Rants

OK, my parents are owners of the resort. We stayed at the resort with them and overall it was a nice experience. However, and this is a biggie, the staff invited us to an "owners update".

At the update, they were informed that one of their years weeks was based upon the "old" way, when the Embassy owned the resort. (They own two every other year ownerships). The other year is based upon the "new" way, where you get points with Sunterra. They tried to upgrade their ownership so their partial ownership could be put into Sunterra's pool of property. So, by doing Sunterra a favor, they would have to pay an additional, nominal fee, of $8500. Wow, they'd already paid $26000. Then, just to get the privilage and a few extra points, they have to pay $8500.

It felt cheap, like sitting in a used car sales office.

Anyone else have this experience??

Otherwise, the grounds are great. I don't really like the pool as I love to swim laps, and I really miss having a beach on site to snorkel

cheers,

j

I'm considering buying a Point at Poipu resale. Do you know what the differences are between buying from Sunterra vs. buying a resale ....other than price ?.

Thanks b

Hello,

There are several different types of ownerships at Poipu. the traditional way, were you get a week, the same week every year, then the type where you can use a week when you want.

Then, they went to a point system, where you can trade your points for other places. If you trade with Sunterra, you can trade with their other properties. Sunterra is now selling the timeshares where you own a piece of a trust. This is the type of ownership you want. but they make you pay a price to convert to this trust. Their "nominal" fee was $8500 to convert. It was funny, as it does them a favor to convert!

John

john665 wrote:

Hello,

There are several different types of ownerships at Poipu. the traditional way, were you get a week, the same week every year, then the type where you can use a week when you want.

Then, they went to a point system, where you can trade your points for other places. If you trade with Sunterra, you can trade with their other properties. Sunterra is now selling the timeshares where you own a piece of a trust. This is the type of ownership you want. but they make you pay a price to convert to this trust. Their "nominal" fee was $8500 to convert. It was funny, as it does them a favor to convert!

John

Sunterra is not the only co. trying to convert all to points. Fairfield/now Wyndham wanted me to pay about $8000 to convert to points - points for a week I already owned. I got nothing extra. Didn't make any sense to me, as RCI will do the exchanges. But I suppose the sales people will try to say we save membership fees to RCI or whatever.

Hi, Price, price, price!! We bought ours resale for considerable savings. We love poipu and this resort. good luck.

bens38 wrote:

I'm considering buying a Point at Poipu resale. Do you know what the differences are between buying from Sunterra vs. buying a resale ....other than price ?.

Thanks b

Look out for Big Brother I recently negotiated for a week at the resort. The papers were signed, the money held in escrow, three and one half weeks into the four week review period Big Brother Sunterra swept in and took the sale. I did all the work, someone in Las Vegas made a decision and I was out. I couldn't counter offer or respond is any way. This policy wreaks of price fixing, the hindering of fair trade, a monopoly as well as a cover for racism. They can exclude anyone they choose for what ever reason! It is right in the contract that they make you sign. They have until 2017 to do this to anyone. Just thought you'd want to know! D. Kaul, Sandwich, IL.l.

klaughl0 wrote:

john665 wrote:

Hello,

There are several different types of ownerships at Poipu. the traditional way, were you get a week, the same week every year, then the type where you can use a week when you want.

Then, they went to a point system, where you can trade your points for other places. If you trade with Sunterra, you can trade with their other properties. Sunterra is now selling the timeshares where you own a piece of a trust. This is the type of ownership you want. but they make you pay a price to convert to this trust. Their "nominal" fee was $8500 to convert. It was funny, as it does them a favor to convert!

John

Sunterra is not the only co. trying to convert all to points. Fairfield/now Wyndham wanted me to pay about $8000 to convert to points - points for a week I already owned. I got nothing extra. Didn't make any sense to me, as RCI will do the exchanges. But I suppose the sales people will try to say we save membership fees to RCI or whatever.

WEll.....This is all very interesting, because when we got our notice for the annual maintenance fee this past December, we noticed our membership was showing "points" In fact we were also asked to buy in to the new system of points two years ago, but really did not see much reason to do so. Has anyone else found the surprise conversion to points?? Also, When we bought in, it was an Embassy resort. Now, just 5 years later, it has another new name, "The Diamond Club" So I guess SunTerra is...????out?? Does anyone understand what's going on?

Diamond is trying to convert everyone to a points system. Once you convert to points you no longer have control of anything. Other companies, such as Marroitt once they have people on points can raise the number of points required for a week every year if they wish. Because we have deeded property, the operator, now Diamond can not change the rules. All they can do is to increase the maintenance fees. I am the owner of two oceanfront annually and I would like all the owners to form an owner's association. The owners still have a majority of the resort and can in fact change the operator. Diamond would like everyone yo convert to points so that they have complete control. Marriott always keep more than 50% ownership so they can do as they please. Do not convert to points and help me to form an owners association. Jim

jamesd327 wrote:

Diamond is trying to convert everyone to a points system. Once you convert to points you no longer have control of anything. Other companies, such as Marroitt once they have people on points can raise the number of points required for a week every year if they wish. Because we have deeded property, the operator, now Diamond can not change the rules. All they can do is to increase the maintenance fees. I am the owner of two oceanfront annually and I would like all the owners to form an owner's association. The owners still have a majority of the resort and can in fact change the operator. Diamond would like everyone yo convert to points so that they have complete control. Marriott always keep more than 50% ownership so they can do as they please. Do not convert to points and help me to form an owners association. Jim

