ray1022

I just posted my trip report from our Vail skiing trip last week over in the trip report forum - we stayed at the Inspirato "Yonder" residence:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...l#post27935857

gold23

Some really nice adds yesterday to the portfolio...

ray1022

As I alluded to before in this forum, it is now official: As an Inspirato Member, we now have access to Wheels Up benefits (previously when the partnership was announced, only Wheels Up members received access to Inspirato). The benefits for Inspirato members are as follows:

1. Wheels Up Shuttles: can book seats on scheduled shuttle routes. No limit on the number of times you can book shuttles. (all without purchasing a Wheels Up membership). Shuttle routes consist of NY-DC, NY-Boston, NY-Nantucket, NY-Florida, NY-Stowe, Silicon Valley-Truckee, Boston-Nantucket. And then they constantly add shuttles for various events. Currently, they have NY-Augusta for the Masters, Atlanta-Augusta, LA Phoenix for the Final Four, etc and that changes throughout the year. Samples prices are NY-Nantucket for $550 per seat on the King Air. NY-Boston for $799 per seat on the King Air.

2. Private Charter: Inspirato members can book one round-trip flight or up to two legs at current Wheels Up Member rates . These are on the fleet of King Air 350i and Citation Excel/XLS. Hourly rates, I believe, are $4250/hour on the King Air and $7250 on the Citation. (all without purchasing a Wheels Up Membership). So basically you get to sample the Wheels Up program once without paying the membership fee. You also have access to their flight desk, which gets preferential rates, on longer charters/other aircraft.

3. If you join Wheels Up: Inspirato members who join Wheels Up receive a complimentary flight hour.

All in all, a great addition to the partner benefits as an Inspirato member. I can definitely foresee using the shuttles. I only wish we also had access to their Hot Flights (basically empty legs) which are $295 for the entire plane.

Any further questions, feel free to PM me. And stay tuned - we'll be headed back to Cabo in a few weeks staying in one if the Inspirato residences which we previously stayed in and for which I posted trip reports here. I'll update that trip report once we return.

gold23

I signed up within minutes of receiving the email. There is absolutely no doubt I'll be using some of these shuttles. I, too, wish we had access to a bit more (like 8760), but will be content with the shuttles.

I could foresee "targeted" shuttles for places where Inspirato has multiple residences...Cabo, Kiawah, etc. Talk about completely "de-stressing" a vacation.

ray1022

gold23 - I actually mentioend this idea to the CEO. think it would be a great idea to be able to share a jet to a common destination. Just need an avenue to be able to know who is going where and then propose a split of costs for the plane, etc.

Valveking

I signed up for this as well, but it seems like the shuttles are of little use if you don't live in a few big cities. I guess the charters could be useful for a large party. It is about time we get some new residences. The hotel deals are almost useless if you use Virtuoso or FHR.

ray1022

Fully agree and I hear changes may be in the works for their hotel program (and should be beneficial for those of us who use Virtuoso and are accustomed to the benefits and the special treatment).

vinhsynd

...as frequently happens on Flyertalk, I've stumbled into an area where the conversation is so far over my head I'm humbled. But the trip reports are totally awesome to read! Thanks ray!

saint

I have a few friends that joined (their initiation fee was waived). But when I ask them what they really get vs. booking on VRBO/Homeaway/Airbnb or a top tier luxury property site like LuxuryRetreats (recently acquired by Airbnb) they can't really tell me anything besides they get a concierge help.

But sites like LuxuryRetreats also has concierge services. I can typically find top tier properties on VRBO for cheaper than Inspirato. Plus, I don't think they have a big selection of properties. I don't get why people would pay initiation fees or annual fees to belong to this club.

nddomer04

While I can't speak for your friends, I (and many of us who are Inspirato members on FT) have given very specific examples of the quality and value of Inspirato. Ray1022 has provided numerous phenomenal trip reports. There are close to 400 residences (Inspirato member access only) and over 900 total vacation options. Additionally, there are world class experiences, such as Inspirato member-only cruises aboard SilverSea (last year's was a custom Rome to Monte Carlo...Inspirato members only on the entire ship), or trips to the Masters, Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, and on and on. With Inspriato, I can stay in one of the Fairmont Kea Lani's 2 or 3 bedroom beachfront villas for $1,000-$2,000/night versus over $3,000-$4,000/night with the resort directly. We've also experienced incredible savings at residences at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman and the Terranea in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The Jaunt/Jaunt52 program is fantastic. With Jaunt, I can take a last-minute trip to Vail (or anywhere) for as little as $195 per night for a 2,800 sqft 4BR residence that typically goes for more than quadruple that. So, the value proposition is excellent. Also, Inspirato standardizes the residences and invests an average of $50k per residence to bring everything up to the quality Inspirato members expect. So, there is certainty that you don't get with a random VRBO residence. All Inspirato residences have high-end linens, daily housekeeping, stocked kitchens, pre-arrival grocery service, etc. You mentioned the service...yes, there's a dedicated vacation planning team, as well as on-site concierge at each destination. Everything is personalized and they know us and our preferences well (Pack N Plays, High Chairs, games for kids, our favorite wines)

Inspirato truly is a club. There's a phenomenal Inspirato Member Lounge at Solaris in Vail, as Inspirato has 34 properties in Vail alone. Members in large cities (Denver, LA, NY, and others) have access to FREE suite tickets to professional sporting events, concerts, etc. There are also members-only events throughout the year.

