7-Night Minimum at Frenchman's Cove

[infamazz]

Hi All,

I've been searching for the past month for 5-night availability next May at Frenchman's Cove using DP and consistently received zero results. I finally called Owner Services and found that Frenchman's Cove actually has a 7-Night minimum right now - the Owner's Services rep was very surprised. He said he doesn't see this very often and doesn't know why it's on there.

Anybody have insight into why FC took this step and are restricting reservations in this way? We've stayed there twice on 4-night trips, but 7 nights would not be possible.

 

[Dean]

Hi All,

I've been searching for the past month for 5-night availability next May at Frenchman's Cove using DP and consistently received zero results. I finally called Owner Services and found that Frenchman's Cove actually has a 7-Night minimum right now - the Owner's Services rep was very surprised. He said he doesn't see this very often and doesn't know why it's on there.

Anybody have insight into why FC took this step and are restricting reservations in this way? We've stayed there twice on 4-night trips, but 7 nights would not be possible.

I can't speak for FC but I think it's become quite common during busier times to restrict points reservations to the underlying week esp early in the process. I've seen it at quite a number of resorts including HHI & HI. I really haven't looked much at other options in this regard. I think the reasons are to simplify resort management, cleaning and to avoid orphaned nights. From a system standpoint too much fragmentation guarantees more points than nights in many situations. I don't recall seeing anyone who booked under this restriction then were able to reduced the reservation later but it's worth a try.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I've actually never encountered this at any MVCI we have stayed at (maybe half of them). Maybe virus stuff? Or, as Dean said.

 

[Dean]

I've actually never encountered this at any MVCI we have stayed at (maybe half of them). Maybe virus stuff? Or, as Dean said.

There was quite a discussion on this subject on a couple of thread's last year. I've seen it at several resorts and never seen a good explanation as to how/who decides. Sometimes it comes and goes as well.

 

[Dean]

The other thing I've seen at times is a 5 night requirement.

 

[griffer1278]

One other thing to consider is owner level. I'm select and I can' only book a ressy less than 7 days at the 10 month date using points.

 

[hcarman]

I am glad I found this thread as I just had a similar experience and was going to see if anyone knew anything of this. I am presidential with MVCI so am able to book out 13 months - for stays less than a week. We don’t use this benefit much but I have done it from time to time for holiday or peak travel times. Never had an issue. We own at Crystal Shores and normally go for a week; however, next year we only wanted to go for the long weekend of July 4th. When I tried to book it said no availability - but if I selected 7 days it was available? I have never seen this happen as we booked just two nights over the holiday for a friend this year - and we booked it a year out - no problem. Nowhere that I can find does it say the specific weeks that resorts are now restricting to one week stays. And the agent wasn’t helpful - just said they can do it whenever they want. This points program is of course sold as being more flexible to an owner - when they can’t take a whole week off. And the nice part about higher MVCI levels is being able to secure for less than a week during peak times.
Where will this end? Will more and more resorts start restricting over holidays so owners will be back to having to always stay a week. Or will they have to buy more points to cover week stays instead? And shouldn’t this be clearly stated when trying to make a reservation that there are minimum stay restrictions? Like hotels do. Sounds like the original poster had no idea this was the problem either - you just assume they are booked. My Marriott advisor flat out told me they were booked. I had to tell her to plug in 7 nights and she would see otherwise. So they don’t even know, and she had to suggest a supervisor.

 

[hcarman]

One other thing, I have been aware of resorts charging more points to stay for just a holiday weekend to discourage the shorter stays and help with orphan days - so it wasn’t a great deal for the owner. But many have no choice and pay the extra points for the convenience. Crystal Shores did this. But now it seems they are taking it a step further by eliminating less than a week for early booking - which essentially removes the benefit of being able to book early and choose view type.

 

[GregT]

That’s interesting — a 7 day stay is definitely longer than I’ve seen. We were required to book four nights for Summit Watch across Martin Luther King weekend, and couldn’t book our desired three night stay. So we ate the Thursday night.

I hope this doesn’t become the norm....interesting stuff...

Best,

Greg

 

[hcarman]

What is also interesting is that it is seemingly so hush, hush. I can find no place under the owners resources tab or under the resort itself where it states this policy and what weeks fall under the minimum of a week booking requirements. I imagine sales doesn’t want it being advertised as it goes against the flexibility of using points and one of the perks of being in MVCI’s higher tiers - booking stays of less than a week at 13 months out.

