The SNOW has arrived!!!

Mt Bachelor has received 16" of snow over the last 24 hours. Their is discussion of opening day being tomorrow (Sunday), however the snow is dry and light and with the high winds there is significant drifting occuring that way slow their ability to open. Either way, there is more snow in the forecast and the mountain will hopefully be opening soon, if not tomorrow. Current conditions: http://www.mtbachelor.com/

Pine Martin Express - Saturday, December 13th, 12:30 PM.

It's nice to see the white in Sunriver again.

Housekeeping Inspection

We were fortunate enough to come across Judy Patton in February of 2007. Judy has extensive experience in housekeeping and came to us with quite the distinguished housekeeping career. Her career has taken her to such places as Telluride, Colorado. In Telluride she cleaned and inspected luxury ski resort properties owned by such notable people as Donald Trump. Judy has an incredible eye for detail and a zeal and passion for housekeeping that you don’t see in many people. We are fortunate to have her on our staff and you are fortunate to have her watching after your home.

- Robert W. Bennington

Housekeeping Inspection by Judy Patton

As an inspector at Bennington Properties my main responsibility is to maintain a certain standard of cleanliness in your home. This basically means that after housekeeping is done with the cleaning I or another inspector will go in your home and do an inspection. It has been said we are the icing on the cake, the cake would probably be good without the icing but with the icing it will be outstanding. The inspector is there to ensure that nothing was missed or left behind by the housekeeper. This really helps catch things when the housekeepers are very busy or if they are just having an off day. It is a second set of eyes that ensures we give our guests the best experience possible.

We are also responsible for “staging” your home for the guest. This is a process where we go in the home before the guest arrival and create a certain ambiance. We leave on one or two lights, turn on some light music, and turn up the heat. Our guests love showing up to a home that is warm and inviting for them.

As lead inspector I take a lot of pride in my work and I care a lot about protecting and caring for your home, as I would want someone to care for my home. I expect and encourage my inspectors and housekeepers to also take pride in their work and to remember that we are in the people business and our bottom line depends on the kind of experience we offer our guests.

Judy Patton
Direct: 541-593-0415
Cell: 541-948-3033
judy@benningtonproperties.com

How do we do 24/7 reservations?

In an effort to provide live, round the clock service to those calling to book reservations, Bennington Properties partners with Navis – a company which fields our overflow and after hours calls 24 hours a day. Navis agents serve as direct representatives of Bennington Properties and as such are able to book all of our homes. They are trained to answer calls just as we would and they are all experienced in the booking process. Since a great many people call after work or in the evening to reserve their vacation home, this has been an invaluable service. Navis is based in Bend, Oregon and recently, in an effort to familiarize them with Sunriver and our homes, we invited 5 agents and their Quality Assurance Manager to join us for a day.

Our tour began with a home on the south end of Sunriver. We then drove past the south pool, the Great Hall and then made our way to the Sunriver Lodge. Many in the group had never been to Sunriver so a brief tour of the lodge was a must. From there we proceeded to the Village where everyone was treated to an espresso at Hot Lava Baking and Coffee Company. After seeing all the Village has to offer, we proceeded to visit a variety of our homes throughout Sunriver. In addition to the homes, our tour featured Fort Rock Park, the golf courses, the north pool, and the marina. We finished with a tour of Caldera Springs which included a visit to one of our homes and a stop at the Lake House and the Quarry Pool. Following our excursion, we met at the Bennington office to debrief over Blondie’s Pizza. There, we reviewed our rules and regulations and gave the Navis staff a chance to spend time with our own Vacation Planners.

From all feedback we have received, the trip was a huge success. Navis agents left with a much greater knowledge of Sunriver, our homes, and all the area has to offer. The result: they will now be much more effective in promoting Bennington homes and the Sunriver experience. Our goal with such trainings (now planned to be conducted quarterly) is to give Navis agents the tools and the knowledge to effectively represent our homes and area and to ultimately lead callers to a decision that will result in a rewarding vacation experience – one that will keep them coming back for years to come.

Here is the whole gang (Navis and Bennington).

Our linen program saves you money!

How much is it costing you to not be on our linen program?

We asked Midstate Electric, an appliance distributor, and Sunriver Water to supply us with figures to determine what it costs to do a load of laundry. We estimate that it costs you approximately $1.00 per load. It takes the average home 3-4 loads to complete the laundry and with 30-40 reservations per year it costs you approximately $90 to $160 to do your laundry annually.

We also analyzed the cost to purchase and replace your own towels and linens by using Costco prices. There needs to be at least 3 full sets of towels and linens in a rental property so an average sized home that sleeps eight will require approximately $1200 worth of linens (3 x $400). A conservative attrition rate is about half of one set, once a year. That equals an average of $200 of replacement costs per year (1/6 x $1200 = $200).

So you are spending approximately $290 to $360 more per year by not being on our linen program.

Even if you only were spending $200 on attrition and laundering, after 5 years, you will have spent $1000. This same home could join our linen program for approximately $440, saving close to $600 over five years.

