Residential Resorts: A Booming Luxury Sector

These developments with specialized amenities are growing worldwide and targeting very specific buyers

_{The Ki Resort Apartments are in the prestigious Grand Bay section of Mauritius.}_{Photo: Pam Golding International}

Resort living around the world is evolving, growing and luring new buyers. But these exclusive developments can vary widely across regions, as potential homeowners have a wide range of tastes when it comes to the hotel-like amenities that these properties offer.

In the U.S. and Mexico, for example, buyers are increasingly interested in activities-based amenities, such as farming and wine-making. In Europe, millennials desire amenities centered around wellness, as well as restaurants and bars.

Similarly, in Australia, where residential resorts have been taking hold more slowly, stress-relief and wellness are also big draws.

In this special section, Mansion Global looks at residential resorts that have either just opened or are underway in these regions, as well as in Africa and Asia.

Resort Living in the U.S. and Mexico Comes Down to One Thing: More

_{Four Seasons Napa,}_{Rendering: Joshua Dempsey, Bald Mountain LLC}

Resort living has traditionally evoked images of balmy shores, unhurried rounds of golf, a daily match or two of tennis, and lazing around a dreamy infinity pool.

A new generation of resort home owners in North America is looking for more. Much more.

They want to get their hands dirty farming in New Jersey. They want to help make wine in the Napa Valley. They want to cheer on polo teams on a tropical Mexican beach. They want their superyacht at the ready, docked right outside their front door on the Sea of Cortez.

_{The penthouse at Mont Choisy La Reserve, Mauritius where prices start at US$500,980.}_{Photo: Pam Golding International}

On the continent of Africa, where safari camps and big-game lodges abound, it is the idyllic Indian Ocean islands and waterfront South African provinces that are enticing resort developers. These “lifestyle developments” lure buyers for their scenery as much as their serenity.

On the tropical island of Mauritius off the coast of Africa, several new lifestyle developments are on the market.

Properties on the island, which is only a short flight from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, are particularly attractive to South African property investors and buyers looking to acquire residency, according to Richard Haller, director for Pam Golding Properties Mauritius, who said there’s already a large South African expat community there.

_{Aerial view of the Six Senses Residences Courcheval, France.}_{Photo: Six Senses Residences}

Residential resorts in Europe are appealing to a surprising demographic. Traditionally, an older generation loved a focus on golf, as well as a ready-made community, but now millennials, drawn to resorts’ new take on wellness, restaurants and bars, are where agents are focusing their attention.

Branded resorts can carry a big premium in Europe, from 20% to 45%, compared to non-resort property, according to research by real estate agency Savills, whose head of international residential, Hugo Thistlethwayte, reports a growing trend in a continent where such property used to be a rarity.

_{Waterfall development rooftop lounge.}_{Rendering by Crown Group.}

It’s no longer enough for developers of Australia’s most luxurious apartment towers to offer residents a run-of-the-mill swimming pool and landscaped gardens.

Residential resorts, an emerging market in many highly populated countries, are yet to arrive en masse in Australia, but it doesn’t mean residents of luxury apartments are missing out on an increasingly sophisticated and unique lifestyle.

Crown Group Development Director Michael Romano said there’s more demand for resort-style living, particularly in urban environments, to combat the stresses of modern life.

_{Selong Selo Resort and Residences in Lombok, Indonesia.}_{Photo: Selong Selo}

When it comes to owning a slice of paradise in Asia, investors are spoiled for choice. Whether in search of a spectacular ski home or an unspoiled coastal retreat, the region is home to an ever-expanding portfolio of luxury resort properties, where boutique brands are increasingly establishing their credentials in a market long dominated by big names.

“There are numerous benefits of owning a villa within a branded luxury resort,” said James Kibble, managing partner of, Selong Selo Resort & Residences on Lombok, in Indonesia.

“Firstly, once the resort is complete, the villas will command a large premium to standalone villas, and from an investment perspective, it is largely a passive investment with all aspects of operating the villa, including management, rentals and maintenance handled by the developer.”

Source: Mansion Global

Filed under: Headlines by Alec Reimon
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