# Sunterra - Diamond Rumors



## Terrijordan (Oct 19, 2007)

Has anyone heard any rumors about what new resorts Suneterra/Diamond will be purchasing?  I was in St. Martin last week and went to a presentation and was told that Diamond has a company they are buying out that has 8 Caribbean properties, 3 in Aruba and one on St. Martin plus others, sounds like Divi... any one have any comments or know anything solid about this?  As a Sunterra/Diamond point owner I think this would be great!


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## JoeMid (Nov 27, 2007)

Terrijordan said:


> Has anyone heard any rumors about what new resorts Suneterra/Diamond will be purchasing?  I was in St. Martin last week and went to a presentation and was told that Diamond has a company they are buying out that has 8 Caribbean properties, 3 in Aruba and one on St. Martin plus others, sounds like Divi... any one have any comments or know anything solid about this?  As a Sunterra/Diamond point owner I think this would be great!


I haven't heard of this, seems very ambitious.  There are lots of changes happening with Diamond, though.  New President and new web site discussed today at TS4Ms.


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## Carolinian (Nov 28, 2007)

Maybe that is where they are putting the money they are getting for selling one of their European crown jewels, Carlton Court.  A 22-unit resort in central London has to be worth a fortune.  For the members, it is better used for such a purchase than just going into someone's pocket.


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## Bill4728 (Nov 28, 2007)

Diamond / Sunterra has a new website up with the sunterra name completely gone.   www.diamondresorts.com

PS I'm moving this to the other TS board where Sunterra is discussed.


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## gstepic (Nov 28, 2007)

*Sunterra in Hawaii*

It seems like I have heard very little about Sunterra on this forum and I wonder why. I checked out their Hawaii properties and they do seem to have a presence on the islands. I don't recall seeing many resales though. It seems like buying a Sunterra resale is similar to FF in that it uses a point system, meaning my points could be used at many resorts in the system.

I am especially interested in the Ka'anapi Beach Club. I did see a resale for this property that seemed pretty reasonable. 

Gary


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## Bill4728 (Nov 28, 2007)

Sunterra(now Diamond)  is very different that most all TS systems.

If you buy sunterra resale, you are buying only the resort listed on the deed. ( in a few cases the deed is for a piece of 19 trust resorts) You will not be getting the membership into Club Sunterra, which allows you to do internal trading to the other 50+ resort locations. 

So if you want to be able to trade into all 50 resorts, buy direct from sunterra OR  you must buy resale first, then buy more from Sunterra and you'll get all your sunterra purchases into the "club".


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 28, 2007)

*Goodbye Club SunTerra & Hello Club Diamond ?*




Bill4728 said:


> Sunterra(now Diamond)  is very different that most all TS systems.
> 
> If you buy sunterra resale, you are buying only the resort listed on the deed. ( in a few cases the deed is for a piece of 19 trust resorts) You will not be getting the membership into Club Sunterra, which allows you to do internal trading to the other 50+ resort locations.
> 
> So if you want to be able to trade into all 50 resorts, buy direct from sunterra OR  you must buy resale first, then buy more from Sunterra and you'll get all your sunterra purchases into the "club".


So did they change the name of the timeshare-exchange "club" or just the name of the timeshare company ? 

SunOptions being replaced by Diamond-Options ?  Etc.? 

I can hardly wait for my next Club Diamond owner update. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## Bill4728 (Nov 28, 2007)

AwayWeGo said:


> So did they change the name of the timeshare-exchange "club" or just the name of the timeshare company ?
> 
> SunOptions being replaced by Diamond-Options ?  Etc.?
> 
> I can hardly wait for my next Club Diamond owner update.



My understanding is the Club Sunterra is now just "The Club"  I don't know about SunOptions.


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## AwayWeGo (Nov 28, 2007)

*"The Club" ?*




Bill4728 said:


> Club Sunterra is now just "The Club"





-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## JoeMid (Nov 28, 2007)

Bill4728 said:


> Diamond / Sunterra has a new website up with the sunterra name completely gone.   www.diamondresorts.com
> PS I'm moving this to the other TS board where Sunterra is discussed.


