Linda Hadfield
28/08/08
Merseyside
Well, there we were at home when we received a letter inviting us to go to a presentation about timeshare. “What?” we thought, “We have heard about them and they’re not very good. But let’s see what it’s all about.”
That was 19 years ago. We looked, we saw and we liked the idea so we bought one week, a red week, at Club La Costa at their Las Farolas site in Spain. As we had not seen it, ‘in the flesh’ if you like, we were a bit apprehensive about what we had actually bought. But, as soon as we arrived, we knew we were right and it has changed our way of taking holidays, and all for the good.
As the years went by, we bought another week then changed to the points system, adding a few more as we went along. It gave us more flexibility and many more holidays, having now become Diamond members.
We have been to different countries and enjoyed them all. Earlier this year we went to Tenerife and I have just returned from the Duchally Country Estate in Scotland – top class accommodation and somewhere we would not have thought about all those years ago. We took friends on holiday and they were so impressed that they also bought and they are now enjoying timeshare holidays for themselves.
When asked how we can go to all those different places and so many times in a year, we say that timeshare is not what is was reported to be, but an excellent way of taking holidays for life, meeting new people, seeing others we have met before and always, wherever we go, the staff are friendly, polite and helpful. What more can I say? Try it – you will be surprised!
L Hadfield
Kagan Petrova family
12th January 2009
We have been members of Club La Costa since 1996. During all these years, we have visited many countries, using the Club system. We have been 7 times only to our own Club La Costa and enjoyed it at all times.
Several times we went on holiday together with our friends, who were amazed by the level of services offered and the highly professional club personnel. In 2008 we booked our holiday, but could not go ourselves, so our friends stayed there without us. They have got unforgettable memories about that holiday.
It is a beautiful opportunity to combine a luxury beach holiday together with trips around sunny Andalusia. Where else is it possible for us, people from a northern country, to swim in a warm clean sea and to see with our own eyes fantastic Granada and Seville, which will stay in our heart forever, Ronda and Tarifa, beautiful mountain villages, blue sea and sky.
How can we forget the taste of wine and fried sardines, delicious hams, the Fuengirola embankment, with loads of restaurants and soul breaking flamenco rhythms.
It is unforgettable feelings of a constant holiday, which are with you in the caves of Nerja and the gardens of the Generalife. These feelings are enhanced by the tremendous atmosphere of the club, the beautiful landscapes and even the little tourist train.
When we meet our friends, they ask us one and the same question all the time' When are we going again?'
Thank you Club La Costa.
Kagan-Petrova family.
Ekaterinburg, Russia
Mrs. Joan Pickbourne
Club La Costa Holidays
Since moving to France almost 3 years ago, we have celebrated my husband’s birthday in March with a week at Marina Baie des Anges, near Nice. What a beautiful resort this is. The Marina is a delight to the eye and the location is so convenient for exploring the Cote d’Azur in both directions. We particularly enjoy spending an afternoon in Menton shopping in the old town where you can buy soap for gardeners and cooks as well as the more usual perfumed varieties. Well worth visiting is the spectacular Grand Canyon du Verdon near Castellane. We encountered sun, rain, mist and snow all in one day!
Having the car meant that we could follow the three corniches – the scenic roads between Nice and Monaca – and Eze village with its Jardin Éxotique. Monaco is not the easiest place to drive around as most residents use two wheels – the number of motorbikes and scooters has to be seen to be believed. For lovers of the Grand Prix who can arrange a trip to Monaco a week before the race, it is possible to drive around the actual circuit, all set up like we see it on TV. We did it in a Vauxhall – not as exciting as a Ferrari, but good fun all the same! If you don’t have a car take a bus along the three corniches. The views are just as good if you are able to sit on the right side of the bus.
Last year we found a small Italian restaurant, La Toscana, in Cannes, full of local people at midday – always a good sign in France. We had a delicious lunch and plan to go there again.
We were disappointed when we could not get an apartment at Marina Baie des Anges this year. We were offered an apartment at Malibu Village instead. On a previous visit the resort was very busy but this time we were just a small group of English speakers. At the welcome party we were given a slide show of the surrounding area by our tour guide, Guy. A day trip to Carcassonne, a UNESCO world heritage site, and an afternoon in the medieval quarter of Perpignan sounded interesting, so we signed up for these. Guy turned out to be the best tour guide we have ever had anywhere. A mine of information, there seemed no end to his knowledge of medieval history, art, military architecture and warfare etc. Fluent in several languages, communication was no problem, although at Carcassonne he couldn’t remember the English term ‘arrow-slit’! We forgave him for that, however, when he took us to a reasonably priced restaurant where I ordered a home-made cassoulet which was delicious. (Cassoulet is a local dish consisting of a bean stew with duck and Toulouse sausages, but every cook has his or her own recipe.)
