# Shell Island Beach Club Sanibel



## gcrowe21 (Aug 4, 2019)

I have a specific question about Shell Island which is not managed by HGVC. I read on a thread elsewhere that when a unit there is sold there that it is no longer a HGVC unit. How do I know if a resale unit is an HGVC unit? Also, if I purchase a unit that is not HGVC can I get it back into HGVC. As you can tell, I want to be apart of HGVC.


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## OldGuy (Aug 4, 2019)

What does Shell Island say?

or here:

https://www.hgvcresales.com/hgvc-resorts/shell-island-beach-club/


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## dayooper (Aug 4, 2019)

gcrowe21 said:


> I have a specific question about Shell Island which is not managed by HGVC. I read on a thread elsewhere that when a unit there is sold there that it is no longer a HGVC unit. How do I know if a resale unit is an HGVC unit? Also, if I purchase a unit that is not HGVC can I get it back into HGVC. As you can tell, I want to be apart of HGVC.



Any resale will not be part of HGVC. Even if it’s HGVC now, it will lose the ability to be part of the system. Any current interval that’s HGVC is because they were grandfathered in and lose the system if they are sold. I’m not sure if it’s inherited if the unit keeps it’s ability to be part of HGVC.


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## OldGuy (Aug 4, 2019)

For those of us out of the loop, what are you talking about?

Every site on a google search says Shell Island Beach Club is HGVC, and none of them say anything different.

Just curious . . . & I've been interested in SW FL, and the resorts, before there were resorts.

Despite the prominent disclaimer, I guess this site is misleading, at the least:

https://www.hgvcresales.com/hgvc-resorts/shell-island-beach-club/


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 4, 2019)

Yeah, OldGuy. I’m confused. I talked with someone at Shell Island on Friday and he made it seem like I would be able to pay the HGVC dues if I bought a unit there. However, he doesn’t do sales directly. It’s Lisa Williams, but she was not available at the time. I’m going to try to talk with her this week. I’m  concerned since I’ve seen posts on here saying otherwise.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 4, 2019)

Both Shell Island Beach Club and Sunset Cove left HGVC. Existing owners were grandfathered. It has been reported that HGVC membership is no longer available to new owners (direct or resale) -  see below for further details.

*From the Sticky thread* (post #63)

Termination of affiliate agreements

"End of club intrawest affiliation" (Jan 2016 thread) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237909
"Shell Island Beach Club No Longer Managed by HGVC" (April 2009 thread) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95230
"Any Sunset Cove (Marco Island) Owners?" (Jan 2014 thread) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205142
"End of Anantara Affiliation" (Sept 2018 thread) - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/end-of-anantara-affiliation.279192/
_*NOTE 1: HGVC membership is unavailable at Sunset Cove and Shell Island Beach Club on resale and direct purchases. Existing HGVC members were grandfathered when the affiliation agreement was terminated*.
NOTE 2: Club Intrawest & Anantara were internal exchange agreements_​

External resorts are also excluded in the HGV Destination Resort Map and noted on the member website (_indicating “EXTERNAL EXCHANGE RESORT” above the resort name instead of “HILTON GRAND VACATIONS”_) - see below.

*From the Shell Island Beach Club Resort webpage *
https://club.hiltongrandvacations.com/en/resort/florida-gulf/shell-island-beach-club-resort/




*From the Sunset Cove Resort webpage 
https://club.hiltongrandvacations.com/en/resort/florida-gulf/sunset-cove-resort/*




​*From HGV’s our destinations *
https://www.hgv.com/development


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## dayooper (Aug 4, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> For those of us out of the loop, what are you talking about?
> 
> Every site on a google search says Shell Island Beach Club is HGVC, and none of them say anything different.
> 
> ...



Short story is Shell Island left HGVC when their HOA decided that they didn’t want HGVC to manage the resort anymore. Many owners were not happy with the decision, but it happened very quickly with very little recourse. HGVC grandfathered any owners that wanted to stay in the club, but membership does not transfer to new owners of the deed. The threads @alwysonvac linked above give the full story.


