When do you give up?

Advice needed- I have had a search in with II for the past 6 months looking for Hilton Head this summer- late July through late August. Last year we secured Monarch (transaction date June 2013) and we really liked it. This year we were hoping for another beach property (excluded Monarch from request and added Myrtle Beach) but no trades have come through yet. I saw a few other members on here received confirmation back in Sept./Oct.

So when should we lose hope completely and find another vacation destination? We're driving with 3 small children so flying is out of the question. Is there anyway we can push II/Marriott on request and inventory?

So I need to rant a bit- Every year I wonder if the investment was worth the headache... we own 2bd Aruba surfclub- garden, gold ~23k if my memory serves me correctly. The maintenance fees are getting out of control- $1700 this year... I really lost respect when Marriott allowed resales weeks into Destination and thus I never enrolled my points figuring it was worth owning my week. I thought you needed to relinquish your week upon points enrollment-there was a lot of confusion around the launch and reps were horrible with details and straight answers and the skim really burned me. Plus Aruba seemed to really get short changed on points chart and I couldn't travel anywhere decent anyway. When we bought we thought it was on par with Hawaii and didn't think Hilton Head trades would be an issue. Now enrollment in DC is close to 3k and we're getting close to a summer without a vacation.

good morning....

coffee...

Looks like you are going for the "grand slam" of exchanges... HHI summer in the "Big 3" beachfront properties is one of the top II exchanges. You are using a GOLD unit to try and secure Platinum thru II. I do know that II doesn't recognize MVCD classifications, but it appears you are going for the huge uptrade!!!

You were successful previously because you included Monarch (nice property ) in your search!!!

Please remember that there is huge population within a 8 hr drive of HHI...

p.s my oldest cash drain is a Skidmore alum...love Saratoga Springs!!!

Next time, you might consider posting a direct exchange request and/or rental ad.... :Then maybe you could swap with an owner or rent yours and rent HHI

just a thought.

IF you're driving and have Marriott preference (I did read that right?) then I feel pretty sure you should find something close to flex and then eplus into a better unit.

Don't forget to periodically check instant exchanges too... I see stuff quite a bit. Maybe your search is just too narrow.
Members can also access the sightings forum on TUG; people routinely post sightings and requests on that thread.
good luck

I think your chances for the second half of August are still reasonably good. Include the one in Myrtle Beach to increase your odds, and quite frankly the two in Harbortown are really nice too, very large units and you can take the trolley to the beach or just park at the beach club next to Monarch. Not the same vibe as being on the ocean, but Harbortown is fun and walking/biking to everything isn't a bad trade off. I wouldn't include the ones in Shelter Cove just because the beach option is tough. You get a pass to park at a beach access in Port Royal, but it fills up real fast every day.

I agree with Matt. Add the Harbor Town properties and add Monarch back in. Take what you can get for now. Add eplus if you aren't enrolled in the DC. If it is anything like last year various units would pop up in the 59 day or less period.

If you add the non-beachfront Hilton head properties you will get your exchange. You can't get Myrtle Beach or the oceanfront Hilton head anymore. I can get the harbor town properties no problem but not oceanfront. Harbor town is a gem by the way. Not even close to the same kind of resort experience is the oceanfront ones but having shelter Cove within walking distance in the new mall area is a blast every night. We really enjoyed biking from that area.

I would rent out your week and then rent from someone who owns the week you want.

Just for reference. We own platinum at Surfwatch and had 1st week of July reservation. We had a request first with II since beginning of July. Just a few days ago, we matched Grande Ocean for July 31st check in.

Last year there seemed to be a reasonable number of last minute eplus retrades at Barony and Surfwatch available for 2nd half of August. Perhaps consider adding the other HH properties others have suggested and add eplus, and hope to upgrade closer to checkin.

Wishing you luck you get what you want!

We grabbed second half of August in a 3 bedroom at surfwatch at about 1 month out, so if you can hang in there you will very likely get your trade.

Agree that you shouldn't give up hope. I've had trades to Hilton Head Surfwatch and Myrtle Beach hit for mid to late August. A lot of kids are in school by mid August and I think that is a bonus for us since we start Labor Day (sometimes week before at our private school).

U should have purchased a Platinum Season Aruba then everything you thought about your Gold week would have been true. The winter in Aruba is the high season.

I posted this early September but will repost, I normally can't plan vacations so far out but after reading the difficulty of trading into and within HHI, I decide to put in request for a 3rd week August Monarch for a last week July GO. I needed the sleeps 8 instead of 6. To my pleasant surprise it confirmed within days. I did pay for eplus since it is early to plan.

Just a side comment on late August My 3rd week August was picked up this year. It was the first time in HHI this late in the summer. What an absolute pleasure being in HHI when it is not as crowded from July 1 through 2nd week August. I had little to no wait at restaurants, Saturday food shopping was not a zoo and golf/miniature golf was not crowded. All this and I still had the sometimes unbearable hot and humid summer weather HHI weather.

In the future save yourself some frustration. Reserve a July Surf Club week early and put it on the market for rent. You can probably get $2400 for it if you time it right. Then keep monitoring TUG and Redweek for good deals in Hilton Head. It's a drive-to location so you can afford to wait for a last-minute minute listing or however last-minute you can tolerate.