# Exchanging into the White Mts, NH



## MidlifeTraveler (Aug 31, 2006)

I own at 3 bdrm at OLCC and this is my first attempt at exchanging.  I've been trying to get into the White Mts area since last year and have found it impossible!  I was finally offered a 1 bdrm at Eastern Slope Inn for next year but that doesn't seem like a fair trade!  The reason I bought a 3 bdrm was to be able to exchange into atleast a 2 bdrm somewhere else. There seems to be a reasonable anount of 2-3 bdrm units in the area but they never come up.

Is summertime in this area really that busy?  Is RCI - or the timeshares themselves - holding onto these as rentals?  Eastern Slope (as an example) website tells me the rate for a  2bdrm is $269/night.  Who on earth would pay that anyway?!

Does this happen frequently?  I thought I had a nice "trading power" with OLCC and am getting concerned!

Luckily we bought the OLCC unit so we could use it most years.  I don't think I could stand doing this every year!

Thanks!


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## DonM (Aug 31, 2006)

Hi:

I'm sorry I never heard of OLCC. Is that in California? In any event if it's a highly rated ts then something is wrong because I just did a search for next year in "Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine" category (weeks not points), and I got 35 hits from RCI. I used my Paniolo Greens (Hawaii) resort. I believe I started the search in mid July for 10 weeks.

Are you looking for a specific week or resort?


Good luck
Don


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## MidlifeTraveler (Aug 31, 2006)

Dom:
Thanks for your response.  OLCC is Orange Lake Country Club in Orlando.  It's _supposed _to be one of the highest rated ones.  I see it on the boards as OLCC so I assumed everyone knew what it was - I apologize.  I'm beginning to suspect it may not be as highly rated as it was presented!

Unfortunately, RCI only allows a search when you have a week deposited so I can't search right now.  My deposited week is being held for the Eastern Slope, which I have until midnight to decide if I should keep.  I'll have to call RCI and discuss this further.

I see you own in Pollard Brook.  In your experience, are there many 2 bdrm units available in that area?

Thanks


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## tashamen (Aug 31, 2006)

I believe Pollard Brook trades through II only.


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## DonM (Aug 31, 2006)

tashamen said:
			
		

> I believe Pollard Brook trades through II only.



Tashamen is correct, Pollard Brook doesn't trade in RCI. I believe DAE does accept Pollard- so you might try there- and there are 2 and  (I believe) 3 bedrooms at Pollard.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Aug 31, 2006)

Don:

My turn to ask for clarification!  What is DAE?
Thanks


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## DanM (Aug 31, 2006)

DAE is Dial an Exchange, another exchange company, but, in fact, RCI has the most timeshare availability in NH. You should let the Eastern Slope go and use your deposited week to search RCI on line. As the previous poster said, there were lots of units available and some should turn up for you, too. NH is a pretty easy exchange in RCI. Start an ongoing search for specific resorts and unit sizes you want, and keep checking online periodically.

 I don't have a deposit to check with right now, but there is even a 2 bedroom extra vacation for next summer available for rent from RCI now: 
Cold Spring Resort  (#0017) 
Ashland, NH  03217, USA 
Price Range - $739.99
Available Unit Size - 2 - 2 
Check-in Date Range - 08/03/2007 - 08/03/2007


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## tonyg (Aug 31, 2006)

Pollard Brook does have many 2 br. units and also has at least 3- 3br.units (I stayed in one of them). I haven't had much trouble trading into the White Mountains through RCI and have stayed at Village of Loon Mountain Lodges, Mountain Club at Loon, Grand Summit Attitash (Bear Peak) and Cold spring Resort via RCI exchanges. Grand Summit was GC, so I don't think we are dealing with a quality downgrade, though some of the others may be blocked out by quality issues. Perhaps you should call an RCI VG and discuss it with them. My choices through RCI have declined somewhat in the past few years as I see many less resorts on line than I once did. One strange thing I've noticed about the White Mountains is that the 4th of July week seems to be about the easiest early summer week to trade into. There are other resorts that do have 3 br. units in the area.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Aug 31, 2006)

Thank you all for helping me work this through.  

I am going to let the Eastern Slope go and see what happens.  By taking this exchange, we would be "settling" for something that's not right for us and would probably have a miserable time there.

My husband reminded me that, size-wise, the exchange at ES is only 1/3 of our Orange Lake unit.

Wish me luck!


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## MidlifeTraveler (Aug 31, 2006)

Wow!  Absolutely Nothing available.  This is impossible.  

Thank you all for your time.  Let's see where I end up!


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## cluemeister (Aug 31, 2006)

*Cold Springs Resort.*

I've been in a Cold Springs resort unit. It's a little rustic inside, but clean.  The development is small, with not a whole lot of amenities, but it does have on site golf, (nice course!), and a new rec building with pool.  

It is in between the lakes region just to its south, and the white mountains just to its north. It is in Ashland, right off I93.

They have what appears to be a pretty good HOA.


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## Aldo (Sep 1, 2006)

MidlifeTraveler said:
			
		

> Is RCI - .... - holding onto these as rentals?




Yes.  Yes.  Yes.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Sep 1, 2006)

Aldo,

You've seen my post in "ask RCI" as well.  If what you say is true, why hasn't there been a class-action suit?  

When we bought our unit at Orange Lake a few years ago, several people on these boards tried to talk us out of it saying that you could trade into Orange Lake anytime.  We thought we'd better buy where we would use and I'm so glad we did.  We have a beautiful unit that we just "show up" at instead of having to go through this each time.

No wonder timesharing gets such a bum wrap from "outsiders"!

I plan on pursuing this so wish me luck!


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## Moosie (Sep 1, 2006)

What dates are you looking for?  I still have a week open so I can do a search for you.

