Vidanta Grand Luxxe

[Eric B]

The Suite is basically a 1 bedroom unit that will sleep 4 with 2 people on the sofa beds. It has the same kitchen as a regular 2-bedroom Master Suite that will sleep 6. Some of these units have 2 beds in one room and the other has a king bed while others have 2 rooms with king beds. Their is also a 2-bedroom Villa. The Villa has a sitting room in the lock-out side that has a sofa bed too. But, neither of these have full kitchens that include an oven

You have to get into the higher levels of Grand Luxxe to have a full kitchen.

The wall oven is in the 2 BR loft and up (so is the dishwasher, washer & dryer). The spa units have just the cooktop & microwave. Still haven’t felt an urge to bake or roast anything here, so we’re happy in a spa, villa or suite when we can get an inexpensive exchange, but the loft is awful nice.

 

[Eric B]

Also, it’s not it just that the 1 BR & 2 BR suites have the same kitchen; they are the same kitchen since the 2 BR is just a combination of the 1 BR and a studio.

 

[Flasher42]

II. Attached see photo

 

[Eric B]

what is the resort name? It didn’t show up in the picture.

About a month ago Vidanta started bulk deposits into RCI that aren’t specific as to which level of Grand Luxxe you get and don’t provide very good clues. For those ones, under resort ID RB71, they break the occupancy down as 8 people total, 6 with some privacy, rather than by adults and children. My best guess is that they’re punting the unit type assignment until check in; they have a habit of incentivizing sales attendance with room assignment, though it may include ownership status as well. I scored a number of those as exchanges next year because the total cost is quite low despite the resort fees and have my fingers crossed for upper tier units.

 

[Eric B]

Looking at the symbols alone, my best guess is that II threw the Jungle Luxxe units in with the Grand Luxxe units and called them 2 BR units. They aren’t really; those sleep 4 but just have 1 NR & a living room that has a convertible couch. The kitchen is similar to a Grand Bliss one, with two under counter fridges rather than a full size one, and a 2 burner cooktop rather than a 4 burner one. You’d have to call II or Vidanta and ask to confirm what it means for sure; we aren’t in II, so I’m not fluent in their symbols.

 

[NiteMaire]

what is the resort name? It didn’t show up in the picture.

About a month ago Vidanta started bulk deposits into RCI that aren’t specific as to which level of Grand Luxxe you get and don’t provide very good clues. For those ones, under resort ID RB71, they break the occupancy down as 8 people total, 6 with some privacy, rather than by adults and children. My best guess is that they’re punting the unit type assignment until check in; they have a habit of incentivizing sales attendance with room assignment, though it may include ownership status as well. I scored a number of those as exchanges next year because the total cost is quite low despite the resort fees and have my fingers crossed for upper tier units.

As an owner, they should reward with the upper tier units. However, as pittle has observed (maybe you as well), you'll probably be treated as just another exchanger. Doesn't help their pitch to get me to buy.

 

[Eric B]

Interestingly enough, the Vida vacations guy that hits you up after check in had a list of everyone checking in, where they exchanged through if applicable, whether they were owners, and at what level the ownership was by some coding he wouldn’t explain other than to say it represented how much you had “invested” in Vidanta. We exchanged into a 2 BR Loft through Registry this time and they’re full at that tier this week, so I don’t think there was that much flexibility anyway. We tend to do the updates anyway to try to learn the latest to the extent sales folks know what’s up and can share. So far we’ve been upgraded from a 2 BR GL suite to a spa once and from a 2 BR GM to a Jungle Luxxe unit in RM (my folks canceled going with us so we were happy to take a 1 BR). I’m at the point that I no longer attribute people doing nice things for me to my good looks, so I figure it’s ownership recognition, but will be interested to see how it works out with the generic GL RCI exchanges. I’ll share what I learn when the time comes, but do have high hopes, though not expectations. We haven’t had a bad GL room yet, and I’m not sure what would make one bad, but I spent a long time on submarines with stinky guys, so my judgement is suspect....

