# Manhattan club, update?



## bdurstta (Feb 11, 2011)

Has anyone stayed here recently?  Are the elevators still slow?  Any upgrades to the units?  Planning a trip to NYC 2012 with the family.


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## akp (Feb 11, 2011)

*I've stayed twice in the past year*

Loved it!

The elevators were not blazingly fast, but we only had one wait of any significance and we used the service elevator instead.

There is a board on the 2nd floor showing the planned upgrades, and we stayed in a rental on that floor one night and it was an upgraded unit.  New carpet, furniture, etc.

The two timeshare units we stayed in had the exact decor shown on the website photos so I assume it was not upgraded, but both had very nice bathrooms.

Can't wait to go back in September!

Anita


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## Cathyb (Feb 11, 2011)

*akp-question*



akp said:


> Loved it!
> 
> The elevators were not blazingly fast, but we only had one wait of any significance and we used the service elevator instead.
> 
> ...



What was your view out the window?  A few years ago we stayed (thru SFX) and was in a unit needing lots of TLC.  The window view was looking at other units -- very dark and dingy.  Also, were you charged any fees that surprised you as you were checking out?


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## bdh (Feb 11, 2011)

Room location and check out fees vary based on what exchange company you use.  

RCI exchangers get the lower floor units (they are smaller size rooms and some of them are in need of an update) and pay the daily "resort fee".

SFX exchangers don't pay the daily resort fee and the room type and location can be anywhere in the building.

II exchangers don't pay the daily resort fee and get the units on higher floors (26th and up) - the units are larger (I think MC calls them the 1 bd Deluxe - they have a private bedroom and 2 bathrooms) - these are newer units so they aren't outdated.


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## akp (Feb 11, 2011)

*My responses*

The only fee I paid was the housekeeping fee because I booked through RCI.  When i stayed in a studio it was $15 a day; in the 1 bedroom it was $25 a day.

The time we rented a night from Manhattan Club we were on the 2nd floor and had a crappy view.

The first RCI reservation (in a studio) had an okay view of the street and buildings across the street.  Nothing to write home about, but a reasonably high floor.  I'm thinking it was 12?

The second RCI reservation (in a 1 bedroom with 2 bathrooms) was on the north side and had a respectable view of the park.  Again I don't remember the floor but it was high enough that we could see a swatch of green on Central Park.  Both bathrooms were very nice.

Anita


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## JLarg (Feb 14, 2011)

We were there last summer and the Manhattan Club is great!  Perfect location and the unit is larger and nicer than I expected, honestly.  The negatives are that the elevators are a little slower than most places, and the mattresses on the beds are rock hard.  Other than that, this is a great resort and you will not regret staying there.


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## wauhob3 (Feb 14, 2011)

I have stayed there several times via RCI and never had a low floor. One time I had a view the other two not. I requested L shaped studios the two times we had studios and was accomodated. No complaints and we ike it better there the the new 53rd since it has a kitchenette and is in a slightly better location for going to the theater.


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## tombo (Feb 14, 2011)

Several people have talked about staying at the Manhatten Club numerous times through RCI. I thought the Manhatten Club was a 1 in 4 resort. Is it just 1 in 4 for weeks and not for points? Also If you stay there on weeks would it lock you out from using RCI points to stay there for 4 years? I have been trying to get a week at the Manhatten Club for several months but so far no
luck, but if I do book a week I will try to book another week as soon as they will let me because 
I Love New York.


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## akp (Feb 14, 2011)

*1 in 4*

All 3 of my reservations (2 past, one future) have been via RCI Points.  Unofficially, there is no 1 in 4 restriction for Points.  (I have no idea why).  It is very hard to find this in writing but there are lots of accounts on Tug and elsewhere of people using Points who have stayed multiple times.   

I was very concerned about it when i booked my second reservation that I might arrive in New York and not be allowed to check in, so I called in and talked to an RCI agent.  She said that she couldn't really say one way or another what the rule is, but that if there is a problem with a reservation, they'd cancel it and notify me well in advance of the check in date.  

anita


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## tombo (Feb 14, 2011)

I am going to try to reserve MC using both points and weeks, but I have an ongoing weeks search. If I get it using weeks for 2012, I will try points for 2013. I am almost positive that weeks does have the 1 in 4 rule for the Manhatten Club.


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## DaveNV (Feb 14, 2011)

We'll be staying at the Manhattan CLub in September.  Having never been to NYC, I'm kind of freaked about the bedbug thing.  Has there been any at MC?

Dave


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## akp (Feb 14, 2011)

*Tombo,*

MC definitely enforces 1 in 4 for weeks.  

With Points, MC is an easy get.  Just try to book exactly at the 10 month mark and you have a pretty good chance of getting what you want.  10 months from now, for example, there aren't any full weeks but you can get up to 5 nights in a studio or 4 nights in a 1 bedroom.. 


