TimeSharing
Today
$4.
®
The Trusted Independent Voice of Vacation Ownership since 1991
Issue #95
Sep/Oct, 2007
Washington Moves Against Timeshare Collectors
Charged with licensing violation for not recording deeds, then reselling
The State of Washington’s Department of Licensing has charged Timeshare Collectors, which also operates as We
Collect Timeshares, with negotiating for the purchase and sale of real estate for other people without having a Real
Estate License. By issuing a Statement of Charges, the State has taken the first steps towards issuing a Cease and
Desist Order against the company and its principals, Jonathan and Christine Gibbs.
The Statement of Charges alleges that the Gibbses and their companies (the Respondents) “sent postcards . . . to timeshare
owners, seeking a response from those who might seek assistance transferring their timeshare titles. The Respondent provided
potential sellers with seminars explaining the “dangers” of owning timeshares and the advantages of releasing the timeshares
including tax deductions or losses on capital gains. . . . The Respondent provided paperwork including the “Timeshare Conditions of
Acceptance” that is an agreement to release all ownership interest, and to “facilitate legal transfer of title.” The ResponHilton Grand Vacations Company,
dent also provided participants with a
LLC recently launched its newest time“Timeshare Worksheet,” and negative arshare project in New York, West 57th
ticles concerning timeshare ownership.”
Street by Hilton Club, with a ceremonial
Owners, who were told they would
groundbreaking to celebrate the official
become eligible for a tax refund and would
start of sales and construction. Located
no longer bear responsibility for timeshare
in Midtown Manhattan between Avenue
maintenance fees, paid fees ranging from
of the Americas and Seventh Avenue,
$2,564 to $4,584 to have Timeshare ColWest 57th Street by Hilton Club will be
lectors takes their timeshares “off their
the first ground-up residential shared
hands.”
ownership property ever developed in
However, according to the State, alSite of new Hilton timeshare on 57th Street
New York City. The Hilton project is lothough
Timeshare Collectors represented
cated less than two blocks from the sucopened several years ago as Manhattan’s
that
it
was
utilizing escrow agents to transcessful Manhattan Club timeshare, which
first timeshare after conversion from an
fer
the
timeshares
out of the names of the
existing hotel.
owners,
the
company
listed the timeshares
“We’re very excited to bring the next
In this issue............
for
resale
for
a
broker
while they were still
generation of residential shared ownership
in
the
names
of
the
owners.
to New York City,” said Antoine Dagot,
Directory of licensed
By negotiating with prospective buypresident and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacatimeshare resale brokers
ers
while
the weeks were still registered in
tions.
the
names
of the owners, the Gibbses were
Reviews of resorts in Texas,
Projected for completion in 2009, the
engaging
in
activity that requires a license
28-story West 57th Street by Hilton Club
California, England, South
as
a
Real
Estate
Broker or Salesperson,
will consist of 161 studio, one-bedroom
Carolina, Vermont, Maine,
according
to
the
State’s
allegations.
and penthouse suites. Deeded real estate
Scotland, and elsewhere
The
Respondents
have
filed a request
interests for one-week increments are
for
a
hearing
and
an
Answer
admitting
available for purchase starting at $41,000
Articles on resale scams,
many
of
the
factual
allegations,
but denyfor a studio and ranging to more than
exchanges and more
ing
they
made
any
misrepresentations
and
$100,000 for a penthouse, and include
that
they
engaged
in
activities
which
Letters to the Editor, industry
membership in the Hilton Grand Vacations
would require them to have real estate liClub.
news, Resort Reports
censes. No hearing date has yet been set.
(Continued on page 8)
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TimeSharing Today
Page 3
TIMESHARING
TODAY
(ISSN 0000-1069) is published bimonthly at $24 for 12 issues by
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Distribution is primarily by mail to
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TimeSharing Today, Inc. Contact us for
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DISCLAIMER
TimeSharing Today makes no independent investigation of the properties, products or services advertised or
of the people placing advertisements
in this publication. We accept all ads
that are submitted with the appropriate fee. Accordingly, we cannot accept
any responsibility for any direct or
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these advertisements.
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All published articles and letters become the property of TimeSharing Today and may be republished by it in any
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Contributors of articles and letters published in TimeSharing Today will be
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extension; articles - 10 issue subscription extension or a 4-line classified ad.
HOW TO CONTACT US
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reached by mail at 140 County Rd., Ste,
114, Tenafly, NJ 07670, telephone at
201/871-4304, by fax at 201/871-4305
or by email to staff @tstoday.com.
Website: www.tstoday.com.
Access to Online Edition, Resort
Ratings, Resale Value Tracker, etc. is
through the Subscriber Only section.
Current username:
Current password:
Sep/Oct, 2007
Getting the Most from TST
During the more than 15 years that TimeSharing Today (originally Timeshare Classified International) has been published, a wealth of information has
accumulated, largely through the contributions of our subscribers. While many of
our readers save every issue (and some start with issue #1!), the best way to
access previously published information and updated ratings is on our Website
(www.tstoday.com) in the section reserved for subscribers. You’ll need the current username and password shown in the lower left corner of this page.
New search engine: At long last, we have a working effective search engine
that can access every issue that is online (back to Issue #36), more than 2000
pages of articles. When you link to the Online Edition, you will reach a page with
links to the current issue, to a new master index of issues back to Jan/Feb, 2000
and a textbox to enter keywords for searching every online issue. You can elect to
search on any word, all words or an exact phrase.
If you are contemplating an exchange, check first to see what has been written about that resort. And don’t forget to check the Resort Report Cards also.
Pet Friendly Resorts: Since our list of Pet Friendly Resorts was published a
few years ago, we have updated the list with some additions and some deletions.
You can find the most current listings in the Subscribers Only section. And if you
know of pet friendly timeshare resorts that are not on our list, please let us, so we
can add them.
Free Online Classified Ads: The online classified ads are accessible to all
visitors to our Website, which gives them a broader readership than only subscribers to the magazine. All classified ads published in the magazine are posted on the
Website at no additional cost after the issue is published. The professionals - the
resale brokers - know the benefits of being in both media and place their ads in the
printed edition, knowing they’ll then get the free online listings too.
Resale Value Tracker: This could be a great resource for both buyers and
sellers but, frankly, has not been as successful as we had hoped. These online
reports show actual prices of timeshare resales. However, unless parties to the
transactions, especially the resale brokers, consistently provide us with the information on resale prices, we will have limited data to enter into the reports.
We’re not ready to give up on this, but we need your support to make it work.
Expiration of Your Subscription: To make sure that you don’t miss any
issues, we send out postcard reminders when your current subscription is at the
end. If you want to know when your subscription expires, just look on the mailing
label. The number of your last issue is there as, for example, “expires issue 99.”
Dealing with Cost Increases
All printed periodical publications, such as TimeSharing Today, have been
faced with increased costs for postage and paper. We are working with our printer,
implementing various production, printing and distribution procedures to minimize
the impact of these increases. TimeSharing Today has also grown in size. Our last
few issues were each 60 pages, up from the 56 page publication that you have
been receiving for many years. We are pleased to provide you with additional
valuable content. In light of the changes, we will be having a nominal increase in
subscription rates, effective with the Jan/Feb, 2008 issue. So, this is a great time
to extend or renew your subscription at the current rates. Use the order form in
this issue or subscribe at www.tstoday.com.
Corrections for Issue 94
In the Comparison Chart of Exchange Companies, we did not pick up a change in
the local telephone number for Platinum Exchange. The new number is (714) 779-7900.
The last line of the article on InnSeasons Resort at page 24 dropped off the page. It
read, “late 1980s.”
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TimeSharing Today
Page 4
Sep/Oct, 2007
Letters to the Editor
Growth at Welk
In your July/August issue there was
a letter on page 5 titled “Too Much
Growth” from M.C. Bickert sharing his
concerns as to his ownership and growth
at the Welk Resorts in Escondido, California.
As Vice President of Resort Operations of Welk Resorts, I would like to address, if I may, some of the concerns as
expressed by our owner M.C. Bickert.
It is true Welk Resorts has been in a
growth mode since 2006 and currently
adding an additional 148 mountain themed
Villas, that will be tastefully situated in the
surrounding Mountainside of our over 600
acre resort complex. When plans were being developed for this project great strides
were made to ensure the beauty and serenity of the area was preserved for our
owners and guests enjoyment including
preservation of 22 acres as “open space”
and a density of 3.21 units per acre. This
density is well below that of a single family home subdivision and far below most
timeshare projects. Along with the conservation of the area, our concern is to
develop various amenities for our owner’s
convenience and pleasure including an
8,000 square foot lagoon style pool and
120 foot waterslide.
We have attempted to be pro-active
in keeping our owners apprised of our
pending changes through our Newsgram
publications which are sent out to owners
as well as posted on our web sites. We
have, in 2006, built Canyon Grille, a new
restaurant facility, as well as added a Pizza
Hut Express offering take out and delivery services. In 2007, we added room service, as well as opened a new and improved Market Place offering convenience, gourmet and deli items. We have
also renovated The Galleria, our retail store,
completely updated our resort lobby, and
will renovate Harmony Hill Recreation
Center in Fall of 2007, all for the betterment of our owners and guests.
While environmentally sensitive design continues to occur, we are committed
to also improving the vacation experience
of our owners and guests· each year.
We look forward to Mr. Bickert and
his family’s 2008 visit and can assure him
while changes have been made, the management and associates of the Welk Resorts are dedicated to providing our own-
ers and guests with a beautiful, full service destination vacation resort where
they will receive gracious service and experience worth repeating.
David M. Rice, CHA
Points as Currency
I would appreciate an opportunity to
comment on a letter in the July/Aug issue
entitled “Points as Currency” from William Bridgham. Mr. Bridgham doesn’t like
RCI’s points system, and makes the comment “…RCI can devalue your currency
(points) whenever they need money by
simply more smoke and mirrors….”. I
don’t know where Mr. Bridgham owns, so
I’ll use my personal experience for two
comments. I have owned two deeded
weeks at Meadow Lake Resort in Montana for almost 10 years. We converted to
RCI points shortly after the program was
announced (Meadow Lake was RCI’s very
first resort to convert), and I think it’s a
great deal.
We now can travel more easily (days,
not weeks at a time), more efficiently
(smaller units take fewer points), and more
cheaply (flying during the week vs weekends). We get more than 7 days of vacation for each week by traveling off-season and by minimizing our accommodation needs. Meadow Lake enjoys high RCI
point values due to its amenities (Gold
Crown rating, a lake lodge, a ski lodge, a
golf course, and a national park nearby).
Perhaps Mr. Bridgham’s resort was devalued (from Gold Crown to Silver Crown, or
something similar) due to resort maintenance or upkeep, or, perhaps he doesn’t
understand the points system. I recently
exchanged my 2 bedroom Kona Coast
week in Hawaii (it’s on the weeks system)
through II and was offered a week in a
studio for trade. In the RCI points system,
I would have gotten change back in the
form of points. Which system sounds better?
My other comment refers to Mr.
Bridgham’s quote about RCI devaluing
your “currency” when they need the
money. If you think this analogy through
carefully, it doesn’t make sense. RCI owns
no resorts, and only makes money when
©The New Yorker Collection 1970 Mort Gerberg from cartoonbank.com. All Rights Reserved.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 5
they send members on vacation. If
resorts are devalued, the owners don’t get
to make as many exchanges. RCI receives
fewer exchange fees, and makes less
money. Why would they want to do such
a thing?
In closing, I think the RCI points system was, and continues to be a great move,
and I can’t imagine going back to a “week
for week” exchange system.
Cliff Bennett
Cancel our ad!
Please cancel our ad to sell our timeshare at Winners Circle Resort as we have
sold it and had three inquires besides so
far. Your ad really worked and I think our
price helped also. Please respond to let us
know you have removed our ad from your
magazine. Thank you very much.
Paul Kapler
Special Assessment
I’m a long time reader of your magazine, but first time writer.
I’ve been an owner of a one bedroom
unit at Brigantine Inn in Brigantine, NJ
since 1986. The owner/management com-
pany has changed several times, and the
condition of the property has steadily deteriorated. Many years ago there was a
“one time special assessment” for about
$225 to repair damage done by a storm.
Needless to say, the maintenance fees
have steadily escalated to over $600/year.
Celebrity Resorts took over a few
years ago. I was at Brigantine last November and the units were most definitely in
need of many repairs. At the time they were
working on the roof and the outside of the
building. I was told of all the renovations
and improvements that were to be made in
the upcoming year. Imagine my shock
when I received a notice 2 weeks ago for
another “special assessment.”
My shock wasn’t so much that there
was one, but the amount of it was truly
amazing. Plus, the sum of $1031 was “due
upon receipt.” There was nothing about
installment payments, no warning that a
“special assessment” was coming, nothing. I’m sure there are many owners that
do not have a spare $1000 just waiting to
be sent to Celebrity Resorts. I’ve already
gotten a second notice threatening to report me to the credit bureaus.
Sep/Oct, 2007
I know the ultimately I’ll have to bite
the bullet and pay it. I’m just wondering if
you’ve heard from other owners or if there
is anything that can be done about this.
Thank you for any help in this matter.
Keep up the great job that you’re doing. I
always make sure that I read TSToday as
soon as it arrives.
Linda J. Frese
Changes at RCI
We quit RCI for the same reason that
so many others have - difficulty in getting
like-for-like exchanges. As I was cleaning
out my RCI file, I came across the brochure I got when I purchased my first timeshare over 30 years ago. It was copyrighted
by RCI and had a date of 10/15/75. It is in
the question and answer format and I especially got a kick out of two questions.
For those who were not around in the beginning, it will show how much timesharing has changed.
Q. What are the my chances of getting the unit I selected [requested]?
A. RCI has been able to offer its members first or second choice with very few
exceptions.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 6
gram?
A. Only members owning units in RCI
approved resorts are eligible to make use
of the RCI program.
My how things have changed! Keep
up the good work Timesharing Today. I
enjoy your publication immensely.
Jim Rhodes, Austin, TX
Comments on
issue #94
Allen Sinshiemer’s comments in July/
Aug 2007 about Massanuttan are right
on!
We still own 1 fall week in the
Mountainside Villas, on the golf course.