 

[NiteMaire]

Interestingly enough, the Vida vacations guy that hits you up after check in had a list of everyone checking in, where they exchanged through if applicable, whether they were owners, and at what level the ownership was by some coding he wouldn’t explain other than to say it represented how much you had “invested” in Vidanta. We exchanged into a 2 BR Loft through Registry this time and they’re full at that tier this week, so I don’t think there was that much flexibility anyway. We tend to do the updates anyway to try to learn the latest to the extent sales folks know what’s up and can share. So far we’ve been upgraded from a 2 BR GL suite to a spa once and from a 2 BR GM to a Jungle Luxxe unit in RM (my folks canceled going with us so we were happy to take a 1 BR). I’m at the point that I no longer attribute people doing nice things for me to my good looks, so I figure it’s ownership recognition, but will be interested to see how it works out with the generic GL RCI exchanges. I’ll share what I learn when the time comes, but do have high hopes, though not expectations. We haven’t had a bad GL room yet, and I’m not sure what would make one bad, but I spent a long time on submarines with stinky guys, so my judgement is suspect....

That's positive news. We, too, have never had a bad GL room.

I realized they kept some sort of record on one of our trips to RM. On one of our exchanges, we purchased the exit package then rescinded the next day Two visits later they invited us for an "owners update" even though we weren't owners. When I told them we weren't owners, they told me they were offering it instead of the normal exchange presentation (apparently it's done on a different location with different salespeople) since I had previously purchased and recinded...interesting and not surprising they had records.

 

[Flasher42]

Looking at the symbols alone, my best guess is that II threw the Jungle Luxxe units in with the Grand Luxxe units and called them 2 BR units. They aren’t really; those sleep 4 but just have 1 NR & a living room that has a convertible couch. The kitchen is similar to a Grand Bliss one, with two under counter fridges rather than a full size one, and a 2 burner cooktop rather than a 4 burner one. You’d have to call II or Vidanta and ask to confirm what it means for sure; we aren’t in II, so I’m not fluent in their symbols.

I don't believe its a jungle unit as their is another option for jungle suites on Interval
Also. Has anyone bartered in exchange for the presentations and what have you received?

 

[Flasher42]

I exchanged for the 2 bedroom that sleeps six Oct 28-Nov 4 we will see what the give me.

 

[Eric B]

I don't believe its a jungle unit as their is another option for jungle suites on Interval
Also. Has anyone bartered in exchange for the presentations and what have you received?

10% off room charges and 1/2 off resort fees is fairly standard. Ask for an owners' bracelet too; you'll need it for access to the GL poolpool, Custom Burger Restaurant and Beach Club.

 

[Eric B]

That's positive news. We, too, have never had a bad GL room.

I realized they kept some sort of record on one of our trips to RM. On one of our exchanges, we purchased the exit package then rescinded the next day Two visits later they invited us for an "owners update" even though we weren't owners. When I told them we weren't owners, they told me they were offering it instead of the normal exchange presentation (apparently it's done on a different location with different salespeople) since I had previously purchased and recinded...interesting and not surprising they had records.

I may have spoken too soon or said too many nice things about Vidanta. It looks like they either took all the loft and residence units out of Registry & RCI or had Wyndham code member access to limit viewability of those to folks that own at that level or higher. I suspect the latter because I’m here on a Registry exchange into a 2 BR Loft unit, which would allow them to link my Registry account to the fact that I’m a Vidanta owner. It’s a bit too much of a coincidence for my taste; after all they provided the Registry account in the first place, so already had my account number. I’m going to an owner update tomorrow and will give them the opportunity to explain what’s going on, but either they have no clue how to run an organization or don’t understand the effects of incentives they put in place. It strikes me as presenting a horrible disincentive to sales to insist on treating non-owners exchanging into the resort better through higher level access without resort fees than they let owners have; it might be cured if an exchange in via RCI resort ID RB71, which doesn’t list the tier of unit you get, had the higher tiers set aside for members. I still don’t know if that’s the case and won’t find out until I’m down here on one of those exchanges or Vidanta actually decides to communicate with its members/owners on how they should expect to be treated.

Someone had told me on TUG that there was a rumor about an upcoming communication from Vidanta this spring that would be of interest regarding how they are improving their customer experience. It’s July now and spring is over, time for them to get off the dime and communicate. Word of mouth and rumors aren’t a great way to do that; if it’s just a software glitch giving an owner the mistaken impression that their access via exchanges is being restricted because they own there, it would be a bad impression to leave a customer with, particularly when they are quite willing to share their opinions. The word I had from Registry back in March was that they could not share the terms and conditions of that exchange system with me, despite my being bound to them, since it was Vidanta’s role to promulgate them. As a result I can only probe the system and describe its response, which has changed in an unfavorable way. Bottom line is I’m moving closer to Nite’s position that buying in for folks considering it would be a mistake. Great resort to exchange into, but the opaque treatment of members is a major negative. I’ll update tomorrow if I find out more.

