# Registry Collection Experiences



## SamH (Jun 28, 2007)

I am posting our experiences with the Registry Collection because it was asked about in another thread. We own a fractional (16 weeks) at Smuggs. Our resort is an associate resort in the Registry Collection because it is not as fancy and does not have all the amenities of many of the private residence clubs. 

The Registry Collection uses a points system. Each week at each property is assigned points. Larger units and prime time weeks receive more points. Associate properties like ours receive fewer points. Generally, we need about two of our weeks to receive one week at a non-associate property. If you are trading blue time for peak time, it may take 3 weeks for the trade.

We have traded into Hearthstone at Spring Mountain Ranch in McCall Idaho last February. We exchanged into a 3 bedroom but they gave us a brand new four bedroom unit when we checked in. Winter, except for Christmas, is not peak time at this location. It is not far from two smaller ski resorts and it is close to Payette Lake. Each building contains two two-story units. The units are decorated in a Western theme. It is probably the nicest unit I have ever stayed because it was very nice and I am partial to their furnishings. Their welcome kit included a bottle of wine, cheese, fruit and chocolate and the people there were very friendly and helpful.

We also exchanged into the Dye Villas in North Myrtle Beach. We stayed in a 3 bedroom 3 bath unit. We were there in the beginning of June. Peak season starts in mid-June. Again the unit was extremely well done and on par with the HCC property in Stowe. These units are on a golf course. I was there with three of my children and did not golf. It was our first trip to the Myrtle Beach area and we all had a great time doing the many different activities in the area. The beach is about five minutes away. Their ocean cabana is for owners only. There is very limited parking at the beach (we got lucky once and snagged a spot) and more parking is about three blocks away. The resort has a shuttle that will drive your family to and from the beach. These Villas are part of a much larger community. The only thing I did not like was the pool situation. Their website shows a nice huge pool. The pool is not near the villa but is a five minute drive to where there are four high rises (I am not sure if these are hotels or condos). It is not walkable to this pool, even without children.

Both of these places are still building and selling so they were not difficult to exchange into. I believe they are available during peak season. Overall, it is difficult but not impossible to get prime ski time. Requests can be made ten months in advance (they seem to change the rules every once in a while so it might be different now). I would recommend a search since prime ski time does not show up on the available listing until closer to the check-in date. Many properties have very few deposits in the Registry Collection, especially the Tuscany properties and prime time at Ships Watch. They have a large number of Mexican properties that I have not looked into. 

A few years ago, it was not difficult to exchange into high end hotels through the Registry Collection. We have never done this but know some who have traded into hotels in London and Paris. The Registry Collection seems to have stopped the relationship with these hotels and are restarting it very slowly with only two hotels on the list (neither of which are in London or Paris).

I am not sure if we will continue using the Registry Collection. The major reason we joined HCC was the ease of booking great ski properties. The Registry Collection is a smaller RCI but with nicer people answering the phone. They do provide additional services that we have never used.

The exchanges cost $250 each. The two places we've stayed do not charge any additional cleaning fee but, from what I've read here on TUG, some places do. The annual membership fee was under $200 (I do not remember the exact amount but I am thinking it was $189) and includes one year of RCI membership. We joined because our resort was eligible and paid for the first year of membership. Our membership actually lapsed as we did not use it for about four years but it was easy to rejoin. I do not believe you can join if your resort has not seeked to be included as a Registry Collection property.


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