Lots more info on this at this Diamond/Sunterra Forum.



gstepic said:


> It seems like I have heard very little about Sunterra on this forum and I wonder why. I checked out their Hawaii properties and they do seem to have a presence on the islands. I don't recall seeing many resales though. It seems like buying a Sunterra resale is similar to FF in that it uses a point system, meaning my points could be used at many resorts in the system.
> 
> I am especially interested in the Ka'anapi Beach Club. I did see a resale for this property that seemed pretty reasonable.
> 
> Gary


Lots more info on this at this Diamond/Sunterra Forum.



AwayWeGo said:


> So did they change the name of the timeshare-exchange "club" or just the name of the timeshare company ? SunOptions being replaced by Diamond-Options ?  Etc.? I can hardly wait for my next Club Diamond owner update.
> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


Lots more info on this at this Diamond/Sunterra Forum.  It's just points now.



Bill4728 said:


> My understanding is the Club Sunterra is now just "The Club"  I don't know about SunOptions.


Lots more info on this at this Diamond/Sunterra Forum.  It's just points now, and it's 'THE Club'


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## bobcat (Nov 28, 2007)

AwayWeGo said:


> -- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​



Alan, You are a FUNNY MAN. You should have been born a Twin, so I co uld have doubled my pleasure. I enjoy your posts.  BOBCAT


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## TUGBrian (Dec 2, 2007)

Received this from the owner of the DiamondResorts/sunterra yahoo groups organizer



> All Sunterra resorts are now Diamond Resorts, Diamond Resorts Intl, or DRI. If you type in www.sunterra.com you will be redirected to https://www.diamondresorts.com/global.aspx. You should correct your records.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



his group email is:

DiamondResorts-owners@yahoogroups.com


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## JoeMid (Dec 3, 2007)

TUG Improvements! said:


> Received this from the owner of the DiamondResorts/sunterra yahoo groups organizer
> *Powhatan Plantation ==============> Powhatan Vacation Resort *
> his group email is:
> DiamondResorts-owners@yahoogroups.com


 No, they are wrong, it's to be Historic Powhatan Resort.


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## Bill4728 (Dec 3, 2007)

IMHO, we shouldn't do anything with any resorts names until the exchange companies start to reflect the new names in their directories.

Edited:  I just checked with both RCI & II and the sunterra name is gone from their websites and the new resort names are on the RCI website but not the II website ( still has "Plantation" in the names) . The diamond website has calls the 2 williamsburg resorts "Greensprings" &  "Powhatan" with no other added discriptions. So right at the moment, each of the three companies, have the 2 williamsburg resorts with different names.


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## TUGBrian (Dec 3, 2007)

regardless of the change...in the tug reviews the old name will remain in the title for ease of searching...ie itll be like "resort a previously known as resort b" so that a search for either a or b will return the correct resort.


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## hvsteve1 (Dec 3, 2007)

Maybe this was covered elsewhere, but where did the resorts in ClubSelect come from? I recognize some of them as being owned by other companies and in RCI while the Club is II. Is this some sort of cross trading deal?


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## bobcat (Dec 4, 2007)

hvsteve1 said:


> Maybe this was covered elsewhere, but where did the resorts in ClubSelect come from? I recognize some of them as being owned by other companies and in RCI while the Club is II. Is this some sort of cross trading deal?



If you purchased from Sunterra and you had other time shares you could add them to Club Select for a fee. The time shares you wanted to deposit were given a point value if Sunterra took your week. You were given points, as to the value Sunterra placed on your week. Sunterra then would post these weeks and Sunterra members could also  use their points to vacation at these resorts.


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## lorids66 (Dec 11, 2007)

*Sunterra/Diamond Conversion*

I just got my 2008 Maintenance Fee bill - our fees went from $1700 last year to $2000 this year???  Besides this, now you can't directly make your own exchanges with Interval International.  I am a very unhappy camper.

Anyone have any ideas on how to sell?

