Long Wharf Sales Pitch

[Arimaas]

I have a quick two night stay booked at Long Wharf the week of Easter vacation (Sunday night to Tuesday AM). I haven't been to Long Wharf since they opened up a sales office. Any way have experience with it? How pushy are they? Any decent "gifts" at check in? Wondering if I check in late (9-10pm Sunday night), if they'll try to offer me a pitch. I'll be hoenst, I usually go, it covers gas and tolls (especially since gas is creeping higher and higher). I just did one in Feb. in NOLA, however, so who knows.

Anyway, just trying to get the lay of the land and plan accordingly.

 

[ausman]

As a adjunct to Arimaas's question: Are Inn on Long Wharf guests subject to a sales pitch.? I'd rather avoid it.

 

[Arimaas]

As a adjunct to Arimaas's question: Are Inn on Long Wharf guests subject to a sales pitch.? I'd rather avoid it.

Yes. Inn guests check in at Long Wharf and go through the same process.

 

[Floridaman76]

I'm betting ALL the Newport resorts are trying to get people to go to updates. The fact that they have one sales office for the town doesn't surprise me. they will just send you to Long Wharf to do the update.

They do this in Williamsburg (done at governors green), Myrtle Beach (done at Ocean Blvd), Branson (a dedicated off-site facility inbetween Meadows and Mountain Vista) and Sevierville (a dedicated off-site facility near Smoky Mountains). Possibly other locations do this too.

 

[comicbookman]

I'm betting ALL the Newport resorts are trying to get people to go to updates. The fact that they have one sales office for the town doesn't surprise me. they will just send you to Long Wharf to do the update.

They do this in Williamsburg (done at governors green), Myrtle Beach (done at Ocean Blvd), Branson (a dedicated off-site facility inbetween Meadows and Mountain Vista) and Sevierville (a dedicated off-site facility near Smoky Mountains). Possibly other locations do this too.

Myrtle beach has at least 2 sales centers as I have been to both Ocean Blvd and towers on the grove and attended sales presentations. The one at towers was full on shitty. At ocean blvd. they were short and not to bad (also I got medieval times tickets for our entire group (3 adults and 2 kids) at ocean blvd.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Just don't show up if you don't want to go.

 

[chapjim]

Has anyone noticed the difference between resorts with sales centers and resorts that claim not to have sale centers?

 

[comicbookman]

Has anyone noticed the difference between resorts with sales centers and resorts that claim not to have sale centers?

I haven't noticed any, other than the check-in process.

 

[Arimaas]

Has anyone noticed the difference between resorts with sales centers and resorts that claim not to have sale centers?

I never ever got bothered to go to a sales meeting at any of the Newport resorts. Check in was smooth and pleasant. I assume that will change with the new sales center.

Is that what you mean?

 

[chapjim]

I never ever got bothered to go to a sales meeting at any of the Newport resorts. Check in was smooth and pleasant. I assume that will change with the new sales center.

Is that what you mean?

No. In an effort to get you to sign up for a presentation, the "concierges" at some resorts make a point that they are a "service center." not a sales center. Come presentation time, I don't detect a difference. (And don't forget, service is what bulls do to cows.)

Somewhere along the line, Wyndham has perverted the word "concierge." A real concierge is supposed to help guests, not annoy them.

 

[Arimaas]

No. In an effort to get you to sign up for a presentation, the "concierge" at some resorts make a point that they are a "service center." not a sales center. Come presentation time, I don't detect a difference. (And don't forget, service is what bulls do to cows.)

Somewhere along the line, Wyndham has perverted the word "concierge." A real concierge is supposed to help guests, not annoy them.

Well, I don't recall Long Wharf having a concierge when they didn't have a sales center. They had front desk staff, usually one or two people, depending on what time I was there.

I think they can label it whatever they want, the actions are always the same, which I think is what you are trying to figure out.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

If I only had a 2 night stay I would definitely NOT go to a sales presentation. The exception to that would be if there was a high chance of inclement weather forecast, like pouring rain.

 

[Arimaas]

If I only had a 2 night stay I would definitely NOT go to a sales presentation. The exception to that would be if there was a high chance of inclement weather forecast, like pouring rain.

Eah. 45 minutes on a Monday AM while my laundry is in the machine is worth the $150 to be. Especially if gas is still up to $3.40/gal here.

 

[chapjim]

Well, I don't recall Long Wharf having a concierge when they didn't have a sales center. They had front desk staff, usually one or two people, depending on what time I was there.

I think they can label it whatever they want, the actions are always the same, which I think is what you are trying to figure out.

