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[ 2011 ] Questions about Summer Bay/The Desert Club Las Vegas

elim12345

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I to am on the fence about the HICV membership. I have been happy with my Traditional Weeks ownership. No reservation fees and being able to cancel within 72 Hr's of reservation start date. Love Summerbay/Desert Club.

I just got off the phone with a HICV Rep. about some of my concerns (the third time I have talked to them, this time the person knew their stuff, seems like). I confirmed the following with her (nothing in writing).

I have 3 units at just shy of 400,000 HICV points. This makes me a Preferred Member. That will allow me to upgrade, for free, one reservation a year (i.e. a one bedroom deluxe to a 2 bedroom).

Once I join, I would have to be a HICV member for 3 years, than I could opt out. If I don't opt out than I would be committed for another 3 years. No grace period, after joining, to rescind.

I could borrow points from next year to use this year basically at no additional cost (I would have to pay $4/1000pts which would be deducted from next years Maintenance Fees). To me this is great, some years need extra units for family.

$204 to sign up ($104 annual fee plus one time $100 set up fee).

Can roll over unused points to next year (must be used during next year or lose). Wouldn't hurt to have some points in the Priority Club also.

By using points instead of weeks I could adjust my stays so that I stay on days that use the least amount of points (i.e. Sun-Thur is 10% of a weeks points a day, Fri/Sat are 25% of a weeks points a day). I like to stay 10 days plus, so I could stay Sun - Wed (10 days) for a total of 130% of points for a 2bedroom weeks stay (for applicable season). I like the Winter "Value Season" at Desert Club LV so I would use only 109% of my points from my Prime season for the stay (2 BdRm Pts: 124,000 Winter/148,000 Prime) x 130% = 109%. To make the situation even better I could book a 1 Bedroom for 10 days Sun-Wed (Winter) and use only 73% of a 2 bedroom Prime (148,00 points per week) week's points (83,000/148,000 x 130% = 73%).

I am pretty sure I will join HICV prior to the June 30th deadline. Don't want to miss out on some of the benefits. I love the Winter season in LV and it is the least amount of HICV points.
 

roadtriper

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I put in a call to the guy Roadtripper mentioned and left a message. Waiting to hear back with questions.

Also I am hoping that roadtripper will post some more info.

I am just a bit scared that the rules will change again, who knows? Plus I am trying to get a handle on the point values to do trades. Seems like they only have the few resorts, so anything else still has to go through RCI. I am not sure what I gain if I am already getting what I want, pretty much, with RCI.

Decisions, decisions.

plus, I got summer bay to get into points and I am doing alright with it,

Someone else suggested depositing only one week, and keeping the other in RCI. Maybe that will work. But then I would still be paying 2 club fees.

Also, something else I thought about. From reading through the membership guide, it seems that the program operates forward. So anything I now own will not be converted, only future points/weeks. So that may mean that membership only activates next year, when new points arrive in our account. Does this make sense? Can anyone confirm?

Sandy, I'm not sure if I was an RCI points owner that I would have joined? but your milage may vary! as I understand it the club membership runs the calendar year and points are deposited in Jan. the existing points you have with RCI I believe you have to use through RCI?
I recieved the electronic documents to sign digitaly today. it's a pretty lengthy contract, and as with any contract it looks to favor the originator! but I'm sure a lot of it is "Boilerplate" needs to be there stuff. there are a few items I'm going to call and get clarification on tomorrow before I sign it and initial it in about 20 places! I may contact James R. and see if he has joined and signed it? he does realestate law in So cal.
it looks to me to be very similar to an RCI type points system. except there are currently 70,000 +/- members of HIVC, and there are probably a million RCI members?
it looks to me like it may be suceptible to the same issues as RCI points. as in, what inventory is avail to reserve using points? and it looks like the intervals deposited are completely avail to HIVC to do with as they wish? not sure if we have access to all resort inventory to reserve with club points, or is it just other club points units that have been deposited??? within the 13-10 month period your original time is guaranteed, but after that it's first come first served. so I see the possibilaty that if they wanted to play with the inventory, as RCI has been accused of doing, that availability could be an issue? who knows? if the majority of folks sign onto the points system and/or have RCI points the same avail. issues could become reality if I stayed with just weeks?
wish i could shed more light on it, but I'm still asking questions myself! I've paid the Money but havent signed the docs. yet. RT
 

Sandy

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thanks elim and roadtripper

Elim, can I have your contact person? In case the other man does not get back to me, it never hurts to have another name to talk to or to even compare notes.

I take it that the $$ must be paid by June 30th, but the paperwork can be signed after reviewing, even if it means a few more days...?

