the sunseekerA publication for members of WIVC

Spring 2018 Edition

Your Vacation Home!

M���� P������� C��������2017 was a busy year of con�nued renewal at all WIVC resorts as we saw major projects completed. Thanks to the

resort managers who tenaciously oversaw that these projects were completed on �me.

At the Mar Azul in Acapulco, the basement has been totally refur-bished and reconfigured to accommodate laundry facili�es, mainte-nance supervisor and head housekeeper offices and the employees lounge. The mountain view apartments were refi�ed with ultra mod-ern rectangular glass tables set on marble pedestals — beau�ful.

A security gate, which turned out to be a work-of-art, was installed in the main entrance of the Coral Mar in Cancún. Finalized installa�on of A/C mini splits in all buildings. All apartments were ou�i�ed with new furniture and dècor. The kitchen Formica countertops were re-placed with a combina�on of Caesarstone Quartz and stainless steel. New, speedier Wi-Fi routers were installed in all apartments.

La Paloma at Rosarito Beach: All living-room furnishings have been tastefully reupholstered. Floa�ng wall cabinets were in-stalled under living-room TVs. All bedrooms have been refi�ed with pla�orm beds to complement the floa�ng headboards. The check-in office was fully refurbished and new, more efficient security cameras were installed.

The Inn at SilverCreek in Granby, Colorado: All wardrobe closet doors and window treatments were replaced, and the televisions were wall mounted. New contemporary sofa beds and chairs were installed in all the apartments.

In Puerto Vallarta at Casa de la Playa closets were reconfigured to be�er accommodate televisions, new pla�orm beds and floa�ng headboards were in-stalled in all bedrooms, and all the furniture has been beau�fully refinished. At the Alta Vista, the penthouse has been completely renovated and redecorated — it looks fabulous. New pla�orm beds were installed to complement the floa�ng headboards in all bedrooms. Floa�ng wall desks were installed under TVs in the living rooms. All guest bathrooms were refurbished with new �le and modern glass shower enclosures. The en�re complex at Conchas Chinas was re-painted and the window wood frames were replaced.

Coral Mar gets a new look!

Security Gate at Coral Mar

Alta Vista Penthouse gets a facelift!

C��� �� �� P���� ��������

This complex project, which took more than one year in designing

and planning, is scheduled to start in April with comple�on by the end of

June according to Ing. Jorge Balderas Be�encourt. Ing. Balderas is the

general contractor for the project and the original builder of Casa de la

Playa. This ultra modern equipment is designed by Ver�ka, which com-

bines German engineering with Japanese electronics. The sleek design

features stainless steel appointments, LED ligh�ng, and a spectacular

floor-to-ceiling glass wall hanging over the pool, facing the ocean. Enjoy

the view!

WIVC ���� ���� �� ���� ��� ���!

While not enjoying families’ preferred ac�vity: the beach and

the pool, kids have a huge choice of super fun ac�vi�es in WIVC’s di-

verse loca�ons. While there are too many to name here, following

are some that stand out:

Puerto VallartaThe Malecón: only three blocks from Casa de la Playa, your kids

will love strolling or cycling this wonderful mile-long beachfront

promenade — an ac�on-packed path lined with shops, restaurants

and street performers. The visual s�mula�on is high, with giant sand

crea�ons constructed right before your eyes and permanent sculp-

tures that you and the kids can climb.

Sea Turtle Camp: A magical adventure, for the en�re family.

Puerto Vallarta’s Bay of Banderas is home every year to thousands of Olive

Ridley Turtles returning from the sea to lay their eggs on their birthplace.

Because of natural predators, including humans, the survival rate of the

just-hatched younglings is extremely low. Sea Turtle Camp is a humble tur-

tle farm dedicated to protec�ng these animals by harves�ng the eggs,

hatching, and releasing them directly into the sea.

Cancún A fun-ferry ride to Isla Mujeres is a must for all — golf cart tour around

the island, bike riding, swimming and lunch at Playa Norte, zip lining, snor-

keling, kayaking and swimming with the dolphins at Garrafón Park.