My experience at several resorts in the last couple of months is that it is the concierge who is claiming that the resort does NOT have a sales center. So, the (purported) lack of a sales center does not mean there will not be a concierge. And the presence of a concierge doesn't mean there is a sales center (if the concierge is to be believed).

Actually, a concierge could be useful for more than issuing parking passes in a place like Newport, RI. Useful doing traditional concierge things -- assisting guests.

 

[Arimaas]

Just got to Long Wharf. Check in is now not as pleasant experience as it was prior. Lobby is l filled with half a dozen “concierges”. It’s loud and busy in the lobby, and it used to be pretty empty. The resort is pretty full and it’s still only 40 degrees here and windy. But it is school vacation week.

For the first time in my years being here, they were giving a wine and cheese hour at the pool. I heard a lot of folks here on RCI exchange. I couldn’t tell you if that is new or not, but anecdotally, in the past, most I’ve run into here were owners.

Anyway, the concierge was telling me about the closings, which I pretended to know nothing about and told me if I go to the owners update (not a sales pitch since I just went to one - so she must see that in the computer), they will explain to me the new sports illustrated resorts like the one opening in Chicago and closer to home, Boston and they can put me on the VIP list so I get priority at them. I said for $150 AmEx I’ll sit through it for 45 minutes. Sold. So tomorrow, I’ll go to the non pitch, pitch, which will cover my $4/gal gas and tolls and then some to come up here.

So, answer to my questions- they don’t care that I just went to one four weeks ago, they can see it (or are guessing since they saw I just had a reservation in NOLA in February) and Newport now is the same as all the others.

 

[chapjim]

Just got to Long Wharf. Check in is now not as pleasant experience as it was prior. Lobby is l filled with half a dozen “concierges”. It’s loud and busy in the lobby, and it used to be pretty empty. The resort is pretty full and it’s still only 40 degrees here and windy. But it is school vacation week.

For the first time in my years being here, they were giving a wine and cheese hour at the pool. I heard a lot of folks here on RCI exchange. I couldn’t tell you if that is new or not, but anecdotally, in the past, most I’ve run into here were owners.

Anyway, the concierge was telling me about the closings, which I pretended to know nothing about and told me if I go to the owners update (not a sales pitch since I just went to one - so she must see that in the computer), they will explain to me the new sports illustrated resorts like the one opening in Chicago and closer to home, Boston and they can put me on the VIP list so I get priority at them. I said for $150 AmEx I’ll sit through it for 45 minutes. Sold. So tomorrow, I’ll go to the non pitch, pitch, which will cover my $4/gal gas and tolls and then some to come up here.

So, answer to my questions- they don’t care that I just went to one four weeks ago, they can see it (or are guessing since they saw I just had a reservation in NOLA in February) and Newport now is the same as all the others.

Owners know better than to go to Newport, RI in March!

Don't forget Tuscaloosa! I can wait but I can't hardly!

VIP list so you can get priority?? That right there's funny!

I stumbled across an August week at the Village Green at Stowe. Minutes later, I found the following week at Long Wharf. My experience in Newport is that both the Atlantic and Narragansett Bay are too cold to be enjoyable even in August. Maybe not so bad now with this global warming thing going on.

 

[WorldT]

Stayed in San Antonio for two weeks back to back in December and another week in January via RCI exchange, I was not invited to any sales. The sales team were pretty active throughout my stay. I saw a bunch of targets.
Did I offend Wyndham . Those were my only Wyndham stays. Next one coming up in May in Atlanta.

 

[Arimaas]

Owners know better than to go to Newport, RI in March!

Don't forget Tuscaloosa! I can wait but I can't hardly!

VIP list so you can get priority?? That right there's funny!

I stumbled across an August week at the Village Green at Stowe. Minutes later, I found the following week at Long Wharf. My experience in Newport is that both the Atlantic and Narragansett Bay are too cold to be enjoyable even in August. Maybe not so bad now with this global warming thing going on.

We usually go Easter week for school vacation, so I have some experience around this time of year, Maybe it's just because the lobby was so busy, and I heard everyone's story since the "concierge" was busy doing their thing, so it's the first time I really knew how folks ended up there.

She mentioned Tuscaloosa, it was just easier to spell Chicago and Boston. Any way, i didn't end up on the VIP list, because I wouldn't plunk down $20k to exchange my points, but I did leave 45 minutes later, with gas and tolls paid for.

I can't remember the last time we actually went into the water at Newport, but in general, even the Jersey shore is chilly for the majority of the year, including the warmer months.