I just thought of something else. With SB I could trade into the SB resort in KIssimmee right down the road from OL. I have gotten a 3 bedroom house with my RCI points in off season. Will I still be able to do this? Or will my affiliation with OL preclude this b/c I am no longer a SB member? In other words, the houses have a 1 in 4 rule (I think), but I got around that by being a SB owner.
 
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roadtriper

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Elim, can I have your contact person? In case the other man does not get back to me, it never hurts to have another name to talk to or to even compare notes.

I take it that the $$ must be paid by June 30th, but the paperwork can be signed after reviewing, even if it means a few more days...?

yes I believe you have 21 days to complete the electronic documents as long as the $ is paid by the 30th

I just thought of something else. With SB I could trade into the SB resort in KIssimmee right down the road from OL. I have gotten a 3 bedroom house with my RCI points in off season. Will I still be able to do this? Or will my affiliation with OL preclude this b/c I am no longer a SB member? In other words, the houses have a 1 in 4 rule (I think), but I got around that by being a SB owner.


No more connection to Summer Bay, you could trade within the HIVC to OLCC in orlando. trading into the houses at Summer bay would be done through HIVC, but as an RCI exchange and I think there would be fees involved. RT
 

elim12345

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Sorry Sandy I don't remember the person's name I talked to.

I will be requesting the HICV contract today. I will need a little time to review it.

Still not sure if I will sign the contract, but want to start looking at it (seems like it is very long with lots of initials required).
 

Sandy

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Thanks all

It seems like you are getting the contract via email, right? did you have to pay first, or just all and request.

Just got a call from HI. Will report back

sandy
 
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elim12345

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Here goes, I am going to join HICV maybe???

Yes they are emailing it to me now.

I had to pay the $204 upfront (prior to them emailing me the contract). He said (I hope) that I can cancel prior to sending the contract back to them if I change my mind.

They gave me an access code to activate a program that allows me to initial the contract.

Hope this helps.
 

Sandy

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Just got off the phone:

With "melissa". She seemed less than knowledgeable, and each question I asked seemed to bother her to answer. At one point she was talking so fast and I was trying to take notes that I politely asked her to slow down a bit, joking for us "old folks." She was not amused, and got snippy with me on the next questiion, "Like I was trying to say so YOU will understand....."

wow! Hey, I have been in RCI probably before she was born!

Anyway, here's what I got during the call: 10 resorts; $59 trade fee; no guest certificate; starts one year from joining; keep RCI points as of now; can transfer points to Priority Club Rewards partners to use for air, car, tix, etc; 10-35,000 points for HI hotels per night; not sure of conversion table for airfare; must pay b/4 getting forms to review; $204 to join; get and review paperwork 20 days to fill out.

So, she is saying something different - that once I pay the fee there is NO refund, even if I review the paper and don't like something.

She could not give me any sense of the conversion rate for airfare. This is important to me. Are there limits like RCI? What is the currency/value for points? She kept insisting that they are selling the HIVC experience and these other things are just extras. I tried to explain to her that these are the things important to me, so could she tell me who to talk to? NO, I would have to join to find out, and no refunds.

I will probably wait and call again to try to get someone else.

As I see it, this gives me the opp to stay at HI hotels, which are fine and dandy, but not so much as those great timeshare tradess beyond their 10 member resorts,. Also the IGH hotesl which look nice. I will look at the membership guide that was posted to see the rate to stay at one of these!

That is my update. I did not give her my $$ yet. still have a few days,.

sandy
 
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roadtriper

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With "melissa". She seemed less than knowledgeable, and each question I asked seemed to bother her to answer. At one point she was talking so fast and I was trying to take notes that I politely asked her to slow down a bit, joking for us "old folks." She was not amused, and got snippy with me on the next questiion, "Like I was trying to say so YOU will understand....."

wow! Hey, I have been in RCI probably before she was born!

Anyway, here's what I got during the call: 10 resorts; $59 trade fee; no guest certificate; starts one year from joining; keep RCI points as of now; can transfer points to Priority Club Rewards partners to use for air, car, tix, etc; 10-35,000 points for HI hotels per night; not sure of conversion table for airfare; must pay b/4 getting forms to review; $204 to join; get and review paperwork 20 days to fill out.

So, she is saying something different - that once I pay the fee there is NO refund, even if I review the paper and don't like something.

She could not give me any sense of the conversion rate for airfare. This is important to me. Are there limits like RCI? What is the currency/value for points? She kept insisting that they are selling the HIVC experience and these other things are just extras. I tried to explain to her that these are the things important to me, so could she tell me who to talk to? NO, I would have to join to find out, and no refunds.