Ok, looks more like it was either a software glitch or Vidanta updating their inventory with the exchanges. I must admit that the lack of transparency is still annoying, but it seems more a poorly executed communication than anything else at this point.

 

[mike53]

I'm sure they must have some secret formula for room assignments. When we checked in last month we had reservations for two one bedroom Grand Bliss units. We were offered upper floor rooms at check-in even before we were sent to the sales counter for the update sales pitch. There they knew we had used II Certificates for our reservations. The presentation was done in the very quiet Salum building rather than the large area nearer the GM pool. I'm not sure why were given the sales pitch there rather than with the masses of people in the other building. (

 

[Eric B]

The wall oven is in the 2 BR loft and up (so is the dishwasher, washer & dryer). The spa units have just the cooktop & microwave. Still haven’t felt an urge to bake or roast anything here, so we’re happy in a spa, villa or suite when we can get an inexpensive exchange, but the loft is awful nice.

I’ve got to correct this; the 1 BR Loft also has an oven and a washer & dryer. The oven is under the counter below a 2 burner cooktop.

 

[pianoetudes]

I'm sure they must have some secret formula for room assignments. When we checked in last month we had reservations for two one bedroom Grand Bliss units. We were offered upper floor rooms at check-in even before we were sent to the sales counter for the update sales pitch. There they knew we had used II Certificates for our reservations. The presentation was done in the very quiet Salum building rather than the large area nearer the GM pool. I'm not sure why were given the sales pitch there rather than with the masses of people in the other building. (

Salum is a new building dedicated for owners presentation. The other building near the pool, and you said masses of people, is for first time presentation.

Sent from my HTC U11 life using Tapatalk

 

[Eric B]

I'm sure they must have some secret formula for room assignments. When we checked in last month we had reservations for two one bedroom Grand Bliss units. We were offered upper floor rooms at check-in even before we were sent to the sales counter for the update sales pitch. There they knew we had used II Certificates for our reservations. The presentation was done in the very quiet Salum building rather than the large area nearer the GM pool. I'm not sure why were given the sales pitch there rather than with the masses of people in the other building. (

According to the folks in sales the secret formula for room assignment is for the sales side and hotel side to meet weekly to go over the list of folks with reservations and the available units and assign the rooms based on a priority system. They go by seniority order by the amount an owner has paid into Vidanta, location and type of ownership, platinum status, etc., for the reservations booked through Vidanta first, then they go through the exchanges. In that category, though it wasn't really detailed in my conversations with them, they also have the information on level and type of ownership, if appropriate. I imagine that they take that into consideration, along with things like the exchange company used based on any contractual details with them, leaving some wiggle room in the exchange category to shuffle folks around based on whether they agree to do an upgrade/sales presentation prior to actually giving them rooms at 5:00. Nothing all that startling in the process. If you have a high enough ownership status, they'll take your input for desired rooms, otherwise it goes by their ranking of desirability by location (closer to beach, higher, better view - Vallarta side or resort side). There are some room-types that have limitations as to locations that can be assigned; that is, for example, all the spa units are in the upper floors of Tower 4 in NV, all the 2 and 3 BR lofts are in towers 3 & 4 on the 3rd floor and tower 5B on the 9th floor, and all the 1 BR lofts are in tower 5A on the 8th floor. If you have a spa unit, the only thing that can really change is the floor and side of the building, but they do go through the selection process for that, of course.

 

[NiteMaire]

I imagine that they take that into consideration, along with things like the exchange company used based on any contractual details with them, leaving some wiggle room in the exchange category to shuffle folks around based on whether they agree to do an upgrade/sales presentation prior to actually giving them rooms at 5:00. Nothing all that startling in the process. If you have a high enough ownership status, they'll take your input for desired rooms, otherwise it goes by their ranking of desirability by location (closer to beach, higher, better view - Vallarta side or resort side).

Completely agree, especially since that was the main carrot for us on our 1st trip to NV (4th overall into Vidanta GL). They offered to move us from Tower 3 to Tower 1, 2BR, 6th floor, phenomenal ocean view on the resort side. We weren't interested, but our guests wanted the view so we took it. It was by far the best room view I could have expected as an exchanger (except for Punta, maybe--which was offered on our 2nd trip to NV). I was amazed our 6th floor room wasn't given to an owner.