Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club

[phicha]

Does anyone have any information on how to go about renting a week at the Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club. Can I advertise it as a floating week or do I have to have a set date to be able to rent it. Any idea of how much I would be able to rent a week for? I have checked out rental ads but there is very little information available. I did follow the suggestions on renting by TUG.

 

[HudsHut]

Here are some asking prices on
Redweek.com
http://www.redweek.com/resort/P1075-imperial-hawaii-vacation-club/timeshare-rentals

Craigslist.org
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/search/oah/vac?query=imperial+hawaii&availabilityMode=0

 

[phicha]

Here are some asking prices on
Redweek.com
http://www.redweek.com/resort/P1075-imperial-hawaii-vacation-club/timeshare-rentals

Craigslist.org
https://honolulu.craigslist.org/search/oah/vac?query=imperial+hawaii&availabilityMode=0

Thank you very much. This verifies what I thought. The most I can get for a renting a week at the Imperial is $950 which is less than the maintenance fees I pay. My husband and I really like travelling with timeshare weeks and often exchange our weeks in Hawaii for elsewhere. But lately it has gotten more and more difficult to find good places even though we usually book a year in advance. With the cost of exchanges at RCI going up as well as the increased cost for a larger unit requests through II it does not seem worth the yearly maintenance fees anymore, especially if I really want to go to Wakiki for a week it would be better to go through Craigslist or Redweek. Although the problem becomes then to make sure the person renting is legitimate.

 

[DaveNV]

Thank you very much. This verifies what I thought. The most I can get for a renting a week at the Imperial is $950 which is less than the maintenance fees I pay.

Also, don't forget the Imperial rents units directly to the general public. So you'd be competing with the resort for renters, too.

If staying there isn't a choice, then I see two options: (1) Reserve the best week you can (a Christmas Week reservation for a Palm unit still gets 53 TPU) and deposit it with RCI, or (2) Step outside that bubble and go with HTSE or SFX. SFX has gotten me some awesome exchanges over the years.

In my experience, RCI is pricing themselves out of the exchange market for Weeks owners. Sort of like how Disney is raising their ticket prices, hoping people won't go there as much because of the higher cost. (Yeah, right!)

Dave

 

[phicha]

Also, don't forget the Imperial rents units directly to the general public. So you'd be competing with the resort for renters, too.

If staying there isn't a choice, then I see two options: (1) Reserve the best week you can (a Christmas Week reservation for a Palm unit still gets 53 TPU) and deposit it with RCI, or (2) Step outside that bubble and go with HTSE or SFX. SFX has gotten me some awesome exchanges over the years.

In my experience, RCI is pricing themselves out of the exchange market for Weeks owners. Sort of like how Disney is raising their ticket prices, hoping people won't go there as much because of the higher cost. (Yeah, right!)

Dave

Yes I was a bit shocked when I went to book our summer vacation at how much the RCI exchange fees went up. It is often cheaper to book a getaway on RCI and II then to use an exchange. RCI and II are pricing themselves out of the market.

 

[DaveNV]

Yes I was a bit shocked when I went to book our summer vacation at how much the RCI exchange fees went up. It is often cheaper to book a getaway on RCI and II then to use an exchange. RCI and II are pricing themselves out of the market.

You may want to look at the Tug direct exchange forum, too. You may find someone who wants to swap directly with you, and cut out the exchange companies altogether. Win-win for everyone.

Dave

(Full disclosure: I used to own at Imperial, until I discovered I can stay at the military's Hale Koa, just down Kalia Street next to the Hilton, for less money. When I stayed at Imperial, I spent all my hang-out time at Hale Koa anyway, so it was an easy decision to pass along my Imperial week. )

 

[phicha]

You may want to look at the Tug direct exchange forum, too. You may find someone who wants to swap directly with you, and cut out the exchange companies altogether. Win-win for everyone.

Dave

(Full disclosure: I used to own at Imperial, until I discovered I can stay at the military's Hale Koa, just down Kalia Street next to the Hilton, for less money. When I stayed at Imperial, I spent all my hang-out time at Hale Koa anyway, so it was an easy decision to pass along my Imperial week. )

Hi Dave

I wonder if you could share with me how you divested yourself of your Imperial Timeshare. Also is Hale Koa a timeshare or is it hotel? Hard for me to swap as I am in Canada and would prefer to swap for somewhere in Canada at least once a year preferably summer. Unfortunately the MF for Canadian Resorts is somewhat less than the MF for Hawaii.
I am new to the board and sometimes I find all the acronyms confusing. Have been trying to find something on the website that states what the acronyms stand for.