Crococun Zoo (www.crococunzoo.com) is educa�onal, economical and

fun. At Dolphin Discovery, kids can get up close and personal with the

ocean's friendliest inhabitants. Cancún is home to two water parks, Sea Ad-

venture, the smaller of the two, and Ventura Park, which also includes zip

lining and a roller coaster. The Interac�ve Aquarium at the Hotel Zone in

La Isla shopping mall provides a couple hours of fun any�me.

A day trip to Xcaret, an eco-park with a swimmable underground river,

is an experience that the en�re family will enjoy. Parque las Palapas, locat-

ed in downtown Cancún, is the closest thing the city has to a town square.

Baby turtles released by school children into the

sea right in front of Casa de la Playa October 2017

∗ Check your luggage — you’ll need both hands to tend to your kids.

∗ No need to carry big thermos — most airlines will heat up the milk for you.

∗ Pack extra snacks (low sugar), extra pacifiers and hand sani�zers.

∗ Dress them in layers — just like adults, kids become irritable if uncomfort-able.

∗ Avoid shoes with laces — benefit get through airport screening that much faster.

∗ Bring a tablet with movies and games (load before ge�ng on the flight), headphones, coloring books and small box of crayons, and a toy.

∗ If possible, fly at night — kids are more likely to sleep.

Tips for Traveling with Toddlers

...con�nued on page 3

WIVC ���� ���� �� ���� ��� ���! CancúnOn weekend evenings there are ac�vi�es for children and quite o�en,

ar�s�c performances. This gives kids an idea of what life is like for local children. The en�re family should stop by the Mayan ruins of El Rey, an archaeological site near the southern end of the Hotel Zone, to see the colorful peacocks and hundreds of iguanas lazing nearby.

The Greater Palm Springs Area The Living Desert (www.livingdesert.org): a unique zoo/botanical garden in Palm Desert where your kids will enjoy seeing camels, hyenas, coyotes, big cats, and many other exo�c not-o�en-seen animals. There is a replica of a Northeast African village, complete with an African-goods market. There’s also a model train exhibit, a discovery center, a cactus slide, a gold panning trough, a sand dune play area and many other fun ac�vi�es. The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert (www.cdmod.org): a crea�ve, interac�ve museum in Rancho Mirage, filled with hands-on, ever-changing exhibits and packed with ac�vi�es and play spaces for kids of all ages. Wet ‘n Wild Palm Springs (www.wetnwildpalmsprings.com): waterpark fun for the whole family — say no more. Boomers (www.boomerspalmsprings.com): mini-golf, go-karts, rock-climbing, and many more ac�on-packed fun. Palm Springs Tramway (www.pstramway.com): world’s largest rota�ng tram car travels 2.5 miles up the San Jacinto Mountains. There are restaurants, observa�on decks, a natural history museum, two documentary theatres, gi� shop, and more than 50 miles of hiking trails.

La Paloma at Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico

Kids will love a horseback ride on the beach, or, be�er yet, a camel ride — once in a life�me experience. A guide will show them how to mount the camel just as they do in the Middle East or North Africa. The camels are domes�cated, friendly and amazing. Fun for young and not-so-young folks. Four-wheeling at the sand dunes in the nearby town of Primo Tapio is a blast for the whole family, as it is zip lining at Parque de Altura Pikin, where one can also walk on a 20-meter high hanging bridge! The Zoológico Parque del Niño Jersey(www.zoologicojersey.com.mx) at Valle de Guadalupe, the only zoo in Baja California, features swimming pools, wading pools, boats (lanchitas), mini-train and a pe�ng zoo. Throughout the park there are interac�ve and recrea�onal ac�vi�es for the kids and some 40 BBQ grills and palapas — perfect for an all-day family picnic.

