II: New Grand Luxxe exchange restrictions

[TheHappyWanderer]

New language appears under Important Advisements for Vidanta Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya and Nueva Vallarta exchanges as you proceed through the exchange process on the Interval International website:

Effective August 1st, 2022.* Exchanges or Getaways into this property are limited to ONLY two weeks per membership for every four calendar year. Confirmations not adhering to this restriction is subject to cancellation.

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

Also, by the way there is now II exchange availability showing up at Vidanta properties throughout 2023. Didn't mean to bury the lede for some of you.

Additionally, some other Vidanta properties have this (different) language under Important Advisements:

Effective August 1st, 2022.* Exchanges or Getaways into this property are limited to ONLY two consecutive or concurrent weeks per membership for every four-calendar year. Confirmations not adhering to this restriction is subject to cancellation.

 

[ValHam]

What happens if you booked 3 getaways to vidanta before these restrictiions?

 

[pittle]

What happens if you booked 3 getaways to vidanta before these restrictiions?

If you book before August 1, 2022, whatever is listed at the time you make the reservation stands. So if the fees are xxx when you make the reservation and xxxx after August 1, then you pay what it says when you make the reservation. I do not think that if there is no restrictions as to the # of weeks at the time for concurrent or consecutive weeks would apply with a reservation made before August 1, 2022. So be sure to read all the fine print before clicking on the reservation and Print it for your files to take with you. II will send you the reservation and it should state the current, not future rules.

 

[ilene13]

New language appears under Important Advisements for Vidanta Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya and Nueva Vallarta exchanges as you proceed through the exchange process on the Interval International website:

Effective August 1st, 2022.* Exchanges or Getaways into this property are limited to ONLY two weeks per membership for every four calendar year. Confirmations not adhering to this restriction is subject to cancellation.

Is this II or RCI?

 

[jwalk03]

Is this II or RCI?

II

 

[cd5]

Any idea if this would work?

2023 - 1 week with II
2024 - 1 week with RCI
2025 - 1 week with SFX
2026 - start cycle over again
Do they check the 2 out of 4 by exchange company or is it strictly by name?

 

[ilene13]

II

That used to be an RCI thing not II. We had exchanged to the GL about 5 times in a 3 year period. We stopped exchanging there when they added resort fees and started excluding exchangers from some of the amenities--ie. the GL pool, beach club. The properties we own are as nice and none of them do that to exchangers.

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

Updated language:

Important Advisements
* Effective August 8th, 2022.* Exchanges or Getaways into this property or into any Grand Luxxe, Grand Bliss, Grand Mayan, The Bliss, Mayan Palace and Sea Garden Resorts are limited to ONLY two weeks per membership for every four-calendar years. Confirmations not adhering to this restriction is subject to cancellation.

 

[dioxide45]

Certainly these resorts can't be all that great to have to deal with all the BS?

 

[pittle]

Certainly these resorts can't be all that great to have to deal with all the BS?

They are nice, and I own there, but I am thinking that they are putting these restrictions into place to cover the opening of the Vidanta World Park in NV sometime in the future. (Been promising and pushing this for more than 10 years, but are getting closer to opening - some say the fall of this year, but I am thinking 3-4 years out.) They are currently building additional units that will be in the Park, but are anticipating many people wanting to go to NV.

RM has Cirque and a super water park for attractions, so they want new "blood" at both of these resorts - not folks that exchange in every year.

 

[bizaro86]

Certainly these resorts can't be all that great to have to deal with all the BS?

The Grand Luxxe NV 4 bedroom unit is the nicest timeshare unit I've ever stayed in by far.

The dining room table was larger than some hotel rooms I've been in.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Any idea if this would work?

2023 - 1 week with II
2024 - 1 week with RCI
2025 - 1 week with SFX
2026 - start cycle over again
Do they check the 2 out of 4 by exchange company or is it strictly by name?

Hi @cd5
All reports are that each set of rules are exchange company specific- and that Vidanta has (to date) never cancelled anyone doing the cycle you propose.

In my opinion - they particularly wanted to prevent people from resort brand hopping in order to stay many weeks in the Puerto Vallarta area during snowbird season.
Also - as @pittle said - the coming opening of the Vidanta World theme park in NV is another reason.

 

[badbeatjackpot]

Hi there

I don't see the new verbiage regarding restrictions.
I do however see the mandatory $200-700 resort fee surcharge.

Is the rental restriction still in place?

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

Yeah, Vidanta seems to have removed the language at some point. I am not sure if it ever went into effect.

 

[jules54]

Certainly these resorts can't be all that great to have to deal with all the BS?

