# Does Diamond Resorts have an internal exchange system?



## ada903 (Jan 29, 2011)

A friend of mine is looking into a Diamonds Resorts package, and we were wondering if Diamonds Resorts has an internal exchange system, or do they only go through Interval International?  I understand that membership automatically carries a mandatory Interval International account?


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## csalter2 (Jan 29, 2011)

ada903 said:


> A friend of mine is looking into a Diamonds Resorts package, and we were wondering if Diamonds Resorts has an internal exchange system, or do they only go through Interval International?  I understand that membership automatically carries a mandatory Interval International account?



Diamond does have an internal exchange system for its own properties. If you are a member of the Club you don't have to pay any additional fees to stay at any DRI property or its affiliates when you make the reservation. If you go through II you will have to pay an exchange fee. Also, if you use DRI's Diamond Select, you again can use your points to make the reservation but you do not have to pay any exchange fees. With DRI Club owners in DRI's system trade their timeshares from other systems to DRI for additional points and DRI makes that property available to owners for either points or a small weekly fee the II does with getaways.  For example, I own both DRI and Marriott. I can trade my Ko Olina property to DRI for 12,000 additional DRI points. I can use those additional points to stay other places in DRI system or use them for other DRI benefits.  DRI would then take my Ko Olina property and advertises it for Club owners who want to either pay by points or by money.  It costs twice as much money for those not in DRI's Club. 

It's just another option.


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## ada903 (Jan 29, 2011)

Thanks, this really helps!


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## jlfrankovich (May 13, 2011)

This is likely a little bit late responding, but also check out the club select option which allows members to deposit weeks from other resorts owned for points (if specified in their contract) and allows members to use these weeks for points (which I think is available to all club members).


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## T_R_Oglodyte (May 13, 2011)

Missed this thread before while I was out of the country, or I would have replied.

With Diamond you need to keep in mind the distinction between ownership and Club membership.  You can't be part of the Club unless you have a Diamond resort ownership, but you can own without being part of the Club.

When you are a member of the Club, you can have full access to the entire Diamond resorts system. That includes all Diamond Resorts as well as affiliate properties.  Also Club membership includes an Interval Gold membership as part of the club dues. I think that's pretty straightorward.  One wrinkle to keep in mind is that if you are part of the Club you can only book reservations through the Club; you can't make a Club reservation and deposit that reservation with an exchange company.

*****

It's a bit more complicated if you have a Diamond ownership but are not part of the Club.  In that case, you will either own an interest in one of the Club trusts, or you will own a deeded interest in one of the specific Diamond resorts.  If you have a trust ownership, you can reserve at any of the resorts that are in that trust - that's like a internal trading system, but only for the resorts that are part of the particular trust that you own.  If you have a deeded ownership at a specific resort, you can only reserve at your home resort, in accordance with whatever the reservation rights are for your deed.

If you are not in the Club, you can make a reservation and deposit with an independent exchange company.

***

Finally, Club membership is not transferable, so if you buy a resale unit all you get is a trust or deeded ownership, as the case may be.  To get into the Club you have to make an additional purchase from Diamond, and then your both  your existing and new ownerships can be brought into the Club.


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## ada903 (May 13, 2011)

Thanks both for responding!  A friend of mine was trying to decide if to take a Diamonds timeshare for free from a relative - it comes with a gold II membership, so it must be a club membership.



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Missed this thread before while I was out of the country, or I would have replied.
> 
> With Diamond you need to keep in mind the distinction between ownership and Club membership.  You can't be part of the Club unless you have a club ownership, but you can own without being part of the Club.
> 
> ...


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## T_R_Oglodyte (May 13, 2011)

ada903 said:


> Thanks both for responding!  A friend of mine was trying to decide if to take a Diamonds timeshare for free from a relative - it comes with a gold II membership, so it must be a club membership.



He ought to verify with Diamond that the Club membership will transfer with the ownership.


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