VIP Benefits noticeably diminishing due to new rental programs.

[DeeDibble]

We have been going to south Florida for years to escape the cold. Year after year we have had pretty good luck getting our one bedroom upgraded to a 2 bedroom , not all reservations but at least half the time. We hardly ever get the discount but have gotten it a few times and have been satisfied with our ownership. This year we didn’t get nearly half the upgrades. This year they have made us move a few times. Front desk tell us its because of the “type of points” we were using. This year the front desk told us that “ new” reservations are popping up in the system that are preventing upgrades and they are overbooked. During 2 separate sales presentations we were told to purchase more points to offset maintenance fees. The method is we agree to turn our points over to a points manager, give a 3rd party one our log in credentials. Salespeople talked about 2 different rental companies that we can do business with. Said 3rd party will rent them out. Said 3rd party will always get the discounts and upgrades by using our points to rent out. Said 3rd party sits on pc all day and grabs any inventory that pops up, hence: using up inventory that otherwise would be available for upgrades for OWNERS. Less than half of the people I have talked to down here are owners, they are renting. What is happening to the exclusivity of being a Timeshare owner? There are still a few owners here that either have experienced the same thing or said they no longer try to get an upgrade and have to use “ full points” and stay a shorter amount of time.

 

[Floridaman76]

It's going to get worse, since Wyndham closed 15 resorts.

I've anecdotally noticed it harder to book certain places this spring. We will see about upgrades.

 

[rickandcindy23]

That sales presentation should be documented and sent to Michael Brown. This is exactly what Wyndham railed against owners for doing.

 

[PhilD41]

I agree that availability has gotten worse, not better; despite their attempts at blaming renters and making renting more difficult. Your sales team was flat out lying to you, though. I don't think we can blame renters for the challenge either, though. I expect it has to do with closing resorts, selling points, and limited new properties. It goes back to the same debate of if I use my points or rent my points, there are still too many points sold into the system. Just my $0.02.

For what it is worth, I have a similar issue. In years past we could almost always pick up a 1Br or Studio at our nearest resort (Galena, IL). Now we have to start planning 3-4 months ahead to take a weekend away.

 

[jp10558]

I'm just glad I never spent any money to get VIP benefits - if it becomes untenable as resale owner I'm not out that much money. I guess if the rentals go well, they could migrate away from being timeshares and just be hotels.

 

[DeeDibble]

I'm just glad I never spent any money to get VIP benefits - if it becomes untenable as resale owner I'm not out that much money. I guess if the rentals go well, they could migrate away from being timeshares and just be hotels.

That is my biggest fear, however, they can’t just take away the “ownership” as having “ interest” in real property-wouldn’t that be grounds for a large class action lawsuit? What happens with fixed weeks etc.?

 

[DeeDibble]

I just looked at Airbnb and found a half a dozen listings for Palm Aire in South Florida for rent …. I believe this part of what I was talking about: rentals contributing to lack of inventory. Many of us owners have a certain amount of guest certificates we can use each year but we don’t really use them because we just have family and friends join us. In any given year I only use guest certificates 3 to 6 times at best.

 

[paxsarah]

That sales presentation should be documented and sent to Michael Brown. This is exactly what Wyndham railed against owners for doing.

I agree. That type of sales pitch is absolutely unsanctioned - not only because of outside rentals but also turning over one’s login credentials to a non-owner.

 

[paxsarah]

It's going to get worse, since Wyndham closed 15 resorts.

I've anecdotally noticed it harder to book certain places this spring. We will see about upgrades.

I anecdotally rebooked Bonnet Creek for Easter week inside the VIP discount window (I’m not VIP) in order to get the recent flash sale discount. It took checking multiple times but I honestly didn’t expect it to happen and yet there it appeared.

 

[paxsarah]

I just looked at Airbnb and found a half a dozen listings for Palm Aire in South Florida for rent …. I believe this part of what I was talking about: rentals contributing to lack of inventory. Many of us owners have a certain amount of guest certificates we can use each year but we don’t really use them because we just have family and friends join us. In any given year I only use guest certificates 3 to 6 times at best.

