Vidanta Luxxe member vs. RCI exchanger. What are the real differences in benefits?

[vantovidanta]

Is it really worth it ?

We know RCI exchangers pay a resort fee and they probably have less available dates probably the less desirable GL units if it's sold out or busy.

In the off season it appears you can exchange quite easily.

So why would anyone want to be a grand luxxe member then? (Edit: rci only has studio 1 bed and 2bed availability I dont believe they have loft/spa suites/residences)

Pay more to pay more? It's an irritating thought.

 

[Eric B]

The real differences are access to specifics unit types in the high season and long-term certainty. Additionally, Vidanta provides better treatment to you typically in relation to how much you've spent there. If you're happy going there in the shoulder or low season and taking what is available, it may not be worth the investment. Even if you've made the investment, it can be less expensive exchanging back in and buying your own chocolate. We own at a high level with Vidanta, but I'm happy to save the cost and use my other TS to go there in the off season so long as they continue to make the units available at a lower cost to exchanges.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Is it really worth it ?

We know RCI exchangers pay a resort fee and they probably have less available dates probably the less desirable GL units if it's sold out or busy.

In the off season it appears you can exchange quite easily.

So why would anyone want to be a grand luxxe member then?

Pay more to pay more? It's an irritating thought.

The real differences are access to specifics unit types in the high season and long-term certainty....... We own at a high level with Vidanta, but I'm happy to save the cost and use my other TS to go there in the off season so long as they continue to make the units available at a lower cost to exchanges.

If you enjoy the quality of Vidanta resorts and want to visit more - exchanging into your own resort is an option .

Since Vidanta builds for peak season - there is shoulder season availability - that is developer deposited .
Vidanta hopes to have their Vida Sales machine convince some/ many exchangers to become members . That sales money is then put into more building . The Vidanta wheel keeps turning .

Most Vidanta owners also have bonus / optional use weeks ( various names - Vacation Fare in my 2006 contract)
In 2019 Vidanta gave a bonus - promo (The 45 year anniversary resort credit promo - good May to November) to OWNERS . We used it to in November in conjunction with our VF week . Using an exchange + resort fee would have been more expensive .

[added- we are using our (2019) registered week in Feb 2020 - one week from now / PV sunshine here we come .
we also have a 2nd week booked - RCI - (I grabbed mid -June 2018 - the week it listed. / thank you Eric for letting me know at the time that deposits of winter 2020 were starting )]

[added As of Jan 2020 - Vidanta weeks on RCI now have a 1in 2 rule .]

Timeshares inherently have arbitrage as part of the business model. Using it to your advantage can be part of the game .

 

[simon63]

One day I was talking with the sell manager of Favc in cabo, I told him why should buy a membership if with the points of my credit card I get one week per year there. He answer me the membership is a right and bank points is a benefit, and he was right, one they my bank disappeared that benefit.

 

[woj027]

I think I had read somewhere on TUG that you could get into Vidanta via SFX or II as well, even Registry Collection. Anyone use any of those programs to get into Vidanta and have an opinion of their value compared to RCI ?

 

[bizaro86]

I just checked out of Grand Bliss on an II exchange, and had to be out by 10 AM. Do owners get a later checkout?

 

[hurnik]

I'd say if you're at the Riviera Maya location AND you want "full" access at Grand Bliss level or higher (beach club, etc.) then ownership has it's privileges.
Although I'd rent from an owner in that case, vs. buy.

If you're at other locations, SO FAR, Vidanta doesn't restrict access to non-owners (although you may not get the best views), AFAIK.

 

[Eric B]

I think I had read somewhere on TUG that you could get into Vidanta via SFX or II as well, even Registry Collection. Anyone use any of those programs to get into Vidanta and have an opinion of their value compared to RCI ?

You can get into Vidanta using SFX, II, and Registry, too, as well as Third Home and Elite Alliance. A year or two ago I also so availability through Platinum Interchange. Registry used to have no resort fees, but matches the RCI/II ones now. Registry used to get many loft and 4 BR Residence units, too, but Vidanta has shifted their bulk deposits to Third Home and possibly Elite Alliance. SFX only gets up to the Grand Luxxe suite level in general, but has a lower resort fee, $75 for a week as of last year, but charges a luxury upgrade fee on exchanges into GL, which added a couple hundred $ to the cost, but was still < the other resort fees overall. II gets the occasional 4 BR and a fair number of 3 BR units, typically in Punta in NV.

I believe Vidanta ranks the exchanges by likelihood of sales for users when making the room assignments; typically RCI & SFX are a bit lower than Registry and II. Third Home gets most of the higher end bulk deposits now, I believe, and has a $42/day per unit resort fee.

