II game last fall - beware!

[Coribelle]

Last summer I was trying to set up an exchange with a resort on the Red Sea, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. I noticed that none of the 3 listed in the book ever came up on the website as available, so I called II to inquire about being put on a waiting list. I was told that these resorts do not meet Marriott standards, therefore they were not available to exchange into.

However, they just happened to have one available in their Getaway program, which they would let me have for $350 for the week. This did not sit well with me, since I had a week due to expire in November, and knew we would not have another opportunity to use it. The third person I talked to offered to talk to a supervisor to see if they would agree to an exchange, and came back on the line to say that they would. I was not ready to lock in a date at that point, so called back three weeks later, and had to go through the entire drill again. After considerable discussion, a supervisor was contacted, and an exchange was arranged.

I agree that the resort, the Grand Sharm, did not meet Marriott standards, but it worked just fine for us! We had a nice one bedroom unit on the ground floor, with a huge terrace overlooking the pool. We especially liked the location, and the shuttle bus service to the beach and town.

So, all's well that ends well. However, I remain angry at II for playing games with me. I remember reading a caution about RCI at some point, telling them you want them to look for ALL exchanges. Is there a magic word for II?

Coribelle

 

[DeniseM]

II has a quality filter - it is a well-known feature of their program. Its purpose is to prevent owners of high-quality weeks from exchanging in to lesser properties and then being mad at II. Asking for the quality filter to be waived, as you did, is exactly what you should do. I don't think it's a bad feature, once you understand it.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

While I think II is often due much earned negative feedback for their customer service, in this case I'd be cautious about the conclusion that you've drawn.

I understand and agree with II's quality filter. But that doesn't seem to be your bone of contention. You seem disappointed that a week was available as a Getaway but not for exchange.

My understanding is that developer's sell and II buys inventory to sell as Getaway inventory. What I suspect is the case of the week that you purchased is that it was not deposited by an owner for exchange, but it was purchased by II to sell as a Getaway. I can't explain why they'd sell you a week at a resort that they know is not of comparable quality to the one that you own at, if they wouldn't allow you to exchange into it, but II is KIng of Inconsistency in my book (and lacking service too).

 

[wuv pooh]

II was doing you a favor. 1. They were stopping you from trading into a resort of lower quality than you would expect. 2. You could have gotten the week for only $350 as a getaway. Instead, you paid a MF of $1,000 plus an exchange fee of $150 or so.

This is a really bad trade for an owner. That said, you can still make it if you go through the hoops, which I think is reasonable given the bad reviews they get if they allow these without any control. This has nothing to do with the RCI practice of renting deposits. II getaways are not member deposits.

 

[dioxide45]

II getaways are not member deposits.

I don't think this is a 100% true statement. I find it odd that exchange inventory and getaway inventory drops identical for exchanges and getaways over time. I have closely monitored exchange inventory and getaway inventory in to MGV for a specific week. The inventory available is identical. When a certain unit type for a certain date disappears from one inventory type it also seems to disappear from the other. Though this is Orlando where they have to prevent breakage more than other areas, so renting owner deposits through getaway or offering developer deposits is a way to prevent that. I do notice though that exchange inventory usually appears before getaway inventory but at a point in time they mirror each other. So they are using two avenues to turn the weeks over.

 

[Coribelle]

Thanks for all your replies

Now I know the magic words "waive the quality filter". I agree that this usually isn't a good idea, and understand the rationale that I therefore paid $1250 for a $350 week. However, it was better than letting it expire.

I have twice listed the unit in the Marriott rental pool, without results. I'm told that the week we reserve, Thanksgiving week, is highly desireable, and it does seem to command good trading power, but no luck renting it through Marriott. In both cases I withdrew it from the rental market 60 days before the reserved week. Was that a mistake? I didn't want it to just let it go, with no vacation and no rental, either. Now that I know about TUG, I will see what I can learn in the selling and renting section. (I hope it isn't a violation of policy to say that.)

I can also see that large families, and those living within driving distance of many resorts, would have more opportunities to use a TS than my husband and I do.

Thanks again, Coribelle

 

[Twinkstarr]

Now I know the magic words "waive the quality filter". I agree that this usually isn't a good idea, and understand the rationale that I therefore paid $1250 for a $350 week. However, it was better than letting it expire.

I have twice listed the unit in the Marriott rental pool, without results. I'm told that the week we reserve, Thanksgiving week, is highly desireable, and it does seem to command good trading power, but no luck renting it through Marriott. In both cases I withdrew it from the rental market 60 days before the reserved week. Was that a mistake? I didn't want it to just let it go, with no vacation and no rental, either. Now that I know about TUG, I will see what I can learn in the selling and renting section. (I hope it isn't a violation of policy to say that.)

I can also see that large families, and those living within driving distance of many resorts, would have more opportunities to use a TS than my husband and I do.

Thanks again, Coribelle

Thanksgiving week in CO ski country is an iffy prospect for rental. Most people don't get the full week off and at that time of year, the snow conditions can be iffy. So a lot of people who would rent would wait till the last minute to see the conditions. That's how I do our drivable ski destination(Boyne Mt. Michigan).

That's why we have a Plat season out in CO, which we use ourselves when our Spring Break falls in late March/early April.

 

[wuv pooh]

I have twice listed the unit in the Marriott rental pool, without results. I'm told that the week we reserve, Thanksgiving week, is highly desireable, and it does seem to command good trading power, but no luck renting it through Marriott. In both cases I withdrew it from the rental market 60 days before the reserved week. Was that a mistake? I didn't want it to just let it go, with no vacation and no rental, either. Now that I know about TUG, I will see what I can learn in the selling and renting section. (I hope it isn't a violation of policy to say that.)

Marriott has changed their rental pool program. Now, they will give you a firm fixed price for the week and there is no need to wait for renting. This will solve the problem you experienced. The downside is that in order to provide the guarantee they have lowered the rental income dramatically for prime weeks. Weeks that might have netted $2,000 in the past are being "guaranteed" $800. Many weeks are not even offered full MF. It is an option if you do not want the hassle, but no longer a very attractive program.