TimeSharing

$4.

Today
®
Issue #62
Mar/Apr, 2002
The Independent Voice of Vacation Ownership

Canadian company asserts legitimacy

A Canadian company based in Ontario, Royal Vacation Property Investments, claims
that it is running a legitimate business, although its operations appear, on the surface, to have all
the earmarks of the appraisal scams run by Resort Investment Trust and Swiss America Bank
until federal indictments closed them down. The similarities to the Resort Investment Trust and
Swiss American Bank operations are striking: a professed interest in purchasing timeshare
property, a requirement for an appraisal and an offer by “independent” appraisal companies to
perform the appraisal work for $399 or $409 after a referral from the “Multiple Listing Service.”
Royal Vacations’ assures owners properties they have purchased
that they will be reimbursed at closing within the past 2 years and the
for their appraisal fees and any other relationship between the ap-
costs incurred in obtaining the required praised values and the prices of-
documents. As with the Resort In- fered to sellers.
vestment Trust and Swiss America According to Mr. McNevin,
Bank scams, the owner who expresses “there is absolutely no relation-
interest in selling to Royal Vacation ship between RVPI and any of
Properties receives a telephone call the appraisal companies engaged
from the “Multiple Listing Service” by owners for the purpose of
with recommendations to two differ- procuring appraisals of their re-
ent appraisal companies. spective timeshare properties.
One owner, who asked if he could Similarly, there is absolutely no rela-
simply part and parcel of the whole
simply provide an appraisal that he se- tionship between the multiple listing
scheme and were run by relatives and
cured himself, was told that the cost service (MLS) and RVPI, or to our
associates of Donald Gonczy, the mas-
would not be reimbursed. “We need knowledge, between the appraisal
termind of the operation.
you to use one of the reputable com- companies and the MLS.”
In anticipation of publishing this ar-
panies that we recommend, rather “The MLS is a company named
ticle, TimeSharing Today invited Royal
than some fly-by-night outfit.” After Real Estate Assessment Referral Ser-
Vacation Property Investments to
one is selected from the companies vice (REARS) which RVPI believes
comment. After being contacted by
suggested, the chosen appraisal com- to be owned by Scott Stevens.”
David McNevin, an Ontario attorney
pany then calls to solicit the $399 or TimeSharing Today spoke to Mr.
representing Royal Vacation Property
$409 fee. Stevens, who indicated that his princi-
Investments, we asked him about the
In the Resort Investment Trust and pal business is that of a lobbyist. The
relationship between his client and the
Swiss American Bank scams, which Referral Service, his secondary busi-
appraisal companies, the location of the
netted more than $20 million in ap- ness, was started last year. When
“Multiple Listing Service” which rec-
praisal fees from victims, the govern- questioned about the use of the name
ommends the appraisers, how long his
ment federal prosecutors pointed out
client has been in business, how many
that the “appraisal companies” were
TimeSharing Today
“Multiple Listing Service” and the like-
lihood that people would think his com-
pany was connected with real estate
brokers who put their listings into a
multiple listing service, Mr. Steven
claimed that he had never given that a
thought and just liked the name.
Mr. McNevins letter contends
“that the appraisal companies used are
entirely within the discretion of the unit
owner/vendor. RVPI’s only require-
ment is that the company used be
reputable and independent from the
owner/vendor. In fact, it is not neces-
sary for a prospective owner/vendor
to use the MLS. If they procure their
own appraisal from a reputable firm
such as Century 21 or Re/Max and
provide the other necessary informa-
tion, RVPI will consider making an
offer.”
“The critical point to be made in
this area is that RVPI has no relation-
ship and derives no benefit from ei-
ther the appraisal companies engaged
by owners or REARS. It is also im-
portant to note that in instances where
Page 35
an offer to purchase a timeshare unit
is completed, RVP1 will reimburse the
owner/vendor for the fees incurred in
connection with obtaining an ap-
praisal.”
“The principal purpose in obtain-
ing an appraisal is to put RVPI and
the prospective vendor on the same
page in terms of value. In addition to
reviewing the appraisal, RVPI also
reviews the prospective vendor’s deed
or lease (determine ownership rights);
original contract (to determine owner’s
obligations); and rent maintenance
payment agreement (determine cur-
rency of payments).”
“Although RVPI does not keep
specific statistics on the relationship
between appraised values and the fi-
nal purchase price, it attempts to ac-
quire units at the fair market value
wholesale price. Its potential profit lies
in re-selling the units at retail or through
exchange fees and rental income.”
The company’s Website, located
at www.royalproperties.com, does
Mar/Apr, 2002
have a link to “Buy timeshares.” How-
ever, clicking on that link brings one to
the message: “In the process of up-
dating the database. Will be available
shortly.”
The McNevin letter concludes that
“RVPI is a reputable company that has
been in operation in Canada since June
of 2001. It derives absolutely no fi-
nancial benefit from the MLS com-
pany or the appraisal firms engaged
by prospective vendors. In fact, the
reason it utilizes the MLS service at
all is to ensure that prospective ven-
dors have the benefit of independent
advice on the use of an appraisal com-
pany.”
The letter from Mr. McNevin
states that RVPI intends to have ex-
change and rental programs in place
within the next six to nine months.
If any TimeSharing Today sub-
scribers have done business with this
company, we would be interested in
knowing of their experiences.

Correction
In the Jan/Feb, 2002 issue,
Timesharing Today wrote that the
State of Florida had filed charges
against Timeshares Direct, Inc.,
d/b/a Timeshares by Owner. This
appears to have been inaccurate.
After an investigation of the
company’s business practices was
initiated by Florida’s Attorney Gen-
eral, a settlement was reached prior
to any court proceedings being insti-
tuted or charges being filed.
Timeshares by Owner agreed to
modify its business practices with-
out admitting any wrongdoing. The
$50,000 provided by the company for
consumer refunds, as part of the
settlement agreement with the State,
has been fully expended.
TimeSharing Today
TIMESHARING TODAY
(ISSN 0000-1069) is published bi-
monthly at $24 for 12 issues by
TimeSharing Today, LLC., 26
Franklin St., Tenafly, NJ 07670.
Periodicals postage paid at
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tents are copyrighted by TimeSharing
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DISCLAIMER
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of the people placing advertisements
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cept any responsibility for any direct
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ARTICLES AND LETTERS
Contributors of articles and letters
published in TimeSharing Today will be
compensated as follows: articles - 10
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ad or a logo product; letters - a one
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lished articles and letters become the
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HOW TO CONTACT US
TimeSharing Today can be
reached by mail at 26 Franklin St.,
Tenafly, NJ 07670, by telephone at 201/
871-4304, by fax at 201/871-4305 or
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Website: www.tstoday.com.
Access to Online Edition, Resort
Ratings, Owners Exchange and articles
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Page 3 Mar/Apr, 2002
Messages from the Publisher and Editor
Over the years, we have reiterated to our readers that we will provide a
forum for owners to communicate among themselves and to act as a conduit for
the owners’ voices to the industry. The Resort Development Association
(ARDA) is the most prominent association in the timeshare industry. It’s a first
rate organization and TimeSharing Today is a proud member. However, ARDA
does not represent the interests of timeshare owners. Rather, as an introduc-
tion to the current directory of ARDA trustees notes, ARDA “represents the
unique interests of the recreational development/management sector.”
From time to time, ARDA has sought to encourage membership from the
owners’ associations that govern deeded resorts. Indeed, more than sixty mem-
bers are listed under ARDA’s classification of “Owners Association Manage-
ment,” although many of these are strictly management companies hired by the
resorts’ owners. While the owners associations presumably garner benefit from
the many resort management seminars and programs run by ARDA, it is clear
that ARDA’s support for the owners does not extend to proactive support for
issues that concern owners.
On these pages, we will continue to “tell it like it is,” so owners will not be
lied to by slick-talking salespeople, exchanged into substandard resorts, defrauded
by imaginative scams, overcharged for maintenance and management fees, have
no voice in resort management or suffer any of the myriad indignities foisted on
trusting owners over the years. We can’t solve all of these problems, but bring-
ing them to light goes a long way towards reminding developers that they need
to work to find solutions.
Equally as important is the sharing of information about the wonderful re-
sorts and exchanges that we owners experience. It would be terrific if every
resort got a Resort Report Card rating of 10. While that is, of course, not a
realistic expectation, we know that resort managers care about these ratings,
“Focus On” articles and other critiques because they are an accurate reflec-
tions of what exchangers think. If there are occasional exchange problems or
substandard resorts, highlighting these problems will put pressure for change
and improvement on the owners and managers of those resorts.
Shep Altshuler, Publisher
Stay Aware, Travel Safe
Several timeshare travelers have told us about recent experiences with air-
line security which give us concerns about the quality of the heightened security
measures. Some of the random baggage searches which appear very superfi-
cial, the failure of agents to match the passport photo with the person’s face,
letting some electronic devices slip through unchecked, all indicate the lack of
consistency and variations in competence. In one instance a passenger changed
seats before the flight took off, leaving a carry-on behind under her seat. The
flight attendant did not notice the change in seating or the stranded bag until
another passenger pointed it out. It’s important for all travelers to remain alert
when the security system is inefficient or non-existent. We all have a right to
demand thorough protection and well-trained security personnel. If there is a
failure, do not fail to speak up. We are not aware if ARDA is doing anything
relative to travel security, but we are urging them to place this item high on their
agenda. This issue includes an article about the additional time now needed for
air travel due to increased security.
Ray Jacobs, Editor
TimeSharing Today
Letters to the Editor
Disappearing act
In 1998, your magazine had an
advertisement for VMI, Inc. that
sounded like a good way for my hus-
band and I to set up our timeshares. I
hope you remember the ad. Anyway ,
we looked into their program and it
sounded promising. We turned over the
deeds to (2) Holly Tree weeks and (1)
Surfrider week. (They actually would
own them and pay the maintenance
fee and taxes and we would get 40
vouchers to be used in 20 years; plus
we paid them $1800. $300.00 of that
would go to have a back-up unit if they
went broke.) We would pay a small
amount for the week we would use
when we wanted to.
We never got around to using the
program (and my husband died in Jan.
2000) and when I called to see how I
could go about giving the vouchers to
my family for use, they had a whole
new website and program and had
never notified me about it. I did talk to
the owner Jens Schmidt a couple
©2001 The New Yorker Collection from cartoonbank.com. All Rights Reserved.
Page 4
times. Later, when I tried to get info
from the new VMI, Inc. the “mail-
boxes” were always busy. They
moved or/and changed there telephone
number a couple times.
I think you are getting the picture.
Then I got in touch with the Florida
Dept. of Business/Regulation and they
looked into it. I was assigned to Mr.
Richard Thrawl, Investigation Special-
ist. He called me this week and said
Mr. Schmidt has just left everything
and his employees and disappeared. I
thought this story might be of interest
to some of your readers (or maybe I
was the only one to buy into the pro-
gram) who also might have joined
VMI, Inc.
Dorothy Congdon Wakefield, RI
Lutz Schmidt responds: While
VMI is no longer operating, two ex-
employees have started a company
called International Travel Systems
in Fort Lauderdale and are honor-
ing VMI’s customer obligations.
Mar/Apr, 2002
Correction
In the article about Yachtsman
Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC written
by Susan Gilpin (page 38 of Issue #61),
an error exists. In the 3rd paragraph,
it states that the parking garage is 14
blocks away from the resort. Not true.
The Parking Garage is across Ocean
Boulevard about 100 yards from the
Resort. I know because I spent 2
weeks there in May of last year.
The place is very nice. I’ve been
in timesharing since 1983 and own 2
weeks at the Imperial in Honolulu. I
love it and love your magazine. That’s
how I noticed the “misprint.” I’m glad
I spotted the error, so that people will
not think parking is so far away and
refuse to go there.
I drove there all the way from NH
and I did go over the Bay Bridge/Tun-
nel. Amazing sight. Thank you for the
wonderful news in your magazine and
I will keep reading it.
Mr. Roger Lemay, Pelham, NH
Susan Gilpin’s letter to the edi-
tor: You really do need to either edit
more carefully or do a better job of
proofreading or both. Somehow my
1 1/2 blocks got turned into 14
blocks. That is a huge piece of mis-
information.
Editors note: Unfortunately, er-
rors occur when we scan in articles,
and this type of error is not easily
caught in spellchecking or proof-
reading. If we had our druthers,
everyone would send in articles on
a disk or as email attachments.
Great Escapes
Just thought I would let you know
how much I enjoy using the Great Es-
cape program from RCI. I have used
it quite often either for my own use or
to give to a friend. The key is to be
flexible, so I go into the computer ev-
ery Wednesday and type in a Friday
TimeSharing Today
start date until the next Wednes-
day. I have already picked an area
and I also always take two bedrooms,
even though as a rule there are only
two of us. The cost is $299 for the
week. The earlier I search for a spe-
cific week, the more it costs.
I have been very pleased with the
results, either trying to get a Gold
Crown or Resort of Distinction. When
you do it over the Internet, my gift
certificate is free. My plans are to
take a long trip of six to eight weeks
and move from resort to resort. I’ll
do this with my laptop on a Wednes-
day.
