I assume. I had HK credits left, so it was just charging me one of my existing ones when I did the mock booking.
Step 2 is the traveler - step three is the payment step. This is readily apparent given each step is numbered:
I haven't tried it yet but am a hybrid VIPG with unlimited HK. The website doesn't restrict me to searching for availability based on the number of points I have available anyway - it just requires me to select either developer or resale as the type of points I would be using. If you think about it, within 14 days of check in will always be within the express reservation window when you can borrow points from a future year anyway, which makes it a more complicated question. In any case, it would be the selection of developer points to accomplish the search that would make the results eligible for VIP benefits for me, no doubt including the unlimited housekeeping.
I'm resale and I always have more HK credits than I need. This is probably because we tend to book weeklong+ stays in 2 bedroom units, but I bet there are others like me that will find utility in this. Honestly, this is pretty exciting for my wife and I. In the northeast there appear to be a bunch of resorts (ie: shawnee in the poconos, Skyline tower in AC, etc) that are drivable for me, and frequently have weekend availability, that this will open up as a cheap last minute weekend getaway with the cost at $5 per thousand points.
How is Shawnee in the Poconos anyway? Anyway - I kind of look for week long trips, but maybe weekends could work.
I have no idea, and honestly never would have considered it, but for $182.50 all-in for a Friday- Sunday in a 2 bedroom, we're going to give it a shot (It's about a 2 hour drive from where I live).
If you have to pay the $175 for the housekeeping credit, it brings it to $9.54 per 1000. Still below the $12 per 1000 you can buy points for now but higher than the average maintenance fees.
We are at either Wyndham Shawnee, OTA, or National Harbor at least 12 times a year (once a month) for weekend getaways. We're at Wyndham Shawnee more frequently than either OTA or National Harbor because we enjoy the Pocono mountains in the fall and spring especially - great hiking weather and we don't need a ton of activities around us to have a good time - though there's no shortage of outdoor activities in the Poconos. We were just at Wyndham Shawnee last weekend - in a Worldmark Depuy King unit (older). We will be back the weekend of 11/8 and again the weekend of 12/6 - both in Crestview.
Cool - I'm trying to balance "great value week" with "want to actually stay there". I've had great success till my Villa Roma stay this week (see my review on TUG2 and post on the Eastern Timesharing Forum) where for the first time I kind of question if the II getaway price was worth the money. It sounds like the cheaper older units may be like Villa Roma, kind of marginal for me, but Crestview would be worth it. I am surprised the Worldmark units are "lower end" - I guess I really can't go by the "vibe" on "brand standards" from TUG (Learned it with Villa Roma for "II being higher end resorts than RCI" that's for sure lol). If I do end up trying to book something either Wyndham or RCI for Poconos I'll hopefully remember this post with the decoder guide!
Someone correct me if I am wrong but even in 14 cancelation window you have exactly 24 hrs to cancel(and it is to the minute) for you cancel and get points back. But this gives you time to look at flights, hook up with friend, work arrangements but again exactly 24 hrs!!!!
Which unit do you have reserved for Shawnee? Crestview units are higher on points (but worth it IMHO). IIRC Worldmark owns units at all of the sections just like Club Wyndham, so they also have Crestview units but I seldom see them pop up as available via Club Pass - which isn't surprising really since those units always go first and are generally in highest demand. For resorts like Shawnee where Wyndham manages the older units but didn't build them and must honor the existing timeshare bylaws - there's not much they can do to improve the units and in areas like the Poconos that are kinda "the land that time forgot" type areas that aren't nearly as popular nowadays, I doubt Wyndham would make the investments needed even if they could since the ROI just isn't there.
None right now - just been seeing them pop up in RCI Last Calls a lot, and now I bothered to look with the Bonus Time in my Wyndham page. I wondered all the different places that maybe were the same place - you've helped clarify that in ways the RCI site certainly didn't. I was just thinking - I might try and go there sometime cause it's close to me. Too bad about the Poconos - seems similar to the Catskills - people just have little reason to come here, and the investment to make the resorts themselves more attractive probably doesn't have an ROI like you said.
It’s going to depend on the number of points in the reservation. The more points the reservation is the lower your average cost per thousand points is going to be. Paying an extra $175 for, for example a weeklong stay in a 2 bedroom unit at a points heavy resort may result in you still not paying too much more than the $5 per thousand points.
got it. You bring up a good point. I was just referring to that example.
This is fine for resale owners as well. I’m sure many are like me and have excess HK credits but even without HK credits it is still a good deal for longer stays. I’m confident you’re right and they will make changes but those changes will probably be raising the price.
I agree with you. It is a good deal for resale owners. But it is a really really good deal for VIP owners and I assume that will make some resale owners upset.
What a weird assumption to make. VIP owners paid a crapton for their status and they deserve the benefits. As a resale owner, this is a good deal for me so why should I care if it’s a better deal for VIPs? Of course it is. I get what I paid for; they get what they paid for.
Now this is an area where I could see this being abused, however it’s probably not that easy to find a renter for something within 14 days that you’re laying out cash to book, so then again, maybe not.
Agreed. I don’t see any resale owners complaining about this.