Active Travelers
Fund V investors, Deb and David Calvaresi, have always been active travelers, taking at least one family beach trip — for kite surfing, diving, and snorkeling — and one big ski trip with their three grown children each year. They also make time for travel with friends, an annual “guys ski trip” for David, and special getaways on their own.
Their first visit to Cabo with Equity Estates set the tone for the caliber of trips they could expect. They stayed in the stunning Playa Palmilla home, where the family enjoyed spectacular Sea of Cortez views, beach access, and exciting activities during their stay. This trip also happened to coincide with Deb’s birthday, making the vacation extra special., They were also able to celebrate the occasion by surprising Deb with a special birthday dinner and live mariachi band, arranged by their Local Host.
“It was a wonderful trip,” Deb recalls. “The house was so beautiful, and all of us had such a great time together.”
Investment with Benefits
The Calvaresi’s initially learned about Equity Estates when David was researching vacation properties and fractional ownership opportunities online. As they dove in and discovered what the investment would offer, they realized it was the perfect fit.
“Not only was there a clear exit strategy and potential financial return,” says David, “but we’d also get to visit a lot of different destinations instead of going to the same place each year, stay in beautiful, spacious homes while there, and enjoy hassle-free travel with a company that’s clearly geared towards vacations and family.”
Since then, their experiences with the Equity Estates team have only strengthened that belief.
“They are amazing,” says Deb. “The staff is incredibly forward-thinking. Everyone we’ve met has been fabulous.”
David agrees. “We can’t emphasize enough how amazing the company and staff is. They’re responsive and helpful, and honestly, many of them have become friends.”
From their Residence Manager, Local Hosts, and Expeditions organizer, David and Deb say they appreciate working with people who are knowledgeable about each destination and are always on-hand to help them navigate anything that might come up during their trips.
“We are so happy with our investment and the level of service and friendliness we’ve experienced,” says Deb. “We recommended Equity Estates to everyone we know.”
Favorite Family Vacations
Since joining Equity Estates, the Calvaresi family have visited several amazing destinations, all of which could easily be considered favorites. Two that really stand out for them though are the family trips they’ve taken to Big Sky, Montana and Florence, Italy.
“Big Sky was great,” says David. “We all went tubing and snowshoeing as well as skiing, which was a lot of fun. The kids had a ball, and it turned out to be one of our most memorable family ski trips yet. We’d definitely go back.”
In Florence, the family fell in love with the historic city, lit up and festive for the Christmas season, as well as the residence — a beautifully renovated apartment on the 3rd floor of a charming 16th century building close to the famous fashion and historic districts.
“The location was perfect,” David shares. “It was a block and a half from the Duomo and fantastic restaurants, convenient to everything, so we could easily walk around the city while we were there. It was beautiful.”
Their Florence adventure also included a private, hands-on cooking class, arranged by their Residence Manager — something that turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip for Deb.
Exciting Expeditions
In addition to the family ski trips, beach getaways, and lovely Florence vacation, David and Deb have also been on two custom-crafted expeditions.
The first, a two-week South African safari adventure, took them from Johannesburg and Zimbabwe to luxury tented accommodations in two private game reserves and then on to Cape Town. During the trip, they spent two amazing nights at Victoria Falls, enjoyed private game drives and guided nature walks in parts of the Greater Kruger region, and explored the Cape Winelands, Boulders Beach, and scenic coastline along Africa’s southwestern-most tip.
“The safari expedition was an incredible experience,” recalls David. “It was our first time taking a trip like that. We saw the Big Five game all on day one, the game reserve camps were just amazing, and the entire vacation was the perfect balance of activity and relaxation.”
Following their safari experience, Deb and David were excited to sign up for a second expedition — an unforgettable 11-day Rhone River cruise that included a private tour of cities along the French Riviera, stops in Monte Carlo, Arles, and Avignon, museum visits, luxury meals, wine tastings, and personalized excursions and activities.
“It was fantastic,” Deb says. “Truly one of my favorite trips we’ve ever taken.”
“Everything about the cruise was unbelievable,” David adds. “But, honestly, my favorite part was being able to meet and spend time with some of the other investors. We made great friends and are even planning to meet up with them for vacations together in the future.”
More Trips to Come
With so many memorable trips already under their belts, David and Deb are excited about what comes next.
A first-time visit to Lake Tahoe in early 2024 is booked and planned, with skiing and plenty of time outdoors at the top of the family’s must-do activities list. David will also be traveling to Park City for an annual ski trip with friends, the first time he’ll be staying in the home there. And Deb is adding to her long list of places they’d like to visit.
They’ve both heard good things about the London residence, and since it’s someplace the family has never been, they say they’d like to plan a trip there sometime soon.
“But really,” says David, “we’d love to stay in all of the Equity Estates homes at some point if we can. Not only are the destinations places we’d really like to visit, we also know that everything will be provided or taken care of — from stocking the house to planning excursions and making reservations — so we can just enjoy our trips and our time together as a family without worrying about anything else.”