Ted Barron, Cobden, Ont.
Statistics wrong
We just received our latest
TimeSharing Today and I was quite dis-
turbed to see the inaccurate informa-
tion about confirmed exchanges, es-
pecially since the article on page 11 of
the Jan/Feb issue was written by an
accountant.
The article reports RCI matched
95.4% of 2,101,189 requests and failed
to match 4.6%. The number of non-
matches is reported as 341,646, when
the actual number is 96,655. I’m not
defending RCI for failing to match
nearly 100,000 clients, but the reported
figure is well over three times too high.
I cannot imagine how a CPA could
make such an error, both because he
should be fluent with numbers gener-
ally, and the data for II should clearly
have tipped him off that he made a
mistake. I think you need to correct
this data in your next issue because
such sloppy numbers reflect poorly on
your excellent publication.
Doneldon Dennis, St Paul, MN
Jeff Sherbondy’s response: Yes,
your reader is correct. There is an
obvious error in one of the calcula-
tions made from the key operating
statistics. Since the number of prop-
erly submitted exchange requests
and the number of non-matches are
not included in the statistics, these
Page 5
numbers must be calculated. Here
is the correct calculation:
Number of exchanges confirmed by
RCI in 2000: 2,101,189
Divided by Exchange requests ful-
filled as a percentage of properly
submitted exchange requests: .954
Equals Number of properly submit-
ted exchange requests: 2,202,504
Difference between submitted and
confirmed requests 101,315
Upon review of my original cal-
culations, I found that I inadvert-
ently compared the 2,202,504 with
another number adjacent to the ex-
changes confirmed on the operat-
ing statistics report, 1,860,858
(which represents the number of
weeks which RCI has an obligation
to provide an exchange opportunity
in a future period). This obvious
error could have been found if I
had compared the result either with
the data for II or with the data for
RCI in prior years. Since I did this
calculation at home, kids, etc. may
have distracted me, which in any
case is no excuse for the error.
Thank you for pointing this out and
for making this correction.
Editors note: We also received
a letter from Jeremy Robinson from
the UK pointing out the error.
Owners rent their
weeks too
Patricia Pertalion’s letter (Jan/Feb
2002) stated that an RCI counselor
told her that she was unlikely to get an
exchange into a San Diego resort be-
cause it was Spring Break week and
all the studios were RENTED. I do
not doubt that the counselor told her
that or that this statement was prob-
ably the truth. However, Ms.
Pertalion’s letter implies that it is RCI
that has the weeks and is renting them
out rather than providing them to other
RCI members.
Mar/Apr, 2002
A more likely explanation is that
the San Diego resort owners were not
depositing the weeks with RCI be-
cause they could obtain more value by
renting the weeks out themselves. RCI
can only provide for trade whatever
has been already spacebanked with
them. Perhaps the real problem is the
belief in the typical sales claim that
“with a Gold Crown red week, you can
go anywhere you want, any time you
want.”
James G. Johnston, Ruston, LA
Surcharges
I am wondering if you are aware
of the surcharge being added to bills
by the Villa del Palmar in Puerto
Vallarta for “maintenance.” It is $3.50
USD per day and I, as well as most
other owners and visitors, find this a
little disturbing. I pay “maintenance
fees” every year and now this. In my
view it is a cash grab on the part of
THE
TO YOUR RESORT’S
SUCCESS IS. . .
HAVING THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN YOUR BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
Defender has been in timeshare property
management since 1979. We offer complete,
professional services including full accounting
and financial disclosure, central reservations,
computer systems, investment strategies,
trained personnel and experts in the resale
of timeshare.
Proper ty Management
Rentals - Resales
We will make a difference at your resort!
DEFENDER RESORTS, INC.
Ken McKelvey, President and CEO
Frank Baker, Exec. Vice President
1-800-319-1020 or
1-800-799-0798
(843) 449-9469 Fax
Email: info@defenderresorts.com
www.defenderresorts.com
TimeSharing Today
the owner.
Richard Valentini
Editors comment: We agree
with you that owners and exchang-
ers who are paying regular mainte-
nance fees to their home resorts
should not be hit with an additional
daily surcharge when they occupy
the resort, either as an owner or
exchange visitor.
If the maintenance fees are in-
adequate to support the resort, the
budget should be adjusted and
maintenance fees increased. Charg-
ing additional fees when the unit is
occupied goes against the whole
philosophy of exchanging. Carib-
bean resorts have been doing this
for years as an electricity charge.
Visited same resorts
I was interested to read the ar-
ticle by J. Barczyk on two timeshares
in Germany and Austria. Coinciden-
tally, we stayed at those very same
Page 6
timeshares on our European trip last
May. I agree completely with his de-
scription of Alpenland Sporthotel in
Maria Alm, Austria. We would return
there also.
Mr. Barczyk was not as enthusi-
astic with his description of
Ferienwohnpark in Missen-Wilham,
Germany. We too had trouble finding
the resort. But we did like the resort,
and I loved the indoor swimming pool
and sauna. There were three restau-
rants close by: one at the resort, one
next door and one a few blocks down
the road. All were good. There is a
little store by the check in desk where
one can buy necessities.
We found that most European re-
sorts do not supply many extras, such
as coffee, etc. The town of Missen
was a mile and a half away, and we
walked the distance; however we did
have a car. One does need a car to do
any sightseeing in the area.
At the resort, there is one building
that has an elevator and disabled units,
Mar/Apr/2002
but most have stairs. The resort is on
a hill and the scenery is extraordinary.
We were there in the spring; every-
thing was green with an abundance of
wild flowers. I was impressed with the
management. I had left some cloth-
ing hanging in the closet and asked that
the items be shipped to me. They
packed them up and shipped them to
my home in the USA.
This is a good resort for R & R,
but it is also centrally located in South-
ern Germany and is a good home base
for sightseeing. We thoroughly enjoyed
it.
Sally Altman, Granite Bay, CA
Powhatan deja vu
I read with interest Sunterra
Williamsburg Powhatan Plantation
representative’s response to Kathy
Holleger’s experience in the Jan/Feb
2002 issue. We stayed at Powhatan a
year ago in the early Spring of 2001
and I see things have not changed.
Upon arrival we found the unit

We Pay Postage!
very dirty and with blinds and curtains
inoperable. [Numerous deficiencies
were itemized.]
We spoke with several individuals
Att: Owners’ Associations, Resort Managers in management; as a result, the unit
was completely recleaned under my
Dozens of resorts are now participating in this great program. supervision the next day, and we re-
ceived, more or less, the same apolo-
TimeSharing Today will pay for the postage of your resort newsletter gies and/or assurances about the situ-
or other mailing (maintenance bills, etc.) in exchange for our plac- ation as I see they gave to Ms.
ing an insert offering subscriptions to your owners. Holleger.
It is obvious that RCI is receiving
Let us know your mailing schedule and how many pieces you numerous bad ratings about Powhatan,
send out. We will provide your printer with camera-ready artwork as it is no longer rated as a Gold Crown
resort in their new directory. It’s most
for our 8.5” x 11” 2-sided insert. We reimburse you for the printing disappointing that management will let
of our insert and up to 34 cents per piece for postage. what is a potentially excellent facility
deteriorate so badly.
Sign up now: By email to staff@tstoday.com or Margaret Havlicek,
by fax to 201-871-4305. Complete details, sample Vancouver, WA
insert and application form at www.tstoday.com Editors note: Even though Ms.
Holleger’s story was reported in the
Join these and other fine resorts that participate in this money-saving program: Dunes
South, Landmark Holiday Beach, Lakewood Resorts, Harbour Inn, Tahoe Seasons, Tahoe Jan/Feb issue, her visit was also in
Summit Village, Mandalay Shores, Tahoe Beach & Ski, Capistrano Surfside Inn, Panama the Spring of 2001. Hopefully,
City Resort, Casitas Del Monte, Bay Club of Sandestin, Ocean East, Lodge at Lake things have actually changed at
Tahoe, Royal Beach & Tennis Club, Kona Coast, Villas of Ocean Pines, Starr Pass Golf Sunterra as promised by the man-
Suites, Ocean Villas, Telemark Resort, Tamarack Beach Club and others.
agement.
TimeSharing Today
FOCUS ON: Club Paihia, Bay of Islands, NZ
By Gerry and Elizabeth Schmitz,
Denver, CO
After several years of never been
able to get our RCI requests granted,
we read an interesting article in
TimeSharing Today (Nov/Dec 1999)
about Dial An Exchange
in Australia (Website at
dialanexchange.com.au.)
They also have offices
in New Zealand and the
UK. (Note: prices they
quote are Australian or
New Zealand dollars.)
After correspond-
ing with Marc and
Michael, we became
members. There are no
membership fees! We
were able to bank our
2000 week at Marina El Maori village
Cid in Mazatlan,
Mexico, and exchange for one week
at Club Paihia, for November 2001.
Paihia is on the top of the North Is-
land in New Zealand. It is fully de-
scribed in the current RCI directory.
The cost for an international exchange
was $79 Australian dollars, which is
not due until the exchange has been
confirmed. We also paid an extra $5
for cancellation protection
Without a doubt, this is the nicest
exchange we have ever experienced.
Although we were a day late in arriv-
ing (due to crossing the dateline), we
were warmly welcomed at reception,
given all the necessary details and even
invited to walk over to the Ex-
Servicemen’s Club for dinner.
The property is well situated in
spacious well groomed grounds. Each
unit is quiet, private and has an out-
door hot tub. It is within walking dis-
tance to the harbor and shops. The
two-bedroom condo was very nicely
decorated and maintained, and was
well stocked with everything, includ-
ing English egg cups!
There was a free washer nearby;
Page 7 Mar/Apr, 2002
you had to pay a modest fee for use Zealanders in general are the most
of the dryer. On site, there are three friendly people we have every met!
small pools, the top one is heated, the The current rate of exchange is incred-
water then flows into the second one, ible, $2.40 New Zealand dollars to $1
which is warm, which in turn flows into US, which makes it a bargain.
the third pool, which is cool. There is Club Paihia had the usual cocktail
a modest weight gathering for owners and guests one
room, which you re- evening, but there was no high sales
serve for your exclu- pressure at all. The one sales repre-
sive use. There is also sentative for the resort invited us to
a tennis court and contact her if we were interested in
many people looking buying! We would have been tempted,
for a match. if we had not lived so far away; the
Summer starts in prices were certainly a bargain.
December, so the We receive monthly e-mails from
roses were in bloom. Dial An Exchange. Their members
They also had an or- seem to be world wide and they cur-
chid house on site, and rently offer exchanges in Australia,
a small bush “walk- New Zealand, Canada, South Africa,
about.” India, UK, Malta, Spain, Thailand and
On Sunday morn- USA. They also have a large selec-
ing, we were all in- tion of bonus time available.
vited for a “get acquainted” coffee.
Representatives for various local tours
gave brief outlines of their particular
trips. The resort had a tour director on
site who was willing to not only make
reservations for you (at less than the
listed prices!), but she was also avail-
able each morning to answer any
questions you had about your own side
trips.
We enjoyed a day-long trip on a
4-wheel drive bus along the 90-mile
beach to Cape Regina, with several
interested stops along the way. The
bus only seats about 20 people. You
are forbidden to take rental cars on
the beach, due to tides and soft sands.
We took a dinner cruise up the
river to the falls with about a dozen
people and the skipper barbecued
steak and fish. He gave us a running
commentary, entertained us and he
joined the customers for dessert at a
harbor restaurant when we returned.
We attended an evening perfor-
mance at the Waitanga meeting house,
where the treaty was signed in 1840.
The Maori people and New
TimeSharing Today
Are You Insured On A Timeshare Vacation?
By Rosalie E. Leposky
If your next-door neighbor trips
over a loose corner of your home’s liv-
ing-room rug and breaks a leg, your
homeowners insurance ought to cover
his medical bills and any liability claim
he may try to pursue. But what if that
happens in your timeshare unit’s living
room?
Beware! Your timeshare “home
away from home” is not your home
for insurance purposes. Coverage
against certain perils at home may not
apply to your timeshare unit unless
you’ve arranged for your homeowners
policy to cover it as an additional resi-
dence.
The good news is that such ar-
rangements are relatively inexpensive,
and because you’re adding them to the
policy for your primary residence,
where your timeshare is located
doesn’t matter – even if it’s outside
Page 8
the United States.
According to the Florida
Association of Insurance
Agents (FAIA), timeshare
owners whose primary resi-
dence is in Florida will pay
less than $50 extra a year for
this additional coverage. For
residents of other states,
costs and coverage details
may vary, but in general here
is what you should discuss with your
insurance agent:
— Personal property: Verify
that belongings you bring to your time-
share unit while you stay there are
covered up to the normal contents limit
in your homeowners policy, and that
furnishings, appliances, and other items
that remain with the unit are covered
up to 10 percent of the contents limit.
To be on the safe side, you may want
to increase your policy’s limit with re-
Mar/Apr, 2002
spect to personal property in other resi-
dences.
— Liability: Coverage against
liability in your timeshare unit may re-
quire one endorsement if you use the
unit yourself, another if you rent it out.