That doesn’t include any potential revenue you could be losing by not consistently having high quality linens in your home.

Here are 5 more reasons to join our linen program:

1. Linens provided to guests are more consistent in quality and condition.
2. Housekeepers now have more time to clean your home instead of doing laundry.
3. A centralized laundry facility provides a more efficient, consistent and sanitary method for cleaning sheets and towels.
4. Wear and tear of your washer/dryer is decreased.
5. Owners no longer have to worry about the replacement of linens that become soiled, damaged or just worn out.

Questions? robert@benningtonproperties.com

Don't miss December in Sunriver

December in Sunriver can be a lot of fun. If you are planning a visit this month, don’t miss the over 150 activities planned at the Lodge for this years Traditions.

“Breakfast With Santa” is a fun tradition for families returning to Sunriver each season. Instead of a rushed visit to Santa at the mall, kids and their families have a fabulous breakfast at the Great Hall, and end with a leisurely visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. This year, even Frosty the Snowman joined the gang, but snowmen aren’t as chatty as Santa.

Below are pictures of Aleshanee (Shawnee) Nikita (daughter of Deb and Daniel Nikita) at “Breakfast with Santa” and “Gingerbread Junction”. I hope she didn’t sneak too many candies off of the gingerbread houses!

For more information on “Traditions” activities and schedule, visit: www.sunriver-resort.com/traditions/program-of-events.php

Article written by Deb Nikita (deb@benningtonproperties.com)

Shawnee working through her long list for Santa (if you look closely, you can see she is counting all her gift requests on her fingers). Below Shawnee is mesmerized by the Gingerbread Junction (good girl, hands to your side).

Get your Sunriver Coupon book! - $15

The Sunriver Chamber of Commerce has put together a coupon book that is being sold for $15 by many of the businesses here in Sunriver this holiday season. 100% of the proceeds go to help support the Sunriver Chamber of Commerce, a vital partner in helping to keep Sunriver businesses viable. The coupons range from discounts on lodging and dining to groceries, hardware, and shopping. If you plan to visit Sunriver any time between now and May (coupons expire May 31, 2008) this coupon book is definitely worth your $15. Call us today to reserve your coupon book. We will add the $15 to your statement and have a book waiting for you on your next visit. Scroll down to the bottom of this article to see the many ways you will save money with this coupons book.

The above image is the coupon Bennington is offering in the Chamber's coupon book (click on the image to enlarge it). This is just one of many efforts we are taking to try an increase bookings for the coming year. We will be splitting the $35 cost of the gift certificate with the property owner (it will be deducted out of the base rent). We will also be honoring our competitors coupons (coupons cannot be used together). Most of the other property management companies are offering 10% off (only one is offering a "stay for 4, pay for 2").

Buffalo Girls - free gift
Central Oregon Adventures - 10% off Snowmobile Tours or Rentals
Crooked River Dinner Train - $10 off each fare
Family Fun Zone - $2 off any attraction (Bumper Cars, Mini-Golf, Ice Skating, etc)
4 Seasons - One free ski wax
Hammer Time Home Center - 10% off total purchase
HerbaLife - 10% off all weight loss and fitness products
Hot Lava Bakery - Free cookie with purchase of Specialty Coffee Drink
Hummingbird Art Gallery - 20% off all in stock matted photographs
Marcello's Restaurant - 10% off food purchase
Pellerito's Pizzeria - 10% off
Signature Imports - $10 off any purchase of $25 or more
Sunriver County Store - 10% off purchase (excludes alcohol and tobacco)
Meadows at the Lodge - Free Dinner Entree w/ purchase of an Entree
Sunriver Sports - 20% off "Sunriver" & "Mt Bachelor" hats, tees, & sweatshirts
Sunriver Sports - $10 off complete ski or snowboard tune up
Sunriver Sports - One free hot wax
Village Bar and Grill - 10% off all food and non-alcoholic drinks

Great marketing for Sunriver

Bennington Properties has been actively involved with the Central Oregon Visitors Associations (COVA) for the past two years working closely with the association to enhance their specific marketing of Sunriver. In June of 2008, we joined the COVA Board of Directors with the hope that we can use our leadership to enhance tourism in Sunriver. COVA has been and is continuing to do some exciting promotions for Sunriver and Central Oregon. If you have not seen the commercials they are running in Portland, visit www.getrealwinter.com and watch "Trailer 1" and Trailer 2." COVA has also created a website specifically to promote Sunriver. This is a beautifully done website that gives the visitor a clear idea of what Sunriver has to offer. www.visitsunriveroregon.com. COVA recently partnered with Travel Oregon and the Travel Channel to produce "Oregon Uncovered," a fifteen episode destination series that highlights Oregon to European travelers. www.primetravelsites.com/Video/oregon.wmv

www.getrealwinter.com

www.visitsunriveroregon.com

www.primetravelsites.com/Video/oregon.wmv

Travel Channel Europe "Oregon Uncovered" television series will be broadcast to 48 million households across Europe, including those in Oregon's targeted markets of Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.