# Universal Vacation Club



## boarhead (Aug 18, 2008)

Does anyone have any experience with this Vacation Club? We are currently in Cabo  and they are selling timeshares for the Villa del Arco but we have never heard of them. Any info would be appreciated


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## DeniseM (Aug 18, 2008)

Don't do it!  Even if it is a good product, you can buy on the resale market for a fraction of the cost.  

Also - sales people in Mexico are notorious for misrepresenting their product.

Wait until you come home and have time to do some research before you buy - you will be glad you did!


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## Bill4728 (Aug 18, 2008)

DeniseM said:


> Don't do it!  Even if it is a good product, you can buy on the resale market for a fraction of the cost.
> 
> Also - sales people in Mexico are notorious for misrepresenting their product.
> 
> Wait until you come home and have time to do some research before you buy - you will be glad you did!


This advice may save you $10,000!!

Take it!


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## anteween (Aug 18, 2008)

I am a member of the Villa Group.  Let me know if you have any questions,  I will answer them the best I can.  I have owned with them for 19 years.  I bought from the developer, but would definetly not do that again.  I didn't even know what  a timeshare was when I bought.

I hope you are having a great time in Cabo.  I am looking forward to PV in October using one of my 2 bedroom weeks.


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## Maxfli54 (Aug 18, 2008)

Thank you all for your response. I have already found resales at least 10,000 less. I was really looking for some feedback on Universal vacation club. I am already a Marriott VC owner but have had a hard time exchanging for certain properties (although that is how I got here). UVC is saying that if I own one of their more desireable properties that exchanges will become easier? Any truth to this?. Thanks


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## DeniseM (Aug 18, 2008)

I'm confused - Maxfli54 - are you also boarhead that was the OP in this thread?



anteween said:


> I am a member of the Villa Group.  *Let me know if you have any questions*,  I will answer them the best I can.  I have owned with them for 19 years.  I bought from the developer, but would definetly not do that again.  I didn't even know what  a timeshare was when I bought.





Maxfli54 said:


> Thank you all for your response. I have already found resales at least 10,000 less. I was really looking for some feedback on Universal vacation club.



Did you see post #4 that I quoted above - you can contact anteween for more info. by clicking on her  blue user name and sending her an email or a private message.

I am going to move your post to the Mexico board, where you may get more responses.


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## Zib (Aug 18, 2008)

Sorry! Double post deleted


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## Zib (Aug 18, 2008)

We bought the Universal Vacation Club's resort at Villa Del Palmar years ago and have been very satisfied.  We bought from the developer and have never  been sorry.  Do I wish we had known about the resale market before we bought we bought?  You bet! But that has not spoiled our wonderful vacations to Villa Del Palmar every year.  We love the Villa Del Palmar resorts in P.V. and Cabo.  A few years ago we bought a two bedroom week (plus summer bonus week) at their upscale resort in Nuevo Vallarta called Flamingos through a resale co.  We can also book this one at Arcos Cabo that you were talking about.  We bought this week & bonus for $5,000 probably about 1/4 of what the developer will charge. Two good resale companies that I know of are Timeshare Wholesalers and Holiday Group.


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## easyrider (Aug 19, 2008)

We love the UVC resorts. There are two resorts being built, one near Cancun and the other in Loreto that you can reserve units in when they come online. This will give you the ability to stay at six resorts with out an exchange fee. The newest resort in the Villa Group is the Arco in Cabo. Its nice. The Flamingos in Nuevo Vallarta is the next newest and is similar to the Arco. You can find theses on Ebay for very little. We bought two - one bed units at UVC off Ebay with Premiere ownership.

www.myuvc.com


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## KarenLK (Aug 19, 2008)

I do not own a Premier or a Gold membership, but I am quite happy with what I have [at Villa del Mar]


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## Zib (Aug 19, 2008)

You won't be able to use the resorts near Cancun, Loreto, Arcos or Flamingos if you have a "Premier" membership.  Those resorts are "Gold" memberships.
With Premier you can use Villa Del Palmar Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and Villa Del Mar only.  But we love these resorts.  We think Universal Vacation Club is very stable financially and runs the resorts very well.


