RESORT UPDATES

Playa Grande Resort & Spa Spring 2017 Update

Your Playa Grande Resort and Spa looks fabulous and is ready for a great Spring/Summer season! It is no secret the staff is what makes Playa truly special. There are many, many special staff members that help make your vacations so memorable once you’ve arrived at your home resort. Of course, management helps by creating the right culture, as well as overseeing departments and projects to assure the little details are all handled for arriving members and guests.

There are several additions for you to discover and enjoy on your next visit. One of the newest benefits the resort has added is the “pre-stocking” option. While offering competitive prices, the resort can now fully stock your suite with all your vacation necessities. After landing at the airport, members need only make your way to Playa Grande to find the fridge stocked with beer, wine, other cold drinks, snacks, and anything else on your vacation wish list. We have taken all of the hassle out of your visit and provided this benefit to help you enjoy more family time at your home resort.( Info or link to purchase the pre-stocking service)

Resort Grounds and Suite Updates Painting has been ongoing since the start of the year. The team works hard to cover small sections of the sprawling property one at a time, so as not to disrupt vacations. The fresh coat of paint keeps the resort looking like it did on the day of its grand opening!

The gardens have been manicured and new grass added and desert cactus and plants at the front of the resort.

Couples, are you looking for a romantic date? The new couples VIP suite at the spa features a Jacuzzi, and couples massage and treatment services. With aromatic rose petals and attention paid to even the smallest detail, the VIP suite is perfect for reconnecting with your partner in paradise!

Food and Beverage Update

Policy Reminder We understand the time members spend at Playa Grande is precious, and we pride ourselves in offering the finest resort amenities for our members and their guests. It is important to recognize that rules and regulations are created for the comfort, and most importantly, security of our members. Pool safety and convenience is a hot topic for our members and one that we have taken steps to improve. To ensure all members and guests can enjoy the pool and lounge chairs, the pool staff will collect towels and personal items left on pool chairs. The items will be stored in a secure location. Also, bringing food and drinks to the pool area is prohibited. Past incidents with glass bottles and garbage have created a hazardous environment in and around the pool. Members are welcome to enjoy drinks and snacks in your suites, but please refrain from bringing them to the pool. Thank you for your cooperation.

Solmar OnlineSolmar Resorts online is very active! We want to keep you informed about everything happening in Cabo and at your home resort. Don’t forget to follow us online. More than 60,000 members receive our daily Facebook updates as well as Twitter and Pinterest. Follow the links below to keep up to date with all of the Cabo and Solmar Resort news.

SOCIAL MEDIA FANS.

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The resort team is always working hard to add new and exciting options for members to experience.

Check out the Asian buffet at Calima restaurant on Tuesday nights. With live music and amazing cuisine, this is a great addition to the “theme night” choices, and offers a wonderful culinary experience.

Calima also offers members Italian night, BBQ and steak night, and seafood night at the beautiful setting that reopened last year. It’s a delightful evening in a warm and fun atmosphere.

Spending time by the pool on your next vacation? The pool bar always has exciting specials on beverages, tacos, sushi, frozen drinks, and more. If dreaming of lounging around the pool, don’t forget to check on the daily specials and enjoy the sweet and savory treats at your favorite poolside spot.

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With that in mind, we are proud and excited to introduce the new General Manager at Playa Grande & The Ridge Resort and Spa, Ramon Ascencio. Ramon assumed his new position this past January. He has an extensive background in hospitality, and brings an incredible work ethic that fits perfectly with the team at Playa Grande!

SPRING 2017

LOS CABOSNEWS

Los Cabos Spring News

From a sleepy little fishing village at the tip of the Baja peninsula to a global vacation destination, Los Cabos has never had a shortage of events and activities. While many members are Cabo veterans who have vacationed here many times, perhaps even for several decades, Cabo continues to surprise with new offerings. There are some great fun-in-the-sun and laid back relaxing things to check out on your next visit. If you have not experienced some of these offerings, now is a good time to put them on your Cabo to-do list for your next visit to your home resort.

The Wirikuta

New to Los Cabos, locals and visitors alike are excited about this recently added spectacle. The Wirikuta is a cultural experience offering an entertaining show, a gastronomical experience, and a colorful and interesting look into the traditions of the Huichol culture. The show is located in San Jose Del Cabo, on the beautiful freshwater estuary. The estuary sets the stage for this visual and culinary experience, with its stone pyramids, cactus, and a veritable jungle of palm trees.

Visitors will be impressed by the Huichol village that is wholly dedicated to culture and art. An event of this type is new to our destination. While Cancun and Puerto Vallarta have several shows promoting different Mexican cultures, this is the first of its kind in Cabo. It has proven to be very popular. Check with your concierge for more information.

