NEW YORK — Timbers may be relatively modest in size, but the real estate and hospitality group has a presence in prime destinations including Vail, Colorado and Kauai, Hawaii, with a focus on residential rentals. This gives it a solid foundation. Positioning to attract wealthy travelers.
greg spencer
That's Timbers' message to luxury advisors after launching its booking platform Andiamo and travel advisor program Andiamo Elite late last year.
“We view the travel agency industry as a customer,” Timbers CEO Greg Spencer said at a presentation event with advisors held here in mid-April. Ta. “And our plan is to become truly trusted. [partner] For travel agencies. ”
Timbers Resorts was founded in 1999 and evolved into Timbers, Inc. in 2021. Timbers specializes in the development and operation of resorts and vacation homes, offering whole or fractional ownership of individual units. When not owner-occupied, many of these units, the majority of which offer residential-style, multi-bedroom layouts, are managed by Timbers as full-service short-term vacation rentals.
In addition to Sebastian Vail, Timbers Resort, and Timbers Kauai Ocean Club & Residences, the Andiamo platform includes resort-style Timbers properties in Jupiter and Captiva Island, Florida, as well as a collection of 23 Tuscan villa and farmhouse rentals. It consists of It is part of Casari di Casole, the property of Timbers Resort. The company also has a presence in Manhattan through his 5th & 55th Residence Club located within the St. Regis New York Hotel.
Dining and kitchen space in one of the villas at Casali di Casole, Timbers Resort Estate, Italy.Photo courtesy of Timbers Co.
Timbers properties are designed to appeal to the affluent, with average prices for resort and vacation home accommodations hovering between $2,500 and $3,000 per square foot, Spencer said.
Rental rates are similarly high, with entry-level two-bedroom units at Timbers Kauai, for example, starting just under $2,000 per night for stays in late April.
That high-end reputation makes Timbers' portfolio a natural fit for luxury travel advisors and their clients, Spencer said.
“We're not just dumping inventory to Expedia or some other third party,” he said. “We want to make sure the renter is compatible with the buyer of the property.”
In addition to rolling out a more intuitive booking engine, Spencer said he expects the Andiamo Elite program to be a game-changer in building stronger advisor relationships. The program is open to any travel advisor and offers an enhanced commission of 2% on top of Timbers' base commission rate of 10%. You are also guaranteed a response from Andiamo's support team within his 6 hours and can also add benefits such as customized welcome amenities, welcome letters, and early check-in or late check-out based on availability. .
Stephen Arthur, director of leisure sales at Timbers, said: “A 2% commission on top of the booking doesn't seem that high unless you're talking about the price point we offer. ” he said. “And it adds up very, very quickly.”
A presentation earlier this month was attended by about a dozen luxury travel advisors, several of whom seemed keen to incorporate Timbers properties into their clients' travel repertoires.
Interior of Gambit Bar, one of the dining options at Sebastian Vail, Timbers Resort.Photo courtesy of Timbers Co.
Service and response
Jen Tenzer, a luxury travel advisor affiliated with Embark Beyond and founder of The Soloist, says Timbers' promise of combining professional resort-style service with an ultra-luxury vacation rental product is very appealing. Told.
“I would love to continue selling their products,” she said. “Working with a company like Timbers means that if something happens, you have a larger company that you can contact and ultimately maintain a long-term relationship with. We’re not just dealing with random rental owners.”
Renee Lladoc, corporate and leisure travel specialist at Altour, echoed that sentiment and expressed appreciation for Timbers' commitment to providing a complete service and vetted product.
“It's certainly reassuring to me that if there's an emergency, there's always going to be some help on the ground,” Ruddock said.
Tenzer said Andiamo Elite's guaranteed six-hour response time is a key benefit.
“In today's digital world, people can go and make a lot of appointments on their own, so part of my value as an advisor has to be response time,” Tenzer said. Ta. “Response times within a certain amount of time can't always be guaranteed, so any time a company can promise a response time, it's amazing to hear.”
