Sunterra is now Diamond Resorts

[PSNutt]

I am a Sunterra owner. Just received an email that the transactions as
been finalized. Also, noted that Marquis Villas in Palm Springs is not
available for usage. Reasoning being that is it closed for renovations to
Diamond standards. Actually, the resort is not closed (my husband was
there in person) was told Sunterra is not renewing their lease at this property.
Does anyone have any info on this~would be greatly appreciated

 

[dougp26364]

There's been a couple of longer discussion in the points forum here and atimeshareforums.com. As a DRI owner at Polo Towers, I can't say there will be much of an improvement in management. DRI appears it will have complete control without much owner imput with the way Sunterra's Club Sunterra and Sunterra Trust is set up. Any upgrades will likely be at owner expense rather than out of the reserves. DRI seems to be bigger on large SA's rather than collecting enough money via resrves over several years to make improvements. If there are enough people in the UDI trust where only the trust votes, DRI will have dictatorship and may end up making King David of Westgate look like a Saint David instead.

Mind you these are only my opinions and nothing more but, they are opinions of someone who has seen the reserve fee go down almost every year at PT's while owners have been asked to pay 2 seperate SA's for improvements. The fist one was less than $200 per 2 bedroom unit as was to pay for upgrades to the water treatment system after an outbreak of legionella, security upgrades and conversion of two tennis courts to a family water park. The second was over $1,000 for each 2 bedroom unit and is to pay for a complete unit renovation.

DRI has a history of dragging it's feet on getting the work done. The Skyview Suites at PT's was to open, at the lastest, 2001. Units were being sold preconstruction as early as 1999 (when we purchased our Skyview unit). Work was not completed until 2003. This was only TWO floors with approx. 5 one bedroom units and six 2 bedroom units on each floor. Owners had been told individually that the renovations would begin in March, then it was changed to June and now someone on these forums has been told August. My bet is it will be later than August but we'll have to wait and see what the next report is like.

There is also a problem with communication with owners. There has been no official word about the SA passing or when work will start that I am aware of. Furthermore a recent election was held for HOA officers. Several months have passed and one member on these forums had run for a seat. However, I don't think even he knows the voting results yet. I was told by the head of the HOA that there would be no integration between PT's and Sunterra resorts. From these forums I find that DRI is offering PT's owners the option to convert their unit into SunOptions at a rate of $2,995 per unit. If you go the PT's web page there is nothing that I can find about the big news that DRI has purchased Sunterra (at least not as of last night). So if you expect to be kept abreast of what's happening in Sunterra land, you'll probably be disappointed unless something changes from what it's been.

 

[PSNutt]

Well that sounds just like Sunterra. We have "Special Assements" with Sunterra in the past as well Just kinda curious. I figure most of the Timeshares are the same~pretty much. I have only a week and I do have
a Deed of Trust (which I don't plan on changing)
Appreicate your feed back

 

[Red Rox]

I am a Sunterra owner. Just received an email that the transactions as
been finalized. Also, noted that Marquis Villas in Palm Springs is not
available for usage. Reasoning being that is it closed for renovations to
Diamond standards. Actually, the resort is not closed (my husband was
there in person) was told Sunterra is not renewing their lease at this property.
Does anyone have any info on this~would be greatly appreciated

We are Sunterra owners and trade into Marquis Villas every spring. We just received an email notice confirming the DRI deal and announcing that Sunterra is suspending reservations at Marquis Villas until Sept 1st. It went on to say however, that reservations accepted after Sept 1st, would be transferred to a comparable resort, if MV fails to improve its facilities to DRI standards.
This tells me that DRI is probably trying to develop a relationship with an alternative resort in the Palm Springs area that will be nicer than MV. We've enjoyed MV through the years for its location, but there's no question that the facilities could be nicer.