We had a spring week but sold it. I realized later that the buyer did so because
the maintenance fees were so low and it
had a good exchange potential. These are
2-story townhomes, not apartments. The
bathrooms even had a sauna and a Jacuzzi
tub. The kitchens have every conceivable gadget one would ever want. The living rooms are the full 2-story height with
a huge stone fireplace.
I agree completely with Michael
Peterson’s article (No More Exchanges)
on page 18.
We have seven deeded weeks: Vail
and Beaver Creek/St. James Place, both 5star and RID. We have given up and cancelled our RCI and II memberships awhile
ago. Originally RCI would give your week
back if they did not have an exchange
within two weeks of your timeshare week.
With any of the others we will not
deposit weeks until they have a confirmed
exchange.
I think the Points operation is very
questionable. Consider this: With deeded
weeks, say 50 units x 50 weeks = 2,500
timeshare weeks and THAT IS ALL ! But
Points Clubs can sell and sell and sell unlimited “entitlements.”
I like the idea mentioned in “A crazy
Suggestion” of having a page in TST for
Homeowners Associations to advertise
the weeks that owners have given back to
them. It’s not the high value weeks that
HOA’s have trouble finding new owners,
so TST doesn’t need to worry about them.
I don’t think the HOA’s even have to list
their excess weeks, just a notice that they
have x number of weeks in specified periods of the year. Maybe TST could tie this
to your newsletter offer when the HOA
lets TST advertise in their newsletter
(which is a great concept).
Earl Glenwright
Crazy suggestion
TRI WEST
Home of the
Timeshare
BLUEBOOK©
& Vacation Gallery
800-423-6377
triwest-timeshare.com
In the July/August 2007 Issue #94 of
TimeSharing Today, Cindy from Colorado,
(also known as shopgirl on Timeshare
Forums and rickandcindy on TUG) submitted a letter filled with nonsense and lies.
Its one thing for someone to come up with
a bright idea that would help out people in
any given industry, but that’s definitely
not an accurate description of the “crazy
suggestion” mumbo jumbo she wrote.
Cindy buys and sells timeshares,
which she mentions in her letter. Naturally, like most people who make money in
the timeshare industry, she’s unhappy
when anyone comes along that might deter people from buying into her timeshare
scheme, thereby reducing her potential
profits.
Timeshare Relief, Inc. is a great company and we help out people who aren’t
happy with their timeshares, and they’re
extremely happy we exist. She states
outright that two weeks after one of our
presentations, we list the timeshares on
Sep/Oct, 2007
eBay. This is blatantly untrue. Timeshare
Relief, Inc. does not and has not ever sold
or bought timeshares. The truth is that
we have to pay to get rid of these
timeshares.
She finally gets to her “crazy suggestion” that the resorts should take back the
deeds from the owners who don’t want
the timeshares anymore. What a novel
idea! Why didn’t anyone else think of
that? Oh, wait, we did try that, and they
told us, “We’re in the business of selling
timeshares, sorry!” Cindy also suggested
that the owners pay a year or two of maintenance fees in advance as an incentive.
I’m sorry; I thought you were trying to
save them money, Cindy. Wait, that’s right,
she says if the resorts take them back, they
can shut down companies like us.
Finally, she talks about helping the
underdogs, the smaller resorts. How sad.
Those poor small resorts that need Cindy’s
help. Gosh, I thought she was looking
out for the consumers against big bad
companies like Timeshare Relief, Inc.
At Timeshare Relief, Inc. our goal is
to help people get out of timeshares they
do not want and do not use. The people
who decide to work with us have tried
every manner of escape from their contracts, including such things as renting,
listing, giving back their deeds or points,
donating to charity and they’ve found that
nothing has worked for them. We never
buy or sell these timeshares and, so far,
our business has helped thousands of
people rid themselves of a lifetime financial burden.
David MacMillan and Cindy Martin,
Owners and Founders,
Timeshare Relief, Inc., Torrance, CA
****
Well it’s novel and possibly worth
considering. For larger timeshare companies, especially if they have a resale department, why not pay the owner to get
weeks back which they can resale at a
profit. Most owners are not looking for
any profit; they know the resale values
are not great, however, they would like to
get something. For smaller time share companies, this really may be a good idea
They most often are not in a position to
handle resales and would need time to sell
a unit.
Its creative and certainly worth considering.
J. Beyer
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TimeSharing Today
Page 7
Travels During Our Third
Year of Retirement
By Jim and Karolyn Johnston
Ruston, LA
Our first year of retirement travel
was chronicled in the Jul/Aug 2005 issue of TSToday and our second year
was reported in the Jul/Aug 2006 issue. I retired from being a university
professor in late May 2004 and our trips
in the next twelve months used 24
weeks of timeshares. Our second year
was not quite as extensive, but we still
consumed 19 weeks of timeshare.
During this third year we used another
17 weeks.
For the year June 2006-May 2007,
the first usage was an II exchange to
Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas in
southern California. Our older daughter had always wanted to visit Disney
Land so we let her family use this week.
In July our other daughter and family
went to the Landmark Holiday Beach
Resort (a week we own) to enjoy
Panama City Beach, FL.
Our own travels began in August
with RCI exchanges to Sunrise Cove
at Village West at Spirit Lake, IA,
Causeway on the Gull near Nisswa,
MN, and II exchanges to Grand Timber Lodge in Breckenridge, CO and
Westgate Park City Resort and Spa
in Park City, UT. While going from
Minnesota to Colorado, we drove
across North Dakota which was the 50th
state for both of us to have now been
in. After leaving Park City, we headed
south and visited the beautiful and wondrous Zion and Bryce Canyon National
Parks.
After a short stay at home in Louisiana (we seniors need our hometown
doctors periodically), we wondered
over to Hilton Head, SC for two weeks
in November through II exchanges at
Marriott’s Grande Ocean and
Marriott’s Surf Watch resorts.
Right after the first of the New Year,
we headed off to Florida using five RCI
exchanges. Our first week was at
Camaron Cove at Indian Rocks
Beach, FL. We really enjoyed the Greek
restaurants in nearby Tarpon Springs.
Next, we headed to the Orlando area
where we stayed in a three bedroom
house at The Houses at Summer Bay
Resort. We enjoyed the private pool
and hot tub on the screen enclosed
porch. We then headed south to
Weston, FL for a week at Mizner Place.
From this resort, we took a day trip to
Key West with a wonderful guide named
Philipe. We next headed back to the
central east coast of Florida where we
had a week at The Resort on Cocoa
Beach and finally a week at Fairfield
Daytona Beach at Oceanwalk. It was
the beginning of Race Week and I was
able to tour Daytona International
Speedway while lots of activities were
taking place. Boy, is that place ever
huge.
After several months at home, we
headed back to Florida for some spring
time on the beaches. In early May, we
went to Landmark Holiday Beach
Resort in Panama City, FL. Although
we own three summer weeks here, this
week was an RCI exchange as were
the next three weeks. The next week
was at Sutherland Crossing near
Crystal Beach, FL. The resort is not
right on the beach but is on a bay and
has a long pier where gorgeous sunsets
can be watched each evening. We went
on next to Calini Beach Club at Siesta
Key near Sarasota, FL. The beach here
is generally rated as one of the top in
the U.S. Our last week was at The
Charter Club of Marco Beach on
Marco Island, FL. There is a new
Marriott resort being built right next door
and the top week is supposedly being
sold for $137,000.
This past twelve months. We used
15 weeks ourselves and each of our
daughters had a week of usage. One
week was time we owned, three weeks
were II exchanges and 13 of the weeks
were RCI exchanges. Travels for retirement year four are already well underway. We have 15 weeks of exchanges arranged already.
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Sep/Oct, 2007
TimeSharing Today
Page 8
Sep/Oct, 2007
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
Hilton Club in New York
(Continued from front page.)
The resort will offer owners amenities such as the
Construction site
first Spa Chakra in New York City. Located at streetlevel, Spa Chakra will offer relaxing treatments including massages, facials, body treatments and signature
Chakra Health therapies.
“Our world-class amenities will be available for
owners, including a spacious outdoor terrace, private
Owners Lounge featuring food and beverage presentations throughout the day, concierge service, valet
laundry service, nightly turn-down service, 24-hour
on-site doorman, and high-speed wireless Internet
access throughout the building,” said Dagot.
The contemporary studio, one-bedroom and penthouse suites will feature upscale furnishings, stateof-the-art entertainment systems, and oak, marble and granite details throughout.
Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, West 57th Street by Hilton Club is
within walking distance of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, MOMA, Central Park, and
shopping along Fifth Avenue.
Donatello Climbs to
Top Ten in ranking
From 236 San Francisco hotels listed
on the Trip Advisor website, The
Donatello is currently ranked #8, just below the Ritz-Carlton.
Trip Advisor is an online consumerto-consumer website where the public is
invited to rank recent visits to a hotel or
resort. The site then tabulates the ratings
and compares them to other properties
within the same city. Guests rank rooms,
service, value, cleanliness and amenities.
Last year, The Donatello completed
the refurbishment of units, replacing carpets and couches in all rooms, as well as
new bedding packages, complete with
custom made matching ultra-suede bed
skirts and new ultra-suede comforter covers. Many owners requested an armchair
in the room, which is part of the package.
The rooms now sleep a maximum of four,
due to the added sofa sleeper. As soon as
the new items were installed, Shell Vacations Hospitality placed new images on
their website, which they believe had an
impact on their Trip Advisor rankings.
VacationGuard
broadens Offerings
VacationGuard Inc., announced that
it has joined efforts with Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and will offer
VacationGuard® plan holders insurance
Inverness II @ Walden, Montogmery Texas
TIMESHARE
INVENTORY LIQUIDATION
...these weeks must go!
PAY NO ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEE UNTIL JAN 1, 2008
Reply by October 31, 2007 and get a
FREE BONUS WEEK
Call 1-888-525-9970 or
Email: [email protected]
Inverness At Walden: Code 25
for auto, tenant, homeowners, boat, and
RV insurance. Through their annual travel
protection plans, plan holders may be eligible for a special rate on auto insurance
with Nationwide. As their needs grow, purchasers can work with Nationwide to
bundle other types of policies at additional
savings.
“This is an exciting enhancement to
our existing platform and serves as an additional example of VacationGuard travel
protection creating value-added benefits
for our plan holders,” states
VacationGuard’s National Director Brian
Rock.
Pahio resorts into
Wyndham system
Wyndham Vacation Ownership,
which recently acquired the five Kauaibased resorts of privately-held Pahio Resorts, has announced that they will now
be affiliated with Wyndham’s FairShare
Plus exchange program portfolio. The
former Pahio resorts include Ka ‘Eo Kai,
Kauai Beach Villas, Shearwater, Bali Hai
Villas and Makai Club and Cottages, which
are located in the northern and eastern
areas of Kauai.
The company’s FairShare Plus by
Wyndham portfolio in Hawaii is now comprised of nine resorts throughout the islands. Wyndham Vacation Ownership also
boasts an additional resort on Kauai,
WorldMark Kapaa Shores, which operates within its WorldMark by Wyndham
portfolio.
Individuals who previously owned
with Pahio may elect to join the FairShare
Plus internal timeshare exchange program
and expand their vacation choices to more
than 75 resorts throughout North America.
If they elect not to join the program, they
will maintain their ability to vacation within
the original Pahio system as set forth by
their contract.
An expansion of two-and three-bedroom condominium-style units is currently
proposed at the Bali Hai Villas resort. An
already stunning property featuring intricately landscaped gardens, a waterfall and
tennis court, the expansion will also include the addition of an extensive clubhouse.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 9
$10 billion in 2006
timeshare sales
Desert Rose
blooms in Vegas
Timeshare sales by developers
reached $10 billion in 2006, according to a
study released by ARDA. The study did
not include resales directly by owners or
through resale brokers, which are a significant part of total sales.
As of January this year, there were
1,615 timeshare resorts operating in the
U.S. and a total of 4.4 million owners.
The 176,232 timeshare units were almost 81 percent occupied during the year,
with about 20 percent of the occupants
being renters or marketing guests.
Florida continues to lead the states
with 23 percent of the nation’s resorts,
followed by California (7 percent) and
South Carolina (seven percent).
Two-bedroom units were 63 percent
of units, followed by one-bedroom (22 percent), three-bedroom or larger (9 percent)
and studios (less than 6 percent.) The average price of a timeshare interval or points
equivalent purchased from a developer in
2006 was $18,502.
Shell Vacations’ Desert Rose resort in Las Vegas is nearing completion of a $17,000,000 renovation that
saw its transformation from a budget
suite motel into a high quality vacation ownership property during the
nearly four year construction process.
Known as the Hawthorne Suites
when Shell Vacations Hospitality took
over the management in 2005, renovations
to the first building were finished in June
of that year. Each of the succeeding three
phases, with about 72 units each, required
six to seven months to complete. This
month, the fourth and final building is expected to be done, resulting in 284 oneand two-bedroom suites. Work included
a total lobby renovation, a pool area with
barbeque sections, and a new state-of-theart fitness center.
According to General Manager Chris
Breed, “When we initially purchased the
property, it was a low budget motel with a
history of transient guests and not-sohot neighboring businesses. Shell must
have had a crystal ball, because there has
Marriott on Marco Is.
Marriott Vacation Club International
has announced the start of development
and sales of its first resort on Marco Island, Florida. Marriott’s Crystal Shores
on Marco Island will include 219 two- and
three-bedroom villas, with prices ranging
from $20,000 to over $100,000 per week depending on season and unit size. The
units, scheduled for occupancy in March,
2009, range in size from 1,100 to 1,450
square feet.
Amenities will include two pools, a
tropical pool with waterslide, three whirlpool spas, beachfront, fitness center, treatment rooms and barbeque areas.
New DC area resort
Wyndham Vacation Ownership is
scheduled to start construction this Fall
on a 250-unit resort on the banks of the
Potomac River in Prince George’s County,
MD. The one-, two- and three-bedroom
timeshare units will be in an 11-story tower
as part of a 300-acre National Harbor community.
Resort amenities include a health and
fitness club with indoor and outdoor
pools, and an outdoor terrace with a spa
and pool cabana.
Sep/Oct, 2007
been a complete transformation. Today the
entire block has been leveled and brand
new quality businesses are going up all
around us. Also, we are right behind the
famed MGM hotel.”
