Blue Ridge Village, Banner Elk, NC, no longer Festiva. Got an email today:

[Panina]

Have the foliage started to changes colors.

Wish it did for my trip but no.

 

[Sandy VDH]

I'm heading north to Canada after my stay here, so eventually I will get the colors. They have started to change at the higher elevations, around Grandfather Mountain, but farther down the slopes the colors have yet to turn.

 

[rickandcindy23]

The older, original units have been renovated. We paid a fee to get the reno completed, and another TUG member told me the reno is as good as anything Marriott does. That was about five years ago. Our unit sleeps 7 and has a loft. I think it's building 25. I will have to look it up.

I was trying to pay MF's for BRV and the link to pay no longer worked. I guess Festiva shut off the link to pay fees for the transition.

People who bought Festiva got taken. Those points are not worth the paper they are written on. If other resorts just come in and take over, and that was your desire to stay at that particular resort, you have nothing at all for your purchase.

 

[DRIless]

I heard that Bluegreen bought Festiva, but have not seen the press release.

 

[DRIless]

People who bought Festiva got taken. Those points are not worth the paper they are written on. If other resorts just come in and take over, and that was your desire to stay at that particular resort, you have nothing at all for your purchase.

I would hope that this was not true. It is always interesting when groups get bought out Like when Diamond Resorts bought Monarch and ILX, how they handle the usage and how that push outright conversions of legacy owners. It's very sad when they use scare tactics to get you to pay to change over completely. My last "update" with DRI they tried to scare me to convert my deeds to The Trust. "What if one of the resorts where you own fell out of The Club, you'd be out of luck." So, he wanted me to pay DOUBLE the maintenance to be in The Trust with the same number of points I get for my deeds. I told him that he couldn't scare me that much.

 

[nuwermj]

I heard that Bluegreen bought Festiva, but have not seen the press release.

I have been wondering if Festiva is an acquisition target. Selling their rights at Blue Ridge Village suggests they may need the capital and can't get it out of internal revenue. But I'm skeptical that Bluegreen is the buyer. First, there would have been no point in buying Blue Ridge Village separately. Second, there is way to much overlap in the locations (unless Bluegreen plans to run the two clubs independently). Bluegreen would be better off looking for something in the west (something like Raintree), which complements their current location portfolio. The sales division would go wild selling conversions into such a merged system. But this is all just a bit of weekend speculation.

 

[Panina]

I heard that Bluegreen bought Festiva, but have not seen the press release.

I think that would be good for Festiva owners. Look what happened to owners who purchased Festiva points because they wanted to use their points at Blue Ridge, it will no longer be part of Festiva. Not sure how they could merge as with bluegreen you have actual units attached to ownership.

 

[Glynda]

I heard that Bluegreen bought Festiva, but have not seen the press release.

Inventory for reservations at Blue Ridge Village is on the BG website now. It is listed as a Club Resort. It has three seasons, Red, White and Blue. Red season falls over weeks 17-42, 50-53. White weeks are 12-16, 43-44. And Blue weeks are: 1-11, 45-49. A one-bedroom villa or loft is 10,000 points in red season. A two-bedroom villa or loft is 12,000 points in red season. A three-bedroom villa is 16,000 points and a four-bedroom is 24,000 points in red season.

They told me at my BG review Friday that they are now selling points for $4.00 per point!!!! Crazy if you ask me. You can purchase resale on eBay for the cost of a transfer fee, $450! The more desirable underlying unit/date/resort deeds might go up to $1,500. There are many other places to buy BG resale as well. Bluegreen does have first right of refusal but doesn't seem to exercise it often now except for ultra high-red weeks at its most desirable resorts, one being Big Cedar in Branson. If you want "qualified points" in order to have bonus time at all BG resorts or to build to "metal status" for other perks of high level points ownership, you can purchase them from the only BG certified reseller, Pinnacle Vacations, for around, I think, $1.50 a point. No difference in what you get! "Qualified" is qualified. However, if you want to buy any points in BG you should know what resorts they have and how many points are required for the size unit and season you would use most. The points I just mentioned for Blue Ridge Village red season are really not very high for Bluegreen overall. The highest points required for a 2-bedroom ultra high-red season (The Cliffs at Long Creek near Branson) are 56,000 points for a two-bedroom presidential! I am guessing that the range for a 2-bedroom ultra high-red/red season is 9,000 points to that 56,000 mentioned above.