If you aren’t sure whether you will use
or rent the unit from one year to the
next, or if you have a lock-off unit
where you use part of the unit and rent
out the rest, the FAIA suggests that
you add both endorsements.
— Personal injury: An endorse-
ment will cover injury to occupants and
visitors in your timeshare unit, as well
as claims of libel and slander.
— Loss assessment: If a fire,
hurricane, or other disaster destroys
or severely damages your timeshare
resort, the owners’ association’s insur-
ance may not cover the entire loss. To
make up the difference, the associa-
tion may impose a loss assessment that
requires each owner to pay a portion
of the uninsured costs. An endorse-
ment to your homeowners policy will
pay such loss assessments up to what-
ever coverage limit you select. (This
provision does not apply to assess-
ments for major maintenance items –
such as replacement of an old, leaky
roof – for which your association
should have set aside funds in its re-
serves.)
— Loss of use: What happens if
that fire, hurricane, or other disaster
makes your timeshare unit uninhabit-
able during the week you own? As a
Florida resident, you’re out of luck,
TimeSharing Today
with no coverage available to com-
pensate for your loss of use or lost
rental income under such circum-
stances. Elsewhere, ask your insur-
ance agent if such an endorsement
exists.
In addition to the foregoing cov-
erages applicable to you as an indi-
vidual timeshare owner, your owners’
association should be insured against
a variety of perils affecting the entire
resort. You’ll pay a portion of the pre-
miums for this insurance as part of
your annual maintenance fee. At a
minimum, every timeshare resort
should have:
— Property insurance covering
the resort and its contents, including –
in a timeshare setting – all furnishings
and fixtures in the individual units ex-
cept personal belongings that owners
and guests bring to the resort during
their stay.
— Liability coverage for injuries
to owners, guests, and vendors on the
premises, and for damage to their prop-
erty while it is on the premises if the
resort was responsible for the dam-
age.
— Workers compensation cover-
age for employees injured on the job.
— Employment practices liability
insurance, which includes protection
against libel and slander claims arising
from unfavorable information reported
when another employer checks the job
history and references of a former
resort employee.
— Directors and officers (often
called D&O) insurance, which pro-
tects association board members
against claims of conflict of interest,
negligence, and other issues arising
from their service on the board. One
major category of activities from which
D&O claims arise is the selection and
oversight of contractors to provide
services on the resort’s behalf. If the
board hires a resort manager, it should
extend D&O coverage to him or her
by endorsement.
Ask your association board or your
resort’s manager whether the resort
Page 9 Mar/Apr, 2002
has all of the various types of insur- in a food court near the pool with a
ance coverage it needs, and whether non-skid surface.
the association has engaged a profes- — Posting pool rules and other
sional consultant to oversee its insur- warning and informational signs in lan-
ance program. If not, you may want guages other than English that are spo-
to suggest that the board hire such a ken by significant numbers of owners
consultant. This person will read all and guests.
of the association’s existing insurance — Making extra security person-
policies, determine how they work to- nel available at night to walk people to
gether and whether gaps exist, and their cars when the lights in the park-
recommend any changes that may be ing lot are turned off during the sea-
necessary to close those gaps. turtle mating season.
The insurance consultant also may Because a timeshare is a recre-
become involved in risk-management ational product, owners tend to forget
assessment, looking at the resort’s that the resort where they own is a
physical facilities and operations to complex business that needs insurance
identify potential problems, and sug- just like any other business. Not hav-
gesting solutions that could reduce ing it is something to worry about, but
claims exposure and premium costs. if you and your association both have
Examples may include: the necessary coverages in place, you
— Strengthening pre-employment can relax and enjoy your vacation.
due diligence (checking references and Rosalie E. Leposky is managing
other background information) to en- partner of Ampersand Communica-
sure that the resort isn’t hiring a dan- tions, a public-relations and market-
gerous person. ing-communications firm in Miami,
— Replacing a slippery tile floor Florida. She has written extensively
redseason.com
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If you’re looking to make your dream vacation a
reality, with a specialist that is honest, professional
and educated, call redseason.com and let us help
you become a Worldmark owner today!
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the market. You decide when and where you
want to go; it’s your choice! Hawaii, Fiji, Aus-
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Branson and many, many other locations.
At redseason.com we take care of all the paperwork; there are
NO hidden costs involved. Plus! You won’t have to wait for us to
find you a membership; we already have one waiting for you.
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dream vacation a REALITY!
TimeSharing Today
Viewpoint of a timeshare owner who has been trading
with II and RCI for more than 15 years
By Joanne Regnault, Cranston, RI
I have owned several weeks of
timeshare that I have traded since 1986
and also handle the trades of my
friends and family when they ask. I
know it better, as I have more experi-
ence than them, and I enjoy it! That
adds up to a lot of trades per year!
So here is my opinion on the com-
mentaries that TimeSharing Today has
been keeping us posted on re: RCI’s
ability/inability/inflexibility to confirm
desired exchanges for its owners.
I can sum it up in one line. Any-
one that asks my opinion as to whether
to join II or RCI if their timeshare re-
sort is dual affiliated (offers the choice
of which exchange company to trade
with), I recommend II over RCI. I get
more of my desired confirmations with
II, and quite frankly find it very diffi-
cult to get anywhere near the same
satisfaction with confirmations with
RCI’s procedures and rules. And I feel
that over the past 15 years and liter-
ally hundreds and hundreds of ex-
change confirmations I know the pro-
cedures each company requires prob-
ably better than the majority of own-
ers do.
And yes, when I have requested
certain resorts, RCI has told me that
that resort is “below the rating of my
home resort” and that “I will not be
confirmed into it.” I have advised RCI
that I am a very flexible traveller, but
that didn’t change anything or seem
to matter. I have advised that they can
so note that I have been told that the
resort is of a lesser rating and that is
OK with me (this is what II does.)
Doesn’t matter if I am told and would
want the resort anyway, the computer
will not confirm me to a lesser resort.
This made me glad that my resort lost
its “Resort of International Distinction”
or “Gold Crown” rating, as that opened
me up to a greater selection of resorts
Page 11 Mar/Apr, 2002
to confirm into. as I have. Yet, some others say they
But is this how the system is sup- have not heard that. Maybe the situa-
posed to work? The resort gets a nice tion did not occur with their requests.
plaque for its lobby, but the owners get And as for the lone article that said
lesser trades as a result of the resort that an Exhange Counselor told them
being so nice??????? ! I have asked they could override it, they must be ei-
if there was a way to override that ther misinformed or better trained than
mechanism when I was placing a the rest of the counselors; these other
pending exchange request in the com- counselors should then be brought up
puter at RCI and have been told there to speed if the policies have changed.
is not. Maybe some of the confusion I, for one, would rather go to a
on this subject is that when an instant lesser-rated resort and be able to get
confirmation is made directly with an to the vacation area than not to be able
exchange counselor on the telephone to get there at all. And just because
they can override it at that time. But the resort I bought at was top notch, it
how many times are we lucky enough does not mean that I would not be
to catch a resort on its way into the happy staying at something still very
system before it confirms to someone good or even good or even fair. Every
else? traveller is different. A resort’s over-
I have read that many other RCI all rating may be because of a lack of
owners have been told the same things or lower marks in an area that is of no
Want to know
what timeshare
professionals know?
Vacation Ownership WORLD is the leading publication
for timeshare professionals -- developers, finance com-
panies, marketers, etc. We've covered the timeshare
industry, objectively, for over 30 years (we are not owned
or sponsored by any industry organization). So if you're
interested in the business side of vacation ownership,
call or e-mail us for more information:
Call: 360-676-4146
E-Mail: Resort@nas.com
TimeSharing Today
concern to me or to me and my
given travelling party on this particu-
lar trip, such as children’s activities,
proximity to beach, suitable for elderly,
lack of 24/7 check in, or less organized
activities than most (but not all) de-
sire. Not every traveller equally val-
ues the factors that comprise a rating
total.
I feel that if I spent MY money to
buy a timeshare vacation lifestyle, I
should be able to make the decision as
to how to exercise it, not someone else,
let alone a corporation with fixed and
inflexible rules. Maybe these types of
things were applicable to timeshare
trading 20 years ago when it was first
developing, but certainly not now. The
surveys say that the average timeshare
owner owns 2+ weeks, is better edu-
cated, and a higher earner than most.
It would seem to me that, as a group,
we “qualify” to make the final deci-
sion as to where and how we want to
travel.
And RCI’s annual membership
fee is higher than II’s, and so are RCI’s
exchange rates.
So as I started this article, when I
am asked which timeshare exchange
company to join when both are offered,
I reply II. Congratulations to II for lis-
tening to its owners over the years, as
satisfaction with II is higher than RCI
in the “informal” poll I take when I
meet other timeshare owners who
have experiences with both compa-
nies. As a matter of fact, before I of-
fer my opinions, I ask the other owner
Buy and Sell Timeshares
Wholesale - All Areas
or
Donate your timeshare to charity at market prices.
Good tax write-off. Call now for details.
1-800-35-CONDO
Since 1984 • In cooperation with Timeshare Realty
www. timesharetravel.com
Page 12
Worldmark at Birch Bay, WA
By Pat Hunter
This was an exchange through
RCI for our week at The Inn at
Mazatlan in Mexico.
We arrived at 3:35 pm; check in
started at 4:00 pm. Checking in took
about 10 minutes and they didn’t even
require a Visa Card. The working
force at this resort were about the most
friendly and efficient people we have
ever encountered in our many travels.
There are 109 units here. Our
three-bedroom, two-bath unit, was lo-
cated on the third floor of a five story
building. The rooms were very spa-
cious and our living room looked over
the Bay. We brought kitchen equip-
ment, but only used two or three items
of our own. This unit can sleep 8
people, with one king, one queen, twin
beds, and a Murphy bed in the living
room. The master bedroom had its
to comment and I have yet to hear,
not even once, that they prefer RCI
over II.
RCI are you listening? Please do.
We are crying out to be heard. And
maybe if we all keep expressing our
opinions to publications like
TimeSharing Today and to our RCI
management maybe one of these days
they will genuinely listen to what the
customer wants. RCI’s web address
is www.rci.com, and you can easily
click on and send them a letter from
Mar/Apr, 2002
own bathroom. The other bathroom
was very spacious with a tub and
shower.
There is no maid service, but you
can get clean towels any time. There
are also plenty of paper towels, toilet
paper, etc. A nice washer/dryer is hid-
den in the entrance hall. The full
kitchen, with a large center work table,
has a dishwasher, lots of pots and pans,
bowls, and dishes. They even furnish
a popcorn popper, or you can use the
microwave for bagged popcorn. If
there is something you need, they will
try to furnish it.
All units at WorldMark at Birch
Bay offer a full kitchen with a micro-
wave oven, a VCR, 2 televisions, ste-
reo, and grill on the patio. Each unit
has a telephone; local calls are free. It
has handicapped units with elevator.
There is a heated swimming pool
with whirlpool/hot tub. Pool towels are
furnished from the office.
The resort has a great exercise
building with lots of equipment and two
TV’s you can watch while exercising.
It is a wonderful place for fami-
lies. The resort is situated eight miles
from the Canadian border, 40 minutes
from Vancouver, 20 miles from the
ferry to Victoria, and about an hour’s
drive to Mount Baker Ski area.
Other area attractions include ca-
sinos for the adults, state parks for the
family, clamming, beachcombing,
horseback riding, hiking and golfing.
During the summer, go-carts and wa-
ter slides are available. Medical fa-
cilities are nearby.
The resort is located 15 miles from
Bellingham airport serviced by com-
muter airlines and approximately 125
miles from Seattle/Tacoma airport.
There are many fine restaurants
nearby and the town of Blaine is 15
minutes away.
We do so enjoy this magazine and
have rented some of our weeks in
Puerto Vallarta with great success.
TimeSharing Today Page 13 Mar/Apr, 2002

RESORT REPORT CARDS ® Report Card ratings for each resort are av-
erages based on a significant number of
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the
reports received from readers.
WESTGATE VACATION VILLAS ILX - VARSITY CLUB OF AMERICA
Kissimmee, FL Tucson, AZ
8.6 8.4
Amenities and activities at resort: Tennis, pools, bikes, Amenities and activities at resort: Pool, hot tub, exercise
fishing, paddle boats, planned activities for kids, fitness room, room, masseuse, scheduled activities, billiards, movies, gift
BBQ, breakfast for owners, video arcade, bingo, snack bars. shop, snack bar.
Amenities and activities nearby: Disney World, Sea World, Amenities and activities nearby: Golf, minor league base-
Universal Studios, many other theme parks, beaches, shop- ball, airplane museum, Biosphere II, historic Tucson, ca-
ping, restaurants, dinner theaters. sino, nightclubs, restaurants, zoo, shopping, university, hik-
ing, jeep tours, Sonora Desert Museum.