Westin in Cancun
Starwood Vacation Ownership is now
constructing the first phase of the Westin
Lagunamar Ocean Resort on 18 beachfront
acres in Cancun’s hotel zone. The first 78
two-bedroom lock-off villas are in four 8story buildings. Also under construction
are a reception center, sales gallery and
amenities such as a swimming pool and
fitness facility. When completed, the resort will have 296 two-bedroom suites.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 10
Sep/Oct, 2007
Apples to Apples –
Choosing a Resale Broker
By Brad Evert, CEO, World Access
Systems International (WASI)
There are currently over 7500 varieties of apples grown throughout the world.
For the timeshare owner looking to sell,
the choice of Resale Brokers is just as diverse. Choosing the right Broker starts
with looking at why you, the owner, want
to sell. Is the property going unused, is it
part of an investment portfolio, are you flipping for profit, did
personal circumstances change, or did you purchase a new timeshare? Ask yourself what you want to accomplish before contacting a Broker.
When you begin your search, verify you are talking to a
Licensed Timeshare Resale Broker by asking them if they are a
licensed real estate brokerage. You can verify this quickly by
visiting their State Real Estate Commission website. By law, licensed Brokers must disclose all fees, commissions, and services to you before listing your property. If you skip this step,
you could end up paying for little more than a few lines of text
buried in an obscure website.
What will the broker do for you? Do you go with a local,
national, or international presence? This depends on what you
own, where you live, and how involved you will be in the sale.
Local or specialty brokers specialize in a geographic area or family of properties, like Orlando or Colorado Ski properties, or a
specific resort or family of resorts, and you can talk to them frequently or visit their local office. National or Global brokers reach
larger markets and usually handle a wider variety of properties
with standardized procedures, but you are part of a larger company and may feel more like a number.
Most brokers charge a commission of 5 to 50% percent.
Some charge fees at the time of listing to reduce the commission
at time of sale. Others offer “flat fee” programs with an upfront
payment and no commission. This can save you money, but
increases your risk, since you are pre-paying for service. Again,
look to what fits your needs, and do the math to figure out what
you will net after the sale.
Brokers with no “upfront fees” often require exclusive listings, since they can only make money while they have your listing. This can be a benefit or hindrance, depending on the property you are selling. Always beware of scams like “appraisal
fees” and “over-quoting.” There are many passionate articles
debating upfront fees and commissions, but read through the
rhetoric to determine what the broker is providing and judge their
integrity for yourself.
Once you’ve made your choice, listen to what your broker is
telling you regarding the market. This is vacation ownership, so
your property is subject not only to real estate market pressures,
but to travel industry forces as well, making for a dynamic and
sometimes volatile market. Be realistic in your expectations, do
your homework to choose the right broker, and you will save
yourself time and money. Choose the right apple today, and your
timeshare will go away.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 11
Sep/Oct, 2007
Russ on
the Road
By Russ Hiner, Hialeah, FL
Silverleaf’s Piney
Shores Resort,
Conroe, TX
First, a word about Silverleaf. I have
traded into several of them through RCI
and the Exchange sheet has never given
an exact unit number. This has always
puzzled me, since RCI requires that you
deposit a specific unit, for a specific date,
and you get a specific date of occupancy.
I wrote two Silverleaf resorts this year,
asking for the unit number and phone number that I could leave at home, so I could
be reached if necessary. This is an excerpt
from one of the replies:
“Unfortunately, we do not have the
means to release and assure you in a select unit. We will not have a secure assigned unit, until you check into the resort.” The rest of the reply was completely
confusing and almost unintelligible. However, I think it meant that any Silverleaf
owner (member?) who wishes an internal
trade or bonus time trade (or a rental?) has
first choice over the time and units available. So a confirmed RCI deposit of a unit
and time means nothing, because
Silverleaf controls all assignments.
I was also told that “we do it this way
so we can put you in the best available
unit in best space, so that construction
noise and traffic, that might be disturbing,
is eliminated and so you can be as close
to the Activities as possible.”
A
GIANT
I will be polite and say: “That
ain’t the way it happened to me.
The two resorts I visited this
year had large “Welcome” buildings, where the parking lots were
jammed, but which were NOT the
Check-in places. There was a great deal of
effort toward the selling of units.
Something else that I have seen when
visiting Silverleaf resorts is that all of the
burners on the stove have pots or pans
on them and the table are set with dishes
and glasses for four. This may be a way to
show that the inventory is there, or some
decorating idea, but I don’t like to put
away things I am not going to use as a
start to my vacation.
And now back to the Resort Report.
I was a little confused about checkin, because it was NOT at the large building marked Welcome Center where all of
the crowds were, but at the Activities Center, which shared a smaller building more
in the center of the complex. You had to
ask the guard at the gate for directions.
Check in was delayed while an official RCI “concierge” was summoned. After several minutes, a staff member started
to check us in, but then “Debi” showed
up and finished the procedure. She very
strongly emphasized that if anything was
not the way it should be, we should contact her, day or night. We were expecting
a package via the US Mail and we asked
about it. Sorry, not here yet, but she would
keep watch for it.
RCI “guests” (Exchangers?) had several special privileges, such as access to a
free computer at certain times, no charges
and different time limits for most of the
equipment and a concierge 24/7 to make
things right. The Breakfast meeting was
on Tuesday for us, on Mondays for the
others. A full, hot breakfast, not just coffee and doughnuts! It is nice to be one of
the privileged few. (We used the computer
once, but none of the other activities or
amenities.)
The RCI sheet says there are up to 16
steps and no ADA equipped units, only
some with “easy access.” Our unit was
about 8 feet down hill, then down 5 steps
from the parking area.
Our unit was one of four in a building
in the last row of one section. Quiet and
traffic free, right? Sorry, the end unit, 2
doors away, was the “model unit” for an
endless stream of prospective buyers.
Vans, SUV’s and a few cars disgorged 3 or
4 passengers about every 15 minutes or
so, past our door to the model. Seldom
were there two sets at the same time, but
there was a steady flow on Saturday and
Sunday.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 12
One entered, using a Standard Key,
between the dining area (left) and the living area (right). The stove was full of pots
and pans and the table was set for four. I
don’t know why this is, and I didn’t ask.
The kitchen was a galley type, beyond the
dining table. The unit was decorated in
“Early Rustic” style with furniture made
of sticks and twigs fastened together, with
outdoors pictures, and hunting and other
equipment hung on the wooden “pickled
oak” walls. The coffee table was a sleigh
with iron runners and a wood frame. There
was a wood burning fireplace but no firewood or reference for fireplace use in handouts.
The sleeper/sofa was very soft; your
knees were above your bottom. The
overstuffed chair was also very soft, and
deep. The several cushions made it more
like lounging than sitting. These two sat
in the corner of the room with a large table
between them. The one lamp in the room
was on that table. It had a 3-way fluorescent bulb, OK for watching TV but not for
reading.
Although the dining table was well
lighted, the kitchen had lighting that was
inadequate. The stove stood several
inches away from the wall so that the light
from the microwave above did not even
shine on the back burners. The stove,
refrigerator and some counter space, was
on one side of the room and the sink and
some counter space on the other. There
was an icemaker, and a dishwasher, but no
disposer. The kitchen base cabinets
looked worn rather than rustic.
There were hardwood floors in the
dining area and living room, which also
had a large, oval rag rug. There was slatestyle linoleum in the kitchen and bathrooms, and carpeting in both bedrooms.
The headboards and some of the furniture in the bedrooms was also of the rustic stick style.
In one bedroom, there was a double
bed, a chest of drawers, end tables with
lamps and a phone, but no TV. This
rooms’s bathroom had a small shower,
with a peculiar type of water control, which
I reported as possibly encouraging the
user to be scalded. The other bedroom had
a queen bed, (that needed to be replaced),
end tables, lamps, a chest of drawers, a
TV and a phone. This bath had a whirl-
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Sep/Oct, 2007
pool type tub, with three mirrored walls,
but the bottom of the tub skirt looked
shabby. There was enough dresser and
closet space for a week’s stay, but perhaps not for heavy winter clothing. The
bedrooms had only 60-watt bulbs in 3-way
fixtures, but lighting in the bathrooms was
good.
There was a nice balcony in the back,
overlooking the units below. Mid-week
cleaning was available on request.
Ceiling fans in the bedrooms and the
living room were all turned on or off by a
wall switch! The chains which could
change the speed or turn out the light were
either too short or non existent, and the
fans were mounted much too high to reach
the switch.
There was no unit book, just the handout sheets given at check-in. It seems to
me that a really comprehensive unit book
about this resort and the area, which also
extolled the other Silverleaf Resorts, would
be a good idea. Instead, the handouts
were of very poor quality, being copies of
copies of copies. Lists, such as of
churches and restaurants (which also had
incomplete addresses) were annoyingly
quite out of date.
As usual, the TV listing was numerical, not alphabetical, but it was particularly annoying because it was inaccurate
and 13 stations were shown by call letters
only, without reference to which was PBS,
Fox, WB or what, except ABC, NBC and
CBS. The TV remotes were the old type,
which allowed you to go up or down only
one station at a time. I decided to complain to Debi about 5PM the Friday we
arrived. We had a “modern” remote within
an hour! Ah, the life of the privileged.
There were no laundry facilities at the
resort, or mention of where they could be
found in Conroe, more than 3 miles away.
DVD players and movies were available,
but no VCR or Cassette players. There was
a list of the activities available each day,
as well as lots of equipment for fun and
games, even archery. We did not use any
of this.
The resort does not recycle anything.
There were many other small things
that were carelessly done, or ignored,
which I thought indicated that the resort
was more interested in selling more units
than it was in keeping the current owners
happy.
Resort Mart Real Estate
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TimeSharing Today
Page 13
Sep/Oct, 2007
Finally! Santa Fe
By Ronald Wacik, Carlsbad, CA
I have been a member of RCI for many
years and my initial experience with them
was great but has deteriorated to an abysmal relationship. As we all know, they are
a nightmare to deal with, unless you want
to deposit your week!
Long story short, after much complaining to “supervisors” over several
years about the terrible exchanges I’ve had
or the lack of availability, I finally had a
supervisor take pity on me. She (the supervisor) said “she would delete one of
my deposited weeks and replace it with a
“supervisor” week and that this has more
exchange leverage than any other type of
week.”
Well, it still took a while, but we were
finally able to exchange into Santa Fe, NM,
which I was previously told is next to impossible because hardly anyone deposits
weeks from Santa Fe.
We arrived at Otra Vez En Santa Fe,
a very small facility located in the midst of
downtown Santa Fe, which is an excellent
location. We were greeted by a rather elderly woman who apparently thought it was
“cute” to be rude and obnoxious. As we
arrived early, she told us that “we were
pests because we arrived too early and
really mess up her day.” Also “she hoped
we understood that because of this she
already doesn’t like us.” This type of banter never let up. At first, we just figured
that it was her way of being friendly, but
she just continued with one insult after
another. I did complain to the manager
(Patty) who said she understood, but she
has tried, but can’t get rid of her. The whole
thing was just annoying and strange. After that, we simply avoided the office when
she was on duty.
The unit was “OK.” It was clean but
has some deferred maintenance issues. The biggest problem was the bar that
is several doors away. The loud noise and
foul language that emanated from the bar,
along with the inebriated smokers who
must stand outside to smoke, prevented
us from having a good nights sleep for
the entire stay. It was so bad, I called the
police, whose response was, “well the bar
has a right to do business.”
I mentioned our problem to Patty the
manager, who said no one else seems to
mind. Ironically, she then offered us ear
plugs! If no one else is complaining, why
do they keep ear plugs in stock?
On the positive side, Santa Fe is a
wonderful place to visit and we really enjoyed the shopping, pueblos and sight
seeing. The best restaurant is La Fonda
inside the LaFonda Hotel. Don’t miss it if
you go there. Also Tia Sophia’s for breakfast or lunch.
If I were to visit again, which I probably will, The Hilton Hotel is at an excellent location. Also, if possible, the La
Fonda Hotel is marvelous, but a bit on the
expensive side.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 14
Sep/Oct, 2007
Best Exchange: Stouts Hill
Club, Uley, England
By Richard and Krystyna Tanner,
Simcoe, Ont.
We drove down from our timeshare
at Sutton Hall (near York) to start a week’s
exchange into Stouts Hill on the edge of
the Cotswolds about 45 minutes north of
Bath and Bristol and about a 2-hour drive
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west of London’s Heathrow airport, easily reached from the motorway. If you are
flying into the UK, Bristol would be the
nearest airport. Exeter is about 75 minutes
away. The timeshare is deep in the
Gloucestershire countryside, in the small
village of Uley, between Dursley and
Stroud. As we made our turn up the driveway, we knew this was no ordinary timeshare, an impression reinforced by the
warm and efficient welcome we received.
Stouts Hill is a very large 18th century
house set in 27 acres that used to be a
boys private school. The main house was
originally a Prep School - a fee paying
school which prepared younger children
to get to public school, which in the UK
are fee-paying schools. They’re called
public, because anyone can go, so long
as the parents can afford the fees!
There are only 14 units (or apartments) here, so exchanging in is very limited. Apparently, a lot of people who buy
here use their timeshare year after year.
Some of the units were in the main building and several in the mews section, a
separate and newer building. We were in
apartment 1 in the main building, which
you reached from a wide staircase. We
enjoyed the lovely dining/sitting area, with
open-plan kitchen. Two sets of windows
overlooked the gardens and the views over
the countryside and down to the river gorgeous - and helped by the fact that we
had wonderful weather. In fact, this was
said to be the warmest April on record!
The kitchen was somewhat basic (no dishwasher) and really needed renovation, but
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everything worked and it was adequate
for our needs. There has been some discussion about upgrading the kitchens.
There was a good set of dinnerware, crystal glasses, etc., so entertaining was easy
and enjoyable; it was a pleasure to show
our friends from Edinburgh this delightful
timeshare. They stayed nearly all week
with us and kept saying “are you sure this
is a timeshare?”
The master bedroom has en suite
shower/toilet/sink with storage shelves
under the sink. Few showers in the UK
work to North American standards. The
wardrobe had lots of shelves and hanging space. The second bedroom had twin
beds which our friends assured us were
comfortable; they used the second bathroom easily reached from the hallway.