 	 Unit Type	Max Occup
(Privacy)	 Kitchen	 	 Check-In Date	Check-Out Date	 Point Value
	 Studio	4 (2)	Partial	Mon 12-Dec-2011	Fri 16-Dec-2011 	38,400
	 1 Bedroom	4 (4)	Partial	Mon 12-Dec-2011	Fri 16-Dec-2011 	44,880
	 Studio	4 (2)	Partial	Tue 13-Dec-2011	Sat 17-Dec-2011 	44,800


Anita


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## tombo (Feb 14, 2011)

BMWguynw said:


> We'll be staying at the Manhattan CLub in September.  Having never been to NYC, I'm kind of freaked about the bedbug thing.  Has there been any at MC?
> 
> Dave



None reported yet. However here is the bed bug report for NYC:
"The New York metro area has the worst infestation in the United States, with over 4000 bed bug reports. "

"Manhattan Club
200 W 56th St
New York, NY 
There are no bedbug encounters on record for this address."

Here is the web site to search for bed bugs by hotel and/or city:
http://bedbugregistry.com/search/n:manhatten-club/l:New-York-City/


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## tombo (Feb 14, 2011)

akp said:


> MC definitely enforces 1 in 4 for weeks.
> 
> With Points, MC is an easy get.  Just try to book exactly at the 10 month mark and you have a pretty good chance of getting what you want.  10 months from now, for example, there aren't any full weeks but you can get up to 5 nights in a studio or 4 nights in a 1 bedroom..
> 
> ...




Thank you so much.  I have an ongoing search in weeks with 60 TPUS tied up. I combined all of my current deposits together to try and make sure that I could afford any week, even a 2 bed unit if it comes available. I didn't want to miss out.

I also have RCI points. I will look at 10 months out exactly. I am trying to get the week of my anniversary 2012 so I know when I need to search. I notice your examples are not showing availability on Saturday nights. Are Saturday nights almost impossible to find?


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## akp (Mar 18, 2011)

*Saturdays are gettable*

Tombo,

I wouldn't take those examples I gave as meaning anything.  All 3 of my stays at MC have included a Saturday night.  Maybe mid-December it is harder to get a Saturday than my stays (June, Sep and Oct) but I think you have a resonable chance.

Good luck!

Anita


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## Carolinian (Mar 20, 2011)

tombo said:


> I am going to try to reserve MC using both points and weeks, but I have an ongoing weeks search. If I get it using weeks for 2012, I will try points for 2013. I am almost positive that weeks does have the 1 in 4 rule for the Manhatten Club.



Given how you blasted in another thread an avoidable junk fee at a resort in Venice, Italy, a much more exciting and harder to get destination that NYC, I am a bit surprised that you didn't comment on the unavoidable junk fees (for which MC has used the somewhat Orwellian term of ''hospitality fee'' in the past) charged by MC to RCI exchangers (but not SFX oir II exchangers).

Maybe you should try to trade in with SFX, that is if your home resort is up to SFX standards so you can deposit it.


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## timeos2 (Mar 20, 2011)

*II & Disney opened the door*



Carolinian said:


> Given how you blasted in another thread an avoidable junk fee at a resort in Venice, Italy, a much more exciting and harder to get destination that NYC, I am a bit surprised that you didn't comment on the unavoidable junk fees (for which MC has used the somewhat Orwellian term of ''hospitality fee'' in the past) charged by MC to RCI exchangers (but not SFX oir II exchangers).
> 
> Maybe you should try to trade in with SFX, that is if your home resort is up to SFX standards so you can deposit it.



We can all thank II & DVC for the previously outlawed "resort fee" fiasco. Until II allowed DVC to impose the $95 exchange penalty back in the lte 90's all exchange companies - including both RCI & II - specifically banned any charges to exchange guests that weren't charged to owners. Once DVC/II broke the ice with the $95 exchange penalty the door was opened for others, eventually including RCI who originally disallowed he practice even at Disney, to tack it on. Another reason to rent rather than exchange in today's timeshare market.  Exchange is not a value as it once was given all the costs & fees involved along with the uncertainty of getting anything close to your deposit value out.  Best avoid it entirely by just renting or owning what you want to use.


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## BWV Dreamin (Mar 31, 2011)

timeos2 said:


> We can all thank II & DVC for the previously outlawed "resort fee" fiasco. Until II allowed DVC to impose the $95 exchange penalty back in the lte 90's all exchange companies - including both RCI & II - specifically banned any charges to exchange guests that weren't charged to owners. Once DVC/II broke the ice with the $95 exchange penalty the door was opened for others, eventually including RCI who originally disallowed he practice even at Disney, to tack it on. Another reason to rent rather than exchange in today's timeshare market.  Exchange is not a value as it once was given all the costs & fees involved along with the uncertainty of getting anything close to your deposit value out.  Best avoid it entirely by just renting or owning what you want to use.



Thanks for your comment. I WAS looking to exchange my DVC into RCI for 3 nights. The problem with renting is that most owners will want to rent the entire week. So I may be stuck paying the $95 and daily housekeeping. With that said, I still think its a deal at MC. Thoughts?


