Help my parents........ PLEASE

[acfbob Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acfbob]

My parents own a timeshare through Raintree Vacation Club. Through RVC they have the ability to exchange their week for a week at an RCI resort. The drawback is they have to use RVC to do the search through RCI's directory and the problem is every time they want to go somewhere they are told there is no availability. Their week with RVC gives them 54,000 RCI points.

They currently want to trade to go to either Napa or San Francisco in November.

They are also open to direct exchanges and with RVC own 16 different resort locations including their home resort at Club Regina Los Cabos.

How can I help them? What are they doing wrong?

[jericap Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close jericap]

We have some RCI experts here on board that could probably give you a better answer as to availability, as I usually don't search often for trades.
But one answer may be is that your parents may have to call the RVC rep daily unless the rep has put in an ongoing search. I am not sure as to how Raintree works. Normally through RCI, if you're looking for a particular area/resort, you could put in an ongoing search for the area or specify a specific resort.
Or you could check yourself on a daily basis. These searches are all based on real time, so you may see no resorts and then 10 minutes later see one.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

San Francisco is always a tough trade with RCI. I see more availability than some as one of my resorts has a preference period and right now I'm not seeing anything in the November time period.

You may want to check with SFX (San Francisco Exchange) and see if they will accept a week from raintree and what weeks would qualify. As the name implies they are based in SFO and get inventory there more than most other exchange companies. You can ask your questions here: Ask Sfx - Timeshare Forums

They generally only accept Gold Crown resorts and holiday/peak periods will have more success than other deposits.

to TS4Ms.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I agree with Lawren that your chances may be better through SFX, especially since a November trade for 2008 is short notice for RCI. Also worth checking to see if they can reserve anything at the Raintree Miners Club in Utah during ski season -- that would be a great trading week, or they could rent it out and rent a place in SFO with the proceeds, might even have change left over...

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Another option at least for Napa is Trading Places International. They have these units available:

RiverPointe Napa Valley - Napa, CA, United States
Dates: Nov 09, 2008 - Nov 16, 2008
Size: 1 Bedroom
Occupancy: 4

RiverPointe Napa Valley - Napa, CA, United States
Dates: Nov 16, 2008 - Nov 23, 2008
Size: 1 Bedroom
Occupancy: 4

RiverPointe Napa Valley - Napa, CA, United States
Dates: Nov 30, 2008 - Dec 07, 2008
Size: 1 Bedroom
Occupancy: 4


Be advised that the units are modular and not large but I have heard good things about the resort/location. It just isn't going to be a Gold Crown Experience.

TPI will accept any resort deposited at least 4 months in advance. They do a like size for like size exchange.

Our rep Marcie is wonderful. You can ask her questions here:Ask Trading Places - Timeshare Forums

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

My parents own a timeshare through Raintree Vacation Club. Through RVC they have the ability to exchange their week for a week at an RCI resort. The drawback is they have to use RVC to do the search through RCI's directory and the problem is every time they want to go somewhere they are told there is no availability. Their week with RVC gives them 54,000 RCI points.
They currently want to trade to go to either Napa or San Francisco in November.

They are also open to direct exchanges and with RVC own 16 different resort locations including their home resort at Club Regina Los Cabos.

How can I help them? What are they doing wrong?

OK here's the deal I can see this with a VRI preference this morning

Nob Hill Inn (#0824)
San Francisco, CA 94109, USA

Available Unit Size: S - S
Check-in Date: 11/28/2008

Because it is a POINTS resort points can't see this as it is a Weeks deposit. If your parents have a Weeks deposit they should put in for this and they will get it when the pref lifts if their trading power is strong enough.

I do see a Pacific Grove Monterey for Christmas with points

[acfbob Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close acfbob]

Thank you for the replies. I know they are looking for a comparable experience to the Club Regina in Cabo which I believe is Gold Crown.

Is SFX reputable?

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

Thank you for the replies. I know they are looking for a comparable experience to the Club Regina in Cabo which I believe is Gold Crown.

Is SFX reputable?

You can't compare SFO or Napa Timeshares to Club Regina in Cabo, you just can't. There are very few t/s in Wine County, and the one Lawren posted is very well located. I doubt you'll do any better through SFX. If I wanted a t/s in Napa, I'd take it.

In San Francisco, the timeshares are basically hotel type buildings, units are usually studios or 1 bedrooms. It's a city, after all. We have quite a few members who have used SFX successfully to trade in to San Francisco, and SFX generally deals only in Gold Crown/Five Star properties. Given the relatively short notice, I recommend calling them first to try to get a feel for what your chances are. Or you can ask here, in the Ask SFX forum, Mark will respond.