I will probably wait and call again to try to get someone else.

As I see it, this gives me the opp to stay at HI hotels, which are fine and dandy, but not so much as those great timeshare tradess beyond their 10 member resorts,. Also the IGH hotesl which look nice. I will look at the membership guide that was posted to see the rate to stay at one of these!

That is my update. I did not give her my $$ yet. still have a few days,.

sandy

Sandy, I think you need to call back and get someone else! I believe it's $59 if you call and make an exchange, $49 if you do it online. there is no charge to put a reservation in a guests name. you first make the reservation and then submit the guest form (at least within the HVIC system)
I believe they said the airfare was a live transaction, meaning you call in with your request and the rep searches avail options and prices them at that point? I havent seen anything in print that puts a $ value on points? I'm sure they must have some sort of conversion table. I calculated my cost per point by dividing my last years total MF's by the total nomber of points I would get and came up with $.0041 per HIVC point.
Sandy email me! I have something for you RT
 

LDnJC

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Staying with RCI

All in all I've been happy with RCI Points.
As posted before I had a similar unsatisfactory conversation with a salesperson who wanted to sell it to me and would tell me whatever I wanted to hear, and when I called back ended up with a rep that was angry/bored with helping people and really didn't have any information to help me with my questions. :shrug:
I then spoke to someone in customer service because I wanted the information documented in an email (since the info seemed to change with each person I spoke to). Her name was Norene and she said I could email to resv@holidayinnclub.com and ask questions that I wanted answered via email.
Because we have a Points timeshare I am not going to switch to HIVC. I do see some of the advantages partifularly with the priority club being able to use for hotels ... but I'm just not willing to take a chance on losing my RCI points status if I change my mind in 3 years --- or if we end up with a new management company.
So if you are having trouble getting hold of someone, perhaps try the email address resv@holidayinnclub.com.
Lesley
 

roadtriper

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All in all I've been happy with RCI Points.
As posted before I had a similar unsatisfactory conversation with a salesperson who wanted to sell it to me and would tell me whatever I wanted to hear, and when I called back ended up with a rep that was angry/bored with helping people and really didn't have any information to help me with my questions. :shrug:
I then spoke to someone in customer service because I wanted the information documented in an email (since the info seemed to change with each person I spoke to). Her name was Norene and she said I could email to resv@holidayinnclub.com and ask questions that I wanted answered via email.
Because we have a Points timeshare I am not going to switch to HIVC. I do see some of the advantages partifularly with the priority club being able to use for hotels ... but I'm just not willing to take a chance on losing my RCI points status if I change my mind in 3 years --- or if we end up with a new management company.
So if you are having trouble getting hold of someone, perhaps try the email address resv@holidayinnclub.com.
Lesley

Just. an FYI for our friends NORTH of the Border... It was mentioned by one of the Board members who is Canadian. that any paperwork has to be done on Paper and cannot be done electronicaly as it has to be Notarized. so if you are in the Canadian Provences. you need to request the paperwork be sent through the mail. RT
 

elim12345

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Waiting for my HICV Membership Paperwork

I was expecting an email after paying my $204 to join. Called back today about the email and HICV said it could take up to 5 business days to get membership email. Since I paid already, the June 30th deadline no longer applies.

Would have been nice if they would of told me that the email would not be coming right away and it could take 3 to 5 business days. I have no idea why it would take so long, just to get an email out.

I suspect the HICV customer service (maybe not customer service, but someone who will answer questions) is very "hit and miss". Sometimes you talk to somebody who is helpful (knows what they are talking about), helpful (but doesn't know what they are talking about or exclude important details) or maybe just impatient.
 

andex

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Just. an FYI for our friends NORTH of the Border... It was mentioned by one of the Board members who is Canadian. that any paperwork has to be done on Paper and cannot be done electronicaly as it has to be Notarized. so if you are in the Canadian Provences. you need to request the paperwork be sent through the mail. RT
they did mine and got my name all wrong? wonder if it is even legal?
 

Sandy

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another question if you own multiple weeks/points

Has anyone who owns more than one week or points package discussed what would happen if you only put some of the inventory into HIVC? If you keep the rest out, as your test run, and decide you like it, can you deposit the other in the future without cost?
Also, if you don't like it, then you still have your other weeks which were unaffected.

any thoughts?
sandy
 

fluxmn

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Has anyone who owns more than one week or points package discussed what would happen if you only put some of the inventory into HIVC? If you keep the rest out, as your test run, and decide you like it, can you deposit the other in the future without cost?
Also, if you don't like it, then you still have your other weeks which were unaffected.

any thoughts?
sandy

I asked about that when I called last week and they told me that the only way to get existing units in to the club after June 30th was to make a developer purchase otherwise I would do that myself.