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## timeos2 (Mar 31, 2011)

BWV Dreamin said:


> Thanks for your comment. I WAS looking to exchange my DVC into RCI for 3 nights. The problem with renting is that most owners will want to rent the entire week. So I may be stuck paying the $95 and daily housekeeping. With that said, I still think its a deal at MC. Thoughts?



The MC is no longer the gem it once was in value or condition.  But it still has a great location and good overall value.  We have enjoyed every one of our 6+ stays there.  The $95 applies to DVC  - at the MC the daily rate is $25 as I recall (MORE than $95/week). Remember if you rent the $25 does NOT apply.  If renters only want to offer the full week then ask for a lower rate as you only want xx days.  Often they will bite at that to get the rental locked in.


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## BWV Dreamin (Mar 31, 2011)

timeos2 said:


> The MC is no longer the gem it once was in value or condition.  But it still has a great location and good overall value.  We have enjoyed every one of our 6+ stays there.  The $95 applies to DVC  - at the MC the daily rate is $25 as I recall (MORE than $95/week). Remember if you rent the $25 does NOT apply.  If renters only want to offer the full week then ask for a lower rate as you only want xx days.  Often they will bite at that to get the rental locked in.



I thought the daily housekeeping was due regardless of rental or exchange. Good to know! Well my only choices are MC or the new NY Hilton on 53rd street for exchanges with DVC into RCI. I like the fact that MC has a kitchen/kitchenette. Good advice! Well I can always ask!


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## Karen G (Mar 31, 2011)

BWV Dreamin said:


> I thought the daily housekeeping was due regardless of rental or exchange. Good to know! Well my only choices are MC or the new NY Hilton on 53rd street for exchanges with DVC into RCI. I like the fact that MC has a kitchen/kitchenette. Good advice! Well I can always ask!


I think there is still daily housekeeping. The $15 or $25 daily fee isn't for housekeeping; it's similar to a "resort fee" that hotels are now charging. I just considered it to be the price we paid for wi-fi in the room and it was worth it just for that convenience.


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## warewolf (May 10, 2011)

I own a silver flex MC Penthouse Suite week.  No extra fees involved, but lots of extra goodies: 700 sq.ft. average size; in-suite computer and printer; 2 flatscreen TVs and DVD player, AND access to 2 nicely landscaped, comfortably furnished terraces, one with East view, the other West. Great places late spring, summer and fall to take a drink and watch the sunset and the city lights come up, and have breakfast on a warm summer morning.  I was thinking of selling because of high maintenance fee, but so many hotels in NYC have bedbug problems I think I'll stay put. (As of this date, no bedbugs reported at MC.)


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## JohnPaul (Aug 23, 2011)

*Visit Report and Ownership Questions*

We own at West 57th Street by Hilton where we are now staying for 6 days.  We stayed two days prior at the Manhattan Club (Saturday and Sunday nights) using RCI points.  I booked almost exactly 10 months out and just sort of stumbled on it.  Great deal as the RCI points represented about $300 in MF.

Although the two timeshare resorts are only two blocks apart they are worlds apart in style.  Manhattan Club is very old school New York.  Very traditional decor in an older building with average size windows for a building of that age.  Compared to West 57th (see below) it seemed kind of dark.

We had a one bedroom two bath corner unit (1918).  The bedroom overlooked 56th Street and the living room looked down Seventh Avenue to Central Park.

The elevators were a little small and slow but not horrible.  It was nice having a kitchenette and daily maid service.  Room temperature seemed to be cold and colder.

We went to the sales presentation and thought the sales price wasn't bad for a developer.  Maintenance fees are of course pretty high.  A Junior Executive Suite (smaller than what we had) runs just under $2000 per year.  With only two of us, having a second bathroom wasn't especially useful.

Per the sales guy (who we liked) he claims that the developer has Right of First Refusal (ROFR) and that they always exercise it.  My research seems to be coming up with conflicting responses about that.  Any insights?  That's supposedly part of why they still have inventory after 15 years.

We are from California so would probably book a full week far ahead.  Seems like we wouldn't get into the complaints about never getting a room.

Finally, a comparison to West 57th Street.  Totally different styles.  West 57th Street is brand new with floor to ceiling windows and a very sleek contemporary feel.  I love the bathrooms in the one bedroom units.  As an owner, you also get a very nice breakfast and a cocktail hours with wine, bear, soda and nice snacks.  You don't get that unless you own at West 57th Street (source of a lot of grumbling).  We pay about $1200 a year MF on a studio unit (very nice hotel room basically).

Style of West 57th probably appeals to me more, but that's personal preference.

Debating about buying an EOY at Manhattan Club.  Not likely to get as nice a hotel room for $300 a night so not sure.  Any thoughts would be great.

Forgot to mention that we did have to pay the $25 per night resort fee but got it waived for going to the sales presentation.


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