Am I the only person who really likes Diamond Resorts?

[artringwald]

This document describes the Destination Xchange program:

https://cmsprod.diamondresorts.com/sites/default/files/Destination-Exchange-Program-Booklet_1.pdf

You have to own a deeded week that's not assigned to the Club. For an annual fee, you can exchange your week for a week at a variety of Diamond locations. The weeks that you own are assigned tiers, and you can trade to the same or lower tiers with no extra cost. If you want to trade into a higher tier, you have to pay an extra fee.

 

[cali-gal]

Eileen, go here: https://destinationxchange.com/

 

[Eileen A.]

Thanks so much!

 

[swiftyman]

How many points do you have to buy to bring a deeded week into the club? My wife and I love Diamond Resorts, and I would even be happy to pay the higher maintenance fees, but not being able to use the club (for last minute stays) with resale points means we aren't going to buy.

Some friends of ours owned DRI points, and we used the last minute stays in Maui on more than 1 occasion and just paid them the MF value of the points we used.

If I can start keeping my eye out for a deeded week that I can pull into the club for a reasonable amount I would definitely do that.

 

[artringwald]

How many points do you have to buy to bring a deeded week into the club? My wife and I love Diamond Resorts, and I would even be happy to pay the higher maintenance fees, but not being able to use the club (for last minute stays) with resale points means we aren't going to buy.

Some friends of ours owned DRI points, and we used the last minute stays in Maui on more than 1 occasion and just paid them the MF value of the points we used.

If I can start keeping my eye out for a deeded week that I can pull into the club for a reasonable amount I would definitely do that.

It's very expensive to bring a deeded week into the Club. I attended a presentation in February. We have 2 deeded float/float weeks at the Point at Poipu. With them I've always been able to book ocean front. To bring one week into the Club it would be worth 11,000 points. That's not enough to book a week of ocean front at P@P, and I would have to buy 5,500 points. If you can negotiate a really good price, that would cost $2/point, or $11,000. More likely, you'd have to pay much more than that.

If you really like the flexibility of booking with points, I'd suggest buying resale points (which sell for next to nothing) in a collection that contains properties where you'd like to stay. The US Collection contains a large number of resorts, and the Hawaii Collection now contains many properties outside of Hawaii.

 

[tschwa2]

How many points do you have to buy to bring a deeded week into the club? My wife and I love Diamond Resorts, and I would even be happy to pay the higher maintenance fees, but not being able to use the club (for last minute stays) with resale points means we aren't going to buy.

Some friends of ours owned DRI points, and we used the last minute stays in Maui on more than 1 occasion and just paid them the MF value of the points we used.

If I can start keeping my eye out for a deeded week that I can pull into the club for a reasonable amount I would definitely do that.

These days in order to use The Club you have to make a retail type purchase. No way around it. The destination exchange program is for someone who is already part of the club.

 

[artringwald]

The destination exchange program is for someone who is already part of the club.

The Destination Xchange program doesn't have anything to do with The Club. It's only for owner's of deeded weeks that are not assigned to The Club. It's similar to the exchange programs offered by RCI and Interval International.

 

[tschwa2]

The Destination Xchange program doesn't have anything to do with The Club. It's only for owner's of deeded weeks that are not assigned to The Club. It's similar to the exchange programs offered by RCI and Interval International.

Thanks, was confusing it with a program to use diamond points from resorts outside of diamond.

 

[swiftyman]

It's very expensive to bring a deeded week into the Club. I attended a presentation in February. We have 2 deeded float/float weeks at the Point at Poipu. With them I've always been able to book ocean front. To bring one week into the Club it would be worth 11,000 points. That's not enough to book a week of ocean front at P@P, and I would have to buy 5,500 points. If you can negotiate a really good price, that would cost $2/point, or $11,000. More likely, you'd have to pay much more than that.

If you really like the flexibility of booking with points, I'd suggest buying resale points (which sell for next to nothing) in a collection that contains properties where you'd like to stay. The US Collection contains a large number of resorts, and the Hawaii Collection now contains many properties outside of Hawaii.

Ahh, that's too much money lol

I didn't think you could do last minute rentals with resale points, which is where the real advantage is (in my opinion). Am I misinformed?

