Smuggs joins Wyndham

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Just got an e-mail that Smuggs is joining the Wyndham system, two years after they moved to points and many owners paid in excess of $3,000 to convert their weeks. Now the message is that we "have the opportunity to convert to Wyndham points" but it will not affect RCI points.

So...will they charge for this conversion? Do resorts typically charge to convert to Wyndham points when they join the Wyndham system? And, given the choice, which is better...RCI points or Wyndam points?

(I know nothing about the Wyndham system. We have always used our fixed week at Smuggs but also have a float week. The fixed week is worth 85,000 RCI points and the float week is worth 48,000 RCI points.)

Advice, places to read more, etc?

Thanks!

Sharon

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

Smuggs joins Wynd./used to using RCI - are you happy with Wyndham?

Hi! Our timeshare just changed it's partnership from RCI to Wyndham. We will have an opportunity to start using Wyndham if we want to. Just trying to see if people are generally happy with the resorts and service offered by Wyndham?
Thanks!

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

Wow 85K points is alot of RCI points.
I could do alot of damage with that.
How much is the MF's?
If you're already in RCI points, I wouldn't convert this to Wyndham points.

I see alot of good inventory in RCI points.
Some of it pricey but nice stuff.
When the TPU's cupboards are bare RCI points has stuff sitting there.

I'm glad I have RCI points for now. Hope they don't mess it up.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I would think the RCI points will serve u better then Wyndham.

Wyndham has MANY fees and restrictions...it will be interesting how many points they will alot your ownership

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

also a smuggs owner

I am also curious about Wyndham. We own at Smuggs, too, even though hubby's life in the Army has kept us from returning since the year we bought! That was 2 years ago but we have traded out through RCI instead for family vacations. We will finally be going back for our Home week in 2012 and are already talking about it. We loved our vacay at Smuggs, and are also planning a summer trip soon.
Our fixed week is worth 75,000 and our float week is worth 53000. I wonder how that would translate in Wyndham world? We're not always thrilled with RCI but they do seem to have a very large inventory. That works for us because we can't always plan ahead.
The email said RCI points will be unaffected, so I'm assuming our membership will just stay as is.
I have to say it makes me a little nervous.
Are other people happier with Wyndham? It seems like it might have less availability b/c it's not as large as RCI?

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

The resort are pretty nice and has a lot to select. As a big companies, each resort will be depends on the person that run the operations. Generally speaking, the service can maintain certain level. The system is kind in flux now, but it still is pretty flexible. They do have quite a few fees. Which make some of the conversion quite not worth

You need to keep commuicate with your HOA if they are formed by owner. They will be the one that talked with Wyndham to negotiate deal on how to convert to Wyndham system for existing owner.

I don't know what Wyndham will do, but most will depend on what kind of inventories left for Wyndham to sell, and who is in control of the HOA.

The best is probably you pay Wyndham something like $995 per week and convert them into Wyndham. With the resale market as it is, it may or may not work. The next probably is like 1st week $2,395 the rest is $995. All your points will be consider purchased from Wyndham, thus enjoy the VIP benefits. The worth will be to buy some points from Wyndham, it usually does not make any sense financially.
Depends on what kind of week/unit you have, it may or may not work. Generally, the bigger the unit (Bedroom wise), the better the season, the better the conversion.

The MF on the existing week you own is purely depends on your current HOA and who will in the HOA. Generally speaking, Wyndham as management company do have a lot of says when voting beging. Once you convert, you will add a program fee on top of your current MF. It does cover RCI membership though.

Jya-Ning

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

Wyndham usually charges $2400 to enroll a fixed/floating week in its points system. If you have more than one the second is less expensive maybe $800. However, they sometimes offer incentives when they acquire new resorts---I think they did when they picked up the poconos resorts they added a few years ago.

You would be treated as a "developer purchase", and so depending on how much you are converting, and what Wydnham values it at, that might qualify you for one of the VIP levels. You would also still have access to Points, but using Wydnham's PlusPartners crossover grid. The values on that grid are changing this month, making it less of a good deal than it once was.

Honestly, I doubt it will be worth it to convert. If you are interested in Wyndham, you can acquire points resale for less than the conversion fee, but you'd need to have more time to use another timeshare. If you don't have room for another timeshare, and you have a prime-season smuggs unit that you don't use, you'd probably be better off selling smuggs and buying cheap resale Wyn points.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I am also curious about Wyndham. We own at Smuggs, too, even though hubby's life in the Army has kept us from returning since the year we bought! That was 2 years ago but we have traded out through RCI instead for family vacations. We will finally be going back for our Home week in 2012 and are already talking about it. We loved our vacay at Smuggs, and are also planning a summer trip soon.
Our fixed week is worth 75,000 and our float week is worth 53000. I wonder how that would translate in Wyndham world? We're not always thrilled with RCI but they do seem to have a very large inventory. That works for us because we can't always plan ahead.
The email said RCI points will be unaffected, so I'm assuming our membership will just stay as is.
I have to say it makes me a little nervous.
Are other people happier with Wyndham? It seems like it might have less availability b/c it's not as large as RCI?

I kind of answer in your thread http://www.timeshareforums.com/forum...y-wyndham.html.