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## Kenrabs (Aug 20, 2008)

Zib said:


> You won't be able to use the resorts near Cancun, Loreto, Arcos or Flamingos if you have a "Premier" membership.  Those resorts are "Gold" memberships.
> With Premier you can use Villa Del Palmar Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and Villa Del Mar only.  But we love these resorts.  We think Universal Vacation Club is very stable financially and runs the resorts very well.



This,is,incorrect.,Premier,memberships,can,use,Arco,and,Flamingos,with,no,hassles.,I,stayed,at,Arco,this,July,with,my,premier,membership.


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## KarenLK (Aug 20, 2008)

My basic membership does not allow me to do some things that the better [and pricier] memberships have. 
I can only come Saturday to Saturday and have to pay a fee evedry time I change weeks [I own fixed.]


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## Zib (Aug 20, 2008)

Really???  Great news!  I've been told I could NOT book into one of the GOLD resorts with my premier membership.  Can you tell me how you do it?  I need to learn that secret from you Tuggers.   UVC won't tell me.  Are there time limits (say, x number of days ahead to book???) and what is the fee?  Is it pretty easy to do?  I'm excited!!  We've been members for many years and I never knew you could do that.  Can you send me a private email if you don't want to post it here.  Thanks so much!!!


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## Zib (Aug 20, 2008)

KarenLK  Can you book into the Gold resorts with your VDM?  We love to stay in the VDM side.  It's so nice and quite compared to the VDP pool.


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## Kenrabs (Aug 20, 2008)

Zib said:


> Really???  Great news!  I've been told I could NOT book into one of the GOLD resorts with my premier membership.  Can you tell me how you do it?  I need to learn that secret from you Tuggers.   UVC won't tell me.  Are there time limits (say, x number of days ahead to book???) and what is the fee?  Is it pretty easy to do?  I'm excited!!  We've been members for many years and I never knew you could do that.  Can you send me a private email if you don't want to post it here.  Thanks so much!!!



You,can,book,only,10,months,out,if,it's,not,your,home,resort.,No,extra,fee,and,just,call,reservations,and,book,a,date.,There,is,no,secrete,premier,members,and,gold,can,book,at,all,resorts.,My,space,bar,is,broken,so,hard,to,type,LOL.


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## Zib (Aug 20, 2008)

Thanks Ken,  I'm going to try it, but we already have our trip booked for Feb.  Sure wish I had known, but you probably can't get availability
in Feb/March because it's high time and they are pretty filled, I think.  But I'll sure try it next time.  Thanks!!  We have Casa Maya, also.  We have one week but they have always let us have as many weeks as we want.  I once booked four consecutive weeks in Feb there.  They have been great about giving us many extra bonus weeks.


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## KarenLK (Aug 21, 2008)

ZIb, once again I will ask which weeks in Feb at UVC. I asked for you again this year and once again they said you were not there!
I will be at VDM 5 weeks - all of Feb and the first week of March.


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## Zib (Aug 21, 2008)

Karen,  We'll be there Feb 15 to 22.  The problem last year was that they have our membership under a "family trust" and that's the only way it showed at the reservation desk.  I didn't find out about it until too late but when I did try to change it it was a real hassel just to get them to put our names down.  None of our friends could find us.  I was so mad and they couldn't seem to correct it.  Next time when I check in , I will INSIST that they get our NAMES down.  Anyway, what is your last name and I'll try to find you, too.  We'll be at The Grand Mayan Feb 8 to 15 and the last week Feb 22 to 1st at Mayan Marina.  Had to do it this way to take advantage of our free mt fees now on our Mayans but we love VDP best!