Lorraine Simmms


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## TUGBrian (Dec 11, 2007)

how to sell your timeshare...

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44


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## JoeMid (Dec 11, 2007)

lorids66 said:


> I just got my 2008 Maintenance Fee bill - our fees went from $1700 last year to $2000 this year???  Besides this, now you can't directly make your own exchanges with Interval International.  I am a very unhappy camper.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas on how to sell?
> 
> Lorraine Simmms


It's very easy to sell.  Put it on eBay for $1 and let it run, the amount you get is what the market will bear.

Don't know what you mean "now you can't directly make your own exchanges with Interval International"  that's a very broad statement that isn't true.  The Club members can easily make their own II exchanges online or an easy call to The Club.


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## dougp26364 (Dec 12, 2007)

lorids66 said:


> I just got my 2008 Maintenance Fee bill - our fees went from $1700 last year to $2000 this year???  Besides this, now you can't directly make your own exchanges with Interval International.  I am a very unhappy camper.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas on how to sell?
> 
> Lorraine Simmms



I can still make exchanges directly with I.I. 

Perhaps you're having problems with the new DRI website. I've heard some of the links aren't fully functional yet. I've always just gone directly to the I.I. website rather than link through the Sunterra/DRI web site.


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## dougp26364 (Dec 12, 2007)

Terrijordan said:


> Has anyone heard any rumors about what new resorts Suneterra/Diamond will be purchasing?  I was in St. Martin last week and went to a presentation and was told that Diamond has a company they are buying out that has 8 Caribbean properties, 3 in Aruba and one on St. Martin plus others, sounds like Divi... any one have any comments or know anything solid about this?  As a Sunterra/Diamond point owner I think this would be great!




Apparently DRI is looking at the possibility of building a new resort in Las Vegas connected to the Hard Rock hotel and casino's expansion. Some of the European members have posted that they've recieved a survey about this potential project. 

Personally it doesn't excite me. I don't care for the Hard Rock to begin with, it's off strip and I already own 4 timeshares in Vegas. I suppose that it would be a very attractive option to the younger California crowd that's more into the Hard Rock than us slightly past middle agers.


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## Gypsie (Dec 17, 2007)

*Ka'anapali Beach Club*



gstepic said:


> I am especially interested in the Ka'anapi Beach Club. I did see a resale for this property that seemed pretty reasonable.
> 
> Gary



From my recent experience, however, if you find a resale at a reasonable price, Diamond is exercising their ROFR.  Don't know what the magic number is but they just purchased my unit out from under my buyer's offer.


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## dcjg (Jan 5, 2008)

hvsteve1 said:


> Maybe this was covered elsewhere, but where did the resorts in ClubSelect come from? I recognize some of them as being owned by other companies and in RCI while the Club is II. Is this some sort of cross trading deal?



These are from club members that have timeshares with another company that wants to trade that week for points in club this way you can have different places to stay at.


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## JoeMid (Jan 5, 2008)

hvsteve1 said:


> Maybe this was covered elsewhere, but where did the resorts in ClubSelect come from? I recognize some of them as being owned by other companies and in RCI while the Club is II. Is this some sort of cross trading deal?





dcjg said:


> These are from club members that have timeshares with another company that wants to trade that week for points in club this way you can have different places to stay at.



There is a thread over on TS4Ms that has info on Club Select.  They seem to have much more knowledge over there in this regard.


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## kgkg (Jan 23, 2008)

*diamond/sunterra - attended presentation 1/22/08*



Gypsie said:


> From my recent experience, however, if you find a resale at a reasonable price, Diamond is exercising their ROFR.  Don't know what the magic number is but they just purchased my unit out from under my buyer's offer.



I attended a presentation of Diamond today at Sedona.  After almost walking away, they offered to sell 2500 points (mm 470) for $8600 and convert my 2 BR Red Week at Indian Peaks, Colorado (I paid 2000+ on resale) for 8000 pts and a 1BR Westin Club Regina (I paid 2000+ on resale) for 6500 points - this way I would get 17000 points in all (by giving up the use of my 2 weeks)  *Is this a good deal.*  This would allow me to join "The Club" and they would also pay all Interval International fees for me for life.  I am considering it but need your advice.

