What planning assumptions for purchasing into DRI?

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

There are a lot of DRI resorts that I like. I have stayed away from it mostly because it felt risky to buy into the Club. The unclear policies on resales and the instability of Sunterra prior to its sell out to DRI kept me out. Now that DRI is on a very proactive PR campaign, is it safe to buy DRI? Are the changes for the good of owners? I'd like the honest opinion of those with some knowledge of the Club and how it works.

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

As A DRI owner since 1998, I can say I like Mr. Cloobeck when he's in charge. Polo Towers was a nicer resort and was run better when he had an active role.

The problem I have with Mr. C is that he apperantly became boared or gave up on timeshare for whatever reason and, essentially, left. At that point I feel that Polo Towers started it' slide into missmanagement. It's not that the resort wasn't maintained but or that employee's weren't friendly but that reserves weren't maintained to avoid that big SA 15 years after the resort was started. IMO, every resort should plan for a large renovation at least every 10 years and the HOA/BOD, developer and management should plan for that eventuallity.

I believe we've now seen some big increases in MF's but, my question is are they increasing the reserve's for future necessary renovations. I know that some of the Sunterra properties were in need of renovations now and that very well may be where the money is going. In another 6 to 12 months I would hope we would start seeing reports that these needed repairs/upgrades have been made.

Mr. Cloobeck doesn't seem to want run of the mill average resorts but, I can't say that he's seems to be going after Marriott, Hilton or Hyatt quality. He still seems to have an eye towards quality, just not the very top of the industry quality. Well run resorts that are maintained well with comfortable accomadations and quality furnishings seems to be the idea. If I had to put a number figure on it I'd say that the goal is to have every resort rate a 7 to and 8 on a 1 to 10 scale.

It appears to me that many resorts may end up having different sections having different qualities in the near future. Regular rooms vs deluxe rooms with deluxe rooms costing more in points. I wonder if this won't be a gradual way of increasing the value of the existing resorts and increasing the points required to stay at those resorts. That is by having to different room qualities to choose from. I am somewhat dissapointed when I see people posting that deluxe rooms don't seem to be available with an online search but, I personally haven't looked and am not certain how many resorts have the two different catagories of rooms. For me this is purely speculation as to the diresction DRI will take in upgrading existing resorts.

Late next month we will be making our first trip to a DRI resort since the merger. As I understand it this resort, the Suites at Fall Creek in Branson, MO is one of those that has both standard and deluxe rooms available. From my reservation it appears that we have a standard room. I doubt that will take the sales tour since we only plan on being in town 3 or 4 nights. It will be interesting to compare this resort with the two DRI resorts we've previously exchanged into and to our home resort of Polo Towers.

I do enjoy the way DRI points exchange through I.I. It makes very effecient usage or the units we own the the Suite's and the Villa's as Polo Towers. Since those units had become strictly exchange units I can now make better usage in exchanging my units and using left over points to offset costs or for those weekend trips we make to Branson. That is assuming we enjoy staying at the Suites at Fall Creek enough to return there every year.

In the past I've managed to either get two 2 bedroom units for our two 2 bedroom units or lock them off and get a variety with the 4 seperated sections. These units provide us with 26,500 points and I can now exchange 13,000 of those points for two 2 bedroom units andstill have 13,500 points left over for whatever I choose to do with them. That could be two more weeks of vacation, rent them out, sell them back to DRI to offset my MF's, purchase AA flight certificates, use them to discount a cruise vacation et.....THE Club points will give me greater flexablity than what I had before while still giving me the same units I had before. In timesharing greater flexablity is always a good thing IMO.

Of course, if you're buying resale you're going to have to buy something direct from DRI to get it included in THE CLUB points system. That seems to be where the shifting sands are right now. I know that, as Polo Towers owners we were allowed to buy our way into THE Club for $2,995. That was back in September of last year but I'm not sure that deal is still available. Others here, especially Spence, will have a better handle on that than I will.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Thanks Doug. That is exactly the type of info I am seeking. I'm hoping that Spence and others will post their insights.

I like the quality target. My only two issues are still related to converting points into the Club long term. I need to have clear policies about that or there won't be a resale market for points. And, the other issue is whether or not this quality push will significantly raise MFs more over time. I like that they are biting the bullet now and upgrading to a common standard with more adequate reserves. It will be interesting to see where the MFs land.

[dale7 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dale7]

I have been a member since 1999 and in joy a lot and have been buying more since. Most of the places that I have stayed at have been very nice and have no problems belong to Club and I think they are going to be around a while. So far I think the changes are for the good of having nice places to stay at but at a cost which is not good for are friends on a limited or fix income.