So my question is: Can owners be converted to the points system without consent? Why did my maintenance fee have a points amount on it when we never requested it or consented to it? Are we still deeded owners??? ~Jackie

jacquelineb53 wrote:

jamesd327 wrote:

Diamond is trying to convert everyone to a points system. Once you convert to points you no longer have control of anything. Other companies, such as Marroitt once they have people on points can raise the number of points required for a week every year if they wish. Because we have deeded property, the operator, now Diamond can not change the rules. All they can do is to increase the maintenance fees. I am the owner of two oceanfront annually and I would like all the owners to form an owner's association. The owners still have a majority of the resort and can in fact change the operator. Diamond would like everyone yo convert to points so that they have complete control. Marriott always keep more than 50% ownership so they can do as they please. Do not convert to points and help me to form an owners association. Jim

So my question is: Can owners be converted to the points system without consent? Why did my maintenance fee have a points amount on it when we never requested it or consented to it? Are we still deeded owners??? ~Jackie

Jim, I thought we already had an owners association. I own two weeks every even year. I bought these six years ago and have seen my maintenance fees go from $1400 to $2200. Is Diamond Resorts trying to force out the deeded owners? Max

We also own 2 deeded ocean front weeks and have been appalled at the increase in maintenance fees. And in February it was "implied" that the reason we were not getting our first choices (even tho I email at midnight on THE night) was that point owners can submit their requests several months ahead of deeded-week owners. I think one of the problems is communication. Is there an active association that deals with questions and concerns? Now that the old weekly meetings have been discontinued, how do we communicate? I'm grateful to have discovered this forum thru Redweek.com.

Another concern we have is the quality of the interior of the apartments. Granted, it is the very best location in the entire state of Hawaii (!!), but just how is our money spent?

Joan

jamesd327 wrote:

Diamond is trying to convert everyone to a points system. Once you convert to points you no longer have control of anything. Other companies, such as Marroitt once they have people on points can raise the number of points required for a week every year if they wish. Because we have deeded property, the operator, now Diamond can not change the rules. All they can do is to increase the maintenance fees. I am the owner of two oceanfront annually and I would like all the owners to form an owner's association. The owners still have a majority of the resort and can in fact change the operator. Diamond would like everyone yo convert to points so that they have complete control. Marriott always keep more than 50% ownership so they can do as they please. Do not convert to points and help me to form an owners association. Jim

Jim please post how we can contact you external to redweeks. I would suggest setting up an email on Gmail or yahoo for this topic.

Just FYI...Wyndahm owns Fairfield and RCI. They try to screw you how ever thay can. Once they get you converted to points, they raise the number of points it takes to rent a week. This is how they make you buy more points. If you do not, then you cannot go to the higher value destinations.

I own two one week TimeShares in Poipu. I bought them on the resale market at about 50% of the price the resort was asking. Further, because they were originally purchased prior to 1998 they have no restrictions on the type of unit, so of course I always reserve oceanfront. The points system that the resort is trying to push is a real scam for two reasons. One is that I will always use my two weeks in Kauai so exchange is of no value to me. Two is that once you convert to points you have no control anymore. A week today may cost X thousands of points but next year Diamond may decide that it takes X Plus points. With my ownership I have a title to a piece of real estate which cannot be changed I am however very upset that the maintenace fees took another big jump this year. I would like to find a way to contact all owners so that we can have an owners committee. After all we own more than 50% of the resort. Diamond is only the operator. Any suggestions on contacting all owners?

I have an every-other-year (odd) week at Poipu (deeded), but due to medical reasons, it makes it very difficult for my family to get out there (that would get into a rant about upgrades on domestic airlines, which is beyond the scope of this forum :-)). So, I normally spacebank in RCI and exchange.

At this point, I'm seriously considering selling since it doesn't make sense to pay maint fees for a place that I'm not staying at.

I received a call from a third party that Diamond Resorts is using to contact all the owners. Evidently they did buy out Sunterra. They want to send a representative to my house to discuss my options and it is expected to take an hour.

First, I find sending anyone to my house for something like this to be very invasive. And when I pressed that they could do this over the phone, I was told "well, they want to keep your account information private" and that it's a "personal touch," etc. When I pressed on how invasive this is, they told me to contact Diamond Resorts International directly.

-Lisa

You can reach me at, jim_dobbie@yahoo.com I think it is high time we try to form a separate owners association. The present one is dominated by Diamond. We can find out the owners names through the Hawaii registrar but it takes a lot of effort. Daimond may be forced to give us the names if we knew the right button to push. I would be happy to share legal expenses if we can get enough people interested

You do not want to be in the points system, reservations are extremely hard to get, and you must do so at least a year in advance to select your time... We feel cheated as we bought the equivelant of two weeks in an Ocean Front (31,000 Points) and as we cannot make plans that far in advance and have limited periods to be away, that we find it impossible to use...

I also have a deeded week at Poipu. I received a call from Diamond about "important changes to my property at Poipu" so I called them back. I was told that they wanted to send a representative to my house to discuss benefits of Diamond and what they had to offer. They would not discuss what it was, saying they were just a call center, and to call Diamond directly. I did, and no better information.

I told both the call center and Diamond that I felt it was a major invasion of privacy to have them send someone to my house (they would probably be sizing up what I own to get their own idea of what I could afford). I found the whole thing very disturbing.

I'm betting it would have been a sales pitch similar to what you endured at the resort.

--L