Help with RCI Weeks and the Big Island

[jbman]

We own at Vacation Village at Williamsburg which is dual-affiliated, already booked, locked off and deposited our 2026 week in Interval International, thinking about depositing one or both sides of our 2027 week into RCI.

Specifically we are thinking about going to the Big Island in 2027, would likely either be in the Spring (April or May) or the Fall (October or November).

I signed up for a free 2-year membership as a new member, thinking I could spend some time exploring options before deciding whether to deposit or not, as I wasn't quite sure how many TPU's I would get or how many TPU's it would cost.

My plan half-worked, the calculator was a bit confusing, but I believe I can get 27 TPU's for each side so long as I book between weeks 24-28, but because I don't have any deposit's, it will not allow me to search for Exchange Vacations and will only show Cash Vacations.

I'm hoping someone would anyone be able to tell me how many TPU's are required to go to the Big Island and whether it's fixed or a range depending on the dates and the resort.

If I search through the Wyndham RCI Portal it seems every 2 BR Hawaii resort is a flat 205,000 Wyndham points.

Trying to figure out whether it makes more sense to use Wyndham points or trade a VVW week.

 

[Luanne]

I took a quick look at RCI for resorts on the Big Island. Not seeing anything for 2027 yet, but the following resorts are showing the TPUs required for their current inventory. There is a range based on date and in some cases size of unit:

Bay Club - 35 to 42 TPUs
Kingsland - 42 TPUs
Kohala Suites - 39 TPUs
Club Wydham Kona - 35 TPUs
Kona Coast - 15 to 32 TPUs
Paniolo Greens - 17 to 28 TPUs
Club Wynham Mauna Loa Village (which does have a September 2027 week) - 26 to 36 TPUs

 

[geist1223]

If I remember correctly you can pay a Fee to RCI and have your TPU's consolidated.

 

[jbman]

I took a quick look at RCI for resorts on the Big Island. Not seeing anything for 2027 yet, but the following resorts are showing the TPUs required for their current inventory. There is a range based on date and in some cases size of unit:

Bay Club - 35 to 42 TPUs
Kingsland - 42 TPUs
Kohala Suites - 39 TPUs
Club Wydham Kona - 35 TPUs
Kona Coast - 15 to 32 TPUs
Paniolo Greens - 17 to 28 TPUs
Club Wynham Mauna Loa Village (which does have a September 2027 week) - 26 to 36 TPUs

Thank you for looking that up, much appreciated!!!

So I would have enough TPU's to get one of Bay Club, Kingsland, or Kohala Suites, but only if I combine the two deposits.

If I remember correctly you can pay a Fee to RCI and have your TPU's consolidated.

Looked this up and it says it is $169 to combine with a 12 month expiration or $249 to combine with a 24 month expiration.

For 2025 my VVW fees were $1,080, plus the $169 fee to combine would mean a total of $1,249 plus the exchange fee plus any resort fees. (Not including membership fees which would be another $109 after the free membership runs out).

For Wyndham, my cost is about $6.60 per point, so it would be $1,353 also plus the exchange fee plus any resort fees.

So I think if I have done my math right, the cost is pretty comparable, but a bit less using VVW, at least with a free membership, and I would 12 or more TPU left over, though not sure how useful that number of TPU would be and whether it could get anything worth paying the additional exchange fee for.

 

[WorldT]

So I think if I have done my math right, the cost is pretty comparable, but a bit less using VVW, at least with a free membership, and I would 12 or more TPU left over, though not sure how useful that number of TPU would be and whether it could get anything worth paying the additional exchange fee for.

Depends on where and when you are traveling but there are weeks to be had for less than 12 TPUs.

 

[Luanne]

If I remember correctly you can pay a Fee to RCI and have your TPU's consolidated.

Yes you can. I've done this a couple of times when I didn't have enough TPUs to reserve something I wanted.

 

[SmithOp]

Thank you for looking that up, much appreciated!!!

So I would have enough TPU's to get one of Bay Club, Kingsland, or Kohala Suites, but only if I combine the two deposits.



Looked this up and it says it is $169 to combine with a 12 month expiration or $249 to combine with a 24 month expiration.

For 2025 my VVW fees were $1,080, plus the $169 fee to combine would mean a total of $1,249 plus the exchange fee plus any resort fees. (Not including membership fees which would be another $109 after the free membership runs out).

For Wyndham, my cost is about $6.60 per point, so it would be $1,353 also plus the exchange fee plus any resort fees.

So I think if I have done my math right, the cost is pretty comparable, but a bit less using VVW, at least with a free membership, and I would 12 or more TPU left over, though not sure how useful that number of TPU would be and whether it could get anything worth paying the additional exchange fee for.

Hilton may charge resort fees, Bay Club may be the only one that doesn't.

You have access to the sightings forum being a member, so you can see when Hilton deposits weeks into RCI, usually early spring for the following year. Here is one for 2026 weeks deposited, tpus are listed in reply #7.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/rci-hilton-grand-vacations-club-bulk-jan-thru-dec-2026.372257/

 

[jbman]

Hilton may charge resort fees, Bay Club may be the only one that doesn't.

You have access to the sightings forum being a member, so you can see when Hilton deposits weeks into RCI, usually early spring for the following year. Here is one for 2026 weeks deposited, tpus are listed in reply #7.

https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/rci-hilton-grand-vacations-club-bulk-jan-thru-dec-2026.372257/

Thanks for the link! Usually I see II availability on the sightings forum, not much RCI.

Interesting how early those were posted in March for the next year until December, perhaps combining with the 12 month time limit won't be enough and would need to account for the cost of 24 months.

 

[jbman]

Yes you can. I've done this a couple of times when I didn't have enough TPUs to reserve something I wanted.

That's interesting that you have only done a couple of times, I was thinking the way it is set up would almost force people to regularly combine deposits, whether to get a higher cost unit, or to use up leftover TPUs after trades

 

[SmithOp]

Thanks for the link! Usually I see II availability on the sightings forum, not much RCI.

Interesting how early those were posted in March for the next year until December, perhaps combining with the 12 month time limit won't be enough and would need to account for the cost of 24 months.

The way I understand it Hilton has to deposit to make up for all the HGVC members that trade their points into RCI, typically around March for the following year. I don't know if they deposit based on home locations the members used points from or just their historical knowledge of where they have the greatest vacancies. These deposits are blocked from HGVC members, who can only see HGVC weeks 9 months in advance during the club season booking period. It could also include units they own to drive fresh meat into the sales grinder.

Hilton does the same with HGVC members that exchange for HHonors points, making timeshare units available on Hilton dot com hotel site. They can also put units they still own on there.

 

[Luanne]

That's interesting that you have only done a couple of times, I was thinking the way it is set up would almost force people to regularly combine deposits, whether to get a higher cost unit, or to use up leftover TPUs after trades

Most of the time I've had enough TPUs to get the unit I wanted.

 

[bnoble]

Interesting how early those were posted in March for the next year until December, perhaps combining with the 12 month time limit won't be enough and would need to account for the cost of 24 months.

That is pretty typical for HGVC, and yes this suggests the 24 month combine is a good idea.