Using Sapphire Resorts

[dazzlingheart]

Hello, we were thinking to buy into Sapphire Resorts via resale and have a couple questions. Are there different perks between buying resale or retail?

How many credits do you typically need for 7-night stays at the kinds of luxurious resorts they show during the presentation?

They said we can use credits + $299 to book weeks. Is that the only fee or do you have to pay things like resort fees, parking fees, etc.

They also said there are cash weeks we can get for prices only in the three digits, like $399 for example. Are there other fees associated with the cash deals like resort fees, parking, etc,

Anyone who actually owns with Sapphire Resort and can explain these would surely be appreciated!

 

[rickandcindy23]

Do not do this. I wouldn't pay 1 cent for that product. Buy something that has value. Platinum Marriott weeks are sitting on Redweek and ebay for the taking. You can easily get a Marriott's Willow Ridge 2 bedroom in platinum season for $2k.

Sapphire resorts is a generic point system that has taken on various weeks on a bunch of old legacy resorts. It know because one of our legacy resorts in Colorado. This is not a good choice for a person who already owns in a quality system.

 

[fountaindw]

I agree with Rick and Cindy. Sapphire Resorts is very low quality with the exception of Jockey Club (if you score a room with a view of the Bellagio fountains). And if you want to go the Jockey Club, you can always trade for it via Interval International. Think out what would be some quality timeshares that would fit your lifestyle. Then log on to Timeshare Nation (timesharenation.com). Be patient for what you want to show up. You can get it for FREE there with no additional fees at all. I've seen Marriott fixed weeks, Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Hyatt/WorldMark/Wyndham/Diamond points, and more. Check it out before you do anything else. Overall buying resale will save you a ton of money. The "benefits" of purchasing retail are so minor, it is not worth it.

 

[StarSailer]

I accidentally bought a Sapphire Timeshare. I ended up rescinding when I found the point matrix and realized the sales pitch promises were all based on "Last Call" clearance inventory which I couldn't count on with kids tying me to the school calendar.

Sapphire has three seasons: Mild, High, Holiday.

Booking a High season Sapphire Resort suite in advance is:
~12,500 credits for the median Sapphire Resort Studio
~15,000 credits for a median Sapphire Resort1BR
~20,000 credits for a median Sapphire Resort1BR "Deluxe"
~25,000 credits for the median Sapphire Resort 2BR

The luxury resorts (Jokey Club) are more expensive.

The $279 + credit is the RCI exchange fee for trading into another resort/system. Trading into a Gold Crown luxury resorts will require more credits. Parking/Internet fees are uncommon but occasionally apply. This fee doesn't apply if using Sapphire credit to stay at a Sapphire resort.

The cash price is the clearance rate special on unclaimed weeks about to expire, similar to RCI Last call. I think RCI is included with HGVC so you should already have access to clearance price travel.

I'm not aware of any difference between resale/retail with Sapphire.

The only point in favor of Sapphire I can think of is that maintenance fees are purely by the point without an additional annual fee that HGVC/Wyndham/etc charge. Thus someone new to timesharing who only wants a single biennial contract isn't paying an annual fee twice per use. However people looking for annual use or who are already paying the club fee for another program can get a better value elsewhere.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Jockey Club isn't as nice as Marriott, Wyndham, Hilton or even Grandview in Vegas. There are lots of much better choices in Las Vegas.

 

[Cactuscanyon]

Totally disappointed because I was hard sold 5000 Geo points that I have to pay about 300 dollars a year maintenance on. I recently contacted them about termination and they agreed if I could produce the letter from the VA showing I was undergoing cancer treatment and pay 2300. Termination fee. I sent the info a month later; but they said they couldn’t do it because it was now foreclosed on. Haven’t heard anything since. We will see….

 

[WorldT]

Totally disappointed because I was hard sold 5000 Geo points that I have to pay about 300 dollars a year maintenance on. I recently contacted them about termination and they agreed if I could produce the letter from the VA showing I was undergoing cancer treatment and pay 2300. Termination fee. I sent the info a month later; but they said they couldn’t do it because it was now foreclosed on. Haven’t heard anything since. We will see….

If it already foreclosed on, that pretty much ends the story.