Diamond Resorts on Kauai?

[zentraveler]

I was interested in looking into Diamond Resorts properties on Kauai, especially in Princeville that I could exchange through Interval. I don't seem to be able to find any, nor can I find much in the way of reviews on TUG. Have not searched either before so maybe I am missing something?

I had not considered these resorts in the past (we are always exchanging through II) but we stayed in one recently - Sedona Summit - and thought it was quite lovely. Got me interested in their Hawaii properties. Any help appreciated!

(Also are they affiliated with Embarc? We are staying in one of their resorts in Canada this summer....)

 

[NiteMaire]

I was interested in looking into Diamond Resorts properties on Kauai, especially in Princeville that I could exchange through Interval. I don't seem to be able to find any, nor can I find much in the way of reviews on TUG. Have not searched either before so maybe I am missing something?

I had not considered these resorts in the past (we are always exchanging through II) but we stayed in one recently - Sedona Summit - and thought it was quite lovely. Got me interested in their Hawaii properties. Any help appreciated!

(Also are they affiliated with Embarc? We are staying in one of their resorts in Canada this summer....)

The Point at Poipu on Kauai is DRI. They also have Ka'anapali Beach Club on Maui. Both appear on II for exchange...infrequently, but they do have some deposits.

As I understand it DRI is affiliated with Embarc. I'm not a DRI owner, so I'll defer to one.

 

[zentraveler]

Sigh... was hoping for one of the one's in Princeville! Thanks for info.

 

[nuwermj]

Diamond Resorts International, Inc. owns the developer rights and management contract for Embarc. They run Embarc independently from their THE Club network of resorts.

As NiteMaire notes, there is no DRI managed resort in Princeville.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Diamond does not operate any resorts in Princeville. Any Princeville inventory that might show up in their system is limited amounts of inventory that they receive from affiliated resorts in swaps for Diamond inventory.

 

[youppi]

You are talking about the Grand Pacific Hanalei Bay resort in Princeville. It's an affiliated resort to DRI. So, the quality resort of Hanalei Bay could be equal, better or worst than Sedona Summit.
The members rating on II looks good. Also, they seem to have some deposits on II since they received 77 reviews during the last 24 months https://www.intervalworld.com/web/cs?a=1503&languageCode=en&resortCode=HAN

 

[NiteMaire]

You are talking about the Grand Pacific Hanalei Bay resort in Princeville. It's an affiliated resort to DRI. Also, they seem to have some deposits on II since they received 77 reviews during the last 24 months https://www.intervalworld.com/web/cs?a=1503&languageCode=en&resortCode=HAN

HBR is on my bucket list to exchange into. It's popped up on II several times, but the timing didn't work for me.

 

[geist1223]

Why do you only want to exchange into a DRI Property? There are a number of other Princeville Resorts in II.

 

[zentraveler]

Thanks all. Very useful. I was referring to the Grand Pacific HB resort, but the Diamond Resorts website also lists the Grand Pacific Alii Kai and GP Makai. Aside from The Cliffs Club that is about all I see in Princeville that is a gold or higher resort.

I am actually not trying to limit the choice but enlarge them. We are using Four Seasons Aviara (CA) weeks to do these trades and have traditionally limited ourselves to similar quality levels, which is Westin, Marriott, Hyatt for the most part. Since staying at Sedona Summit it occurred to me that although in terms of the quality symbol (gold vs blue on II) the DRI would also be worth considering. And Princeville in particular is my focus here only because I love that area and the Westin seems impossible to get into these days, for our dates/seasons, even with a FS trade. We will be at the Marriott Ko Oina in November but the Jan-April time is getting very hard to get other than there for some reason.

I am going to put in requests for 2020 and 2021 soon, haven't been to Princeville in too long and wanted to see what I could do to match there!

 

[NiteMaire]

I was referring to the Grand Pacific HB resort, but the Diamond Resorts website also lists the Grand Pacific Alii Kai and GP Makai. Aside from The Cliffs Club that is about all I see in Princeville that is a gold or higher resort.

