From the cottage country appeal of Deerhurst Resort to skiing and other adventures at Blue Mountain, Skyline is adding new residential units at its collection of resorts.
From deluxe developments in tropical paradises, to urban condominiums that pair residential living with luxury hotel amenities, the blending of resort and residential lifestyles is an international trend.
In Ontario, Skyline Resort Communities has refined the concept at some of the province's best-known destination resorts. The company has sought out properties within two hours of Toronto with large under-leveraged land banks and transformed them into four-season destination resorts that also offer residential units for sale.
Skyline's portfolio includes the Pantages and Cosmopolitan hotels in Toronto, as well as Deerhurst Resort in Muskoka, Horseshoe Valley Resort near Barrie and Port McNicoll on Georgian Bay. In 2012, Skyline purchased 136 acres of remaining developable land at Blue Mountain along with 50 per cent of Blue Mountain Village in Collingwood.
After Skyline purchased Deerhurst, a century-old resort, it refurbished the old hotel rooms into 120 condos that sold out within days and followed up with new golf cottages on the Highland Golf Course and custom home sites for sale. At Horseshoe Valley, it transformed the 1960s ski resort into a deluxe residential and resort community.
"We are the only resort operator in Ontario with this number of resorts within a two-hour drive of Toronto," says John Giffen, vice president of sales and marketing for Skyline Resort Communities. "Whether a person is a golfer, skier or boater or just wants to get away for the weekend, it's really convenient. There's the simplicity of saying 'let's get out of city for weekend and drive to Blue or Deerhurst.' It's a good network of resorts close to city and each has a four-season component."
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Copeland House at Horseshoe Valley (PHOTO: Supplied)Mr. Giffen says the four-season amenities are a necessary draw not only for residential owners and resort guests, for but staff as well. Skyline invests a lot in staff training wants to be able to provide its workers with year-round employment.
When the ski slopes aren't operating, Horseshoe has two golf courses, horseback riding, hiking and biking trails, a zip line, and a first-class spa among the 50-plus activities it offers. The same goes at Deerhurst. While Muskoka is considered primarily a summer destination, Mr. Giffen says there are as many, if not more things to do in winter at Deerhurst as in the summer.
Mr. Giffen says Skyline has found that some of the baby boomers buying into Deerhurst have been cottage owners from the surrounding lakes who are looking to downsize to a vacation home they can lock and leave without the hassles of maintenance.
"They also want to be close to services such as medical facilities, restaurants and stores," explains Mr. Giffen. "Some cottages can be 30 to 60 minutes away from those types of things. At Deerhurst, buyers still have lake access and the feeling of cottage living, but with all the resort amenities."
These type of properties are not just attracting empty nesters.
"For a young family looking to buy their first vacation property, to get a cottage on a lake in decent shape, you're looking at $500,00 at least," says Mr. Giffen. "This is an economical way to get on a lake and have access to resort amenities."
He says the resort-residential trend is being driven by "a different kind of buyer" who doesn't want the headache of managing a cottage or stand-alone vacation property and wants more than just boating or skiing. "They may want to have friends come for a spa or golfing weekend, or if they don't feel like cooking, they can just walk to the restaurant."
Another advantage is the option for owners to rent out their property during the times they are not using it and having it fully managed by Skyline. That's not mandatory however, says Mr. Giffen. The SkyLife Club also offers adventure packages that include golfing, skiing and boarding, spa and wellness, or dining experiences for an annual membership fee.
This spring, Skyline is expanding the residential offerings at several of its resorts.
At Deerhurst, construction starts this spring on the first phase of the Copeland House condominium.
"Copeland House is the centrepiece of Horseshoe Village," says Mr. Giffen. "With phase one 80 per cent sold out, the master-planned community is really starting taking shape." Copeland House is a four-storey mid-rise condo building with its own underground parking. Phase 2 will be coming soon.
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Golf, swimming, and rock climbing are among the dozens of activities offered at Skyline’s resort properties.(PHOTO: Supplied)In mid-March, the Village Estates at Blue, a collection of nine residential building lots were launched at Blue Mountain. They offer mountain views, as well as views of the Monterra Golf Course, priced from $259,900.
"Blue already had a success story behind it, but we've got the nine lots for sale right on the 18 fairway," says Mr. Giffen. "We already have had 300 inquiries. Part of the reason for that response is that there are no more building lots this close to the village."
Mr. Giffen says Skyline will be adding townhomes and single family homes around the golf course and is rethinking the master plan for undeveloped lands in and around the village. That may mean offering larger suites that don't have a mandatory rental clause. Skyline will also be looking to expand the commercial space in the village, looking at anchor tenants such as a grocery store and high-end spa.
This summer it will be releasing Lakeside Lodge suites at Deerhurst Resort, that represent the first new waterfront units to be built at the resort in 25 years.
With Port McNicoll, Skyline stepped outside its usual business model to create a resort and residential community from scratch. It has one of the deepest harbours in the area, and Skyline will be starting construction of the marina there this year that will have 166 boat slips and a 4,500-square-foot clubhouse. In the near future, 101 waterfront single family home lots will be released along the pier and with townhomes, condos and a hotel to come in the future. Forty-one home lots released previously sold out and 10 homes have closed or are under construction.
In mid-March, Skylined launched the Village Estates at Blue, a collection of nine residential building lots within steps of Blue Mountain Village. They are the only lots for sale within such close proximity to Blue Mountain's ski hill and village centre. They offer mountain views, as well as of the Monterra Golf Course, and are priced from $259,900. The average lot has a 60-foot frontage and 140-foot depth.