Our afternoon in Perpignan rounded off the week very nicely as it included a visit to the palace of the kings of Majorca. We learned a great deal about the palace and life in medieval times. Guy explained that he was a qualified French national guide, which enables him to work anywhere in France. We regard him as a qualified national treasure!
Architecture is one of our interests, so on our two visits to Duchally Country Estate, another superbly appointed resort, we spent some time I Glasgow visiting the School of Art, the Willow Tea Rooms and other buildings designed by the Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. At the church at Queen’s Cross, now the headquarters of the Mackintosh Society, we bought a book ‘Rennie Mackintosh in France,’ and from it learned that he had spent some time in Port Vendres where he had painted a number of water colours of the town and surrounding area. Port Vendres is not far from Malibu, so we had great fun following the Mackintosh trail, taking photographs in the places where CRM had painted his pictures almost 100 years before. The locations are all marked with a plaque. My husband particularly likes his painting of the port. Now framed, the print has pride of place in our sitting room.
No visit to the Roussillon would be complete without a visit to a vineyard. The Chateau de l’Esparrou close to Malibu has a wonderful selection of wines on offer.
Once upon a time I used to envy my sister her 2 weeks’ timeshare in Tenerife. Not any more. The Club La Costa points system enables us to travel to different places at any time of the year. We and our family have had some wonderful holidays. We have yet to sample the new resorts in France. That is something else to look forward to for next summer.
John & Judith Adderley
Wedding Celebration
Club La Costa , Sunningdale
We would like to share a rather extra-special Club La Costa holiday experience my husband and I enjoyed at Sunningdale Village in Tenerife earlier this year. As erstwhile long-time owners there, we were glad to join Club La Costa when the company bought Sunningdale some seven years ago and have frequently added to our points holding on subsequent visits.
Over the years we have made many good friends there among both guests and sales team, as well as with the staff of super folk who are committed to making Sunningdale a very special and welcoming resort in the Club La Costa portfolio…and indeed, among the I.I and R.C.I. inventory too, I believe.
It was during our usual pre-Christmas one month stay in 2007 thatour good friend Terry Foulkes, in the CLC Sales team, and her fiancé Alan Tink announced their plans for a May wedding in 2008, and invited me to conduct their marriage celebration ceremony. This was a huge honour and, in February we flew to Sunningdale to plan and to write the wedding service just as the bride and groom most wanted, and to arrange to accommodate their families and close friends for a celebration holiday – thanks to our Diamond holding of Club La Costa points!
On April 1st we acted as witnesses to Terry and Alan for their civil marriage ceremony in Gibraltar, after which they enjoyed a welcome break (again using our Club La Costa points) savouring the very best of luxury in one of the Santa Cruz Suites. Special thanks are due to Leah, Christine and the team in Central Reservations for their help in arranging this and all the later wedding accommodation, and for extra ‘TLC’ that made the honeymoon stay extra special.
Finally, as the week of the wedding celebration arrived, family and friends from all parts of the UK (26 in all) arrived in Tenerife to experience the feel-good factor of a special Sunningdale welcome. Flight delays meant that Alan’s plans for a get-together dinner at Zachary’s restaurant was running three hours behind schedule, and it was after 11pm when the last guests were guided from taxi to table. Our long-suffering chef was quite unfazed by having to begin cooking so late, and this despite the fact that the entire resort area suffered a blackout due to a mains power failure. Felipe’s restaurant staff served drinks and a super meal by candlelight, with their usual friendly efficiency and cheerful courtesy, thus creating a welcome getting-to-know-you occasion that set the seal on a great week-long celebration.
We all partied again at Zachary’s Bar on the wedding eve, and the ‘big day’ dawned cloudless as family, friends and Club La Costa colleagues gathered at a beautiful beachside venue. A radiant Terry, in a fairy-tale wedding gown, exchanged with Alan the marriage vows that were uniquely theirs. A happy and memorable day, we all agreed, when we relived it all late into the evening back at Sunningdale over champagne in the poolside bar.
The rest of the week passed all too quickly, as the wedding guests continued to enjoy all the best that Sunningdale is ever ready to offer. Though over the years we have always enjoyed our times there (as indeed we have in our other Club La Costa resorts), this particular visit was somehow just that bit extra special and magical. For this I pay warm tribute to the care and commitment of every member of staff, under the fine leadership of Marjan, who all work together to create that unique ‘Sunningdale spirit’ for us all to enjoy – not least during that memorable wedding week.
Now we are preparing to return to Sunningdale again, for a month of sunshine to shorten the English winter…..and meanwhile have asked Resrevations at Club La Costa to reserve those May weeks again for next year….just in case we decide to celebrate at Sunningdale all over again…for Alan and Terry’s first wedding anniversary!
John & Judith Adderley
Ian Nicol
What I love about my timeshare is best described in our first day’s experience of the resort.
