# Grand Pacific Palisades Questions



## LindaJ (Aug 21, 2008)

I am looking into possibly purchasing a week at Grand Pacific Palisades and was wondering if anyone could answer some of my quesitons.

1. What are the different categories for the 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom units? I saw a type C one bedroom unit for sale, but don't know what that means.  Is it a choice of ocean view or park view units?

2. I was looking for an oceanview unit, which type unit is that?

3. Bonus time: If I buy a one bedroom unit, can I purchase bonus time for a two or three bedroom unit or do I need to stick with the one bedroom for additional bonus time? Is bonus time easy to get? What are the rules for getting bonus time?

4. Does anyone know if all the units have sold? If not all sold, how much inventory is the developer carrying? 10%? 25%?

5. Is there anything else you may think I need to consider before purchasing a unit via resale?

6. I think I read somewhere that you can split your week, can anyone confirm that?  

7.  What is the layout for a three bedroom unit that sleeps 10 adults?  Are there two queen beds in of the bedrooms?

Thanks!


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## rhonda (Aug 22, 2008)

Re #3: Bonus time
You may purchase bonus time for whatever unit size is available.  You are not limited to your owned unit size.  I've only had one stay on bonus time in 7 years of ownership (_has it been that long!?_) but I don't often try.  Bonus time may only be used for your own use; you may not book Bonus Time on behalf of friends/family.

Re #6: Split week
True for Floating weeks; False for Fixed weeks.


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## skimble (Aug 31, 2008)

LindaJ said:


> I am looking into possibly purchasing a week at Grand Pacific Palisades and was wondering if anyone could answer some of my quesitons.
> 
> 
> 7.  What is the layout for a three bedroom unit that sleeps 10 adults?  Are there two queen beds in of the bedrooms?
> ...



I'm checking in to a 3 bedroom unit today; I'll let you know.  
Suggestion-- don't buy the weeks 1-24, 36-52 floating weeks.  They are not retaining value.  If you like being there during the summer, spend a little more and get what you want.


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## DaveHenry (Sep 3, 2010)

*Value of Week 1-52 units*



skimble said:


> I'm checking in to a 3 bedroom unit today; I'll let you know.
> Suggestion-- don't buy the weeks 1-24, 36-52 floating weeks.  They are not retaining value.  If you like being there during the summer, spend a little more and get what you want.



If I buy a weeks 1-52, is it easy to get a summer week?
Thanks!


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## djyamyam (Sep 3, 2010)

DaveHenry said:


> If I buy a weeks 1-52, is it easy to get a summer week?
> Thanks!



There are no floating 1-52 weeks at GPP.  The summer weeks are fixed weeks.  The floating weeks are non-summer as pointed out by Skimble.


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## Jbear1 (Sep 7, 2010)

djyamyam said:


> There are no floating 1-52 weeks at GPP.  The summer weeks are fixed weeks.  The floating weeks are non-summer as pointed out by Skimble.




Interesting - I thought only the penthouse weeks were fixed.

How is the value of the penthouse holding up?  I've been offered a non-summer week.


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## Quimby4 (Sep 8, 2010)

On the same topic..

How long is the Grand Pacific preference period with RCI?

How far in advance can you book bonus time at your home resort?
Thanks,


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 8, 2010)

I am thinking of purchasing in this resort chain just to exempt us from the 1-in-4 rules.  Rick says that is a ridiculous reason to buy a week.  I think it's smart, and I can rent a good week in So. Cal pretty easily.


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## rhonda (Sep 8, 2010)

Quimby4 said:


> On the same topic..
> 
> How long is the Grand Pacific preference period with RCI?
> 
> ...


Owner's Bonus Time window is 21 days (source: http://www.grandpacificresorts.com/owners/bonus_time.aspx )

I'm not sure how to respond on the GPR Preference Period with RCI.  It doesn't seem to have a window of "time" (like the Marriott window with II) -- but instead seems to enhance your trade power for any GPR deposit sitting in RCI.  I've traded my 1BR GPP August (summer) week for a 3BR GPP July (holiday) week at 21 months out.