The decoration throughout was very
pleasant in a traditional English style. All
the rooms were light and airy, with large
windows overlookng the well-tended gardens. On the main floor, the reception
rooms are large - the drawing room, the
dining room and the smaller, but lovely
bar/library. This bar is well stocked with
wines/spirits/beers/fridge full of soft
drinks. Pour yourself a drink (glasses, etc.
all provided) and write your name in the
book; the bill would be tallied at the end
of your week. Many times throughout the
week, I would be playing the piano in the
next room (the drawing room) and Richard
would come through with a glass of sherry
- all very civilized! Incidentally, there was
a minimal mark up on the drinks.
There are many special things about
Stouts Hill, but if I had to pick one thing, it
would be the catered dinner held mid-week
if enough people are signed up (minimum
of 8). The catering is done at the nearby
Owlpen Manor (which has won awards
for its catering) and costs 17 pounds per
person for a 3 course dinner - you are allowed to bring your own wine. Sixteen
people signed up for the dinner the week
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TimeSharing Today
Page 15
Sep/Oct, 2007
Main house
we were there; it was an evening to remember. We then had coffee and mints in
the drawing room.
Stouts Hill has the best timeshare
website I have ever seen - full of information on the property, the apartments, facilities, what to do in the immediate and
surrounding area, restaurants, etc.
We played croquet with some friends
who joined us for the day. There is a tennis court; a pitch and putt golf area with 9
holes; extensive well tended grounds; fishing rights on the river; a lovely patio area
with barbeques; outdoor swimming pool
(open for summer only of course); two full
sized snooker tables (in great condition)
in the games room. There’s even a badminton court and an indoor pool (with
current switch) and a separate shower area.
There is a whirlpool as well, though the
water temperature was a little cool. They
have equipment for all the sports.
As if this wasn’t enough, you are right
on the edge of one of the most beautiful
areas of England. The villages/towns and
hamlets are picture perfect set in lovely
rolling countryside, some homes still with
thatched roofs. The ancient villages have
names like Stow-on-the-Wold, Wottonunder-Edge and Moreton-in-Marsh - many
buildings have been built with the honey
brown Cotswold stone unique to this area.
There are many National Trust properties
to visit (open from April through October). A few to visit would be Hidcote
Manor Gardens, Kiftsgate, Woodchester
Park, Dyrham Park, Newark Park and many
others.
We
especially
liked
nearbyWestonbirt Arboretum; spring
blossoms were in full bloom and the
rhododendrums were especially beautiful.
Bath is only 40 minutes away, one of
the premier attractions in England with its
Roman Baths (very well presented), Georgian architecture and many other points
of interest. Two of Jane Austen’s books
were set in Bath. Bristol, a much larger city
with interesting dockland areas, museums
and galleries, is about the same distance.
It is an easy drive into Wales to explore
the mining valleys and towns where communities present a really interesting commentary.
Less than 30 minutes away is the
Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Conservation areas, originally started by Sir
Peter Scott, and now devdoped into the
most comprehensive area for study, demonstration, conservation and protection
of wetland birds that you will ever see.
For grocery supplies, there is a large
Tescos at Cam, only 15 minutes from
Stouts Hill. A larger Tescos is in Stroud, 9
miles away. Also in Stroud there is a
Waitrose supermarket; many people say
that the quality is better. Both have a good
selection of prepared meals to go.
As you can see from the above report, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and
in fact we were lucky enough to learn about
a week for sale in the mews area, which we
purchased. It is not in the main building,
but it is still a 2 bedroom unit on 2 levels
with a small patio area off the lounge. They
are certainly more modern and perhaps
more functional than the main house, albeit with less character.
This resort has an internet for timeshare use; a small charge is levied. You
should also know that there is an electricity use charge, which is the case in all British timeshares. We would recommend this
timeshare and the area very highly; this
has got to be amongst the very best we
have encountered in over 40+ exchanges.
You are most welcome to call or email
if you have questions about this resort or
timesharing in general in Britain. We do
live in Canada now (since 1973) but we go
back to Britain on a frequent basis. We
also own at Sutton Hall Club near York
and Hilton Craigendarroch in Ballater, Scotland. Our email is [email protected].
Phone is 519.428.6777.
http//:www.redweek.com
Rent. Sell. Buy.
Read. Review.
A heavily visited Web site = lots of
exposure & connections.
How much is a week at your resort going for?
Connect with a community of owners and travelers in a fair
and honest marketplace. It takes a great working Web site
with plenty of traffic to help make your timeshare experience
the best it can be. Post your timeshare for rent or sale.
Make a RedWish. Connect today.
Connecting travelers and the timeshare community.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 16
Local Dining Guide
Charleston, SC
When staying at the Lodge Alley Inn
in Charleston, SC, we were able to walk
one block up East Bay Street to the Blossom Restaurant. We both had sandwiches
for our lunch and were well pleased with
the taste, the portion size and the service.
Lunch for two was about $20.00. We also
ate delicious Charleston cuisine at
Poogan’s Porch Restaurant which is only
a three block walk away from Lodge Alley.
They specialize in old Charleston dishes
such as shrimp and grits, seafood, and fried
green tomatoes. Lunch for two was about
$25.00.
Ed and Carolyn Hawkins,
Martinsburg, WV
San Francisco, CA
Whenever we stay in San Francisco,
we make sure to visit B44 in Belden Way.
Belden Way is a pedestrian walkway – has
several very good restaurants – also outdoor dining (with heat lamps) – and is one
block away from the Lion Gate entrance to
Chinatown. Our favorite is B44, a Spanish
tapas – or small plate - restaurant that is
very creative and tasty. You can order a
couple of dishes at a time and order more
as your appetite dictates.
Maggie Gardner
Austin, TX
This recommendation is based on
several visits (the most recent on June 23,
2007) and is for visitors to the Austin, TX
area.
One of Austin’s defining sections is
the Warehouse District in the heart of
downtown, which is where this recommended restaurant/bar is located. The
name is “Starlite” and it lives up to it. There
is a delightfully varied and imaginative
menu for dinner; a fine Sunday brunch
from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM is available. My
family has experienced both and found
each a true treat for the palate. The service was superior on each occasion. There
is parking in a lot adjacent to the restaurant (if you come early). The atmosphere
Sep/Oct, 2007
is one of casual, comfortable elegance. To
appreciate it’s appeal before visiting, there
is a good website: www.starliteaustin.net
where there is a photo gallery, menu display, set of directions,and believable comments by critics of the Austin restaurant
scene (as well a glowing acknowledgement by Zagat).
Starlite is located at 407 Colorado
Street and is decidedly worth a visit designed to give those who go a memorable
and affordable taste of Austin dining at
its most enjoyable.
Michael J. Hines, Yorktown, VA
Pinetop, AZ
We just returned home from The
Roundhouse PVC-Pine Meadow at
Pinetop AZ. We ate at the Red Devil Pizza
on Route 260 on a Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
There was about a 20 minute wait before we got seated. There were 4 adults.
We ordered a large pepproni pizza, 3 soda’s
and 1 salad. The wait for the pizza was
also about 20 /25 minutes. We were served
hot Italian bread while waiting for the pizza.
The price was $22.
Ann Viarengo, Clarkdale, AZ
PROFESSIONAL TIMESHARE RESORT MANAGEMENT
WE WORK FOR THE UNIT OWNERS AND REPORT TO THE BOARD
PROVIDING MANAGEMENT FOR FIXED WEEK, FLOAT/FLEX WEEK
AND POINTS BASED RESORTS
ACTIVE ON SITE RENTAL AND RESALE PROGRAMS FOR RESORT
HOAS AND INDIVIDUAL PRIVATE OWNERS
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US AT:
(407) 253-1789 or via email: [email protected]
SPM RESORTS, INC.
1051 SHINE AVE, MYRTLE BEACH, SC 29577
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TimeSharing Today
Page 17
Sep/Oct, 2007
RESORT REPORT CARDS ®
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the
Report Card ratings for each resort are
averages based on a significant number
of reports received from readers.
WINDJAMMER CONDOMINIUMS
Ocean Shores, WA
7.8
MARRIOTT’S GRAND OCEAN
Hilton Head Island, SC
9.2
Amenities and activities at resort: Pool, hot tub, local
health club privileges, golf, gift shop, laundry facilities.
Amenities and activities at resort: Beach, indoor and outdoor pools, hot tubs, tennis, activities program, fitness center, putting green, biking, picnic areas, children’s camp.
Amenities and activities nearby: Beach, boating, fishing,
golf, rain forest, hiking, casino, horseback riding, restaurants and antiques, shopping.
Unit: Furnishings: 7.3
Cleanliness: 7.9
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 8.0
Maintenance: 8.9
Construction quality: 7.6
Amenities and activities: At resort: 5.7
Nearby: 9.0
Suitable for: Young children: 7.5
Pre-teens: 7.8
Seniors: 8.0
Teenagers: 7.6
Handicapped: 4.9
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 7.8
Security: 7.1
Staff: 9.3
General hospitality: 9.3
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Comments: Small 3-story units; not recommended for elderly. Staff informative and friendly. Two miles to beach. Good
sightseeing along the Olympic Pennisula.
Amenities and activities nearby: Boating, fishing, water
sports, water park, restaurants, golf, bike rentals, shopping,
historical sights, museums, nature preserves, theatre.
Unit: Furnishing: 9.4
Cleanliness: 8.9
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 9.2
Maintenance: 9.1
Construction quality: 9.5
Amenities and activities: At resort: 9.1
Nearby: 9.5
Suitable for: Young children: 9.0
Pre-teens: 8.8
Seniors: 9.6
Teenagers: 8.7
Handicapped: 8.6
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA
Convenience store: 7.2
Grounds and maintenance: 9.5
Security: 9.1
Staff: 9.6
General hospitality: 9.5
Exchange affiliation: II
Comments: Units tastefully decorated; Can bike around
beautiful landscaped grounds. Savannah and Charleston an
hour plus away.
APPLE VALLEY RESORT
Howard, OH
8.7
DESERT ISLE OF PALM SPRINGS
Palm Springs, CA
8.3
Amenities and activities at resort: Lake with beach, pool,
golf, basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, crafts,
cook-outs, video rentals, games, pot-luck, activity director.
Amenities and activities at resort: Pool, hot tubs, sauna,
tennis, racquetball, volleyball, game room, exercise room,
bicycle rentals, laundry facilities.
Amenities and activities nearby: Golf, museums, Football Hall of Fame, shopping, antique shops, Amish Country,
walking and biking trails, canoeing, wineries, zoo.
Amenities and activities nearby: Golf, shopping, Living
Desert Museum, tram to mountain top, restaurants, hiking,
theatre.
Unit: Furnishings: 7.4
Cleanliness: 8.4
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 8.4
Maintenance: 7.7
Construction quality: 7.4
Amenities and activities: At resort: 6.7
Nearby: 8.7
Suitable for: Young children: 6.8
Pre-teens: 7.0
Seniors: 8.1
Teenagers: 6.2
Handicapped: 5.4
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 8.1
Security: 6.3
Staff: 9.4
General hospitality: 9.6
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Unit: Furnishings: 8.0
Cleanliness: 8.8
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 7.6
Maintenance: 8.7
Construction quality: 8.4
Amenities and activities: At resort: 7.5
Nearby: 8.5
Suitable for: Young children: 8.0
Pre-teens: 8.2
Seniors: 8.3
Teenagers: 7.5
Handicapped: 6.8
Resort: Restaurant facilities: 9.5
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 9.0
Security: 6.3
Staff: 9.4
General hospitality: 9.0
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Comments: Hospitable, quiet resort, with large units, Older
resort but well maintained. Units have hot tub, gas grill on
each deck, washer and dryer.
Comments: Well-maintained, with lovely grounds and oldstyle charm. Courteous, friendly staff; efficiently run. Units
are large with lots of closets.
TimeSharing Today
Page 18
Sep/Oct, 2007
RESORT REPORT CARDS ®
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best.
Report Card ratings for each resort are
averages based on a significant number
of reports received from readers.
GRAND DESTINATION VACATION CLUB
Mesquite, NV
7.4
HARBORSIDE RESORT AT ATLANTIS
Paradise Island, Bahamas
9.4
Amenities and activities at resort: Heated pool and hot
tub, spa, tennis, golf cart rides around resort, miniature golf,
go-carts, casino, fitness center, arcade, laundry facility
Amenities and activities at resort: Pool with pool bar, hot
tub, children’s pool, exercise room, concierge.
Amenities and activities nearby: Golf, restaurants, casinos, Zion Nat’l Park, Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Mead,
Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, hiking, 1 hour from Vegas.
Amenities and activities nearby: Straw Market, water
sports, golf, boats for fishing, sightseeing, and dinner cruises,
Atlantis Resort with pools, restaurants, beaches, aquarium,
casino, lazy river, fitness center, movie theatre.
Unit: Furnishings: 7.4
Cleanliness: 8.0
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 6.6
Maintenance: 7.4
Construction quality: 7.3
Amenities and activities: At resort: 6.8
Nearby: 8.1
Suitable for: Young children: 6.0
Pre-teens: 5.9
Seniors: 7.8
Teenagers: 6.0
Handicapped: 6.9
Resort: Restaurant facilities: 7.3
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 7.9
Security: 7.8
Staff: 7.8
General hospitality: 8.0
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Unit: Furnishings: 9.3
Cleanliness: 9.7
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 9.2
Maintenance: 9.6
Construction quality: 9.3
Amenities and activities: At resort: 8.3
Nearby: 9.4
Suitable for: Young children: 9.1
Pre-teens: 9.2
Seniors: 9.1
Teenagers: 9.3
Handicapped: 8.6
Resort: Restaurant facilities: 8.8
Convenience store: 6.4
Grounds and maintenance: 9.7
Security: 9.2
Staff: 9.4
General hospitality: 9.6
Exchange affiliation: II
Comments: Casino oriented resort with well maintained
units and grounds. Beautiful scenic area
Comments: Expensive for shopping and dining. Regular
shuttle to Atlantis and its unlimited amenities. Units have
kitchen, Jacuzzi, internet access, washer and dryer.
VILLAS AT FORTUNE PLACE
Kissimmee, FL
6.9
KAUAI COAST RESORT
Kauai, HI
9.4
Amenities and activities at resort: Pool, hot tub, playground, tennis courts, basketball, fishing pond, shuffleboard,
barbeques, exercise room, casino night.