Unit: Furnishings: 8.6 Cleanliness: 8.8
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 8.6 Unit: Furnishings: 8.4 Cleanliness: 9.4
Maintenance: 8.4 Construction quality: 9.4 Kitchen inventory/appliances: 7.9
Amenities and activities: At resort: 9.0 Maintenance: 9.4 Construction quality: 9.0
Nearby: 10.0 Amenities and activities: At resort: 8.1
Suitable for: Young children: 9.1 Nearby: 9.6
Pre-teens: 9.4 Seniors: 9.0 Suitable for: Young children: 8.0
Teenagers: 9.6 Handicapped: 7.8 Pre-teens: 8.5 Seniors: 9.2
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA Teenagers: 8.4 Handicapped: 8.7
Convenience store: 7.0 Resort: Restaurant facilities: 8.7
Grounds and maintenance: 9.2 Convenience store: 6.0
Security: 9.5 Staff: 8.6 Grounds and maintenance: 9.3
General hospitality: 9.2 Security: 9/0 Staff: 9.8
Exchange affiliation: RCI, II General hospitality: 9.8
Comments: Large crowds at check-in, but efficiently done. Exchange affiliation: II
Spacious units nicely furnished. Much sales pressure at Comments: Very convenient central urban location. Staff
check-out “maintenance review.” Shuttle to attractions. courteous and helpful. Plenty to do for all ages in Tucson.

SUNRISE COVE AT VILLAGE WEST STONERIDGE RECREATIONAL CLUB

Spirit Lake, IA Blanchard, ID
8.5 7.9
Amenities and activities at resort: Lake, beach, water Amenities and activities at resort: Pools, exercise room,
sports, miniature golf, arcade, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, golf, ping pong, racquetball, basketball, volleyball,
basketball, tennis, sauna, theater, ice cream parlor, gift shops, saunas, bird watching, kids classes, miniature golf, BBQ,
game room, shuffleboard, children’s activities, fishing. video rentals, fishing, bingo, craft classes, tours.
Amenities and activities nearby: Antiques, amusement Amenities and activities nearby: Lakes, mining towns,
park, water park, lakes, shopping, golf, skiing, state parks, antique stores, fishing, hiking, golf, boating, shopping, res-
trails, fishing, boating, restaurants, Nautical Museum. taurants, Silverwood theme park, skiing, horseback riding.
Unit: Furnishings: 8.2 Cleanliness: 8.3 Unit: Furnishings: 7.5 Cleanliness: 8.7
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 8.5 Kitchen inventory/appliances: .1
Maintenance: 8.3 Construction quality: 8.2 Maintenance: 8.6 Construction quality: 7.3
Amenities and activities: At resort: 9.1 Amenities and activities: At resort: 8.5
Nearby: 9.0 Nearby: 8.1
Suitable for: Young children: 10.0 Suitable for: Young children: 7.0
Pre-teens: 9.7 Seniors: 8.6 Pre-teens: 7.4 Seniors: 7.9
Teenagers: 9.4 Handicapped: 8.6 Teenagers: 7.7 Handicapped: 5.9
Resort: Restaurant facilities: 8.5 Resort: Restaurant facilities: 8.4
Convenience store: 7.3 Convenience store: NA
Grounds and maintenance: 8.6 Grounds and maintenance: 7.8
Security: 8.2 Staff: 9.4 Security: 6.9 Staff: 8.7
General hospitality: 9.4 General hospitality: 8.7
Exchange affiliation: RCI Exchange affiliation: RCI, II
Comments: Resort is family oriented; lots for kids to do. Comments: Buildings two or three stories, no elevators.
Most activities are between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Good for outdoor activities. Units are small. Car is a must.
TimeSharing Today Page 14 Mar/Apr, 2002

RESORT REPORT CARDS ® Report Card ratings for each resort are av-
erages based on a significant number of
Ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the
reports received from readers.
POLLARD BROOK PACIFIC SHORES NATURE RESORT
Lincoln, NH Vancouver, BC
8.9 9.6.
Amenities and activities at resort: Pools, tennis, fitness Amenities and activities at resort: Pool, Jacuzzi, trails,
center, basketball, maid service, volleyball, BBQ, playground, canoes, kayaks, beach, playground, putting green, fitness
movies, games/activities, discount ski tickets, refreshments, center, gazebo, BBQ, pub night, welcome breakfast.
video rentals, hiking.
Amenities and activities nearby: Fishing, hiking, whale
Amenities and activities nearby: Skiing, outlet shopping, watching, Victoria, golf, sailing, tennis, parks, skiing, horse-
dining, hiking, biking, canoeing, golf, theaters, horseback back riding, biking, bird sanctuary, museum.
riding, train rides, tubing.
Unit: Furnishings: 9.6 Cleanliness: 9.6
Unit: Furnishings: 8.5 Cleanliness: 9/1 Kitchen inventory/appliances: 8.8
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 9.2 Maintenance: 9.6 Construction quality: 9.3
Maintenance: 9.0 Construction quality: 9.1 Amenities and activities: At resort: 8.4
Amenities and activities: At resort: 8.7 Nearby: 9.1
Nearby: 9.0 Suitable for: Young children: 8.3
Suitable for: Young children: 8.1 Pre-teens: 8.6 Seniors: 9.8
Pre-teens: 7.8 Seniors: 7.9 Teenagers: 8.5 Handicapped: 7.6
Teenagers: 8.2 Handicapped: 6.7 Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA Convenience store: 7.6
Convenience store: NA Grounds and maintenance: 9.9
Grounds and maintenance: 8.8 Security: 7.8 Staff: 9.1
Security: 8.5 Staff: 9.5 General hospitality: 9.0
General hospitality: 9.7 Exchange affiliation: RCI
Exchange affiliation: II
Comments: The landscaping is a delight. Gorgeous views.
Comments: Secluded and very peaceful. Staff is friendly A car is needed to fully enjoy the area. The newer units are
and responsive. Stairs to units may be tough for seniors. cramped; older units are much larger.

FAIRFIELD AT WASHINGTON FOUR SEASONS CLUB AVIARA

Old Town Alexandria, VA Carlsbad, CA
9.2. 9.5.
Amenities and activities at resort: Arranged tours, Amenities and activities at resort: Golf, fitness center,
children’s activities, sauna, whirlpool, pool, gym, indoor ga- children’s activities, pool, Jacuzzi, tennis, BBQ, bike trails,
rage, racquetball, game room, lounge with big screen TV. beauty spa, videos, billiards.
Amenities and activities nearby: Washington D.C., lake, Amenities and activities nearby: Ocean, shopping, San
museums, shopping, golf, fishing, restaurants, Mount Vernon. Diego Zoo, animal park, fishing, boating, golf, horse races,
hot air balloon ride, restaurants, Sea World, wineries, mis-
Unit: Furnishings: 9.8 Cleanliness: 9.5
Kitchen inventory/appliances: 9.3 sions, state parks, Legoland.
Maintenance: 9.2 Construction quality: 9.7 Unit: Furnishings: 9.9 Cleanliness: 9.9
Amenities and activities: At resort: 7.8 Kitchen inventory/appliances: 10.0
Nearby: 10.0 Maintenance: 9.6 Construction quality: 9.7
Suitable for: Young children: 7.0 Amenities and activities: At resort: 9.2
Pre-teens: 8.7 Seniors: 9.3 Nearby: 9.5
Teenagers: 8.7 Handicapped: 8.3 Suitable for: Young children: 7.0
Resort: Restaurant facilities: NA Pre-teens: 8.3 Seniors: 9.3
Convenience store: 4.6 Teenagers: 8.1 Handicapped: 8.4
Grounds and maintenance: 9.2 Resort: Restaurant facilities: 9.3
Security: 9.3 Staff: 9.3 Convenience store: 7.0
General hospitality: 9.5 Grounds and maintenance: 9.2
Exchange affiliation: RCI Security: 8.7 Staff: 9.5
Comments: Not many activities at resort; plenty to do nearby. General hospitality: 9.3
Exchange affiliation: II
New building with superb units. No need for a car; the resort
is very close to the D.C. transit system, but the noise may Comments: Beautiful resort with spacious units and excel-
be a drawback for some. lent staff. Convenient to area activities.
TimeSharing Today
Family Reunions with Timesharing
Dr. T. Redmer,
Chesapeake, VA
The Christmas holidays
have always been a time for
family reunions with our
family, as I am sure with
many of your families. We
generally enjoy warm
weather in December and
make it a point to go to
Florida at Christmas time.
Some of our family members
live in Florida and there are
usually masses of people
who descend on these rela-
tives during the holidays. As
our family has grown in size and age
over the years, the responsibility of the
host relatives has become a more
onerous task.
This year we tried a different ap-
proach, and used timesharing for our
family reunion. Christmas in Florida
can be very expensive to rent and dif-
ficult to trade into, especially in the
areas with more tourist attractions.
Since our main objective was to be with
family, the availability of activities such
as Disney World were not high on our
list of needs.
We were able to find the perfect
solution for our family gathering this
year. Oyster Pointe/Oyster Bay in
Sebastian, Florida provided an ideal
setting for a family reunion at a rea-
sonable cost with spacious accommo-
dations. The resort has 2-bedroom
cottage type units with full kitchens and
adequate living space that will sleep 6
people comfortably. We ended up get-
ting 4 units for the more than 18 fam-
ily members and friends who eventu-
ally attended.
With resort check in dates of Fri-
day and Saturday, we had some flex-
ibility on arrival times for different fam-
ily members. The resort also helped
Next classified ad
deadline is April 10th
Page 15 Mar/Apr, 2002
lowed some families to stay
up late and other families to
get up early.
What made this time-
share event such a pleasant
experience is that we could
be together as a family when
we wanted and be by our-
selves at other times. Those
of you who have family re-
unions know what I mean.
Also, our Florida relatives,
appreciated the fact that
someone else had the clean
up and laundry chores at the
end of the week, and every-
us by arranging units close together so one got to enjoy the vacation.
we could easily come and go between I certainly recommend timeshar-
cottages. ing as an ideal way to hold family re-
Oyster Pointe/Oyster Bay is very unions. Oyster Pointe/Oyster Bay in
family oriented, and Pam the general Sebastian, Florida provided a great
manager and her resort staff went out resort to support our vacation activi-
of their way to make our stay even ties and we will consider doing this
more enjoyable. They worked at get- again many times in the future.
ting us discounts to restaurants and
other area attractions, and provided
other special amenities at the resort.
One very positive feature from the
resort was the unlimited use of boats
to navigate the intercostal waterway.
For just $35, boats can be used at any
time during business hours. This
served as a great way to give children
a special activity; there were islands
to explore and dolphins to see.
Sebastian is also a great area for fish-
ing.
The resort had two pools and ar-
eas to set up for volleyball, soccer, foot-
ball and kickball games. There were
also great areas to run and walk and
view some beautiful sunrises and sun-
sets. We did a lot of fun activities as a
family without having to spend any
money or try to coordinate trips to tour-
ist attractions.
Families got together at the differ-
ent units for games and meals and time
for visiting, but everyone could go back
to their own unit for peace and quiet
or to party on. The different units al-
TimeSharing Today
FOCUS ON: Club Vista dos Reis at Hotel
Oasis Atlantique, Madeira, Portugal
By Frances Davies, Chapel Hill, NC
Our TAP jet plane swung in low
over picturesque volcanic rocks dot-
ting the ocean as we landed on the
newly expanded pillared runway that
runs along the coast of this magnifi-
cent island. Where were we? About
600 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean
off the coast of North Africa! Getting
there was no problem; it’s a 2-hour
flight from Lisbon’s airport.
It was November. The day we ar-
rived was cloudy and a bit drizzly, as
was the day we left a week later, but
in between we had 6 glorious days of
sun and temperatures in the 70’s. My
friend met me at the airport and drove
me the 4-5 km to the resort which was
on the coast along the way to Funchal,
the capital city.
The hotel was large, with beauti-
Advantage Vacations, Inc.
Since 1975
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Page 16 Mar/Apr, 2002
ful grounds opening to a
paved promenade that ran a
quarter-mile or so down the
coast. There are no beaches,
as the coast is lined by volca-
nic stones worn smooth by
the ocean, with endless waves
rolling in day and night and
very little tidal variation. I
was given a fifth-floor unit
with a small balcony that
looked out over the Atlantic.
tractive, with a small balcony that
It was a quiet sequestered haven to
caught some sun most of the day and
return to after the days of exploring
left one entranced by the waves roll-
the island.
ing in all hours of the day and night.
A large comfortable game lounge
The unit had a king bed which could
offered a small television theatre, dart
be separated into two twin-sized units,
board and tables for cards with avail-
a sofa which contained a bed, a small
able game sets for chess, parchesi, or
kitchenette with a 2-burner stove and
what-have-you, and a computer with
a microwave oven, a small refrigera-
Internet access freely available for
tor and spare but adequate cooking
guests. Of course, the keyboard was
utensils and dishes. One channel of
not like ours and the dialog was Por-
BBC News and a half-dozen foreign
tuguese, but I managed to get my email
channels were on the TV. The elec-
and the New York Times each day,
trical power is 220 volts; a hair dryer
and that was all I wanted.
was provided
There were three restaurants in-
Auto rental and bicycles were
cluding the half-in, half-out bar which
available at the resort, but there was
served a luncheon menu through the
also a courtesy bus that made the 10
day, a dining room which served an
KM run into Funchal every hour from
extensive buffet and another with an
10AM to 6PM. There is also a local
a la carte menu, all very reasonable.
bus stop; the bus network on the is-
There were also local restaurants
land is more than adequate for visiting
within walking distance or, one might
points of interest or exploring.
say, climbing distance.
