New HGVC Resorts Moving to II?

[TheWizz]

Hello all,

I just returned from a vaca at Generations in Riviera Maya, which is a Karisma Resort. It's a beautiful new resort on the ocean. They have their own "club" you can join called Exotic Travelers. I did an exchange via II for our suite. We decided to go to their intro meeting in exchange for a free room upgrade and lobster dinner on the beach. Not a bad deal for a couple of hours and I wanted to see the neighboring El Dorado Casitas rooms anyway.

We were able to check the II all-inclusive rates compared to the Exotic member rates and the II rates were a bit cheaper, so I don't really see a need to join them when I can trade into their resorts via II or RCI, depending on the resort.

What I found most interesting during the talk was the Exotic Manager told me he just returned from some kind of II gathering and found out that Hilton is going to move all new resorts, e.g. Maui into II exchanges instead of RCI. It had nothing to do with his desire to "sell" me an Exotic membership, more of an FYI since he knows I own HGVC and plan to keep it, so not sure if/why he might embellish that info.

I am curious if anyone else has heard that from HGVC or elsewhere? Which made me wonder if that is the case, would we someday have an RCI and II "portal" from the HGVC website? If true, will the legacy resorts stay on RCI, move to II, or a hybrid of both perhaps??

 

[PigsDad]

I would put this in the category of "if a salesman's lips are moving...". I suppose it might me possible, but unlikely.

Kurt

 

[GregT]

Hello all,

I just returned from a vaca at Generations in Riviera Maya, which is a Karisma Resort. It's a beautiful new resort on the ocean. They have their own "club" you can join called Exotic Travelers. I did an exchange via II for our suite. We decided to go to their intro meeting in exchange for a free room upgrade and lobster dinner on the beach. Not a bad deal for a couple of hours and I wanted to see the neighboring El Dorado Casitas rooms anyway.

We were able to check the II all-inclusive rates compared to the Exotic member rates and the II rates were a bit cheaper, so I don't really see a need to join them when I can trade into their resorts via II or RCI, depending on the resort.

What I found most interesting during the talk was the Exotic Manager told me he just returned from some kind of II gathering and found out that Hilton is going to move all new resorts, e.g. Maui into II exchanges instead of RCI. It had nothing to do with his desire to "sell" me an Exotic membership, more of an FYI since he knows I own HGVC and plan to keep it, so not sure if/why he might embellish that info.

I am curious if anyone else has heard that from HGVC or elsewhere? Which made me wonder if that is the case, would we someday have an RCI and II "portal" from the HGVC website? If true, will the legacy resorts stay on RCI, move to II, or a hybrid of both perhaps??

I'm kind of with Kurt on this one, and retain a healthy dose of skepticism.

Disclaimer aside, it's interesting fodder, but I don't see the benefit to HGVC of making the switch. The only way I could think it would work is if II made HGVC an offer they couldn't refuse, and HGVC views this as not disenfranchising existing HGVC owners, who have the option to exchange within the HGVC point system.

But it would odd (but not without precedent) to be split between the two systems. Will be interesting to see if this rumor ever gets repeated.

Best,

Greg

 

[Talent312]

Seems like a case of wishful thinking.
Disney's decision to go with RCI in 2009 sealed II's fate as an also ran.
HGVC prides itself on "class," so I seriously doubt they'd settle for that.
.

 

[GregT]

Seems like a case of wishful thinking.
Disney's decision to go with RCI in 2009 sealed II's fate as an also ran.
HGVC prides itself on "class," so I seriously doubt they'd settle for that.
.

That's very interesting -- I don't mean to be a contrarian, but I much prefer II to RCI. II has Marriott, Starwood and Hyatt, whereas RCI has HGVC and Disney. So both reasonably well represented. And the preferences in II make it an attractive alternative for trading, but I've not felt RCI is a good use of HGVC points (despite the 4,800 points for a option), but others may differ.

It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes from this.

Best,

Greg

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Seems like a case of wishful thinking.
Disney's decision to go with RCI in 2009 sealed II's fate as an also ran.
HGVC prides itself on "class," so I seriously doubt they'd settle for that.
.

If disney can switch from II to RCI in 2009, why can't HGVC switch from RCI to II and join other highly prestigious hotel based timeshare companies: Marriott, Hyatt, and Sheraton/Westin?

 

[klpca]

That's very interesting -- I don't mean to be a contrarian, but I much prefer II to RCI. II has Marriott, Starwood and Hyatt, whereas RCI has HGVC and Disney. So both reasonably well represented. And the preferences in II make it an attractive alternative for trading, but I've not felt RCI is a good use of HGVC points (despite the 4,800 points for a option), but others may differ.

It will be interesting to see if anything ever comes from this.

Best,

Greg

Totally agree with you. The only thing keeping me in RCI are some excess TPU's and the HGVC properties. Otherwise, I find everything that I need in II, for a much lower cost. I plan to let my RCI membership lapse, then supplement II with SFX and Grand Pacific Exchange.

 

[presley]

II has Marriott, Starwood and Hyatt, whereas RCI has HGVC and Disney.

And Four Seasons and Club Intrawest. With lower exchange fees, II is by far my favorite exchange company.

I'd be happy if HGVC moved to II, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. One of their biggest selling points is that people can trade in RCI and book RCI last calls. While it is true that they could just start selling the spiel that people can trade in II, they are sure to end up with many unhappy customers who bought for RCI trades.

 

[JIMinNC]

Seems like a case of wishful thinking.
Disney's decision to go with RCI in 2009 sealed II's fate as an also ran.
HGVC prides itself on "class," so I seriously doubt they'd settle for that.
.

