Port O' Call HHI Purchase - Anything I Need to Know

[hkg3k]

I've purchased a week at Port O' Call on HHI and wanted to ask the collective here if there is any downside to buying this into this resort with its Palmera ownership, while I still have time to negate the transaction. I read the entire multi-page "[ 2016 ] Palmera Vacation Club" thread and didn't come away with a great feeling about the resort's ownership.

The unit purchased is a 3 bedroom standard cottage (#15) week 36, 80,500 points and $1100.00 MF. I picked it up on Ebay last night for essentially closing costs...usage begins in 2019 with the 1st year MF paid for.

Our back story is my wife and I own 2 other timeshares which we typically bank with RCI...a week at The Cottages on HHI and points with VV at P'way. We go to HHI 1-2 times a year and love that end of the island and POC in particular. Since the 1st time we stayed at POC, we've wanted to own there. We plan on using this week each year for ourselves or our kids, so we would not be banking it with RCI.

Any and all info on ownership in this family of resorts would be appreciated.

 

[icydog]

I used to own there. The location is good but not perfect. It is still a long walk to the beach.

I used our unit once, my friend sold it to me , and I sold it. What I did not like was the attitude of the employees. We couldn't get our air-conditioning to work and they said they couldn't fix it because it was a busy time. "Hey, I said, I own here, your time is my time!!" and it was fixed.

Also, we had to buy our own supplies of toilet paper, dishwasher detergent, paper towels, soap, shampoo, trash bags etc, etc.

I was glad to get rid of my week but you could love it.

However, after that experience, I stuck to name brand timeshares.

 

[Deb from NC]

We have owned at Port O Call for about 15 years and love it. We never trade our week, we use it every year. However, I would recommend buying a fixed week resale, not Palmera Vacation Club. We bought our week on eBay for $1500, and my guess is you could do better. I will NOT be converting our week to Palmera Club points...do a search on the TUG bulletin board for Palmera and you won’t see many positive comments
Supplies are provided now, with the exception of shampoo. We have a 2 bedroom unit that faces the heated pool and we love the time we spend there every year!

 

[icydog]

My two bedroom was facing the pool as well-- and it had two porches, one off the living room and one off the bdroom. That part was fabulous, but all that nickel and dime stuff drove me out of my mind. I am glad that has been rectified.

I'm curious what are the MFs now. I think I only paid $500 or $600 for the second week in July each year. And it included golf and tennis.

 

[Deb from NC]

My two bedroom was facing the pool as well-- and it had two porches, one off the living room and one off the bdroom. That part was fabulous, but all that nickel and dime stuff drove me out of my mind. I am glad that has been rectified.

I'm curious what are the MFs now. I think I only paid $500 or $600 for the second week in July each year. And it included golf and tennis.

 

[Deb from NC]

Our Maintenance fee is about $950 now! That also includes an hour of tennis per day at the tennis center and daily greens fees for four at Shipyard or Port Royal. Since we play both, it’s a good deal for us...

 

[icydog]

Our Maintenance fee is about $950 now! That also includes an hour of tennis per day at the tennis center and daily greens fees for four at Shipyard or Port Royal. Since we play both, it’s a good deal for us...

No wonder they give out supplies now. That’s a big increase, but my ownership ended in 2004, which was a loooooooooong time ago.

If you play golf and/or tennis then the supposition is that the court and greens fees can mitigate some of the maintenance fees. That’s how I like to look at things anyway....

 

[bogey21]

However, I would recommend buying a fixed week resale, not Palmera Vacation Club. We bought our week on eBay for $1500, and my guess is you could do better. I will NOT be converting our week to Palmera Club points...

I have always preferred Fixed Weeks. In fact at one time I owned Fixed Week/Fixed Unit Weeks at 6 different HOA Controlled Resorts. I liked knowing when I would be going and what unit I would be occupying.

George

 

[icydog]

I have always preferred Fixed Weeks. In fact at one time I owned Fixed Week/Fixed Unit Weeks at 6 different HOA Controlled Resorts. I liked knowing when I would be going and what unit I would be occupying.

George

I think on Hilton Head having the same unit/week really makes a big difference but in places like Las Vegas, NJ and the few other places I go to, it makes no difference at all. Where I’d like to own a fixed unit is at Marriott's Oceana Palms on Singer Island in FL. I own two weeks there but it’s a crapshoot as to the building, the floor and the unit I’ll actually get.

 

[tschwa2]

If you just bought and it has been converted to RCI points than it was auto deposited 12 months prior and you would have to pay an exchange fee to book back in for 2018.

 

[Deb from NC]

No wonder they give out supplies now. That’s a big increase, but my ownership ended in 2004, which was a loooooooooong time ago.

If you play golf and/or tennis then the supposition is that the court and greens fees can mitigate some of the maintenance fees. That’s how I like to look at things anyway....

Yes, that’s how we choose to look at it too....

 

[Deb from NC]

I think on Hilton Head having the same unit/week really makes a big difference but in places like Las Vegas, NJ and the few other places I go to, it makes no difference at all. Where I’d like to own a fixed unit is at Marriott's Oceana Palms on Singer Island in FL. I own two weeks there but it’s a crapshoot as to the building, the floor and the unit I’ll actually get.

I agree...we own 2 fixed weeks on HH, as well as Wyndham points. Both work for us...