Buying FFKHR?

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

Since I liked FFKHR so much, I can't help thinking about buying there, with the cash from my Marriott still not quite in hand yet...

SOOOO, IF I were to want one, any idea how much I should pay? Are all the units converted to FF points? I probably don't know enough about FF to do this yet, but any input would be helpful. I would also like to know how hard/easy it is to reserve, since the weeks all seem to be floating.

Thanks,
Avery

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

Avery:

FF's point chart - 2 BR Delux is 203k or 231k (wk 51,52, 5-15, 21-47). 2BR Presidential is 350k (the same week as 231k) or 300k. Have no idea how that resort work. But I don't think every owner has converted. Because it is Hawaii, the resell price is actually higher, I think I saw close to $50 per 1000 point range in eBay, but don't quite sure, you may want to watch for a while. There is not many contract in resell market anyway, I think I saw several fix week 2 years ago in bidshare.

Jya-Ning

[aliikai2 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close aliikai2]

If you want to own there,

there are weeks that come up that are floating for between $5-7K. These weeks have much lower fees than the 231k points weeks, but you wouldn't be able to use your points at other FF resorts. I really enjoyed the resort, we were there in 2003 and again in 2005. But alas, my dw has said that she doesn't want to go to the Big Island anymore, preferring the lush greenness of Kauai instead. fwiw, Greg

Since I liked FFKHR so much, I can't help thinking about buying there, with the cash from my Marriott still not quite in hand yet...

SOOOO, IF I were to want one, any idea how much I should pay? Are all the units converted to FF points? I probably don't know enough about FF to do this yet, but any input would be helpful. I would also like to know how hard/easy it is to reserve, since the weeks all seem to be floating.

Thanks,
Avery

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

Is this Kona Hawaiian Village?

What does KHR stand for? I thought it would be KHV.

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

What does KHR stand for? I thought it would be KHV.

I think I saw they were calling it Kona Hawaiian Resort to avoid confusion with the tres chic Hawaiian Village hotel.

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

That makes sense. I like that it is a former site of a genuine Hawaiian village.

What unit # did you have? I think we were in 6B but I am not really sure I remember the number correctly. Could have been 12 B. It was on the main floor and was a unit on the right side of the entry sidewalk.

Anyway, we had a terribly high number of roaches in the kitchen, seemingly central to the undersink area. My friend was not too freaked out about it, having lived around the Boston college area while attending school. I have never seen a roach in my house and have only seen a few in my life, but this was a lot! Not the resort's fault. I assume the people before just left garbage in the can too long.

Our friends have some major money and really feel that timeshare is not the way to vacation. She missed the spa and massages of the hotels she usually frequents while on the islands. Really nice people, the nicest, truly. But having the money to buy Tahitian pearls and anything else without even looking at the price is just unfathomable for me. Now if I had a whole bunch of money to spend, I would buy more timeshares and still go to the nice hotels during the day for the massages and spas. It was fun to be with them because she could really shop and I enjoy looking. Plus, because we provided the place to stay and would not take compensation, they bought the food. We cooked most of the time, then they took us out for a nice dinner at Kona Inn and that Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi was the absolute best. It was not even expensive.

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

That makes sense. I like that it is a former site of a genuine Hawaiian village.

What unit # did you have? I think we were in 6B but I am not really sure I remember the number correctly. Could have been 12 B. It was on the main floor and was a unit on the right side of the entry sidewalk.

Anyway, we had a terribly high number of roaches in the kitchen, seemingly central to the undersink area. My friend was not too freaked out about it, having lived around the Boston college area while attending school. I have never seen a roach in my house and have only seen a few in my life, but this was a lot! Not the resort's fault. I assume the people before just left garbage in the can too long.

Our friends have some major money and really feel that timeshare is not the way to vacation. She missed the spa and massages of the hotels she usually frequents while on the islands. Really nice people, the nicest, truly. But having the money to buy Tahitian pearls and anything else without even looking at the price is just unfathomable for me. Now if I had a whole bunch of money to spend, I would buy more timeshares and still go to the nice hotels during the day for the massages and spas. It was fun to be with them because she could really shop and I enjoy looking. Plus, because we provided the place to stay and would not take compensation, they bought the food. We cooked most of the time, then they took us out for a nice dinner at Kona Inn and that Macadamia Crusted Mahi Mahi was the absolute best. It was not even expensive.

We were in 6A, it was sort of in the middle of the "U" around the pool area. I have seen your posts re the bug problem you encountered... I am hoping lots of people see them so I can hope to trade in there again if I don't buy

We are traveling to Cancun in November with an aunt/uncle that sound like your friends (they have stayed at the Hawaiian Village hotel). I booked the Royal Caribbean units on II Getaways, and when I told them the cost (I thought it was high at $950), my uncle said 'that's per night, right?' HA I have warned them that noone will spritzing them with Evian on the beach, but I think they will enjoy their spacious villa.

Even when it's just me and DH, a hotel room just d/n cut it anymore, and I detest daily maid service (though we will put up with at RC).

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

Fairfield & Points

Dont forget in the Fairfield system, points are points, when bought from "most" of the locations. You can use the points anywhere in the system, starting reservations from 10 months in advance.

While KHV is a plus because of the lower annual maintenance fees, there are resorts with equally low maintenance fees. Remember the fees can change, especially if they are low due to developer discounting. The developer will be out of the picture some day.