I don't know much about those resorts aside from what I've read about them. Alii Kai doesn't have air conditioning, but gets good reviews otherwise. HBR isn't Gold (premier), but they get great reviews; especially concerning the views from the 2BR (1BRs apparently don't have the same great views). It may be worth the trade into 2BR. I nearly purchased there before I realized the studio portion of the 2BR LO can't be deposited in II. The grounds look superb and they get consistent reviews of people describing the phenomenal views of Hanalei Bay, Bali Hai, and the sunset.

I've seen only 13 weeks for 2BRs deposited in II since July. I think they're hard to come by for a reason. I don't search as often as @youppi so he may have insight into additional 2BR weeks. For what it's worth, I've seen 30 weeks for 1BRs.

 

[zentraveler]

I don't know much about those resorts aside from what I've read about them. Alii Kai doesn't have air conditioning, but gets good reviews otherwise. HBR isn't Gold (premier), but they get great reviews; especially concerning the views from the 2BR (1BRs apparently don't have the same great views). It may be worth the trade into 2BR. I nearly purchased there before I realized the studio portion of the 2BR LO can't be deposited in II. The grounds look superb and they get consistent reviews of people describing the phenomenal views of Hanalei Bay, Bali Hai, and the sunset.

I've seen only 13 weeks for 2BRs deposited in II since July. I think they're hard to come by for a reason. I don't search as often as @youppi so he may have insight into additional 2BR weeks. For what it's worth, I've seen 30 weeks for 1BRs.

NiteMarie, how do you "see" these resorts? Every time I put one of my FS weeks to exchange on II and put in dates for Hawaii (any of the islands) nothing ever comes up. The only way i ever get matched is to put in a request and wait to see what happens....

 

[NiteMaire]

NiteMarie, how do you "see" these resorts? Every time I put one of my FS weeks to exchange on II and put in dates for Hawaii (any of the islands) nothing ever comes up. The only way i ever get matched is to put in a request and wait to see what happens....

I check many times every day. As you can see from the trips in my signature area, I've been very successful in trading to Hawaii. I get the Marriotts during Marriott preference; I exchanged my Colonies(!) for WKORV. None are from a request. I'm fortunate that I have some flexibility in my travel. If I reach a point that the instant exchange doesn't work, I'll look at doing an OGS.

II typically updates inventory early each morning, but some great resorts have been deposited in the evening.

 

[zentraveler]

I check many times every day. As you can see from the trips in my signature area, I've been very successful in trading to Hawaii. I get the Marriotts during Marriott preference; I exchanged my Colonies(!) for WKORV. None are from a request. I'm fortunate that I have some flexibility in my travel. If I reach a point that the instant exchange doesn't work, I'll look at doing an OGS.

II typically updates inventory early each morning, but some great resorts have been deposited in the evening.

So you put in your resort unit, request Hawaii and you actually see things without needing to put in a pending request?? I have been doing this with our 2 FS weeks (2RR LO which we always split because there only 2 of us, although we have had great luck at being matched for 2 BR putting a 1 BR or even studio units) and I don't think I have ever been able see anything in Hawaii on the spot. Always need to request. Maybe because you do this many times more frequently than I do? Maybe because you can go any time? We may be pickier about dates and resorts than you are (for example I am not so wild about the Poipu area although I do put it in requests...)

 

[NiteMaire]

So you put in your resort unit, request Hawaii and you actually see things without needing to put in a pending request??

Correct! Go to your units in II and click "Vacation Exchange" and search away. I always enter 2 years out as the "Latest Travel Date". Most (all?) resorts don't go out that far, but II lets you search 2 years. It opens your options. FS should be a strong trader. I imagine you'll be able to see most, if not all, inventory that is not in preference. I can see most of the non-Marriott non-preference inventory with my Marriott trader (Grand Chateau). I use my Marriott to trade into other Marriott resorts. I don't see as much with my 2BR Colonies unit, but I did get a 1BR WKORV (I'll take that trade anyday). I search with my Marriott and then check to see if I can exchange my Colonies unit. Studios work for us as well since it's just 2 of us. Like everyone else, we prefer a larger room so we have the option of bringing family/friends. We have 2BRs for our April trip so my parents are coming with us to Oahu and Kauai in April.