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## OldGuy (Aug 5, 2019)

Thanks.

Kinda figured that, but wondered why HGVC is still shown on all the resale sites.


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## PigsDad (Aug 5, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> Thanks.
> 
> Kinda figured that, but wondered why HGVC is still shown on all the resale sites.


That is because resale sites want to sell, and putting a label of "HGVC" on a listing makes it look better.  Since those resorts are still listed on the HGVC, technically it is still accurate -- the resale sites just either don't know any better or conveniently leave out the fact that resales can't join HGVC.  Also, just because the resale site has "HGVC" in their name, it doesn't mean it is associated in any way with Hilton Grand Vacations.

Kurt


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## OldGuy (Aug 5, 2019)

I have redacted the contact info, but will share it privately:

_Mon, Aug 5, 2019 9:13 am_

_Good morning,

I was forwarded your email by Shell Island. I handle the resales there and may be able to be of assistance.

The resort is affiliated with HGVC. so if you are already a member of HGVC you can add a unit/week you purchase to your membership. If you are not a member, you can become one when you become an owner.

I hope this helps....

Thank you,

Lisa
Licensed Real Estate Agent_


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 5, 2019)

I spoke with Lisa at Shell Island and an HGVC Rep this morning. Both indicated that owners that purchase resale units at Shell Island CAN join HGVC. If the unit is already in HGVC the transfer should happen automatically. It shouldn’t be any different than any other affiliate resorts. The HGVC rep did indicate that Sunset Cove resale units cannot join HGVC because that resort was purchased by Holiday Inn. She initially had Sunset Cove and Shell Island mixed up.


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 5, 2019)

Blank


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## OldGuy (Aug 5, 2019)

gcrowe21 said:


> I spoke with Lisa at Shell Island and an HGVC Rep this morning. Both indicated that owners that purchase resale units at Shell Island CAN join HGVC. If the unit is already in HGVC the transfer should happen automatically. It shouldn’t be any different than any other affiliate resorts. The HGVC rep did indicate that Sunset Cove resale units cannot join HGVC because that resort was purchased by Holiday Inn. She initially had Sunset Cove and Shell Island mixed up.



Funny, after posting the same information from Lisa above your post, I had some more conversations with the resort, and got a somewhat different take.  I was not asking about HGVC, I was asking about something else, but this was added in their reply:

_*Please note, we are not an HGVC property and are not managed by Hilton.
We do exchange with HGVC.*
_
That is the type of statement that, at best, clouds the issue.


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## brp (Aug 5, 2019)

Given the lack of consistent (hell, directly contradictory) response, I would certainly require this in writing and make the deal contingent upon it.

Cheers.


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 5, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> _*Please note, we are not an HGVC property and are not managed by Hilton.
> We do exchange with HGVC.*
> _
> That is the type of statement that, at best, clouds the issue.



I don’t find this statement contradictory. This is consistent with what I heard from both Lisa and HGVC. They are still HGVC affiliated and can exchange with HGVC, but are not an HGVC property nor managed by HGVC. I do agree about being diligent in any transaction being contingent on the ability to join the unit into HGVC.  Thanks


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## brp (Aug 5, 2019)

I see your point. But I guess it's not clear what "exchange with HGVC" means here. Does that mean that you can use these points as if they were HGVC to book other HGVC properties? ANd without paying HGVC dues?
If so, this seems a better deal than being able to join HGVC with the unit. So I must be missing something 

Cheers.


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 5, 2019)

They both indicated that an owner would have to be a member of HGVC and pay annual dues for the unit to be exchanged through HGVC.


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## dayooper (Aug 5, 2019)

gcrowe21 said:


> They both indicated that an owner would have to be a member of HGVC and pay annual dues for the unit to be exchanged through HGVC.



Eh. . . I would go forward with cation if you must.


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## OldGuy (Aug 5, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> Funny, after posting the same information from Lisa above your post, I had some more conversations with the resort, and got a somewhat different take.  I was not asking about HGVC, I was asking about something else, but this was added in their reply:
> 
> _*Please note, we are not an HGVC property and are not managed by Hilton.
> We do exchange with HGVC.*
> ...



