Sudwala 2007 Maintenance fees

It was such a pleasure to deal with Sudwala & Niki; 10 hrs after we sent our email, Niki sent us an email & RCI SA. Within 36 hrs the 2 Sudwala peak weeks were visible on our RCI account.

2007 fees has gone up 15% to R2772(2 weeks) approx $218/wk.

Sudwala is still working us, but I am not sure how long given the 15% annual increase in fees in addition to the US $ depreciation.

I've noticed a real decline in the trading power of my Sudwala weeks. Have you noticed the same? I can still use them, and agree that it's so easy to pay the fees and spacebank these weeks. I'll keep them for as long as they work for me to use in Orlando during the winter. They won't pull the most demanded weeks, but I can use them to fill in with, so I'm still happy with them.

skim118 said:

2007 fees has gone up 15% to R2772(2 weeks) approx $218/wk.

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When you request that your weeks be deposited with RCI befor the levy has been set they will charge you the current year levy plus 15%
If the actual levy increase is less than the 15% you paid you will receive the difference as a credit on your levy account.
The 2007 levy won't be set untill the Annual General Meeting of the resort around August of each year. The Levy increase for 2005 and 2006 was approx. 8.1% increase each year.

Thanks for the clarification Jeff H.

These are the amounts we paid for our 2 Sudwala units in the last 4 years:

R2075 Year 2004
R2242 Year 2005
R2410 Year 2006
R2772 Year 2007 (est)

Now I see that the problem of rising fees is caused more by US $ depreciation than inflation in SA.

Yes, Niki and Sudwala are GREAT, with ONE major exception,

They are mostly affiliated with RCI. I don't get this. RCI gives us NOTHING in return for our Sudwala weeks, other than mud weeks in places no one would ever want to go.

What's the point?

Aldo said:

RCI gives us NOTHING in return for our Sudwala weeks, other than mud weeks in places no one would ever want to go.

What's the point?

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The point is I have made great trades in the past with my Sudwala weeks. I haven't had a mud week yet. The streets and sidewalks of NY and SF never have mud (we did have snow one day in NY though). Embassy Suites in Maui was mud free as was Paniolo Greens on the Big Island. We've been to the San Diego several times. The Coronado Beach Resort had lots of sun and sand last September over Labor Day weekend. Phoenix in March is more desirable to me than in the summer and my Sudwala delivered that. Dolphins Cove in Anaheim is another place everyone wants to go. New Orleans, pre- and post-Kartrina, has been a good and regular trade also.

I look forward to future trades. If this year is poor compared to the past, maybe next year will be better.

Maybe I like places you don't but I am quite happy with my Sudwala trades. And for about $218 a week plus RCI exchange fee! How can you beat the price?

If your SA doesn't trade for what you want, buy another week someplace that will. I wanted to go to Boston so I bought a week that trades into there since my Sudwala does not.

All my Sudwala trades have been to gold crowns on Maui and Kauai until this time. I have a 3br gold crown in England next summer instead. I can live with that.

My Sudwala week, which we generally use to trade into the Disney area, has really tanked with regard to trading power. I used to routinely pull 2BR and 3BR GC's with my 1BR white week. Now I get almost all 1BR and Studio exchange choices and very few GC resorts. I think I might sell it. The exchange rate has been beating me up on MF's for the last couple of years and I'm getting very little in return.

Cindy

IMHO Sudwalla still represents a great value. How can anyone consider MFs at $218 being "beat up"? You would be hard-pressed to find a handful of resorts throughout the RCI with lower MFs. And considering the cost of purchase, man I must say it's been a fantastic deal. As far as trades, I have not noticed any significant client in TP. My pending trips include summer trip to HGVC-Seaworld/Orlando, and concurrent weeks at Morritt's Grand for spring break 07'.

My MF's are almost $300 (exchange rate today was $296-something). When I add to that the $149 exchange fee, I'm at almost $450. I'm not pulling much of anything in the way of Disney area GC's even more than a year out and virtually nothing but 1BR's. I can easily rent units for $299 at most of the resorts visible with my Sudwala week - and generally larger ones at that. What little bit I can pull are off-peak. Very little to nothing for peak periods. Maybe your Sudwala week is a prettier color than mine?

Cindy

We own one Peak week (SA winter break) at Sudwala, and another Red.

For the last several months, our experience mirrors Vodo. It is extremely rare for Sudwala to pull anything at all that I cannot rent cheaper than the MF's plus the trade fees.

Obviously, an unsustainable proposition for us....and for Sudwala as well.

My Sudwala's trade power may not be what it was, but it's still working for me.

My week is still pulling 2 bedroom units at Mauna Loa on the Big Island, and Embassy at Tahoe. Definitely a keeper for now anyway.

Vodo said:

I can easily rent units for $299 at most of the resorts visible with my Sudwala week - and generally larger ones at that.

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I also own Sudwala. Where are you able to easily rent 2 bedroom Orlando units for $299/week? I would be interested in looking into that.
Thanks.

It's weird. I've found my Sudwala can still pull very desirable Lake Tahoe summer weeks as well.

We rountinely vacation summers in the Carribbean, June and July, and pray for no hurricanes. This is the off-season in that region, and anyone who has been there can testify that most of the timeshares sit half-empty during this time.

In years past, our Sudwala would pull a very nice assortment all over the region during this time period.

Now, nothing but the Dominican Republic or Margaritha island.

I'd like to go to the DR someday, but it's FAR cheaper to go to the travel agency and purchased the package (room, airfare) than to pay the MF at Sudwala, the fee with RCI, and buy airtickets.


I haven't been to Lake Tahoe in 30 years, but I cannot imagine that summer weeks there are in less demand than summer weeks in the Carribbean.

I know for a fact the resorts I want to trade Sudwala for are half empty, and I can tell from my other deposits that weeks at these places are indeed available, yet Sudwala no longer pulls them.

I suspect this is a regional thing being applied by RCI in the Carribbean region, probably to do with the raiding of weeks for rentals and points.

Aldo said:

Yes, Niki and Sudwala are GREAT, with ONE major exception,

They are mostly affiliated with RCI. I don't get this. RCI gives us NOTHING in return for our Sudwala weeks, other than mud weeks in places no one would ever want to go.

What's the point?

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Deposited my 2007 Sudwala weeks and am satisfied with the results. My white week is the same or maybe a little less than before and my peak week is really nice.

I never thought SA weeks would get me Gold Crown resorts over Xmas and they never have. The fees are still reasonable and they get me FL and the SW in nice resorts during the winter. I am satisfied.

hofftkmn said:

I also own Sudwala. Where are you able to easily rent 2 bedroom Orlando units for $299/week? I would be interested in looking into that.
Thanks.

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My husband is retired military, so we have access to the Armed Forces Vacation Club. All weeks are $299. Inventory is very good in off-season periods, but not so good during peak times. Of course, I have the same limitations with my Sudwala week - only with fewer resorts and smaller units.

Cindy