Ed
 

jackio

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I was expecting an email after paying my $204 to join. Called back today about the email and HICV said it could take up to 5 business days to get membership email. Since I paid already, the June 30th deadline no longer applies.

Would have been nice if they would of told me that the email would not be coming right away and it could take 3 to 5 business days. I have no idea why it would take so long, just to get an email out.

I suspect the HICV customer service (maybe not customer service, but someone who will answer questions) is very "hit and miss". Sometimes you talk to somebody who is helpful (knows what they are talking about), helpful (but doesn't know what they are talking about or exclude important details) or maybe just impatient.

I got the welcome e-mail in a few hours. My friend got hers in a few minutes. The printed material, however, took weeks to come.
 

M&JJ

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Just. an FYI for our friends NORTH of the Border... It was mentioned by one of the Board members who is Canadian. that any paperwork has to be done on Paper and cannot be done electronicaly as it has to be Notarized. so if you are in the Canadian Provences. you need to request the paperwork be sent through the mail. RT

I signed up about a month ago and there was never anything mentioned nor any issues since relating to my wife and I electronically signing the documents.
 

roadtriper

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I signed up about a month ago and there was never anything mentioned nor any issues since relating to my wife and I electronically signing the documents.

Hmmm, Maybe I got wrong information? if they didn't require it I guess it's a NON issue RT
 

eschjw

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Tired of HIVC Automated Calls

After months of study and several calls to HIVC, I decided not to join the Club. I own a single low value traditional week at this resort and have been pleased with my cheap trades with DAE. I understand how other owners might find enough additional value to join the Club at this time, but I did not. Even though I made my decision very clear to them, I have received automated calls from them at 8:45AM the last few days. July 1st can not come soon enough for me.

RCI points owners, who are happy with their current membership, should be aware that they can never go back once they make this change. I do hope that the new management agreement with Orange Lake works out well for us all.
 

Sandy

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So let me get this straight

If I do NOT join, we are no longer affiliated with Summber Bay (which has disappeared in LV - but not in Orlando), right? So I lose the ability to trade into the Houses at Summer Bay through RCI which I could do and avoid the 1 in 4 year rule? We are SB no more, right? We are now and forever Holiday Inn at Desert Club?

We would just continue to pay fees to HI club for our former-SB units?

We can just keep our RCI points accound and do the best we can?

Sorry, this may have been answered before, but there is so much to read, and I cam to this discussion a bit late.:confused:
sandy
 

Sandy

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OK - got my Q answered

And a few more. Just off the phone with a rep who was very knowledgable and helpful. No rushing, answered all questions I had.

Here is new info I learned (and certainly want to confirm if anyone has contrary info):

1. You can use unlimited points for cruises and flights, not limited as RCI is limited.
2. Value is about $10 = 1000 points approximately. NEW info to me. true?
3. Add family members' names to account so that you can sell or transfer them into HIVC if you want at a future time. NEW info to me.
4. 21 days to review paperwork after joining. You can cancel by not signing the contract - get refund. NEW info to me.
5. Points go in January, but my contract with SB and RCI puts points in September 1st. So it seems I have a bit of a lag timel

That's mostly all new info to me. Any thoughts? Also, I was on hold a LOOOOONNNNNG time before getting someone, given the deadline tomorrow. I did join.

sandy
 

roadtriper

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If I do NOT join, we are no longer affiliated with Summber Bay (which has disappeared in LV - but not in Orlando), right? So I lose the ability to trade into the Houses at Summer Bay through RCI which I could do and avoid the 1 in 4 year rule? We are SB no more, right? We are now and forever Holiday Inn at Desert Club?

We would just continue to pay fees to HI club for our former-SB units?

We can just keep our RCI points accound and do the best we can?

Sorry, this may have been answered before, but there is so much to read, and I cam to this discussion a bit late.:confused:
sandy

The las Vegas Desert Club now known as "Holiday Inn Vacation Desert Club" does not have any affiliation with Summer Bay Resorts since June of 2011 when Summer Bay sold all their interest in the Desert Club and Marco Island properties to Orange lake/ Holiday Inn Vacation Club etc.
I'm sure you can still exchange into The Houses at Summer bay through RCI, but you have no advantage or priviliges over any other RCI exchange.
RT
 
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Sandy

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Thanks - that is what I expected. We have lost the SB affiliation regardless of whether we join HIVC or not. That ship has sailed.

So, my Houses at Summer bay will remain a fond memory....at least as I tried to avoid the 1 in 4 rule for the houses...
 
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