I want to make a special point of
The grounds surrounding a huge
the cleanliness of the resort. There
heated pool and jacuzzi were colorful
was daily maid service and all areas,
and well-maintained and extended to
private or public, were spotless. At
the wide paved promenade which ran
least 2 persons were always at the
along the coast past other resorts to a
lobby desk and all were very pleasant
small bank of stores and restaurants.
and helpful. They spoke excellent En-
There were also an indoor pool, and a
glish.
very well-equipped fitness room. The
The bus ride to Funchal was an
resort included an attractive gift shop
adventure in itself. There is an excel-
and another shop which seemed to
lent system of roads, actually express-
have mainly beverages including wine,
ways in a few well traveled areas like
and tobacco.
the route from the airport to Funchal.
The unit was standard but at-
But the coastal road that extends the
TimeSharing Today
that rims the harbor was the only level
place I saw on the island.
Madeira is an extrusion of volca-
nic mountains that rises out of the
ocean like some huge fairy tale castle.
Funchal is a half bowl with the old
city and commercial areas including
elegant hotels on the lowest slopes and
the residential areas extending up the
inclines, hanging like ornaments to the
crags and protrusions of the rocky
heights, with amazingly deep valleys
between. The island is 57 km long and
22 km at its widest point. Average
temperatures are 63o in winter and 71o
in summer. It is a hikers’ paradise with
maintained trails running along the
levados, the system of tiled ditches and
canals that carry water from the moun-
tain springs to the villages.
The first two days were spent ex-
ploring the city, the churches, the mon-
astery winery, the parks and gardens
and the nicer shops with Madeiran
laces, embroideries and ceramics,
leather goods, etc. Flower and fruit
Page 17
stands dot the streets and the fruit and
bread and cheeses are as good as you
would find anywhere.
There is little commercialization
of the older section of the town. Ma-
deira was discovered in 1419 and
much of its historical legacy has been
preserved. There is a cathedral at the
main plaza of the city, but the splen-
dor of the Collegio, the smaller church
across the plaza should not be missed.
We spent the next day on buses,
exploring the middle of the island, still
high enough to make my head swim
as the bus swung around hairpin curves
and then chugged its way up straight-
aways where the land dropped off pre-
cipitously to valleys with tiny houses
far below. Madeira has caves high in
the mountains where the nuns and
monks lived to avoid the pirates that
preyed on the coastal villages.
The next day, my last, we drove a
wide circle through the island to the
north coast and then around the east-
ern end. On the way we went up, up,
Mar/Apr, 2002
up, to the top of the second highest
peak (Pico do Arrieiro, 1860 m) where
the winds blew and we huddled into
our coats. The view of the surround-
ing mountains was clear and beauti-
ful, though we were above the clouds
and could not see the lower slopes of
the island or the ocean.
The trees were just turning on the
slopes, mostly maple, though a lot of
eucalyptus. Flowers, cannas, asters,
hydrangeas, broom, great bushes of
fuschia and frangipani, were still blos-
soming. Agapanthus grows wild and
its great blue heads rise from rows of
its foliage along the roads.
With no reservations, I can say
that this has been one of the best ex-
changes I have had in my 15 years of
timeshare experience. Having a friend
as a guide was a great advantage, but
the friendly people, of whom those in
the tourist trade almost all spoke En-
glish, beautiful countryside and the ex-
cellent system of transportation and
roads make being a stranger no disad-
vantage there.
TimeSharing Today
Adventures in Paradise
By Dorothy Paul, Bonita Springs, FL
In January of 2001, my husband
Bill and I took off for a three week
trip to Hawaii, an adventure we had
been looking forward to for years. We
had several exchanges “in the bank”
with II plus a number of points in our
Marriott Rewards account. As
Marriott owners, we can exchange our
week every other year for points.
Actually we had hoped to make
this trip in 2000, but we were unable
to get weeks together with II. So I
started early in 2000 planning this trip
for 2001. We decided to spend a week
on Kauai, a week on Maui, and a week
on Oahu. I gave II a number of choices
for Kauai and Maui and we decided
to use points for the airfare and also
for the week on Oahu. Our week at
the Kauai Marriott came through
right away. Then we waited and
waited and waited for the week on
Page 18
Maui. I had given them a number of
choices and expanded it a couple of
times. We had hoped for the Maui
Marriott but were told repeatedly that
it was still under renovation or con-
struction.
Finally, II called and said we had
a week at the Maui Schooner, a re-
sort which was rated 5-star in the II
book and looked appealing. Then I
made arrangements for the third week
at a hotel, (the S.W. Marriott Ihilini
resort on Oahu) and for the airfare
from Tampa to Honolulu as well as the
inter-island flights. We were able to
use some additional points for two of
the inter-island flights and only had to
pay for one of therm
We took off from Tampa on Janu-
ary 5 during a Florida cold snap. (We
actually had to scrape the windshield
when we left for the airport!) Because
we were using points converted to fre-
Mar/Apr, 2002
quent flyer miles, we had to go to Chi-
cago, San Jose, and then on to Hono-
lulu, arriving there about 8:30 pm Ha-
waii time (1:30 pm Florida time). We
were too late for the flight to Kauai so
we stayed overnight in Honolulu at the
Best Western Airport Hotel. Nothing
fancy but relatively inexpensive and
close and they provided free transpor-
tation to and from the airport.
The next morning we arrived at
the airport early for our flight, so they
offered to put us on a flight which left
a half hour earlier which sounded good.
After we were checked in, the atten-
dant at the counter informed us that
our bags had been selected for ran-
dom X-ray and inquired as to whether
we had any film in the bags. Unfortu-
nately, since we had wanted to mini-
mize our carry-ons, we put seven rolls
of film and my camera in the suitcase.
Bill’s 35 mm camera was in the carry
on. The attendant offered us an op-
portunity to open the suitcases and
take out the film, but we weren’t about
to do that in the middle of the terminal
when we didn’t know for sure which
suitcase it was in! Anyway, a lesson
learned. The X-ray they use for these
inter-island flights does ruin film.
We arrived in Kauai and called for
the resort shuttle. What a gorgeous
place! Kauai Marriott is a combina-
tion hotel/timeshare resort right next
to the airport in Lihue. Beautiful gar-
den in the middle, wonderful beach, and
gorgeous pool which they advertise as
the largest in the Hawaiian Islands.
We had a lockoff unit, so we had
a bedroom, two bathrooms, living/din-
ing room, and small kitchen area with
bar sized refrigerator, microwave and
dishwasher. Next to the hotel there is
a small mall with an ABC conve-
nience store, restaurants, and several
other shops. The resort had several
restaurants, a golf course, and tennis
courts and a Hertz rental place onsite.
The service was wonderful; we
TimeSharing Today
would highly recommend this re-
sort.
During our week on Kauai, we
only rented a car for one day but would
probably rent one for more than that if
we went back. There is no public
transportation We took a helicopter
ride (a thrill of a lifetime and such fan-
tastic scenery), had the Hilo Hattie’s
(a Hawaiian store with clothing, etc.),
van pick us up, drove up to the north
end of the island, and visited one day
with a friend’s daughter who lives on
the island.
The helicopter ride was mentioned
in Frommers at a price of $176 for two
but when I called they said that was a
mistake and it would be $300 for both.
However, if we agreed to sit through
a timeshare presentation, the cost
would be $133 for both. We certainly
agreed to that. All in all, we loved our
week on Kauai and hated to leave.
When we arrived in Maui the fol-
lowing Friday, the Speedi Shuttle we
had arranged for was there for us and
even paged us in the baggage area. If
we had known, we would have rented
a car at the airport for the week. As it
was we decided to rent one for three
days and the only one we could get in
Kihei, where the Maui Schooner is lo-
cated, was an “ugly duckling” rental
with 118,000 miles on it.
About the Maui Schooner: it’s OK.
I notice in TimeSharing Today, it got a
pretty high rating, but we wouldn’t stay
there again. We had a roomy unit -
bedroom, bathroom, full-size kitchen,
living room, washer and dryer, and
lanai - but it’s an older property with
no amenities besides a pool and a ten-
nis court or two. It’s on the water, but
not on a beach, and you can’t even
walk to a beach from there. We could
walk a quarter mile up the road to
shops and restaurants, but you
shouldn’t walk after dark since there
are no sidewalks.
We did have a good time though -
found a beautiful beach at Wailea,
went to the Maul Ocean Center, drove
up to the northwest part of the island
Page 19 Mar/Apr, 2002
and back down, stopping at Lahaina
and Kaanapali where some of the big
hotels are. We went on a whale
watching trip and also drove to the top
of Haleakala - a fantastic trip which
takes you to the top of the 10,000+ foot
mountain The trip takes several hours
but is totally worth it. Take a sweatshirt
because, although it may be 75 at the
bottom of the mountain, it’s about 30+
with the wind chill on top.
On Friday, we left for Oahu. Little
did we know that here too, we should
have rented a car at the airport. They
do have a good bus system, but our
hotel was beyond the bus system to
the west of the airport about 20 min-
utes. We could take a taxi for $60 each
way or a limo for $80.
All in all, an unforgettable trip. Liv-
ing on the East Coast (originally in New
Jersey and now in Florida), we have
enjoyed many trips to the Caribbean,
but we would highly recommend a trip
to Hawaii at least once. Sorry we
didn’t get to see the Island of Hawaii
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TimeSharing Today
Security Delays Require Patience at Airports
By Joanne Regnault, Cranston, RI
I have been a frequent airline trav-
eller and have travelled twice since the
changes in procedures at airports since
September 11.
I know, it sounds crazy to have to
be at the airport 2 (for domestic) or 3
(for international) hours before depar-
ture, but I can tell you that I followed
those guidelines both times and I barely
made my flights! And for those of you
who don’t know about the FAA rule
that you have to be at the GATE “ready
to board” within a certain time prior to
departure or the airline can give away
your seat, such a rule does exist. So
even if you had a confirmed reserva-
tion and have checked in at the front
ticket counter, you can lose your seat
if not at the GATE ready to board the
plane.
Something new I found that caught
me off guard was that at New York’s
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JFK airport, American Airlines “closes
the flight down” one hour before its
scheduled departure. Meaning it does
not allow any more check-ins at the
front ticket counter after 9am if the
flight was scheduled to depart at 10am.
We are not talking about being in line
at the ticket counter, but you must
make it to the front of the line and be
processed through the baggage check-
in and boarding pass part.
That almost happened to me! It
was just a few minutes inside of 1 hour
left to departure and the Supervisor
had to check in the computer to see if
the flight was already “shut down” for
check-ins. American explained that
they need the time to screen the bag-
gage being checked and the passen-
gers need the time to get through the
airport security scanners to the gate
area to get the plane off on time.
I did not get the impression that
this is just a JFK airport procedure
only, nor that American is the only air-
line that has to do that or similar things.
DO NOT RISK LOSING YOUR
FLIGHT, BE THERE P-L-E-N-T-Y
EARLY!
I personally feel that these ex-
tremely long and slow lines are only a
temporary situation and will abate in
time as soon as the airport security
scanning personnel get up to speed,
more of them are hired, and the air-
lines gain some experience in how to
expedite passengers through these
new and necessary steps. And we
travellers could significantly help our-
selves by learning about the travel pro-
cedure changes and cleaning out non-
permitted items from our handbags,
briefcases, and carry on bags before-
hand. It takes a whole lot longer for
the airport personnel to do their jobs
when we don’t. And you lose your
stuff!
Some travellers seem a bit uneasy
the first time they see a uniformed
military person with a weapon in the
Mar/Apr, 2002
airport. But this is the case more of-
ten than not at airports outside of the
US. (Maybe we should have been
doing this a long time ago too!) But
now, we are just like most of the rest
of the world, which has had these pre-
cautions in place long before. Remem-
ber they are not there to harm you,
but to protect you should the need arise.
Visible security like armed guards is a
great deterrent to someone who may
have had other ideas.
In conclusion, I must say that I
never felt safer on a US originated
flight. (Foreign airports have had many
of these procedures in place already.)
So travel with confidence. As a
group do you realize how much im-
pact we timeshare owners can have
on the survival of the airlines, restau-
rants, and tourist attractions if all of us
millions of timeshare families just keep
on doing what we were doing before
September 11?
There are some real airfare bar-
gains out there, and minimal lines, if
any, at theme parks and other tourist
activities. And maybe the chance to
get to finally do something you could
never get to do before, during the days
of heavier vacation travel. I have been
trying to do the “Swim with the Dol-
phins” program for years but it was
always all booked up 2 or 3 weeks in
advance of when I arrived for a time-
share week of vacation. I just came
back from a Caribbean trip and not
only had my choice of dates but also
more time at my turn with the dolphins
because the time slot wasn’t even full.
And maybe now is also the time
to try out II’s or RCI’s extra week of
vacation offers without needing an
additional week’s deposit-called GET-
AWAY SAVERS (II) and ESCAPES
(RCI). I have seen these extra weeks
available for as low as $199 and even
$149 for a whole week and to places
that usually do not show up in these
programs.