My partner Avril and I had signed up for a three year trial period for Club La Costa in 2007. As we had already booked our main holiday for 2008 in Canada, we decided our first jaunt with CLC would be a week’s break in Tenerife in September, mainly to recharge the batteries.
Arriving at the airport after our five hour flight from Aberdeen, we had been told simply to go to the VIP taxi desk where we were escorted to a waiting taxi and we were whisked to our hotel in Jig time, something I could easily get used to.
We arrived at our ‘timeshare’, the rather splendid Monterey Royale and were told the room wasn’t quite ready; it wasn’t a problem as a rep quickly sorted the luggage and escorted us to the pool/restaurant area. We had a nice meal and a few relaxing drinks and by 2 o’clock our room was ready and we quickly checked in, the staff were courteous and polite and nothing seemed a problem. An attendant took our luggage up to apartment and showed us round. First thing we noted was the Jacuzzi on the balcony. Foaming waters, heaven on earth. I even poured us a glass of complimentary champagne I had found in the well-stocked fridge, a nice wee touch that. The view was simply breathtaking, overlooking Playa de las Americas and round to Los Cristianos. It has to be seen to be believed!
After relaxing, we had a quick look round the well appointed apartment, the place was spotless and attention was given to great detail. A beautiful posy of flowers was on the table, Avril loves flowers so she was especially delighted. Avril can also be a bit of a nitpicker as she works in sterile conditions, but she found nothing to complain about, much to my delight and of course SKY sports news on the TV was a bonus for both of us as we are season ticket holders at Ibrox, home of Rangers Football Club.
We then had a quick look round the poolside and checked out the amenities, it was obvious we were newcomers but everyone was polite and helpful, the guests and the staff alike. The bar staff all had a wicked sense of humour and the rapport was obvious for all to see, it was noticeable that the guests were all enjoying themselves, kids and adults alike and the place had a great atmosphere about it. We spent a few blissful hours soaking up the rays, swimming, and Avril even played me at pool!
We had a nice lunch earlier but the smell coming from the restaurant upstairs from the pool was heavenly so we decided a quick change and out for dinner! Exquisite was the only word I could use, from the service to the meal itself.
We spent the last hours of our first day back downstairs in the pool/bar area in the company of other guests, no one was a stranger here it seemed! A rather splendid end to a rather splendid day.
All in all as our week flew by, we had already decided that we would have two weeks next year, and signed up to be full members - one week was simply not enough - roll on 2009! We now own 870 points on the Club La Costa scheme, we plan to spend them in Tenerife.
Izzie Sempill
Bristol
Anybody living in England can appreciate how heavenly a few sunny spells are, let alone seven days of thirty degree heat. So when Club La Costa offered us a complimentary week in the Costa del Sol, my family and I were overwhelmed!
We had visited the resort the previous year, where a jolly, English representative had shown us around the 4 and 5 star accommodation, and whetted our appetites (as well as satisfying them, by treating us to breakfast!). Our first visit to the resort had been a short, winter break, to show us all it had to offer, and we were very impressed so thought we’d come back for some more!
Families of 7, admittedly, are not the easiest to accommodate or entertain, so we were not expecting to be presented with such a gorgeous apartment – beautifully designed, with stylish, spacious rooms and a balcony that was bigger than the suite itself! Of course, the Jacuzzi on the patio and the shimmering swimming pool just a few metres from our front door, both added to the excitement of my brothers and sister as the free taxi dropped us off outside our temporary home.
If the pool and the tub was all that was on offer in Malaga, I’m sure I would have been satisfied with simply wallowing in the water and the Spanish sunshine all week. But no, there was so much more on this fabulous resort. Everyone in my family was thrilled with the facilities – a diverse range of restaurants with friendly, welcoming atmosphere and mouth-watering meals for my foodie stepfather. A gym which featured tennis courts, and massage parlours, all appealing to my sporty younger brother. Evening entertainment including live music, flamenco dancing, horse shows and discos that I loved, and yes, widescreen TVs. We don’t have one at home, but we got the luxury of three in our apartment, to make up for our lack of modern technology; so even my unsociable, teenage stepbrother was happy. All this before you’ve even set foot outside of the resort!
We couldn’t believe how long we had tolerated British camping nightmares; the lack of space, awful weather and boredom are all a thing of the past. Holidays for our complicated family have finally become simple. Everyone was occupied and content, and it really was bliss. I could certainly get used to it!
Maybe next year we could fly away to central Africa, to experience a magical safari in Kenya? Or escape to Thailand for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, riding on the back of an elephant. We don’t necessarily need to wait until the summer though; we could attempt skiing in Andorra, or celebrate the New Year in Scotland. The world is at our feet!
….But if I’m not feeling adventurous, I could always just go back to Spain to top up my tan!