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## SteveH (Aug 23, 2008)

We bought a 2 - 1BR winter week per year, Premium membership at VDP in Vallarta a good number of years ago from the Holiday Group.  Trading within the group has been easy and a pleasure.  This January we will be spending three consecutive weeks at the Flamingos in NV.  It appears you don't need a Gold membership to stay in any of the newer resorts; mind you, you can only book these 10 months out with our type of membership.  When I booked our 3 weeks at 10 months out, there were still about 50 1BR units left, so the risk of not getting in is quite low.
Steve


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## easyrider (Aug 25, 2008)

Zib said:


> You won't be able to use the resorts near Cancun, Loreto, Arcos or Flamingos if you have a "Premier" membership.  Those resorts are "Gold" memberships.
> With Premier you can use Villa Del Palmar Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and Villa Del Mar only.  But we love these resorts.  We think Universal Vacation Club is very stable financially and runs the resorts very well.



We are Premiere Members with floating winter weeks and booked a total of 4 weeks at the Arco this last winter and have weeks reserved at Flamigos for 2009.

A fixed Premiere week is different and may not have the same rights as Float.

You must have heard that from the TS sales person. The Gold Membership allows you a larger reservation window, no $60.00 week banking fee, upgrades when available and a small discounts on food. 

The maintenance fee with Gold Memberships is about $32.00 a day more than a Premiere depending on whats left on the RTU.


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## Radman (Sep 7, 2008)

I have been a member and owner at Villa del Palmar Cabo for over 5-years.  Have had great success with them in exchanging internal and with II, RCI and SFX especially for trades.

I have had internal exchange to Villa del Palmar Flamingos in Nuevo Vallarta without any problems.  I am a Premier member, not gold.  I can, and have, purchased extra weeks for guests at the prevailing Maintenance Fee rate for the unit size.

I recommend this group, Villa Group.  However, buy resale.

There is a new resort being built beside the Flamingos in NV, La Estancia.  Similar to Los Arcos.


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## nanaboat (Sep 10, 2008)

You might want to go to other timeshare blogs where people state they have been members of the villa del arco for three years and cannot get in.  I am a member of the Villa Del Palmar, part of universal club, and you can get units for less then half price on redweek.  I would think long and hard before buying!!!!!!


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## nanaboat (Sep 10, 2008)

Zib said:


> You won't be able to use the resorts near Cancun, Loreto, Arcos or Flamingos if you have a "Premier" membership.  Those resorts are "Gold" memberships.
> With Premier you can use Villa Del Palmar Puerto Vallarta and Cabo and Villa Del Mar only.  But we love these resorts.  We think Universal Vacation Club is very stable financially and runs the resorts very well.


This is incorrectl  I own at the Villa Del Palmar and have stayed at the Villa Del Arco twice.


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## nazclk (Sep 10, 2008)

*Uvc/vdp*

When I tried to book Villa del Arco in Cabo for a  February 2009 week in February 2008 they told me that they only had the last week of February available.  So the gold memberships if you can book 2 years, which I will do from now on would be great.


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## Kenrabs (Sep 10, 2008)

nanaboat said:


> You might want to go to other timeshare blogs where people state they have been members of the villa del arco for three years and cannot get in.  I am a member of the Villa Del Palmar, part of universal club, and you can get units for less then half price on redweek.  I would think long and hard before buying!!!!!!



This,can,be,an,issue,if,you,don't,reserve,early,or,if,you,try,to,go,during,high,season.,I,also,heard,the,developer,has,control,of,a,high,percentage,of,rooms,that,they,can,rent,out,and,each,year,more,will,be,given,to,UVC,for,owners,use,so,hopefully,booking,will,be,easier.,Best,advice,is,pay,your,fee,early,so,you,can,book,early.


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## timesharejunkie4 (Sep 11, 2008)

The biggest advantage of a gold membership is that you can book up to 2 years in advance and borrow up to 5 years in advance!


