# Grand Pacific Marbrisa



## bosco0633 (Mar 20, 2010)

Well, I am sitting at the airport in San Diego waiting for my flight and thought that I would write a little something about my stay here.  We spent a week here in a 1 bedroom plus, over looking the ocean.  The room and the grounds are stunning.  The weather could not have been any better all week. I cant wait to see what this place looks like once it is all built up.

My wife and I attended the timeshare presentation.  I have 17000 points now all resale and I was curious to see what it would cost me here because Grand Pacific resale takes away your hilton privellages.  That is terrible for resale, but they are trying to encourage retail purchasing.  I think that this is going to hurt them in the long run if you ask me.  

Anyways, we had a number in mind and I told my wife if they hit it then we would buy it, knowing that this is the only way that I could own here and utilize hilton with it.  I sat down with the guy and he was amazed with what I knew.  I told him right off that we were resale purchasers but would consider if the price was right.

Well, we cut all the BS from the presentation and went right into numbers.  They wanted after the initial discount, 26,490.00 for 7000 Gold points.  They also sell summer weeks but they are like an event week so way over priced.  

I said no as we were looking to spend no more than 20,000.00.  The manager came over and tried telling me that I should buy a summer week because it is a Ferarri week that I am tradeing.  I tried to explain to him that when you trade an hilton into RCI it does not make a difference what you trade in.  He couldnt grasp the concept of it.  I explained to him that the pallisades and the beach one that use to run on RCI independently from Hilton would require summer weeks to trade, but under the new partnership with Hilton it does not matter anymore.  He lost his mind and realized that I was right.  I have never seen the manager close a book and say just give him his gift, so fast!!!! My wife chuckled as did I.  They really know nothing about what they are selling.

Anyways, I was sitting around the pool last night and I overheard to people talking about the timeshare network and the one lady says we purchased 6200 points today which brings us up to elite!!!! the other lady said wow that is so many points, we dont really care about elite, points are points.  She proceeded to say that they just purchased 3500 points.  I almsot swallowed my tounge and my wife began kicking me to stay quiet.  Im thinking if points are points and you dont care about elite than you should be buying resale.

Anyways we strike up a conversation with the one couple that purchased the 3500 points.  We start talking timeshare and she asks how many points do you own.  I tell her 17000 points, she says you must be elite.  And I say NO!!!  I told her about purchasing resale the current prices and how bad 3500 points are to buy right now.  She was honestly amazed and couldnt believe what we were saying.  

After about 20 min. of talking with her, she grabbed her contract and began reading on how to rescind.  I provided her with Judi Kozlowskis info and she was so greatful.  I felt so good about saving someone over 10,000.00 from a developer.  The grand pacific developers do not mention at all that they are only an affiliate resort during the presentation.  They are misleading to some degree.  

So, the sales guy also said to me that eventually I will never get a week unless I own here.  I said to the guy, well then why are you affilliated with HGVC.  He said because they needed us really bad.  I said, if you have 27 villas with 15 rooms per each and sell each unit 52 times each, you are going to have a huge volume.  With the HGVC membership many people will start giving up there home week into the network and weeks will be plenty.  They are still thinking that they are an RCI affiliate club, and not part of a huge vacation club now.  This is going to hurt them until they educate themselves better with the new system.

Anyways, long story short, we loved the Marbrisa, I will come back every year if I can get availability.  I would purchase here in a second if the didnt punish resale purchases that will ultimately ruin your resale fee in the long run.  You are close to the beach, outlet shopping, a giant costco (great steaks) great swimming pool heated all year round, 50 min to disney, 45 min to downtown San Diego.

Trip was 10 out of 10 not one complaint other than not getting the timeshare that I wanted for 20,000.00.  Oh well, looks like I am going to buy another 7000 point membership next month instead.  I just have to decide where I want to buy next.


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## Talent312 (Mar 20, 2010)

Thanks for the great TR.
I admit to chuckling over your escapades with the sales peeps.
But I have to wonder what "gift" could have made the time worthwhile.


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## bosco0633 (Mar 20, 2010)

Two tickets to Disney and discount tickets for my kids. Al four of us went for 100.00


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## PClapham (Mar 21, 2010)

You can only trade into Marbrisa once if you buy resale?  Do the Hilton vc's have a list of who bought resale?
Thanks
Anita


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## bosco0633 (Mar 21, 2010)

I am not sure that I undrstand your question but I will give you what I know.

When you purchase Retail (only grand pacific) you become an affiliate resort to HGVC.  You get points value for your unit that allows you to trade into HGVC and be a full HGVC member with an affiliate ownership.  They are also allowing you to purchase a resale Sea Point or Pallisades and they will convert it to HGVC only if you purchased direct from them.

If you choose to purchase Grand Pacific Sea Point, Pallisades or Marbrisa you will expierence a great loss.  The Grand Pacific company takes away the Hilton affiliation from the deed when you purchase resale.  You get a deed to a unit and season type, however, you will not get HGVC recognition on this sale.  You lose the points options and all that hilton has to offer when you purchase one of these units resale.