TimeSharing Today
Russ on
the Road
By Russ Hiner, Hialeah, FL
Bella Vista Golf
& Yacht Club,
Howey-in-the-Hills, FL
The RCI sheet says that check-in
is at the clubhouse from 3:00 PM until
5:00 PM. I arrived at 5:10. The club-
house was empty and no one knew
about check-in. Finally I was directed
to another building where the office
door stated “closed at 4:30.” An en-
velope with my name was taped to the
door. The note inside gave good direc-
tions to the unit and requested we
come by at our convenience to regis-
ter. To me, 4:30 PM is not a reason-
able closing time on check-in day, even
when registration is so casual. Two
other people were late also.
The unit book had details about
phone use and the golf course, good
maps and directions to grocery stores,
etc., and a TV list, which needed sev-
eral corrections.
The unit was nice; spacious, high
ceilings and large windows provided
lots of light. It took a few minutes for
me to figure out that the smaller side
of the double enclosed garage was for
a golf cart (not a thin car!) and not a
storage space with a remote operated
door. The breakfast nook was a serv-
ing counter away from the kitchen,
which was large and had great light-
ing. The dining room was a large niche
near the kitchen. The living room
seemed very large, partly because of
the entry way space. The TV, VCR
and stereo were in the space where a
fireplace may have been intended.
The master bath had a whirlpool
tub and a shower, double sinks and a
large closet. The master bedroom had
two bedside tables with lamps that had
50-100-150 bulbs. The TV was in an
Page 21 Mar/Apr, 2002
armoire. The second bath had access
from both the second bedroom and the
rest of the house. A large screened
area had a table, chairs and lounges
so one could watch the golfers in com-
fort- very nice. Plenty of storage was
everywhere. There was a full-size
washer and dryer in the unit. The unit
did not show wear but rather some
neglect from non-use. Water damage
to the walls around a couple of the
windows should have been noticed
before it got so bad.
We did not use the tennis courts,
the pool, the snack bar, the restaurant,
or the golf course. RCI says that boat-
ing, fishing and water skiing equipment
was available on site, but we did not
look into those. The docks were mostly
occupied, but I did not see anyone us-
ing the boats, which were not identi-
fied as to resort-owned or not. It was
quite windy, so the lake was choppy
and muddy.
The resort is about seven miles
west of Howey-in-the-Hills, which is
a very small town. The hardware store
is gone and the liquor store recently
closed. A tiny grocery store recently
reopened. About ten miles Northeast
is Tavares (population about 7500)
with supermarkets and even a mall.
Another seven miles brings you to
beautiful Mount Dora, (population
7500) the antique center of Florida. In
the opposite direction, due west, there
are two major supermarkets where
Route 48 meets US 27 (seven miles)
which is the way to Leesburg (fifteen
miles, population 15,000). Orlando and
Disney are about forty miles southeast.
Bella Vista is a “destination resort”
if you like to golf and perhaps to fish
or boat. It is acceptably close to other
things. The units rate about a 9.
TimeSharing Today
Converting to Points, continued
It all depends
By Byron Wiegand, Timeshare
Resale Alliance, La Jolla, CA
For those of you who don’t want
to wade through the whole discussion
to get to the correct answer, I will give
it to you right up front! The final de-
finitive answer is: “It all depends”. For
those of you who say, “What are
points?” Briefly they are a new
method of bringing more flexibility (and
complexity) to timesharing. Assign-
ing a points value to your week then
enables your points supplier to allow
you to trade your points for larger or
smaller units, higher or lower seasons
and shorter or longer stays according
to the points value for those units/sea-
sons/stays. There is such a prolifera-
tion of points programs (without any
standardization between them) that an
Page 22
article like this is bound to leave some-
thing out. But here goes with some
general observations.
If you own a full week timeshare
like most of us do, you probably have
a Deed to the property meaning that
you have ownership just as you have
for your primary house. You own real
estate. You will likely get a call from
your original developer or from RCI
saying that you are invited to a pre-
sentation. When you get there, it will
probably also look familiar, with first-
class wall graphics and a slick film
showing how much fun you are going
to have. It will look like (or might even
be) the sales office where you bought
in the first place. You will get the same
razzle-dazzle and probably the same
pressure to buy right now. The ques-
tion is, should you?
Some of these programs will want
you to turn in your Deed for the new
Mar/Apr, 2002
points. Some won’t. All will want
additional money from you. I might
be kind of old fashioned, but if I’m giv-
ing up a Deed it seems like the money
should come to me, not away from me
along with the Deed. What if the sys-
tem doesn’t really deliver? You are
still out the Deed and the money and
you are not going to get them back.
This is the same deal you have with
some points programs. That is why
the real answer to the points question
is “It all depends”.
Some points suppliers are legiti-
mately intending to deliver on the
promise and it could indeed be a won-
derful system. Preliminary indications
are that people who have converted
to RCI Points are pleased with it. But
what happens if down the road the
system gets bogged down, or Cendant
sells RCI to some other conglomerate
that really doesn’t want to service the
TimeSharing Today Page 23 Mar/Apr, 2002
points system and decides to go in I have a problem with some of
a different direction? You could sim- the representations I have heard about
ply be stuck. Since the largest points them making. This is not from direct
supplier could easily become RCI, let’s experience, but from others in the in-
take a closer look at their system. dustry that have been trustworthy in
We do not know for sure just what the past. One is the representation to
the RCI system will eventually look a customer that if they didn’t convert
like, since they are still trying to get to points, their deeded timeshare would
more resorts to sign up for their points become worthless. That is just a lie.
system. The resort must be signed up It sounds like the kind of representa-
before individual members may join. tion that gave the industry a bad repu-
In at least some cases, they are en- tation in the first place.
countering a good deal of difficulty If you elect to not join the points
with that. What if the eventual con- system in a floating season resort that
figuration of their network falls short has joined you will have to use utmost
in certain resort areas that you pre- care to book your unit in a timely man-
fer? You can rest assured that none ner. Otherwise there might not be a
of these issues will be brought up at week left for you to book later.
the sales table. Now, when you purchase the RCI
An issue that bothers me is the Points program, you get a first class
RCI disclaimer that you should pur- box containing the details of the pro-
chase only based on usage at the re- gram, the RCI catalog and a special
sort you originally signed up for, and points catalog. Everyone in the in-
not on any possibility of exchanging to dustry agrees that this is an extremely
other resorts through the system. lucrative product for RCI. As part of
Another is that once you have pur- their closing they say that the offer is
chased, you are absolutely locked in
for the term of the agreement. It is
your responsibility to pay the dues,
taxes, RCI Network dues ($99 a year)
and any other assessments no matter
what kind of results you get.
They also have the nonnegotiable
right to change the points value of your
week and those of any other resort.
Even if you find that this pig-in-a-poke
doesn’t work for you at all, you are
still on the hook for all the expenses
during the five-year term of the agree-
ment, whether or not you use any part
of it. What if you find that your two-
bedroom Red Season ownership that
used to get you a two-bedroom week
in Hawaii only gets you a studio or
even a hotel room?
You can complain, but there is no
obligation for them to fix it. Let’s as-
sume, however, that they really want
to get a good reputation out there.
They could then make it all work by
addressing the problems. Again, “It
all depends” on how they will perform
in the future.
TimeSharing Today Page 24
good today only and if you leave
without buying, you will never get the
chance again. Baloney! If you want
to give them money later, I just don’t
see them turning it down.
With all the fog over these points,
what should you do? I would be in-
clined to just wait to see how it works
out. In the next two or three years, if
we see RCI really making it work and
solving the problems that even they
might not even be able to foresee at
this point, you can certainly jump in
then. You will be able to tell from their
owners who write to TimeSharing To-
day.
In the meantime, there are some
points programs that are just beyond
question. Some of the major hotel
brands, such as the Marriott Vacation
Club resorts give you a deed plus the
ability to trade in your occupancy for
their frequent guest points such as
Marriott Rewards Points. These are
usually huge, well-established, frequent
guest programs that also have access
to airline frequent flyer miles, theme
park admissions, etc.
So now you can see how we ar-
rived at the answer to the points ques-
tion of “It all depends”. It really does
all depend entirely on the company
doing the program. If they are com-
mitted to making it work it probably
will. Otherwise you could end up with
their having the use of your property
and you paying for it.
Yes
I read with great interest the many
comments on the RCI Point System
in your Sept/Oct issue. I was glad we
had the opportunity to meet one-on-
one with a RCI representative who
explained the benefits of the point sys-
tem to us. Some resorts, under the old
system, are Gold Crown Resorts, so
under the new system, they are worth
more points. In addition, red weeks are
worth more points than white or blue.
When you have the point catalog in
Mar/Apr, 2002
hand, you can easily determine how
you wish to spend your points.
Our red week at our home resort
gives us 46,500 points to use each year.
Points are used according to the ac-
commodation you wish to use, and the
number of days you wish to stay. A
motel unit would take fewer points
than a hotel or full condo. For example,
a Howard Johnson or Ramada Inn in
North America would run 5000 points
per night. You could stay one or more
days, then move to another city. You
may use your points for car rentals,
air miles, motels & hotels, on cruises,
etc. These are all listed in the point
directory and give you so much flex-
ibility for your money. You can even
decide to take a “Vacation Escapes-
Week”, at a special discount rate and
use the points for car rental or airline,
and RCI Travel offers special dis-
counts to members on these items.
As far as conversion fees are con-
cerned, they do vary a great deal from
about $1900.00 to $ 4000.00, depend-
ing on the resort. There is no reserva-
tion fee if you use your week at your
home resort. At other resorts the fee
for four nights or less is only $15 per
night, and only $69 for five nights or a
full week.
Alter taking a good look at time
sharing and, having been a user for fif-
teen years, I think it is time to improve
the system and give more flexibility for
use, and the RCI Points System seems
like a good way to do that.
Harold Taylor, Texas
No
Yes, they are shaking the
sugar plum tree again with the points
system. Does the word churning
sound familiar? Considering that the
points system has been around for
sometime and we didn’t bite that
apple, what makes this new attempt
any more appealing even with the ex-
tra bells and whistles. We were invited
to attend a sales pitch on the conver
TimeSharing Today
sion of our time share to the points
system that the Shell Vacations are
trying to get their timeshare owners to
convert to.
I could convert my week for an
additional $2,500.00 to stay some-
where for 3-4 days. For the small sum
of $11,000.00 plus, I could obtain
enough points to stay a whole week.
It seems one has to be on guard
against this constant greed factor of
these vacation schemes. Also, why
should half our original purchase price
go to the cost of marketing a product
that more people would buy if the price
was lower. The sale people always say
buy now, everybody else is. Not true .
They also say the offer is good only
today or one week. “Don’t get left
behind.” Then you check with other
owners and find out they feel the same
way.
The underlying problem is we do
not get to talk with other owners. Your
timesharing Magazine helps many of
us keep in touch with what is going on
out there.
Ron and Judy Snyder,
Bellevue, WA
Maybe
As an owner at Kona Coast II, I
have been noticing mention of the new
Shell Points system in their newslet-
ter. I reviewed their website, but it did
not give financial information, nor did
it give the relative values of each fea-
tured location. Phone calls revealed
even less. They could not talk about it
over the phone. I was finally able to
discuss this with a salesperson when I
visited Club Donatello. Unfortunately,
I would have only one chance to con-
vert. Apparently 90% of those offered
the chance have converted to points.
With Shell Points, one bypasses
the operators at Interval International
and RCI. The claim is that trades are
more likely with Shell handling the ar-
rangements. Also, Shell gives only
enough value to the exchange compa-
nies to qualify for the trade and I get
Page 25 Mar/Apr, 2002
leftover points as change. Shell
timeshares are available for any num-
ber of days including single days.
Shell has obtained access to sev-
eral resorts outside their own devel-
opments, but is not interested in receiv-
ing trade from those resorts. (E.g. Villa
del Palmar, Cabo, which I also own). LOOKING TO MOVE TO
There are hotels (e.g. Embassy Suites) FLORIDA?
that will trade for points. Cruises are Major Florida West Coast land developer
obtainable with points. Airline tickets looking for a limited number of free and
are also available. clear timeshare interests to be used in
The financial situation is as follows. our new home construction promotion.
To convert my one bedroom unit at Use your timeshare as a trade-in on real
Kona Coast II would cost about property in a beautiful gated community
on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
$5,000. Alternatively I could purchase
“California Points” (about equal to half 90 minutes from Orlando
the points for a Kona Coast Week) for 45 minutes north of Tampa
$10,000, and have Kona Coast con- All homesites are a minimum of 1 acre,
verted for free. Points sell for $4 each wooded lots with all improvements
and can be “rented” for $0.25 each included, 28 miles of private riding trails,
stables, 27-hole golf course, clubhouse,
year.
lighted tennis courts, activity center and
Airline tickets can be purchased many more amenities.
for points valued at $650 apiece-flat
rate to US destinations. I can usually CALL TODAY FOR FREE VIDEO
do much better on the web. Cruises 1-877-587-7614
are available from The ICE Gallery,
at the same prices available to me as
an ICE member. I asked for complete
financial details, but they were not
available in writing until I made a com-
mitment.