But, if you already in RCI point system, than you very likely will not convert into Wyndham's system. In this case, all it affect you will be the management company will be named Wyndham (thus depends on what % your management company charges, it may or may increase), and there will be some added cost on managed the inventory.


Jya-Ning

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

It will be interesting to hear exactly what, if anything, the costs will be as an "associate" resort. The choices that can be made, etc.

I find Wyndham to be THE most onerous of any "mini system" I have exposure too. The points per week are pretty high at most of the resorts and if you have the <60 day discount it is almost impossible to find anything. I can't think of any other resort system that makes you purchase a $99 guest fee if you have more than one room booked for a timeframe even if you are going to be there.

You should be allowed to be grandfathered and keep what you have but that is solely up to your resort and the deal they cut with Wyndham.

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

DJD,

You don't need to change to Wyndham. You can keep what you have, according to the e-mail. I think the main reason they did this is to contract with someone to see unsold inventory.

Sounds like RCI points are better than Wyndham points. I don't know what happens, though, if you still have RCI weeks.

Sharon

[3kids4me Super Moderator and Super Mom Find all posts View Profile Close 3kids4me]

Chris,

Maintenance fees are high (about $800 per week) but your ownership includes other benefits like camps and activities, and lift tickets if you go in the winter, so it's not one of those resorts that is worth buying (in my opinion) just for the points. We have owned there for over 11 years and have definitely gotten our money's worth, but you would only buy if you actually want to go there as purchase prices are high.

Which leads me to wonder how Wyndham will do selling such high-priced timeshares. What do other Wyndham properties sell for?

Sharon

P.S. Thanks for the info everyone; I feel better about what I currently have!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Chris,

Maintenance fees are high (about $800 per week) but your ownership includes other benefits like camps and activities, and lift tickets if you go in the winter, so it's not one of those resorts that is worth buying (in my opinion) just for the points. We have owned there for over 11 years and have definitely gotten our money's worth, but you would only buy if you actually want to go there as purchase prices are high.

Which leads me to wonder how Wyndham will do selling such high-priced timeshares. What do other Wyndham properties sell for?
Sharon

P.S. Thanks for the info everyone; I feel better about what I currently have!

There is a current thread from someone who bought 308,000 Wyndham pts directly from WYN at Bonnet Creek and STILL owes $30,000 after making $500 payments every month for several years.
On the resale market, those points would cost with closing included under $4,000.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

DJD,

You don't need to change to Wyndham. You can keep what you have, according to the e-mail. I think the main reason they did this is to contract with someone to see unsold inventory.

Sounds like RCI points are better than Wyndham points. I don't know what happens, though, if you still have RCI weeks.

Sharon

You just continue with your weeks ownership - I own two fixed weeks at Wyndham St Thomas at Bluebeard's BeachClub (I also Have WYN points at Kingsgate Williamsburg - who knew!) - when I purchased it was managed by Equivest, then Fairfield who morphed into Wyndham.
At that resort, there are fixed week owners, float week (two season) owners and Fairfield then Wyndham point owners. The Wyn Point owners pay the highest fees for the ownership as there are extra fees associated with the point program.

I am going to merge these two threads over on the Wyndham Board

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

You just continue with your weeks ownership - I own two fixed weeks at Wyndham St Thomas at Bluebeard's BeachClub (I also Have WYN points at Kingsgate Williamsburg - who knew!) - when I purchased it was managed by Equivest, then Fairfield who morphed into Wyndham.
At that resort, there are fixed week owners, float week (two season) owners and Fairfield then Wyndham point owners. The Wyn Point owners pay the highest fees for the ownership as there are extra fees associated with the point program.

I am going to merge these two threads over on the Wyndham Board

Thanks Pat.

This is what annoys me most:

Important Reminders about Your Reservation:
A Guest Confirmation is required for any unit that you, the owner of record, will not be personally occupying. If your guest arrives without a Guest Confirmation, a Guest Confirmation fee will be collected prior to having access to the unit.
If you have more than one unit reserved for dates that overlap within the same time period and you have not obtained the required Guest Confirmation(s) at least 15 days prior to check-in, the additional reservation(s) will be subject to cancellation without notice, and the corresponding points will be forfeited in accordance with the cancellation policy.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

It will be interesting to hear exactly what, if anything, the costs will be as an "associate" resort. The choices that can be made, etc.

I find Wyndham to be THE most onerous of any "mini system" I have exposure too. The points per week are pretty high at most of the resorts and if you have the <60 day discount it is almost impossible to find anything. I can't think of any other resort system that makes you purchase a $99 guest fee if you have more than one room booked for a time frame even if you are going to be there.You should be allowed to be grandfathered and keep what you have but that is solely up to your resort and the deal they cut with Wyndham.

When we were offered the conversion at BBC, it was a limited time special of $995 for the first week and a reduced amount for the weeks after that.
Then it went up to the "at the time" regular rate of 2K

Honestly speaking, there has been no change in the way I can use my week ownership and the same goes for the float owners.

Chances are, Wyndham will pump much needed money into Smuggs to 'equalize' the accommodations - you will probably benefit from their management without having to 'really' pay for it.