By _clouds the issue, _I did not mean _contradictory_.

It's the type of statement that begs further explanation, but whether resales are HGVC was not the question she had been asked.


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## alwysonvac (Aug 5, 2019)

If you decide to purchase, please share the outcome.


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## Panina (Aug 5, 2019)

I would ask hgvc for clarity and ask for it in writing. Ask for a supervisor to speak to.  

If your purpose is to trade in hgvc there are a quite a few affiliates in Sanibel and Captiva that you can buy and use or trade in hgvc with no issues or ifs.

Rules can change.  I personally have only purchased hgvc affiliates that I would be very happy using even if I had no access to hgvc.


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## gcrowe21 (Aug 5, 2019)

Panina said:


> I would ask hgvc for clarity and ask for it in writing. Ask for a supervisor to speak to.
> 
> If your purpose is to trade in hgvc there are a quite a few affiliates in Sanibel and Captiva that you can buy and use or trade in hgvc with no issues or ifs.
> 
> Rules can change.  I personally have only purchased hgvc affiliates that I would be very happy using even if I had no access to hgvc.



We definitely want our home resort to be in Sanibel and want to trade in HGVC. We are also considering Tortuga Beach Club, but the O&M annual fees at Shell Island are almost $500 less. Neither resort has a match for us yet, but we want to be prepared if one comes available. If trading in HGVC is the exact same at Shell Island as Tortuga we would much prefer there because of the heavily reduced O&M.


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## 5finny (Aug 6, 2019)

Tortuga Beach Club Includes free golf for the week.
I don't golf but it is a value for someone who uses it


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## brp (Aug 6, 2019)

5finny said:


> Tortuga Beach Club Includes free golf for the week.
> I don't golf but it is a value for someone who uses it



Very likely a reason why the MFs are higher at Tortuga. As I also don't golf, I'd not want to be paying for a "free" benefit that I wouldn't use.

But, yeah, possibly a good deal for those who do.

Cheers.


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## OldGuy (Aug 6, 2019)

I noticed like many of those older SW Florida resorts, they have local RE agents handling resales, and prices appear to be better (for owners) than when there isn't an organized resale program.

I looked at a couple other resorts, too, and very few Snowbird weeks are available, and the ones that are are pricey.  The peak weeks are 5-13.  That has not changed over the years.


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## Talent312 (Aug 6, 2019)

The long and short of it seems to be that
1. They terminated HGVC management; however,
B. Voluntary HGVC membership is still available.

BTW, when I bought at a HGVC affiliate (Plantation Beach Club at IRP),
I had to "manually" add it to my HGVC account; it was not automatic.
That I was already a HGVC member was not part of the transfer process.
.


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## tpdgfmt (Aug 6, 2019)

There is obviously a lot of misinformation out there.  Most of it is well-intentioned, but it is still misinformation.  I had a problem last year, described below, when I tried to add a newly-purchased Shell Island week to my HGVC account.  The email from Lisa at Shell Island, quoted in this string, is accurate.  People can purchase Shell Island weeks and have them added to their HGVC accounts.  

I have been an HGVC owner who also owns at Shell Island since 2001.  I bought before Hilton was no longer the manager, and I have purchased several times since, including in 2018.  I have always been able to add my newly-purchased weeks to my HGVC account.  The process is the same as the process at any of the SW Florida affiliates.  HGVC has a form to be filled out and a fee to pay for each week added.  HGVC requires that the form be sent in with the fee and a copy of the recorded deed.  I assume that if you are not already a HGVC owner, you will also have to fill out an application and pay the enrollment fee for membership as well.