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## rhonda (Sep 8, 2010)

Handy-dandy Grand Pacific Palisades "Resort Fact Sheet" : http://www.grandpacificresorts.com/owners/GPP_fact_sheet.aspx


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## rhonda (Sep 8, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I am thinking of purchasing in this resort chain just to exempt us from the 1-in-4 rules.  Rick says that is a ridiculous reason to buy a week.  I think it's smart, and I can rent a good week in So. Cal pretty easily.


Cindy,  

If pursuing this thought, look for an EOY small-sized unit.  This might help minimize both your purchase costs and dues while keeping the windows open for your future SoCal inbound trades.  We own a 1BR/Odd years and love it.


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## Jbear1 (Sep 8, 2010)

rhonda said:


> Handy-dandy Grand Pacific Palisades "Resort Fact Sheet" : http://www.grandpacificresorts.com/owners/GPP_fact_sheet.aspx




Interesting - does not even mention the penthouse units.


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## rhonda (Sep 8, 2010)

Jbear said:


> Interesting - does not even mention the penthouse units.


I noticed that, too. The GPP website also omits them: http://www.grandpacificpalisades.com/Carlsbad_hotel_accommodations.htm

I know they exist ... I've toured one.  Not sure why they aren't mentioned but am leaning towards the idea that the PH units are (possibly) a separate development/HOA??


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## Jbear1 (Sep 8, 2010)

Only mention of the penthouses I could find on the web:

http://www.carlsbad.org/EditionDetail.aspx?aid=571


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## rhonda (Sep 8, 2010)

Additional references to the PH unit:
http://www.grandpacificresorts.com/owners/unit_req_guide.aspx
http://www.theregistrycollection.co...tes/the_penthouse_at_grand_pacific_palisades/
http://www.resortime.com/resorts/photos.asp?resortId=27 (the gallery includes photos of PH living room, bathtub and master bedroom)


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 8, 2010)

rhonda said:


> Cindy,
> 
> If pursuing this thought, look for an EOY small-sized unit.  This might help minimize both your purchase costs and dues while keeping the windows open for your future SoCal inbound trades.  We own a 1BR/Odd years and love it.



You bought GPP, but what are the others like?  We might just go EOY.  I love Carlsbad.  We stayed at GPP July 2009, and I really enjoyed the area, and it seemed pretty close to Disney and San Diego.  I want to go more often.


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## Quimby4 (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks for the info. Rhonda.
I thought GP had a preference with RCI....hmmm

How successful have you been booking bonus time at 21 days out? Summer time?


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## funtime (Sep 9, 2010)

*Renting a Carlsbad summer week*

I have a Carlsbad Seapointe summer week and the resort last year paid me  1,000  so that they can rerent it or I can do it myself - I usually got 1100 to 1200 a week.  So my profit is usually a few hundred dollars.  It is fairly impossible to find Carlsbad Inn summer weeks on ebay but every now and then you can find a Carlsbad Seapointe summer week - a week 31 one bed just sold.  These are nice resorts but the maintenance fees are high - but it also gets you around the 1 in 4 rule.  They trade in RCI so that is a negative for some.  There are a lot of floating swing (non summer) weeks on ebay for the Seapointe and the other Carlsbad resort - Grand Pacific. There are frequent off season fixed weeks on ebay for Carlsbad Inn as well.  Swing weeks on ebay are usually  two bedrooms which come with even higher maintenance fees.  That having been said, I did spend a lovely late October week at the Seapointe in a two bedroom and that was fun.   It would be a hard rental, however.  Some folks who are not that far away purchase a swing week at the Seapointe because the resort has day use and is just accross Pacific Coast Highway from the ocean.  It is a resort where you do need a car whereas you could conceivably do without one in a pinch at the Carlsbad Inn.  Funtime


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## rhonda (Sep 9, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> You bought GPP, but what are the others like?  We might just go EOY.  I love Carlsbad.  We stayed at GPP July 2009, and I really enjoyed the area, and it seemed pretty close to Disney and San Diego.  I want to go more often.


I'm sorry to say I haven't stayed at any of the others.  When we first bought into GPP (2001) we _thought_ we'd want to exchange into GPR Coronado, Seapointe, Villa L'Auberge and Carlsbad Inn.  It simply didn't happen.  We made our first GPP exchange _back into GPP_ and it "stuck."  My family likes the resort and we've not bothered going elsewhere in the system.

