HENDERSON, Nev. -- Vancouver-based Intrawest Corp., known for
creating and operating village-centered resort destinations in the
U.S. and abroad, is preparing to open its first resort condominiums
at its MonteLago Village development on Lake Las Vegas, 17 miles
east of the Strip.
Originally slated for a Aug. 29 debut, the 177-unit,
Tuscan-villa-inspired property, also called MonteLago Village, is
instead taking reservations for dates starting Sept. 19, according
to Peter Cowley, Intrawest's vice president of lodging product
development.
"There's a very good chance that it will open on Aug. 29, but
we're not 100% confident, so we're not taking money on reservations
[for that date]," Cowley said.
The
total number of units can be broken down into different categories,
depending on the space offered. They include studios (27),
one-bedrooms (70), two-bedrooms (63), three-bedrooms (13) and
casitas (there are just four of these townhome-like spaces).
"[The property] looks like a hotel and runs like a hotel,"
according to Cowley, but it works in a slightly different way, he
said.
All of the accommodations are individually owned and can then be
entered by their owners into the property's rental program, Cowley
said. "We don't have a definite number yet of how many people will
enter them in the rental program," he said. "We anticipate 85% of
the 177 units."
That's where travel agents come in, because they can book the
units available through the rental program just as they would any
other hotel room -- and also receive 10% commission, Cowley
noted.
"If there was an agent who was a super-high performer for us, we
probably would do better than that," he said.
Daily rates start at $129 for a studio, $149 for a one-bedroom
unit, $199 for a two-bedroom unit and $249 for three-bedroom
accommodations.
Amenities include a 24-hour reception desk, concierge services,
valet parking, daily and nightly housekeeping and turn-down
service, in-room coffeemakers with gourmet coffee and tea, full
kitchens, high-speed Internet connections, in-room DVD players and
a DVD and music CD library for guests.
Eventually, Cowley said, different packages will be offered to
take advantage of what's in close proximity to MonteLago
Village.
"Our director of sales just started two weeks ago," Cowley said,
"but he's already busy putting packages together. We're trying to
build packages around the boat rentals [and gondola cruises
available] on the lake as well as spa packages in conjunction with
the [349-room] Ritz-Carlton and its [30,000-square-foot] Spa Vita
di Lago."
Clients staying at MonteLago Village also might enjoy what
Cowley described as "a tremendous pool facility" -- one rectangular
adults-only pool and one kids' pool -- that is situated in a
1.5-acre courtyard area created by the building's horseshoe
shape.
Other public areas that clients may wish to explore include the
fitness room with hot tubs, the laundry room, the game room for
children with a pool table and a media room complete with a
plasma-screen TV where movie nights will be held, Cowley said.
The facility also offers two meetings rooms, one measuring 329
square feet, the other 1,100 square feet.
"We've got a good relationship with the Ritz-Carlton," Cowley
said. "We're going to be working with them [when it comes to
meeting planning]."
In fact, the new Web site for the MonteLago Village features a
link for meetings planners.
One potential drawback for MonteLago Village guests: Those who
want to sneak a firsthand peek at the Strip will find
transportation hard to come by. There is no shuttle operation at
this point.
Once the entire MonteLago Village development opens, Cowley
said, Intrawest officials will be turning their attention to the
next set of resort condominiums there, two 90-unit buildings.
Construction and development on the next set of buildings will
begin next spring for a 2005 completion.
The master plan for MonteLago Village, which also includes the
40,000-square-foot Casino MonteLago, calls for the construction of
up to 800 resort condominium units.
For more information, call (866) 564-4799 or visit the Web site,
at http://montelagovillage.com, which will be relaunched
in a few weeks with more lodging information.
Sales Pitch
• Check your database for clients who previously booked a stay
at a timeshare vacation resort. E-mail them with the news that
MonteLago Village, an upscale resort condominium, has opened at the
Intrawest village of the same name, on Lake Las Vegas, just a
cobblestone's stroll away from Casino MonteLago.
• Send a sleeve of golf balls to select clients who previously
booked a golf vacation at a resort destination and describe the
golfing opportunities that await them at MonteLago Village.
Get More!
For more details on this article, see MonteLago Village shops take bow.
To contact reporter Amy Baratta, send e-mail to [email protected] .