# HYATT - Trading into sunset harbor using hyatt points



## C30NY

Hello - has anyone had success using their hyatt points to trade into Sunset Harbor?  I am looking to travel in the early part of the silver season at sunset harbor but looking at a contract at another hyatt.  Can any owner wait list at or before the 12 month mark?

Thank you in advance!


----------



## JanT

The resident expert, Kal will weigh in on this, I'm sure.  He knows the Hyatt system inside out.  But, I'll give it a shot with my own knowledge.

Anyone can waitlist for any property if there is no availability when they are searching.  Nothing can be requested more than 12 months out.  That is a bizarre and unsavory part of the Hyatt point system.  If you deposit your points with II you can't search more than 12 months 1 week out.  Again, bizarre and unsavory.  Drives me nuts!

If you are trying to trade into Sunset Harbor in a silver season I doubt you would have much of a problem.  I have done searches that include Sunset Harbor and see chunks of "off-season" available for Sunset Harbor all the time.

Hope this helps!

Jan


----------



## Beaglemom3

C30NY said:


> Hello - has anyone had success using their hyatt points to trade into Sunset Harbor?  I am looking to travel in the early part of the silver season at sunset harbor but looking at a contract at another hyatt.  Can any owner wait list at or before the 12 month mark?
> 
> Thank you in advance!




   I had an HHdM with a paltry 1300 pts. that I gave to my Ex. He, in turn, lets me use them if he doesn't (and he pays the MF !).

  You can place a request = wait list as JanT said.
  Call 1-800-Go-HYATT (#2) to discuss or you can do it online.

  I was able to snag a three day Feb 28 - Mar 3rd recently and just missed a 4 day mid April stay.

  It can be done, but requires advanced planning (who can plan that far ahead ?) and/or persistence.

  Again, good advice. Kal knows the system better than Hyatt does.

Addendum:  Sometimes I have lucked out a few weeks before a date that I 've wanted becomes available. Sometimes I have flexibiltiy in my schedule and it works for me.


----------



## C30NY

Our problem is we like to know, get plane tickets, and secure the time at work a year ahead.  

If I purchased at windward pointe or beach house for the exact week we want, can we hold our unit while searching for the exchange?  Or does it have to be relinquished before searching?


----------



## bdh

C30NY said:


> If I purchased at windward pointe or beach house for the exact week we want, can we hold our unit while searching for the exchange?  Or does it have to be relinquished before searching?



You can search without relinquishing your WP or BH week.


----------



## Kal

C30NY said:


> Hello - has anyone had success using their hyatt points to trade into Sunset Harbor? I am looking to travel in the early part of the silver season at sunset harbor but looking at a contract at another hyatt. Can any owner wait list at or before the 12 month mark?
> 
> Thank you in advance!


 
I have many, many friends who were on the Sunset Harbor wait list 11-12 months in advance and received confirmation.  And that was for 2000 point weeks.

I recently requested SH 9 months in advance and was confirmed.  You just have to plan ahead for this property.


----------



## C30NY

Since we are planners, it should work well for us.  Especially if our backup (BH/WP) still had us in Key West.  We would obviously rather be down near Duval but not the end of the world of we have to drive/bike in.

Thanks everyone!


----------



## MaryH

Some silver weeks are special events in KW so those might be hard to get i.e. Fantasy Fest.

Normal silver week should be okay if you put in a request at least 6+ months in advance of your preferred travel date.  The HRPP goes to CUP at 6 months mark so you want to either put in a request before that or check availability as it hits CUP.


----------



## C30NY

We would be lookin for like week 17 or 18, just after all te school breaks.  And checking KW events, it looks like it is nothing special.


----------



## Beaglemom3

C30NY said:


> We would be lookin for like week 17 or 18, just after all te school breaks.  And checking KW events, it looks like it is nothing special.



  Having done exhaustive searches for the Sunset Harbor on HVC's online booking, I believe you to be correct.  I've seen the inventory open up during these weeks for Hyatt Keys (all 3).

 You may want to discuss this with a Hyatt guide. I am particularly fond of Roberto. He has always been spot-on with advice. Not sure if you can request him, but if he's still there, try him.


----------



## C30NY

Thank you all for the great feedback and advice.  I may just rent for next year unless I find the right deal.  Thanks again!

