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Re: Sunterra sold to Diamond Resorts LLC

The truth is, if you own a deeded week, you still have the ability to book any week you want, including the holiday weeks, up to 12 months in advance. Once it gets below 10 months in advance, anyone who owns points through DRI will have access to any weeks as well. By having points within the system, you have the freedom to books weeks (or days) in any view category you want instead of being restricted to the view category you bought. In addition, you can use your points to book at any one of DRI's 112 resorts (and growing) for any number of nights you wish (not limited to just a week) and you pay no exchange fees. Also, the point value of the 1 bedroom deluxe ocean view unit (11,500)is such that when you do exchange through Interval International, you can get 2 weeks at a 1 bedroom at the Marriott or the Westin or any other 5 star resort as each 1 bedroom exchange is only 5500 points. You can also search availability at any resort in Interval International through the DRI sebsite and do not deposit any points until you make an exchange. You can also exchange into any size unit and any season through Interval for a fair amount of points, more points for bigger units (8000 for a 3 bedroom 5 star red week, 3500 points Studio red week and less points for 4 or 3 start resorts and less points for middle and slow seasons. The Marriott weeks start at around $50,000 per week and the Westin next door, although more expensive than Marriott is already sold out. They also only exchange for 1 week through Interval and only for the same size you own. When you go to the Westin presentation, they will offer to sell you time at their new Kauai property but there is no more (or very little) Maui available to buy. The right of first refusal simply keeps owners from selling their weeks at ridiculous prices to others and helps to maintain the value of of the inventory for the owners who do not wish to sell. If you do choose to upgrade into the Club (points) you do not have to give up your deed into the trust, you can choose to retain your deed and by doing so, can still book into the holiday weeks without paying the higher holiday point values. People who retain their deeds pay the same amount of points 52 weeks of the year, and if they do book 10 to 12 months in advance, can still get virtually any week they want. It's a shame that a few misunderstandings have people feeling they are being taken advantage of. For the money, their is no better value on Kaanapali Beach. I have personally owned timeshare weeks for over 10 years, but my 50,000 points at Kaanapali Beach Club gets me whatever I want and works better than anything I've ever experienced in the timeshare world. I hope that helps people feel a little better about the direction that Diamond is taking the company and in particular, this resort. Most of the owners I have spoken to are very happy, and there only seems to be a few who are not, it's just that those few seem to be a lot more outspoken than the happy ones.