Keep it or Catch and Release?

[taterhed]

Just matched my first RCI OGS: 26 Jan 19 @ HGVC Kohala Suites, 2br (BI)

I can still cancel today....I'm thinking of cancelling this exchange and holding out for King's land....

Lack of gym in facility, grills, bar, rest. etc....

Any thoughts?

 

[klpca]

Just matched my first RCI OGS: 26 Jan 19 @ HGVC Kohala Suites, 2br (BI)

I can still cancel today....I'm thinking of cancelling this exchange and holding out for King's land....

Lack of gym in facility, grills, bar, rest. etc....

Any thoughts?

Have you done a search to see if they did a bulk deposit - you should be able to see other HGVC weeks (I assume this is weeks not points?). If it's not part of a bulk deposit, then this may be a one-off and getting a different week at another resort could be problematic.

I've stayed at Kings Land twice - once in Phase 1 which had the sweet padded furniture on the lanai, and once in a later Phase 3 which was fine but not as nice as Phase 1. Otherwise it wasn't significantly better to me, but keep in mind that we use our units as a base and are out and about most of the time. We are headed to Kohala Suites next week so until then I will defer to someone else as to how it compares to KL. One thing to keep in mind is the 1 in 4 rule in RCI. It is enforced in such a way that you won't even see the inventory for resorts where you have stayed previously. So if you change to KL, that's it for 4 more years.

 

[taterhed]

First, thanks for the comments.....
One-off....not bulk.

We probably won't go to the BI in the next 4 years.... So we wanted this visit to be the best possible.
I didn't think that KL would be that hard to get in the next 7 mos...even in January....
hopefully others will comment.

 

[bnoble]

If you are flexible about dates, I suspect you can grab someone's cancellation.

 

[Luanne]

We have only stayed at the Bay Club and Kohala Suites, so I have no comparison to Kingsland. Of the two we stayed at I think I prefer Bay Club. The units are larger and they are closer to the Kings and Queens shops and to the Hilton hotel.

I am usually the type that will grab the unit and not think I could have gotten something "better" if I waited. I'm all about location.

 

[taterhed]

Yeah, we're in for a two week window, 26 Jan or 2 Feb.
Of course, there are other resorts and islands....

 

[taterhed]

We have only stayed at the Bay Club and Kohala Suites, so I have no comparison to Kingsland. Of the two we stayed at I think I prefer Bay Club. The units are larger and they are closer to the Kings and Queens shops and to the Hilton hotel.

I am usually the type that will grab the unit and not think I could have gotten something "better" if I waited. I'm all about location.

We were hoping to enjoy the 'splendor' of the Waikoloa complex for this 'once in a blue moon' visit. That's why I put in for both KL and KS; access to the hotel. If we returned, I'm sure it would be to Bay Club, it seems much better based on reviews and photos......

again, thanks for the inputs.

 

[Luanne]

We were hoping to enjoy the 'splendor' of the Waikoloa complex for this 'once in a blue moon' visit. That's why I put in for both KL and KS; access to the hotel. If we returned, I'm sure it would be to Bay Club, it seems much better based on reviews and photos......

again, thanks for the inputs.

Since I haven't stayed at Kingsland I'm unsure of the "splendor" you are talking about. I've heard the grounds/pools may be "nicer" than the Bay Club and Kohala Suites (if you are staying at either of these you can use the pools of the other, they also share a check in location), but the units are supposedly smaller.

Oh wait, you are talking about the "splendor" of the Waikoloa resort area as a whole. If you want free access to the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel (pools, etc.) I think you get that with both Kohala Suites and Kingsland. When we stayed at Kohala Suites we didn't use that privilege. We had stayed at the Hiilton for one night some years back and found the pool area crowded.

You mentioned lack of a gym at Kohala Suites. I do use a gym at home, but not on vacation so I really don't remember what was available. I know that you do have access to some of the amenities at the Hilton Hotel, and I remember that includes use of their spa, but I don't remember if it included use of a gym, or if they even had one.

 

[JIMinNC]

We've stayed at Kohala Suites twice and love the property. Our last visit was in 2011. The overall grounds aren't as nice or expansive as Kingsland, but we've loved our visit to Kohala Suites both times.