Amenities and activities at resort: Beach, pool with waterfall, bar, lounge, spa, hot tub, tennis, fitness center, walking
path, barbeque grills, concierge.
Amenities and activities nearby: Walt Disney World, Sea
World, Universal Studios, Sea World, golf, water parks, mini
golf, shopping, restaurants, nightlife.
Amenities and activities nearby: Coconut Grove Shopping Mall, restaurants, golf, bike rentals, water sports,
sightseeing trips, luaus, museums and movie theatre.
Unit: Furnishings: 6.5
Cleanliness: 6.8
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 6.6
Maintenance: 7.0
Construction quality: 5.9
Amenities and activities: At resort: 6.6
Nearby: 8.1
Suitable for: Young children: 7.3
Pre-teens: 7.3
Seniors: 7.4
Teenagers: 7.4
Handicapped: 6.7
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 6.6
Security: 6.7
Staff: 7.4
General hospitality: 7.3
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Unit: Furnishings: 9.4
Cleanliness: 9.6
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 9.1
Maintenance: 9.1
Construction quality: 9.4
Amenities and activities: At resort: 7.7
Nearby: 9.4
Suitable for: Young children: 8.7
Pre-teens: 8.9
Seniors: 9.3
Teenagers: 8.0
Handicapped: 8.3
Resort: Restaurant facilities: 9.1
Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 9.8
Security: 9.1
Staff: 9.4
General hospitality: 9.6
Exchange affiliation: RCI
Comments: Units equipped with washer/dryer. Family atmosphere, in quiet location. Not many activities on site.
Comments: Centrally located on beautiful landscaped
grounds. Staff friendly. One and 2-bedroom units have kitchen,
some with washer/dryer. Three-story building, no elevator.
TimeSharing Today
Page 19
Sep/Oct, 2007
EXCHANGE PLACE
Resort now charges
for waterpark tix
they would have access to arguably better waterparks. With some pre-planning,
you could even get that golf thrown in. So
if are comparing all the choices in the area,
this one simple change in Treasure Islands
Club Optima policy has made it the worst
timeshare choice in town.
Just thought I would pass it on.
Dan Kernes, McHenry, IL
Redweek.com starts
exchange service
I have just learned that the Treasure
Island resort in the Wisconsin Dells now
charges to use their water park. This used
to be included in the points trade transaction. I don’t have anything against
timeshares turning a profit. Quite the opposite, I believe a profitable timeshare will
have a better chance at good customer
service (but I digress).
The first problem with this change is
that if you have been going there for years
you would be in for a surprise vacation
bummer. More important is that it makes
the trade into this resort more expensive
then renting a comparable room there. I
just checked the resort’s own website and
I could get four water park tickets and a
room for $150, and that would include an
18-hole round of golf at a pretty decent
course near by.
If I traded for that same night it would
be 7089 points plus $49. The tickets for
the park would then be another $100 (and
that’s discounted). The Green Fees for the
golf course would the run you about $48
times 4 or $194. Making the total for the
comparable trade $343, almost $200.00
more then a non-owner off the street. Oh
yea and don’t forget the 7000 points.
I’m not entirely sure but I believe that
room rental would also include two days
at their parks, while the timeshare trade
would only be one day.
What adds insult to this is that there
are properties in the Dells area that a family of ten could stay at for that price and
Redweek.com has introduced a full
service exchange program based on a
points system. Members can get their
weeks’ points valuation in advance before
they deposit. All deposits and exchanges
will be made through the Redweek.com
website with email support.
Annual membership is $14.99 and exchange fees are $125 for both domestic
and international exchanges. Points for
deposited weeks can be used for three
years from date of deposit, although members can search for available exchanges
before they deposit a week.
In order to help build exchange inventory, Redweek.com will be giving
higher priority to exchange requests from
early depositors, as well as offering higher
point valuations to the earliest depositors.
Redweek.com has partnered with Dial
An Exchange to do the back office work
with resorts. As a result of that partnership, most of the initial exchange inventory is from resorts in Australia, South
Africa, Asia and Europe. However, since
most of Redweek.com members are from
North America, they expect deposits from
North American and Caribbean resorts to
build quickly.
Other features of the program include
guest certificates at no charge and the
ability to buy additional points needed for
an exchange at $1 per point as long as the
deposited week provides at least 50 percent of the value of the desired week.
DAE Announces
Global Expansion
Dial An Exchange International
(DAE), has signaled its global expansion
by announcing the opening of an office in
South Africa in May as well as offices in
Asia, which opened in June.
“Our expansion into South Africa and
Asia is a direct result of increased consumer demand for a fresh approach to the
traditional timeshare exchange model,”
says Fermin Cruz, DAE’s VP of North
American Operations. “Since our formation just ten years ago, we have grown
from a single office in Australia to offices
in Europe, the United States, New Zealand,
South Africa and Asia, far exceeding our
initial growth expectations.”
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TimeSharing Today
Page 20
In North America, Dial An Exchange
was initially marketed directly to consumers. The company is now working with
developers, management companies and
HOAs, adding partners who have not been
satisfied with their current exchange services. There is no “affiliation fee” for the
partner. DAE works with these partners
to compliment their existing external or internal exchange strategies and offers a
unique revenue-sharing model that rewards the partner for exchanges transacted
by their owners.
Concludes Cruz, “We will continue to
focus on providing value through our
commitment to customer service and advanced online search and booking system through www.DAELive.com.”
RCI adds to Points
program
RCI has announced that members of
the RCI Points program will enjoy a series
of enhancements that include access to
new vacation experiences, exchange deals
and vacation elerting.
These advancements, with more expected to follow throughout the remainder of 2007, are a direct result of a body of
customer insight gathered by RCI
throughout the last 18 months. Beginning
with the RCI Points program, RCI is shaping its product and service offerings in all
areas of its business based on the experience the members say they want from their
vacation exchange provider.
“As the first company to offer a global points-based exchange program, we
believe our members deserve the best vacation opportunities and experiences in the
world,” said Ken May, chairman and CEO
of Group RCI, the parent company of RCI.
“We think the best way to do that is to
view our business the way our customers
do. These enhancements to our RCI
Points program are a demonstration of our
ongoing commitment to all of our RCI customers to continue to find ways to enhance their vacation experience.”
The enhancements to the RCI Points
program include:
Vacation Exchange Deals
Periodically, RCI will reduce the num-
Sep/Oct, 2007
ber of RCI Points required to get select
inventory, in some cases up to 50 percent
off published RCI Points. This means that
members can use fewer RCI Points for firstrate resort vacations. RCI Points subscribing members may receive direct email notification regarding the latest deals available up to 10 months in advance. RCI will
also post updates on the latest deals for
members of RCI
Points at RCI.com
To participate in this program, members should call an RCI Guide® at 1-877968-7476 to verify that their email information is current.
Vacation Elerts
As an added service, RCI will now be
able to let members know when a resort, at
their preferred time, becomes available*.
To participate in the new service, members need to register at www.rci.com/elerts
and define their travel interests. Once RCI
knows what the member is looking for they
will proactively notify the member, via
email, as space becomes available matching their vacation preferences.
New Destinations Worldwide
In addition to what’s currently available through the RCI affiliated network,
the company is adding new destinations
worldwide, like Hong Kong, Paris and
Rome. Other destinations closer to home
include New York, Chicago and Miami.
More Destinations When and
Where the Action is
The innovations to RCI Points will
provide more event-related inventory: destinations where, and when, the action is,
such as annual sporting events, cultural
fairs and even big parties like New Year’s
Eve in New York City.
New Accommodation Options
Now RCI Points members will have
new accommodation options in nontraditional resort accommodations -from English cottages and Italian castles to seaside beach retreats and boutique hotels.
*All RCI Points vacations are limited
in quantity and subject to availability.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 21
Sep/Oct, 2007
Advance Fee Timeshare Resale Scam
By Gary Manning
They sell timeshares, don't they?
Unfortunately, no they do not! Who am I
talking about? The numerous companies
that operate in the murky world of timeshare resales. You would think that by the
very name of their industry, Timeshare
Resales, they would at least have some
success selling timeshares. However, as
many a timeshare owner has found, these
companies, which are not licensed real
estate brokers, only excel at selling a
worthless advertising package that costs
between $500 to $1000 to timeshare owners who are desperate to sell their unit
before the next yearly maintenance fee is
due.
How do I know so much about Advance Fee timeshare resale companies?
For a very brief time last year, I opened a
marketing room for a fairly successful
"Advance Fee" company. Not the best
business decision I've ever made. The
money is definitely there to be made (the
average sales rep makes $50,000 year and
the very best make over $75,000 year.)
However, after operating the office for less
than a week and hearing customer after
customer complain about how they were
burned by an Advance Fee company (not
once did I hear any owner tell us what a
great experience they had with one of
those companies), I was completely disgusted with the misleading sales tactics
needed to be successful. I was pretty upset allowing myself to ever get involved
with this industry. I closed my office and
the only positive thing I can say about
the whole experience is we never made a
sale of an advance fee listing.
Since then, I have done my best to
expose the Advance Fee timeshare resale
scam through every possible way I can
find. This includes posting to every timeshare forum, blog and consumer website I
can find. On these blogs and websites, I
mention the company with which I was
associated and, as a result, you can't
search the web using their name without a
ton of negative reports coming up on the
search results. I think this method of
speading the word on them is working.
Now when this company contacts a timeshare owner and that owner wants to
check the company out first and does a
web search using their name, they will see
many posts and reports exposing this company for what it is - a scam. This must be
costing the company at least a little bit of
money because they are starting to attack
me personally and threaten me with legal
actions. I'm not too concerned about that
because I'm certain they don't want their
business methods to see the light of day
in a courtroom.
These Advance Fee companies are
staffed with well trained and well paid sales
reps who know exactly which hot buttons
to hit to motivate the timeshare owner to
purchase their resale package. While most
timeshare owners are quite happy with
timeshares and enjoy them a great deal,
there are many owners, for various reasons, who are looking to sell. Usually these
owners are not able to use their time anymore or are just tired of paying the yearly
maintenance fees which can run from $500
or more a year. The Advance Fee sales
reps know this and prey on this desperation of the timeshare owner to sell. The
scam starts when the timeshare owner's
phone rings.
How do these Advance Fee sales reps
make their sales? There are a few tried and
true tactics that seem to work much too
often. One way is that the rep will tell the
timeshare owner "we are having a showcase this weekend and we really need your
resort in our inventory. We've sold out of
(fill in any resort name here) so if we can
get your unit listed now, we should be able
to sell it this weekend." After trying to
close the owner at $999 for their resale
package, they will go to a drop close if
they aren't having success.
At this point, they will either put you
on hold to supposedly go talk to their "Inventory Manager" or they will get the
sales rep next to them to come on the line
as the "Inventory Manager." Either way
the purpose is to give the drop close credibility. They will tell the timeshare owner,
"I've spoken to my Inventory Manager
and we normally don't do this, but since
we are sure we can get your unit (points)
Timeshare Properties . .
Prime Resort Destinations
Why pay high developer prices?
You can purchase a 5★ property for
40%-75% off!
Sellers - No up-front fees!
Specializing in
Orlando
Cabo, Hawaii,
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& Palm Springs
For straight talk about your options…
(760) 864-7207 • 800-320-2345
Timeshare Liquidators
A Licensed Real Estate Company
Cabo San Lucas
www.timeshare-resales.net
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TimeSharing Today
Page 22
sold this weekend, we are willing to
drop the price to $799 just for tonight so
we can get your unit in the system." Their
buddy next to them will say the same thing
basically but their job is to come across as
the authority figure, the "Inventory Manager" in this case. Just keep in mind that
the buddy is just as motivated to make the
sale because if they do, the buddy will
split the commission with the original sales
rep.
Another tactic is to inflate the value
of the timeshare and guarantee the sale of
[email protected]
the unit. They ask how much the owner
paid for the unit, sing the praises of the
unit and then tell the owner that they have
sold several of these units and that the
owner more than likely will receive more
than what they paid for it. A point to remember is that timeshares are not good
investments. Since timeshares are so
loaded with built-in commissions for the
sales reps, sales managers and sales office, a timeshare will never be sold for any
price near what it was purchased for from
the developer.
These Advance Fee companies will
also guarantee the unit will be sold in 90
days. When asked what happens if it
doesn't sell in that time, the sales rep will
play up "if for some reason it doesn't sell
in 90 days, we will continue to advertise it
at our expense; however, normally they
do sell before the 90 days are up." So
what does "at our expense" mean? Absolutely nothing! Once the Advance Fee
package has been sold to a timeshare
owner, the Advance Fee company will
place a small, fairly generic ad on its
website, a website that generates very little
traffic and is usually hard to navigate if
anyone does happen across it. The Advance Fee company has already taken the
timehare owner for $500-$1000 but it
doesn't cost it a thing to keep the timeshare owner's ad on its website indefinitely.
This is how they skirt the law. They
may promise the timeshare owner the
moon when making the sale, but the contract limits their responsibility and indicates that if the unit doesn't sell in 90 days,
their only responsibility is to continue to
advertise it. So in essence, for $1000 a
timeshare owner gets a small, tiny classified ad on a website that generates little
Sep/Oct, 2007
TSToday Anywhere
During an exchange in Savannah, GA, subscriber Ken Bloom of St.
Charles, MN rests on the steps of the
Green-Meldrim House while reading
his copy of TimeSharing Today
traffic and is filled with over priced timeshare units due to the sales reps telling
timeshare owners they can sell their units
for more than they are worth. A formula
for success? I think not.
The examples above are just a few of
the misleading tactics they will use. They
do have a lot more tricks in their arsenal
and they certainly are not above high pressure sales methods, especially when dealing with elderly timeshare owners. They
love to speak fast, loud and overload elderly timeshare owners with a lot of information. When it's time for the close, they
will badger the owner to try and get the
credit card information. How do they do
this? By asking the elderly owner "Mr./
Mrs. timeshare owner, you want to sell
your unit, right? We can't sell it for you
unless we get you listed! You want to get
your (fill in the blank with an over inflated
timeshare price) don't you?" Basically this
will go on and on with the ultimate goal of
getting the sale and the money.
