RCI Kalia Tower #7499 (missing?)

[HudsHut]

I'm not finding HGVC Kalia Tower (originally wrote Kalia Suites) #7499 in RCI Resort Directory (via WorldMark portal.) Did it change names? codes?
I was unable to add it to an Ongoing Search Request.

Edit: I changed title to "Kalia Tower" as it's more commonly known than "Kalia Suites"

 

[bnoble]

Do you mean Kohala in Waikoloa? #8599

 

[alwysonvac]

Yeah, I don’t see Kalia Tower at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) in the RCI Directory. Don’t know why it’s not there .

The other HGVC Oahu resorts are still in the RCI Directory.
Lagoon, Grand Waikikian and Grand Islander Towers at HHV
Hokulani is also there.

 

[HudsHut]

@bnoble It's a tower behind, and perpendicular to, Grand Waikikian.

Kalia Suites, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club | Hawaii

Book a stay at the family friendly resort, Kalia Suites, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, a Waikiki beachfront resort & timeshare property on Oahu.

www.hiltongrandvacations.com

@alwysonvac Thanks for confirming it's not in RCI. (I always called it Kalia Tower, but I see Hilton calls it Kalia Suites.)

 

[Sandy VDH]

It was a hotel conversion and only a 6 floors I believe are part of the HGVC inventory. Maybe because it has limited inventory, it is perhaps not a property the HGVC provides deposits for. I see WT deposited into RCI and limited number of LT units. Can't recall every seeing a KT unit.

 

[bnoble]

@bnoble It's a tower behind, and perpendicular to, Grand Waikikian.

The Suites part threw me!

 

[HudsHut]

@bnoble
I understand. I, too, had only ever heard of "Kohala Suites" before looking for Kalia Tower yesterday and finding the word "suites" next to it.

@Sandy VDH
I have not looked for Kalia in RCI in recent years, but about 6 years ago, we stayed in Grand Waikikian while our friends stayed in Kalia Tower. Both were RCI exchanges.

 

[alwysonvac]

The last bulk sighting posted for Kalia was in 2017 for stays in 2018 (link).
But lately it seems more folks have been picking up HHV deposits via OGS with very few HHV weeks sighted online.

 

[SmithOp]

I just got the printed RCI directory and its still listed as 7499 Kalia Suites by Hilton Grand Vacations Club.

They must want me to renew, my membership expires tomorrow.

 

[HudsHut]

Today, I adjusted dates on my ongoing search for Kalia Tower (Suites) and received this error message:

Failed due to the entered resort does not have the valid web status,Should be Y.

 

[alwysonvac]

Well, that’s not good. What did RCI say?

 

[youppi]

The resort 7499 has been removed from RCI directory between September 12, 2020 and October 4, 2020
The link for each RCI resort is always "https://www.rci.com/resort-directory/resortDetails?resortCode=" followed by the resort ID
So, https://www.rci.com/resort-directory/resortDetails?resortCode=7499 and as you can see there is an empty resort at this URL

 

[tschwa2]

The removed Ocean Oaks in Hilton Head too. It use to be #DF32.
I guess they are just being very clear that they don't intend to deposit any of those units into RCI for the next year or contract period.

 

[escanoe]

I guess they are just being very clear that they don't intend to deposit any of those units into RCI for the next year or contract period.

Or in my fantasy land the ground is being laid for HGVC/Diamond to launch an expanded "destination exchange." I do think that may be in the cards, but it is a bit early to be seeing the moves.

 

[tschwa2]

Or in my fantasy land the ground is being laid for HGVC/Diamond to launch an expanded "destination exchange." I do think that may be in the cards, but it is a bit early to be seeing the moves.

On the contrary the Diamond run Virginia Beach Resorts that have always been II only now have been added to the RCI directory. I don't know if it will just be rentals or if they will start allowing deposits.

 

[escanoe]

On the contrary the Diamond run Virginia Beach Resorts that have always been II only now have been added to the RCI directory. I don't know if it will just be rentals or if they will start allowing deposits.

As it stands now Destination Exchange is a Diamond internal exchange with a (behind the dashboard) portal to RCI for things that are not Diamond. I am hoping to see that evolve.

 

[escanoe]

On the contrary the Diamond run Virginia Beach Resorts that have always been II only now have been added to the RCI directory. I don't know if it will just be rentals or if they will start allowing deposits.

When these DRI resorts were in II did availability show up often? I make due with the VSA resorts. These options would be nice to have.

 

[tschwa2]

When these DRI resorts were in II did availability show up often? I make due with the VSA resorts. These options would be nice to have.

yes but there were limited summer deposits and gold key owners have priority exchanging back in. They still are in II and as far as I know owners can only use II and dex. There are still more deeded owners than diamond point members.

 

[escanoe]

yes but there were limited summer deposits and gold key owners have priority exchanging back in. They still are in II and as far as I know owners can only use II and dex. There are still more deeded owners than diamond point members.

Also interesting to note they do not have any quality ratings from RCI. The customary RCI link to TripAdvisor is also missing, despite them being on TripAdvisor ... surprised the VSA Resorts rank better on TripAdvisor than the DRI ones. Maybe I am not missing much.

 

[HudsHut]

@alwysonvac
I tried to chat, but it was around 9pm on the west coast, so "chat" was down. Then I was busy with other things and forgot, until I just saw this thread again.

 

[HudsHut]

I did the "chat" with RCI yesterday. The rep managed to set up Kalia with the new dates for me.
When I asked about the error, "Chris" said something about 1 in 4. I replied that all Hiltons were 1 in 4, but I wasn't getting an error on the other ones.

It was interesting to me that (at least on WM portal), I cannot see the relation number of the ongoing search when I am modifying it. Since I had several ongoing searches, Chris asked me what was the relation number. I replied the one with 7499 in it. Chris replied that s/he could not see the resort codes on his/her screen. I then said, positionally on my screen it was the 2nd one down. Not so on his/her screen. The only time I see the relation number of the search is when I get the email confirming the change, and I rarely keep those.

The other thing Chris told me was that "now", we cannot start an ongoing search less than 90 days in advance. I have always been able to start a search 30/31 days in advance, whatever date is the first one open on the RCI calendar. I have not yet tried another search to see whether Chris was correct. anyone?

 

[alwysonvac]

Thanks for the update.

JMHO... Without a clear explanation regarding why the resort is not listed in the RCI directory and why the date adjustment on your Kalia search received an error, who knows if the new Kalia search is truly valid.
I would setup another OGS for HHV that doesn’t include Kalia Tower to be on the safe side.

 

[HudsHut]

Thanks, Phyllis. I agree, and have no expectations that it would match. I set it up as a "let's see what happens". I was hoping to get some insight, but that rep clearly did not know why it was getting an error nor why it's no longer in the directory.

I also noticed that I could not "hold" another resort with a check-in of June 11. It used to be we couldn't hold within 15 days or so.