Can you find similar properties for less on VRBO? Sure. In fact, peak weeks like Christmas and New Year's can be very expensive. But that's not a fair comparison. If you're simply looking for the best price, Inspirato probably isn't for you. Inspirato blends high end residences with impeccable service and the certainty that you know what you're going to get every time regardless of the destination...similar to a Four Seasons. But, they also happen to have some really great deals. So, I'm willing to pay more for that, especially when combined with all the other benefits of being part of a club. And the most amazing part...Inspirato has a 90% retention rate. That speaks volumes of how we as members view the club. I was truly a skeptic before joining in 2014, and actually declined the first time around. After 15 Inspirato trips in 3 nearly years as members (Maui, Grand Cayman, Rancho Palos Verdes, Chicago, Las Vegas, 10 trips to Vail plus an upcoming trip to Punta de Mita), my wife and I can easily say joining was one of our best decisions.

saint

That's great that you derive so much value from your membership. No doubt that's important. I guess I'm more of an independent traveler. I don't need concierges, or feel the need to hang out with other "members". When I rent luxury residences, I just hang out with my family or my close friends.

I can take a trip anytime I want and stay in luxurious residences utilizing companies like Luxury Retreats (or there are many others) that also have concierges and no annual or upfront fees. Definitely we aren't always looking for cheapest cost property rental. Many times we want an upscale property and an upscale experience. My biggest argument is you simply don't need to pay initiation fees or ongoing annual fees to find this these days.

Definitely that's great that existing members feel it's good value. I just don't think it would be my cup of tea. Same kind of argument for time shares. I'm not a time share guy either for various reasons. This isn't 1980. It's not difficult to find tons of luxurious properties that have excellent reputations. It's all out there via the Internet now. Not to take away anything from any Inspirato members at all. If it works for you guys, hey, who cares what others think. But the mere fact they are having to waive the initiation fee speaks volumes.

mia

This thread is in the American Express forum because there were incentives for cardholders to purchase a membership. Are there still any American Express discounts or perqs?

gold23

To me, the Jaunts and partner programs are the killer distinction.

nddomer04

Good question. The name used to be "Inspirato with American Express." But "with American Express" has been dropped now that the company is a bit more mature and has more name recognition. There is still a $2,500 discount off the initiation fee and i think $300-$400 off the annual renewal if you purchase with an Amex card.

nddomer04

You're totally right...different people have different wants and needs. Other than people who have been courted to join because of their referral networks, I've just never met a member who was comped the initiation fee. Business is business, and I'm sure there have been exceptions though. But it's just not true that they're having trouble selling memberships. In fact, Inspirato recently switched to an invite-only setup. You can no longer just ask to join like I did 3 years ago. They allow you to try before you buy...6-months of being a "member" without paying the initiation. You pay for the trips the same way a full member would. Then if you join, you pay the initiation fee. If you don't, you're not out any up-front fees...just the money you spent on the actual trip. You get "travel perks" (credits) based on when you join within that 6 month trial. The sooner you join the more credits you get. It's been very well received, because many people are nervous putting down anywhere from 10k to 30k for a membership without experiencing it first hand. Now you get to try out the club risk-free before having to commit to that initiation fee.

You're totally right that you can get great luxury properties w/ concierge service outside Inspirato. Take Wheels Up for instance. You can buy a jet card with NetJets and have access to a massive fleet of aircraft. With Wheels up, it's the King Air and Citation XLS (they do have access to a broader network), yet Wheels up has attracted quite the following, including celebrities who could totally afford to purchase their own plane (Serena Williams, Russell Wilson, Nick Jonas, Rickie Fowler, etc) or go with a more traditional private jet company. Their "Wheels Down" program is similar to the club-like benefits Inspirato members have, and I've also been surprised with the number of celebrity Inspirato members there are...I guess I would have figured they would just buy their own vacation home or purchase a la carte.

With the similarities between the two companies, it's not surprising to see Wheels Up and Inspirato team up together.

Everyone clearly has different wants and needs, and what works for me might not work for you. But regardless of the format, the sharing economy seems to be in full effect!