# Just Got Hilton Head for May, 2018



## classiclincoln (Oct 25, 2017)

Going to Florida for a car show and figured we'd see about spending a week in Hilton Head since we've never been there before.  Put in the request yesterday and this morning we were confirmed into a 1 BR unit at Bluewater Resort & Marina.  Used a re trade of our week 49 Renaissance Aruba that we got after our St. Thomas trade was canceled due to the hurricane.  We know it's not on the beach and that's OK since we'll be spending January, February & March in Aruba.  Will be the first time there and are looking forward to it.


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## gnipgnop (Nov 8, 2017)

We toured this resort and it's beautiful.  But really off the beaten path of most of Hilton Head proper.


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## classiclincoln (May 12, 2018)

Just finished our week here (heading home tomorrow).  Nice resort, but won't be returning here or to any Spinnaker resort.  We had some car trouble and ended up getting towed in around 2 am.  When we checked in Monday (all the while trying to arrange getting my 55 year old car fixed) was told there was a $15 per day "resort fee".  Nothing was on the II confirmation nor website.  What a scam!  They don't have the balls to tell II ahead of time and instead wait until we get there and have no choice.  It's not the $105, it's the point.  There were some other minor issues (will post in my review in the Marketplace) and when we add everything up, it's not worth coming back.  Had a great time on HHI and didn't let the minor issues ruin out stay.  Will come back to the area, but will stay elsewhere.

Just my two cents.


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## silentg (May 12, 2018)

classiclincoln said:


> Just finished our week here (heading home tomorrow).  Nice resort, but won't be returning here or to any Spinnaker resort.  We had some car trouble and ended up getting towed in around 2 am.  When we checked in Monday (all the while trying to arrange getting my 55 year old car fixed) was told there was a $15 per day "resort fee".  Nothing was on the II confirmation nor website.  What a scam!  They don't have the balls to tell II ahead of time and instead wait until we get there and have no choice.  It's not the $105, it's the point.  There were some other minor issues (will post in my review in the Marketplace) and when we add everything up, it's not worth coming back.  Had a great time on HHI and didn't let the minor issues ruin out stay.  Will come back to the area, but will stay elsewhere.
> 
> Just my two cents.


I don’t blame you for being upset. Not sure why but seems like all resorts are charging extra fees. Between Maintenence, exchange and all the other fees, don’t know how this is acceptable.
We looked at staying at a nice resort in Palm Beach but they charged for parking$10 a day extra. Why ? Because they can.
Silentg


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## Panina (May 12, 2018)

silentg said:


> I don’t blame you for being upset. Not sure why but seems like all resorts are charging extra fees. Between Maintenence, exchange and all the other fees, don’t know how this is acceptable.
> We looked at staying at a nice resort in Palm Beach but they charged for parking$10 a day extra. Why ? Because they can.
> Silentg


It will be acceptable as long as people pay for it.  In time, if fees keep going up at certain properties others in the area may become more desirable if they don’t charge the fees.  

I’ll say it again, own where and when you want to go.  I use to trade 80% of my portfolio, now 15%.


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## Steve Fatula (May 13, 2018)

Panina said:


> It will be acceptable as long as people pay for it.  In time, if fees keep going up at certain properties others in the area may become more desirable if they don’t charge the fees.
> 
> I’ll say it again, own where and when you want to go.  I use to trade 80% of my portfolio, now 15%.



For those that have a specific few places they want to go, this is indeed wise. Totally agree. For those of us who want to travel the world (and do), and mostly never go to the same place twice, this isn't possible. All we can do is check around for fees from other TUGgers.


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## Panina (May 13, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> For those that have a specific few places they want to go, this is indeed wise. Totally agree. For those of us who want to travel the world (and do), and mostly never go to the same place twice, this isn't possible. All we can do is check around for fees from other TUGgers.


I love going to different places too.  I own the timeframe and places I love to go.  If I want to travel elsewhere I can trade.  What I don’t own is a place I definitely will not use and have only for trading.


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## Steve Fatula (May 13, 2018)

Panina said:


> I love going to different places too.  I own the timeframe and places I love to go.  If I want to travel elsewhere I can trade.  What I don’t own is a place I definitely will not use and have only for trading.



Yep, I understand. but we've been to more than 50 places thus far, and we have at least another 50 to go. So, for us, we can't possibly own them all! I do agree with you in general.


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## WinniWoman (May 13, 2018)

Panina said:


> It will be acceptable as long as people pay for it.  In time, if fees keep going up at certain properties others in the area may become more desirable if they don’t charge the fees.
> 
> I’ll say it again, own where and when you want to go.  I use to trade 80% of my portfolio, now 15%.




