Development proposed for Mulholland/Malibu Canyon, could include 203 hotel units

The proposed Malibu Valley Inn and Spa across from Soka property is envisioned as an upscale timeshare resort featuring a convention center, horse arena, day spa, signature restaurant, winery and meeting center. Neighbors say the concept may be sound, but too dense under its current guise.

With a successful 30-year battle over a gateway piece of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area behind them, residents north of Malibu are warily eyeing another big project announced for the rolling oak hills near Mulholland Highway at Malibu Canyon-Los Virgenes Road.

Developers are circulating a 5-inch thick Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Malibu Valley Inn and Spa, a 141-acre housing, equestrian and lifestyle resort that could include 203 timeshare hotel units. The project would sit just across the road from what national park officials call their "crown jewel," a 588-acre horse ranch at the heart and crossroads of the Santa Monica Mountains.

The National Park Service is about to take ownership of that gem, known as the King Vidor/Gillette Ranch, which was once destined to be a branch campus of Japan's Soka University. The breakthrough $35 million public purchase of the ranch will allow construction of headquarters and a visitors' center on the spectacular centerpiece of public parkland, regional trails and mountain wilderness.

And now proposed for just across Mulholland Highway is Malibu Valley Inn and Spa, envisioned as an upscale timeshare resort featuring a convention center, horse arena, day spa, signature restaurant, winery and meeting center. Neighbors say the concept may be sound, but too dense under its current guise.

"This is sort of the equivalent of taking the Soka development, which we fought for 30 years, and moving it across Mulholland Highway," said John Low, president of the Monte Nido Community Association, in a recent interview.

Although the plot is zoned for 81 houses under the recently approved Los Angeles County North Area Plan, the developer wants the land annexed into the City of Calabasas, which would be given decision-making authority over its rezoning. Sales tax revenue would then be added to money raised by Calabasas' new auto dealerships and shopping center, Low said.

Access to the resort would be from the unincorporated area of Los Virgenes-at the park service headquarters-and not from within the city. The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors only recently turned aside resort plans and earmarked low-density residential housing for the inn's site.

The developer is Brian Boudreau, a longtime Calabasas resident who lives on the site at Stokes Canyon Road at Mulholland Highway, east of the Malibu Canyon signal. He is proposing a high-end business that he said will be environmentally progressive, including such amenities as buildings set back from Mulholland Highway, native plant landscaping, recycled construction materials and other attributes aimed at earning a "Green Resort" award from the state.

Boudreau touts a visitor-serving use that complements surrounding trails and the park service headquarters to the south across Mulholland.

"We believe that the Malibu Valley Inn and Spa is a tremendous asset and resource to our community," he said in a statement introducing the project to Calabasas citizens. "We are trying to create an environment that everyone from the local equestrian to the day-spa visitor can enjoy."

Calabasas' EIR estimates nearly 1,900 vehicle trips a day would be added to Malibu Canyon-Los Virgenes Road, one of the four major access routes into Malibu, if the inn is built. The EIR is required under California law to predict what types of problems would be created by the project, and then explain how the developer will correct those problems.

Some residents of Calabasas and the rural county area have already expressed worries that the inn and spa would overcrowd a rural area, jam local horse and hiking trails, and be a traffic clog. The EIR's estimation of fewer than 1,900 car trips per day seems very low to neighbors like Low.

Low points out that a 38,000 square foot ballroom, a retail winery, large equestrian show area and 203 hotel timeshare rooms might put incredible pressure on Malibu Canyon, Pacific Coast Highway and the Ventura Freeway. "Just think of all those cars on a beach day," he said. "The entire mountain road network is just about full."

The EIR predicts that the inn and spa would slightly overburden traffic signals along Malibu Canyon-Los Virgenes Road at two intersections. But it predicts that those traffic problems could be overcome by re-striping and adding turn signals at the Mulholland Highway and Lost Hills Road intersections. The developers would also chip in for the planned overpass widening of Lost Hills Road at the Ventura Freeway.