What can a timeshare owner do who
needs to sell? The first thing to remember
is that the best person to sell their unit is
yourself. If you feel a little uneasy about
handling the sale yourself, there are licensed real estate agents who specialize
in timeshare resales and most do not
charge advance fees. [Editor note: See directory on page 30.] They make a commission after the sale so they are moti
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TimeSharing Today
Page 23
Sep/Oct, 2007
TSToday
Anywhere
Sondra Songdahl checks
her TimeSharing Today in
front of the Sea Palace in Sint
Maarten while relaxing on an
exchange there.
vated to actually sell the unit, unlike
the Advance Fee companies. There are
also websites designed as a meeting place
for timeshare owners to sell or trade their
units as well as providing tools and education relating to timeshares. Good starting places are sites like www.tstoday.com,
www.redweek.com and www.tug2.net.
Anyone looking to sell a timeshare can
place an ad on these sites for around $25
in most cases, a far cry from the Advance
Fee companies. Also, these also generate
a huge volume of people looking for
timeshares due to their reputations in the
industry.
I have been in contact with the proper
authorities in Florida where they (and most
timeshare resale companies) are located. I
have shared my experiences and the evidence I have on their misleading and
fraudulent sales tactics. Anyone that has
been ripped off by one of these companies should definitely contact the Attorney General's office of the state the business is located among other agencies and
inform them of what has happened. With
each complaint they get, the closer these
timeshare resale scams come to getting
shut down.
So remember, never, ever, pay any
company money in advance to sell your
timeshare. Any company that wants you
do pay before it is sold is a scam!
Directory of Licensed
Timeshare Resale Brokers
The Directory on page 30 is designed
to give you only a brief description of each
company and its contact information.
Fees are independently established by
each company and will vary. You will need
to do your own research by contacting
them and determining which company’s
services and fees meet your needs.
The Directory will serve to reduce the
impact that scam telemarketers described
in the article above have had on timeshare
owners looking to sell. Please provide us
with your comments about the Directory
and those brokers with whom you choose
to do business.
This Directory was created from information supplied by each company
listed. If you find that any of the information is inaccurate, please notify us so that
we can be sure to correct any errors before the Directory is republished. At the
present time, we are planning to publish
the Directory every six months in order to
keep the information current.
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DELINQUENT MAINTENANCE FEES
AT NO COST TO YOUR RESORT, and receive a
free 7-day cruise plus free airfare through our
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For additional information
Call toll free today
1-877-587-7614
NO OBLIGATION.
Mention promotion code #CUI 1180
and ask for Mr. Heckman.
*Some restrictions apply
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TimeSharing Today
Page 24
Sep/Oct, 2007
A Short Look at Our Week at Egret Point
by Spinnaker on Hilton Head Island, SC
By Gisela Falkenberg,
Athens, PA
For medical reasons, we
had to spacebank our seven
days at the Manhattan Club
for 2005.We were somewhat
skeptical whether we would
get an equal value exchange
at a time we wanted, since the
Manhattan Club has a very
high exchange value.We exchanged our one-bedroom
suite against a two-bedroom unit at Egret
Point without any problems and were extremely pleased when we got there.
Egret Point is located at a cul-desac,far away from the hassle and bussle
of Hilton Head, in the old Shipyard Plantation. Our unit had a big comfortable living area and two good-sized bedrooms,
each with a king-size bed and big bathroom with individual oversized whirlpool
Maximum credits.
Minimum confusion.
Avoid the TravelShare credit confusion and get maximum
original (pre TravelShare) WorldMark Credits for your dollar.
Financing available on select memberships.
XII
III
IX
VI
888-517-9604 www.timeshareliquidationservice.com
Thousands of successful transactions since 1994
B E S T P R O D U C T. B E S T S E RV I C E . B E S T P R I C E S .
tubs. Our terrace-balcony faced the lagoons that were active with jumping fish,
big and small turtles, lazy alligators,
comorants and anhinga, the latter busy
building a nest in a pinetree, right in front
of our eyes.
The setting is very quiet and serene
and we enjoyed our daily afternoon coffee on the back-terrace watching all that
wildlife, including ospreys diving down
for fish. The beach was a little far away,
but we really did not miss it much. Of
course, if you come mainly for the beach,
you really have to drive there or take the
provided bicycles, since it is a good walk
away. The bicycles, by the way, are another definite plus. With miles and miles
of bicycle trails, we had no problem getting our daily exercise. We only used the
car three-times during the week, once to
get groceries, once to visit Harbourtown
with the famous lighthouse and to take a
boat-trip from Shelter-cove to watch the
dolphins.
The Seapines shopping area, which
can be easily reached by foot or bike, offers some wonderful restaurants and
shops. We decided to mainly go out for
lunches and enjoy the evenings relaxing
on our terrace, watching the wonderful
wildlife around us. The weather was absolutely superb: beautiful blue sky, sunshine and temperatures in the seventies
and low eighties. The only disappointment
is that we cannot exchange into any of the
Spinnaker resorts in Shipyard Pllantation
for the next four years! Crazy rule, I think!
But we totally enjoyed our week and
would go back any time!
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TimeSharing Today
Page 25
Our Dog Unit in Scotland
By Byron Wiegand, Timeshare Resale
Alliance, San Diego, CA
Every property has one! This
does not refer to a unit in which pets
are allowed. It refers to the unit in a
property that is a dog. Usually it
arises from the location of the unit
within the property, but it can also
depend on a poor floor plan, size,
sound proofing, lighting or a combination of all of the above. It happens
in hotels as well as timeshares or even
in housing tracts. The on-site managers know which unit it is and have
come to expect some grief from anyone they put into that unit. It is just
not up to the value of any of the other
units in the property. Who is to
blame? The developer, his architects,
the contractor or all or none of the
above. Any time you build a hundred
units (or even two) you are going to
have a unit with the most appeal and
one with the least.
In this case, we bought the problem ourselves. I am always preaching
about reserving your vacation early, but
in this case, I just didn’t get the vacation
put together in a timely manner. I waited
until about seven months before the vacation to try to get the facilities together.
It came about when my wife, Anita, announced that it was probably time to go
visit her relatives in Sweden. When we
considered the torture of a long overseas
flight, I insisted that we see at least two
countries.
What to add to Sweden? There are
certainly many options, but the one that
appealed to me was close by Scotland.
Neither of us had ever been there, but we
knew it had a lot of travel appeal and they
speak a form of English . I was sitting with
two banked five-star units with Interval
International, so I called them, gave them
a good range of times and basically requested any property in Scotland. The
first thing they mentioned was that it was
late to book and they didn’t know how
they would be able to do. (They didn’t
have anything available at the time)
Now the moral to this story is be very
careful what you wish for. You might just
get it! I said that I was not fussy about
Sep/Oct, 2007
the unit size or whether the property would
be really close to the one I had banked in
terms of resort ratings, but I really needed
something in that time frame. I further
asked which banking I should use
since one of them was nearly the most
powerful in their system, that being
Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas in a
view two-bedroom unit that slept
eight for the week after the Fourth of
July (Rated 9.2). The other was a
strong one-bedroom unit in Pacific
Monarch’s Ramona Oaks in the back
country of San Diego (rated 8.3) for a
good week. They indicated I should
use the Marriott week as it would give
us the best odds. In retrospect, they
probably initiated an active search,
calling all the Scottish resorts in their
system. II called back in a few weeks
confirming the booking I had requested and without giving it any further thought, I just planned to go.
We had planned to spend a few
days in Sweden with Anita’s relatives
trying to get rid of the jetlag and it
kind of worked. There we bought a
round trip on RyanAir to Scotland
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TimeSharing Today
Page 26
and back to Göteburg. We landed at
the small Prestwick Airport about 25 miles
south of Glasgow.
We made the drive to Sunterra’s
Kenmore Club timeshare resort (rated 8.4)
at the northeast end of Loch Tay in the
Scottish Highlands. The excellent Scottish freeway system got us close by there
easily, but don’t underestimate the sheer
horror of driving in any country that uses
the wrong (left) side of the road! Like
southern England, the country roads are
approximately two car widths plus one inch
wide and don’t have a straight section
anywhere in their entire length. Passing a
big bus or truck (there are no other kinds
there) coming the other way does require
nerves of steel as then the clearance goes
to minus six inches. Just keep in mind that
they have the same problem when they
come to the USA where we drive on their
wrong side of the road! The redemption
is that our roads are far more straight and
wide. I was a mess and Anita was even
worse, being right next to the stone walls
that we were just barely missing on the
left side. I did offer to let her drive while I
sat in the passenger seat and screamed
but she wouldn’t go for that.
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looking for a limited number of free and clear
timeshare interests to be used in our new home
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trade-in on a real property in a beautiful community
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All homesites are a minimum of 1.25 acres wooded lots
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2 miles from a major hospital with shopping close by.
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Sep/Oct, 2007
Check-in was efficient and easy and
we got to our unit painlessly. Here comes
the next big disappointment! It was the
“dog unit” of the Kenmore Timeshare. In
this nice lake oriented resort, we were the
furthest from the lake, down and in back
of everything except the power transformer! We were both tremendously disappointed and resolved to complain to the
Resort Manager, Interval International and
anyone else who crossed our path.
The first was Jason Powell, the Resort Manager. Having been in this business for nearly forty years, I have learned
one irrefutable lesson: Don’t hassle the
people who can help you for the simple
reason that if you do, they won’t! He had
the good Scottish wit, was very personable and said he would do all he could to
help. In fact, when I explained that we had
ended up with the “dog unit,” he said, “Oh,
you’re in #51? If someone didn’t show up
for their reservation, he would upgrade us.
He also explained that this is high season
and they, like most good resorts, are 100%
booked.
He was completely sincere and I had
no doubt that if there was something he
could do, he would. The next morning he
called to say that the one possible noshow had called to advise that they would
come the next day and that there was nothing he could do. Although he was completely sympathetic to our cause it was
simply not his fault and his hands were
tied.
Then I started thinking about Interval International. How could they do this
to us by taking the prize of all prize
bankings and giving us so little in return?
Thinking about this I said to myself,
“What did they do so wrong?” Hadn’t
they given us just what I had asked for?”
Yes, they had! It still didn’t feel good,
that I had given them so much and gotten
so little back. I think so much of the problem of the conception of timesharing is
just that. You seem to give much and receive little in return. But is that really the
case?
Are we going to let this glitch ruin
our vacation? Our decision was to ignore
this problem and go have a good time anyway. This critical lesson in life is very
simple. We can’t control what happens to
us as a result of other’s actions. We can
only control how we respond to them. We
could have chosen to have a rotten vaca
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TimeSharing Today
Page 27
tion as a result of all this misfortune.
We didn’t. The beauty of the area was
incredible! We chose to focus on that.
We did have to focus on that through a
lot of cold wind and rain though. It just
gets plenty of moisture to make it green
and wet as well.
There are so many beautiful rivers,
lakes (lochs) and waterways. On occasions when the sun does come out, it is
just beautiful and rarely is it seen without
some beautiful puffy clouds as well. Unfortunately for us, we had cold wind and
rain for eleven days in Scotland less two
beautiful sunny afternoons, a total of six
hours.
Sporting activities here include hunting, skeet shooting, fishing, tennis, hiking, bicycling and things along those lines.
It is common to see your neighbors leaving their units with a fly rod or shotgun
and many bring their bikes on the top of
their cars. Bicycling in the cold rain on
these very narrow roads lacks much appeal for me, but what do I know? Other
normal activities are castle or scotch distillery visiting, art gallery touring, reading,
play going or other literary pursuits. There
were even a few waterskiing in wet suits
(not rubberized ones, just their regular
clothes that were now soaking wet) on the
cold lake. Outside of reading, we didn’t
consider doing many of these other things.
We did drive over to Pitlochry, the
nearest train station and took a day trip
down to Edinburgh. The trains were great
and the city was absolutely worth the trip.
The Edinburgh train depot is right in the
middle of the city so we could walk everywhere. The city is dominated by the
Edinburgh Castle but we had a great time
Sep/Oct, 2007
just shopping, looking into all the little
pubs and restaurants and otherwise soaking up this beautiful city (at least the rain
in it). Castle hopping is a major tourist
draw in Scotland, but we weren’t really
into them and instead enjoyed running
across old structures where we found
them.
As a result of the rain and the relatively low paced activity schedule, we
probably got more rest on this vacation
than any other we can remember. Shopping in the two Kenmore stores to which
we could walk took on an unprecedented
excitement. One doubled as the post office. The closest gas station is in Aberfeldy
(very small), about six miles away. This
resort is really isolated! With the bad
weather, we spent a lot of time inside.
And now our timeshare week was
over. Because we had several days before RyanAir returned us to Sweden and
we wanted to see more of the country anyway, we departed for Oban (Pronounced
Obun) and the Isle of Mull on the west
coast. Although the little town of
Tobermory on the northeast coast of the
Isle of Mull is charming, you run out of
things to do quickly, particularly in the
cold, windy rain. Back in Oban, it looked
like our Scotland trip would finally start to
come together. We found the Seafood
Temple Restaurant nearby, one of the very
best we have ever attended. Coupled with
an afternoon of sunshine, we cautiously
thought maybe our luck had turned. We
certainly thought that we should have
spent three days in Oban and just one, if
that, on the Isle of Mull.
The one thing that will garner no complaints in this part of the world is the seafood. We did not have a bad or even mediocre seafood meal on the entire trip.
Some was the best we have ever had and
we live in San Diego where the seafood
isn’t exactly a slouch.
Five weeks sure goes fast when you
are on vacation and sure enough, we had
forgotten the less than delightful timeshare experience in Scotland except that it
was still raining. Counting up the days,
we came up with 37 total vacation days of
which it wasn’t raining for only about three
(8% of our vacation). It really accomplishes nothing to get upset about bad
weather; no, we won’t be going back.
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TimeSharing Today
Page 28
Sep/Oct, 2007
TimeSharing Today Directory
Name
Address/Contact info
RE/MAX Properties S.W.
Timeshare Resale Division
6985 Wallace Dr., Orlando, FL 32819
All
800-541-5666, xt 610- www.timeshareprofessionals.com
Area served
TRI West Real Estate
Timeshare Resales and Rentals
13353 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066
800-423-6377 - www.triwest-timeshare.com
Arizona, California, Nevada,
Hawaii, USA and Mexico
Hotel Timeshare Resales
International, Inc.
