RCI Exchange fee, it was $50 in FEB now it's showing $299

[Chris-ATX]

I searched the forum, but didn't see what I was searching for...

We wanted to go to Nashville to visit our son and saw we could do a 3 day and a 5 day RCI exchange into some hotels there (e.g., Fairmont). While I was looking last week, the RCI exchange fee was $50. When I look today, the exchange fee is now $299. What gives?

For reference, I'm getting to RCI through the HGVC portal.

When the exchange fee was only $50 and the 3 nights were only 999 points, this seemed like a decent trade (5 nights were only 1500 points). But with the $299 exchange fee, this doesn't really pencil out.

Was there a special going on in FEB that I just didn't know?

 

[tschwa2]

The regular exchange fee is $299 for weeks inventory. Anything that is listed with either 3 or 5 nights in the resort name is weeks inventory. I don't know of any specials that were going on but sometimes I stumble upon them and when you do you need to jump on them or at least try to look up the promotion to see when it will be ending.

 

[dioxide45]

As this is a hotel, this must be some kind of Exchange Plus where you use points and pay a higher exchenge fee. This isn’t timeshare inventory. Just another way that they rent it travel agent bookings.

 

[escanoe]

As this is a hotel, this must be some kind of Exchange Plus where you use points and pay a higher exchenge fee. This isn’t timeshare inventory. Just another way that they rent it travel agent bookings.

While not timeshare inventory, that is the regular exchange fee.

They have figured out a way to dress these rentals up as exchanges and not pay sales tax.

 

[dioxide45]

While not timeshare inventory, that is the regular exchange fee.

They have figured out a way to dress these rentals up as exchanges and not pay sales tax.

Perhaps the fee just looks like a regular exchange fee due to the amount and it only being three nights? It could still be Exchange Plus. It would be good to see the breakdown of the $299. But it isn’t expanded to show that in the screenshot.

 

[tschwa2]

As this is a hotel, this must be some kind of Exchange Plus where you use points and pay a higher exchenge fee. This isn’t timeshare inventory. Just another way that they rent it travel agent bookings.

RCI sometimes puts the 3 day hotel inventory as regular exchanges. I see this with Great wolf Lodges. 3 days for the regular exchange price but the 5 and 7 are usually listed at exchange plus for $599-$1499. You also have to look because they often have resort fees too. Since they are put in as a regular exchange any promotional discounts on regular exchanges would also apply to these.

Not all 3 day stays at these hotel/resorts are regular exchanges. They could be exchange plus or they could be regular.

 

[Chris-ATX]

Thanks everyone.

My process was:
1. go to RCI from HGVC
2. select "exchange" and enter location (in this case Nashville)
3. I'd select the 3 night hotel option and look at dates
4. I'd pick my date and it said $50 RCI fee, no other fees or anything like that, and then also indicate the point cost
5. I wasn't able to nail a date down (busy life sometimes) so was just waiting to see if I could get things organized, I wasn't expecting the $50 to change...

Anyway, guess I'll keep just watching and seeing if I can recreate the $50 fee and jump on it sometime. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me what changed.... but I certainly like the $50 fee better!

 

[dioxide45]

Thanks everyone.

My process was:
1. go to RCI from HGVC
2. select "exchange" and enter location (in this case Nashville)
3. I'd select the 3 night hotel option and look at dates
4. I'd pick my date and it said $50 RCI fee, no other fees or anything like that, and then also indicate the point cost
5. I wasn't able to nail a date down (busy life sometimes) so was just waiting to see if I could get things organized, I wasn't expecting the $50 to change...

Anyway, guess I'll keep just watching and seeing if I can recreate the $50 fee and jump on it sometime. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me what changed.... but I certainly like the $50 fee better!

The $50 fee was some kind of promotion that had an end date.

 

[Chris-ATX]

The $50 fee was some kind of promotion that had an end date.

Thanks. I (now) figured that. will have to watch for a future special I guess! Wish I had known (and made some reservations!)

 

[tschwa2]

Thanks. I (now) figured that. will have to watch for a future special I guess! Wish I had known (and made some reservations!)

$50 was a glitch or a crazy low promotion. I think the chance of your exchange being lower than $100 in the next 12 months is less than 5%. Most promotions won't bring in down more than $100 which would be $199. Many promotions are something like $30-$50 off only or no discount off the exchange fee but a reduction on the number of points.

 

[T5travels]

Thanks everyone.

My process was:
1. go to RCI from HGVC
2. select "exchange" and enter location (in this case Nashville)
3. I'd select the 3 night hotel option and look at dates
4. I'd pick my date and it said $50 RCI fee, no other fees or anything like that, and then also indicate the point cost
5. I wasn't able to nail a date down (busy life sometimes) so was just waiting to see if I could get things organized, I wasn't expecting the $50 to change...

Anyway, guess I'll keep just watching and seeing if I can recreate the $50 fee and jump on it sometime. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me what changed.... but I certainly like the $50 fee better!

Sorry you lost out on that great deal, but I am very glad for the info I've learned here. I pretty much assumed RCI exchange wouldn't be worth the trouble due to $299 fee, but seems like there could be opportunities from time to time.

 

[theoriginalAva]

$50 was a glitch or a crazy low promotion. I think the chance of your exchange being lower than $100 in the next 12 months is less than 5%. Most promotions won't bring in down more than $100 which would be $199. Many promotions are something like $30-$50 off only or no discount off the exchange fee but a reduction on the number of points.

Am I correct in understanding that using RCI through HGVC is always less bang for your points? I had to save some points to RCI to avoid them expiring. Is it the best practice to avoid doing that again in the future?