Exactly. I rarely exchange. Even the exchange companies rip you off - including the small independent exchange companies. I gave Trading Places a white, Oct., VT week- 2 bedroom, 2 bath with it's own laundry, full kitchen and lovely views- for a one bedroom in Cape Cod- what they say is a red week but what I say is a pink week in Sept.- no laundry in unit or views- not even a full kitchen- and I had to pay an upgrade fee! SMH.....


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## Steve Fatula (May 13, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> Exactly. I rarely exchange. Even the exchange companies rip you off - including the small independent exchange companies. I gave Trading Places a white, Oct., VT week- 2 bedroom, 2 bath with it's own laundry, full kitchen and lovely views- for a one bedroom in Cape Cod- what they say is a red week but what I say is a pink week in Sept.- no laundry in unit or views- not even a full kitchen- and I had to pay an upgrade fee! SMH.....



My experience is the exact and total opposite. I have never even once received a trade that was not better than what I gave up. Not once in 20 years. If I had, I would have not traded for it and I still wouldn't have. So, for me, the exchange is a win, every time.

Been all over the world via exchanging, and, this will continue until I can travel no more. I likely would not own if it were not for trading.


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## Panina (May 13, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> Exactly. I rarely exchange. Even the exchange companies rip you off - including the small independent exchange companies. I gave Trading Places a white, Oct., VT week- 2 bedroom, 2 bath with it's own laundry, full kitchen and lovely views- for a one bedroom in Cape Cod- what they say is a red week but what I say is a pink week in Sept.- no laundry in unit or views- not even a full kitchen- and I had to pay an upgrade fee! SMH.....





Steve Fatula said:


> My experience is the exact and total opposite. I have never even once received a trade that was not better than what I gave up. Not once in 20 years. If I had, I would have not traded for it and I still wouldn't have. So, for me, the exchange is a win, every time.
> 
> Been all over the world via exchanging, and, this will continue until I can travel no more. I likely would not own if it were not for trading.



I have always experienced very good trades with II.  RCI has been more challenging because I am competing in a tpu world rather then trading in a like to like world.

Owning a strong trading week greatly increases your chances of getting a highly desirable trade in II. 

Ultimately maintenance fee, plus yearly member fee, plus trade fee, plus resort fee can make the cost of trading expensive or reasonable depending where and when you get the trade. Thus I understand how many traders have huge disappointments in poor units after spending so much extra money to trade for it. 

I am not against trading. I still believe it is an important part of timesharing but for the places I love to go to over and over again at least half the time (high demand areas and times) I believe it is best to own there.


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## silentg (May 13, 2018)

Best exchanges we have had are with Tug exchange. No money exchanged. We pay our fees they pay their fees. Went to Ft.Lauderdale, Hawaii and Texas. Hope to do more in the future.
Silentg


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## WinniWoman (May 13, 2018)

I have always gotten trades in the past, but most not as good as what I have in terms of the unit and in many cases the resort overall. To be fair, the weeks I exchange are not prime, but the unit I own is better than what I am given.


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## Steve Fatula (May 13, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> I have always gotten trades in the past, but most not as good as what I have in terms of the unit and in many cases the resort overall. To be fair, the weeks I exchange are not prime, but the unit I own is better than what I am given.



Help me understand your comment, I've never understood this when people say it. Maybe you can enlighten me.

You are not "given" exchanges. You either use an ongoing search, or, you simply go to II and pick something to exchange to. Either way, you are under no obligation to take any offer. So, if you get something that is not comparable or as good as or whatever as what you are trading, why accept the trade? Why not keep looking?

There are some locations of course with few possible choices. My trip to Australia last year found very few resorts in certain locations, in those cases, it is harder. In cases like our Australia trip though, we had no interest in staying in the room anyway except to eat and sleep. However, for me, since I am always trading a lockoff I would never stay in myself, and always getting at least a 1BR, I can't see how I would ever say what I got was worse. It would have to be a total dump, and, I would know that before I accepted the trade.

Just curious why you accept those trades?


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## Panina (May 13, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> I have always gotten trades in the past, but most not as good as what I have in terms of the unit and in many cases the resort overall. To be fair, the weeks I exchange are not prime, but the unit I own is better than what I am given.



I find putting in a request far in advance gets me prime weeks.  

I just put in a request for southwest Florida winter 2020 and a few select resorts for 2019 if by chance I can add another week to my winter vacation.  Late in the game for winter 2019.  In 2017 I matched for Captiva prime winter 2019.