Residents at a preliminary meeting last fall expressed concerns about a wall of two-story buildings along Mulholland, which is a county-designated scenic corridor. The city's EIR documents say the heavy screening by trees will not eliminate the building' impact on the scenic highway or the park visitors center across the road.

But nearby residents in Las Virgenes, Cold and Dry Creek canyons may be split on the project, with some adamantly opposed and some in favor, says Monte Nido's Low. "Even I would possibly support this type of project if the density were less. It's good to provide visitor access to these mountains," he said.

He said canyon residents are hoping the California Coastal Commission might reduce the project's density to protect the park visitors center and nearby homes. About half of the site is within Coastal Commission jurisdiction.

The EIR next goes before the Calabasas Planning Commission on April 7, 5:30 p.m., at Calabasas City Hall, 26135 Mureau Road.

TIMESHARE TIME BOMB NO SALE, NOT EVEN REFUND

Retiree and wife pay $14,000 for timeshare membership, which they find no use for
Two years later, a company offers to help them sell it for a profit, on payment of $550 fee
Eight months later, the couple are still waiting for a buyer, having rejected an offer of only $2,000 for the timeshare membershop
No refund of $550 fee if the membership remains unsold, company says

YOU'VE coughed out close to $14,000 to buy a lifetime travel membership which promises you discounts on flights and accommodation in holiday destinations such as Australia and Europe,

That was two years ago. But you've since found no use for it.

So when you get a telephone call one day promising to help you sell your membership at a huge profit, you'll jump at the chance, right?

Which was precisely what retiree Salleh Salim and his wife Siti Maysara did.

That was eight months ago.

Today, they are still waiting, and wondering.

Wondering if their membership will ever be sold, and at what price.

Wondering what's going to happen to the money they've paid the company upfront to help them dispose of their holiday deal.

They are not alone.

There's been 10 other cases like theirs, says the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

Mr Salleh Salim and his wife said they were so happy when they got the offer from Vanasia Consultancy '00 to help them sell their membership that they visited the firm's office in Maxwell Road the next day.

Said Madam Siti, 38: 'The place was full of other people like us who wanted to know how they could sell their travel membership. The person who attended to us was also very busy manning calls even as she was talking to us.'

A Vanasia staff member told them the company could sell the travel membership within a few months, said Madam Siti.

From the upbeat mood around her, the housewife felt at one point the membership could even be sold for $20,000.

Vanasia's fee for the service?

A sum of $550 - to be paid upfront.

The service was valid for a year, according to a contract the couple signed.

Said Madam Siti: 'We were desperate to sell and... we jumped at the offer.'

They didn't ask what would happen if Vanasia failed to sell their membership.

Mr Salleh, 58, said he was so relieved he 'even contemplated giving the company a cut of the sale if indeed it could make a (good) sale'.

A letter from Vanasia to Mr Salleh indicated that the company's opening sale price would be $20,000, although that price would be subject to negotiation.

So the couple waited. And waited.

Now, eight months later, they find themselves still stuck with the membership which they had bought from timeshare company LGM Limited.

They are also poorer by another $550 which they had paid to Vanasia, which is described as a 'management consultant in the travel and timeshare industry' on its website.

With no sale so far, Vanasia's latest offer to the couple is to sell their membership for a little over $2,000 - a loss of close to $12,000 for Mr Salleh's original investment.

Said Mr Salleh: 'Vanasia wrote us a letter in December telling us that was the price they could get. We had been waiting a long time for a reply from the company. And after all that waiting, we received such a paltry proposal.'

Added Madam Siti, who said the couple took two years paying off the membership purchase in instalments of about $500 every month: 'That was when I began to wonder if Vanasia could indeed fulfill the promises it made.'

Two staff members of Vanasia told The New Paper on Sunday that the $550 fee paid by Mr Salleh would not be refunded even if the membership isn't sold.

Mr Salleh has, however, not asked for a refund from Vanasia so far.