They said they do not have ROFR - so maybe it is only for some properties.


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## bobcat (Jan 23, 2008)

kgkg said:


> I attended a presentation of Diamond today at Sedona.  After almost walking away, they offered to sell 2500 points (mm 470) for $8600 and convert my 2 BR Red Week at Indian Peaks, Colorado (I paid 2000+ on resale) for 8000 pts and a 1BR Westin Club Regina (I paid 2000+ on resale) for 6500 points - this way I would get 17000 points in all (by giving up the use of my 2 weeks)  *Is this a good deal.*  This would allow me to join "The Club" and they would also pay all Interval International fees for me for life.  I am considering it but need your advice.
> 
> They said they do not have ROFR - so maybe it is only for some properties.



The M F'S on Diamond are very high on the points.


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## nightnurse613 (Jan 23, 2008)

There are better deals.  Let's just say I know someone who VERY RECENTLY got 2,000 points for $5,000 (mf $450) and they converted 3 other weeks. If you allow them to convert BE CAREFUL; I understand that they give you less than your non-Sunterra weeks are worth (not all two bedrooms are the same?)   I have heard other stories where this amount goes even lower (to $3,000) but I can't confirm those.


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## kgkg (Jan 23, 2008)

Thanks for the feedback. At least I have info. to share on the MF, they SEEM high but here's the deal.  There is a base charge of 270 and then 0.8 or so per point, so it is the same for everyone who has points in the system - gets lower if you have more points because the base remains the same.
I told the sales manager of someone else who got 6000 pts for $6000 recently but he seemed incredulous.

Can you share the details of the deal "someone" you know got to see if I can get him to consider one for me.

By the way, there is NO RESALE VALUE for these points, ebay has people paying $1000 for 10,000 pts or even 20,000 pts - I guess its because the maintenance is so high $2000 + for 20,000 pts.  but all the money you pay for the points and club membership is gone forever if you ever want to resell - in comparison with HGVC which I am considering as an alternative, at least there is a good resale value due to their ROFR - if only they had more properties to exchange into - nothing is perfect, I guess.


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## bobcat (Jan 23, 2008)

kgkg said:


> Thanks for the feedback. At least I have info. to share on the MF, they SEEM high but here's the deal.  There is a base charge of 270 and then 0.8 or so per point, so it is the same for everyone who has points in the system - gets lower if you have more points because the base remains the same.
> I told the sales manager of someone else who got 6000 pts for $6000 recently but he seemed incredulous.
> 
> Can you share the details of the deal "someone" you know got to see if I can get him to consider one for me.
> ...



Diamond is looking to make alot of changes to their timeshares. One may be a resale dept.??? You are right, no resale value right now. You have to do what you think is right for you.


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## dougp26364 (Jan 24, 2008)

nightnurse613 said:


> There are better deals.  Let's just say I know someone who VERY RECENTLY got 2,000 points for $5,000 (mf $450) and they converted 3 other weeks. If you allow them to convert BE CAREFUL; I understand that they give you less than your non-Sunterra weeks are worth (not all two bedrooms are the same?)   I have heard other stories where this amount goes even lower (to $3,000) but I can't confirm those.




We were allowed to convert our two Polo Towers units for $2,995 but, that was a special deal for Polo Towers owners only as I understand it. Polo Towers was the only DRI managed resort before the buyout.


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## kgkg (Jan 24, 2008)

It seems almost everyone could convert for 2995 routinely, but the sales director told me that they stopped doing that two weeks ago.  People were buying resales and then converting for 2995 - still seems a freebie to Diamond as far as I think as these people get NOTHING back if they ever resell.  

Still, buying points resale will still give you access to 19 decent resorts - the quaility of which will certainly be maintained and improved by Diamond - only caveat is that the maintenance will continue to increase.  I hope they are not using the maintenance to fund their own expansion efforts or line their own pockets.


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