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## Zib (Sep 11, 2008)

I don't think getting into Arcos is issue of not booking early or prime season.
Last Dec 8 to 15 (NOT prime time!!) we booked way in advance for our GOLD week and tried to get into Arcos.  We were told there was no availability so we took VDP.  We like it there anyway and figured if Arcos was full that was O.K.  HOWEVER, when we got there, Arcos was less than 1/3 full!!!  So now I was mad!  No amount of talking could persuade them to switch us over to Arcos.  We had friends that had traded into Arcos and we visited with them often during that week and it had very FEW occupants.  I even heard a salesman telling his client that Arcos was so empty because it was their SLOW time!  So I feel that they ARE playing games with Arcos and their GOLD owners.      :annoyed:


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## Kenrabs (Sep 11, 2008)

Zib said:


> I don't think getting into Arcos is issue of not booking early or prime season.
> Last Dec 8 to 15 (NOT prime time!!) we booked way in advance for our GOLD week and tried to get into Arcos.  We were told there was no availability so we took VDP.  We like it there anyway and figured if Arcos was full that was O.K.  HOWEVER, when we got there, Arcos was less than 1/3 full!!!  So now I was mad!  No amount of talking could persuade them to switch us over to Arcos.  We had friends that had traded into Arcos and we visited with them often during that week and it had very FEW occupants.  I even heard a salesman telling his client that Arcos was so empty because it was their SLOW time!  So I feel that they ARE playing games with Arcos and their GOLD owners.      :annoyed:



Might,want,the,Premier,owners,there,so,they,can,up,sell.


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## timesharejunkie4 (Sep 11, 2008)

I had no problem booking del Arco 2 years in advance; I have one week for November 2008 and another for February 2009. Both were booked almost exactly at the 2 year mark.


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## Zib (Sep 12, 2008)

Guess booking 2 years in advance is the answer, but that leaves me out.  I can't book that far ahead.  Anyway, AS I SAID, they were LESS than 1/3 full when we got there!  I still feel they are unfair playing games!   :annoyed:


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## Paula (Sep 17, 2008)

Zib said:


> Thanks Ken,  I'm going to try it, but we already have our trip booked for Feb.  Sure wish I had known, but you probably can't get availability
> in Feb/March because it's high time and they are pretty filled, I think.  But I'll sure try it next time.  Thanks!!  We have Casa Maya, also.  We have one week but they have always let us have as many weeks as we want.  I once booked four consecutive weeks in Feb there.  They have been great about giving us many extra bonus weeks.



ZIBBY; Hi, we will be at VDP FLAMINGOS all of January and all of February, please lets meet up again next year, oh by the way I took the two for one VDP was offering in their Fall Mag, so did Lowell and Sylvia and many other owners so we are all very happy, see you there, Pauline


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## judy23 (Sep 17, 2008)

I am also an owner at Flamingo's and will be there in January. What 2 for1 deal did they offer that I missed???


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## Paula (Sep 17, 2008)

judy23 said:


> I am also an owner at Flamingo's and will be there in January. What 2 for1 deal did they offer that I missed???



Hi Judy; in their  mag, they offered 2 for 1 weeks, I think it was a promotion or something I guess their bookings must be down owing to the bad economy in the States and what has been happening on Wall Street over the past year. You book 2 weeks and only pay maintenance for one, the dates they gave were I think Oct-end of Jan. only but my friend was able to book the last week of Jan and first week in Feb. So I just added two more weeks prior to when my timeshare weeks started, it was a good deal we thought and as we are retired going two extra weeks didn't bother us. Actually they did the same thing last year I think. Hope that helps, really looking forward getting away beginning of January next year, although the weather is very nice but not as warm as the Feb/March, Paula


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## Paula (Sep 17, 2008)

judy23 said:


> I am also an owner at Flamingo's and will be there in January. What 2 for1 deal did they offer that I missed???



Hi Judy, I found it for you in their "News Between Amigos" Magazine Summer 2008.
Exciting Specials Don’t miss out!
Universal Vacation Club 2008 TWO for ONE Blowout Special!
You can go on vacation, and this time you can bring your friends!...
you can now reserve 2 full weeks in any unit size for the price
of one! Call member services to let us help you start planning your trip.
Aug 16th – Jan 31st (inclusive)
All Units (STD, 1BED, 2 BED)
Villa Del Palmar-
Puerto Vallarta; VDPFlamingos;
VDP-Cabo

hope that helps you it did us as it was in our time frame. Paula


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## judy23 (Sep 18, 2008)

thank you for the information. I will call them today. When are you going to be there? We are there from the 24th to the 31st of Jan