Fishing Report – Spring/Summer 2017

It’s no secret that the waters off the southern tip of Baja offer some of the best deep-sea fishing in the world! Many Solmar Resorts members come down just for the fishing. It has become something of a tradition for them to make the early morning trek to the nearby marina in search of a prize billfish, or even that night’s dinner. Whether you are a seasoned angler who knows the ropes, or a first timer looking for a new experience, the fishing scene in Cabo is an exciting activity to partake in. The summer and autumn seasons are some of the best times for reeling in billfish, such as Striped and Blue Marlin. When the waters begin to warm, but still have cooler currents, they teem with dozens of fish species. The calendar below will help you figure out which fish are biting when. Start planning your fishing trip so you can go home with stories to tell!

Top 10 Species Fishing Calendar

Species Best MonthsBlue Marlin May-June & Nov-Dec Black Marlin May-June & Nov-DecStriped Marlin June-OctSailfish July-AugustSwordfish JanuaryDorado June & December-JanuaryWahoo November-FebruaryYellowfin tuna July-AugustGrouper February-JulyYellowtail February

Exploring Todos Santos

Throughout the country of Mexico, visitors will find small colonial towns known as “Pueblos Magi-cos.” Only those towns providing true cultural and traditional experiences earn this distinction. In Baja, we are fortunate to have a “Pueblo Magico” in the Los Cabos area: Todos Santos. Todos Santos is a “slow down and enjoy the moment” type of place. The scenic cobblestone streets are lined with cafes, art galleries, and dozens of photo opportunities. Visitors should make time to stop by the small chapel on the hill behind the world famous Hotel California. For art lovers, Todos Santos has many great galleries and wonderfully artistic places for breakfast or lunch. Todos Santos is a great place to spend a relaxing day and experience Baja California living.

CAPTA new tourist protection center

Just a short stroll from Solmar Resorts,the new center is located on the marina right next to the cultural center (the large uniquely shaped building). The purpose of the center is to protect tourists vacationing in Los Cabos from scams, provide legitimate information regarding the destination, and offer assistance with any emergency issues. Tourism is, of course, vital to the region. CAPTA provides a safe and helpful resource for all visitors to Los Cabos.

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MEAL PLAN

Meal Plan Update

Members have been saving up to 40% on meals when they elect the Meal Plan option!

Having split days allows members to enjoy their favorite bars and restaurants downtown, and still enjoy meals and theme nights at the resort. With the addition of the theme nights, the meal plan offers even greater value and variety.

For more information visit the Solmarmembers website

Add the meal plan to your next visit and customize it to fit your needs!

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WARNING

Scam Advisory 2017 Update

Warnings about possible scams have been the most read section in past newsletters. Scams are one of the most important topics affecting vacation ownership all over the world. The large number of timeshare members world-wide who may be looking to sell their memberships has given rise to fraudulent companies and evolving scams.

As a result, we are using the Spring 2017 edition to alert members to the new types of scams we have detected. To help you stay informed, we are introducing our new Security Update section on the member’s website where we will update you on scams and how to stay secure against these fraudsters.

Types of Scams

•The Resale Scam – Scammers promise to sell your membership, even stating, “We already have a buyer, you simply need to pay the taxes or fees.” This is not a new scam, yet many companies are still using it, and sadly, once a wire transfer is sent out of the US it is very difficult to recover damages.

•The Rental Scam – This is quite a tricky scam, as these companies make it seem that they are legitimate by claiming they are large, well known online travel agencies. We have shared names these scammers have appropriated in the past, such as Trivago, Expedia, and Despegar.com.mx, among others. They claim your membership weeks are needed due to high demand for your home resort, and say they will rent your unit, even showing you the rack rate prices. Members are then asked to pay maintenance fees up front plus a commission. A guaranteed amount is promised once your unit is rented.

•The Escrow Account Scam – The above-mentioned scams are made possible by people believing the money they send for maintenance fees, transfer fees, or whatever is held in escrow. Timeshare transactions are never held in escrow. In fact, these companies have gone so far as to create fake online escrow platforms that are nothing more than an elaborate scam website.

•Taxes/Registration Scams – This is one of the newest scams. The claim is that your home resort has rented your weeks unbeknownst to you. This catches many members off guard and they instantly become anxious and frustrated. Once the scammers have made an emotional connection, the scam comes into play. You are informed that you are entitled to some commission but not before you pay taxes with SAT (The Mexican IRS). If you pay and register these gains, the resort will send a commission. This is fraudulent on so many levels. For one, the resort cannot rent or change your week(s) without your consent. Secondly, this is a timeshare not a second home. Registration with SAT needs to be done by the developer, by paying annual property taxes and income taxes. As a timeshare owner, you are not required to register anything, which is one of the benefits of ownership.