He said: 'Vanasia keeps telling us that the 12-month period isn't up yet. The staff members told me I should wait till the period is over as they will be able to get higher and higher prices for my membership the longer I wait.'

'But I'm not sure if they can, judging from the service I've received from them so far.'




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SHE PAID $750 AND HAS YET TO SEE ANY RESULTS


SALES manager Gina Gui, 36, was more than willing to suffer a loss of more than $4,000 on her timeshare membership which she had bought for $18,500.

When Vanasia offered to sell it for $14,000, she paid the company $750 for its service in November 2003.

She said: '$750 wasn't a big amount and I didn't mind paying the fee if the company could sell my timeshare.

'But, after nine months, Vanasia could only offer $1,500 for my timeshare.

'That's when I wanted a refund.'

Unlike the plan Mr Salleh had signed up for, Ms Gui claimed the plan she took up allowed for a refund. However, she has yet to get her money back.

'I was told that if Vanasia was unable to sell the membership, I would get my money back. Although, even then, I would have to pay $350 as an administration fee,' said Ms Gui.

'I was fine with that as nothing's for free. If a service has been rendered, I understand that I would have to pay for it.'

But, she claimed, so far, the company has not given the rest of her money back.

Ms Gui then lodged a complaint with Case last December.

She is one of 10 Vanasia clients who had expected to get the original price or make a loss on what they had paid for their timeshare or travel membership.

However, they received offers amounting to only a small fraction of the original price quoted to them by Vanasia, and subsequently lodged their complaints with Case.

Case has since taken the matter up with Vanasia to settle the disputes.

Said Case's executive director Seah Seng Choon in an e-mail: 'Vanasia informed consumers (after they had paid a fee for the company's resale service) that their timeshare could only be sold at 10 to 25 per cent of the original price.

'The 10 complainants told us they were not informed of this fact at the point of engaging the company's service and were not aware that they had to sell their timeshare at such a great discount.'

Case said such omission of material information may be a breach of the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act and constitutes an unfair act.

Consumers can seek redress under the Act.

Mr Seah added Vanasia's director Cheryl Desilver, 25, had told him Vanasia was prepared to settle the matter with all the complainants.

He said: 'We're still waiting for the outcome. If the complainants are unhappy with the outcome, Case will continue to act for them.'

Ms Gui told The New Paper on Sunday that even as she is waiting to settle her case with Vanasia, other timeshare resale companies have called her offering their services.

'One company even called me to say it knew about my case with Vanasia and could help sell my timeshare for me,' she said.

'I still don't know how any of the companies got my particulars and contact number in the first place.'

Madam Siti has not lodged a complaint with Case against Vanasia.

'Mr Daran Ravin (of Global Europ) said Vanasia still has four months left to sell the membership for us under the agreement signed,' she said.

'Mr Daran said we should not be making a complaint just yet as the agreement hasn't ended.

'So I think I have to wait out the time period and see whether the company is able to sell the membership at a good price.'

The timeshare industry took top spot in terms of complaints lodged with Case over the last 12 months.

It was responsible for 158 of the 443 complaints formally lodged and handled by Case.




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CAN'T SELL? 'That will never happen' says company


TO find out how Vanasia proposed to sell clients' membership in travel and timeshare schemes, The New Paper on Sunday went undercover. We used Mr Salleh's existing account and quizzed Vanasia staff on the company's practices.

A Vanasia customer service officer, who identified herself as Alison, attended to our call. So what does Vanasia do to sell its client's timeshare and travel membership?

'We put an advertisement of the client's membership on the window of our parent office in London,' said Ms Alison.

We were then told by her that the London company's name is Global Europe. A check revealed that a Singapore-registered company called Global Europ (Asia) Pte Ltd is the owner of Vanasia. In fact, Vanasia and Global Europ are located in the same building in Maxwell Road.

When asked how Vanasia came into possession of Mr Salleh's contact number and travel membership information Ms Alison said the particulars of people who have signed up for such membership go into a 'hypermart'. However, she could not explain what a 'hypermart' was.

