and music and dance performances on multiple dates throughout the Festival.

Tips for a Washington DC Vacation

• Our nation’s capitol can be very hot and humid in summer months, with many of the monuments and displays you want to see outdoors. Dress for the heat, plan for drinking plenty of liquids, and be prepared for summer thundershowers.
• Do not overlook the many, many free activities a Washington DC vacation can include. These will stretch your vacation budget while enriching your vacation experience.
• No city in the world offers more activities and displays that accommodate visitors with special needs than does Washington DC. A few minutes spent online before your trip can help you with your planning. For the Smithsonian Institute, visit si.edu/accessibility.
• Don’t plan to drive and park within the city—there are simply not enough parking spaces and parking lots to accommodate the city’s many visitors, during any season. Washington DC’s Metrorail is a very accommodating way to get around, with the Smithsonian station (Mall exit), the Federal Triangle and the National Archives stations convenient to many of the monuments and museums.
• Many people planning a Washington DC vacation are surprised to learn that Washington DC timeshares and Alexandria, Virginia timeshares are excellent places for accommodations during your trip. Wyndham National Harbor and the Wyndham Old Town Virginia are two to consider.

And of course, to explore Hawaii’s rich cultural heritage best, you will want to plan a Hawaii timeshare vacation. 

We love sharing news about timeshare and vacation ownership contests where someone (maybe you) has the chance to win a fabulous vacation, and this new contest is no exception. Diamond Resorts International® (Diamond timeshare) has launched the Great Escape Sweepstakes, in which one lucky winner will win an amazing timeshare holiday, valued up to $25,000.

With the chance to enjoy an all-expense paid, spectacular two-week adventure for two at the winner’s choice of one of more than 300 Diamond timeshare properties or one of more than 200 other mini vacations, Diamond Resorts timeshare really is creating opportunities for you to enjoy your dream timeshare holiday.

To be eligible to win, you must describe your personal “Great Escape.” Your submission is due at www.DiamondResorts.com by 11:59 PM PDT on July 30, 2013. If selected, you’ll be working with Diamond Resorts International® who will collaborate with you to ensure that the vacation you win truly is the timeshare getaway of your dreams.

In addition to the Grand Prize dream timeshare holiday, 250 Second Prize winners will receive a 3-day/2 night mini-vacation at a Diamond Resorts location within the United States.  There is no purchase necessary to win this contest, however it is void where prohibited by law.  Open to legal US residents (except those residing in AK, FL, ID, NE, NJ, NY or WV) who are 18 years of age or older. Complete rules available at  the Diamond Resorts website.

The exclusive resort finance (timeshare financing) lending correspondent for Liberty Bank, Wellington Financial, has closed its $65 million loan to Westgate Resorts timeshare.

Westgate Resorts CFO Tom Dugan explains, “Westgate has had a long-term relationship with Liberty through the bank’s participation in various transactions over the years. We are delighted to enter into a direct lending relationship with them and look forward to a successful, long-term association together.”

Liberty Bank is recognized in the timeshare and vacation ownership industry for having supported timeshare initiatives for over 30 years. Actively lending to timeshare companies, Liberty Bank is enthusiastic about its continuing relationship with Westgate Resorts timeshare. Liberty Bank VP of Resort Finance, David Brede, says, “We are confident in their senior management team’s ability to continue to be a successful company and an industry leader.”

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank is the oldest mutual bank in Connecticut, the company’s headquarters.

Other news of Liberty Bank’s presence in the vacation ownership industry and timeshare financing: 

• Liberty Bank Renews Financing for Bluegreen Timeshare
• King’s Creek Plantation Timeshare Enters Financing Deal with Liberty Bank
• Silver Lake Resort Timeshare Receives Renewed Loan from Liberty Bank