BIg News From Wimco

[elgreaux]

This just in from Wimco, as they move away from their long-term partnership with Sibath - this is big!

News for Villa Owners, Villa Renters and for
St Barthélemy Tourism

Wimco announces its new on-island affiliation with WSBH SAS, a French corporation run by Fabienne LeGall that will oversee a villa marketing and reservations service for owners, and a concierge services business for villa rental clients. This St Barth-based business will operate under the name WimcoSBH (Wimco St.Barth), with offices in St Jean.

If your villa is currently marketed by WIMCO, and you want to continue that relationship, please call or email us. If your villa is not currently marketed by WIMCO, and you’d like it to be, we invite you to visit www.wsbh.fr.

Dedicated to Serving St Barthélemy
For more than 27 years WIMCO (West Indies Management Company) has been the driving force behind the promotion of St Barthélemy as a distinctive vacation destination, and more specifically the growth of its villa rental market.
In the last 10 years alone, WIMCO has arranged travel to St Barthélemy for more than 100,000 visitors. The launch of WimcoSBH marks the start of a new and exciting chapter for our company. Want to learn more? Call or email us.
St Barthélemy : 0590-51-07-51 Newport : 1-401-849-8012
owners@wimco.com www.wsbh.fr

 

[JEK]

This will be in Le News tomorrow.

 

[JEK]

No changes for anyone who has booked a villa previously through WIMCO for the 2010-2011 season. The office will be in St. Jean near the Shell station.

 

[elgreaux]

It's the office called L'Agence, isn't it?

 

[sbhlvr]

so Sibarth will be on their own then?? i really like the agents that i've met.

 

[tim]

It's my understanding that clients who have villas already rented through Wimco will be dealing with Wimco on that rental. For new rentals, clients can choose to rent either through Sibarth or Wimco, but there will be no more connection between the two

 

[sbhlvr]

I wonder who Sibarth (Brooke) etc feels about this..if it was mutual or not?

Does this also mean that for the most part they will have the same villa inventory?

 

[tim]

I don't know if Wimco and Sibarth will have the same villa inventory.

 

[andynap]

Other than giving me the key at the airport, I never saw the Sibarth people. Never had a problem that I had to call.

 

[JEK]

I believe the desired outcome is to have the same inventory and 50 or so villas have indicated that they wish to be in the WIMCO catalog. This is a dated number from a week or so ago.

 

[sbhlvr]

We often stopped into the office, even when we rented through another agency. Every time we're on island we are shown other villas for the next trip so we've met quite a few.

 

[JEK]

We did the same tour thing and often had packages shipped ahead to SIBARTH. The WIMCO office in St. Jean will offer the same service and even offer computers to check email etc.

 

[andynap]

We did the same tour thing and often had packages shipped ahead to SIBARTH. The WIMCO office in St. Jean will offer the same service and even offer computers to check email etc.

Now that's a good thing.

 

[JEK]

Frequently Asked Questions for WIMCO Villa Rental Clients


What is our news?
• Wimco has developed a new property manager partnership on St Barts, with WSBH SAS, a French corporation doing business as WimcoSBH
• WimcoSBH represents a hand-picked collection of the finest villas on the island, and will provide concierge services to Wimco clients vacationing on St Barts
• WimcoSBH has an office near the airport, and has direct relationships with villa owners, local service companies, restaurants, car rental agencies, airlines etc. By working directly with all these partners we seek to provide better service to our clients

Where is the WimcoSBH office?
• Our office in St Barts is across from the airport, near the supermarket (Marche U, formerly MATCH)
• We chose a central location that is convenient for our clients, with ample parking
• We offer access to PCs to check email, fax machines and storage space if you want to ship anything down to St Barts in advance of your arrival
• Your arrival pack (sent to you prior to your departure) will contain all of our local contact info

I rented a villa with Wimco for February, 2011. Are there any changes to that reservation?
• There are no changes to any villa rental reservations that have been confirmed by Wimco
• Your villa reservation and deposits remain in place
• All services you’ve set up through Wimco (cars, restaurants, charters etc) remain in place
• We look forward to seeing you!

