Kids rule, at least when it
comes to planning a family vacation. "We are driven by our kids’ schedules,"
says Larry Kadis, the owner of a pharmaceutical equipment sales company based in
Cleveland, Ohio, and a father of three. With one child in college and two in
high school, taking a ski vacation had to happen during school breaks, which, in
his case, means at the end of December.After spending 11 years vacationing in Aspen, Kadis was hooked
on the location, but when faced with buying a vacation home, he and his wife,
Suellen, were not ready to commit. "We are not at a point in our lives where
buying a home in Aspen made sense because we are not able to spend enough time
there," says Kadis. The sensible option for the Kadis family was fractional
ownership. Aspen offered an array of opportunities, but for Kadis, buying into a
program with a floating, rather than a fixed-week membership, was not an option.
He soon discovered the new Hyatt Grand Aspen, nestled between two popular
fractional pursuits, the Residences at the Little Nell and the St. Regis
Residence Club. The 50-unit property offers one- to four-bedroom residences in
fixed, one-week shares priced from $89,000 to $997,900 per share, depending on
the size of the residence and the season. In addition to getting the weeks he desired, Kadis was able to
choose a specific unit, one that suited his active crew. "We liked the symmetry
of the residence’s design," he says. The 2,300-square-foot, three-bedroom
residence features custom woodwork, warm colors, plenty of windows and a
terrace. High-speed Internet access and flat-screen televisions in nearly every
room, including the bathrooms, keep everyone connected, while the
radiantheated floors, steam showers, down comforters and Italian-cotton
linens ensure a high level of comfort. On the ground floor, the Wine Spot serves as an après-ski
gathering place. Just steps outside is the heated pool, complete with a heated
deck, so bare feet never suffer an icy walk. Along with the amenities,
location played an important role for Kadis. "We’re a three-minute walk to
the gondola," he says. While content with his set weeks, Kadis’ membership allows him
20 additional days to use at his convenience at the Hyatt Grand Aspen or at one
of Hyatt’s 10 other locations, including ski destinations. "Hyatt gives us
everything we want," says Kadis. "We are low key—we ski hard, go out for great
meals and avoid the club scene."
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