two questions: Sandestin and DVC?

Hi everyone. I'm doing a bit of research before buying a resale week into Hilton. How hard is it to get a two bedroom at Sandestin for the summer or Easter week? Also, has anyone exchanged into Sandestin? Is the resort close to the beach? Am I right in understanding there are no exchange fees for Intrawest resorts?

Lastly, has anyone been able to book a three bedroom DVC exchange for the summer? Just wondering if that is ever a possible with Hilton points, if an ongoing request is made for one.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

I'll try to answer your questions

jdunn1 said:

Hi everyone. I'm doing a bit of research before buying a resale week into Hilton. How hard is it to get a two bedroom at Sandestin for the summer or Easter week? Also, has anyone exchanged into Sandestin? Is the resort close to the beach? Am I right in understanding there are no exchange fees for Intrawest resorts?

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Let me start by saying that I've never tried to book any of the Intrawest resorts.

Here's what I know....

We have two ways to make reservations at Sandestin:
(1) via the Club (NOTE: There's an HGVC reservation fee if you book the Intrawest resorts via HGVC Club Reservation Desk.)
(2) via an exchange company (NOTE: There's an RCI exchange fees if you book the Intrawest resorts via RCI.)
NOTE: All Fees are listed in the HGVC Member Guide - http://multimedia.hiltongrandvacations.com/mg/Book_Reader.cfm?BookId=1 (use thumbnail and go to page 143 )

HGVC members don't have online reservation access to the Intrawest resorts via the Club therefore it's difficult for HGVC members to tell whether a summer week is possible. HGVC members have to call if they want to make a Club Reservation at any of the Intrawest resorts listed in the Members Guidebook.

I guess anything is possible but I would think there would be higher owner occupancy during the summer at this beach resort which I'm assuming would mean limited availability to everyone else trying to trade in.

At Sandestin, HGVC Elite member can make reservations starting 12 months before check-in. HGVC members that are not elite can make reservations starting 9 months before check-in. I don't know when Intrawest members can start making reservations.

Lastly, has anyone been able to book a three bedroom DVC exchange for the summer? Just wondering if that is ever a possible with Hilton points, if an ongoing request is made for one.

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Again anything is possible but I won't count on getting a three bedroom via an exchange during the summer. You can get a one or two bedroom if you're flexible.

Just keep in mind that Disney controls the deposits into RCI. Overall, there are a limit number of DVC three bedrooms compared to the total number of units available. DVC only deposits a few three bedrooms every year. If it's deposited HGVC will see it. I've seen a three bedroom once but it wasn't anytime the kids were out of school.

See this post - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=796327&postcount=23

I hope this helped. Good Luck.

alwysonvac said:

I guess anything is possible but I would think there would be higher owner occupancy during the summer at this beach resort which I'm assuming would mean limited availability to everyone else trying to trade in.

At Sandestin, HGVC Elite member can make reservations starting 12 months before check-in. HGVC members that are not elite can make reservations starting 9 months before check-in. I don't know when Intrawest members can start making reservations.

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We Club Intrawest owners can make reservations 11 months out for stays of 6 nights or more, and 4 months out for less than 6 nights.

Right now I can see plenty of availability for Sandestin online with CI for any size unit for both the weeks before and after Easter (and including Easter weekend) next year. I can't tell yet about peak summer, since I can only see through June 19th of next year. And I did not look earlier this year to see what the availability might have been.

Personally I would never stay there in the summer mainly because it is not on the beach. I stayed there in the fall when it was nice to walk to the beach, but I'm a beach purist when it comes to summer, and will only stay at resorts directly on the beach.

With all that oil spill, I would not go to destin or sandestin area for years from now...

Thanks everyone for the information. I didn't think the resort was on the beach, but I assumed it was a short walk or bike ride away. Maybe it is really far from the beach, though. I had been going to Disney's Hilton Head resort for Easter about four years in a row. That resort is about 2 - 3 miles from the beach, but you can ride a bike easy enough to the beach or take a shuttle or drive. I didn't mind because the resort was so nice and it was also nice to be able to walk to so many different locations around the resort.

I can't tell how far the Sandestin Resort is from the beach or if you could rent a golf cart to get there or what the deal is.

I'm also not sure how much, if any the oil spill has destroyed the beach.

About the 3 bedroom DVC units. I was mostly currious to know if anyone has ever had sucess getting one in the summer.

I appreciate all of your help with these questions. I just love TUGGERS.

...and if anyone has questions about the various DVC resorts, just ask me. I've been to all of them except the tree houses -- though I did tour the resort.

jdunn1 said:

Thanks everyone for the information. I didn't think the resort was on the beach, but I assumed it was a short walk or bike ride away. Maybe it is really far from the beach, though. I had been going to Disney's Hilton Head resort for Easter about four years in a row. That resort is about 2 - 3 miles from the beach, but you can ride a bike easy enough to the beach or take a shuttle or drive. I didn't mind because the resort was so nice and it was also nice to be able to walk to so many different locations around the resort.

I can't tell how far the Sandestin Resort is from the beach or if you could rent a golf cart to get there or what the deal is.

I'm also not sure how much, if any the oil spill has destroyed the beach

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The Club Intrawest in Sandestin is not very far from the beach, and it is an easy bike ride (and bikes are free for 4 hours a day) or a short drive, and in cooler weather also a nice walk. There is also a resort shuttle which I never took, preferring to walk or drive. My point was simply that it is not on the beach - and it doesn't matter to me if it's across the street or a mile away - not being on the beach just eliminates it from my summer consideration - period.

If you go, know that the Club Intrawest has a private area at the pool overlooking the beach, as well as beach chairs available for free on the beach.

And the beach is still beautiful - don't let the oil spill deter you from going!

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