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## Panina (May 13, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Help me understand your comment, I've never understood this when people say it. Maybe you can enlighten me.
> 
> You are not "given" exchanges. You either use an ongoing search, or, you simply go to II and pick something to exchange to. Either way, you are under no obligation to take any offer. So, if you get something that is not comparable or as good as or whatever as what you are trading, why accept the trade? Why not keep looking?
> 
> ...


For me, sometimes I accept something less in RCI because my week is already deposited because something came up and I couldn’t use my week.

After waiting a very long time and no request being matched and tpu’s coming close to expiring and not wanting to pay more for an extension I trade for something that is beneath the quality and time I deposited.  

Frustrating but I do not have to use RCI.  That is why if I trade my prime weeks I go to II.  I get equivalent trades.


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## WinniWoman (May 13, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Help me understand your comment, I've never understood this when people say it. Maybe you can enlighten me.
> 
> You are not "given" exchanges. You either use an ongoing search, or, you simply go to II and pick something to exchange to. Either way, you are under no obligation to take any offer. So, if you get something that is not comparable or as good as or whatever as what you are trading, why accept the trade? Why not keep looking?
> 
> ...




I meant that the units that are available were not as nice as ours. We used RCI. Now we don't belong to any exchange company. Just use the free independent ones. We own fixed weeks not points. Why would we accept them? We would take what we could get, that's why. I am not arguing about it. I am just saying this has been our experience with exchanging. If it hasn't been yours, well then you are luckier than me I guess. Another reason we rarely exchange and we rent other timeshares if we want to go on an extra vacation.We have only exchanged domestically btw.


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## Steve Fatula (May 13, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> I meant that the units that are available were not as nice as ours. We used RCI. Now we don't belong to any exchange company. Just use the free independent ones. We own fixed weeks not points. Why would we accept them? We would take what we could get, that's why. I am not arguing about it. I am just saying this has been our experience with exchanging. If it hasn't been yours, well then you are luckier than me I guess. Another reason we rarely exchange and we rent other timeshares if we want to go on an extra vacation.We have only exchanged domestically btw.



Well, one difference is you are using RCI (no knowledge of it), and I am using II. I also find that, although I supposedly only get scraps, I have great luck in II just doing my own, i.e., not let II search for me. So, I never ever take what they might offer me. I take what I see at any given time and is a good deal. I just check each day for a few weeks and take whatever is a fantastic deal. I could never do the request from II as they want to know where I want to go and when. I have no idea of the answer to either one of those. I know it when I see it.


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## Egret1986 (May 13, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> So, I never ever take what they might offer me. I take what I see at any given time and is a good deal. I just check each day for a few weeks and take whatever is a fantastic deal. I could never do the request from II as they want to know where I want to go and when. I have no idea of the answer to either one of those. I know it when I see it.



That's been my method for exchanges also.  In 34 years of timeshare exchange, I only put in an ongoing search once a very long time ago.  I'll take the leftovers.  I've only had one disappoint in 34 years.  Like you, I have no idea where I want to go and when, and I'll know it when I see it.   I have never lacked for options; only the time off from work to take advantage of the opportunities.


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## classiclincoln (May 13, 2018)

The garbage fees is one of the reasons we're selling all our weeks.  Another reason is that it's getting more difficult to find trades in the Caribbean that are not all inclusive.  Oh yeah, buying the condo in Aruba was a biggie....

We've gotten really great trades with our units over the years and don't dislike exchanging.  The industry is changing and I see the handwriting on the wall.


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## Egret1986 (May 13, 2018)

classiclincoln said:


> The garbage fees is one of the reasons we're selling all our weeks.  Another reason is that it's getting more difficult to find trades in the Caribbean that are not all inclusive.  Oh yeah, buying the condo in Aruba was a biggie....
> 
> We've gotten really great trades with our units over the years and don't dislike exchanging.  The industry is changing and I see the handwriting on the wall.



I'm with you.  Maybe it's this stage of my life.  Maybe not.  "I see the handwriting on the wall" for me personally.  I plan to let my RCI membership expire next year.  I also plan to liquidate most, if not all of my timeshares.  It's been 34 years and a great experience for the most part.  It's just time to travel in other ways that don't require the all-around commitment.  There's other travel opportunities that timeshares don't allow for and we're ready to try something different.