 

[woj027]

I'd say if you're at the Riviera Maya location AND you want "full" access at Grand Bliss level or higher (beach club, etc.) then ownership has it's privileges.
Although I'd rent from an owner in that case, vs. buy.

If you're at other locations, SO FAR, Vidanta doesn't restrict access to non-owners (although you may not get the best views), AFAIK.

When we were at Grand Mayan PV last year (spring break) we saw guests with owner bracelets (black) but didn't see anyone really regulating use of different facilities based on it.

 

[woj027]

You can get into Vidanta using SFX, II, and Registry, too, as well as Third Home and Elite Alliance. A year or two ago I also so availability through Platinum Interchange. Registry used to have no resort fees, but matches the RCI/II ones now. Registry used to get many loft and 4 BR Residence units, too, but Vidanta has shifted their bulk deposits to Third Home and possibly Elite Alliance. SFX only gets up to the Grand Luxxe suite level in general, but has a lower resort fee, $75 for a week as of last year, but charges a luxury upgrade fee on exchanges into GL, which added a couple hundred $ to the cost, but was still < the other resort fees overall. II gets the occasional 4 BR and a fair number of 3 BR units, typically in Punta in NV.

I believe Vidanta ranks the exchanges by likelihood of sales for users when making the room assignments; typically RCI & SFX are a bit lower than Registry and II. Third Home gets most of the higher end bulk deposits now, I believe, and has a $42/day per unit resort fee.

Thanks. great info. I haven't found a "comparison" of the different exchanges here on Tugg. It would be complex, but nice to see the values of each.

 

[hurnik]

When we were at Grand Mayan PV last year (spring break) we saw guests with owner bracelets (black) but didn't see anyone really regulating use of different facilities based on it.

Yes, so far only Riviera Maya location seems to have stipulations on exchangers vs. owners.
For now. LOL

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I just checked out of Grand Bliss on an II exchange, and had to be out by 10 AM. Do owners get a later checkout?

No

*****
We have done the following / especially with a late afternoon flight .

1) review the bill the night before .
2) get myself to front desk by 8 am / settle & pay bill
3) fill out the survey and make sure to give excellent ratings to any staff that I name .
4) family member(s) stay in room & finish any packing. / making sure not to get locked out once 10 am passes. **
5) Bring luggage to bell staff- (approx. 10:30 am)
6 ) Head to pool with a knapsack / change of clothing etc. ( you can generally order lunch & pay by credit card)

**make sure to not delay housekeeping in anyway - since they have to fully clean the rooms for 3 pm check in.
This is a tight time line in peak season - when there are no "extra" empty rooms.

- Housekeepers will generally accept any unused food & supplies if offered .
We were told at the NV 'Back of the House " tour by a Vidanta operations manager that this is totally acceptable.

I generally speak to our housekeeper the day before -when giving a tip / propina
and then leave a note with her name & our name & suite number.

 

[rpennisi]

No

*****
We have done the following / especially with a late afternoon flight .

1) review the bill the night before .
2) get myself to front desk by 8 am / settle & pay bill
3) fill out the survey and make sure to give excellent ratings to any staff that I name .
4) family member(s) stay in room & finish any packing. / making sure not to get locked out once 10 am passes. **
5) Bring luggage to bell staff- (approx. 10:30 am)
6 ) Head to pool with a knapsack / change of clothing etc. ( you can generally order lunch & pay by credit card)

**make sure to not delay housekeeping in anyway - since they have to fully clean the rooms for 3 pm check in.
This is a tight time line in peak season - when there are no "extra" empty rooms.

- Housekeepers will generally accept any unused food & supplies if offered . We were told at the NV 'Back of the House " tour by a Vidanta operations manager that this is totally acceptable.

I generally speak to our housekeeper the day before -when giving a tip / propina
and then leave a note with her name & our name & suite number.

All good points Tom. To my surprise earlier this month at MP NV, we (even staying there as MP owners) were denied a later check out when settling our bill the night before check out.

 

[pittle]

All good points Tom. To my surprise earlier this month at MP NV, we (even staying there as MP owners) were denied a later check out when settling our bill the night before check out.

They used to let owners keep there room until noon, and some resorts still do, but when you are an exchanger, you for sure have to leave by 10. We also just check out and send all but our electronic stuff to the baggage storage and hang out at the beach or a pool until we need to leave for the airport. We can change clothes in the restroom in the lobby - the stalls are large.

 

[simon63]

Be careful if you have to leave the resort early, despite that we notify a day before, when we did the check out, nobody was at reception or a parking at gm to take us to taxi parking, it was about at 6am, finally we found a security guy and the mini train arrived 30 minutes later.