Booking Question / Odditity?

[Nomad1a]

So I am trying to book Ko Olina for next March(2027 2 or 3 bedroom) for 7 nights, but they have been pretty slow at releasing inventory( or it’s getting grabbed before I get up in the AM.)

Here is what is weird to me and if someone knows the reason I would love some enlightenment! When I search for 7 nights there is no inventory, however if I search for 10 nights there is a bunch of 2-bedroom ocean view inventory on the dates I want. Does anyone know why this is? It seems weird that those same dates aren’t available for less nights.

I have seen this before and called to try booking directly on the phone. The person helping me saw the same thing when she looked it up and wasn’t able to tell me the reason for it. She was not able to book me the lesser amounts of dates either.

UPDATE: So I called and spoke with a advisor (not sure what they’re called) he booked the 10 night and then spoke to the “modifications team” and was able to change it to a 7 night. He believes it is a glitch and says he reported it to their tech people.

On a side note, I have called and tried to reduce nights on a booking before but was told by the person I spoke with that they don’t do this. He said they can only cancel the reservation and rebook it with the new dates. I guess it just depends on who you talk with?

 

[Dean]

So I am trying to book Ko Olina for next March(2027 2 or 3 bedroom) for 7 nights, but they have been pretty slow at releasing inventory( or it’s getting grabbed before I get up in the AM.)

Here is what is weird to me and if someone knows the reason I would love some enlightenment! When I search for 7 nights there is no inventory, however if I search for 10 nights there is a bunch of 2-bedroom ocean view inventory on the dates I want. Does anyone know why this is? It seems weird that those same dates aren’t available for less nights.

I have seen this before and called to try booking directly on the phone. The person helping me saw the same thing when she looked it up and wasn’t able to tell me the reason for it. She was not able to book me the lesser amounts of dates either.

We've seen this before. Book the 10 nights and have them shorten it later if you have enough points to do so. It's likely a glitch rather than planned.

 

[davidvel]

So I am trying to book Ko Olina for next March(2027 2 or 3 bedroom) for 7 nights, but they have been pretty slow at releasing inventory( or it’s getting grabbed before I get up in the AM.)

Here is what is weird to me and if someone knows the reason I would love some enlightenment! When I search for 7 nights there is no inventory, however if I search for 10 nights there is a bunch of 2-bedroom ocean view inventory on the dates I want. Does anyone know why this is? It seems weird that those same dates aren’t available for less nights.

I have seen this before and called to try booking directly on the phone. The person helping me saw the same thing when she looked it up and wasn’t able to tell me the reason for it. She was not able to book me the lesser amounts of dates either.

My vote is for 10 days, but it is not my money.

 

[Dean]

My vote is for 10 days, but it is not my money.

10 days minimizing weekends would be the cheapest though a little more difficult if trying to fit in with another island or for working folks.

I have changed my opinion and feel it was like likely purposeful. I was thinking that they may have been trying to block off reservations in general due to higher demand time like Easter and only ran it up to 9 days, basically they likely got lazy.. Studios are wide open so like this was purposeful so maybe trying to drive people to the studios at this point.

 

[DanCali]

I've started to see these "games" with Vistana reservations (on the Vistana booking platform). 6 nights doesn't work but 7 nights does... No official announcement from MVC or anything.

 

[daviator]

I’m guessing they have some algorithm now to try to avoid “orphaned nights.” You might have better luck with the 7 nights if you started the reservation 3 days earlier, or 3 days later. Or even just one day earlier or later. Or you might not.

But if they are booked pretty full and have one unit available for ten days, and you come along and want to book 7 days right in the middle of that, leaving them one night free before your requested stay and two nights after… they may not want to do that deal, knowing that those other three nights are going to be wasted (“breakage”) as nobody is likely to come along and want only a one or two night stay. Even a three night stay might be pretty unlikely to get used. So they hold out for a longer stay that can use that entire 10 days.

One of the benefits, to the operators, of original timeshare “weeks” programs was that there was very little breakage. Everyone had to reserve a week, and maybe they allowed arrivals on Fridays or Saturdays, so they had some units that turned every Friday and some that turned every Saturday. But all the rooms were full all the time and owners got maximum availability that way.

But Abound, and the ability to book short stays beginning any day of the week, creates huge opportunities for breakage and I suspect this is becoming a problem at some properties. I will not be surprised to see lots more of these kinds of restrictions going forward. Sadly, they will probably not be transparent about them because they want to continue to sell the fantasy of “any day check in, any number of nights” but it’s not always going to work out that way. The more points they sell, the less excess inventory they have and the harder it is to manage the breakage.

 

[hcarman]

I am seeing months at some resorts that show no availability at all for stays less than 7 nights - but full availability for 7 night stays. Really goes against the flexibility of having points. Most sales people (and corporate) act surprised when you bring this up. Even had one say there was no way I saw this.

 

[Hindsite]

I am seeing months at some resorts that show no availability at all for stays less than 7 nights - but full availability for 7 night stays. Really goes against the flexibility of having points. Most sales people (and corporate) act surprised when you bring this up. Even had one say there was no way I saw this.

Do you have a feel for whether that persists at 10 or 6 months ahead of check-in?