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## WinniWoman (May 14, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Well, one difference is you are using RCI (no knowledge of it), and I am using II. I also find that, although I supposedly only get scraps, I have great luck in II just doing my own, i.e., not let II search for me. So, I never ever take what they might offer me. I take what I see at any given time and is a good deal. I just check each day for a few weeks and take whatever is a fantastic deal. I could never do the request from II as they want to know where I want to go and when. I have no idea of the answer to either one of those. I know it when I see it.



I always did my own searches as well.  In fact- with Trading Places and the other independents- I search FIRST- and then give them my week for the trade. But it can be slim pickins'.

I did do an ongoing search years ago for 2 weeks in Hawaii and it worked out well, though- again- my home resort unit was much nicer than the units I got- but the RCI rep. was a big help in making the vacation a reality. This was a very long time ago when there was value to belonging to RCI. 

I also tried an ongoing search for a place in Scotland once and the only thing that they came up with was a very "rustic"(aka- a dump) place up north, so I decided to rent from a TUG owner instead at a nice place on the Isle of Fife.


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## Steve Fatula (May 14, 2018)

mpumilia said:


> I always did my own searches as well.  In fact- with Trading Places and the other independents- I search FIRST- and then give them my week for the trade. But it can be slim pickins'.
> 
> I did do an ongoing search years ago for 2 weeks in Hawaii and it worked out well, though- again- my home resort unit was much nicer than the units I got- but the RCI rep. was a big help in making the vacation a reality. This was a very long time ago when there was value to belonging to RCI.
> 
> I also tried an ongoing search for a place in Scotland once and the only thing that they came up with was a very "rustic"(aka- a dump) place up north, so I decided to rent from a TUG owner instead at a nice place on the Isle of Fife.



Just for fun, in Interval, I did a search using my studio apartment at Desert Springs. I can right now get into Marriotts in Hawaii, Aruba (2BR), St Kitts (2BR), Orlando (2BR), St Thomas (2BR), Hilton Head (2BR), all in summer. This is every place I searched, there are numerous others as well. I was sticking to Marriott locations. Maybe II works better. All are obviously better than my studio.


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## WinniWoman (May 14, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Just for fun, in Interval, I did a search using my studio apartment at Desert Springs. I can right now get into Marriotts in Hawaii, Aruba (2BR), St Kitts (2BR), Orlando (2BR), St Thomas (2BR), Hilton Head (2BR), all in summer. This is every place I searched, there are numerous others as well. I was sticking to Marriott locations. Maybe II works better. All are obviously better than my studio.




That's great! Our VT resort is only RCI (or Wyndham- if you converted), not II. Our Pollard Brook one is either/or (and we have only owned it for 3 years)- but, like I said- we rarely exchange anyway.


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## Jwerking (May 15, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Just for fun, in Interval, I did a search using my studio apartment at Desert Springs. I can right now get into Marriotts in Hawaii, Aruba (2BR), St Kitts (2BR), Orlando (2BR), St Thomas (2BR), Hilton Head (2BR), all in summer. This is every place I searched, there are numerous others as well. I was sticking to Marriott locations. Maybe II works better. All are obviously better than my studio.



Wow, impressive esp with a studio unit.  Were these all within the 30 day window  or late Aug when kiddies go back to school?


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## Steve Fatula (May 15, 2018)

Most were June or July, at least one was later August. Many had a wide range, so, could be both. I didn't keep track, just wanted to provide quick examples to show that trades can not only not lose, but greatly win in II.


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## turkel (May 16, 2018)

Steve Fatula said:


> Well, one difference is you are using RCI (no knowledge of it), and I am using II. I also find that, although I supposedly only get scraps, I have great luck in II just doing my own, i.e., not let II search for me. So, I never ever take what they might offer me. I take what I see at any given time and is a good deal. I just check each day for a few weeks and take whatever is a fantastic deal. I could never do the request from II as they want to know where I want to go and when. I have no idea of the answer to either one of those. I know it when I see it.



Can I just say me too!

My DH and I always meet people who have been to whatever resort we are at for 20 years, we just look at each other and smile. Can you say no way. We, like Steve, don't know where we are going until we find it in II no OGS. We also have a palm desert Marriott lock out.

Works for Steve, works for us. Very happy Marriott owner and II trader.


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## Steve Fatula (May 16, 2018)

Am in Playa Andaluza, heading to another exchange in the Canaries next week. Likely would have never gone there using an OGS.


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## VacationForever (May 16, 2018)

For about 10 years I was using RCI and always felt that I was mostly down trading.  After I moved over to II, I feel like I am uptrading most of the time.  I think the difference is the percentage of high qualiy resorts in II vs. RCI.


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