New Elite Property within the Lungarno Suites Features Views of the Ponte Vecchio, Further Expands Club’s Portfolio of Luxury Destinations

Ultimate Escapes, Inc. (NYSE Amex: UEI and UEIWT), one of the world’s largest destination clubs, today announced the addition of a new Elite Club residence within the Lungarno Suites in Florence, Italy. Featuring views of the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge arched over the Arno River, this acquisition further expands Ultimate Escapes’ current collection of luxury properties around the world, offering members the very best selection in destinations as well as memorable experiences with loved ones.

“This spectacular Elite Club property in the Lungarno Suites in Florence helps to further round-out our international destination collection,” said Jim Tousignant, CEO and president of Ultimate Escapes. “The art, culture and history of Florence make it a very special addition to our portfolio. Our members now have a place they can call home in this spectacular city.”

Located on Lungarno Acciaiuoli, next to Ponte Vecchio, one of Europe’s oldest bridges, the Lungarno Suites are unsurpassed in design, style, views and amenities. Lungarno Suites is dedicated to providing guests with the comforts of home without giving up the services, amenities and comforts of a luxury hotel. The Elite property features 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and more, all within a well-designed layout. The suite’s expansive
windows showcase the splendors of the city creating a striking experience of incomparable light and beauty, providing magnificent views of Florence and Ponte Vecchio, as well as unforgettable sunsets.

Luxury Leisure Properties International LLC (LLPI), an international advisory and management company servicing developers and investors in luxury mixed-use hotels and resorts, helped to facilitate the relationship with Ultimate Escapes. “We are proud to offer Ultimate Escapes members access to this unique urban lifestyle resort in the heart of Florence,” said Luca Franco, president of LLPI, based in Chicago. “We are
always seeking ways to maximize value for our real estate assets through creative strategies and innovative partnerships with like-minded businesses. Ultimate Escapes represents the ideal synergy.”

“Lungarno Hotels and Lungarno Suites are committed to offering visitors an experience that conveys hospitality, elegance, sensitivity and culture – values that mirror the foundation of our family business,” said Leonardo Ferragamo, chairman of Lungarno Hotels. “Ultimate Escapes’ members are an ideal fit for Lungarno Suites given their commitment to quality time with loved ones. We are thrilled to offer them these quintessential values native to our Italian character.”

As with every Ultimate Escapes experience, all conceivable comforts will be available to members. Features and services include reception service 24 hours a day, housekeeping service twice a day, concierge, laundry service, free high speed Internet, satellite TV, CD player, DVD player, A/C and more. On request services include limousine, valet parking and video conference systems. Members of Ultimate Escapes will also enjoy access to other Lungarno Hotels facilities in the heart of Florence including free use of the gym in the Continentale, invitations to exhibitions in the Gallery Hotel Art, special facilities and services at Lungarno Details Store, and special services at Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant, the Fusion Bar & Restaurant, Bar & Sky
Lounge Continentale and Lounge Bar Lungarno.

About Lungarno Suites
Lungarno Suites was inaugurated in January 2002 in Florence as an exclusive project of Design residence by Lungarno Hotels, the hotel management company owned by the Ferragamo family. Lungarno Suites is part of the international network “Small Luxury Hotels of the World.” Lungarno Suites, directly facing the Arno River and the Ponte Vecchio, offers guests the sensation of having a home in Florence without giving up the services and comforts of a hotel. Forty-four suites, consisting of studio suites, one bedroom and two bedroom suites, have a contemporary personality: a smart and functional design that is the natural evolution of Hotel Lungarno’s character, the progenitor of a new hotel generation within the company. Lungarno Suites represents a diversified form of personalized hospitality within the hotel company. Along with the other projects, Lungarno Hotels seals the quality of accommodating guests that are travelling for either business or pleasure with a unique and valuable way of being in Florence and in its surroundings. Additional information can be found at www.lungarnohotels.com.

About Ultimate Escapes®
Founded in 2004, Ultimate Escapes is the largest luxury destination club as measured by number of club destinations, and the second-largest destination club as measured by number of members. Ultimate Escapes offers members flexible access to a growing collection of hundreds of multi‐million dollar private residences and luxury hotels in more than 150 global club and affiliate destinations. Locations range from chic urban
apartments to charming beach cottages, spacious five-bedroom homes to an 80-foot private yacht. Each trip is coordinated by experienced, knowledgeable staff, trained to handle every vacation detail. Additional information about Ultimate Escapes and its club and membership offerings can be found at  www.ultimateescapes.com.