I'm in escrow now on my first timeshare purchase (worldmark) and hoping I can use the RCI last calls similarly, but even if I can't Worldmark seems to have a solid system with resorts we will use.

 

[JSDirago]

I am generally pleased with DR and have been an owner for about 14 years. Bought a resale unit, bought points and brought the resale unit into DR and bought some more. I now have 15,000 (Silver) points in the Hawaii collection. We love KBC in Maui and have used our points to trade into Marriott properties around the world. I feel that I have gotten decent value and the DR locations I have stayed at, including Polo Towers in Vegas are decent quality. I feel the maintenance fees are somewhat high for the Hawaii collection (about $2,900 for 2019 but no increase.)

My biggest complaint are the high pressure tactics used at alleged "owner updates." We had a negative experience with this in 2015 at Polo Towers Vegas and vowed to never attend another TS presentation. While back in Vegas at Polo Towers this past week, we were convinced by VIP to attend an owner update under their "Safe Guard" program, which would not be high pressured sales. Well, not much changed as we experienced what seemed to be a shell game and sales pitch for 2 plus hours.

First, we were told that the new ownership had a program that eliminated maintenance fees, but you had to pay what amounted to 10 years worth of maintenance fees up front (about $33,000) and this would give us benefits and credits when using DR Travel. I said it sounded too good and was then told it did not apply to us and they "made a mistake." But, since the program ended back in May, maybe they could convince corporate to allow me to pursue it. I asked for something in writing to review and of course they had nothing. I refused the offer because it smelled fishy and the specifics were too fuzzy. The sales manager then said why not write a letter to be sent to corporate to review and that would give me time to consider the offer. I did this and a few minutes later, they said corporate said NO because it would have to be done right away. I said NO again. I was shuffled off to another manager who "made it simple" and said if I paid about $4000 today, they could hold the deal for 2 years. I told them I wasn't doing anything today and he walked away in a huff. We collected our $150 for attending, but felt we were abused needlessly again. Although we are generally pleased with the DR program, the sales team are like a bunch of sharks.

Despite all of this above, we enjoy several of the DR properties and feel as if we get decent value.

 

[Maple_Leaf]

I, too, fell into Diamond Resorts when they bought out five of my resorts almost three years ago. I own prime fixed weeks. I'm not looking to buy into the Club or anything else. I didn't buy these weeks to exchange. DR's purchase of these five resorts has definitely impacted the value of these fixed weeks/resorts significantly in my opinion.

It is obvious that there are those that find value in their DR ownership and I am glad for them, as well as you. Perhaps earlier in my timesharing days I could have possibly found a way to make DR work for me just like you have done. Unfortunately, as a fixed week owner with no intent on exchanging, DR simply takes value away from my ownership and has soured me on something that has been a part of my life for 34 years.

DRI is a parasite. Your example demonstrates that the DRI business model is to transfer wealth from their timeshare "owners" to their shareholders via the resort management contract. DRI control of the resort HOA ensures that once this parasitic model is in place it stays in place.

 

[karibkeith]

Is anyone else out there happy with Diamond??

I do wish they could figure out a way to combine Embarc and Diamond. I would love to go to some of the Embarc properties.

I must have been in love with Diamond to come back for more when they have screwed me several times and lied repeatedly. I bought more points when I was promised that Embarc properties would be available to Club members by August 2018. Obviously with this being the end of 2018 I was lied to again.
My biggest problem with Diamond is the lack of properties in the northern states and in Canada. I would like to be able to travel from property to property on my way to a destination. Several Club-Intrawest/Embarc properties are in Canada and therefore would have been a welcome addition. One is within a drive of one to two hours from my home and a sure bet for weekends and short stays. But Diamond pulled another fast one and created the Embarc group as a separate entity from the Club rather than fold Club Intrawest properties into the list of properties accessible by Club Members.
My second greatest problems is the "update" which are nothing more than sales pitches for be able to add lies. Calling them updates is the biggest lie.

 

[midnight1]

we love it as a family....yes fees are high (from what it sounds like) but there is a huge selection and if you can be flexible and travel off season or short term the discounts can be wonderful.


paul