posted 05-23-2005 10:52            

But I would not get it if you are thinking about using it primarily as a trader. There are a lot of spectacular traders out there that you can get for less than $600+ annual m/fs.

However, looking at the available resorts, I can't imagine not being able to use one of the weeks in the RHC system, either for myself or as a direct trade for another super-hot week. With RHC, and no other system, you can easily book Rome, Madrid, Paris, New York, Vail, Florence, Cairo, Nice, Istanbul, Casablanca, and other places where it is impossible or nearly impossible to get a timeshare, and you can book other places where trades are quite difficult, like London, San Francisco, Jerusalem, Rio, and the like.

Personally, I would like to say that I would not get an interest where the annual fees are more than $600. But, I have a couple of Marriotts, and the fees are headed there or (for my Custom House) are already there. So, it is certainly a matter of your financial tolerance. But I would say that you should certainly consider getting it if you are likely to use the interest.

posted 05-23-2005 17:16               

just remember that HOC's comments refer to his POINTS!!! [not WEEKS] ownership. I own points myself since 1999, but know next to nothing about the weeks program. I don't think you can break up the weeks into weekends and midweeks stay like you can with the more flexible points/credits program...just something to consider if that is important to you. It may still be a great fit, though. But do your research!

Edited to say POINTS!!! correct the effects of a serious brain cramp as Hoc pointed out.

------------------
Cheryl

posted 05-23-2005 17:28            

quote:

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Originally posted by Whirl:
icy-dog,

just remember that HOC's comments refer to his WEEKS ownership.

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No, they refer to my POINTS ownership. I do not have a weeks ownership. But, other than that, your comments still apply.

posted 05-23-2005 17:36            

quote:

---

Originally posted by icy-dog:
BUT this membership always goes so cheaply in the resale market, and now after reading your post, I wonder why?

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Anticipate getting nothing to next-to-nothing for your membership if you sell it. Some of the big reasons they go so cheaply are:

1. The administrative personnel at RHC are horrible if you are the type of person who needs reassurance, hand-holding, or even minimally normal contact. Many of them barely speak English, you can virtually never get anything in writing from them (like written confirmation of a trade, a booking, or anything they tell you), and they will never give you the "warm and fuzzies" if you expect that kind of thing. Recently, I was sent a collections notice by Concord Servicing Company, their collections agent, for a maintenance fee that I had paid six months earlier, and which I had confirmed three months ago had been paid. It took about five phone calls to clear that up, and even after that, I got another collections call a month later. But for the most part, I have found their information to be accurate.

2. Apparently, the salespeople who sold the original interests were promising the moon to the purchasers, and then when the purchasers found out they were not getting a profitmaking investment, they complained. Loudly.

3. See 2, above. They are still online, threatening class action lawsuits and other "scary" things, now because they have been receiving collections calls and letters when they stopped paying for the memberships they bought.

4. Mass mentality. People don't buy because they figure that there must be something wrong, because nobody else is buying, and there is a lot of complaining. So, that keeps resale prices low, which means that you need to buy with the thought that you will have to donate your unit to get rid of it.

posted 05-23-2005 21:41               

So, we went out on a limb, a short limb at that, and snagged an RHC ownership. Now, we have access to the European countries, and other more exotic locales. Of course, some of these are on the State Department's Do Not Travel To list, but what is life without a bit of excitement now and then? We look forward to going to locales other than the Dolly Parton's parks.

Go for it.

posted 05-23-2005 21:56               

Otherwise, I am planning to buy a QuarterHouse and if so (along with the Chateau Orleans I own), which exchange would be the best to join if I wish to make those type of exchanges?

posted 05-24-2005 13:40               

quote:

---

Originally posted by RonaldCol:
We;re in the transfer process of a recently acquired RHC points ownership. This will be our 12th (yes, ladies and gentlemen) timeshare ownership. We theoretically have more weeks to use in a year than there are weeks. The 11 weeks we own are situated domestically and we've never really had much luck in pulling the European destinations. I mean, how many times can one go to visit Mickey in Orlando? Or checking out the Anaheim Ducks? You guys know what I mean. The Wisconsin Dells is nice, but there comes a time when even the water parks

look a bit too soaked. It's the wonderlust building in me.

So, we went out on a limb, a short limb at that, and snagged an RHC ownership. Now, we have access to the European countries, and other more exotic locales. Of course, some of these are on the State Department's Do Not Travel To list, but what is life without a bit of excitement now and then? We look forward to going to locales other than the Dolly Parton's parks.

Go for it.

---

You know I am a little hesitant again since this is a weeks contract. I did call and I asked if I could go to NYC with this contract and he said sure but not anytime soon. By soon he meant any time on his calendar. The poster who said they barely speak english is correct. He could understand me but I had a lot of trouble understanding his pidgeon English. He was nice though and stayed on the phone with me for quite awhile.

posted 05-24-2005 18:19            

quote:

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Originally posted by icy-dog:
Hey I just thought of another option. Can I reserve a week in some foreign country and rent it out? Do I have to be the one traveling?
The MFs are $685 per year. I just spoke wwith them and asked if I could convert to points. They didn't know but I could schedule a sales call if I want. I didn't want but I wonder if anyone knows? Isn't $685 a lot for maintenance on one week of timesharing like this? It is not a DVC or Four Seasons type of timeshare is it? I would buy in a minute if I could justify those MFs.