Who will meet me at the airport or harbor?
• A Wimco representative will meet you at the airport or harbor, and will bring you up to your villa
• We will orient you to all the features and benefits of your villa, and will give you our cell phone numbers so you can contact us at any time with questions or service requests

What happens if there is something wrong with my villa? Can I change villas?
• If there is a problem with your villa, such as major road construction right outside, we will make every effort to move you to a similar or better villa
• One of the advantages of renting through Wimco is that we represent a large, high quality selection of villas, and can arrange villa moves like this if warranted

What services do you provide on St Barts?
• Wimco will arrange almost anything you can think up!
• The list of services we provide includes making your airline reservations, booking rental cars, getting you that corner table at your favorite restaurant, arranging boat charters, reserving tennis lessons, making spa or yoga appointments, setting up snorkeling or scuba trips, delivering groceries, wines and prepared meals to your villa, arranging private chef service, catering parties, and planning weddings and other celebrations – complete with fireworks!



Why should I rent from Wimco in the future?
• Wimco is the largest and most experienced vertically integrated villa vacation company serving St Barts. No other company will personally hold your hand all the way from your first call or email all the way through every aspect of your villa vacation
• We arrange everything, so we are accountable for everything, and we are on the ground and accessible to our clients at any time
• We have the most experienced staff of villa specialists. Between them they have over 5,000 villa inspections. Our staff knows each villa we represent intimately, which helps to insure that we will recommend a villa that best meets your specific needs
• We throw a weekly Wimco client cocktail party, giving you great chance to meet our local staff, and mingle with other St Barts enthusiasts

Who will run the WimcoSBH office on St Barts
• WimcoSBH will be run by Fabienne LeGall, the President of WimcoSBH. Fabienne has seven years of real estate sales and villa rental experience on St Barts, and before that years of resort and hospitality experience on St Martin
• Fabienne is well connected on the island, university educated, and bilingual
• A team of experienced customer service people is on staff in the WimcoSBH office in St Jean to take care of all of our clients needs during their stay on St Barts
• Tim Warburton, Wimco’s Chairman and CEO will have hands-on involvement with the operations of WimcoSBH, especially during peak season

Can Wimco help me with hotel reservations on St Barts too?
• Yes! We love the distinctive hotels on the island, and have great relationships with them all
• Wimco is your one-stop-shop for hotel reservations. We have up to date pricing and hotel specials, and with one call you can find the hotel option that best meets your needs


Someone from another villa company called me about my Wimco reservation in February, 2011. What should I do?
• All villa rental reservations on St Barts made through Wimco and under deposit remain in place and are confirmed, for the villa you specified, for the dates that you requested

Want to learn more?
• Visit www.wsbh.fr
• Email info@wimco.com

 

[Reed]

Through a colleague of mine who works in the Marketing Department of Wimco in Newport, I have invited a few of the new Wimco SBH team to stop by my soiree on Novmember 5th to meet SBH on-line folks. Always great to have people trying to make things easier for visitors to the island. Please be on the look out for invite under the gathereings on SBH section.

Cheers!

Kimberly

 

[Petri]

Now that Wimco seems to own the local operator in St. Barth instead of outsourcing it, does it also mean lower rental fees?

 

[didier]

i just received an email from a friend that found out about the dissolution of the partnership between wimco and sibarth. she has been a client with sibarth for years. she doesn't understand why wimco thinks they can add her as a client without her agreeing to anything. perhaps it was in a previous agreement she had when she was with sibarth. i told her perhaps she could be on both. i know of several home owners here that do that.

 

[didier]

sorry that i will miss your party! i will be in the states from oct.21st until november 8th. hope you guys have a great time!

 

[JEK]

 

[JEK]