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Re: Interval International / (by Diva D.):

richards115 wrote:

We purchased at Westgate Flamingo Bay (2BR Sleeps 8) a couple of years ago for our first timeshare. Bought for $16K thru Westgate (mistake #1; buy aftermarket) It is a 5 Star beautiful timeshare resort. We banked (deposited) our first 2 years weeks with II and used bonus weeks to stay at the resort each year (Wonderful time). With our banked weeks we requested 2 weeks in a 5 star 2 BR timeshare in Hawaii for January 2008 and were told no problem. II called about every 2 months during 2007 to make sure we were still interested and continued to say that there was no problems. In November we started calling II and were told that nothing was available but they saw no problem in filling our request. Now we are told that nothing ever became available so we are out of luck. They suggested we could purchase 1 BR getaways for $1,000 per week. We are now scrambling to find an exchange before our first deposited week expires in May. No 5 star resorts available. Apparently all they have in inventory are lesser known resorts and off season. We had hoped to exchange for top resorts such as Hawaii & Atlantis in the Bahamas and now understand that those exchanges are unattainable. II & RCI should quit including resorts in their catalogs that they never get in inventory.

this is really a 'trade power' issue. It is the same issue that people within RCI experience and the same holds true for II. II is a broker, they do not make the decisions, the decisions were set up when the system was implemented. It works like a bank system. you get out what you 'can afford' to get out. If you have a 5 star 4 bedroom in Branson, you are never going to 'see' or be 'told' that there is any availability in Hawaii, London, Paris, Vail, Aspen, etc... those time locations sell for 2-10 times the price of properties in Branson, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, Hilton head etc... the reality is simply this: if you purchased your time share in those places and paid those prices, you can expect to see availability within like priced or equal value resorts. Likewise if you purchased in Paris or London, or Hawaii at Hyatt, Westin, Four Seasons etc... you paid top DOLLAR for your weeks... they do not get any 'value back' when they trade 'down' to stay at Branson, Tennessee, Florida or Oregon... but they do get to see everything that is available in the I.I. sytem and you do not. You are told no worries, because there 'might' be a 4 star or a 'select' property that comes available, but the chances are slim... you will not be finding availablitity in the Hyatt's, Westin's, Four Seasons, World Mark or Raintree resorts in those Peak season times in any of those locations. its how the sytem works. You have other locations available and you are doing much better to own something rather than 'stay in a hotel', but the system has its flaws, its not perfect. Not all time share and vacation ownerships are created eqaul. Fact of the system....