Call it unsettling times, but I de-
cided not to sign up that day. I was
assured that I would have a second
chance when I visited Kona Coast, as
that was “Hawaii Points.” I resolved
to keep my eye on the For Sale ads in
TimeSharing Today for converted units
or Shell Points for sale. I wonder if
they retain their value on the second-
ary market over traditional units. I also
wonder if the widespread conversion
to points will have a disastrous impact
on my ability to exchange in the tradi-
tional way through exchange compa-
nies. I have inquired of RCI for de-
tails of their RCI Points system, but
have been unable to get details over
the phone.
David M. Bice, Newport, OR
TimeSharing Today
AROUND THE INDUSTRY
Cendant acquires
Equivest
Cendant Corporation, the parent
company of RCI and Fairfield Resorts,
has completed its acquisition of
Equivest for approximately$160 million
by paying $100 million in cash and as-
suming Equivest corporate debt of ap-
proximately $60 million.
Equivest has developed and mar-
kets 29 resorts which are located pri-
marily on the eastern seaboard of the
U.S. and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Equivest operation will be inte-
grated into Cendant’s Fairfield Resorts
unit.
Some of the Equivest resorts are
at six locations in or near Newport, RI
(Inn on Long Wharf, Inn on the Har-
bor and Newport Onshore, among oth-
ers), Bluebeards’ Beach Club and
Blueboards Castle in the Virgin Is-
Florida Ocean Front Timeshares
Quality Resort Closeouts • Deeded • Own Forever
All Red Weeks • Great Buy to Use for Exchange
Closest Ocean Front Resort To Disney
Originally
•One-Bedroom Ocean Front, $12,500
2 Full Baths, Sleeps 4.
(Limited Number Available)
•One-Bedroom Off Ocean $11,000
Sleeps 6
•Hotel Condos (Maint fee $7,500
2 Queen Beds $140)
* Units Are like New
* Get The Best Trades Worldwide
* Low Maintenance Fees
One Year Money back Guarantee
Member
Call Now For our FREE Information Packet
Page 26 Mar/Apr, 2002
lands, Avenue Plaza Hotel and Spa in Westgate to convert
New Orleans and eight resorts in South
Carolina, four of which are in the apartment complex
Westgate Resorts has acquired the
Myrtle Beach area.
208-unit Flamingo Bay Apartment
complex in Las Vegas, a few minutes
from the Strip. It is currently being
Disney adds 192 units renovated into one- and two-bedroom
Disney Vacation Club has an-
luxury villas. All units will contain their
nounced the expansion of its presence
own washer/dryer and many units will
at DisneyWorld with the planned con-
include a private patio or balcony.
struction of 192 timeshare units on a
On site amenities will include a
16-acre site. The project is adjacent
swimming pool, workout room, club
to the Disney Institute and overlooks
house and movie room.
the lakefront district at Downtown
In the Jan/Feb issue, this section
Disney.
reported on Consolidated Resorts ex-
Plans call for the units to be in four
pansion of its Club de Soliel in Las
buildings, with studio, one- and two-
Vegas. Consolidated Resorts was er-
bedroom villas and Grand Villa units
roneously identified as the developer
that sleep up to 12 guests.
of the Westgate Resort in Orlando.
Construction will begin this Spring,
Consolidated Resorts has never been
with a targeted opening for Spring,
affiliated with Westgate Resorts.
2004. No prices were announced.
Closeout Price (From)
$2,250
$1,500
$ 650
800-449-1997
TimeSharing Today
Exchanging your timeshare on the Internet
By Elizabeth Futch, Marketing
Director of ResorTrader.com
Exchanging your timeshare on the
Internet? Can it be done? As we saw
in the TimeSharing Today Jan/Feb,
2002 issue, one could become a time-
share owner by completely using the
Internet. So, why not exchange
timeshares completely on the Internet?
The Internet can be a very productive
way to conduct business whether it is
for work or play. Services that were
only available to customers through
brick and mortar establishments, by
mail or telephone just a few years ago,
are now available on the World Wide
Web.
The timeshare industry is also
starting to see an online emphasis with
plenty of information provided on all
aspects of owning timeshares. This
makes the Internet a very convenient
way for people to research, plan and
take care of the details of their vaca-
tions.
Transactions can be completed at
lightning speed. With user-friendly
computers and faster Internet access
lines, timeshare owners now have ad-
ditional options when they want to ex-
change their timeshares.
Many of the exchange companies
offer at least some of their services
online. Timeshare owners can submit
exchange requests, become members,
Page 27 Mar/Apr, 2002
use email to communicate with com- answer is YES! As of today, there
panies and list timeshares for ex- are several on-line exchange compa-
change, rent or sale on the Internet. nies that offer complete services for
This means that the timeshare owner exchanges. Some companies require
will have other owners viewing their banking of timeshares, while others,
offer without the use of a customer such as ResorTrader.com will list ex-
service representative of the exchange change offers and complete the entire
company. Usually, this translates into exchange, including documentation,
savings for the customer. At the very without depositing the timeshare.
least, the convenience of making ex- The choices for timeshare own-
change decisions is done from the com- ers are constantly increasing. With
fort of the home or office. Now that greater competition in the exchange
most resorts have information on the arena, costs for timeshare owners are
Internet, one can easily research decreasing. The Internet has opened
where to go on that next vacation. a new world for the timeshare owner.
Rental cars, airline tickets and travel Exchanging timeshares will only get
agencies are also on line to make the better as ResorTrader.com and other
travel planning task that much easier. exchange companies create new ways
Some online exchange companies to exchange online.
view their services as a community of With an Internet connection, the
timeshare owners that interact with timeshare owner is now in control of
each other. Eric Hider, Operations vacation planning and the computer is
Manager of ResorTrader.com, ob- the ultimate tool for finding exchanges.
serves that, “Our new interactive
website allows timeshare owners to
anonymously communicate with one
another through a unique online ex-
change forum. We want to assure the
timeshare owner of total privacy, while
giving him the ability to make an ex-
cellent exchange decision.”
There are many benefits to these
types of online exchange services.
Many provide useful links where in-
formed decisions can be made on ev-
ery aspect of the transaction, whether
it is exchange, sale or rental. Some
websites have developed interactive
automated systems that enhance their
ability to assist customers in a timely
manner. This can give more control
to the timeshare owner by allowing
him to initiate any transactions or stop
transactions if needed. Some online
companies go to the extent of having
outside companies monitor their
website to assure that they meet strict
privacy standards.
So, can a timeshare exchange be
done completely on the Internet? The
TimeSharing Today
Short looks at various places
Pier 21
We are writing to recommend a
resort we have visited twice in West-
ern Australia, most recently in Septem-
ber, 2001. Although we did not ex-
change into the resort, Pier 21 in
Fremantle, Western Australia, we
rented and were given a discount as
RCI members.
Advantage Vacations, Inc.
Timeshare Resales
Worldwide
Since 1975
Enter to
“Win an RCI Bonus
Week”
Drawing held monthly
Visit us online
www.advantagevacation.com
Call 800-775-4493 or email
bestbuys@advantagevacation.com
Page 28
Pier 21 is near the mouth of the
Swan River in Fremantle, the site of
the first America’s Cup race held out-
side the United States. Fremantle is a
busy port, with American navy ves-
sels calling regularly. Pier 21 is also
near miles of beautiful and uncrowded
beaches where the water is warm.
One can sit on the deck of one’s condo
and watch the river traffic, and even
the occasional dolphin.
Just twenty miles up the Swan is
Perth, the capital of West Australia. It
is a beautiful city with a very acces-
sible downtown area and the very
large King’s Park featuring Australian
trees and flowers.
The units at Pier 21 are very nice,
although not as large as the condo we
own in the U.S. There are tennis
courts, an indoor and an outdoor pool,
the standard “barbie” for guest use,
and laundry facilities. The managers
are thoughtful and helpful in the usual
Australian way.
Gene and Charlyne Tucker,
Denver, CO
Foxrun Townhouses
The directions we received from
this resort in Lake Lure, NC were very
good; we didn’t get lost.
Our unit was high up on the moun-
tain, about one mile up. Check-in was
very fast and easy. Our unit had two
bedrooms and two baths.
Mar/Apr, 2002
The master suite had a king-size
bed and a huge six foot by five foot
whirlpool tub. There were 13 steps
going down into the master suite. They
didn’t bother us, but someone who
couldn’t take the stairs might want to
sleep upstairs.
We had a beautiful view from all
windows in the back. We were liter-
ally hanging off the mountainside.
There were three balconies, one off
the dining room, one off the living room
and one off the master suite.
Nineteen inch TV’s were in the
living room and master suite. They
seemed small for such a big unit. The
kitchen had everything we needed
plus storage space for food.
Our only complaint with the unit
was that the beds needed replacing. I
tried all of them and ended up sleep-
ing on the close couch. The sofa and
loveseat were very comfortable. The
units also had a laundry facilities with
the detergent supplied
The room resort itself has an in-
door pool, sauna, hot tub, game room,
golf course, exercise equipment and
restaurant.
There is much to see in the area.
Chimney Rock town and park, boat
tour of man-made Lake Lure. Lots
of waterfalls and parks.
There is big hype on historic
Hendersonville but it was a big let-
down, not worth the visit. The leaves
were just turning when we visited here
in October; it made for a pretty view
out the big picture windows in the liv-
ing room.
We really enjoyed our stay and so
did our five-year-old son.
Joan L. Carr, Philadelphia, PA
The Summit
Since this resort in Massanutten,
VA was rated as a Gold Crown Re-
sort, we were a little disappointed.
Check-in and checkout took a long
TimeSharing Today
time.
Our unit was new and tastefully
decorated. We were in a lower unit
which only had a partial kitchen that
consisted of a two burner cooktop,
toaster oven, microwave and fridge.
We couldn’t cook too big of a meal.
Our unit had a gas fireplace and out-
side grill.
There was hardly any storage
space for food in the kitchen and not
enough dresser drawers for two
people in the master suite.
Our two-bedroom, two baths unit
had a whirlpool tub in one bathroom
with a shower and double sink. The
bedrooms were very small but taste-
fully decorated.
The lone restaurant was very high-
priced. There was also a pizza parlor
at the welcome center which had good
food.
The resort had a new playground
and there is a lot to do at the resort:
basketball and tennis courts, indoor and
outdoor pools, game room, workout
Page 29
equipment, table tennis, miniature golf
opening next spring
There is much to see and do in
the area: Caverns battlefields, muse-
ums, scenic drives, the natural Bridge
for. We would come back to both
places
Joan L. Carr, Philadelphia, PA
Sedona Pines
I would like to relay an experience
I witnessed regarding a timeshare in
Sedona, Arizona called Sedona Pines.
Not only was it overrated by RCI, but
they displayed underhanded practices
I thought were in the timeshare
industry’s past.
On August 27th, I accompanied a
friend of mine who had an appointment
for a presentation at Sedona Pines. I
was surprised and disappointed to dis-
cover that this location had a RCI Gold
Mar/Apr, 2002
Crown classification, because Sedona
Pines is nothing but a trailer park.
Not only is the space extremely
limited in the one-bedroom unit, but in
the two-bedroom unit, the second bed-
room is in a smaller trailer connected
by a wood platform. To see the Gold
Crown classification was really a sur-
prise because I had previously relied
on the Gold Crown classification as
being superior destinations.
Another negative aspect in addi-
tion to the “trailers” is the fraudulent
way the handled the “gift” for attend-
ing the presentation which was
stretched to almost three hours. Un-
fortunately we did not examine the trip
form (gift), before we left the resort.
Upon reading it after our 2 1/2 hour
ride back to the Phoenix area, we dis-
covered that the authorization portion
was not signed and that they had the
wrong date listed, so there is no record
of our being there on the correct date.
I reported this to RCI and ques-
tioned their rating and was told that no
TimeSharing Today Page 30
one had complained about it being a I purchased a timeshare week at the
trailer park and, until there are enough brand-new, not even opened,
complaints, they continue with the des- Harborside Resort. The resort was
ignation. They said that RCI had no officially opened in May 2001. It is
control over timeshare developers pre- affiliated with the Atlantis Hotel and
sentation or gifting practices. Casino.
Bernie Soricone I exchanged my week for the last
week in October 2001. The weather
was cooler than usual due to a late
Harborside Resort hurricane that was brewing.
I visited Paradise Island in Nassau By staying at Harborside, the
in February 2001. While I was there, amenities at the Atlantis are open to
you. The Atlantis’ grounds are spec-
tacular. The beach is beautiful. The
Short Notice four water slides are very unusual.
Online Only One is called the Leap of Fate, where
Timeshare Rental Ads you go straight down 60 feet into a pool
of water. The one beside it is called
• Looking for a getaway the Serpent; you sit in a rubber tube,
go into a dark tunnel and go up on the
at a great price? walls from side to side. You then go
through a Plexiglas tube with fish of
all kinds, including sharks, swimming
• Own a week that’s around you. You end up going down a
available for rent small slide into a pool of water. The
other two slides are just as adventur-
within 120 days? ous and just as much fun.
