Interval International trades through DRI/The Club

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

I've been a nay-sayer for a long time on the subject of high end resorts from II through The Club.

I have spoken at length with people at The Club on numerous ocassions.

I am here to report success. Yesterday, I saw flexchange at FSA online through my Club account but none of the Winter08 sighting that Angela so graciously posted. I called the Club and they were able to 'see' the Winter08 dates and book for me, yeah.

I am now told that they have had success booking places like TMC Penthouses and Atlantis with ongoing searches.

The hunt is on!

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

I wonder if this has anything to do with Mr. C's announced and already completed (or underway) improvements in amenities (linens, bedding et...) with Club Sunterra or if there's just been some change in the contract that Club Sun has with I.I. as far as what is avaible to Club Sun members. In my mind it's probably a little of both.

For us I'll have to wait until 2009 and perhaps 2010 to see what the true exchange power will be for us with Club Sun. We pretty much have 2008 planned out and I believe in 2009 we'll be doing mostly internal exchanges rather than through I.I. Still, it's good to hear that better exchanges might be on the table.

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

I wonder if this has anything to do with Mr. C's announced and already completed (or underway) improvements in amenities (linens, bedding et...) with Club Sunterra or if there's just been some change in the contract that Club Sun has with I.I. as far as what is avaible to Club Sun members. In my mind it's probably a little of both.

For us I'll have to wait until 2009 and perhaps 2010 to see what the true exchange power will be for us with Club Sun. We pretty much have 2008 planned out and I believe in 2009 we'll be doing mostly internal exchanges rather than through I.I. Still, it's good to hear that better exchanges might be on the table.

Current contract has not changed but the new contract is on the table right now as i understand it. Some of the Club people that deal with II really feel that it is II's flakey website that gives much of these oddities.

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

I can tell you from experience that the info on II's site is very flakey, that's why I always call the rep and look online.

I forget who, but a TS4M member posts many successes in booking higher end resort w/ CS request, although it maybe ongoing request, not instant bookings.

maybe we should start a thread documenting nice CS - II exchanges!

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

It would also stand to reason that with new leadership at the helm at Diamond/Sunterra, that II wants to do all it can to please them so they want have any stray thoughts about defecting to the dark side (RCI).

[barndweller Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close barndweller]

That is great news, Spence. for FSA in particular. I LOVE that place. I had a request in for Hilton Craigendarroch 2 bedroom that came through but unfortuneately I had to decline because the rep at Clubsun had entered 2008 when what I wanted was summer 2009. At least I'm now pretty confident that my request will be filled when the 2009 weeks start to come in!

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

It would also stand to reason that with new leadership at the helm at Diamond/Sunterra, that II wants to do all it can to please them so they want have any stray thoughts about defecting to the dark side (RCI).

I doubt that I.I. is worried about that. DRI has always worked very well with them. At one point there was an I.I. rep whose office was in Polo Towers. Owners could make an appointment to speak with her if they felt the need. Polo Towers continued to be offered AC's while Marriott's new Grand Chateau was not. Mr. C seems to have always maintained a good working relationship with I.I. and our PT's units have always seen a very nice selection of resorts through I.I.

There is also the possibility that Sunterra units have been experiencing upgrades and that DRI has shared with I.I. details of it's plans to increase the quality of Sunterra resorts in general. I know in looking at the resort pages that have the new ICE Portal video/photography some resorts are looking much nicer than what I recall. Some are pretty darn impressive looking including Greensprings Plantation in Williamsburg. The ICE photo's make the units look great compared to the photo's of the unit we had back in2004.

Better quality and a better working relationship with I.I. are two very real possibilities to improve what's available to Club Sun members.

[winger Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close winger]

...

The hunt is on!

Spence, have you not had much experience with asking for higher-end II resorts with your many years with CS ?

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

I've not put in requests, just checked out what's online when 'sightings' are made.