RHC worth it?

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

There are 2 larger RHC points packages on Ebay (80,000 and 70,000). The 80,000 has gone through at least twice with no bids. They both have MF around $1200-1300 in 2009. How is the value compared to the number of points you can get for similar MF's compared to Blue Green, Diamond (US collection), and Wyndham? Does the customer unfriendliness that I have read about make you wish you hadn't purchased? I am probably only looking for one nice urban stay (for 2 adults and 2 small kids) per year and renting out any remaining points stays for $200-300 depending on what's available.

Also to make the best use of points should I expect to pay 2010 and 2011 MF right away to get good reservations?

Thanks,

T

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

There are 2 larger RHC points packages on Ebay (80,000 and 70,000). The 80,000 has gone through at least twice with no bids. They both have MF around $1200-1300 in 2009. How is the value compared to the number of points you can get for similar MF's compared to Blue Green, Diamond (US collection), and Wyndham? Does the customer unfriendliness that I have read about make you wish you hadn't purchased? I am probably only looking for one nice urban stay (for 2 adults and 2 small kids) per year and renting out any remaining points stays for $200-300 depending on what's available.

Also to make the best use of points should I expect to pay 2010 and 2011 MF right away to get good reservations?

Thanks,

T

YES.
RHC is not always easy to use and their admin is a headache to say the least. Things they don't tell you
1) example NYC Affinia Manhattan, RHC has ONLY four units there, two Studios and two 1BRs
2) Even if you own enough points to give you advance reservations 18 or 24 months in advance, affiliated properties (like most RHC resorts) are not opened to reservations (RHC is late letting contracts usually) until very late, giving you no advantage as they would lead you to believe.
3) Billing is very often a problem, always keep your receipts and credit card statements forever.

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

Thanks Spence. For now I am going to hold tight and let them cycle through ebay a few more times if no one picks them up and see if the transfer fee is dropped or reduced.

I also should probably wait a year or two to see how the trend of adding mandatory fees at the affiliates goes. (But I don't always do what I should do.)

T

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

I have had some very nice vacations with RHC, BUT after dealing with RHC , when I read about people being frustrated with II and RCI I have to chuckle! They have NO IDEA what aggrevation is unless they have used RHC!! RCI and II are choir boys!! Not sure if my nice vacations with RHC were worth it!!!!

[SteveH Member Find all posts View Profile Close SteveH]

I'm relatively new to RHC - just approaching one year. We bought a 30K ebay package for $1 (more like $800 with transfer and closing costs). We've booked 4 weeks so far but haven't yet travelled to any of the desitinations. I was able to see the weeks online, before RHC removed the ability to search multiple weeks at once, but wasn't able to book anything without calling an agent. There was some issues about moving points from one year to the next and I still haven't figured that one out, but in the end we found an agent to do this and otherwise I haven't any real complaints so far. I will call each resort in advance to make sure they have the details on the reservations as indicated.
So for 2 years of points (60K) we picked up 2 weeks in a studio at Scottsdale Camelback and 1 week in a studio at Del Mar this January; plus a 1 BR at the Allen House in London in April. All in all, we're quite happy so far. I did see a bunch of Affinia Dumont weeks for this coming year after we had used up this year and next years' points.
Steve

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

Steve, when did you find the one bedroom Allen House in London? I have been looking without any luck, except one week in February. I really want a warmer season.

This is my third year with RHC, and I never have a problem with them. I do everything online, except calling the rHC rep to pay the MF. I keep a record of everything.

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

RHC can be a pain but it has gotten me some nice exchanges that were difficult to get through RCI. Not having to pay an exchange fee is also nice. I have spent a week in NYC for several years now. The extra fees at some resort/hotels do add up quickly.

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

As I mentioned years ago when I first found RHC: (to paraphrase) If you have high blood pressure, if you are impatient or easily irritated, then RHC is not for you. If you have the patience of Buddha, then RHC might be for you because it has some great timeshare locations that can't be had through other timeshare groups.

If it bugs you to have to pay two annual fees in a year occasionally, or to prove that you paid your annual fee 10 years ago, so you don't have to pay it again now, then RHC is not for you. If you can do a cost-benefit analysis and decide that, on balance, the ability to travel to these places via timeshare is worth the occasional unfair fee or dealing with administrative incompetence, then you might find RHC useful.

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

It's been a while and I still have RHC on my mind.

Besides the MF's on the credits how many resorts charge additional fees. An ebay seller had a link to this chart for some extra nice stays. Can anyone comment on any extra fees associated with the various stay?

Destination Hotel Nights Room/ Cabin From
Florence, Italy Residence La Contessina 7 Junior Suite 66,000 credits
Rome, Italy Carpediem Roma Golf Club 12 Royal 65,139 credits
Cumbria, UK Whitbarrow Village 7 Royal 62,700 credits
London, UK St. Marks London 10 Ambassador 61,875 credits
Rome, Italy Palazzo al Velabro 10 Presidential 63,252 credits
Paris, France Napoleon 10 Studio 64,125 credits
E. Caribbean Freedom, Carnival 7 Balcon 71,000 credits
W.Caribbean Freedom of the Seas, Royal Caribbean7 Balcon 70,000 credits
Fiordos Noruegos Cunard 7 Balcon 127,000 credits

If I remember the old threads, when trading through II or RCI you choose the size and season and RHC deposits anything (or assigns a previously deposited unit) they want that meets those criteria and it could have been a fairly late crappy deposit that technically meets the requirements but doesn't give particurly good trading power in most cases? Is this still how it is or are they now using a crossover grid that to get a certain size or season takes so many credits?

Thanks for any updates.

Sally TS

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

Interesting. A recall after 2 years.

I can't answer your questions because the resorts I have gone to didn't charge a fee. I went to Rome, Paris, Madrid, and Tanglewood. All European destinations definitely cost less than my MF if I have to find something in the open market.

Each year, I will use 10000 points to reserve two studios units to deposit with DAE. The total costs are $250 (MF pro-rated) and $280 exchange fees, i.e. a total of $530 for 14 days holiday. I booked two weeks via DAE a hotel room in China in the cities of Dalian and Xian, which would cost me $2000 if booked via the open market.

I also find the cruise exchange quite attractive. I have reserved two inside staterooms for Royal Carribean Freedom. All MF and inclusive fees together are like a 65% discount compared with that booked via vacationtogo.com.

I find RHC experience quite unique and different from II and RCI and other mini systems. I can't find such good deals else where. Of course, mine is not the same as your needs, so yours to decide.