We also asked LGM Limited, the timeshare company which sold the travel membership to Mr Salleh and Madam Siti, whether it had released client information to Vanasia. LGM did not reply by press time. What about the possibility of a refund then for Mr Salleh should Vanasia fail to sell his membership?

The agreement with Vanasia is valid for a year, said Ms Alison. And the company, she claimed, is confident it can sell the membership within that time. If it doesn't, the agreement would be extended for another year at no cost to the client.

This promise was also stated in a letter written to Mr Salleh last July by Vanasia. There was no mention of a refund of the $550 fee should Vanasia fail to sell the membership. So what if the membership isn't sold after the two years are up?

'That would never happen. We (Vanasia) have never had any problems in selling off a client's membership,' claimed Ms Alison.

When asked if Mr Salleh would get a refund of the $550 if Vanasia fails to sell the membership, the answer was no.

Ms Alison said Mr Salleh had signed for a plan that doesn't allow for a refund.

When we called Vanasia again and identified ourselves as reporters, its director Cheryl Desilver, 25, said Mr Salleh did not pay an additional $200 for a different plan which would have allowed for a refund.

When we asked about Global Europ, Ms Desilver said Global Europ is the parent company of Vanasia.

She added: 'London is not the only place where we advertise. We have links with offices in many countries to advertise clients' memberships.' Asked for the names of these companies, Ms Desilver declined, saying she didn't want clients to approach these companies themselves.

She explained that the $550 fee is for providing clients with advertising space on the Internet for a year. This, she added, was stated in the terms and conditions of their Resale Advertisement plan.

ACCESS TO INTERNET ADVERTISEMENT

Ms Desilver added that Mr Salleh would have been given a login name, password and membership number to access his Internet advertisement. This information had been given to him in a letter sent by Vanasia.

When we asked how potential buyers would then be able to gain access to the advertisement, Ms Desilver declined to answer. She said a face-to-face interview should be set up where all issues pertaining to Vanasia could then be discussed.

However, the company was hard to reach soon afterwards and Mr Daran Ravin, manager of Global Europ, refused our repeated requests for an interview.

An interview with Vanasia was initially set up for Thursday afternoon at the company's office in Maxwell Road.

But Ms Desilver later changed the venue to The New Paper's office.

Meanwhile, Madam Siti informed us she had been receiving calls from Vanasia, following our calls to the company.

'Vanasia told us that we could get our money back if we stopped talking to the press. If we didn't want our money back, they (assured) us our membership could be sold,' she said on Wednesday.

Madam Siti added that Vanasia had arranged a visit to her home to discuss the proposal on Thursday afternoon - the same day and time as our planned interview with Vanasia.

Later, Madam Siti said Vanasia told her the company would take action if she continued talking to The New Paper on Sunday. However, Ms Desilver denied that Vanasia staff members had been telling Madam Siti the company would file a suit against her.

When we arrived at Madam Siti's home in the East, only Global Europ's manager Daran Ravin was present.

A Ravindaran Kunju Raman was the initial owner of Vanasia until October 2003 when private limited company Global Europ (Asia) took over, according to a check with the Registry of Companies and Business.

Global Europ (Asia), however, lists both Mr Daran and Ms Desilver as the company's only shareholders.

Mr Daran refused our request for an interview, saying he was not prepared to answer our questions.

Madam Siti, however, was not given her money back when Mr Daran visited her.

Instead, she was told the agreement they signed with Vanasia had not ended.

Said Madam Siti: 'He kept asking me why we were talking to the press and said legal action might be taken should a negative story about Vanasia come out.'





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ASK THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE SIGNING UP, LAYWYER SAYS


LAWYER Amolat Singh said consumers should ask certain questions before signing on the dotted line. These include:


How many timeshare schemes or travel memberships the company has sold.

How the company will sell its timeshare or travel memberships.

Whether the company will want exclusive rights to the membership (this affects the seller's ability to sell the membership on his own or find others to sell it for him).