...con�nued from page 2

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WIVC’s DIRECT EXCHANGE AVAILABILITY

Vacation Village at Bonaventure, Florida 04/13/18 — 04/20/18 05/06/18 — 05/13/18 09/16/18 — 09/23/18 09/16/18 — 09/23/18

one-bedroom unit PK one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit PK

Vacation Village at Weston, Florida 04/14/18 — 04/21/18 04/28/18 — 05/05/18 05/26/18 — 06/02/18 06/16/18 — 06/23/18 09/08/18 — 08/15/18 09/09/18 — 09/16/18 09/09/18 — 09/16/18

one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit PK one-bedroom unit PK two-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit

Boardwalk Resort & Villas, Virginia Beach, Virginia 04/20/18 — 04/27/18 05/04/18 — 05/11/18 05/11/18 — 05/18/1/8

Studio Studio Studio

The Lodge At Kingsbury Crossing, Lake Tahoe, Nevada 05/01/18 — 05/08/18 05/20/18 — 05/27/18 05/24/18 — 05/31/18 07/01/18 — 07/08/18 07/22/18 — 07/29/18 08/08/18 — 08/15/18 08/09/18 — 08/16/18 08/12/18 — 08/19/18 08/30/18 — 09/06/18 09/02/18 — 09/09/18 09/03/18 — 09/10/18 10/07/18 — 10/14/18 10/08/18 — 10/15/18 10/11/18 — 10/18/18 10/25/18 — 11/01/18 10/29/18 — 11/05/18

one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit

The Jockey Club, Las Vegas, Nevada 05/13/18 — 05/20/18 05/27/18 — 06/03/18 06/17/18 — 06/24/18 07/22/18 — 07/29/18 08/05/18 — 08/12/18 08/12/18 — 08/19/18 08/19/18 — 08/26/18 08/26/18 — 09/02/18 09/30/18 — 10/07/18

one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit two-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit

Palm Springs Tennis Club, Palm Springs, California 06/13/18 — 06/20/18 06/19/18 — 06/26/18 06/28/18 — 07/05/18 07/01/18 — 07/08/18 07/16/18 — 07/23/18 08/26/18 — 09/02/18 09/26/18 — 10/03/18 10/04/18 — 10/11/18

one-bedroom unit PK one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit

San Diego Country Estate, Ramona, California 07/08/18 — 07/15/18 07/22/18 — 07/29/18 08/12/18 — 08/19/18 09/09/18 — 09/16/18 09/23/18 — 09/30/18 10/14/18 — 10/21/18 10/28/18 — 11/04/18

one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit two-bedroom unit two-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit one-bedroom unit

Magic Tree Resort, Kissimmee, Florida — One– and two-bedroom units available throughout 2018

Village of Sedona, Arizona 10/26/18 — 11/02/18 two-bedroom unit

Ellington at Wachesaw, South Carolina 09/08/18 — 09/15/18 one-bedroom unit

Direct Exchange Fee: Domes�c

and Interna�onal $149

Exchange fees are non-

refundable a�er the exchange is

confirmed.

A surcharge may apply.

One-bedroom owners can ex-

change to a two-bedroom unit

for an addi�onal fee.

PK designa�on = par�al kitchen.

Comments from Exchange Guests

Coral Mar Resort was nice and quiet, just what we wanted. We had no problem walking the 1.2 miles to the main road for the bus. There were always plenty of taxis around. There were no group or managed activities. The tour group at the resort was excellent. Food was excellent, you just had to be patient. Excellent two weeks there.

Conchas Chinas This is a nice small resort — only 13 units. While older, it is ex-tremely clean and the kitchen was very well stocked! I heard other exchangers say that too. Many of the owners come the same time each year and are very welcoming to us. Monica was awesome! The resort is very nice and is extremely clean! Thanks!!!

La Paloma Excellent place to stay with the family. Safe and secure, they have security roving the area constantly and it is gated. My room was right in front of one of three pools so the kids were delighted to be able to swim all day. All the staff was super friendly and the town of Rosarito and Popotla are within walking distance. They have their own private beach with some gor-geous views and excellent plac-es to hang out and enjoy the beach or resort.