I'll be using a 2br FF Newport Longwharf Resort.


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## gmarine (Sep 1, 2006)

MidlifeTraveler said:
			
		

> Aldo,
> 
> You've seen my post in "ask RCI" as well.  If what you say is true, why hasn't there been a class-action suit?
> 
> ...




What week at OLCC do you own? This will have a big impact on your trading power. If you own an off season week you may have a trade power issue.


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## Aldo (Sep 1, 2006)

MidlifeTraveler said:
			
		

> Aldo,
> 
> You've seen my post in "ask RCI" as well.  If what you say is true, why hasn't there been a class-action suit?
> 
> ...




Chace/Murillo vs. RCI is currently pending on precisely this issue.
Wish us all luck.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Sep 1, 2006)

Hmmm...where can I read up on that?

If you've seen my thread on the exchanging boards, you know that a 2 bdrm unit in Cold Springs became availabe today (coincidence after 2 years ?) so I am confirmed for next summer in NH.  GMarine gave me a lesson in the real meaning of trading power, also, so I will have to pursue my exchanges diligently forever.  Thank goodness I love my Orlando unit - methinks I'll be spending more time there than I originally though 

Why does every single in life have to be complicated!

Thanks again!


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## cluemeister (Sep 1, 2006)

Congratulations!  

Stay out of the sandtraps on that course, as they are well placed.

And if you want breathtaking golf, just a few miles away is Owl's Nest.  Great course with stunning views.


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## tonyg (Sep 2, 2006)

Cold Springs has an excellent and friendly staff, but if I recall correctly no A/C. It was hot when we were there in a 2 br.- fortunately there were just the two of us, so we slept downstairs and the fan kept it coll enough to sleep. They have tour groups for various attractions and we went on one- would do another if we went back. We spent most of our time in the nearby Lakes Region, but I would recommend a trip to the Lincoln area and Clark's Trading Post in particular.  We go there on just about every trip- love the bear show.


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## EAM (Sep 4, 2006)

*Do you need 2BR or want 2BR?*

If you need a 2BR because of the number of people traveling with you, I would recommend trying an ongoing search.

If you don't need a 2BR, consider a 1 BR or studio from a good resort.  We stayed in a studio with a full kitchen at Attitash Mountain Village in 2005, and we were very pleasantly impressed when we saw how large and well-equipped the studio was.

Also, for some reason, larger units are easier to find in VT than NH.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Sep 4, 2006)

tonyg said:
			
		

> Cold Springs has an excellent and friendly staff, but if I recall correctly no A/C. It was hot when we were there in a 2 br.- fortunately there were just the two of us, so we slept downstairs and the fan kept it coll enough to sleep. They have tour groups for various attractions and we went on one- would do another if we went back. We spent most of our time in the nearby Lakes Region, but I would recommend a trip to the Lincoln area and Clark's Trading Post in particular.  We go there on just about every trip- love the bear show.



Cold Springs just completed installing A/C (or my husband wouldn't go).  I also liked the idea of the tours - I may trust them to drive up Mt. Washington, if it's offered!  The golf was an unexpected perk.

The bear show was one of the reasons I wanted to visit there before the kids get too old.  My kids will be 8 and 10 next year so we're all very excited to finally be going - there's sooooo much for that age group.  Have you heard about a waterfall that you could swim in?  It may be just a rumor because I can't find it in any guidebooks.


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## tonyg (Sep 4, 2006)

There are rapids in the river downhill at the Conway end of the Kancagamus highway. A lot of the locals there to cool off in the summer. I looked on line today and say 7 resorts available for next summer in "above the lakes" category, some of them were at the end of August though and most were 1 br. units. Bethel, ME is almost always available, but it's a bit far from most of the White Mountain attractions.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Sep 4, 2006)

Yeah, the RCI guides were trying to push Vermont also!  I like a drive but not that much 
Thanks for checking for me.  I'll keep my eyes open for the "swimming hole"


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## cluemeister (Sep 4, 2006)

You might want to check out Lost River in the White Mountains. That's a very worthwhile stop.


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## EAM (Sep 5, 2006)

MidlifeTraveler said:
			
		

> Yeah, the RCI guides were trying to push Vermont also!  I like a drive but not that much



Is there something about the highways and geography of New England that midwesterners such as myself don't understand?  I would have thought that Vermont would be closer to New Jersey than New Hampshire.


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## MidlifeTraveler (Sep 5, 2006)

EAM said:
			
		

> Is there something about the highways and geography of New England that midwesterners such as myself don't understand?  I would have thought that Vermont would be closer to New Jersey than New Hampshire.



That's just it.  I don't want to drive two hours each day to get to attractions. I've never been there but the White Mountains appears to be in the center of the state, so I'd rather stay a little further south -within the same state that I want to visit- than a different state.  But my geography could be off too.


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## cluemeister (Sep 5, 2006)

NH and Vermont are basically two vertical rectangles separated by the Connecticut River.  Vermont's rectangle shape is "fatter" on top, while NH's is "fatter" on the bottom.

The White Mtns. are north central NH.  There is easy access to parts of Maine from this area, just not the seacoast of Maine.

In the White Mtns, you can scoot south on the interstate to the lakes region in about a half an hour, (central NH), and in 3 hours you can be in Boston.

I live in NH, but I am 5 minutes by car to Vermont.  I am 2 hours away from the White Mtns.


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## tonyg (Sep 6, 2006)

The Lincoln area also has the Hobo railroad, Loon Mountain (gondola ride to the top where there are a few things to do), Indian Leap area (near Govoni's on 112). The Flume is not far to the north and the Basin is worth a trip with some hiking trails passing by. A little further north is Cannon Mountain. There are hiking trails all over the place-but note than what they call moderate is what I would call somewhat difficult.


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