I hear similar comments from local Seapointe and Carlsbad Inn owners ... they like their home resort and keep returning only to it.


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## rhonda (Sep 9, 2010)

Quimby4 said:


> I thought GP had a preference with RCI....hmmm
> 
> How successful have you been booking bonus time at 21 days out? Summer time?


There certainly is a trade preference with RCI.  It seems much like a "front of the line pass" allowing me to trade into better GRP deposits than I might otherwise be able to pull using a non-GPR week of similar size, season, rating.  GPR>GPR trades also benefit from a $15 discount on the RCI exchange fee.

Can't help you much on the question of Bonus Time availability.  We've only used Bonus Time once in our nine years of ownership ... but did get a 3BR, ocean view unit on a summer weekend.  Our poor use of BT isn't for lack of availability ... but based on our interests and schedules.


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## rickandcindy23 (Sep 9, 2010)

I really love the idea of the priority for the home resort.  This is really a good idea for "buying where you want to go" most of the time.  I know we won't want to go in summer, so the "cheaper" weeks in off-seasons appeal more to us.  I wonder if the trade preference in RCI would be different for an off-season week?  Rhonda, do you know?

Do you pay the parking and internet fees?  I remember there were fees for something or another.


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## rhonda (Sep 9, 2010)

rickandcindy23 said:


> I really love the idea of the priority for the home resort.  This is really a good idea for "buying where you want to go" most of the time.


The GPR trade priority runs across the entire family of GPR locations not just the home resort.  It is similar to the "VRI" trade preference discussed heavily here about 8-10 years ago.


rickandcindy23 said:


> I know we won't want to go in summer, so the "cheaper" weeks in off-seasons appeal more to us.  I wonder if the trade preference in RCI would be different for an off-season week?  Rhonda, do you know?


From what I've read, the floating week deposits don't trade nearly as well as the summer weeks. I hear my friends with 2BR float weeks complaining for lack of options yet I'm always thrilled with my 1BR summer week? (These are not TS-savvy friends ... could be complaining for lack of understanding.) Not quite sure how this would play out if you weren't planning on trading _into_ either summer or holiday weeks ... ???  (Sorry -- might have to run a few trade tests??  I have a meeting this morning with one of those 2BR float friends.  I'll ask if she has anything currently deposited with RCi.)


rickandcindy23 said:


> Do you pay the parking and internet fees?  I remember there were fees for something or another.


Nope!  Owners are exempt from the parking, energy and internet fee.  This has been true for all my inbound exchanges thus far -- even when trading in against a non-GPR week.  (Although I did have to _ask_ for the waiver on my last inbound exchange.  It was always _offered_ before??)


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## Quimby4 (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the info. !!
I am really wanting to pick up a week #31 or #32 at the Carlsbad Inn.
I have thought about buying off season and just trading with RCI, but I am kind of tired of the trading game with II.  I seem to spend a lot of time searching and waiting...a little OCD in planning.
Plus, then I would have II and RCI....


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## Brkian (Sep 18, 2010)

*Considering buying into GPR Seapointe.  questions.*

Seems like this thread mirrors some of my questions, so I'll fire away here in hopes of some help:

1) If I buy resale, can I convert my unit to HGVC points since they are now an affiliated resort? (i'm assuming a big fat NO on this one, but any insight would be appreciated). 
2) I love the Coronado Beach Resort which seems to have sparse availability via RCI (through my HGVC account).  Would a Seapointe 2BR float unit trade well into getting a spring 2BR Coronado unit?
3) If I am an owner at Seapointe, does the 1-in-4 rule get waived for trading my non-Seapointe unit(s) as well?


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## sjuhawk_jd (Sep 18, 2010)

Brkian said:


> Seems like this thread mirrors some of my questions, so I'll fire away here in hopes of some help:
> 
> 1) If I buy resale, can I convert my unit to HGVC points since they are now an affiliated resort? (i'm assuming a big fat NO on this one, but any insight would be appreciated).
> 
> ...


YES. Once you own at Seapointe, you can get multiple units via RCI in Grand pacific resorts.


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