I will also say, however, that last year (2018) when I purchased another week, I called HGVC and the people didn't know what to say.  I was promised a call back and did not receive it.  I called again, was put on hold, and then told that HGVC was not permitting any additional Shell Island weeks to be added while the red tide was in effect.  Later I called Hilton's sales office on Sanibel Island and was told I could not add my week to my HGVC account because it wasn't permitted any more.  Eventually I just called Shell Island, was told it could be done, and that they would pave the way for me.  They took care of it immediately and I shortly thereafter had the form to fill out and the address for where to send it.  I even know the name of the person at HGVC who processes the forms and will give it out if anyone contacts me privately.  She has worked at HGVC for many years and has been processing those applications all of that time.

To the persons considering purchasing either at Tortuga or Shell Island:  I feel the same about the maintenance fees.  In addition, my wife likes the beach at Shell Island better, because she is a committed sea shell collector, and she believes the beach there (closer to the lighthouse) is better for shell hunting.  I don't know if that is correct or not, but if that is what she thinks, no one is going to talk her out of it.  I have been told by another friend that anywhere on Sanibel is a good place to hunt for shells.

Tortuga has some nice amenities also, however, including larger units and a larger lanai.  For older people, Shell Island's units are each all on one floor and there are elevators.  Tortuga's weeks are Friday - Friday, and Shell Island's are Saturday - Saturday.  That makes a difference to people who own a week at one resort and want to add the next or previous week so that they have two or more weeks in a row (people at the HGVC affiliate resorts in Florida basically trade very little, so it is next to impossible to trade for one of these weeks via HGVC, RCI, or II).  People who own Saturday-Saturday weeks don't like purchasing Friday-Friday weeks, and vice versa.  The resorts are landscaped differently, although both are nice.  Tortuga has a poolside bar and grill, whereas Shell Island does not.  I'm sure there are other differences as well.

I was sorry to see Hilton go as manager of Shell island in 2009.  We had a bad board of directors at the time.  Most of them are gone now.  Kenoyer Real Estate has been the manager since then and in my opinion is as good a manager as any could be.  It has certainly consistently hired good people to work at the resort. 

I have found that exchanging a Shell Island week for HGVC points is a little more complicated than turning in my other HGVC weeks at other HGVC resorts.  I have to contact Shell Island and it then arranges with Hilton for the week to be deposited and for HGVC to deposit points into my account.  In addition, Kenoyer's own policy requires that present year maintenance fees be paid (that is no surprise) and that a portion of the following year's maintenance fees be paid if the week I'm depositing into HGVC is a week from the following year.  This is in contrast to my other HGVC-affiliated weeks at other resorts, where I just go into my HGVC account online and cancel the reservation online.  Canceling at Shell Island and having the points deposited can easily take a full day or even a couple of days.  I believe the requirement that I make a deposit toward the next year's maintenance fees is so that I won't refuse to pay the fees next year if I trade away my week this year.  I suspect Kenoyer must have run into problems with people in this regard, so it requires the deposit.  I don't mind making the deposit, because I would owe it at some point anyway.  

All of the Florida HGVC affiliates (this may not include Sunset Cove) have an advantage in that an owner can be a member of HGVC, RCI, II, or any combination of these memberships.  In my case, I'm a member of HGVC and II.  I could have a separate RCI membership, but I just make do with the RCI membership included in my HGVC membership.  I generally don't trade with RCI or II because I much prefer the quality of HGVC units, the ease and flexibility of use, and the service over RCI and II. 




gcrowe21 said:


> We definitely want our home resort to be in Sanibel and want to trade in HGVC. We are also considering Tortuga Beach Club, but the O&M annual fees at Shell Island are almost $500 less. Neither resort has a match for us yet, but we want to be prepared if one comes available. If trading in HGVC is the exact same at Shell Island as Tortuga we would much prefer there because of the heavily reduced O&M.


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## OldGuy (Aug 6, 2019)

tpdgfmt said:


> The email from Lisa at Shell Island, quoted in this string, is accurate.



Just for accuracy  Lisa is not with "Shell Island."  She is with the real estate agency that handles their resales, Kenoyer Real Estate, which I see also manages the resort.  So, with Kenoyer, at Shell Island?!