The only place that I have stayed at that had up graded rooms other different view rooms was the Sedona Summit and the newest section had been up graded to a Marriot type of room which was very nice.
I hope this works a link to my pictures of Sendona Summit Sunset Suite 2 bedroom

http://www.flickr.com/gp/11409199@N08/VWx542


If I were to buy and need certain dates at one resort that were in the high season then I would buy that resort so that I would Home Resort Advantage or Home Club Advantage which means that you can get that resort before the rest of the Club buy a few months. I would buy on ebay first to what ever I wanted then I would join Club.


Places that I have stayed at:

Very nice places

Ka'anapali Vacation Resort (9)
Poipu Point (4)
Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort (3)
Grand Beach (1)
Sendona Summit (1)
II Lake Tahoe Timber Lodge (1)
II Kona Coast Resort (2)
II The Masters at Paradise Canyon (1)

Nice places

San Luis Bay Inn (1)
Marquis Villas Resort (2)

Ok Places

London Bridges Resort (1)

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

Thanks Doug. That is exactly the type of info I am seeking. I'm hoping that Spence and others will post their insights.

I like the quality target. My only two issues are still related to converting points into the Club long term. I need to have clear policies about that or there won't be a resale market for points. And, the other issue is whether or not this quality push will significantly raise MFs more over time. I like that they are biting the bullet now and upgrading to a common standard with more adequate reserves. It will be interesting to see where the MFs land.

Keep in mind that there is no resale market for THE Club points. The only thing that goes along with a resale is the deed to the unit you own. The exception of course is trust points and those will always be good at the 19 resorts in the trust but not in the rest of the resorts in THE Club. By not allowing THE Club membership to be sold with the deed DRI retains the right to hook resale purchasers into buying a little something from them to gain club access.

MF's are anybodies guess. Personally I'd like to see PT's start putting over $100 into their reserve fund. Right now that figure stands at less than $50. To do that DRI would have to raise MF's significantly again next year. We'll just have to wait and see what approach they're going to take whether it's a little at a time or asking for an SA when resorts need refurbished.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Keep in mind that there is no resale market for THE Club points. The only thing that goes along with a resale is the deed to the unit you own. The exception of course is trust points and those will always be good at the 19 resorts in the trust but not in the rest of the resorts in THE Club. By not allowing THE Club membership to be sold with the deed DRI retains the right to hook resale purchasers into buying a little something from them to gain club access.

This has been the number 1 reason why I haven't bought in. Any chance of that changing anytime in the future?

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

This has been the number 1 reason why I haven't bought in. Any chance of that changing anytime in the future?

I don't think so, they are in business to make money coming and going, there's nothing wrong with that model, I just wish they were more clear on the re-join. I've been told from the top that it's $2995 and the top seemed surprised to hear that many people can't find that 'deal' and are required/forced to buy more points to convert.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I don't think so, they are in business to make money coming and going, there's nothing wrong with that model, I just wish they were more clear on the re-join. I've been told from the top that it's $2995 and the top seemed surprised to hear that many people can't find that 'deal' and are required/forced to by more points to convert.

I am actually okay with that policy. When I first bought at the Embassy Kaanapali, they told me that it would be a $2995 fee to rejoin. Believe it or not, that was the clause that enabled me to get out of my agreement because it raised a red flag that I had to research. It led me to Redweek, TUG and an immediate recission letter.

If DRI made it simple to get the $2995 and they allowed you to convert many weeks simultaneously, it would be worth it.

I'm okay with them making money coming and going. It's just that they can probably make more money if they changed policies a bit. That's what I was hoping to see.

[sb1070 Member Find all posts View Profile Close sb1070]

When I upgraded I was unable to get the $2995 and purchased 2000 points for each deed I wanted points for, but the trust points I had came over for free and their MF's were reduced to match THE CLUB's per point cost.

I see it as a win and a loss, but I'm getting more out of my points and that's what I was after.

Scott

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

There are a lot of DRI resorts that I like. I have stayed away from it mostly because it felt risky to buy into the Club. The unclear policies on resales and the instability of Sunterra prior to its sell out to DRI kept me out. Now that DRI is on a very proactive PR campaign, is it safe to buy DRI? Are the changes for the good of owners? I'd like the honest opinion of those with some knowledge of the Club and how it works.

I am not smart enough to understand your question. Do you mean whether Sunterra or now DRI is safe?

I have been a member for 11 years. Despite the "terrible" history, I never noticed any negative impact on me at all. I spent more than half of the points going to their European destinations and traded the rest for resorts of better quality. Every time I went to a DRI resort, I would use the 59 day window or their specials, for lower point requirements.

I feel very safe with my investment.