74-924 Country Club Dr, Palm Desert, CA 92260
800-808-5651 - www.htr4timeshare.com
Global
Sedona Timeshare Resales
PO Box 2888, Sedona, AZ 86339
800-344-3763 - www.sedonatimeshareresales.com
Sedona, AZ
Timeshare Travel
5055 S. State St., Salt Lake City, UT
800-367-3799 - www.timesharetravel.com
Global
DVC by Resale
5237 Gateway Avenue, Orlando, FL 32821
800-844-4099 - www.DVCbyResale.com
Florida and South Carolina
Selling Timeshares, Inc.
42 Baxter Avenue, New Hyde Park, NY 11040
917-482-8347 - www.sellingtimeshares.net
All
Island Consulting Realty
10351 Saddlebow Lane, Sarasota, FL 34241
800-809-6020 - www.TimesharesToGo.com
U.S., Caribbean, Mexico
Timeshare Liquidators
333 N. Palm Canyon, Palm Springs, CA 92262
800-320-2345 - www.tiimeshare-resales.net
Cabo San Lucas, California,
Florida, HawaiiI and Nevada
Resort Property Marketing
International Real Estate
5804 Haber Springs Rd., Quitman, AR
800-844-8404 - www.resort-property.com
International
Desert Vacation Realty
6302 E. Camelback Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251
800-283-9174 - www.desertvacation.com
Scottsdale, AZ
Smartchoice Timeshare Realty
7134 E. 5th Avenue, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
888-998-8842 - www.TimeshareAZ.com
Arizone, Hawaii, California,
Timeshare Resale Alliance and
Elite Timeshare Resales
11772 Sorrento Valley Rd., San Diego, CA 92121
800-677-5010 - www.ResaleTimeshare.com
California, Nevada
Kohala Coast Timeshare Resales Hawaii
68-1877 E. Kaupapa Pl., Waikoloa, HI 96738
808-883-9351 - www.HawaiiTimeshareResales.net
United States
SAN FRANCISCO
TIMESHARE RESALES
SAVE 50% TO 70%
CONTACT
RESORT PROPERTY SPECIALISTS, INC.
PHONE: 925-855-0160
E-MAIL: [email protected]
www.timeshareresell.com
TimeSharing Today
Page 29
Sep/Oct, 2007
of Licensed Resale Brokers
Fees
Additional fees
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Administrative fee at closing
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Optional MLS service fee of $195 Preferred resale broker for Four Seasons, Hilton and
approved by CA Dept Real Estate Harbourtown Point Marina.
Commission at closing,
negotiable minimum fee
Closing costs as agreed
between buyer and seller
Specializes in Marriott, Hilton, Four Seasons, Hyatt
and other premium resorts. In business 11 years.
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
None
For 14 years, only handled resales at Arroyo
Roble; now at all other Sedona resorts.
Marketing fee for
most sellers
None
Weeks are listed on active website, on mailings to
buyers and brokers, and promoted in other media.
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
None
The only broker exclusively reselling the Disney
Vacation Club.
Commission at closing,
negotiable minimum fee
None
Specializes in Hilton, Manhattan Club, Disney,
Hyatt, Marriott and Weston
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
None
Non-exclusive listings; cancel anytime.
Satisfaction is guaranteed.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
None
Specializes in Cabo, Orlando, Vegas, Hawaii and
Palm Springs area.
Commission at closing,
negotiable minimum fee
Closing costs as agreed
between buyer and seller
Specializes in Worldmark, Fairfield, Starwood, Royals
and other fine resorts. In business 16 years.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
$45 for first listing, then $35
for subsequent listings
Handles only Scottsdale Camelback Resort resales.
Website has For Sale by Owner listings for other resorts.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Closing fees as agreed
between buyer and seller
Goal is to act as a neutral intermediary by assisting
buyers and sellers in reaching their objectives.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Conventional escrow costs
We did try to handle properties in other states, but it
just didn’t work out well. Now we are closer to home.
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
Closing costs paid by buyer;
HGVC transfer paid by either
Specializes in Bay Club Resort in Waikoloa Beach
Resort. Handles resales in any HGVC resorts.
$250
Comments
Specializing in HGVC, Marriott and Westgate as well as
others. Works with exclusive listings until sold.
Timeshare Closings
Experience.
Quality.
Service.
Providing Professional Timeshare Closing Services Since 1996
JRA Services, Inc.
www.TimeshareResaleClosings.com
(954) 718-7076
TimeSharing Today
Page 30
Sep/Oct, 2007
TimeSharing Today Directory
Name
Address/Contact info
All Islands Timeshare Resales
305 Royal Hawaiian Ave., Honolulu, HI 96815
808-924-1033 - www.timeshare-hawaii.com
Hawaii
International Properties GMAC
Real Estate
11059 International Dr., Ste100, Orlando, FL 32821
800-259-7100
Co-brokes nationally
Banyan Resort Realty
P.O. Box 1281, Key West, FL 33041
305-296-1230 - www.thebanyanresort.com
Key West, FL
WASI
4509 South 143 St., Suite 1, Omaha, NE 68137
800-510-3405 - www. wasi.com
Global
Preferred Timeshare Resales
907 Tahoe Blvd., Suite 5, Incline Village, NV 89451
800-299-5536 - www.preferredtimeshare.com
Lake Tahoe and Hawaii
Condolink
3012 N 93rd Street, Omaha, NE 68122
800-877-9600 - www.condolink.com
World wide
Resort Property Specialists
16 Crow Canyon Ct., San Ramon, CA 94583
925-855-0160 - www.timeshareresell.com
Western states, Hawaii and
Mexico
Deanna Hull Realty
P.O. Box 2647, Atlantic Beach, NC 28612
800-477-4180 - www.deannahullrealty.com
Atlantic Beach, NC area
Timeshare Liquidation Service
16272 Cleveland St., Redmond, WA 98052
800-206-0611 - timeshareliquidationservice.com
U.S., Mexico, Canada
Carefree Journeys LLC is registered with the
state of Florida as a seller of travel.
Registration No.ST36581
arefree Journeys is a world-class leader in providing five-star travel
%
accommodations exclusively to its members. We provide you with a hassle
free traveling experience with a personal touch for all your travel needs.
Our Platinum Membership allows you to experience the benefits of exclusive, luxury
resort ownership free from the financial bonds of owning a timeshare.
For more information on membership benefits, *please contact one of
our representatives at:
Toll Free 866-859-JRNY (5769)
or via email:
[email protected]
www.carefreejourneys.com
Ask one of our representatives about our Carefree Vacation Guarantee.
*Business Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. Please leave a message
if you are calling after business hours and a
Carefree Journeys Representative will promptly return your call.
Area served
TimeSharing Today
Page 31
Sep/Oct, 2007
of Licensed Resale Brokers
Fees
Additional fees
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
None
Largest resale broker in HI, with 6 offices on 4 islands.
Sells exclusively Hawaiian timeshares.
Comments
Listing/Advertising fee
payable to Timeshares Only
For some high demand weeks,
no listing fee, commission only
Only resale brokerage recommended by Disney
Vacation Club.
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
None
Currently handles only Banyan Resort.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Verification/document imaging
$0-$199, depending on resort
Live market feeds, online booking, and back-office for
resellers and resorts. ARDA Trustee.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Closing fee paid by buyer
to title company
In business since 1996; long time BBB member with
perfect record.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Listing/marketing fee
In business since 1978.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Closing cost and title
insurance
Specializes in hard to find properties, 5-star and Gold
Crown.
Commission at closing,
no minimum fee
Closing cost - $230
Selling timeshares for 23 years in Atlantic Beach area.
Non-exclusive listings. Specializes in oceanfront.
Commission at closing,
with minimum fee
Verification/market analysis fee
of $49.95 refundable at closing
Specializes in Worldmark Credits and Fractionals; lists
and sells all domestic intervals. In business since 1994.
Looking for a solution to the confusion?
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I feel very relieved not to have to have the burden of
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Timeshare Relief has really been wonderful.
It’s really been a good experience. Effortless.
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Getting rid of the timeshare with Timeshare Relief
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besides my wife. – DANIEL NELSON, Denver, CO
C ALL 1-800-399-7958
www.timesharerelief.com
TimeSharing Today
Page 32
Sep/Oct, 2007
Moments in
Mazatlan, and
at the Pueblo
Bonito Resort
By Marlis West, Seattle., WA
We counted ourselves lucky as we
escaped Seattle in front of an oncoming
snowstorm and headed south for sunny
Mazatlan. During our stay CNN weather
reported day after day of drenching rain
at home, but we enjoyed two weeks of blue
skies and 80 degree weather instead of our
usual January.
We loved Mazatlan! The beaches
were beautiful, water was warm, sun was
bright and the city was lots of fun to explore. I think by staying the two weeks,
we relaxed more than usual. We usually
go buzzing about trying to see everything
before we leave, but this time we had lots
of time to see everything, so we would
take a leisurely exploration and/or grocery
shopping excursion in the mornings, sit in
the sun, walk the beach and wade in the
ocean during the afternoons, then hop the
bus and go somewhere for dinner and walk
in the evening.
Prices were really good. At eleven pesos to the dollar, we found it easy and
inexpensive to buy food, meals and transportation. The supermarket was a short
bus ride away so we could easily stock up
on breakfast, lunch and snack items. For
dinners, we would stop at one of the many
good restaurants throughout Mazatlan.
Restaurants were generally excellent and,
most often, very reasonable. One spot that
we particularly enjoyed was Pancho’s, a
small beachfront restaurant listed in our
guidebook. It was an open air cafe with
palapa roof, right at the water’s edge. After about a half hour in line, we were seated
at a table right on the ocean. We enjoyed
a beautiful sunset, listened to the musicians and watched the beach vendors and
walkers scurry across the sand between
waves. One margarita later, I was sure I
was going to topple myself right over the
wall and into the water. After nearly two
weeks of Mexican fare we hungered for a
“hamburguesa,” which they did in fine
style. Our dinner and drinks for two totalled a mere $10, and the setting and ambiance were splendid.
Transportation was also very reasonable, with taxis and pulmonias readily available for just a few dollars. However, we
enjoyed the experience of riding the buses
and could travel anywhere, even the five
mile or so trip to downtown Mazatlan for
just 2 pesos.
Mazatlan is a city of about 700,000,
so it is a regular working city, not just a
center whose economy is based primarily
on tourism. The downtown area had a
public market with a labyrinth of stalls
covering one square block, with many
more shops in the surrounding blocks. The
smells were really pungent with various
butchers, fishmongers, poultry markets,
porkeries and creameries cutting and preparing for their customers. Outside on the
streets were fishwives sitting at the curb
selling their husbands’ shrimp catches of
the day, stalls where you could buy fresh
fruits or tasty snacks.
Other areas near downtown were their
“old town” and more beach areas. Old
Town had many lovely old buildings and
houses with intricate stone and tile work
on balconies and facades.
Downtown beaches were great for
walking since they were all paved with
walkways for miles and miles. In one cove
of the Playa Norte, the fishermen bring
their catches and sell directly to the customers, who sometimes just stop their cars
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TimeSharing Today
Page 33
in the street, hop out and run over to
buy fish, heedless of whether or not they
block the traffic. In another area were the
Mazatlan divers diving into the surf from
their perch 50 feet aloft. Also in areas
nearby were the sport fishing fleet and El
Faro, the world’s highest lighthouse.
The “golden zone” is several miles
north of town and is where most hotels
and condominiums are located, along with
many, many restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. Our condominium, the
Pueblo Bonito, was located at the northern edge of the zone, but within an easy
ride or walk to most areas.
The Pueblo Bonito was indeed bonito. It was a charming facility with lush
grounds of palm trees, flamingos and
iguana wandering about, koi in ponds beneath bridgeways and caged parrots that
were not very bonito when they decided
to wake up before dawn and screech at
one another. There were two pools, one
with waterfall and swim-up bar and volleyball net in place. The room interiors were
functional and clean. The living room and
bedroom had the famed dome ceilings and
walls with painted stencilling, floors in tile
and slate. The kitchen and equipment were
adequate. Adjoining the living room was
a balcony overlooked the grounds, pool
and ocean, so we found ourselves enjoying tranquil mornings on the deck sipping
our coffee and juice. The staff was always
cordial and pleasant. While few spoke
much English, they were always ready with
a smile and a friendly “hola.”
We enjoyed afternoons sitting in the
pool area facing the ocean or taking up
residence beneath one of the palapas on
the beach. Watching the world parade
before us was a leisurely and entertaining
pastime. The vendors selling clothing, jewelry, blankets, baskets, sandals and a number of unusual items would pass by on
the beach and try to solicit interest in their
wares. Many people would buy from them
or have their hair plaited and ornamented
with beads. We would see the same vendors each day, so they must have had their
special or favored territories.
Also fun to watch were people playing in the surf and people taking off and
landing the parasail that came to our beach
several times during our stay. We never
ventured to try it ourselves, but enjoyed
watching the precision takeoffs and landings and the coordination between the
Sep/Oct, 2007
beach people and boat people by a system of flag signals. A friend of ours told us
that you have not experienced true terror
until you have parasailed 200 feet over the
water in a tattered Mexican parachute.
Another said that while he was staying at
the EI Cid in Mazatlan that the boat driver
miscalculated and slammed the parasailor
right into their building. Needless to say,
we confined our parasailing to a “spectator sport.”
The resort had hobie cats and jet ski
rentals at our beach, plus some vinyl-type
kayaks/canoes. We watched with much
amusement one day as about 3 people tried
to take out one of the kayaks. As they
broached the last breaker they would continually upset. We had an ongoing display of arms and legs and oars flying
spread-eagled in the air over and over and
over. Of course the resort had horseshoes,
beach and pool volleyball, bingo, fashion
shows, a pool party, tours and lots of other
activities to keep you entertained.
Timeshare salespeople weren’t as intrusive as they are in Cabo. They would,
or course solicit from their kiosks on the
street, but did not pursue and hound you.
The exception was one resort which had a
series of vans that would pull up beside
you on the streets. The side van door
would swoop open and a solicitor would
leap out and try to lure you into taking
their tour.
There are many timeshares located in
Mazatlan. While we did not avail ourselves of the opportunities to take a tour
in exchange for all sorts memorable opportunities - meals, trips, fiestas, cash, etc.,
we did stroll the grounds of quite a few of
the resorts just to get a feel for the facility
and the ambiance of the location. We decided that the Royal Villas and the Inn at
Mazatlan would be places that we would
happily stay, and possibly the EI Cid Tower.