Your best FF purchase is one with the lower maintenance fees, and is a fixed week that has been converted to fareshare plus points. You have the added advantage of reserving your fixed week and depositing it to RCI as a fixed week rather than depositing points. If it is a tiger week (good trader) you could use it to pull some pretty good RCI searches (including kona). FF Points deposited to RCI have some distinct disadvantages.

However bear in mind that FF points deposited to RCI do pull many of the Kona resorts. Also bear in mind that the FF points deposited to RCI, and pull the Kona resorts, are often less than are required points when reserving via FF (i.e. points that would only pay for a red studio via FF reservation system may pull a red two bedroom via RCI).

All that said, if you know that for the next several years it is only KHV that you want....then by all means it is your best choice.

Daniel

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

Me too

Now I am here at Kona Hawaiian Resort and considering a resale purchase, so have similar questions. The main concern I have is if I purchase a floating 1-52 week that is not converted to Fairfield points, is that a disadvantage in making reservations compared with a Fairfield point owner? I would always want to reserve weeks 51 or 52. Would those weeks be hard to get as a weeks owner?
Kona is a great area. I think there will be some significant development here in the next 10 years, and a quality unit so close to the center of town should retain its value. We also drove by the Kona Coast Resort. While it is 4 miles further south, it also seemed very nice. I would be interested in any comparisons between the 2 timeshares. I get the impression that a week 51 or 52 2BR at Kona Coast Resort would cost a lot more, looking at ebay auctions.

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

Why did I think you'd already purchased here?

Since I liked FFKHR so much, I can't help thinking about buying there, with the cash from my Marriott still not quite in hand yet...

SOOOO, IF I were to want one, any idea how much I should pay? Are all the units converted to FF points? I probably don't know enough about FF to do this yet, but any input would be helpful. I would also like to know how hard/easy it is to reserve, since the weeks all seem to be floating.

Thanks,
Avery

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

Since I liked FFKHR so much, I can't help thinking about buying there, with the cash from my Marriott still not quite in hand yet...

burning a hole in your pocket isn't it???

I'd ask the FF experts as Daniel advises. You probably could get in cheaper with similar or lower MFs.

I see that resort always and often on Trading Places too.

Would you really fly 10 hours each way every year?

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

Now I am here at Kona Hawaiian Resort and considering a resale purchase, so have similar questions. The main concern I have is if I purchase a floating 1-52 week that is not converted to Fairfield points, is that a disadvantage in making reservations compared with a Fairfield point owner? I would always want to reserve weeks 51 or 52. Would those weeks be hard to get as a weeks owner?
Kona is a great area. I think there will be some significant development here in the next 10 years, and a quality unit so close to the center of town should retain its value. We also drove by the Kona Coast Resort. While it is 4 miles further south, it also seemed very nice. I would be interested in any comparisons between the 2 timeshares. I get the impression that a week 51 or 52 2BR at Kona Coast Resort would cost a lot more, looking at ebay auctions.

Right now, I believe that FF KHR is one of the lower MF in the Fairfield system. If FF KHR is your "home" resort, you can reserve 13 months out. If you have a converted fixed week, then you can only reserve that fixed week. If you have a converted float week, you can reserve a week for your float season. If you own UDI (undivided interest), then you can reserve any week 13 months out for the amount of points you have at KHR.

So if you are only buying a float week, you need to determine how far in advance you can reserve the week and how KHR determines who gets the week 51 or 52.

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

Right now, I believe that FF KHR is one of the lower MF in the Fairfield system. If FF KHR is your "home" resort, you can reserve 13 months out. If you have a converted fixed week, then you can only reserve that fixed week. If you have a converted float week, you can reserve a week for your float season. If you own UDI (undivided interest), then you can reserve any week 13 months out for the amount of points you have at KHR.

So if you are only buying a float week, you need to determine how far in advance you can reserve the week and how KHR determines who gets the week 51 or 52.

Just remember that if the resort is a fixed week, float week and points combination (we have this at FF Bluebeard's BeachClub in STT) that there is only a certain number of 'float' week units available each week.

I own a fixed week 3 studio - this is how the resort was originally sold - there are only 36 studios in the complex - 15 are owned by fixed week owners, week 4 has 10 fixed week owners. During the period of time that they were selling floating weeks, they alotted 5 floats for week 3 and 10 floats for week 4....then points started happening and there was no more 'floating' weeks sold. So just becuse there are units available that are not owned by fixed weeks owners, it doesn't mean they will all be available for floating owners - most have been alotted for points owners.

A common occurance I see on the BBC owners group is people who own a floating week 18-51 posting in April that they can't get a reservation for ANY week in October, November, December..all the float time that was available for that time was obviously reserved 12 months out and now they are upset because they can't get the time they want. In August they post and say they can't get any time for the YEAR because the float time has been reserved already.....meanwhile, they LOST their time because they didn't reserve in a timely fashion and and all there was available would have been May and June which has already passed!!!

The big question is how many units and what weeks are available in the float system for you to reserve.

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

I did buy mine already, my initial thread was resurrected by CalGal...
My week is not converted to points, and so far availability for the summer weeks I want to reserve has not been a problem (closing has been slloooowwww, however, but I am going to get the seller to reserve a week for me shortly). For the time being I am going to keep it as a weeks week, the MF is lower that way.

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

I did buy mine already, my initial thread was resurrected by CalGal...
My week is not converted to points, and so far availability for the summer weeks I want to reserve has not been a problem (closing has been slloooowwww, however, but I am going to get the seller to reserve a week for me shortly). For the time being I am going to keep it as a weeks week, the MF is lower that way.

Duh, if I'd looked at the date of the original post.............