 

[HitchHiker71]

So, answer to my questions- they don’t care that I just went to one four weeks ago, they can see it (or are guessing since they saw I just had a reservation in NOLA in February) and Newport now is the same as all the others.

Never been to any of the RI resorts just yet - they seem hard to get into overall - I looked through all of them earlier today and there's basically zero availability at any of them until late October and beyond - which I'm assuming is because it gets cold at that point and folks aren't as willing to go to a colder area heading into mid-late fall.

We were at OTA the weekend of March 13-16 and then took an impromptu trip to GG in Williamsburg literally the following weekend March 19-24 and that didn't stop the concierge at GG from hard selling us to attend an update, after we had just attended a sales update at OTA the weekend prior (which my wife walked out of due to deceptive tactics - she just wasn't in the mood). Regardless of what anyone says or hears - there are no rules or limits when it comes to frequency when attending sales updates - we've had many TUGGERs report attending updates back-to-back at various resorts when moving from one resort to another for example.

 

[Arimaas]

Never been to any of the RI resorts just yet - they seem hard to get into overall - I looked through all of them earlier today and there's basically zero availability at any of them until late October and beyond - which I'm assuming is because it gets cold at that point and folks aren't as willing to go to a colder area heading into mid-late fall.

We were at OTA the weekend of March 13-16 and then took an impromptu trip to GG in Williamsburg literally the following weekend March 19-24 and that didn't stop the concierge at GG from hard selling us to attend an update, after we had just attended a sales update at OTA the weekend prior (which my wife walked out of due to deceptive tactics - she just wasn't in the mood). Regardless of what anyone says or hears - there are no rules or limits when it comes to frequency when attending sales updates - we've had many TUGGERs report attending updates back-to-back at various resorts when moving from one resort to another for example.

I have been to Newport at all times of year. If you book far enough out, you should be OK, although there still are a lot of fixed week owners. so that limits availability. I usually prefer Newport off season anyhow, the city is too busy in the summer.

BTW, I meant to post that many of the sales staff at Newport came from Shawnee from my brief interation. If I had to guess is that Wyndahm planned on closing Shawanee for quite some time, because the sales at Newport was planned for about a year or more (this was my first time up there with a sales office, and I am there once or twice a year for the last decade). They moved sales operation from Shawnee to Newport to make up for the void that Shawnee left in the metro NY market.

 

[HitchHiker71]

I have been to Newport at all times of year. If you book far enough out, you should be OK, although there still are a lot of fixed week owners. so that limits availability. I usually prefer Newport off season anyhow, the city is too busy in the summer.

BTW, I meant to post that many of the sales staff at Newport came from Shawnee from my brief interation. If I had to guess is that Wyndahm planned on closing Shawanee for quite some time, because the sales at Newport was planned for about a year or more (this was my first time up there with a sales office, and I am there once or twice a year for the last decade). They moved sales operation from Shawnee to Newport to make up for the void that Shawnee left in the metro NY market.

Maybe we will try to hit one of the RI resorts in the late fall timeframe this year then. Gotta use up those points somehow LOL.

 

[Arimaas]

Maybe we will try to hit one of the RI resorts in the late fall timeframe this year then. Gotta use up those points somehow LOL.

Yeah, you shouldn't have a problem getting in somewhere in the Fall. Although I think one was reported here to be going under renovation. Just not sure which or when.

 

[HitchHiker71]

Yeah, you shouldn't have a problem getting in somewhere in the Fall. Although I think one was reported here to be going under renovation. Just not sure which or when.

Just snagged a two-bedroom deluxe over a long weekend (Thu-Tue) using remaining resale points for late September at Long Wharf in Newport RI!

 

[Arimaas]

Just snagged a two-bedroom deluxe over a long weekend (Thu-Tue) using remaining resale points for late September at Long Wharf in Newport RI!

It’s still nice there in September. You’ll have a good time. Belle’s across the street in the ship yard for breakfast, lobster shack across the street for a lunch (check their September schedule), you can walk easily just about anywhere or take the hop on hop off RIPTA trolly to the mansions from behind the hotel if you don’t want to drive (although all mansions have free parking). The indoor outdoor pool will be lovely in September - and still warm enough to grill.

Enjoy your stay ! .

 

[Floridaman76]

You likely won't be able to get into the Newport resorts, ever, in June through August. Most of those units are still fixed weeks and just won't come up for us points owners very often. If you do, consider yourself lucky. I've had luck booking in very late September and early October, also April. But for some of those "shoulder season" dates, you have to book way in advance.

It's very easy and very cheap on points to book December through February. But it's also COLD as hell and a lot of stuff is closed. It can be pretty miserable there in the winter.