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## judy23 (Sep 18, 2008)

Hi Paula,
I called and the offer for VDP Flamingo's in Nuervo ends the day we check in. It's too bad as we have friends with us in a 1br using the murphy bed. Thanks again. Judy


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## sleder10 (Sep 18, 2008)

*Villa Del Arco*

I actually have an acquaintence that works at UVC and he gave me some insight that I was not aware of. I own 3 Gold timeshares. Two with a Home of VDP Puerto Vallarta and 1 Home at Villa Del Arco.

What happens is this: As new resorts are built and made available to UVC, not all or even most are made available to current members. The first year only 10% of the total units are made available to UVC to rent. The rest are held back by the developer to sell, and if your Home base is Villa Del Arco, you can get in. If your home base is say Flamingo's in Nuevo Vallarta, it would show as unavailable. The second year, 20% are made available and 10% are made available each year for 5 years until the developer has maxed out the sales, then all the units are available to all members, Gold, Premier or other.

They are building a new resort in Cancun that is supposed to be done next year. It will be almost impossible to book into that resort for 2-3 years unless you actually buy from the developer there.

This information is not widely known and is not included in any published material put out by UVC. While I don't think this rises to the level of false advertising, I do think all members should be aware of this information


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## Kenrabs (Sep 18, 2008)

sleder10 said:


> I actually have an acquaintence that works at UVC and he gave me some insight that I was not aware of. I own 3 Gold timeshares. Two with a Home of VDP Puerto Vallarta and 1 Home at Villa Del Arco.
> 
> What happens is this: As new resorts are built and made available to UVC, not all or even most are made available to current members. The first year only 10% of the total units are made available to UVC to rent. The rest are held back by the developer to sell, and if your Home base is Villa Del Arco, you can get in. If your home base is say Flamingo's in Nuevo Vallarta, it would show as unavailable. The second year, 20% are made available and 10% are made available each year for 5 years until the developer has maxed out the sales, then all the units are available to all members, Gold, Premier or other.
> 
> ...



I've,heard,a,similar,thing,from,another,tug,member.


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## SteveH (Sep 20, 2008)

We're going to be at Flamingos from Jan 6-27/09 for three weeks.  We booked 10 months prior as per our Premiere membership.  I don't think I received my summer newsletter but I'll call to see if we can still get credit for the 2 for 1 deal.
It would be fun to meet some other 'tuggers' during our stay?
Thanks Paula for sharing this valuable information!
Steve


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## judy23 (Sep 20, 2008)

Steve,Paula 
I will be checking in on Jan 24th with another couple who own at villa del pamar downtown. I would be fun to meet and share our experiences. Send me a private message and we can share names so we can find each other. Judy


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## Paula (Sep 20, 2008)

SteveH said:


> We're going to be at Flamingos from Jan 6-27/09 for three weeks.  We booked 10 months prior as per our Premiere membership.  I don't think I received my summer newsletter but I'll call to see if we can still get credit for the 2 for 1 deal.
> It would be fun to meet some other 'tuggers' during our stay?
> Thanks Paula for sharing this valuable information!
> Steve



Steve, hope it worked for you, I received my newsletter via email July 1st, 08. We will be there from Jan. 8-Feb.26th, 09, hope to see you there, we sit by the pool bar and  hubby guards our green umbrella, hahaha, Paula, BC Canada


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## SteveH (Sep 26, 2008)

Paula said:


> Hi Judy, I found it for you in their "News Between Amigos" Magazine Summer 2008.
> Exciting Specials Don’t miss out!
> Universal Vacation Club 2008 TWO for ONE Blowout Special!
> You can go on vacation, and this time you can bring your friends!...
> ...