 

[Dean]

What is also interesting is that it is seemingly so hush, hush. I can find no place under the owners resources tab or under the resort itself where it states this policy and what weeks fall under the minimum of a week booking requirements. I imagine sales doesn’t want it being advertised as it goes against the flexibility of using points and one of the perks of being in MVCI’s higher tiers - booking stays of less than a week at 13 months out.

I don't think you'll find anything. From what I gathered last year on such discussions it's per each resort and even then it's hit or miss. If you're looking for authority what you'll find is that they have 100% control over reservations unilaterally which is sufficient power for this issue.

 

[hcarman]

I don't think you'll find anything. From what I gathered last year on such discussions it's per each resort and even then it's hit or miss. If you're looking for authority what you'll find is that they have 100% control over reservations unilaterally which is sufficient power for this issue.

I am not surprised but very deceptive. Especially since many MVCI owners have learned they have to plan ahead when booking at peak times - only to find they can’t.

 

[Dean]

I am not surprised but very deceptive. Especially since many MVCI owners have learned they have to plan ahead when booking at peak times - only to find they can’t.

There is another side to this issue as shorter or off schedule stays do have an impact on overall availability.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I am out of town and cannot look, but I thought in the dc docs it specifically said around some holidays, they can impose longer minimum stays. As I do not go during busy times, I never encounter this issue. But I do recall reading this from mvci, somewhere.

In a previous 5 page discussion and thread, JimInNc found some of the wording.

 

[MICROZE]

I have always seen this for Ritz, St. Thomas.
They have never permitted less than 3-Night bookings and it is also documented in the Points-Guide.

 

[hcarman]

Well I did some further checking and discovered that it is not just the 4th of July weekend that requires a minimum of 7 days - it is the whole month of June as well. I didn't go any further than that. There is availability every single day in June of 2021 - but only for a 7 day stay or longer. That is not even peak season at the property - I know because I own this season and it is Gold - not Platinum. It seems as thought there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on. I have to wonder if it has to do with the number of points in holding accounts that are out there for 2020 and 2021? They are not releasing inventory as they normally would. Again, honesty is the best policy so people know up front. Many vacation club properties have revised inventory for the upcoming years but have let the owners know of the changes.

 

[infamazz]

Well I did some further checking and discovered that it is not just the 4th of July weekend that requires a minimum of 7 days - it is the whole month of June as well. I didn't go any further than that. There is availability every single day in June of 2021 - but only for a 7 day stay or longer. That is not even peak season at the property - I know because I own this season and it is Gold - not Platinum. It seems as thought there is a lot of behind the scenes stuff going on. I have to wonder if it has to do with the number of points in holding accounts that are out there for 2020 and 2021? They are not releasing inventory as they normally would. Again, honesty is the best policy so people know up front. Many vacation club properties have revised inventory for the upcoming years but have let the owners know of the changes.

I just checked Aruba Surf Club as well for April and May next year - same thing. Only 7-night availability. Is this a way they intend to soak up excess points over the next year or two due to all of the COVID cancellations? Maybe they think people will just eat the extra 2 or 3 nights if they can only stay for 4 nights, but are forced to book 7.

 

[hcarman]

I was on the phone with owner services for over an hour as they tried to figure out what was going on. They had never seen such large blocks of time subject to 7 day minimum requirements. And there was inventory in all room types. May was only allowing 7 days as well. First they thought it was a glitch but the supervisor could not make it work and had me call corporate. They are now investigating. Everyone seemed perplexed as flexibility is one of their selling points - as is booking 12-13 months out. It appeared as though any reservation at Crystal Shores more than 10 months out was subject to this - so no early booking. I am wondering if they are trying to keep more inventory open for points in holding account - but that is only 120 days out? Who knows. Wonder if it is across the boards at all resorts? We did use points for April 2021 for less than a week to complement our Easter owners week stay - and I booked that at 12 months out - so must be a new thing or only at select resorts?

 

[DanCali]

Seems to me like a workaround wouldbe to book the 7 nights and then cancel the nights you don't need and get the points back. But then of couse you need to havethe points to book the 7 nights, which may not work for all.