Using CI points for RCI - New York

Hi folks,

I'm new to timeshares, TUG and Club Intrawest. I called Intrawest member services and placed my first search for New York. My idea is to stay on an RCI resort for 1 week (40 CI points), anytime between August and November (on a studio), and I've given them the list below to have a search placed:

West 57th Street by Hilton Grand Vacations Club (#7976)
The Manhattan Club (#4064)
Grand Hyatt New York (#R439)
The Hilton Club of New York (#6772)
Candlewood Suites Times Square South (#C246)
Holdiay Inn Express-Madison Square Garden (#C278)

1. How long does it usually take to receive a call back confirming the reservation? It's been a week now, but I don't know if this is normal and takes longer.

2. Is there anything I can do to improve the efficiency of the search and get a confirmation quicker?

3. Have anyone stayed on these resorts lately and had any bad experience? From what I read on TUG reviews and Trip Advisors, these are either great or good places.

4. I've read some reviews on Trip Advisor (other resorts) of people complaining that when they tried to check-in, the resort said it was overbooked and they were denied a room. Has it ever happened to any of you?

5. What would be your advice when it starts getting closer to my destination date and I haven't heard from them? In other words, how long do you folks wait to have a reservation confirmed?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Rod

Good Luck(you will need it)

The following are all TS in NYC and there is a chance you may get a trade into them. BUT in general trading into NYC is very hard and summer is almost a for sure "no way"

West 57th HGVC (#7976)
The Manhattan Club (#4064)
The Hilton Club NYC (#6772)


The following are all hotels in NYC and there is no chance you may get a trade into them. BUT with CI pts you may be able to reserve a room at them ( and maybe pay some cash) BUT it will cost you at least 36 CI pts /night.

Grand Hyatt New York (#R439)
Candlewood Suites Times Square South (#C246)
Holdiay Inn Express-Madison Square Garden (#C278)

Thanks, Bill. Have you used your CI points to book with RCI? If so, how was your experience / waiting time?
Thanks again!
Rod

I have used CI to book in RCI but they have been fairly easy trades to get (like a trade into the HGVC in Orlando)

I've also used my pts to make a hotel reservation in NYC, but as I said above that took a lot of pts.

Now I mostly use my CI points to reserve rooms at Whistler then trade those rooms for Interval International -II exchanges. I've been able to reserve then deposit a studio in Oct at Whistler (35 pts) , then trade that studio within II for 2 bds TS in SoCal in the spring and fall.

Thanks, Bill. Just so I can understand it better: When you say trade, do you mean booking an RCI resort using CI points?

Also, as a new CI member, can I use II for these exchanges (I've read that members after 2001 cannot). I've also read that II is better than EE (Extraordinary Escapes), what are your thoughts?

rodbarc said:

Also, as a new CI member, can I use II for these exchanges (I've read that members after 2001 cannot). I've also read that II is better than EE (Extraordinary Escapes), what are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

There have been several threads here about this subject recently, including comments from Bill - you can do a search for them.

I'll add that back when we were EE members (from 2001 to 2003 or 2004) we did several RCI exchanges using CI points. While all the exchanges eventually came through, in some cases it took a long time. The easier ones were filled in a few weeks, but I remember requesting a Caribbean location only for one specific week, which took at least 6 months. But II is no different in this manner - it always depends on when something is deposited as to when you get your exchange. However, with II CI has a relatively high quality rating which is important in their trading methodology - in RCI that is less important and it's more about demand and supply.

Thanks, I'll some search on it. Sorry for the newbee question, but what does AC mean? I read one of your posts where you mentioned you no longer get ACs for my Club Intrawest deposits. Also, have you been exchanging CI using II ?
Thanks again!

rodbarc said:

Thanks, I'll some search on it. Sorry for the newbee question, but what does AC mean? I read one of your posts where you mentioned you no longer get ACs for my Club Intrawest deposits. Also, have you been exchanging CI using II ?
Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Tashamen was the one that turned me on to II trading with CI.

An AC is an accommodation certificate (AKA bonus week) sometimes when you deposit a high value week in II they will offer you a bonus week (AC) that week will get you fairly cheap trades into resorts which demand is medium to low. And get you into higher demand weeks during the flexchange time period (within 59 days of check in) In the past II used to offer them a lot. For the last couple years, II hasn't seemed to offer them as much.

Some people love ACs other people never use them. The last time I used one, was for an exchange into Hawaii at the last minute for a friend. It cost ~ $300 for a 2 bd unit in Kona which II also had as a get-a-way for $750 so the AC saved my friend $450.

rodbarc said:

Also, have you been exchanging CI using II ?
Thanks again!

Click to expand...

Yes, all my exchanging of CI points since 2003 has been through II, and I'm very happy with them. I've done 6 regular weekly exchanges, 5 AC exchanges, 1 Short Stay exchange, and have also bought 3 Getaways in that time.