Bethel Inn no longer an RCI Member? No longer a timeshare property?

[rjpdld4]

I just searched RCI for exchange vacations in Maine and see that the Bethel Inn & Resort no longer comes up as an option. Does anyone have any recent news on this?

I know that Giri Hotel Management purchased the hotel last December. (See the Sun Journal article located here for more details.) I stayed there using RCI points this past July. Are current owners being bought out? Are available weeks still being sold? (I can say from having stayed there multiple times in the past two years, each time except this past July, I was given a listing of available weeks for sale each time I checked in.)

 

[missyrcrews]

It is still in the RCI weeks resort directory...I just searched and found it. I haven't seen any availability in quite some time. I have stayed there several times over the years. Dated, but I love the space in the townhouse units. I'm going to Bethel in October with my daughter. We're staying at a B and B just down the street from the Inn. I'll have to investigate further.

 

[HikerBiker]

It is still in the RCI weeks resort directory...I just searched and found it. I haven't seen any availability in quite some time. I have stayed there several times over the years. Dated, but I love the space in the townhouse units. I'm going to Bethel in October with my daughter. We're staying at a B and B just down the street from the Inn. I'll have to investigate further.

For 17 years, we lived about 10 miles from the Inn and often cross country skied there. Friends did a timeshare exchange there a couple of months ago (exchange completed in fall). This was their 2nd/3rd exchange there and really liked the golf course. Their understanding is the golf course will now be used to build condos on. They were very disappointed to hear this as are we.

 

[sofreemac]

I just searched RCI for exchange vacations in Maine and see that the Bethel Inn & Resort no longer comes up as an option. Does anyone have any recent news on this?

I know that Giri Hotel Management purchased the hotel last December. (See the Sun Journal article located here for more details.) I stayed there using RCI points this past July. Are current owners being bought out? Are available weeks still being sold? (I can say from having stayed there multiple times in the past two years, each time except this past July, I was given a listing of available weeks for sale each time I checked in.)

We live in Freeport, Maine, and own two weeks at Bethel Inn and Resort (Giri Hotels?) (weeks 12 and 16, Fairway, Millbrook) and belong to RCI as Platinum. We pretty much exclusively use our two weeks at the Bethel Inn in the Winter, via RCI, to enjoy time away from home XC skiing and snowshoeing. We love the quiet, unruffled, beautiful wintery scenery. We are now concerned about what this change means! We received a letter today from the Bethel Resort, recemntly bought out by Giri Hotels, saying they've dropped RCI (it was the Millbrook unit, we didn't get [yet] a letter about Fairway). I texted RCI "chat" tonite and they stated that resort #4026 (Bethel) is in the catalog. But I can't find it listed at RCI online. So, very concerned about what this means for: 1. Staying at Bethel using our two weeks back to back, 2. RCI future sharing if we want to elsewhere, 3. Fees we've paid to RCI potentially rendered moot if our units are "unshareable", and 4. Potential saleability of these units if not shareable. I think we Bethel Inn Timeshare Owners need to do some research! I am calling RCI as well as Bethel Inn's Timeshare Office Monday.

Are there any other Bethel Owners out there on this site? Thoughts? Info?

Mark C

 

[Carolinian]

Who controls the timeshare HOA? If it is the developer, you need to get owners geared up to take over. In these situations, you clearly need a member controlled HOA.

Some examples from my neck of the woods:

First Flight Builders developed four timeshare resorts on the NC Outer Banks, and the developer stayed in control of the HOAs of all of them as well as management of all of them. Members at Dunes South got control of their HOA and dismissed First Flight as their manager, which led to a lawsuit that the HOA won at every stage all the way up to the state supreme court. Ocean Villas II owners then got control of their HOA and sued First Flight, which surrendered in a settlement. The token member-oriented board member at Ocean Villas then started rattling the cage, and First Flight bailed out of that one without a fight.

You also need to find out how proactive your state Real Estate Commission is on timeshare controversies. Another Outer Banks resort, where the developer more out its welcome was Bodie Island Beach Club, and there Blackwell Brogden, the timeshare guy at the NC Real Estate Commission got actively involved, and informed the developer that he was going to initiate a proceeding against the developer's real estate license if he did not relinquish HOA control and management of the resort to the members. The developer quickly caved.

 

[SimonUK]

Who controls the timeshare HOA? If it is the developer, you need to get owners geared up to take over. In these situations, you clearly need a member controlled HOA.

Some examples from my neck of the woods:

First Flight Builders developed four timeshare resorts on the NC Outer Banks, and the developer stayed in control of the HOAs of all of them as well as management of all of them. Members at Dunes South got control of their HOA and dismissed First Flight as their manager, which led to a lawsuit that the HOA won at every stage all the way up to the state supreme court. Ocean Villas II owners then got control of their HOA and sued First Flight, which surrendered in a settlement. The token member-oriented board member at Ocean Villas then started rattling the cage, and First Flight bailed out of that one without a fight.

You also need to find out how proactive your state Real Estate Commission is on timeshare controversies. Another Outer Banks resort, where the developer more out its welcome was Bodie Island Beach Club, and there Blackwell Brogden, the timeshare guy at the NC Real Estate Commission got actively involved, and informed the developer that he was going to initiate a proceeding against the developer's real estate license if he did not relinquish HOA control and management of the resort to the members. The developer quickly caved.

Absolutely agree with everything here. Letter sent out by Giri dated 1st November stating Bethel de-affiliated to RCI. That is a clear first step to trying to take owners weeks without paying for them in my opinion. It has already devalued everyones weeks. If it was an issue with RCI they could have affiliated with Interval. No consultation appears to have taken place. Disgusting.

 

[207Dawn]

I just searched RCI for exchange vacations in Maine and see that the Bethel Inn & Resort no longer comes up as an option. Does anyone have any recent news on this?

I know that Giri Hotel Management purchased the hotel last December. (See the Sun Journal article located here for more details.) I stayed there using RCI points this past July. Are current owners being bought out? Are available weeks still being sold? (I can say from having stayed there multiple times in the past two years, each time except this past July, I was given a listing of available weeks for sale each time I checked in.)

I also received a letter with my annual timeshare maintenance fees. Indicating Giri Hotels purchased the Inn . Indicating they are no longer apart of the RCI program. Then offering the the Timeshare giveback program. First our timeshare fees are now up to $1035 and I see no representation for timeshare owners. Where did it go. I feel we are getting railroaded here and pushed out. I have owned my unit since 1989. Where is our say in any of this? Seems to me that we need to come together and see what our rights are in this situation. I live in Norway Maine and have the week of the 4th of July and have always enjoyed our week. Anyone else have these concerns?
Dawn

 

[SimonUK]

I also received a letter with my annual timeshare maintenance fees. Indicating Giri Hotels purchased the Inn . Indicating they are no longer apart of the RCI program. Then offering the the Timeshare giveback program. First our timeshare fees are now up to $1035 and I see no representation for timeshare owners. Where did it go. I feel we are getting railroaded here and pushed out. I have owned my unit since 1989. Where is our say in any of this? Seems to me that we need to come together and see what our rights are in this situation. I live in Norway Maine and have the week of the 4th of July and have always enjoyed our week. Anyone else have these concerns?
Dawn

Is there still a Fairway Townhouses Association. There is a website but no apparent contacts details. It looks luke a work in progess. You all need to complain to the resort and advise any other owners. There may be legal avenues open to pursue. If there is no pushback Giri will make it impossible to continue ownership.