The Grand Luxxe and the Grand Mayan and Grand Bliss are really gorgeous resorts. The restrictions and the resort fees are definitely problematic. We love the properties near Playa Del Carmen. If you have a cheap week to trade even with exchange fees and resort fees your probably paying less than an owner pays for maintenance fees. I’ll let Pittle address that question as they are owners.

 

[jules54]

Any idea if this would work?

2023 - 1 week with II
2024 - 1 week with RCI
2025 - 1 week with SFX
2026 - start cycle over again
Do they check the 2 out of 4 by exchange company or is it strictly by name?

You would be fine doing that. It is the exchange companies putting the restrictions on the properties not the resorts. IMO The reason the resorts have added the resort fees is that they don’t want exchanges to the properties being less expensive then what owners pay for yearly fees.
There is always that option also to rent from owners as you don’t pay added resort fees above the rental cost.

The worse restriction last year was through RCI where only account owners could exchange in. 1 unit every 4 years. No guest confirmations allowed. So what do families do?

For me one of the biggest draws for these properties in the Playa Del Carmen area is that they are not all inclusive. So many resorts have gone to that. Both Playa and Cabo areas.

 

[pittle]

The Grand Luxxe and the Grand Mayan and Grand Bliss are really gorgeous resorts. The restrictions and the resort fees are definitely problematic. We love the properties near Playa Del Carmen. If you have a cheap week to trade even with exchange fees and resort fees your probably paying less than an owner pays for maintenance fees. I’ll let Pittle address that question as they are owners.

Yes - the Vidanta MF are high and it is significantly less to exchange into GB or GL than pay MF.

As an owner, we have the no pay unless you go option, so we have exchanged into Vidanta more than we would have paid our MF for the past 8 years. We have a Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay 1-bedroom week that MF currently are around $700 per week now and our 2-bedroom GL is more than $2200 for a week. Those 3 and 4 bedroom units are significantly higher.

We have used RCI & II Getaways for around $350 for a 2-bedroom GM in the past. In 2018 we used SFX and were able to get 2 weeks in a 2-bedroom Grand Bliss in RM for around $1600 using 2 of my PBEB weeks including the exchange fees. As owners, it would have been about twice that as we would have had to pay the GB MF for the 2 weeks. We were not however allowed to use the Beach Club as exchangers unless we did the update. We passed on that.

We do have Vidanta reservations for 2023 using our Sr. Certificates and will be going on a regular basis in the future.

 

[JanT]

Holy Crap! $200-$700 resort fee surchage???? That's on an exchange in? If so, that's crazy!! I'd skip going there for that reason alone - I don't care how nice it is.

Hi there

I don't see the new verbiage regarding restrictions.
I do however see the mandatory $200-700 resort fee surcharge.

Is the rental restriction still in place?

 

[jules54]

Yes - the MF are high and it is significantly less to exchange into GB or GL than pay MF.

As an owner, we have the no pay unless you go option, so we have exchanged into Vidanta more than we would have paid our MF for the past 8 years. We have a PBEB 1-bedroom week that MF currently are around $700 per week now and our 2-bedroom GL is more than $2200 for a week. Those 3 and 4 bedroom units are significantly higher.

We have used RCI & II Getaways for around $350 for a 2-bedroom GM in the past. In 2018 we used SFX and were able to get 2 weeks in a 2-bedroom Grand Bliss in RM for around $1600 using 2 of my PBEB weeks

What does PBEB stand for?

 

[pittle]

Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay. Sorry about that - it is listed as one of the resorts we own in my info on the side.

 

[bnoble]

Vidanta uses exchanges to generate tour flow, and they do it aggressively. I suspect the resort fee is at least partly a way to filter out people who are more likely to balk at a purchase for cost reasons.

 

[bizaro86]

Vidanta uses exchanges to generate tour flow, and they do it aggressively. I suspect the resort fee is at least partly a way to filter out people who are more likely to balk at a purchase for cost reasons.

I think also to help cover their marginal costs on the hotel side (housekeeping, etc). I dont think the exchange companies are paying them too much for those bulk deposits.

 

[Flasher42]

I just paid vidanta resort fee. Ya $700. However you get a $250 resort credit
see attached. Makes it a bit more tolerable. Also doing the Dining experience
paid Early we received a discount on that too. See small print at very bottom

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I just paid vidanta resort fee. Ya $700. However you get a $250 resort credit
see attached. Makes it a bit more tolerable. Also doing the Dining experience
paid Early we received a discount on that too. See small print at very bottom

Thanks for that update.

This certainly fits into the model of Vidanta's "hotel side" wanting to
make sure you are a happy guest while using their restaurant"s and pool side amenities.

also -(IMO) the balance $450 of the resort fee is the "hotel side's" primary income for the suite you stay in - since you are using a developer deposited week.