~J


----------



## dvc_john

Just one thing not yet mentioned. Your points have to be available to book anything.

If you want to book a May 2014 week using points that become available in, say, December 2013, you won't be able to book until December 2013. 
You can go on a waitlist, and in December 2013 you will probably be at the top of the waitlist. But if something becomes available before December 2013, it can go to someone on the waitlist with available points, even if you are ahead of them on the waitlist. And if it doesn't go to someone on the waitlist, it can be reserved by anyone who has available points.


----------



## C30NY

I would actually be buying the week I want to travel, and just trying to hop resorts for the same week, so I would be at the 12 month mark exactly.  Do people wait list before 12 months, or is that even possible?


----------



## bdh

C30NY said:


> I would actually be buying the week I want to travel, and just trying to hop resorts for the same week, so I would be at the 12 month mark exactly.  Do people wait list before 12 months, or is that even possible?



While I've never seen a survey of how far out people make an exchange request, I think the majority of them would be in the 6 to 10 month prior to range.  There are some like you that know their schedule far in advance and can plan a year in advance, so that definitely works to your advantage.

Your biggest hurdle in hopping from WP/BH to SH is that is what everyone is attempting to do as well.  With only 40 units at SH, not everybody gets in.  There is also the "Ebay Studio Gang" - their MO is to request a studio 4 day stay (silver season is only 180 points) then post it on Ebay and rent it out for $250 to $350.  Combine SH's location with KW's high hotel room cost (approx $200 a night) and the Studio Gang never has trouble renting the units.  The 4 day studio reservation is somewhat a punch in the gut to those looking for full week in a 2 bd unit - 26 of SH's having the lock off option, that leaves 14 2 bd town house units.


----------



## C30NY

bdh said:


> While I've never seen a survey of how far out people make an exchange request, I think the majority of them would be in the 6 to 10 month prior to range.  There are some like you that know their schedule far in advance and can plan a year in advance, so that definitely works to your advantage.
> 
> Your biggest hurdle in hopping from WP/BH to SH is that is what everyone is attempting to do as well.  With only 40 units at SH, not everybody gets in.  There is also the "Ebay Studio Gang" - their MO is to request a studio 4 day stay (silver season is only 180 points) then post it on Ebay and rent it out for $250 to $350.  Combine SH's location with KW's high hotel room cost (approx $200 a night) and the Studio Gang never has trouble renting the units.  The 4 day studio reservation is somewhat a punch in the gut to those looking for full week in a 2 bd unit - 26 of SH's having the lock off option, that leaves 14 2 bd town house units.



That was sort of what I realized when reading about the Hyatt point system...they give no preference to full weeks or shorter stays.  I laughed at the "Ebay studio gang" :rofl:


----------



## ivywag

*Sunset Harbor*

The problem with the "Ebay Studio Gang" reserving and renting out is that it is against the HRC Rules to rent out a unit that is not your deeded week.  You cannot trade into Sunset Harbor (or any other HRC resort) and then rent the reserved unit.  Those who are doing this are harming all other HRC members by restricting our access to the inventory for their own personal profit. And, they are breaking the rules!  Hyatt needs to monitor this behavior and curtail it.


----------



## bdh

ivywag said:


> The problem with the "Ebay Studio Gang" reserving and renting out is that it is against the HRC Rules to rent out a unit that is not your deeded week.  You cannot trade into Sunset Harbor (or any other HRC resort) and then rent the reserved unit.  Those who are doing this are harming all other HRC members by restricting our access to the inventory for their own personal profit. And, they are breaking the rules!  Hyatt needs to monitor this behavior and curtail it.



Don't disagree with anything you've said, but with a listing like this on Ebay, it does not seem that Hyatt is heeding your last comment.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/200908988466?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649


----------



## theo

*Yup...*



ivywag said:


> The problem with the "Ebay Studio Gang" reserving and renting out is that it is against the HRC Rules to rent out a unit that is not your deeded week.  You cannot trade into Sunset Harbor (or any other HRC resort) and then rent the reserved unit.  Those who are doing this are harming all other HRC members by restricting our access to the inventory for their own personal profit. And, they are breaking the rules!  Hyatt needs to monitor this behavior and curtail it.