 

[geist1223]

DRI only has 1 Resort on Kaua'i. Those others you see are Affiliated Resorts at which DRI has exchange agreements. But you have to be a DRI Member to Book through DRI.

 

[zentraveler]

DRI only has 1 Resort on Kaua'i. Those others you see are Affiliated Resorts at which DRI has exchange agreements. But you have to be a DRI Member to Book through DRI.

I clearly don't know anything about DRI. What is an affiliated resort? We have been to presentations for Marriott and Westin so know something about how they, and II work, but have never heard of an affiliated resort. What I have figured out from reading in this forum is that DRI seems to want to keep its trading "in house".

 

[zentraveler]

Correct! Go to your units in II and click "Vacation Exchange" and search away. I always enter 2 years out as the "Latest Travel Date". Most (all?) resorts don't go out that far, but II lets you search 2 years. It opens your options. FS should be a strong trader. I imagine you'll be able to see most, if not all, inventory that is not in preference. I can see most of the non-Marriott non-preference inventory with my Marriott trader (Grand Chateau). I use my Marriott to trade into other Marriott resorts. I don't see as much with my 2BR Colonies unit, but I did get a 1BR WKORV (I'll take that trade anyday). I search with my Marriott and then check to see if I can exchange my Colonies unit. Studios work for us as well since it's just 2 of us. Like everyone else, we prefer a larger room so we have the option of bringing family/friends. We have 2BRs for our April trip so my parents are coming with us to Oahu and Kauai in April.

Thanks so much NiteMaire. I just tried it out and put a 1BR FS in for March 2019 - December 2020 and nothing at all showed up for Kauai or Mauai. I got 4 matches on the Big Island - the Kona Coast resort and 3 for SVC (one of which I enjoyed the one time we stayed there at the last minute after it had just been acquired by II, but my husband didn't care for). But it is clear that if I want to troll for matches I need to a) search for a wide swath of dates (we have been putting specific weeks that work for us) and b) search much more frequently. Or just put in a request for something specific, like WKORV or Mauai and wait to see if we get matched. Flexibility is very much a key here.

 

[NiteMaire]

You won't see much beyond March 2020 since reservations are typically 12-13 months out. Most rent out the rooms if they can't make it to Hawaii (can get more than MFs); I presume most deposits (except for studios?) are from the developer unless it's a late cancellation.

Westin and Marriott on Maui and Kauai are difficult, but not impossible, to get into with an exchange if you don't have preference. Studios show up more frequently than 1-2BRs. Most, if not all (including studios), are gobbled up during the preference. You have to wait until the developer deposits without preference, exchange into a 1-2BR late cancellation, or "settle" for a studio that escapes preference. More than 85% of the Westins I see in Hawaii are studios. I've seen less than 170 exchanges available since last July. A little more than 20 were 1-2BRs, and all 2BRs were all at Nanea since it's not sold out. Marriotts are a different story for me; I've seen more weeks, and studios account for less than 60% of those weeks (but I have Marriott preference/priority). Marriott's Kauai Beach seems to be "frequently" available without preference.

Happiness for me is just getting an exchange to Hawaii. If you take non-Marriott and non-Westins into account, there are plenty weeks to exchange into. I have several on my list that I'd like to go to that aren't in the Marriott family. HBR, Point at Poipu, Ka'anapali Beach Club, Maui Lea at Maui Hill, The Cliffs Club, Maui Schooner, Whaler, and several Wyndham properties come to mind immediately. I'm sure if I thought longer, I'd think of more. Other tuggers enjoy some of the lesser known properties more than Marriotts and Westins; Kauai Beach Villas and Pono Kai are two that several tuggers like. They may not be as extravagant as Marriott and Westin, but they have their own flair from what I've read on TUG.