I agree with the others - Marriott, Starwood, Hyatt, Four Seasons in II beats Disney and HGVC in RCI. Look at it this way - except for DVC - most RCI trades are trade-downs for HGVC members. I say that as someone who has been an RCI member for 17 years and an II member for two or three years.

This rumor may or may not have a basis in fact, but I do think II would be a better fit for HGVC quality-wise than RCI. Disney is a great system if you want to go to Disney World, but outside of that, their options are very limited.

As for the questions on how such a change would impact current owners, I'm not sure how the fact that HGVC members have a corporate RCI account as opposed to individual accounts would impact this, but when the first timeshare we owned changed from RCI to II, we were allowed to keep the RCI option, but were allowed to add II if we wanted. All new owners were only given the II option. This was the old Embassy Vacation Resort on Maui that was rebranded as Kaanapali Beach Club by Sunterra. Embassy was an RCI affiliate, but when the Embassy brand went away, Sunterra converted them all to II, but we could continue using RCI as well. We sold that timeshare a year ago after buying our Marriott.

While I do prefer the resort selection in II, the TPU system RCI uses in their weeks-based system is superior to II's old style weeks trading approach. Since we were depositing high TPU Hawaii weeks, we were able to combine deposit credits (leftover TPUs) and get more trips. Three years worth of 2BR Hawaii deposits got us Easter week 2015 at Grand Pacific Palisades in a 2BR, July 4 week 2015 in Hilton Head Island Club in a 2BR, Late June/early July 2016 at HGVC Kohala Suites, and we still have 39 TPUs left over - enough for at least one more prime time week somewhere. We have to keep paying RCI about $100 or so a year to keep extending the expiration date of the leftover TPUs - kinda like death by 1000 cuts - but we'll wind up squeezing at least four prime weeks out of those three Hawaii weeks. I know TPUs aren't relevant for HGVC RCI trades, but I do like that approach.

Having praised TPUs as a good way to trade - I still detest weeks-based trading in general. Too much uncertainty. Too much waiting. Too much inflexibility. That's why we bought into Marriott's Destination Club and may also buy into HGVC as well sometime in the next couple years.

 

[PigsDad]

Look at it this way - except for DVC - most RCI trades are trade-downs for HGVC members. I say that as someone who has been an RCI member for 17 years and an II member for two or three years.

That may be true, if we HGVC members traded a week for a week in RCI. But since you don't own HGVC, you may not know how RCI trades work for HGVC members:

For RCI trades, we get automatic one-size-larger trades. For example, a standard 1BR HGVC week in the high season is worth 4800 points. That is the amount of points needed to secure any 2BR red week in RCI. So while I agree that most RCI trades are "trade-downs" in resort quality we don't pay near as much for them. And when considering RCI trades to Disney and other high-quality RCI properties, it is a downright bargain!

Kurt

 

[pedro47]

If disney can switch from II to RCI in 2009, why can't HGVC switch from RCI to II and join other highly prestigious hotel based timeshare companies: Marriott, Hyatt, and Sheraton/Westin?

This is one time I hope the sale person moving lips are correct.

 

[alexadeparis]

This is why I belong to both, for the variety and to eliminate the negative impact if a system moves from one to the other. Overall, I like the quality of resorts in II, but I like the wider range of availability in RCI too. Let's not forget that they have Tradewinds also.

 

[Dojan123]

Thinking about doing my first RCI via HGVC portal. For some reason I am a little nervous about it.

 

[JIMinNC]

So while I agree that most RCI trades are "trade-downs" in resort quality we don't pay near as much for them.

That's what I was referring to by trade down - the overall resort quality of HGVC vs. most of RCI's other resorts - excepting DVC of course.

 

[PassionForTravel]

We have II and RCI through WM. II though Marriott and II through Starwood. What HGVC gets me in RCI is access to the RCI points inventory. While I don't make use of that inventory regularly it's nice to have the options.

Made a great trade last year with left over points that I thought were going to go to waste, into Meadow Lake outside Glacier NP. I couldn't have gotten it with WM since it was in RCI points inventory. So I would be sad if they left RCI.

But I'm sure it doesn't matter what I think. It's who is going to cut HGVC the better deal.

Since we have been WM owners, WM was in RCI, then II, and now back to RCI.

Ian

 

[dsmrp]

RCI and II both have their good features.
I belong in both now, and while I'm not crazy about RCI (was an individual member for several years), it does have a lot of smaller independents that II won't take. Competition is a good thing...if one exchange company had all or almost all of the major hotel associated timeshares, their policies, rules & fees could be more onerous for timeshare exchangers.

 

[Ron98GT]

And Four Seasons and Club Intrawest. With lower exchange fees, II is by far my favorite exchange company.

I'd be happy if HGVC moved to II, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. One of their biggest selling points is that people can trade in RCI and book RCI last calls. While it is true that they could just start selling the spiel that people can trade in II, they are sure to end up with many unhappy customers who bought for RCI trades.

I can't see it happening anytime soon either.

1. Blackstone owns Hilton, which owns HGVC.

2. Blackstone owns Wyndham, which owns RCI.

So, HGVC and RCI are in the same family.

 

[franks01]

There is a new HGVC resort in myrtle beach, sc called Ocean 22. It doesn't show up in RCI yet. It just opened this summer. If it doesn't show up soon the OP might be on to something....


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[klpca]

RCI and II both have their good features.
I belong in both now, and while I'm not crazy about RCI (was an individual member for several years), it does have a lot of smaller independents that II won't take. Competition is a good thing...if one exchange company had all or almost all of the major hotel associated timeshares, their policies, rules & fees could be more onerous for timeshare exchangers.

I agree with you about competition. It keeps them both honest. RCI would be fine if their exchange fees weren't so high.