Called the club this week and they told me that they were all sold out for the special at Flamingos.  
Paula, what building or area would you recommend we try to request at Flamingos?
Steve


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## Paula (Sep 27, 2008)

SteveH said:


> Called the club this week and they told me that they were all sold out for the special at Flamingos.
> Paula, what building or area would you recommend we try to request at Flamingos?
> Steve



Steve: Hi, well as far as I am concerned all units have a beautiful view, B1 has the sun in the afternoon, West, so you get wonderful sunsets from deck. B2 (Lobby building) have wonderful ocean views and full sunsets from all units including the 2nd bedroom/studio. B3 has the sun in the morning but you cant see sunsets, have to go down to the beach. So as long as you own a 1 bdrm or 2 bdrm. and will use the master suite you will get lovely views from any unit as long as you are 4th floor and higher. Of course, many members own a Studio, which is the second bedroom and that is situated in the corners so only the  studio units closest to the ocean will get a view or partial view of the ocean. As the units go higher in number e.g B3-406,7,8, the studios all get lovely views of the pools and the area where they have the Mexican Fiesta but not the ocean.  Hope that helps you, Paula


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## Barbeque (Sep 27, 2008)

Maxfli54 said:


> Thank you all for your response. I have already found resales at least 10,000 less. I was really looking for some feedback on Universal vacation club. I am already a Marriott VC owner but have had a hard time exchanging for certain properties (although that is how I got here). UVC is saying that if I own one of their more desireable properties that exchanges will become easier? Any truth to this?. Thanks



Even though some may say the UV club is a desirable ownership my betting sense says it will definitely not out trade a Marriot.   You have other options to trade your Marriott, (SFX, Trading Places and Hawaii Timeshare Exchange) and direct exchanges through TUG that may work better than Interval.  Also stay on TUG you may learn how to make Interval work better.


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## ronandjoan (Oct 27, 2008)

*UVC certificate just came*



KarenLK said:


> My basic membership does not allow me to do some things that the better [and pricier] memberships have.
> I can only come Saturday to Saturday and have to pay a fee evedry time I change weeks [I own fixed.]




Karen,
I just recieved my new owners certificate but it does not say what tpe of membership it is (whether premier or gold) - I doubt it is premier.  They are fixed weeks 6 and 7.

willl I be able to trade internally at all or just put it in RCI or rent it if I can;t go.

It does nt say which is the check in day either.

A little unclear?

can you heolp> 
thanks, 
JOAN


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## ronandjoan (Oct 29, 2008)

*Some problems solved neatly by webmaster*

I went to the UVC site and tried to log on and the error message said the Webmaster could help.  I emailed him, and then he even logged me on and I can see my account.  What a great helper!


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## easyrider (Oct 30, 2008)

ronandjoan said:


> Karen,
> I just recieved my new owners certificate but it does not say what tpe of membership it is (whether premier or gold) - I doubt it is premier.  They are fixed weeks 6 and 7.
> 
> willl I be able to trade internally at all or just put it in RCI or rent it if I can;t go.
> ...




You must be a fixed week Villa del Mar member with no rights to the other resorts. You can trade with RCI. 
If your owner certificate states that you are a premiere member then you may be able to reserve at all of the UVC resorts.


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## ronandjoan (Oct 31, 2008)

Yes, we are fixed week owners now - weeks 6 and 7 - we are so glad to have those.


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## Zib (Nov 4, 2008)

Joan,  I doubt that you are Villa Del MAR because the unit number you gave shows building #2 in Villa Del Palmar!  All the Del Mar units show 3 numbers for the units, not four so I think you're Villa Del Palmar.  Are you going this year weeks 6 & 7?  We'll be there Feb 15 to 22nd and I think that's week 7 isn't it?  Let's meet up somewhere.


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## ronandjoan (Nov 5, 2008)

Hi Zib,
thanks, we are alrady booked in for CAncun Feb 2009 but will be there from now on starting Feb 2010!!!!


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## PinkTink63 (Jan 8, 2010)

I'm not sure if I am posting this correctly, so I apologize if I did not!

I'm wondering if any of you that own UVC have ever traded into DVC?  If so where do you own?  Do you own weeks or points, what size of unit, floating or fixed, and what resort and accommodations were you able to trade for?

Thank you!


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