Sunterra with II

[CaliDave]

How is the trade power of Sunoptions with II? Do you have an online account to use with II, or do you have to call and have a VG search? I heard that if you search the II 59 day window your points to book are half of normal? Do I have much of a chance ever getting Marriott or Westins in Hawaii for summer? The only problem with II, is the best resorts are usually held for a certain time for owners of that system. Also, if Scottsdale Villa Mirage is my home resort.. Would I have a problem trading back into a 2bd for 6500 points for prime time. Instead of using the 12,000 through Sunterra? Does II hold any of the Sunterra inventory for exchangers? Would I have a better chance of getting a Embassy in Maui? Can someone with Sunoptions check this for me. Lets say I wanted to book a 1bd at the Westin Mission Hills or Marriott Desert Springs for June. Which is in the 59 days window.. How many points would that take? And do you see availability? I see rooms available with my Marriott studio week for both resorts. Lets say you put in an ongoing search 6 months ago in II for a prime 2bd GC, what if it doesn’t match until a month before.. Are you charged full points or half the points? Thanks Dave

 

[CaliDave]

Sorry about the run-on post. For some reason it wont let me add lines or spaces??

 

[Spence]

How is the trade power of Sunoptions with II?

I think I can see anything that is available that isn't protected by some home system exchange period (like Marriott)

Do you have an online account to use with II, or do you have to call and have a VG search?

Yes, you get an online account number to use

I heard that if you search the II 59 day window your points to book are half of normal?

That's true

Do I have much of a chance ever getting Marriott or Westins in Hawaii for summer?

If they happen to clear their home resort protections

The only problem with II, is the best resorts are usually held for a certain time for owners of that system. Also, if Scottsdale Villa Mirage is my home resort.. Would I have a problem trading back into a 2bd for 6500 points for prime time. Instead of using the 12,000 through Sunterra?

SVM isn't your home resort as far as II is concerned you are Club Sunterra. If Sunterra puts some of those units in the system you can get them. I'm not sure of their track record of putting those high value weeks in like you used as an example or any other high value holiday week

Does II hold any of the Sunterra inventory for exchangers?

What are you asking? Do they have a Sunterra only period (like Marriott)... I don't think so.

Would I have a better chance of getting a Embassy in Maui?

Better chance than what?

Can someone with Sunoptions check this for me. Lets say I wanted to book a 1bd at the Westin Mission Hills or Marriott Desert Springs for June. Which is in the 59 days window.. How many points would that take? And do you see availability? I see rooms available with my Marriott studio week for both resorts.

Westin Mission Hills
all FR/SA/SU June dates have 1BR avail
thru 18Jun it's 2750
after that it's 5500

Marriott Desert Springs
all FR/SA/SU Jun dates have some St/1BR/2BR avail
not every start date has the 2BR
thru 18Jun it's 1750/2750/3250
after that it's 3500/5500/6500

Lets say you put in an ongoing search 6 months ago in II for a prime 2bd GC, what if it doesn’t match until a month before.. Are you charged full points or half the points? Thanks Dave

Good question because when you start a search they hit you for the points and supposedly your points are then committed to II. Don't know the answer.
But if you cancel a search or a confirmed stay outside 60days you get a 'certificate' good for a unit that takes up to the number of points you used, good for a year.

 

[BocaBum99]

Dave,

I love the fact that you are taking the plunge with points. Spence is the world's expert on Sunterra, so his advice is better than mine. I have seen and demoed the Sunterra interface and I think it's awesome.

I think it's better than the WorldMark interface to II. It's very cost effective for use in II.

 

[Werner]

Dave, I think the ongoing search can be done without committing the points until confirmation. We have an ongoing search for the Manhattan Club Penthouse in II using "Club Sunterra" as the home resort (as far as II is concerned). No points have been transferred. If it doesn't happen our points are still in Sunterra. If it happens within the 59 day period the points should be 1/2 but I haven't had that happen yet to be sure. However, be aware that if a unit opens and you get an email saying your reservation is confirmed, you are committed. You don't get to change your mind. You can however cancel within the no penalty period and then reserve somewhere else in II within a year of cancelling. We found out by accident that this is a pretty nifty way of rolling some points over via II if you didn't roll enough over by Sunterra's deadline. You transfer them into II by reserving somewhere a year ahead rather than loose them, then cancel within the no-penalty period, then make another II reservation that you really want to use within a year after canceling. That gives you almost two years of rollover. There is no recourse after the second reservation, use it or loose it.

As far as going through the backdoor to your home Sunterra Resort via II I wouldn't do it. What you are likely to get is the "dumpster" view which you probably could have gotten via Sunterra for a similar number of points. Also, it costs about $150 to make an II reservation. You don't have to reserve the same unit level that you bought within Sunterra. You could reserve the dumpster view via Sunterra and get more weeks out of your home resort.

 

[Spence]

Thanks for the input, Werner!