Whether there is a time limit on the services rendered and, if so, what happens after the time limit has ended.

Whether there will be a refund should the company fail to sell the membership.

These questions might help people to decide whether to sign up for the resale service.

Mr Singh added that clients face an added problem should the company they've lodged complaints against be a private limited company, rather than a sole proprietorship.

'This means the people heading the company won't be personally liable even if clients can prove the company is in the wrong,' he said.

'In which case, clients may not be able to recover their losses if the company says it doesn't have the money to pay up.'

We are having problems with Club Atlantis also known as One World Holidays and RMI Consortium. When we signed up last May we were made promises which have turned out to me untrue.
They promised us that if we were not 100% happy with their service they would return all our money, we went to the Vera Beach Club in Almeria, and we were not happy with the experience we had, when we returned I contacted Atlantis and asked for a return of our money, no luck so far, they will not now even reply to my emails. Other promises were that we could get airfares for £90 to anywhere in Europe, but we had to pay £132 each to Alicante, also they told and showed us a list which stated that we could have as many extra weeks for £85, we had to fight them to get 1 week at this price. When we phoned their contact number, which was RCI, we were told that no way could we get a second week for £85, and that we must mean RCI bonus weeks, however I contacted RMI and in the end, after many emails, they agreed to let us have the second week for £85. Our experience at vera Beach was horrendous, there was very little to do, the nearest shops were a half hour walk away, and with my wife in a wheelchair this was very difficult for me as I am also disabled, we had told them this fact when we booked, they told us there were many shops nearby.
Now Atlantis, One world and RMI are not replying to my emails.

PricewaterhouseCoopers study cites resorts' benefits, including repeat visitors, jobs, consumer expenditures, high occupancy rates, and industry stability

The timeshare industry in Arizona has made close to a $1 billion economic impact on the state in a single year, according to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and released today by the ARDA International Foundation (AIF), the research and education arm of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA). A total of 84,162 Arizona residents own timeshare, ranking the state fifth in the nation in terms of vacation ownership, according to other data compiled by ARDA. [1]

Combined direct and indirect economic impacts as well as fiscal contributions for the industry totaled $980 million of output, 11,600 full-and part-time jobs, $330 million in salaries, wages and related income, and $157 million in tax revenue during 2002.

"This Arizona study details timeshare's significant economic contributions to the state and its growing presence within the state's hospitality sector," said Howard Nusbaum, president and chief executive officer of ARDA. "The areas with timeshare resorts, benefit from the generation of a loyal base of repeat visitors, new jobs, and consumer expenditures, as well as the industry's elevated occupancy rates and overall stability."

" Arizona owners love to vacation and spend their travel dollars within the state," said Jerry Sikes, president of Pro Management and chairman of ARDA Arizona, at a recent Timeshare Industry Conference. " Arizona is quite unique in that such a disproportionate number of timeshare owners in the state own at resorts located in Arizona . Clearly, with over 80,000 timeshare owners living here, we can see that Arizonans have embraced timeshare and have a stake in timeshare resorts in their home state."

The PwC study-the largest and most comprehensive the industry has undertaken-reveals that Arizona had 46 timeshare resorts with 4,640 individual units at the end of 2002. According to ARDA, there were 1,590 timeshare resorts nationwide with a total of 132,000 units as of January 1, 2003.

Timeshare owners' unique vacation habits and commitment to travel generate dollars

In examining direct industry output, the study showed timeshare owners:

• took 169,000 Arizona timeshare vacations during 2002

• spent an average of $1,744 per trip for the traveling party

• yielding total estimated spending of $300 million

Prospective and existing owners:

• spent approximately $200 million on purchases of new Arizona timeshares (representing four percent of the $5.5 billion of U.S. sales)

• contributed $110 million toward maintenance fees for existing units during 2002

• with a combined total of $610 million in purchases representing direct industry output.