I do not own within the Hyatt system and I never conduct any timeshare business of any sort via eBay, but I do believe that you are absolutely correct in your observation. I have rented advertised "studio" weeks at Sunset Harbor in Key West (on several different occasions) from Hyatt system owners who I came to firmly believe don't actually own at Hyatt Sunset Harbor themselves at all and may, in fact, have never even been there. They very clearly could not have cared less about any applicable Hyatt restrictions or prohibitions regarding their practices. 

I won't personally be going back to those oddly arranged and very small HSH studios again (units too small, rental cost too high for the product), so I'll be one less "competing" entity for those HSH studio "rentals".


----------



## bdh

theo said:


> I do not own within the Hyatt system and I never conduct any timeshare business of any sort via eBay, but I do believe that you are absolutely correct in your observation. I have rented advertised "studio" weeks at Sunset Harbor in Key West (on several different occasions) from Hyatt system owners who I came to firmly believe don't actually own at Hyatt Sunset Harbor themselves at all and may, in fact, have never even been there. They very clearly could not have cared less about any applicable Hyatt restrictions or prohibitions regarding their practices.
> 
> I won't personally be going back to those oddly arranged and very small HSH studios again (units too small, rental cost too high for the product), so I'll be one less "competing" entity for those HSH studio "rentals".



With the most undesirable studios in the system at HSH, there is no doubt the typical TS owner that is use to lots of space in a 2 bd unit would not relish a return to a studio at HSH. However, there is pretty much an unlimited supply of visitors to KW that don't own TS and are just looking for a room in paradise.  

As an example, take The Angelina Guest House (no disrespect to The Angelina - just using it as a comparison as it is often cited on another website as a great economical "place to sleep") - the lowest priced room in the middle of summer runs about $100 a night (tax included).  Note that this room type is a "shared bathroom" (they don't mean "shared with your spouse" - they mean "communal"). If you want the best room (that means private bathroom and a TV) at The Angelina, you're at $160 a night.  Or a person can opt for a studio at HSH which has a more of everything (larger room, king bed, bathroom with spa tub, a mini kitchenette and a TV) for $75 to $125 a night depending on where the Ebay auction winds up.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=221205301685&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123  Note that while The Angelina's rates increase for a higher demand season, the Ebay rental rate does not.

Due to your TS experience, what you view as too high a cost for too small a room at HSH is a bargain for an oversized plush room for those that can't spell "TS" and are just looking for "a place to sleep" at night.  The comparison of The Angelina and HSH properties is apples to oranges, but the Ebay Studio Gang skews the field offering a nightly cost of less than or equal to. The studio gang has a money printing press at their finger tips via HRC's online reservation system and Ebay's auction format.  Kind of like a micro RCI operation - renting rooms to the public below the cost of the TS owner's MF and the owner can't get a reservation.


----------



## ivywag

*Rentals*

The Ebay Gang not only skews availability for club members, but any available studios not reserved by club members for their own use could be rented out by HSH with the proceeds going to the owners there in the form of reduced maintenance fees.  Imagine if all members booked up all of the desirable units at all of the resorts and then rented them to strangers for personal gain.  There would not be any inventory for members.  Presumably, that was the reason for the rule in the first place.  The member can rent the unit/week that is owned, but not those that are reserved by using points.


----------



## dbmarch

Well I emailed  hyatt vacation club a while back and told them i was going to buy another unit but wanted to know if I could rent out units reserved with my points.    They emailed me the policy and told me I could only rent my reserved week or a portion of it.  I then asked why they allow all these ebay rentals.   They insisted  that they monitor ebay and craigslist and pursue those rentals.  I told them that is odd as there are so many.  So I email them the links regularly and ask them if this is one they want to pursue. 

I inquire if they are thinking of enforcing their policy or changing the rules to allow rentals.   They should be consistent!   

Its a bad policy to have rules which are randomly enforced.  It is a negative to the owners who don't rent.