“This is a completely different economic climate, and therefore a completely different marketing, sales and PR climate as well,” says Luca Franco, President of Luxury Leisure Properties International (LLPI) “We have already created many successful mixed use products in the past, and now we are moving creatively forward with our newest project, Vallarta Gardens, on Banderas Bay near Puerto Vallarta.”

It is no wonder Luca is proud. Even in this capricious economic climate, the Vallarta Garden’s launch in
mid December 2009 has created major buzz. Its location is on Banderas Bay, a peaceful body of water that
spans about 40 miles, and is protected by the Sierra Madre Mountains. This area is known as the Nayarit
Riviera, located on the Pacific, non-Hurricane side of Mexico, midway between Puerto Vallarta and Punta
Mita, near a picturesque town of La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

“And this beachfront getaway is much more than the phrase implies.” Luca comments, “It is a boutique resort, with endless luxury amenities. A few minutes away from the residences owners have access to Jack Nicklaus and Tom Weiskopf signature golf courses. There is also is a yacht on the property for owners and members to use. Sportfishing and pleasure cruising are just two of the great amenities here. And then there is the spa… on the beach!”

Vallarta Gardens combines fractional, full ownership and basic vacation rental structures. The homes
themselves are between 3,500 and 5,000sf, four and five bedrooms respectively. Pricing starts at $80,000
for 1/13th share.

Luca is one of the few people in the luxury fractional industry whose international reputation is widely
known and respected. Multilingual, multicultural, and of European descent, he has been involved in finding
and creating successful fractional projects for the past decade. He puts teams together that define the who’s
who of the fractional interest industry. Jim Marmorstone, Lisa Manley, Sarah Rezak, Andrew Berry, Daned
Kirkham, Eric Pierce and others who are very well-known as the best of the best when it comes to
negotiating, sales, marketing, now consult for the various LLPI projects.“ We have hand picked the best in
the fractional field, and can call on them anytime to create new strategies for each of our projects.”

LLPI is an international advisory and management company servicing developers and investors in luxury
mixed-use hotels & resorts. Luca said: “Our aim is to maximize value for the hospitality real estate asset
by applying creative strategies towards leisure real estate product and drive significant synergies between
the different hotel and resort components.

LLPI is working in partnership with Valhalla group, with its visionary president Preben Vestdam, in EMEA
to deliver a consistent global product line sharing resources, know-how and operating processes &
procedures.

LLPI has also established a preferred alliance with Strategic Hotels & Resorts, a leading owner, developer
and asset manager of luxury hotels in North America and Europe. SHR is viewed as the pioneer and “blue
chip” of hotel and resort asset management today with its leading edge systems setting the standards for
operators and owners alike.

One of the more fascinating aspects of Vallarta Gardens is the marketing decision to include a major
emphasis on the Mexican market. As Luca says, “We are, of course vitally connected to the American and
pan-Asian market as well, but we know that Vallarta Gardens is only three hours away from Guadalajara,
Mexico, with nearly 5 million people, and we believe that many of them want and need a beachfront
getaway.”

Luca pauses, then says, “Actually, we all need a beachfront getaway, and Vallarta Gardens, combines the
best of both. It is a true sanctuary.” – By Susan Kime.

Valhalla Associates Limited and Luxury Leisure Properties International LLC today announced that they have formed a partnership to jointly service owners and developers of mixed-use hotel and resort complexes where leisure real estate is integrated with luxury hotel operations.

The two companies offer advisory and turn-key project management services ranging from product concept, market research and financial feasibility analysis to implementation and management of the developer’s marketing & sales operation for leisure real estate products such as Fractional Ownership and Private Residence Clubs.

While Valhalla Associates focuses on the Europe, Middle East and Africa region based out of London, LLPI is servicing developers in the Americas region from their offices in Chicago.

“Our partnership with LLPI will ensure developers a consistent service and access to luxury leisure real estate resources and distribution know-how across the regions” said Preben Vestdam, President of Valhalla Associates. He continued: “In the current economic environment, developers of mixed used hotels and resorts are looking for creative solution where their leisure real estate products better adapt to today’s economic reality. Fractional Ownership and Private Residence Clubs with global distribution reach can in some cases be the answer”.

Luca Franco, President of Luxury Leisure Properties International added; “Our current joint client portfolio counts developers of hotel and resort properties operated by hospitality brands such as Four Seasons and the Ritz-Carlton. Our partnership with Valhalla Associates will really extend our global reach in the luxury end of leisure real estate.”