Take a look at the sightings board to get a feel for previous deposits, with and without preference, in Hawaii.

 

[zentraveler]

You won't see much beyond March 2020 since reservations are typically 12-13 months out. Most rent out the rooms if they can't make it to Hawaii (can get more than MFs); I presume most deposits (except for studios?) are from the developer unless it's a late cancellation.

Westin and Marriott on Maui and Kauai are difficult, but not impossible, to get into with an exchange if you don't have preference. Studios show up more frequently than 1-2BRs. Most, if not all (including studios), are gobbled up during the preference. You have to wait until the developer deposits without preference, exchange into a 1-2BR late cancellation, or "settle" for a studio that escapes preference. More than 85% of the Westins I see in Hawaii are studios. I've seen less than 170 exchanges available since last July. A little more than 20 were 1-2BRs, and all 2BRs were all at Nanea since it's not sold out. Marriotts are a different story for me; I've seen more weeks, and studios account for less than 60% of those weeks (but I have Marriott preference/priority). Marriott's Kauai Beach seems to be "frequently" available without preference.

Happiness for me is just getting an exchange to Hawaii. If you take non-Marriott and non-Westins into account, there are plenty weeks to exchange into. I have several on my list that I'd like to go to that aren't in the Marriott family. HBR, Point at Poipu, Ka'anapali Beach Club, Maui Lea at Maui Hill, The Cliffs Club, Maui Schooner, Whaler, and several Wyndham properties come to mind immediately. I'm sure if I thought longer, I'd think of more. Other tuggers enjoy some of the lesser known properties more than Marriotts and Westins; Kauai Beach Villas and Pono Kai are two that several tuggers like. They may not be as extravagant as Marriott and Westin, but they have their own flair from what I've read on TUG.

Take a look at the sightings board to get a feel for previous deposits, with and without preference, in Hawaii.

 

[zentraveler]

Well that is so interesting Nite. Even after 20 years I feel like a novice at this. Assume "preference"means Marriott or Westin owners? Up until a few years ago, we had no trouble getting into most all of the Marriotts and Westins on all the islands and at least one of the Hyatts using the exact same units we have now, and even more restrictive date limits. It just gets harder every year.

I always thought that studios were the easiest to get because they are relatively undesirable, and I made an assumption that most people don't have them to trade since so many properties are 1-2-3BR and don't have LO's at all. Clearly incorrect. But I do know from reading the codes on confirmations that we get a lot of developer deposits. And we have been very lucky with studios trading into larger units. It broke my heart but after years of finally planning Marriott Frenchman's Cove, we got a 2BR unit for our studio (!) and then came Irma and the whole much planned trip had to be cancelled. We also have a 2BR at Ko Olina Nov 2019 for a studio.

Really appreciate the list of non-Marriott/Westins that people seem to like. I am not at all opposed to skipping the mega resorts. All I really need is comfortable furniture, a decent kitchen, and comfortable places to sit and read. Don't even care that much about a fabulous view. I am like you; as long as I am in Hawaii I am happy and I can easily go find "view". That list will help a lot for us to expand our requests.

 

[geist1223]

I clearly don't know anything about DRI. What is an affiliated resort? We have been to presentations for Marriott and Westin so know something about how they, and II work, but have never heard of an affiliated resort. What I have figured out from reading in this forum is that DRI seems to want to keep its trading "in house".

An affiliated resort is one not owned or managed by DRI but they have agreements for cross booking. So sometimes it is very limited.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

What I have figured out from reading in this forum is that DRI seems to want to keep its trading "in house".

Not just DRI. That's true for almost all of the resort systems. They have all recognized that if they can get their members/owners to trade inside the resort system, they can pocket the money that members would otherwise be paying to an exchange company. So they create their trading systems, and the price to be part of the system and be able to make reservation essentially offsets the membership fees and exchange fees charged by RCI and II.

 

[NiteMaire]

Assume "preference"means Marriott or Westin owners?

Correct.