Bluegreen has some very nice resorts. Not Marriott but some are close. Others are just so so. The new resorts that they have been acquiring have been higher end for the most part and the points table has climbed higher and higher. We have owned 10,000 developer purchased BG points for 16 years. I learned quickly that this is not enough points for a full week two-bedroom unit at most places I would like to go in high red season. 10,000 points is studio or 1 bedroom level for many though. 30,000 points would take care of my family's needs. But we have never bought more points because honestly, we can rent for the cost of the additional maintenance fees. Still, we've managed to take a full week's vacation every year either through BG or RCI and I like our Bluegreen!

 

[Adam Reynolds]

As of September 1, 2017, Festiva Development Group has sold the development rights, management and the resort property of Blue Ridge Village to Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, Inc. As a result, Patton Hospitality Management (PHM) will no longer be the property management company for the resort. As the management transitions, you will be hearing from Bluegreen directly regarding updated contact information for owner services and other aspects of your ownership. It has been a pleasure serving owners and guests at Blue Ridge Village over the last 10 years, and we are certain that Bluegreen's experience and expertise in the industry will ensure a smooth transition and positive future for the property and all of its owners and staff. We wish you many happy vacations at Blue Ridge Village or anywhere you choose travel in the years to come.

Patton Hospitality Member Services

As Festiva AC members, we learned of the sale when we arrived this week and they tried to stick us in a crappy unit on the backside of the pond. The sofa was ratty, the telephones did not work, and the fireplace could not be operated. The girl at the front desk worked it out and got us in a nice 2BR which is what we booked 2 years ago. We are deeply saddened that Festiva owners will no longer be able to book here after 3 years. We are even more upset that the inventory for Festiva owners is now limited to the dilapidated rooms.

 

[Panina]

As Festiva AC members, we learned of the sale when we arrived this week and they tried to stick us in a crappy unit on the backside of the pond. The sofa was ratty, the telephones did not work, and the fireplace could not be operated. The girl at the front desk worked it out and got us in a nice 2BR which is what we booked 2 years ago. We are deeply saddened that Festiva owners will no longer be able to book here after 3 years. We are even more upset that the inventory for Festiva owners is now limited to the dilapidated rooms.

Which building was the crappy unit in? So sorry what happened to you with Festival. I know a I would be extremely upset if I purchased from them because of Blue Ridge.

 

[pedro47]

I heard that Bluegreen have some very nice resorts in Charleston, SC.

 

[carl2591]

We stayed in BRV some years ago and like the place.. I was older but in good shape and close to Sugar and Beech was down the road as well.. The locations has a nice food lion store adn the town of Banner Elk is not far.. I broke my leg skiing at Sugar, in 1968 or so and was taken to the then Banner Elk hospital, which has been closed for years. My aunt was with us and being from Minn, found a frozen pond in front of hospital and skated on it while my mom and me were in the ER getting a cast on my leg. (fond memories of the area.)

So when we traded into BRV on 2007, i was thinking this would be a great place to own.. I did not act on that but keep up with the place looking for a deal and then found out Festiva was going to be taking over the place i decided it was not a place I wanted ot own after reading about Festiva taking over other locations and what happened..

Now I am pleased to hear they are leaving and Bluegreen will be taking over the resort.. While they are not the best the are certainly not the worst like wastegate, diamond or festiva so i have read.

 

[Sandy VDH]

While they are not the best the are certainly not the worst like wastegate, diamond or festiva so i have read.

I'd have to agree that these three on my bottom 3 system list, mainly for the practices and not necessarily their resorts.

 

[Panina]

From my participation in other groups Bluegreen seems ok. I love Blue Ridge and am happy now I have a fixed week. With Bluegreen I took my chance.

 

[DRIless]

Now I am pleased to hear they are leaving and Bluegreen will be taking over the resort.. While they are not the best the are certainly not the worst like wastegate, diamond or festiva so i have read.

From my participation in other groups Bluegreen seems ok. I love Blue Ridge and am happy now I have a fixed week. With Bluegreen I took my chance.

Bluegreen is just about the most straightforward and transparent developer and my understanding is that they bought Festiva.

 

[Panina]

Bluegreen is just about the most straightforward and transparent developer and my understanding is that they bought Festiva.

All of Festiva?

 

[DRIless]

All of Festiva?

yes

 

[Panina]

yes

Where did you hear that? The feedback I have read is Festiva owners were notified they can use Blue Ridge for a few years and then it’s not part of the Festiva system.

 

[nuwermj]

... my understanding is that they [Bluegreen] bought Festiva.

This cannot be. Bluegreen is now a publicly traded company. Any acquisition deal would have to be publicly disclosed in accordance with SEC rule.