We've booked another Kohala Suites RCI exchange for March 2019 (grabbed a unit when HGVC did their bulk bank back in March). Our first choice for that trip was also Kingsland (since we've never stayed there and wanted to try it), but because we were linking up with already-booked back-to-back-back weeks at Marriotts on Kauai and Maui, we had only one acceptable check-in date and Kingsland wasn't available for that date. Kohala Suites was available for the exact date we needed, and since we knew it was a great property we decided it would be fine. We'll sample Kingsland in the future with our recently-acquired HGVC points.

 

[JIMinNC]

To add one other comment...on the question of whether you should catch and release...I guess it depends on how much of a gambler you are. I'm not much of a gambler on stuff like that, so as was the case with the March exchange I mentioned in the previous post, if I was in your shoes, I would keep Kohala since we know we like that property a lot. But if you're the gamblin' type...you might feel differently.

 

[taterhed]

Hmm. Getting harder, not easier. Decisions Decisions.

 

[Luanne]

Okay, I'll make it easier. Keep it.

 

[klpca]

I agree on keeping it. Otherwise you are looking for a needle in a haystack - a specific property for a specific date. And you need someone's cancellation to boot. I looked at the TUG reviews and maybe the numbers are making you think that there is a significant difference in the resorts, but I don't personally see them as all that different.

 

[Luanne]

Why is it exactly that you think you want Kingsland? Just because you haven't stayed there? If your real intent is wanting the use of the Hilton Hotel facilities you get that with both Kohala Suites and Kingsland. If it's because Kingsland has a gym and Kohala Suites doesn't, I'm not 100% sure, but I "think" even if you are staying at Kohala Suites you can use the facilities at Kingsland. But don't quote me on that. As I've said before I know Bay Club and Kohala Suites can use each others pools and other stuff, but I'm not totally sure about Kingsland.

 

[Luanne]

I just did some digging on what is available Kingsland vs Kohala Suites. Kingsland does have a fitness center, Kohala Suites does not. BUT.....Kohala Suites resort guests also have access to the restaurants, boutiques, pools, lagoon beach, spa and water recreation at the nearby Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort, as well as the amenities, fitness center and tennis facilities at the neighboring Bay Club resort.

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

Taterhead,

Being a Bay Club owner, it's an easy walk to and from the Office area of Bay Club. (I think that is where the Fitness Center is. I'm a slug, myself.)

Kohala Suites and Bay Club are Siamese Twins. All in one path from the check-in. You have to look hard to tell the difference, from the outside. . .

(Note: We'll just miss sync. I'll be checking out from Bay Club that morning...)

 

[taterhed]

so......more news.

I was reading the posting's here yesterday afternoon and contemplating my 8pm deadline to cancel the KS.
Thanks to all the Tuggers that posted great info and suggestions.

I was torn....easy trade, 2br, KS with Waikoloa access.....why not?

But I decided to just take a wild chance.....and call SFX on the way home from work. I've been an SFX Diamond member for years (uh-oh, maybe renewal time soon) but I've never made an exchange or even seriously tried. I've had a Worldmark 2br exchange parked there for quite a while. So....I called SFX. Told them I'd like a King's Land unit on the last week of January 2019. (right). The CS rep was very helpful and said that 2019 units hadn't dropped yet....they were working on December though....would I like to place an exchange request? Sure.

Five minutes later....I get a phone call. Congratulations...we have a one-bedroom KL on your week... They couldn't offer me a two-bedroom (I didn't really need it) but could have possibly offered a two bedroom at KS or BC. Nicely done. Great CS. (Jennifer)

So, I now have my King's Land unit, on the date I wanted for a very reasonable exchange price (RCI was high $$$). It took all of 15 mins. I've never been a huge cheerleader for SFX, but I am now. OUTSTANDING JOB SFX!

All's well....Let's hope Pele takes a nap again soon.....

 

[Luanne]

Rob, that's great. Glad it all worked out.

 

[dsmrp]

...

So, I now have my King's Land on the date I wanted for a very reasonable exchange price (RCI was high $$$). It took all of 15 mins. I've never been a huge cheerleader for SFX, but I am now. OUTSTANDING JOB SFX!

All's well....Let's hope Pele takes a nap again soon.....

Glad it worked out for you.
I considered SFX once for possible trade for London, but talking to rep they were eager to get my 2bdrm Bay Club unit, but wouldn't consider my (lowly) Sheraton Orlando unit for any trading, not just for London.

 

[taterhed]

I'm a happy camper. Thanks again for all the advice.....wish everyone as much luck as I had on this one!