From my understanding you would only be able to use these three units alone with no trades into hilton.  This will also create problems as the sales manager told me that you cant get an independent RCI account, that they will only allow them through RCI now.  So if you purchase resale you cant even trade into RCI????  That sucks!!!!

I think you were asking if you own resale anywhere in RCI, then are you only allowed to go once??  If thats what you are asking then no is the answer.  You can exchange into the Grand Pacific as an HGVC member anytime. But you cant access HGVC if you purchased a resale Grand Pacific unit.

Hope this clears it up for you.

Also yes I am sure that they have a list but have no idea.  In this event, the Grand Pacific will know if you purchased resale as the close will go through them for deed recording etc etc.  So you are screwed!!!! Long story short, dont waste money buying a grand pacific resale!!!!!


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## PClapham (Mar 21, 2010)

Hi-Sorry I was so cryptic-we own HGVC points and I'm hoping we can trade into one of the 3 Carlsbad locations at least once a year-we bought resale, of course.  As I understood the beginning of this thread, we would be limited.  Did I misunderstand (I hope!)?  I'm not really thrilled with Las Vegas or the very expensive and urban Honolulu locations.

Thanks
Anita


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## PigsDad (Mar 21, 2010)

PClapham said:


> Hi-Sorry I was so cryptic-we own HGVC points and I'm hoping we can trade into one of the 3 Carlsbad locations at least once a year-we bought resale, of course.  *As I understood the beginning of this thread, we would be limited.*  Did I misunderstand (I hope!)?  I'm not really thrilled with Las Vegas or the very expensive and urban Honolulu locations.


I didn't interpret bosco's post that way at all.  I think the part you are referring to is this:


bosco0633 said:


> So, the sales guy also said to me that eventually I will never get a week unless I own here.


That is a standard BS line that is all too common w/ timeshare sales force:  buy here now, because you will never be able to trade in.  That was the _*exact same line *_I was given when attending a sales presentation at the HGVC Valdoro a little over three years ago.  At that time, they were close to selling out.  I asked why I should buy there, when my friends who own in Vegas can get reservations w/ their points.  The sales lady said that after Valdoro sells out, we wouldn't be able to get reservations any more!

Well, it officially sold out two years ago, and I have still been able to stay there multiple times for ski weekends. :whoopie: In fact, I have seen more availability this last year than in previous years.

Bottom line: sales people are just trying to make a sale, and will say most anything to make that sale.  They are *not *a good source of information on how best to us the HGVC system once you own.

Kurt


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## Talent312 (Mar 21, 2010)

HGVC members can reserve any affiliated resort as many times as they want and their points allow. But anyone who tries to use RCI as an alternate way in may be subject to an RCI 1-in-4 limit.

In theory, as the original owners fade away and resale owners who cannot join HGVC become more the norm, access by HGVC members will become more difficult.


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## bosco0633 (Mar 21, 2010)

funny you mention that talent, I was just thinking about that.  When a bunch of the original owners disapear and resale kicks in, Hilton is going to have a reduced membership.  I wonder at what point Hilton will step in and say enough is enough, time to allow Hilton to be included with resale???


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## dannybaker (Apr 12, 2010)

*Wrong*

Wow, i never know who to believe.


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## bosco0633 (Apr 12, 2010)

whats wrong??? 
what are you having trouble believing??


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## Talent312 (Apr 12, 2010)

dannybaker said:


> Wow. I never know who to believe.



That's becuz we only pretend to know what we're talking about.
We make this stuff up as we go along and lucky if any of its turns out to be true.


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## chriskre (Apr 12, 2010)

bosco0633 said:


> funny you mention that talent, I was just thinking about that.  When a bunch of the original owners disapear and resale kicks in, Hilton is going to have a reduced membership.  I wonder at what point Hilton will step in and say enough is enough, time to allow Hilton to be included with resale???



Does HGVC own any of the units at any of the Marbisa resorts or any of the affiliates?

I'd think they should have some type of control over some units
in order to keep the club viable or am I being naive?


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## bosco0633 (Apr 12, 2010)

it is a financial partnership only.  the hgvc paid 52 million or something like that to partner with Grand Pacific.  They are partners now, with a five year agreement.  as for what they own, I dont think anything other then being a partner.


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## GTStone (May 29, 2010)

*GP Resorts Reservations*

I own two weeks, non-HGVC at Seapointe ( Grand Pacifics ).  I exchange via RCI.  I, like many owners, use my fixed summer week every year.  I think you will find that Palisades and Seapointe will be generally hard to book because most weeks are not deposited.  That has been my experience.

When owners do not intend to use their week, they can offer it as a rental through the resort(s).  Recently there is a guarantee payback that exceeds the MF.   Consequently, there is not much reason to offer these into an exchange pool.

Without deposits into HGVC, there will not be availability.  There are many unsold units at Marbrisa right now, so you may see those come up in the HGVC system ... for now !

You may have rattled the salesperson, but the comment about future weeks may not be far off based on the experience we see on the CA coastline.


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