# SO excited--just got a last minute trade!!



## JackieD (Mar 14, 2017)

Hello,
I am beside myself!  Just confirmed a 2BR at Maui Lea at Maui Hill with RCI for my spring break trip. I got great airfare awhile ago and have had a hotel backup.  I've had an OGS for not too long...maybe 4 months. I knew it would be a miracle to get a match. I DIDN'T match but I happened to look on my phone app this morning and there it was ready to exchange for 20 TPU and a reduced exchange fee ($197) to boot!  I've checked and rechecked my dates.  Couldn't hold --only confirm because of the late date so there was no time to check reviews at the time and I was already going to be late for work.  I've looked since and it looks like mostly great reviews.  Most exciting thing is that it's a Monday-Monday which is what I NEED and never thought it was a possibility!  Miracles do happen   Keep MANUALLY checking!!!


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## jackio (Mar 14, 2017)

Congratulations!  Have a great time!


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## Egret1986 (Mar 14, 2017)

JackieD said:


> Hello,
> I am beside myself!  Just confirmed a 2BR at Maui Lea at Maui Hill with RCI for my spring break trip. I got great airfare awhile ago and have had a hotel backup.  I've had an OGS for not too long...maybe 4 months. I knew it would be a miracle to get a match. I DIDN'T match but I happened to look on my phone app this morning and there it was ready to exchange for 20 TPU and a reduced exchange fee ($197) to boot!  I've checked and rechecked my dates.  Couldn't hold --only confirm because of the late date so there was no time to check reviews at the time and I was already going to be late for work.  I've looked since and it looks like mostly great reviews.  Most exciting thing is that it's a Monday-Monday which is what I NEED and never thought it was a possibility!  Miracles do happen   Keep MANUALLY checking!!!



Super exchange!  Congratulations!


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## Luanne (Mar 14, 2017)

We're at Maui Hill right now.  I was checking Trading Places Maui, which is who we do our trades with since we own nere, and saw they had a lot of inventory for March.  I guess a lot of owners decided rather late that they weren't going to use their units.


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## silentg (Mar 14, 2017)

We stayed at Maui Hill in June, traded with another TUG member great place.
Have a fun time!


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## happymum (Mar 14, 2017)

Congratulations!


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## Sugarcubesea (Mar 14, 2017)

Luanne said:


> We're at Maui Hill right now.  I was checking Trading Places Maui, which is who we do our trades with since we own nere, and saw they had a lot of inventory for March.  I guess a lot of owners decided rather late that they weren't going to use their units.


 I don't mean to hijack this thread, but can you use a non hawaii week to trade with in Trading Places Maui?


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## Luanne (Mar 14, 2017)

Sugarcubesea said:


> I don't mean to hijack this thread, but can you use a non hawaii week to trade with in Trading Places Maui?


Yes.
They are wonderful to deal with.  Just call and ask them if they can take your week.


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## Sugarcubesea (Mar 14, 2017)

Luanne said:


> Yes.
> They are wonderful to deal with.  Just call and ask them if they can take your week.



Luanne, thank you so much...I will give them a try


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## Sugarcubesea (Mar 14, 2017)

Luanne said:


> Yes.
> They are wonderful to deal with.  Just call and ask them if they can take your week.



Luanne, thank you so much...I will give them a try


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## jehb2 (Mar 15, 2017)

Awesome!  That's really exciting when things work out. I know the feeling.


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## bellesgirl (Mar 15, 2017)

Just an FYI, I believe OGS stop working within two weeks of checkin so not surprising that you didn't match. Congratulations on a great exchange.


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## JackieD (Mar 15, 2017)

Thanks everyone! First time going to Maui -- we've been to the Big Island and Oahu 10 years too long ago.  Really excited to go and more so now that we have a spacious condo and I can use up some of my TPU's!  It's reassuring to hear all the positive comments about this resort.   Sadly, the unit we are being assigned is on the ground floor with no ocean views but I'm fairly certain we were not going to get any good view at the hotel we booked as backup.  I didn't know that about the OGS not working two weeks before--very good to know for the future! Funny thing is March 11th RCI sent an auto email --"We're on the Hunt" for your vacation, guess they gave up the hunt haha.  Anyway, I'm grateful for whoever deposited the very last minute .
Aloha!!


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## taffy19 (Mar 15, 2017)

I remember that there were steps down the hill to go to the beach.  Ask Luanne.  There should also be a resort map for directions.  Enjoy your trip! 

PS.  I found it.

https://www.mauilea.com/accomodations/property/default.aspx


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## Luanne (Mar 15, 2017)

We are currently in unit 41, one bedroom on the first floor.  We do have a view of both the mountain and the ocean.  It's not a full on view, but we can definkte see the ocean from the lanai.  Do you know your unit number?

 There are steps at the front of the resort that go down to the street.  You can walk to the beach.  However we prefer to drive to a beach that is in Makena.  It's in front of what used to be tne Maui Prince, then the Makena Golf & Tennis Resort (I think) and is now closed.


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## JackieD (Mar 15, 2017)

I spoke to Nancy just to confirm they had our reservation since it was so quick.  Currently we are booked into unit #75 a little up the hill from the pool.  She said that will be the unit UNLESS someone needs a lower unit for easier accessibility. As wonderful as a view would be, it's ok-- I'm sure it will be fine whatever our view is.  I will look into going to Makena beach....love seeing everything on google maps, it looks beautiful.   Does it have good snorkeling there or nearby?  Have a great time!!!