Survey respondents reported that during their most recent Arizona timeshare vacation, their traveling party consisted of an average of 3.3 people. The timeshare vacation includes the full length of the timeshare stay, plus additional time spent in the resort area before or after the timeshare stay. On average, respondents spent 7.6 nights in the resort area at timeshare resorts, including bonus time and timeshare rentals. In addition, respondents reported staying one night on average in other accommodations, including hotels, recreational vehicle (RV) parks, and the homes of friends and family.

"The economic impact of the timeshare industry does not end with the initial purchase," said Scott Berman, a PricewaterhouseCoopers partner. "Timeshare purchases, combined with other expenditures and owner and guest spending during vacation, generate tremendous income as well as a ripple effect through other parts of the state's economy."

Jobs, payroll, and taxes bolster Arizona economy

Specifically, the industry's total direct impact in 2002 included $610 million of output, 7,100 jobs, and $180 million of income. Direct resort impacts were substantial, as timeshare resorts, corporate offices, call centers, and off-site sales offices employed 3,500 people who earned $100 million in salaries, wages and related income. Direct resort construction impacts, which occurred as the industry expanded existing resorts and built new ones to keep pace with sales, supported approximately 400 jobs and $20 million in salaries, wages and related income.

The indirect output of the timeshare industry resulting from the disposable income of industry employees and the purchase of goods and services by companies includes $380 million in purchases, 4,400 jobs and $150 million in salaries, wages and related income during 2002.

The complete fiscal impact totaled $157 million in tax revenue for the year, with timeshare property and occupancy taxes representing $13 million, timeshare employee taxes accounting for $26 million and taxes on activities in other industries totaling $118 million.

The American Resort Development Association is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has nearly 1,000 members ranging from privately-held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with interests in timeshare resorts, community development, fractional ownership, and resort communities. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).

The ARDA International Foundation (AIF) conducts research and develops education programming for the timeshare industry. The Foundation's mission is to "support, conduct and disseminate research and technical studies that will enhance and improve knowledge for the public and the industry, and develop educational resources that will optimize value, operations, acceptance and service for the industry and the public."



[1] Compiled in June 2004; counts based on membership in RCI and Interval International, the two leading vacation exchange companies.

You can link to a pdf file of the report's executive summary and download it here:
http://www.arda.org/AIF_ExecSummary_AZ_final.pdf

Adobe Acrobat© is required to read this article.

The American Resort Development Association is the Washington D.C.-based professional association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries. Established in 1969, ARDA today has nearly 1,000 members ranging from privately-held firms to publicly traded companies and international corporations with interests in timeshare resorts, community development, fractional ownership, and resort communities. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, and owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition (ARDA-ROC).

The ARDA International Foundation (AIF) conducts research and develops education programming for the timeshare industry. The Foundation's mission is to “support, conduct and disseminate research and technical studies that will enhance and improve knowledge for the public and the industry, and develop educational resources that will optimize value, operations, acceptance and service for the industry and the public.”

The youngsters changing the face of Aviemore
DAVID ROSS, Highland Correspondent March 07 2005

ONCE it was known as the carbuncle on the face of the Cairngorms, now it is looking to revolutionise the tourism industry in Scotland.
Aviemore, the town ridiculed for turning tourists off with its concrete monstrosities, has undergone a renaissance to become an international centre of tourism excellence – importing bright, keen students from Croatia, Poland, China and South America.
The redeveloped resort will soon unveil a partnership with a hotel school in Croatia which will allow an exchange of hospitality students between the Adriatic and Badenoch.
The first Croatian students, who arrive next month, will study at a new hospitality and catering training college, said to be the first of its kind in the UK, which is part of an £80m redevelopment of Aviemore.