So send in those ebay links!:rofl:


----------



## bdh

dbmarch said:


> Well I emailed  hyatt vacation club a while back and told them i was going to buy another unit but wanted to know if I could rent out units reserved with my points.    They emailed me the policy and told me I could only rent my reserved week or a portion of it.  I then asked why they allow all these ebay rentals.   They insisted  that they monitor ebay and craigslist and pursue those rentals.  I told them that is odd as there are so many.  So I email them the links regularly and ask them if this is one they want to pursue.
> 
> I inquire if they are thinking of enforcing their policy or changing the rules to allow rentals.   They should be consistent!
> 
> Its a bad policy to have rules which are randomly enforced.  It is a negative to the owners who don't rent.
> 
> So send in those ebay links!:rofl:



If Hyatt says "they monitor ebay and craigslist and pursue those rentals", there would be no need to send them the Ebay links if Hyatt would just save the Ebay Studio Gang (yamoondo, spurrier777, malwild, vickid24, margaritaguy, susan5036 and marzue1) seller ID's to their "Favorite Seller" watch page.

Even though you've regularly sent Hyatt the various links, they don't appear do anything with them as the quantity of HSH listings on Ebay seems to be increasing.


----------



## suzannesimon

Speaking of renting, if you rent out your Hyatt timeshare, does the renter have to pay Hyatt a guest fee at check-in?  If so, how much?


----------



## IslandTime

There is a $29 fee for a guest certificate up front (saw that on the HVC site) and a $35 cleaning fee at check-out if the stay is less than a week.  

We're currently on our way home from a three night stay at the Angelina in Key West.  We just booked two weeks ago and availability was limited and prices were high as this is still peak season in Key West.  I would have been happy to stay at HSH in a studio, but not at the crazy prices they charge in high season.  I always look at the "owner" rates on the HVC site which are supposed to be discounted and they are almost always higher than the rates on Hyatt.com.  The EBay listings are very tempting.  I wish there was a happy medium between what the listed prices are and the EBay Studio gang.


----------



## MaryH

I think Carmel does not charge the split week fees.


----------



## dbmarch

I agree.  I have also given them names behind a few of the the Ebay ID's.   They do not enforce it or if they do, they do not enforce it consistently.    Most of the rentals are for HSH studios.  I dont know if they were 2 BR that were split up due to someone reserving the studio or if they were just studios deposited.   I imagine not a lot of people would reserve just a studio as those units are very small.

They know these reservations are rented.   It is pretty obvious when a Hyatt vacation club owner who doesn't own in HSH reserves guest certificates week after week at HSH.    

Regardless - they should have a consistent policy.   Either change the policy and allow it , or they should enforce the no rental rule.    I will continue to poke at this.  Others should too if it bothers them.    It dries up  inventory and makes it more challenging to make legitimate reservations.     

So next time you are in an owners meeting, ask them why they turn a blind eye towards the Ebay rentals.



bdh said:


> If Hyatt says "they monitor ebay and craigslist and pursue those rentals", there would be no need to send them the Ebay links if Hyatt would just save the Ebay Studio Gang (yamoondo, spurrier777, malwild, vickid24, margaritaguy, susan5036 and marzue1) seller ID's to their "Favorite Seller" watch page.
> 
> Even though you've regularly sent Hyatt the various links, they don't appear do anything with them as the quantity of HSH listings on Ebay seems to be increasing.


----------



## Kal

dbmarch said:


> I agree. I have also given them names behind a few of the the Ebay ID's...


 
Who at Hyatt did you discuss this issue with?  Hopefully it was at the corporate level.


----------



## dbmarch

All I could think of doing at the time was emailing it to the vacation club email.  Make a recommendation on whom to contact and I'll pursue that.    

I have been a bit dismayed by the response so far.   We'll be down to KW soon so I figured I would just talk in person to see where it goes.

It's one thing to have a policy that prohibits rentals and let a few rentals slip through by owners who just can't use their reservations.   I am fine with this.   

It's another to allow people to establish a business by buying lower cost Hyatt units and then reserving multiple ( in some cases 10-20 reservations blocks) weeks and then renting them on Ebay.   This is what is occurring.

We were hoping for our next trip we would trade our 2 BR Week for ~ 2 weeks in a 1BR at HSH but this Ebay activity makes it really difficult to accomplish.


----------



## bdh

*An old member of the ESG returns*

The latest HSH Ebay listing is from a Studio Gang member that seemed to have "retired" - but based on ihavetwins1 current listing that contains six different dates for 4 night studio reservations, they are back in business (no pun intended as its definitely a business).

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en#ht_607wt_917


----------

