# Best kept secret in Southern California timeshares



## funtime (Feb 21, 2009)

Hi TUGGERS, did that get your attention?  What I am refering to is owners bonus time at Winner's Circle Resort in Solana Beach (south of Carlsbad.)  Owners usually can snag two to three days except on weekends at the resort with a little advance notice.  My sister and I are staying in a two bedroom unit for two nights right now for 65 dollars a night!!  Bonus time is a great feature of this resort.  Funtime


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## capjak (Feb 21, 2009)

No longer a secret.

thanks


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## Carol C (Feb 21, 2009)

Shhhh...don't anyone whisper a single word about this deal! :ignore:


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## Stressy (Feb 22, 2009)

Funtime,

Do you have any pics of the resort? I have an exchange for June.


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## applegirl (Feb 22, 2009)

Wow, this is a great deal!   I love the location of this resort being just north of San Diego.  Is this a fairly small resort?  What are the positives about this resort?

I wonder if it ever sells on ebay cheap?!

Thanks for the heads up!

Janna


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## DaveNV (Feb 22, 2009)

applegirl said:


> Wow, this is a great deal!   I love the location of this resort being just north of San Diego.  Is this a fairly small resort?  What are the positives about this resort?
> 
> I wonder if it ever sells on ebay cheap?!
> 
> ...




I just did a quickie search on eBay for completed auctions, and found several entries for Winner's Circle in Solana Beach.  Winning bids went from a HIGH of $510 to a low of ONE DOLLAR.

So yes, Janna, the Winner's Circle definitely sells for cheap on eBay.  There are presently two auctions I saw for the Winner's Circle, neither has any bids.  One starts at a dollar, the other at $100.  I think I also saw them on Holiday Group's website.  I'm sure there are other ads.  Have you checked the TUG listings?

If this is the resort I'm thinking of, it's near the Del Mar horse racetrack (hence the name "Winner's Circle.")  When I toured it about 20 years ago, it was pretty nice.  As I recall, I got a free 5" b&w TV set for sitting through the torturous presentation...  

Dave


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## funtime (Feb 24, 2009)

I consider it a "little engine that could" resort.  In other words, it is an older resort that just keeps chugging along.  I own three weeks here with my sister and we consider it well run.  Some units are renovated and others are not.  The ownership base is getting older - probably many bought in the 80's or 1990's.  If one needs brand new or five star, this is not the resort for you but if one likes well run older resorts in north San Diego county, this is a good resort.  It trades in RCI and II.  Funtime


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Feb 24, 2009)

funtime said:


> I consider it a "little engine that could" resort.  In other words, it is an older resort that just keeps chugging along.  I own three weeks here with my sister and we consider it well run.  Some units are renovated and others are not.  The ownership base is getting older - probably many bought in the 80's or 1990's.  If one needs brand new or five star, this is not the resort for you but if one likes well run older resorts in north San Diego county, this is a good resort.  It trades in RCI and II.  Funtime



It is an pretty nice trading resort.  Any exchange company will take it (including SFX if you have a summer week or a holiday week).  Within RCI a summer or holiday week has enough demand to pull all but the most difficult exchanges, and the VEP rating doesn't filter out a lot of stuff.  I have routinely traded my 1-bedroom for 2-bedroom GC weeks in prime locations in top seasons. (Whistler in March, Hawai'i in April, July and August, Colorado in August, to name a few).

The resort is well run and under firm owner control.

We've used the VRI program that offers bonus time to owners at other VRI resorts on several occasions to stay take getaways to southern California nd Oregon.


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## CatLovers (Feb 25, 2009)

*4th of July week is a tiger trader!*



T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Within RCI a summer or holiday week has enough demand to pull all but the most difficult exchanges, and the VEP rating doesn't filter out a lot of stuff.



We have a 1-bedroom Week 27 (usually 4th of July week) and it pulls EVERYTHING in RCI!  And I mean everything!  In the old days, when we did trade tests in RCI, it regularly pulled everything in RCI's database.  I have not traded it for a couple of years now, but I am almost certain that it still is a TIGER trader!


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Feb 25, 2009)

BMWguynw said:


> I just did a quickie search on eBay for completed auctions, and found several entries for Winner's Circle in Solana Beach.  Winning bids went from a HIGH of $510 to a low of ONE DOLLAR.



All ownerships are fixed week, fixed unit.  Prices vary widely with season, with summer weeks, race season weeks, and Christmas/New Years weeks leading the parade.


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## Phill12 (Feb 25, 2009)

I would guess that most timeshare resorts have a bonus setup for the owners too!

 I have a total of 23 days left on our owner resale buyers bonus which is half the cost of regular bonus time.

 I just booked my daughter and her soon to be husband and his parents in our Ridge Tahoe for March 13 and 14 for total of $152.00 for the two nights. The regular bonus time would have been $280.00 for a two bedroom unit

 Also was shocked to have them ask if I had a building they would perfer. I told them the Tower which we own or the Naegle which we also own and was told they will get one of them. 

 Last few years it seems they stuck you in the Terrace for bonus time so this is a great change.

 This is also a ski weekend in Lake Tahoe so I was surprised they even worked with me on this for my daughter but the Ridge has always been owner friendly. Maybe this is why so many owners like us own two units. 

 PHIL


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## Stressy (Feb 27, 2009)

Do any of the owners posting have a resort map? I have tried in vain to find one online. I'd like to see the layout of the buildings/units. I think I have unit 249 on my confirmation.


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