It started with the so-called “bed revolution.” Hotel chains began offering plush new mattresses and down duvets. As better beds won over visitors, the battlefront expanded. Bathrooms got elaborate showerheads; flat-screen TVs appeared. Hotel rooms started looking like home—if not nicer. Needless to say, timeshare resorts have kept pace with the trend. In fact, many hotels take their cues from timeshares, says Trisha Poole, head of Design Poole. “I think the hotel companies are now looking to [us] for ways to make guests feel comfortable and at home.”

In fact, the little extras at timeshare units are often as nice as those at luxury hotels, says Slifer Designs’ Donna Figg. “It’s not just having a five-piece bathroom,” she says, “but having a steam shower and using colors and colored lights to create a feeling.” Kitchens—one of timeshares’ biggest distinguishing factors— are getting upgraded as well. “Many developers believe it’s something people want,” designer Cole Martinez Curtis says.

And it looks as if standards will continue to rise, according to Scott Berman, an industry specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers. “The fact that approximately a third of units now sell for more than $20,000 per interval week speaks to a higher-quality product.”

Dogs Allowed

Bonnie Murman-Freer is a self-described “mother of four”: two kids, two dogs. She takes her family responsibilities seriously, making semi-regular cross-country jaunts from her home in Naperville, Illinois, with her sons and either Lucy or Bear, both golden retrievers. “Maybe I give my dogs a better life than most people do,” Murman-Freer says, “but I don’t think it’s right to leave your dog behind when you travel.” Freer is hardly alone: 29 million people took their furry sidekicks on a road trip over a recent three-year period, according to the Travel Industry Association of America.

Want to travel with your dog? Here’s a checklist.

• Build a list of possible pet-friendly resorts using online resources
  such as dogfriendly.com, PetsWelcome.com and www.RCI.com.
• Don’t assume. Some resorts might not advertise it, but do allow
  small pets (say, less than 25 lbs.).
• When you book, ask about weight restrictions, additional fees and
  the availability of “doggie day care.”
• If you’re going abroad, learn about your destination’s regulations
  and bring required proof of vaccinations.
• When packing, remember your pet’s special diet, medications,
  identifying documents and, of course, favorite toys.
• One last tip from Murman-Freer: “Put the car window down so
  their fur ruffles in the breeze and they can smell smells they’ve
  never smelled before.”