I am thinking of buying a unit here. How do you know what phase it is? If the unit is in the 100's is this phase 1? Which phase has the lock-off units, phases 2 and 3? I think phase 1 has the fixed weeks. Is this true? I would rather have floating weeks. Also, is there a difference in maintenance fees between the management companies (sunterra and summer bay). Sorry for all the questions.
Thanks for your help.
Suzy
Most GTS units have 3 digit room numbers. The first number is the floor, the second number is the phase and the third number is the unit number on that floor.
Phase designations
middle digit 0 = phase 1
middle digit 1 = phase 2A
middle digit 2 = phase 2B
So 502 is the 5th floor, phase 1 second unit. 413 is the 4th floor of phase 2A 3rd unit, 324 would be the 3rd floor of phase 2B, 4th unit, and so forth. There is no "phase 3". There are also some unusual designations that I am not sure what they mean. They are called garden suites or something similar.
Phase 1 has both two and three bedroom units. All of the 3 bedrooms are on the 6th floor so the numbers will be 601, 602, etc. Also, the garden suites mentioned above are in phase one. Most of the phase one units are 2 bedroom/2 bathroom but to my knowledge none are lock-outs and none have a washer/dryer in the unit. Even though phase 1 is older the units are kept in nice condition, with a king bed in a large master and two twins plus a sofa sleeper. There is a jacuzzi tub in the master. You can split your phase 1 week into a 3 day and a 4 day stay.
Note, phase 1 has both deluxe and premium units, premium meaning they have a balcony and a fireplace where the deluxe do not. Maybe the garden suite units are the deluxe as they are mostly on the ground floor and may not have a balcony. Again this is speculation on my part.
Phase 2A & 2B are most if not all 2 bedroom/2bathroom lock-outs that sleep 8. King in master, queen is second bedroom, plus a sofa sleeper in the 2nd bedroom and in the living room. The lock-off bedroom has a mini fridge, microwave and I think a tiny sink. The lock-off also has a nice size jacuzzi type tube. and a nice size TV, again if my memory serves me correctly. Of course these units have a washer/dryer combination in the kitchen.
Phase one must have a combination of fixed weeks and summer or winter flex weeks. I owned a summer flex in phase 1 (weeks 24-43). I am not sure if there are any fixed weeks in the phase 2 units. I own a summer flex in phase 2 now.
Last year the phase 2 units had a maintenance fee of $550, phase 1 was $513. I do not think Sunterra is in anyway involved at GTS so I don't think that is what affects the maintenance fees.
GTS flex week owners must submit their first five choices for reservations by March/April each year. There is a lottery to see which week you get assigned to you. Normally sometime in May you know what you reserved for the following year. This is why you need to be careful buying a unit, you may not get a good week if the owner did not get in the lottery. Your pickings may be slim if you reserve late. Be sure to consider this when purchasing. You never get to pick your unit number. Phase 1 owners only get assigned to Phase 1, same for Phase 2 owners except they might be assigned to either 2A or 2B regardless which they own.
By the way, winter flex owners can only reserve a summer flex week by paying a premium of about $175 above their maintenance fees, so don't be fooled when a winter flex seller tells you they can reserve summer weeks no problem. A summer flex week owner can request any week of the year and it does not cost a premium. That is why the summer flex week units are more valuable, IMHO.
Hope this helps. I may not have everything 100% correct but I am close.
Tom
