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“Our unique portfolio offers vacation experiences designed to
showcase the color, history, and rich cultural diversity Mexico offers,”
says Manuel Pérez Alpuche, chairman of the board of Artisan Vacation
Club (AVC). “Our new vacation club allows both our loyal, long-term
customers and new guests the opportunity to experience the luxury of
Artisan resorts for years to come.”
Since sales kicked off in April 2015, it has become clear that AVC’s
approach is a winning combination; this is an industry player worth
getting to know.
As is the case with many “instant” successes, the resumes of the
leaders behind it are long and strong. Pérez Alpuche, who created
AVC’s concept, is a former general manager of several Grupo Mayan
resorts, having contributed to the launch of the Grand Mayan brand,
one of the first luxury vacation clubs in Mexico. Among assignments,
he piloted the opening of Grand Mayan properties in Acapulco and Los
Cabos. He has also been involved with other top Mexican timeshare
offerings, including Grupo Posadas and Pueblo Bonito.
Same Meaning, Many Languages
As is common in Mexico, AVC is a right-to-use, points-based vacation
club. Membership terms range from 10 to 30 years, and prices begin at
US$4,000, but range up to US$26,500, depending on seasonality and
term length. What sets this apart from other clubs, according to Pérez
Alpuche, is the mission: to make every guest’s stay a memorable one.
“We really pamper our guests,” he says. “In every interaction with
guests, we strive to create a masterpiece.”
This leads to the name chosen for the hotels and club: Artisan. “It
also helps that the word has the same meaning in several languages,”
Pérez Alpuche adds.
From Oceanfront to Colonial Charm
The AVC resorts currently open have all earned top marks from guests,
including online reviewers, and it’s easy to see why. TripAdvisor
Certificate of Excellence winner is on the
city’s world-famous pedestrian shopping and dining street. The adults-
only property has 22 1,200-square-foot (111 square meters) oceanfront
units with a contemporary aesthetic, along with on-site amenities
including a restaurant and a roof garden with a large terrace, bar, hot
tub, and infinity pool. The adults-only concept helps the resort stand
out in this popular resort destination, Pérez Alpuche says.
is located in the state of Veracruz, 250
miles (405 kilometers) east of Mexico City. Set
within landscaped gardens overlooking
Chachalacas Beach on the Gulf of Mexico, the
resort’s 50 units include studios, and one- and
two-bedroom lock-offs. The units at the family-
friendly property are at least 700 square feet
(65 square meters). Amenities include two
restaurants, indoor and outdoor pool, gym, and
minigolf. The family vibe doesn’t mean a lack of
relaxation — the full-service spa offers temaz-
cal, a ritual from ancient Mexican culture
designed to bring recipients “spiritually closer
to Mother Earth and its four elements,” accord-
ing to the brochure.
surrounded by tropi-
cal vegetation on Mexico’s Caribbean coastline,
features 38 studios decorated in a sophisti-
cated, modern design with luxury bedding, LCD
TVs, and complimentary Wi-Fi. On-site ameni-
ties and activities include a restaurant, rooftop
terrace with an outdoor infinity pool facing the sea, entertainment, and
water sports.
Moving to a more urban environment, Artisan San Miguel de
Allende, now under construction, will be six blocks from the Jardin, or
main square, of the celebrated Spanish Colonial town. A UNESCO
World Heritage Site in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, three hours north
of Mexico City, San Miguel was voted “The World’s Best City” by read-
ers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine in 2013. The 80-unit property will
include a swimming pool, bar, restaurants, concierge, and wireless
Internet.
Alliance With Interval
AVC’s marketing engine has a multipronged approach. It includes lead-
generation activities (mini-vacation sales) at malls in the Mexico City
area, along with off-premise contact programs in Veracruz and Playa
del Carmen.
Key to the efforts, however, is the club’s alliance with
“Interval exchange guests are always great prospects.
We’re using the Interval — all our sales representatives
have iPads, and we really love the exit program they have helped us put
together,” Pérez Alpuche says. “It helps us to recoup costs, and for
prospects who haven’t stayed with us, it’s an opportunity to experience
our product. They can stay at one of our resorts, see what great value
they receive, and then sit for a presentation.”
What makes this work, Pérez Alpuche says, is the quality of resorts
in Interval’s exchange network. “The higher-income demographic found
among Interval members aligns with our product,” he says.
The love goes both ways. “Artisan Vacation Club has developed an
outstanding product that provides travelers with the quality and flexibil-
ity they are seeking,” says Marcos Agostini, Interval’s senior vice presi-
dent of resort sales and business development for Latin America. “The
club’s beautifully appointed properties receive excellent reviews, and
we look forward to supporting the expansion of a brand increasingly
recognized for its exceptional service and attention to detail.”
Artisan Vacation Club members are being enrolled as individual
members of Interval International and also become Interval Platinum ®
members, entitling them to a number of flexible exchange opportunities
and upgraded benefits and services.
Bullish on the Future
Looking forward, Pérez Alpuche is bullish on AVC’s prospects, and his
optimism seems well-founded. Along with surg-
ing tourism arrivals from the U.S. and other
countries, the domestic market is also growing.
Mexico’s economy is among the top performing
in the region; unemployment is just 4.3 percent.
“The leisure travel market continues to grow in
Mexico,” Pérez Alpuche says. “This presents a
wonderful opportunity to increase our presence
in a variety of appealing settings. We’re already
on the iconic beaches of Playa del Carmen,
we’re building on the Spanish Colonial streets
of San Miguel de Allende, and next we plan to
expand to Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta.
These will be 50-unit resorts with very large, lux-
urious units, similar to what we have in Playa del
Carmen — we’re going for A++.” Looks like
more masterpieces are in the making.
See page 2 for currency conversions.
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Developer: Artisan Vacation Club
Headquarters: Mexico City, Mexico
Product: Right-to-use, points-based
club
Price: From US$4,000 to US$26,500,
depending on length of term and season
Resorts: Artisan Playa Esmeralda,
Chachalacas, Veracruz
Artisan Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
Artisan Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo
Artisan San Miguel de Allende,
Guanajuato (under construction)
Website: artisanhotels.mx
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter
Artisan Vacation Club
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