_"I was forwarded your email by Shell Island. I handle the resales there and may be able to be of assistance."_

I will keep her contact info if anyone needs it.


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## PigsDad (Aug 6, 2019)

Thank you, @tpdgfmt, for information "from the horse's mouth".  I agree that it has been confusing to get accurate information of what really has happened with these resorts that left HGVC.  Good to hear your experiences!

Kurt


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## dayooper (Aug 6, 2019)

I am very happy to be wrong about HGVC enrollment at Shell Island. It’s not the first time I’ve been wrong and won’t be the last either!


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## brp (Aug 6, 2019)

dayooper said:


> I am very happy to be wrong about HGVC enrollment at Shell Island. It’s not the first time I’ve been wrong and won’t be the last either!



And I'm very happy that my reaction to the apparent (to me) inconsistency in the statements was an overreaction 

Cheers.


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## 5finny (Aug 6, 2019)

Actually for HGVC Shell Island purposes I think highest points starts with week 7
(I own week 6)
That said I haven't checked recently but that was one of the reasons I never was terribly interested


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## alwysonvac (Aug 6, 2019)

tpdgfmt said:


> There is obviously a lot of misinformation out there.  Most of it is well-intentioned, but it is still misinformation.  I had a problem last year, described below, when I tried to add a newly-purchased Shell Island week to my HGVC account.  The email from Lisa at Shell Island, quoted in this string, is accurate.  People can purchase Shell Island weeks and have them added to their HGVC accounts.
> 
> I have been an HGVC owner who also owns at Shell Island since 2001.  I bought before Hilton was no longer the manager, and I have purchased several times since, including in 2018.  I have always been able to add my newly-purchased weeks to my HGVC account.  The process is the same as the process at any of the SW Florida affiliates.  HGVC has a form to be filled out and a fee to pay for each week added.  HGVC requires that the form be sent in with the fee and a copy of the recorded deed.  I assume that if you are not already a HGVC owner, you will also have to fill out an application and pay the enrollment fee for membership as well.
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing. 

We should add your post to the Sticky thread @GT75 and update the one I referenced (post #63).

You indicated last year, when you called Shell Island, you were told it could be done, and that they would pave the way for you. Was Lisa Williams (link), the person who paved the way for you? I want to make sure we have the correct contact captured.

Since you’ve been a member since 2005 and this only your 3rd post, can you share the name of the person at HGVC who processes the forms with our TUG Moderator for future reference (when this comes up again weeks, months or years later )?

If I can ask for one more favor, it would be helpful if you could provide historical maintenance fee information for this resort. We haven’t had an update in years. 
Here’s our Maintenance Fee Sticky threads - https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php...ations-club-2019-maintenance-fee-list.280402/

Thanks again


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## OldGuy (Aug 6, 2019)

It was Lisa Williams who got back to me.

& the link illustrates what can be done with older resorts to keep the resale market healthy.  Being on Sanibel, of course, helps.

&, Week 5 is where the prices take a big jump.

3 3A $9,500 2-BED .
5 16A $20,000 2-BED .
6 3B $18,000 2-BED .
7 2B $27,500 2-BED .
7 8D $22,500 2-BED .
7 12D $29,500 2-BED

https://www.sanibelvacationrentalsandsales.com/


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## 5finny (Aug 6, 2019)

I think (but have not double checked) that weeks 1-6 get 5000 HGVC points and 7-13 get 7000 pts
Since I own a week 6 I prefer your break point


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## rfc0001 (Jun 29, 2020)

Anyone have more recent experience adding Shell Island Beach Club purchased through the resort (Kenoyer Real Estate) to an existing HGVC membership?  Also, are direct purchases through the resort (Kenoyer Real Estate) eligible for Elite?  I assume no.


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## rfc0001 (Jul 6, 2020)

rfc0001 said:


> Anyone have more recent experience adding Shell Island Beach Club purchased through the resort (Kenoyer Real Estate) to an existing HGVC membership?  Also, are direct purchases through the resort (Kenoyer Real Estate) eligible for Elite?  I assume no.


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