 

[jp10558]

Am I correct in understanding that using RCI through HGVC is always less bang for your points? I had to save some points to RCI to avoid them expiring. Is it the best practice to avoid doing that again in the future?

Yea, via HGVC (or Wyndham mini system points) that $299 exchange fee kills the value. It's better than wasting a years points, but it's not good value. I'd suggest looking at the Extra Vacations and Last Calls - those are IMHO much better value, *if* they work for you.

I think there are some RCI traders that either generate points for cheap MFs or weeks TPUs where you can find some incredibly cheap exchanges so you might be in it for like $150 in MFs, and then the $299 exchange fee plus resort fees work out IMO. But you'd have to buy a trader specifically for that AND be watching like a hawk for the discounted points / TPU value promotions etc. I might try that some day, but for now I think the cash options are better in RCI.

 

[GT75]

I would first save (current year’s points) in HGVC to the following year first. I always make sure that I use my saved points first in the following year. I am not the best one to ask about RCI because I have never it.

 

[SmithOp]

Am I correct in understanding that using RCI through HGVC is always less bang for your points? I had to save some points to RCI to avoid them expiring. Is it the best practice to avoid doing that again in the future?

Take more vacation and use up points to where you are borrowing instead of Saving. Borrow is free, take a vacation before paying for the points.

 

[alwysonvac]

Am I correct in understanding that using RCI through HGVC is always less bang for your points? I had to save some points to RCI to avoid them expiring. Is it the best practice to avoid doing that again in the future?

Just a RCI heads up (link)

 

[theoriginalAva]

Take more vacation and use up points to where you are borrowing instead of Saving. Borrow is free, take a vacation before paying for the points.

Yes I am going to start trying to do that. I have to stay on top of it. Am I correct in understanding that converting HGVC points to RCI gets less bang for your points?

 

[Sandy VDH]

If you have a limited amount of points and are trying to make them stretch farther, or if you have expiring points with NO other options, than putting them in RCI may be useful. Especially if you want to go somewhere not available via HGVC direct.

There are even times where it is less points to book the same unit in RCI than it is in HGVC, if you are booking into a HGVC property and a bulk deposit for HGVC units were made in RCI, like the latest Hawaii deposits. HGVC (and Wyndham also) booking portals use a fixed point system based on size and season. So sometimes higher point units, or smaller units in very high demand locations (like NYC) are might be overall cheaper to be obtained through RCI. HGVC however does restrict you to the same calendar window that is permitted for HGVC bookings, but it has happened. I have picked up Hawaii and NYC stays this way before. But my NYC stay I booked up via my Wyndham portal, as the stay was not yet available via the HGVC portal. Since I don't own bHC and those dates are in Aug the ability to book NYC in HGVC are greatly restricted as I do not own the right bHC points, just regular HGVC points. I also like to say at the Hilton Club, as it is closest to where we spend most of our time. It is not even available unless you own there directly.

However booking through RCI comes with higher reservation fees, resort fees, and less flexibility on cancellations.

 

[theoriginalAva]

If you have a limited amount of points and are trying to make them stretch farther, or if you have expiring points with NO other options, than putting them in RCI may be useful. Especially if you want to go somewhere not available via HGVC direct.

There are even times where it is less points to book the same unit in RCI than it is in HGVC, if you are booking into a HGVC property and a bulk deposit for HGVC units were made in RCI, like the latest Hawaii deposits. HGVC (and Wyndham also) booking portals use a fixed point system based on size and season. So sometimes higher point units, or smaller units in very high demand locations (like NYC) are might be overall cheaper to be obtained through RCI. HGVC however does restrict you to the same calendar window that is permitted for HGVC bookings, but it has happened. I have picked up Hawaii and NYC stays this way before. But my NYC stay I booked up via my Wyndham portal, as the stay was not yet available via the HGVC portal, since the dates are greatly restricted as I do not own bHC points, just regular HGVC points.

However booking through RCI comes with higher reservation fees, resort fees, and less flexibility on cancellations.

Thank you.

 

[SmithOp]

Yes I am going to start trying to do that. I have to stay on top of it. Am I correct in understanding that converting HGVC points to RCI gets less bang for your points?

Not necessarily, you just have to dig for bargains. Monitor the Sightings forum here, when you see something you like, search in the portal to see if you can book it, sometimes it's out past the 9 months mark if it's HGVC.

I've booked Bay Club one bedroom for 3400 points, it would have been 4800 in HGVC. Reservation fee was a little higher but no resort fee at Bay Club.

I've booked W57th, 3 weekday nights, with my point cost and RCI fee it worked out about $160 a night, not bad for NYC. You pay less for shorter reservations.

I've booked 5 nights in Napa at Vino Bello.

 

[theoriginalAva]

Not necessarily, you just have to dig for bargains. Monitor the Sightings forum here, when you see something you like, search in the portal to see if you can book it, sometimes it's out past the 9 months mark if it's HGVC.

I've booked Bay Club one bedroom for 3400 points, it would have been 4800 in HGVC. Reservation fee was a little higher but no resort fee at Bay Club.

I've booked W57th, 3 weekday nights, with my point cost and RCI fee it worked out about $160 a night, not bad for NYC. You pay less for shorter reservations.

I've booked 5 nights in Napa at Vino Bello.

What is a sightings forum?

 

[dioxide45]

What is a sightings forum?

https://tugbbs.com/forums/forums/sightings-distressed.3/

 

[theoriginalAva]

https://tugbbs.com/forums/forums/sightings-distressed.3/

Thank you!!!