Is there any hope of getting an exchange in Ireland for July?

[chris1gill]

We have an Interval week to exchange, I'm interested in the Seasons at Knocktopher Abbey but I have found very little information on it. Is there any other way to access this resort through another trading house?

 

[jkkee]

We stayed there thru DAE last October. I just looked and they only appear to have until early March up there right now. I don't know the likelihood of getting the exchange thru II since I'm an RCI member.

 

[Ridewithme38]

The only thing i see in July in Ireland on RCI right now is :

CLARE RESORTS AT EAST CLARE GOLF VILLAGE
2 Bedrooms 6 (6) Full Sat 07-Jul-2012 Sat 14-Jul-2012 USD 619.99
2 Bedrooms 6 (6) Full Sat 21-Jul-2012 Sat 28-Jul-2012 USD 679.99
2 Bedrooms 6 (6) Full Sat 28-Jul-2012 Sat 04-Aug-2012 USD 679.99

 

[chris1gill]

Thanks, I saw the Clare property, but it looks awfully remote from everything.... maybe I'll take a look into DAE.... perhaps I will get lucky, I think July will be very difficult... Jkkee, how was the property when you stayed there?

 

[tschwa2]

Hope you have more luck with DAE than I did.

I had a request in for several different Irish resorts with DAE for June 2011. I deposited my Gold Crown June 2010 Scotland week and started an ongoing request in September 2009. I never was offered anything. My deposit with DAE will probably expire. I might pick up an off season bonus week but the rental fee of $122.50 is less than the exchange fee. I can't see ever depositing with them again.

 

[Carolinian]

I know that DAE has some May and June weeks at East Clare Golf Village, 2BR, online right now as exchanges, not rentals like RCI. They may be able to get later weeks on request. It is worth a try,

I requested Knocktopher from DAE and they came back in a couple of weeks and offered me a 2BR any week I wanted over several months in spring and summer. I suspect that they did not have deposits of all those weeks, but instead had a deposit of enough Seasons points to get any of those weeks. I chose the week I wanted and they reserved it for me.

Of course, since I work in Europe, my membership is with the UK office, and I get the feeling that for European exchanges, it is an advantage to have a European membership. When Donita Cilch was working for DAE US, however, she was great at finding European weeks on request. I have not worked with any of the other US staff of DAE so I cannot comment on them.

Donita has lots of contacts to source timeshare inventory, so you might want to get in touch with her in her new business, Donita's Vacations Unlimited, as she has started doing exchanges again through that organization.

 

[jkkee]

Thanks, I saw the Clare property, but it looks awfully remote from everything.... maybe I'll take a look into DAE.... perhaps I will get lucky, I think July will be very difficult... Jkkee, how was the property when you stayed there?

We had a 1 bedroom right in the Abbey itself. The larger rooms are in outlying buildings, and I can't comment on how they were. We found the room itself to be comfortable. Double bed, comfortable couch and chairs, small kitchen area, mini fridge, small table. We weren't thrilled with the bathroom. I'm short and had to crouch over in the shower - which was hand held, and we had some toilet issues as well. The grounds are very nice, and an easy walk into town. The town is very small, but a good location for doing day trips from, there is a lot to do within driving distance. They did an evening dinner one night and we enjoyed it. They had some gardens that I am sure would be beautiful when in season, and I think they had a pool table and a ping pong table, don't' think much more in the way of amenities. There was 1 pub/restaurant and another pub in town, and both closed fairly early if I remember correctly. We stayed 5 nights and that was good for us. We did some day trips, enjoyed the outlying area, and then went to Dublin to meet up with a cousin. Younger people may get bored with the area, we're early 30's and I know 5 nights was our limit - we had planned on 7. The countryside is beautiful there, the people are friendly, and I feel like you get a good sense of the Irish countryside. So, we saw positives and negatives to the exchange, but were still happy with it overall.

I work with the US DAE office and had no issue getting the exchange. I think I saw Carolinian post about the week's offered, and I called right afterwards and was able to get the exchange. I wasn't offered a 2 bedroom though, which was fine as there were only 2 of us traveling. I've only used DAE one other time and that was to get a timeshare in New Zealand for a friend who was taking an extended trip there. I've found them pretty easy to deal with, and would use them again.

 

[Carolinian]

DAE just posted three more availibilities at East Clare Golf Village for June 9, 16, and 30. The June 30 week is really the first week into July, so that might work for you.

 

[tschwa2]

DAE just posted three more availibilities at East Clare Golf Village for June 9, 16, and 30. The June 30 week is really the first week into July, so that might work for you.

The availability does not show on the US sight. Perhaps if you call they will be able to match you.

Ireland
All
All 2012

Results returned 8
Resort Name Size Check In Nights
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny 2b / 6 07 Jan, 2012 7 BOOK NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny 2b / 6 14 Jan, 2012 7 BOOK NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny 1b / 4 28 Jan, 2012 7 BOOK NOW HOLD NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny 1b / 4 18 Feb, 2012 7 BOOK NOW HOLD NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny 1b / 4 18 Feb, 2012 7 BOOK NOW HOLD NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny St / 2 25 Feb, 2012 7 BOOK NOW HOLD NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny St / 2 03 Mar, 2012 7 BOOK NOW HOLD NOW
Seasons At Knocktopher Abbey
Ireland, Co. Kilkenny, Kilkenny St / 2 03 Mar, 2012 7

 

[Carolinian]

There is now a July 7 check-in at East Clare Golf Village in Ireland showing availible on the DAE Europe website.