I don’t know about Airbnb but one time I contacted someone who had a VRBO listing at Ocean Ridge in summer (for research…okay, it was to prove somebody wrong in a Facebook group), and the renter was like “lol no, I don’t have those dates - you’re way too late.” So it was basically an “on demand” type of listing, and a request wouldn’t be accepted if they couldn’t book the dates. I don’t know if Airbnb is the same.

 

[Floridaman76]

I agree that availability has gotten worse, not better; despite their attempts at blaming renters and making renting more difficult. Your sales team was flat out lying to you, though. I don't think we can blame renters for the challenge either, though. I expect it has to do with closing resorts, selling points, and limited new properties. It goes back to the same debate of if I use my points or rent my points, there are still too many points sold into the system. Just my $0.02.

For what it is worth, I have a similar issue. In years past we could almost always pick up a 1Br or Studio at our nearest resort (Galena, IL). Now we have to start planning 3-4 months ahead to take a weekend away.

Wyndham can blame themselves when VIP's are unable to utilize their VIP discount and suite upgrade benefits because they cut so much inventory.

 

[Floridaman76]

I anecdotally rebooked Bonnet Creek for Easter week inside the VIP discount window (I’m not VIP) in order to get the recent flash sale discount. It took checking multiple times but I honestly didn’t expect it to happen and yet there it appeared.

I booked Nashville that week. I was looking to do Smokey Mountains but would have had to book 3 suites to fit together a week, and didn;'t want to move.

I always book a stay the first week of April because it's our anniversary, was looking at a bunch of different places, inventory was definitely tighter this year. Even before the flash sale hit. That certainly didn't help my cause.

But we like Nashvile, so it worked out. I have Smokey Mountains booked for Memorial Day week, will look to cancel/rebook inside the discount window if possible, hut doubtful that will happen.

 

[Shiba]

What flash sale? Never saw anything or received an email.

 

[HitchHiker71]

It's going to get worse, since Wyndham closed 15 resorts.

I've anecdotally noticed it harder to book certain places this spring. We will see about upgrades.

OTA has been particularly hard to find availability of late. I used to be able to find a few days within the discount window, now I really have to hunt and do it right at 60 days and in some cases what I’m now doing is booking in the SRP and then going back on day 60 and if inventory is still available then do a book and cancel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Floridaman76]

OTA has been particularly hard to find availability of late. I used to be able to find a few days within the discount window, now I really have to hunt and do it right at 60 days and in some cases what I’m now doing is booking in the SRP and then going back on day 60 and if inventory is still available then do a book and cancel.

And if you didn't know, every unit at the resort is going to be renovated The resort staff (not sales) told me when I was there in December. Starting in April and running through whennever it fimishes. So inventory there is going to be even tighter for roughly the next year, as they will be taking a certain number of units offline to renovate them.

 

[Floridaman76]

What flash sale? Never saw anything or received an email.

I don't know if an email went out about it or not but there was a notification on the webpage and probably the app about it. K just happened to see it when I logged in one day.

Was 40% off certain resorts for about a 5 or 6 day sale,, it's over now. Was about 20 resorts. The typical ones they have sales at. Bonnet Creek was one of them.

 

[HitchHiker71]

And if you didn't know, every unit at the resort is going to be renovated The resort staff (not sales) told me when I was there in December. Starting in April and running through whennever it fimishes. So inventory there is going to be even tighter for roughly the next year, as they will be taking a certain number of units offline to renovate them.

I was loosely aware renovations were coming but didn’t know the timeframe, good info thanks for sharing. We are looking at OTA more often since Shawnee has closed unfortunately.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Floridaman76]

I was loosely aware renovations were coming but didn’t know the timeframe, good info thanks for sharing. We are looking at OTA more often since Shawnee has closed unfortunately.

Totally different resort obviously, but it's a great location. Lots more points too. We go there often. If you get a chance and have not done so, ask to tour one of the two 3BR Presidential units. They are rooms on the 6th and 7th floor, right above each other. Think it's 609/709. The decore is crazy. Dark wood, 4 post bed in the master BR, tables with marble tops. Huge dark wood dining room table. From what I remember, the Master and one of the other bedroos has kings and the 3rd bedroom had 2 queens. But it may have been two double beds.