How do I protect myself from these scammers?

Here are the most important tips we can offer to keep your data and membership secure.

• Do not share details of your membership at other sales presentations. • Do not provide information to resale/rental companies about your unit, week#, or membership type.• Check all email extensions carefully. If someone is emailing you from a personal email, or a similar extension but not the official extension, it is probably a scam. Example: custo merservice@solmar.club is a fake. memberservices@solmar.com.mx is fake. • Our official email extensions are: solmar.com , grandsolmar.com and ranchosanlucas.com

Please remember, if it feels like a scam, call the number below and report it. This contact information is our ONLY real and OFFICIAL contact information and we are here to serve you!

You can stay up to date on how these scams are evolving with our new and constant updates on your member website.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

SPRING 2017

Membership Benefits Update

You have access to several helpful member benefits, some of which can have a major impact as well as provide flexibility. Make sure you know all your options.

Fixed Week Members

Did you know an arrival confirmation speeds up the check-in process? Your week and your unit are, or course, already set. However, confirmation helps us prepare for your arrival. By knowing you are in fact coming to your home resort, we can help get everything ready at check-in. With arrival confirmation once you get off your flight you can simply arrive at the resort and start enjoying your stay. Also, with the new Pre-Stocking benefit, your unit can be fully stocked with your favorite drinks and snacks. For more information visit your member website.

Leap Year Reminder 2017 Fixed Week Sunday Check-in

Why do we keep talking about this? Well, there are several Fixed-Week members who own weeks with different check-in days. While this sounds like one day, the calendar of week numbers has a larger gap due to the leap year. Check with member services about filling the gaps so you are not surprised or inconvenienced on-site.

Multi-Resort Usage

On your next visit to your home resort, take a minute to inquire about the multi-resort usage option. If you love one Solmar resort but are curious about another, or if you

want to spend another week, the multi-resort usage is a great option. Having the flexibility to stay at one or multiple Solmar Resorts during the same vacation, or during different trips is a great way to enjoy more time at another beautiful resort. As lives change and families grow this benefit helps you customize your vacations to fit your needs.

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SOLMAR FOUNDATION

SolmarFoundation solmarfoundation.com @fundacionsolmar info@solmar.com

Solmar Foundation Report

Solmar Resorts and the Make-A-Wish Foundation have come together to create a new option for Make-A-Wish recipients to experience a beautiful resort vacation in Los Cabos. Battling or recovering from a major illness can be emotionally taxing for children and their parents.

A relaxing vacation can offer a much-needed respite for these brave children and their families. Having resorts in Cabo provided an excellent opportunity for a partnership, since Solmar can fulfill the accommodations end of the vacations.

We would like to extend a warm spring greeting to all of the members of Solmar Resorts, and again, thank you for your generosity. When members make a special donation, or the donation on the bill at checkout, you are directly impacting the lives of those in need in Los Cabos. Special donations receive a tax benefit in the US, and as the developer pays the entire administration budget of the foundation, you can rest assured that all donations are spent on causes and programs directly impacting the community. We look forward to seeing you on your next visit to your home resort!

Want to see your donations in action? Inquire in the lobby about the tours to the communities helped by the Solmar Foundation and see how our programs impact lives. Also check out our “Bring a Thing Drive” to help those in need by donating everyday items.

Time away after such an ordeal can be the perfect method for physical and mental recovery and, most importantly, allow families to spend quality time together. We are excited to be able to participate with such an amazing organization, and do our part to welcome these little warriors and their families to sunny Cabo San Lucas.

The first quarter of the year is always a busy time, with grants being prepared for all of the charitable groups and causes we assist throughout the year. Goals are being diligently established for 2017. We plan to do all we can to help improve the lives and well being of those needing assistance in the Los Cabos community.

SPRING 2017

Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Update

While the entire community at Rancho San Lucas continues to take shape, the Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas is right on track for a December 2017 opening. The first members and their guests will be arriving December 17th 2017 to experience the newest Solmar Resort. With 70 suites, from studios to four bedroom penthouses, as well as the Grand Solmar residences available for occupancy, this will be an exciting time for members and our team to welcome the first resort occupants.

Accompanying the suites and residences will be amazing resort amenities, such as two swimming pools, fine dining, and a salt-water lagoon, as well as a kids mini waterpark, minimarket, deli, fitness center, kids club, salon, bar and grill and so much more! Rancho San Lucas will offer a unique resort experience by providing on-site amenities that are truly unique to Los Cabos. All resort services, such as concierge and transportation will be available in December of this year, and the team onsite will be ready to make your first stay at the Rancho a memorable one, and the first of many!

We look forward to welcoming you to Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas. See you soon.

RANCHO SAN LUCAS

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