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## Luanne (Mar 15, 2017)

JackieD said:


> I spoke to Nancy just to confirm they had our reservation since it was so quick.  Currently we are booked into unit #75 a little up the hill from the pool.  She said that will be the unit UNLESS someone needs a lower unit for easier accessibility. As wonderful as a view would be, it's ok-- I'm sure it will be fine whatever our view is.  I will look into going to Makena beach....love seeing everything on google maps, it looks beautiful.   Does it have good snorkeling there or nearby?  Have a great time!!!


Where we go is not actually Makena beach.  As you're going down the main road past all of the big resort hotels in Wailea you'll see a sign for Makena Landing and also for a church.  Go down that road and turn left at tne end.  You'll pass the church on the right and come to a parking lot and bathrooms on the left.  Park there and walk down the road to the beach.

I see people snorkling there, but I don't know how good it is.


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## taffy19 (Mar 16, 2017)

We have snorkeled there but we used to love snorkeling at Ulua Beach.  There is public parking there but it is better to go early because the ocean is calmer and it is easier to find parking too.  Google for this beach but our very favorite spots were along the road where we saw snorkelers on the way to Peruse Bay but finding a place to park on the road was never easy nor is it easy to enter the water because of the lava rocks.  Do not leave any valuables in the car as we learned that the hard way.

There are other places all the way at the end but mostly for experienced local surfers or divers but we met some snorkelers too who were tourists and said that it was wonderful.

You can also just take a drive to as far as you can go because there is a hiking trail there. It may go further now than when we were there a few years ago as they were working on the trail.

Peruse Bay gives you a feeling that you are on the Big Island because you pass an old lava flow on the road that came down the mountain and ended up in the ocean.  

Also, the drive up to the Haleakala Crater is highly recommended.  Maui has such a variety of things to do besides enjoying the beach.


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## JackieD (Mar 17, 2017)

Thank you for all the tips! Can't wait to be there!!


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## pedro47 (Mar 17, 2017)

Sounds like a great deal. Please enjoy your vacation.


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## MOXJO7282 (Mar 18, 2017)

The excitement of the score and anticipation of the trip is almost as rewarding as going to Maui.  For us Maui has it all so take in as much as you can. I'm more familiar with the west side of the island but just to be anywhere on Maui is going to be special for sure.


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## nortonj (Mar 18, 2017)

I wonder if this could be a result of the #boycotthawaii movement?  That won't slow me down - off to searching!


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## melissy123 (Mar 18, 2017)

nortonj said:


> I wonder if this could be a result of the #boycotthawaii movement?  That won't slow me down - off to searching!


If you had paid for your TUG membership, you would have known how this week became available.


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## Luanne (Mar 18, 2017)

nortonj said:


> I wonder if this could be a result of the #boycotthawaii movement?  That won't slow me down - off to searching!


I doubt it.  It's more likely owners who either decided last minute they weren't going to use their week or had been trying to rent it out and it hadn't rented.  We're on Maui now and I'm not noticing any effect due to this #boycotthawaii thing.


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## slabeaume (Apr 1, 2017)

I picked up an exchange into a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit at Maui Hill back in 2012.  I LOVED it.  Not fancy, but quite roomy and comfortable.  Loved the location, too.  It's still in Kihei, but almost Wailea.  Makena beach doesn't have the best snorkeling, but there is great snorkeling all around the South side---and much of the West side, too.  If you'd like to see what our Maui Hill unit looked like back in 2012, it's in this blog.  Our unit was a little ways up from the pool and ground level, too, and we had a bit of a distant ocean view.  I have 3 other blogs of Maui with lots of snorkeling (look at the labels to the right and click on Maui if you'd care to check out great snorkeling.  I was with my sister when we stayed at Maui Hill and she's a non-snorkeler, so I had to curb my snorkeling that trip).
http://travelingwithsue.blogspot.com/2012/06/2012-maui-may-sisters-trip.html


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## klpca (Apr 2, 2017)

slabeaume said:


> I picked up an exchange into a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit at Maui Hill back in 2012.  I LOVED it.  Not fancy, but quite roomy and comfortable.  Loved the location, too.  It's still in Kihei, but almost Wailea.  Makena beach doesn't have the best snorkeling, but there is great snorkeling all around the South side---and much of the West side, too.  If you'd like to see what our Maui Hill unit looked like back in 2012, it's in this blog.  Our unit was a little ways up from the pool and ground level, too, and we had a bit of a distant ocean view.  I have 3 other blogs of Maui with lots of snorkeling (look at the labels to the right and click on Maui if you'd care to check out great snorkeling.  I was with my sister when we stayed at Maui Hill and she's a non-snorkeler, so I had to curb my snorkeling that trip).
> http://travelingwithsue.blogspot.com/2012/06/2012-maui-may-sisters-trip.html


Great trip report!


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## ronandjoan (Apr 2, 2017)

JackieD said:


> Hello,
> I've had an OGS for not too long...maybe 4 months. Keep MANUALLY checking!!!



RCI does not always match for you, even farther out.  I found that with an OGS, you have to check manually all the time anyway.  When I posted this expierence on  TUG some years back, about 10 other people said they had the same thing happen.  

Others have so many RCI OGS work for them, but they never have for us... the other exchange companies,especially the smaller ones, search so much better for us. 

So nice it worked out for you.  Have a great trip - well be going for a weekend in Maui to see it for the first time.  We are on the BI now for 2 months.


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