 

[Werner]

Don't forget that Sunterra also has 1/2 points deals for less than 60 days as well. If you are looking for a quick getaway to a Sunterra resort you are more likely to find it in Sunterra than II. Last year we noticed that airfares to the west coast had dropped to $200 so we searched for less-than-60-day Sunterra resorts and found the San Luis Bay Inn in Avila Beach, CA. available for 1/2 points. We had not been to the central coast of CA before so we booked the resort, then the airfare and had a great week. Nice way to stretch the left-over points.

 

[fnewman]

As far as going through the backdoor to your home Sunterra Resort via II I wouldn't do it. What you are likely to get is the "dumpster" view which you probably could have gotten via Sunterra for a similar number of points. Also, it costs about $150 to make an II reservation. You don't have to reserve the same unit level that you bought within Sunterra. You could reserve the dumpster view via Sunterra and get more weeks out of your home resort.

In my experience you can often get a Sunterra property exchange through II for less SunOptions than if you ahve exchanged through Sunterra. I've never been able to figure that one out, unless they are trying to compensate for the fact that you have to pay the exchange fee with II. I have seen this situation a number of times when looking to book Las Vegas, for example, but have never been given a satisfactory explanation from Sunterra. So, at times, it might be better to book Sunterra through II if you are running short of points.

P.S. - I too would like to know the answer to the question about how many points you are charged for an II exchange if your ongoing search 'hits' within the 59 day window.

 

[Werner]

Frank, I think that as long as you clicked on the option that makes points transfer to II contingent on confirmation you will get charged the points value at the time of confirmation. You can look at a list of available units for a particular resort that straddles before and after the 59 days and the points values always drop on the less-than-59 day side of the line.

However, it is very unlikely that a resort you have been waiting for will open up in the last 59 days. I suspect that most of the units available within 59 days have been available for a lot longer and are just now sliding into the 59 day window. We have been on the Manhattan Club Penthouse waiting list for more than 6 months and are now about 6 months away from our window. I suspect that our chances of getting a unit are less every day. There is a point where cancellation costs money and I'm sure that anyone cancelling within 59 days going to pay a penalty. It could happen but it seems unlikely.

 

[fnewman]

Yes, I agree that chances would be very slim, but you never know. Snagging a good one every now and then makes the game worthwhile, I suppose.

 

[CaliDave]

Yes, I agree that chances would be very slim, but you never know. Snagging a good one every now and then makes the game worthwhile, I suppose.

I think it depends on where you are travelling, you will see many Hawaii weeks avaliable in the 59 day window. That is a location that many people cancel at the last minute.

 

[fnewman]

Hawaii is actually a very good example of 'contrasts' and the need to look carefully at hte reviews before jumping on that last minute deal. For example Sunterra has two locations on the Big Island - Sea Mountain and Sea Village. Sea Village is over on the Kona Coast with a lot of other resorts, etc. Sea Mountain, on the other hand, is a a very remote part of the island an hour's drive from the volcano Park. So even it you could book Sea Mountain for 1/2 points you might not think it was such a good deal unless you enjoy a LOT of solitude!

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Hawaii is actually a very good example of 'contrasts' and the need to look carefully at hte reviews before jumping on that last minute deal. For example Sunterra has two locations on the Big Island - Sea Mountain and Sea Village. Sea Village is over on the Kona Coast with a lot of other resorts, etc. Sea Mountain, on the other hand, is a a very remote part of the island an hour's drive from the volcano Park. So even it you could book Sea Mountain for 1/2 points you might not think it was such a good deal unless you enjoy a LOT of solitude!

FWIW - Sea Mouintain is only about 15 - to 20 miles outside the park boundary, and no more than 30 miles from the main visitor center at Kilaue`a crater.

 

[fnewman]

Your numbers are probably very accurate; I just remember from our visit there that it took 'about' and hour to drive to the park entrance and 'about' another hour to get to Hilo. In addition, nearby resturants and grogery stores, etc. are few. Sea Mountain is a really beautiful place to stay if you don't mind the solitude; we enjoyed our week there very much. The location could be a big surprise to many exchangers who are used to more developed locations.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Your numbers are probably very accurate; I just remember from our visit there that it took 'about' and hour to drive to the park entrance and 'about' another hour to get to Hilo. In addition, nearby resturants and grogery stores, etc. are few. Sea Mountain is a really beautiful place to stay if you don't mind the solitude; we enjoyed our week there very much. The location could be a big surprise to many exchangers who are used to more developed locations.

It's well under an hour to the park entrance, though it certainly is one hour from Volcano to Hilo.

When we were in the area, I made note of Sea Mountain because of it's location on the south side of the island. I'm seriously considering acquiring a Vacation Internationale membership within the next year or two, and Sea Mountain is one of the strong attractions of VI for us.

 

[chemteach]

Do I have much of a chance ever getting Marriott or Westins in Hawaii for summer?

I have never seen any summer Westin Maui weeks deposited. With Westin building more units in Maui and opening in Kauai in a few years, maybe they will for a year or two. (??)

Edye

 

[jerseygirl]

Re Summer Westin Maui

I got the last week of August earlier this year (efficiency only), but ended up "retrading it" when I saw the exact week I needed for an employee's honeymoon. School doesn't start until after Labor Day in my neck of the woods, so I thought it was a great exchange.