I rented a unit from Angie Rendina, another Redweek member, for over Spring Break, several months in advance, and paid top dollar for...
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I rented a unit from Angie Rendina, another Redweek member, for over Spring Break, several months in advance, and paid top dollar for what was supposed to be an oceanview unit with 2 bedrooms. When we arrived late from our flight from the East Coast, we called the resort right away when we landed and let them know we were on our way. They said nothing other than we'll see you later. When we arrived, the desk attendant asked me how many were in my party, and I told her it was me, my husband and my son (the reason we paid for a 2 bedroom was so that my husband and I could have our privacy and our son could have his own space). She said that she had a one bedroom unit left for us and that was sufficient for a party of our size, since some 2 bedroom units had supposedly suffered water damage. I explained that we had paid well in advance for a 2 bedroom unit, and her response was that RCI makes nothing on this stay, so we should take our concerns up with the person who rented the unit to us. So, we spent the first night in a one bedroom unit.
The next day we were moved to a 2 bedroom unit with a view of the putt-putt course--no ocean view. In fact, we were told that we were given someone else's 2 bedroom unit and that, in the words of the RCI receptionist, they will deal with their anger when they check in. Kind of how they dealt with us.
When Ms. Rendina finally called me back a few days later, she said she would look into the matter. In fact, I have had several phone calls and emails from Ms. Rendina, who seemed to be getting the runaround from RCI. She has compensated us for the fact that we did not get what we had paid for, and that is greatly appreciated.
So, that was my first experience doing a rental through Redweek. Word to the wise: RCI made it very clear to me when we went through this whole ordeal that when you rent a timeshare from someone, you have NO guarantees that you will get what you paid for--you'll get what's left when you check in. But I also learned that if you check in too early, before 4, the good rooms may not be ready, but if you check in too late, after 7, the good rooms may all be taken, so even if you paid thousands of dollars for a 2-3 bedroom suite with an oceanview, you may only get a one bedroom suite with a view of the parking lot. I caution everyone about their dealings with RCI, particularly if, unbeknownst to you, you're using someone's "free" week--RCI will treat you like a second class citizen.