There they will join a multi-ethnic community of tourism professionals already employed by the resort.
A consortium led by Macdonald Hotels, Bank of Scotland and the Tulloch Construction Group has already funded a leisure centre and spa, a conference centre, woodland lodges and the refurbishment of the Macdonald Highlands and Academy hotels.
This is where the Croatian students will train for six months. Reciprocal placements for Scottish students in Istria will follow.
Alan Jones, training director at the Aviemore Academy, said: "This exchange agreement is with the prestigious Caesar Ritz college in Croatia, which bears the name of the man who opened the Ritz hotels in Paris and London. It has been in the planning stages since I met representatives of the college at a recruitment fair in Switzerland."
That is where he also found highly motivated employees for Aviemore, such as Sylvia Castillo.

The 32-year-old from Colombia said: "My mother is Peruvian and my father Spanish. I was born in Peru but raised in Colombia. When I finished school, I went to study modern languages in Madrid.
"Then I wanted to do a masters degree in hotel management at the Caesar Ritz at Brig in Switzerland. That's where I met Alan Jones who made us all fall in love with Aviemore and made us want to come and work here to help build the resort.
"I just got here in January and have been working as a receptionist in the leisure centre.
"I find the Scottish people very friendly and very educated. It's good to be here."
She had heard suggestions that some Scots were lazy, which amused her: "I don't think you are lazy, but I am from South America."
Marta Lubiejewska, 25, from Rudmik in southern Poland, however, thinks the description is sometimes accurate: "I find the Scottish people very friendly, very helpful. But some can be lazy. Many people come here to work from Europe to make money, so do their best.
"I don't think all Scottish people do that. In Poland, everyone wants things done yesterday. Here tomorrow will do."
That is not her approach. An MSc in environmental engineering, she is now studying for a qualification from the Chartered Institute of Management.
She heard about Aviemore from her brother and caught a bus from Poland, arriving in June. She started working at the Dalfaber timeshare resort and then the Macdonald hotels, where she was waitress, trainee supervisor, supervisor and is now a trainee manager in charge of housekeeping in the lodges. She will soon start working on the resort's environmental policies, her commitment to the place growing.

"I am enjoying myself, a new place, new people. I love the mountains, the fresh air. It is a good environment, and nobody seems to resent us being here," she said.
Shivakumar Kandaswamy, 33, agrees, although it is too cold for him to spend much time outside at present. A Rangers supporter from Bangalore, he is in charge of the four-star Aspects restaurant. He had been working on the P&O cruise ship Oriana when one of the passengers asked him to work for him in a small hotel in East Lothian.
He said: "A year later, I saw the advert for Aviemore and learned of the huge investment. So I came up last June. I especially liked the idea of getting in at the start and working with so many different nationalities. They are like one big family to me, very warm.
"I also find the Scottish people the most friendly in the UK, but laidback. I can't get over how everything still comes to a grinding halt for two days on a Friday night. In my country, we are open 24 hours a day seven days a week."
He is frustrated by Scottish perceptions of his chosen profession. He said: "There is a lot of potential for hospitality in this country and it is growing. We need more people coming into it, but people don't apply for the jobs.
"People here don't take jobs in the hospitality industry seriously. I decided to make it my life. In my family, most are doctors or computer software engineers. I was the only one to go into hospitality and they weren't happy."
His ambition is to open a truly upmarket Indian restaurant in Scotland, but until then he is happy to be working in Aviemore. His friend and colleague Jasmine Lin Mei, 25, from Beijing, has a similar perspective.

She has a degree in business management from Singapore; a diploma in hotel management from Switzerland; and an MSc in international hospitality from Strathclyde University, where her dissertation was on job satisfaction among housekeeping employees in budget hotels in Glasgow.

"I had been offered a job at a ski resort in America and another one on a cruise ship. But I wanted to come here because the resort was just starting presenting a lot of opportunities. Scottish people don't seem to think that work such as housekeeping is a proper job. Because unemployment is really quite low, they see hotel work as temporary and the job satisfaction is not very high. But I think it is good both for us and for the Scottish people, that we are here."
Mr Jones agrees: "Roughly 45% of the resort's workforce is local. We would like more. But unemployment in the valley is low, about 2% while something like 40% of the population is over 70. That's the challenge."