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You can rent your week. It is my understanding that they will convert a week to points, but at some outrageously high price. Why, why, why did you agree to a sales call? Expect a genuinely notorious high-pressure sales pitch, many lies, and a ridiculously high price to convert. If you are looking for points, just buy points. They're out there. Cheap.

posted 05-25-2005 13:50            

quote:

---

Originally posted by icy-dog:
The poster who said they barely speak english is correct. He could understand me but I had a lot of trouble understanding his pidgeon English.

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Like I said, don't expect great telephone support or administration. In fact, both times I bought, Royal Holiday Club said that they had not received the transfer documents, despite the fact that the Escrow Company had sent them twice and I faxed them once. In addition, they claimed not to have received the transfer fees, and had to be shown the cancelled check to prove that they had. It took about 6 months from the date of closing of escrow to get the interest transferred into my name.

posted 05-25-2005 18:37               

quote:

---

Originally posted by icy-dog:
Well I bought the week. It was less of a buy since there was hardly any cost to me outside of the resort mandated fees. The timeshare cost me $150 plus transfer $350 and MFs $685 for Sept 05-Sept 06. Nothing's free in this world but my total outlay for this timeshare will be less than $1200. I have been speaking with the reps at RHC to find out availabilty for a London week in November. He booked it using the other people's contract and he said all I have to do is change the name on the reservation when the contract is mine and it will be fine.. I know not to expect this to be true, but I figured what the heck, and I let him reserve it. I made a reservation for the first week of November 05. I am also going to make a cash reservation to back this. I hear what you're saying about the points and you're right. It would be better to buy a contract than have them upgrade. I also found out it is better to have one large contract going in than several small ones. The maintenance fees will be less with one larger contract than a couple of small ones, right??

I am philosophical about this timeshare. When it gets to be too difficult to pay for or to use, I will just donate it. I didn't pay $10,000 to join, I paid $350 in transfer fees +$150 to the owner. $500 is not a lot to lose in the broad scheme of things and who knows, maybe I'll like it.

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Iceydog, at this point I have used two confirmed reservations and have not had a problem with RHC. I have an upcoming reservation in London this summer and another in Rome. I paid $1500 for my 30K points per year. Yes my MFS are about $100 less per year, but it will take me 12 years before we are even in cash outlay. If we figure in the cost of money, I don't know if I will ever catch up to you in terms of who got the best deal. I think I got a good deal, whereas, you got a "very" good deal. Congradulations, Ben

posted 05-25-2005 19:20               

that's great and welcome to waht seems to be a small universe of RHC owners who will A) admit they own it and probably bought depsite much bad press and B) hopefully find it toi be of th best little finds they have ver taken a risk on.

I could hardly find one person with anything positive to say when I bought, but did mu research and took the plunge and have never regretted it for a moment.
i can't tell you what your experience with the transfer process will be like, but mine was the mostquite painless. I must have been lucky because I found them to be very patient and fairly efficient. HAve patience with the language differences, I generally have not found it to be too bad. They have some reps whose English is quite good. Just call bcak and get someone else if you are really struggling with the language barrier or running out of patience.

I bet your November reservation will be just fine. Enjoy!

posted 05-25-2005 21:44               

quote:

---

Originally posted by icy-dog:
You know I am a little hesitant again since this is a weeks contract. I did call and I asked if I could go to NYC with this contract and he said sure but not anytime soon. By soon he meant any time on his calendar. The poster who said they barely speak english is correct. He could understand me but I had a lot of trouble understanding his pidgeon English. He was nice though and stayed on the phone with me for quite awhile.

---

Icy, the guy's practicing his English language skills.

posted 05-26-2005 10:16               

When I bought, I took advantage of two options available to me;
1. Accelerated use due to our age, which allows us to use two weeks per year until the 30 weeks are used up.
2. Split week option, where for a $35 fee we can split a week up into 3 and 4 day segments at different resorts.

I don't know if either of these options would be availabe for a resale unit, but might be worth inquiring about.

posted 05-29-2005 10:33            

quote:

---

Originally posted by MaryH:
Q. For those who owns RHC, which resort did you buy at and are you happy with it?

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I did not buy at any resort. I just bought the points. I am very happy. In Madrid now, and I will post a review when I get back. IŽd give this place an 8.

posted 05-29-2005 14:13               

We loved Cozumel, went back every year until the hurricane of 1995, when RHC got kicked off the property!

Then the owner came up with his own plan, called the Sol Caribe Vacation Plan, which we bought in 1998 - after two years he went bankrupt, and absconded with all of our funds, estimasted at 3-1/2 mil!

Then, RHC got back in, and it's now Park Royal, but it's all-inclusive. Have been back once, but since we're always on a diet and don't drink, the all-inclusive doesn't pay off for us.

But, in the meantime, we have mostly gotten good internal exchanges, so have been generally happy with it.