Another lovely facility was the Marina EI
Cid. It is a new resort but is a bit far removed and does not have an ocean beach
which, in my mind, is a definite drawback.
Of all the resorts that we viewed, however, our favorite was right where we were
staying—the Pueblo Bonito. It was a
lovely facility with a comfortable feel, great
location, accommodation and activities. It
was wonderful!
CAYMAN ISLANDS
PLANTATION VILLAGE BEACH RESORT
Special Clearance
Vacation periods at the ONLY Timeshare Resort on 7-mile Beach
2 bedrooms – from $ 2,995
3 bedrooms – from $ 5,245
345-949-6230
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TimeSharing Today
Page 37
Sep/Oct, 2007
FOCUS ON: Samoset Resort, Rockport, ME
By Sharon Sorensen, Endicott City, MD
Samoset is located on Rockland Harbor off Penobscot Bay. We flew into Knox
County Airport on a U.S.Air commuter
flight from Boston. It took us three different planes to get there from Maryland.
We had a one-bedroom condo overlooking the water and the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse. One morning it was so
foggy that you could not see the lighthouse. This lighthouse is unique as it has
a 7/8 mile granite walk, which took 18 years
to build. It takes about 30 minutes to walk
out-to the lighthouse. All the timeshares
have a view of the water, but not the lighthouse.
Our unit 718 was in the middle building on the third floor, one unit back from
the front of the triangle shape. We just
loved sitting on the porch looking at the
water and reading. It appears that most of
the timeshares are one-bedroom, but some
are larger ( model B) than the others. Ours
was one of the smaller ones (model A),
but it had plenty of room. On the bottom
floor front of triangle there are two units
townhouse (model C) style with two-bedrooms and to reach the second bedroom
you go downstairs. This makes the master bedroom ground level with a patio out
front. There are also a few other two-bedroom units (D) toward the back of the triangle. The B units are located on the second and third floors at the front of the
triangle, two on each floor.
Our unit had only a small half-size refrigerator, microwave, large toaster oven,
and small dishwasher. We had a king size
bed in the bedroom plus a sofa bed in the
living room. There was a lobster pot in the
closet. Dish soap, dishwasher soap, paper towels, toilet paper, salt and pepper,
coffee filters and a first morning coffee
were supplied in the unit. There are two
TV’s; the one in the living room had a DVD
player. A laundry room located in each
building.
Samoset has a beautiful golf course
with some of the greens along the water.
They say it has been rated as the 6th most
beautiful course in the U.S. You cannot
walk on the golf course trails, but in season they have golf cart tours at night. We
saw one the first night we arrived. When I
called the next morning to schedule this
tour, I was told they had stopped for the
season. This was the Saturday before Labor Day.
The outdoor pool was to be open up
until Labor Day. It was too cold (60 -70
degrees) so I never checked afterward to
see if it was open. My husband used the
nice health club and indoor pool and hot
tub. Tennis with four courts, shuffleboard
croquet and basketball are available. There
is a childcare center if you stay on the
resort and babysitting if you want to leave
the resort. Movies (PG) were shown at 7:00
P.M. and 9:00 P.M. on Wednesday and
Friday nights.
On Saturday night fireworks were
right outside our front porch, not even advertised in the daily activities. Tuesday
they had an informal meeting in the morning. This was a bit late for us, as we had
been there half the week already. It had
been delayed a day because of the Labor
Day holiday. Tuesday evening was a wine
and cheese party for the timeshare guests.
Massage therapists are available for appointments on the premises.
A hotel connected to the resort has a
wireless internet connection available to
the timeshare guests who have a wireless
card in their computers.
We took a ferry ride to neighboring
island, Vinalhaven. This is the lobster capital of the U.S. where the most lobsters are
caught daily. Not much else is on the island; the main street has a few shops and
one restaurant/bar was open. The price
for a round trip ticket was $13.25 and well
worth the price for the tour of the waterfront.
Lots of art galleries are all around the
area; some were good and some not so
good. Also, many Lighthouses to see. We
drove to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse,
which took about an hour. The views were
spectacular. We also saw Owls Head Lighthouse, but you cannot go inside this one.
Dinner at Moody’s Diner in
Waldoboro on the way back to Pemaquid
South Shore Lake Resort, Hot Springs, Arkansas
TIMESHARE
INVENTORY LIQUIDATION
These weeks must go!
PAY NO ANNUAL MAINTENANCE FEE UNTIL JAN 1, 2008
Reply by October 31, 2007 and get a
FREE BONUS WEEK
Call 1-800-525-8688 or
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South Shore Lake Resort: Code 35
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TimeSharing Today
Page 38
Point proved to be a good choice. This is an old time diner,
but the prices are good and the meals large. A longtime owner at
Samoset suggested we try Contes in Rockland. We could not
find it in the telephone book, but did get directions. It is located
behind the Visitor’s Center and on the waterfront since 1894 under a number of different names. Everything is fresh and changes
daily. There is no set menu. According to the waitress, there is no
refrigerator or microwave on the premises. The salad dressing is
a 15-year-old secret and it is good. The meals were large again
and ran from $15 - $25.
We also had lunch at The Landing in Rockland and the Lobster Pound on Lincolnville Beach. The Breakwater Cafe at the
Samoset has a wonderful outdoor terrace overlooking the water.
On Friday nights, there is an “all you can eat fish try” for $13.95.
We found out this means all you can eat of one type of fish,
which apparently changes weekly. We had Halibut and it was
excellent. Another restaurant here, the Rockland Cafe, also advertises “all you can eat seafood.” Again this is all you can eat of
one type of seafood, although you are given a choice. Different
from at home where “all you can eat” means everything on the
menu and not just ~ne item.
Marcel’s is fine dining on resort property, but you must wear
a jacket to dinner. The Clubhouse Grill is open, weather permitting, for breakfast and lunch.
There appears to be no beach that you can really swim from.
We went to a nearby “swimming” area and found it very rocky.
Hard to see how you could swim there at all, even if it were
warmer.
We enjoyed this resort very much and would return again in
the future. This is a great place to relax.
Sep/Oct, 2007
TSToday Anywhere
In a photo taken by his wife, Nancy, Mel Mack is shown
reading his TimeSharing Today on the beach at Mayan Palace
in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Midwest Group Sets Meeting
The Midwest Timeshare Meeting will be held at
Donald and Joan Zahler’s in Paynesville, MN on Sept.
22nd. Their address is 624 Aldon Dr. This is a town
home and there will be signs directing you. The meeting
will start at 1.p.m.
Any questions, please contact our leaders Jake or
Nancy Seth at 507/665-6358.
TimeSharing Today Owners Groups
Baltimore, MD area - Contact Ed and Mary Lou Hastry, 2003 Fernglen Way, Baltimore, MD 21228 Phone 410/719-0064 [email protected].
Northern California - Contact Jess Centeno, 2257 Southwood Dr., Pittsburg, CA 94565. Telephone 925/709-1739. Email [email protected]
Southern California - Contact Glenn Bailey, 5926 Hesperia Avenue, Encino, CA 91316. Telephone - 818/585-2212. Email
[email protected].
Cape Cod - Contact W. R. Chandler, 790 Old Fall River Rd., North Dartmouth, MA 02747. Telephone - 508/676-0693.
Cayman Islands - Contact Carol Blair - 6879 Mossvine Circle, Dallas, Texas 75254 972-661-9119 or 214-533-9945 email [email protected].
Chicago, IL - Contact Joe Tragesser, 1057 Partridge lane, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Phone 847/438-6795. Email [email protected].
Columbia, MO - Wayne Behymer, 3201 Rolling Hills Rd, Columbia, MO 65201. 573/442-6783.
Denver, CO - Contact Melvin & Betty Adams, 71 S. Grandbay St., Aurora, CO 80018. Telephone 303/341-7147.
Email [email protected].
Georgia, North and South Carolina - Contact Jack English, P.O. Box 2121, Acworth, GA 30102-2121. Telephone - 678/445-6761. Email
[email protected].
Midwest - Contact Nancy and Jake Seth, 28306 290th St, Henderson, MN 56044. Phone 507/665-6358. Email [email protected].
New York Metro Area - Contact Amy Sien, 71-17 Manse St., Forest Hills, NY 11375, 718/261-7677, email [email protected] or
Caroline Lindholm, Scarsdale, NY 10533, 914/723-5657, email [email protected] or Ben and Dorothy Catanese, Hicksville, NY,
516/822-5912, Email: Bencat@ optonline.net or Betsy Hurley, Hoboken, NJ email [email protected]
Philadelphia, Montgomery and Bucks Counties - Contact Robert Fishback, 2031A Jason Dr., Huntington Valley, PA 19006. Telephone
215/364-8978. Email [email protected]
Portland, ME - Contact David and Alison Bjork, PO Box 499, Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064. Email [email protected].
San Diego - Contact Bill Cranna, 10411 Oroxco Rd., San Diego CA 92124, Telephone 858/565-0500
Tampa Bay/Sarasota/Ft. Meyers, FL Area - Contact Frank Debar, 7339 Kensington Ct., University Park, FL 34201 941/351-1384. Email
[email protected]. Online at tsownersgroup.com
Toronto, Ontario area - Contact Roy Martin, 651 Cognac Crescent, Pickering, Ontario L1X 1M1. Email [email protected]
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TimeSharing Today
Page 39
Sep/Oct, 2007
Former Playboy Club,
Now Deteriorated Resort
What started as the Playboy Club and
Resort in the early 1970s has turned into a
timeshare owner’s worst nightmare. Built
in Vernon, New Jersey, the area now boasts
ski slopes, water parks,
hiking, mountain biking, upscale vacation
townhouses
and
Intrawest’s Mountain
Creek Resort. However, the old Playboy
Club has not so far enjoyed the same success as the rest of the
Vernon Valley area.
The Playboy Club was sold to the
American Hotel Chain, then went through
a series of owners. It was ourchased in
1998 by timeshare veteran Hillel Myer’s
company, Metairie, and is known as Legends Resort and Country Club.
Metairie sold timeshares at the resort,
refurbishing one floor with promises of
much more. Some of the rooms have been
renovated at least once, but others are still
set up as originally constructed in 1970's
decor. Overall, however, the facility has
fallen into such poor condition that in 2005
RCI removed it from its trading system.
The resort is large, with over 700 guest
rooms. The building has a cabaret, a huge
ballroom, restaurant, indoor pool, a fitness
center and an Olympic-sized swimming
pool located outside. Few of the facilities
appear to be functioning and many floors
are closed off.
A recent lawsuit was filed on behalf
of timeshare owners alleging fraud because timeshare owners, who purchased
five or more years ago, were told that the
resort would see vast improvements over
the following five years and that they
could trade their timeshare week for other
resorts. However, they no longer have the
ability to trade their week through RCI and
the building has badly deteriorated over
the years.
The Complaint claims that ceilings are
covered with mold, the doors are sprayed
with graffiti, sinks have fallen off the walls,
cars are abandoned in the parking lot, and
nails are protruding from walls and floorboards. Photos published on the Internet
seem to confirm those allegations.
“The hotel could serve as a set for
‘The Shining,’ a horror film based on the
Stephen King novel,” Councilman Austin
Carew said.
The only visible
recent improvement
was the removal of a
collection of derelict
cars from the parking
lot.
In 2005, the
Vernon zoning board
required Legends owner Metairie to complete the building renovation before it
would consider allowing the construction
of 398 to 438 condominiums near the golf
course. Metairie since has filed suit against
Vernon demanding that the zoning board’s
decision be reversed.
Last year, Vernon designated the region where Legends is located as a redevelopment zone. Today, township officials
are reviewing a redevelopment proposal
for the area by Andrew Mulvihill, presi
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dent of a successful resort complex
nearby. The plan, described as “nightmarish and grandiose” by several councilmen,
took township officials and residents by
surprise.
Proposed for the 633
acres that encompass the
Legends property are
five 8.5-story hotels with
a total of 3,000 rooms, a
125-foot waterpark tower
with an accompanying
indoor waterpark, and a
27-hole golf course in
addition to a hospital,
game arcades, amusement park rides,
shops, nightclubs and restaurants.
According to a recent article in the
New York Times, if Mulvihill wins the designation as lead developer from town officials, he will seek to buy the property, or
direct its owners to follow his proposal. If
the plan comes to fruition, a nearby hotel
and water park owned by Mulvihill will be
connected by aerial tram to the site.
Timeshare owners have been attending meetings of the Vernon Town Council
to make sure that any redevelopment plan
Sep/Oct, 2007
for the area provides for a complete renovation of the Legends Resort.
Recently, the owners received a letter
from the “Legends Team” in which they
were offered a chance to trade their unit at
Legends for a “trade-in
purchase price of only
$1,500 to $3,000” for a
week in Metairie’s resort
in Star Island, Fla. They
also were offered “a complimentary membership in
ICE Platinum Rewards,”
which provides discounts on cruises.
The letter from the “Legends Team”
claims they have expended $33 million for
the renovation of the building. But many
timeshare owners wonder where the
money has gone. Most of the owners have
continued to pay their maintenance fees
as they have watched the resort deteriorate during the past five years.
Many owners are communicating
with each other about the fate of the resort through several websites devoted to
the Legends and the current lawsuit by
the owners. The pictures in this article are
just a few of many posted on one of the
website. Owners who are able to attend
Town Council meetings report to others
on the site. Here is a report posted by an
owner who was at a recent meeting:
“It was an amazing meeting. All the
players were there. Mulvihill wants to be
lead developer. Presented a stunning
power point and slide show. Says he owns
water treatment park. I questioned about
our timeshare interests. Response was
they wouldn't proceed unless Legends
was fixed up. Metaire came up next. Said
Mulvihill as lead developer was unacceptable and they owned they sewage plant,
not Mulvihill. Metaire said they want to
fix up Legends right now and not wait for
redevelopment.
“The Town Council/Planning Board
blasted them soundly, producing, for example the fact that they are presently
$264,000 in arrears in taxes. Harris blames
it on old lawsuit with Myers old partner,
M. Keith. Town Council not having it. I
get up and, well, let's say, vented.
Warrington says in 15 days, we'll have
TWO timeshare exchanges to choose
from. HA HA! Council not believing em
about anything they proposed and tell em
so.”
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