 

[DaveNV]

Hale Koa is a government-owned R&R hotel operated for military folks. (I'm retired from the Navy.) Hawaii tends to be higher maintenance fees (MF) than a lot of mainland resorts. That's why I think it's generally a better idea to buy in Hawaii if you intend to use it. Exchanging it out for another resort, especially back to the Mainland, may not be the best investment for the fees being paid. I think if someone wants to stay at different resorts in Hawaii, a Points-based ownership is a better idea. That way they can book what they want wherever they want to go. For me, the only way it was cost-effective to own in Hawaii was to stay at the resort I owned. No extra money spent for the vacation that way. As I said above, I gave up my Imperial week when I figured out it was cheaper for me to stay at the Hale Koa.

As to how I gave up Imperial, I put an ad on the Tug Marketplace, and also in the Bargain Basement forum to give it away for $1.00. I had purchased it on eBay for just a few dollars, and used it several years. So giving it away didn't cost me anything. I had a taker within a very short time, and they paid the transfer fees. There is a company called Legal Timeshare Transfers (http://www.lttransfers.com) who are Tug members and very highly regarded, that handled the paperwork. It was very easy.

If you're thinking of getting rid of your Imperial ownership, it needs to be paid off. If you have a loan against it, that will be a very difficult process, because the resale value is very low. The Imperial has a great location, and is a fine value for someone who understands what it is, and isn't. The big thing you don't want to do is pay a third-party company money to sell it for you. Those kinds of companies are generally only there to take your money from you, and they have zero incentive to actually sell your timeshare. Stay away from them.

As you explore your way around Tug, check the various forums and read as much as you can. This site is huge, and there is a LOT of information here. People are friendly and helpful. So take a seat and keep reading. If you decide to join the site (it's something like $15 a year for a membership) you'll have access to member's only areas that will help you get more from the timeshare(s) you may own.

Dave

 

[phicha]

Hale Koa is a government-owned R&R hotel operated for military folks. (I'm retired from the Navy.) Hawaii tends to be higher maintenance fees (MF) than a lot of mainland resorts. That's why I think it's generally a better idea to buy in Hawaii if you intend to use it. Exchanging it out for another resort, especially back to the Mainland, may not be the best investment for the fees being paid. I think if someone wants to stay at different resorts in Hawaii, a Points-based ownership is a better idea. That way they can book what they want wherever they want to go. For me, the only way it was cost-effective to own in Hawaii was to stay at the resort I owned. No extra money spent for the vacation that way. As I said above, I gave up my Imperial week when I figured out it was cheaper for me to stay at the Hale Koa.

As to how I gave up Imperial, I put an ad on the Tug Marketplace, and also in the Bargain Basement forum to give it away for $1.00. I had purchased it on eBay for just a few dollars, and used it several years. So giving it away didn't cost me anything. I had a taker within a very short time, and they paid the transfer fees. There is a company called Legal Timeshare Transfers (http://www.lttransfers.com) who are Tug members and very highly regarded, that handled the paperwork. It was very easy.

If you're thinking of getting rid of your Imperial ownership, it needs to be paid off. If you have a loan against it, that will be a very difficult process, because the resale value is very low. The Imperial has a great location, and is a fine value for someone who understands what it is, and isn't. The big thing you don't want to do is pay a third-party company money to sell it for you. Those kinds of companies are generally only there to take your money from you, and they have zero incentive to actually sell your timeshare. Stay away from them.

As you explore your way around Tug, check the various forums and read as much as you can. This site is huge, and there is a LOT of information here. People are friendly and helpful. So take a seat and keep reading. If you decide to join the site (it's something like $15 a year for a membership) you'll have access to member's only areas that will help you get more from the timeshare(s) you may own.

Dave

I am a TUG member now - have been for awhile. I had looked at it a few years ago but not joined. I am reading all the forums to find out what is best for me.
I inherited the Timeshare weeks from my Dad so have had it about 15 years and I have had great value from it. It is just with MF going up and with $C not par with $US it is expensive to keep all my weeks. Now with so many other options available to find places to stay when you travel and with less places to exchange to I don't find it as practical as before. Interestingly enough I did email Imperial for some information a couple of weeks ago but no word back.
Honestly if the legit Timeshare Industry does not get its act together they are going to go the way of the dinosaur like other sections in the industry that have been revolutionized with the advent of the internet.
Imperial is still selling weeks for $5000 US and current members are buying them at that price!

Thanks for your help and info.

 

[DaveNV]

I certainly can't disagree with you. If you've stayed there, you know the Imperial is not fancy, but its location is excellent. The cost of ownership there makes it a hassle if trying to exchange out, but if you're staying there, you couldn't ask for a better Waikiki location. So those owners who are buying the extra units for that kind of money must enjoy staying there. I met many owners when I've stayed there, and they all seemed rather happy with the idea.

Good luck with your decision. Selling is a tough thing sometimes. But Imperial is worth owning, as long as the owner understands what they're getting.

Dave