The two aquariums there are
List For Only $15! breathtaking; one is a replica of the
city of Atlantis. The other leads into
Hurry to Rental Express® an area with Plexiglas overhead
where the fish swim over your head.
Last minute rentals Both aquariums have exotic fish and
arriving every day for are certainly worth visiting.
resorts around the world. This resort is within walking dis-
tance of downtown Nassau or you can
It’s online only at take the ferry for $3. There are two
www.rental-express.com bridges that connect the mainland to
Paradise Island. Pedestrians can walk
Timeshare Resales
Some of the best prices ever offered
Save $$$$$$$$
Buyers 800-832-7995 Sellers 800-489-4144
We have one of the largest inventories of
timeshares in the United States at the best prices.
Visit us at www.resortmart.com
Resort Mart Real Estate
Mar/Apr, 2002
over these bridges to view all of
Nassau. Conch peddlers are under the
bridges selling conch chowder, salad
and conch shells.
The Atlantis hotel is absolutely
beautiful. The million dollar yachts in
the Marina at the Atlantis are mind-
boggling. All in all, a week at
harborside is a week with the rich and
famous.
Annette Kavanagh,
Wollaston, MA
Coral Beach, etc.
Our first experience with time-
share was on vacation in Scottsdale
Arizona 6 years ago. The hook was a
free dinner after a 2 hour interview.
We had nothing to do that day and I
talked my wife into spending a few
hours away from the pool. To make a
long story short, I had to persuade the
better half into buying Red Time for
$8400. Joined II and started subscrib-
ing to TimeSharing Today. Never went
back to Arizona, but traded every year
since.
One of our trades was to Coral
Reef Resort, St. Petersburg Beach,
Florida. Bought two additional weeks
there a few years ago at a substantial
discount (thanks to TimeSharing To-
day.) We cant say enough good thing
about our accommodations - single
bedroom, ground floor, right on the
beach, eat-in-kitchen, large pools and
convenient location for sight seeing,
restaurants, etc. Only 22 miles to Leg-
ends Field (home of the Yankees
Spring training camp.
A couple of friends have also
bought there and are as satisfied as
we are. I would highly recommend
this trade/buy to anyone. Dues are
under $500 and management is always
upgrading.
Anyone looking for additional in-
formation may contact us.
Bob and Joan Hirt,
jobo397@cs.com
TimeSharing Today
FOCUS ON: Grand Canadian Vacation
Resort, Canmore, Alberta
By Barbara and Al Lerman,
Boca Raton, FL
We are still talking about the
awesome scenery we saw in the
Canadian Rockies. Our timeshare
exchange into the Grand Canadian
Resort in Canmore was fabulous. This
resort is listed in the II 2000 director
as the Three Sisters Resorts Vacation
Club - Lawrence Grassi Lodge.
However, the name has been changed
to the Grand Canadian Resort. This
is a 5-Star Resort and I highly
recommend it. It was very luxurious
and comfortable and in close proximity
to all sightseeing. The Nordic Olympic
Center is 5 minutes away.
Check-in went very smoothly and
the front desk was very helpful with
directions. What a pleasant surprise
when we walked into the unit. The
unit was large, spacious, bright and
airy. The master bedroom had a king-
size bed, large TV, chaise lounge and
ample closet space. The master bath
included a Jacuzzi, well-lit spacious
dressing area, separate toilet and stall
Page 33
shower area. The second bedroom
provided two queen-size beds, large
TV, sitting chair, comfortable bathroom
and ample closet space. There was a
washer/dryer in the unit, large
spacious kitchen, dining room table
with 6 chairs, counter space with bar
stools, and service for eight. A large
living room was beautifully furnished
with queen sofa bed, armchairs, large
TV, VCR, fireplace, desk, table and
chairs. It was a pleasure to be in the
unit.
The resort has an indoor/outdoor
pool, a barbecue area, a recreation
room with pool table and large screen
TV. There are no organized activities
at the resort. However, the sightseeing
gives you plenty to do.
We ventured to Banff National
park on two days. We took the
gondola ride to the top of Sulphur
Mountain, called the journey to the top
of the world. We went to famous Lake
Louise (a one hour drive), which is gor-
geous, and had a wonderful buffet
lunch at Chateau Lake Louise with a
window table overlooking the emerald
green lake and the Victoria glacier at
the far end of the lake.
The highlight of our trip was
stopping at the Athabasca glacier and
taking a “snocoach” onto the glacier
and walking on the glacier. The glacier
is about 2 feet higher than the Empire
State Building in New York It was
cold and windy on the glacier, but
awesome. There are many scenic
view areas on the Icefields Parkway
and a lot of wildlife to make the trip
pleasant. We saw moose, elk, caribou,
long-horned sheep, mountain goats, but
not a bear in sight.
Another day we went to
Kanasakis and had lunch outdoors at
a golf club. The course was
magnificent with fabulous scenery all
Mar/Apr, 2002
around. We bought earth paper (to
write on) made from moose and elk
poop. I thought my grandchildren
would like this, but they thought it was
disgusting!! (Of course, it doesn’t
smell.) The restaurants were all
wonderful, we never had a bad meal.
We took this trip during late June
and early July. There still was an
incredible amount of snow on the
mountains, which made the scenery
more spectacular. When the sun goes
behind a cloud, the temperature can
drop 10 degrees in a few seconds. If
you venture to this part of the world,
wear layers of clothing. The mornings
were chilly, the afternoons warm, the
evenings were cold. Coming from
south Florida, silk thermal t-shirts were
a lifesaver.
Timeshare Closeout
Oceanfront Resorts
at
Atlantic Beach, N.C.
Starting at $275
Call Anytime
252/240-0273 or 800/477-4180
Hurry! Limited Inventory!
RCI Affiliated Resorts
Deanna Hull Realty
Deanna S. Hull
Broker/Owner
-------------------------------
Myrtle Beach
Closeouts
From $1000.00
3 Bdrm Oceanfronts
Call Mary Lou Martinal
843/272-0269
*This ad is for the solicitation
of timeshare sales
TimeSharing Today Page 34 Mar/Apr, 2002

Message Boards
Tips re telemarketing calls Lead Website Stats
Larry Schuchman, investiga- ments and contracts prior to signing,
and especially prior to paying any fees A review of statistics from the
tor for the Florida Attorney Gen-
or costs. TimeSharing Today website at
eral, sends along these tips for
It is imperative that consumers do www.tstoday.com shows that more
TimeSharing Today readers: than half of the “hits” are for the
not permit sales persons to pressure
them into any type of agreement with- various message boards. Classi-
This office would strongly encour-
out the full knowledge and understand- fied ads are second most popular.
age anyone, about to enter into any
ing of the facts. I must also stress that The top six pages, or groups of
type of contract, especially from tele-
they should never give anyone credit pages, are as follows:
phone sales, to first obtain a copy of
card or checking account debit infor- • Message boards - 55%
the contract to verify the information
and obligations as represented by the mation up front unless they are fully • Classified ads - 23%
telephone seller. The consumer should prepared to enter into a financially • Resort Report Cards - 8%
be absolutely certain they understand binding transaction. (Regardless of • TimeshareXpo - 7%
what they are agreeing to, not just what what a salesperson may have led them • Online edition - 4%
they were “told.” If what you were to believe!) If the consumer has any • Articles - 3%
told, or believe you were told, by a doubts, DON’T DO IT, take a day or The percentages represent each
sales person is not in writing, it is basi- two to think about it first, read the ma- page’s or group’s share of hits on these
cally worthless. The consumer has terials, then make an intelligent deci- top six. Various miscellaneous pages
every right to review any and all docu- sion. had 1% or less and were not counted
in determining the above percentages.
Timeshare Owners Groups
Denver, CO - Contact Melvin and Betty Adams, 71 S. Grandbay St., Aurora,
CO 80018. Telephone 303/341-7147.
BULLETIN
New York Metro Area - General - Contact D.D. Schroeder, 601 West 115th
St., NY, NY 10025. 212/662-9603 or email depschroe@aol.com.
BOARD
New York Metro - Nassau/Suffolk - Len Resnick, 96 Aster St., Massapequa
Park, NY 11762. 516/799-6814. Email lenandlori@aol.com.
Greater Baltimore, MD
Owners Group
New York Metro - New Jersey - Fred Noemer, 50 Sherwood Rd., Norwood,
NJ 07648. 201/784-1666 or email fnbh@juno.com. We will be holding our annual meet-
ing for all timeshare owners in the
Columbia, MO - Wayne Behymer, 3201 Rolling Hills Rd, Columbia, MO 65201.
Maryland, DC and Delaware areas
573/442-6783.
on March 24, 2002. All owners are
Southeastern States - Contact Jack English, P.O. Box 2121, Acworth, GA welcome. Call Ed or Mary Lou
30102-2121. Telephone - 678/445-6761. Email jenglish@mindspring.com. Hastry at 410/719-0064
Western States (including HI and AK) - Contact Chris Dobbs, P.O. Box
590, Twain Harte, CA 95383. Telephone - 209/586-2434. Email Ore at St. George, UT
bcd@sonnet.com.
I am confirmed here for Sept. Can
Cape Cod - Contact W. R. Chandler, 790 Old Fall River Rd., North Dartmouth,
MA 02747. Telephone - 508/676-0693.
anyone tell me about it? 909/981-
9489 or email jdyer@westernu.edu
Baltimore, MD area - Contact Ed and Mary Lou Hastry, 2003 Fernglen Way,
Baltimore, MD 21228 Phone 410/719-0064.
RCI Enhancement
Canada - Contact Gerry Blandford, 613/830-2834 or email jerryb@magma.ca Program
Midwest States - Contact Dave Myers, 5877 Fenwick Rd., Greenville, MI
If anyone has purchased into this
48838. Email meyersd@gps.maisd.com
program, I would be interested in
Portland, ME - Contact David and Alison Bjork, PO Box 499, Old Orchard knowing more about it. Sally
Beach, ME 04064. Email debjork@aol.com. Altman. Email to slpa8240@aol.com
TimeSharing Today
Disappointed at Maine Resort
By Dennis L. Provoncha,
Johnson, VT
The Nautical Mile Resort
Condominiums in Wells, ME fell
well short of our expectations and is
the poorest facility we have visited in
over five years.
This facility is actually a combi-
nation of motel rooms , timeshare units
and condominiums. They attempted to
use the motel rooms as the timeshare
units and failed miserably. We found
our timeshare unit to be one room. The
“living room” area measured 8 1/2 feet
by 9 feet in size. The area tried to con-
tain an 8 foot pull out couch, an 18 x
24 inch end table with lamp, a 27" TV,
an arm chair, a 36" square dining table
and two chairs. The table and chairs
were placed directly in front of the air
conditioner which was at floor level
and participated in the overall clutter
of the room as well as being non-func-
tional. It was impossible to pull out the
couch/bed without rearranging the
entire room and removing most of the
furniture. Even when this was done,
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TimeSharing Today
Page 36
the couch/ bed resting against one wall
actually touched the air conditioner on
the opposite wall.
The bedroom area consisted of
one full-size, very soft bed with no
reading lights, one tiny closet and one
tiny bureau. There was, in essence, no
place to move.
While the room was clean, there
was no housekeeping during the week
unless we were willing to pay more
for an otherwise miserable experience.
This was the first place we have ever
stayed which refused to change the
linens or clean the unit without an out-
rageous charge ($35.00) to clean the
unit and for each clean towel, a charge
of 50 cents.
Maintenance was poor. The wall
plate in the bathroom fell off (no
screw), the curtain extension pull rods
were non functional, the air condition-
ing unit did not work and was filthy,
and the toilet flowed through .
We immediately went to the of-
fice to complain as to the unit and were
informed that there were no other units
Mar/Apr, 2002
available. We stayed in the unit for
four of the seven days, until we could
stand it no more and returned home.
I find that words cannot ad-
equately state my utter disappointment
with this entire experience.
The Nautical Mile Resort
Condominiums responds:
We are very sorry that we fell
short of Mr. Provoncha’s expectations.
However we do not apologize for
what we have.
The room assigned to Mr.
Provoncha by Interval International
was not a 3-story 2-bedroom, two-
bathroom town house with a Jacuzzi.
It was a very cozy, and I would not
characterize it as large and overly spa-
cious as Mr. Provoncha may have ex-
pected. The unit had 4 rooms: a bed
room, a bathroom, a screened-in porch
and a kitchen/dining/living area that
will easily accommodate two. It was
fully stocked with everything he would
need for a week’s stay. Each unit is
thoroughly checked each week to be
prepared for our next guest. We make
monthly inspections of all rooms and
keep record of any complaints at the
front desk; then we have our mainte-
nance staff make repairs promptly.
We provide room cleaning, linens
and towels on a weekly basis. If a
guest wishes this done daily, we do
charge for the additional service. We
truly aim to please and work hard at
it. But with extra work, there is extra
expense.
Perhaps Mr. Provoncha wasn’t
looking for a cozy unit for two with a
beautiful pool area, hot tub, tennis
courts, basketball court, shuffle board,
horse shoe and gas barbecue area, lo-
cated a mile and a half from beautiful
Wells Beach. We wish him well
where ever he may stay next.
Bob Akers, MacKinnon
Property Management