Since there's only two of them they are very hard to book, but if available, it's not much more points than the 2BR LO there. I asked once to check out the room and they let me on the day the room turned over before the new guests checked in, after they cleaned it. I saw the one on the 6th floor, but they are identical I have been told.

 

[jp10558]

That is my biggest fear, however, they can’t just take away the “ownership” as having “ interest” in real property-wouldn’t that be grounds for a large class action lawsuit? What happens with fixed weeks etc.?

Fixed weeks are fixed. IDK how Wyndham manages them, but my one fixed week ownership at Fox Run is just booked. I don't have to do anything, so I don't know that they ever could be parts of points inventory. I'm pretty sure an unconverted fixed week can be used by the owner, left empty, rented by the owner, or exchanged.

Wyndham can tighten up the slack - the unused weeks that provide "availability" but I doubt they want to intentionally "overbook" and even if they did, it'd be the renters that get bumped first - at least in any reporting I've seen.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Totally different resort obviously, but it's a great location. Lots more points too. We go there often. If you get a chance and have not done so, ask to tour one of the two 3BR Presidential units. They are rooms on the 6th and 7th floor, right above each other. Think it's 609/709. The decore is crazy. Dark wood, 4 post bed in the master BR, tables with marble tops. Huge dark wood dining room table. From what I remember, the Master and one of the other bedroos has kings and the 3rd bedroom had 2 queens. But it may have been two double beds.

Since there's only two of them they are very hard to book, but if available, it's not much more points than the 2BR LO there. I asked once to check out the room and they let me on the day the room turned over before the new guests checked in, after they cleaned it. I saw the one on the 6th floor, but they are identical I have been told.

Actually there are seven of them IIRC - all of the x09 rooms are three bedroom Presidential rooms - we’ve stayed in them several times, including the accessible three bedroom unit on either the 3rd or 4th floor, for holiday trips. We currently have the three bedroom accessible unit booked for Thanksgiving this year. We’ve stayed in OTA a lot since joining Wyndham since it’s within a two hour drive for us - but we basically divided our weekend stays between NH, OTA, Skyline and Shawnee - and have lost two of those four - so we will likely be staying more at OTA and NH moving forward - and spending more long weekends in Newport and Williamsburg which are 5-6 hour drives for us. We prefer OTA since it’s lower on points when compared to NH, and it’s right next to the Metro station and we love the selection of restaurants on King street and the area in general.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Floridaman76]

Actually there are seven of them IIRC - all of the x09 rooms are three bedroom Presidential rooms - we’ve stayed in them several times, including the accessible three bedroom unit on either the 3rd or 4th floor, for holiday trips. We currently have the three bedroom accessible unit booked for Thanksgiving this year. We’ve stayed in OTA a lot since joining Wyndham since it’s within a two hour drive for us - but we basically divided our weekend stays between NH, OTA, Skyline and Shawnee - and have lost two of those four - so we will likely be staying more at OTA and NH moving forward - and spending more long weekends in Newport and Williamsburg which are 5-6 hour drives for us. We prefer OTA since it’s lower on points when compared to NH, and it’s right next to the Metro station and we love the selection of restaurants on King street and the area in general.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They told me there were only two 3BR Presidentials and that they were on the 6th and 7th floors. I know there isn't one on the 5th floor because the "09" room is a 1BR Deluxe and the "10" room is a 1BR suite, on 6 and 7 there's no 10 room, it goes from 08 which is a 2BR Deluxe to 11. Maybe they meant "non-accessible" by that.

I always request 07 or 08 rooms which are 2BR Deluxe right by the elevators with a view of the train tracks. I've never stayed on the lower floors.

 

[jp10558]

Ok, what is OTA?

 

[Floridaman76]

Ok, what is OTA?

Club Wyndham Old Town Alexandria in Alexandria, VA

 

[CO skier]

The decore is crazy. Dark wood, 4 post bed in the master BR, tables with marble tops. Huge dark wood dining room table.

You mean like the Eddie Bauer Adventure Club

 

[geist1223]

Ugly!