great day for traders!!!!

[Jdubbs]

as my new guidebook arrived today I was so happy they have added the atlantis in paradise Island!!.This great resort should not be passed by if you plan to vacation in the carribian.This new addition just saved me alot of money because I was planning to go next year.its a great day for traders!!!

 

[jel0511]

I can't believe it!!! I actually already have a trip planned for next year and it's costing me a SMALL FORTUNE!!! DH just said, why are we paying for it, we should just trade in!!!! We'll see.....

 

[Doctor P]

Very interesting.

 

[Dean]

Hopefully they will have it repaired by then. They are going to close it for the fall, don't recall how long, to repair some structural damage.

 

[brittsmum1998]

OMG!!! That is the one resort we've been dying to try. My relatives go there all the time and we could never afford it. Yahoo and thanks for the update.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by Dean
Hopefully they will have it repaired by then. They are going to close it for the fall, don't recall how long, to repair some structural damage.

Dean, I couldn't find any information on the Internet that "they are going to close [the Atlantis Resort and Casino, Paradise Island, Bahamas] for the fall." Considering what a huge resort complex it is, I'm amazed that there could be anything so serious that they would need to close the entire resort. Could you please provide more information?

 

[roelongo]

Since I haven't received my guidebook yet could you tell me is it part of Interval or the concierge collection?

 

[Dean]

I talked to Starwood Owner Servces today. As I confirmed my Novemebr reservation, the rep mentioned that the units will start to undergo special maintenance this summer. As this resort is two years old, I asked for more details.

Apparently, some structural damage was found recently. It could not be attributed to any one incident or storm; although they claim it to be storm related. They were pretty sketchy on the details. All Harborside buildings will be closed for maintenance from August through October. Confirmed owners/exchangers during this time will be staying at the Atlantis hotel. Just a warning to any of you who may be affected by this.

I'm curious to find out if any TUGGERs are confirmed there during this time, and whether you have been notified about this. Even though I won't be there until Novemebr, I'm suprised that owners weren't notified. Should I suspect a special assesment or significantly higher m/f's for next year?

It comes from the thread http://www.tug1.net/tugbbs1/Forum15/HTML/000938.html on TUG. There was more discussion as I recall.

Here's some more info that I had not looked at previously, it comes from the same thread.

I just called to find out the "lastest" scoop. BTW, I called Harborside directly, dealing with the national sales office is worthless. "Repairs" will start August 25th and be completed sometimes in November (yikes - I'm going in November!). They claim it's not "structural" damage so much as water damage creating a "musty smell" reported by guests this year (although water damage can easily translate to structural damage).

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by roelongo
Since I haven't received my guidebook yet could you tell me is it part of Interval or the concierge collection?

It's part of II. It's actually a starwood resort (Sheraton, Vistana, etc) which allows the Starwood members with points options to reserve directly which likely makes it harder to get for non Starwood members. Those members will also have priority in II exchange requests. If one wants to go there, I'd definitely start looking 2 years out.

 

[RoutemanDan]

Thanks for the info Dean.

 

[fkj2]

I haven't received my new book yet. What kind of points are we talking for a trade?????

I've wanted to vacation there ever since it was highlighted on Oprah's show.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by fkj2
I haven't received my new book yet. What kind of points are we talking for a trade?????

I've wanted to vacation there ever since it was highlighted on Oprah's show.

It will vary based on home resort piorities, availability and DVC-II contract. DVC will not be able to tell you for certain until the trade comes through. My guess is you can look at OKW points for adventure for a spring summer or fall trade and either Dream or Magic for a Xmas to Easter trade. They only have 1 and 2 BR units so compare according. I've heard the timeshare units are quite a hike from the hotel itself. Still, I agree it sounds like a great place to go.

 

[fkj2]

does that mean you think that it would cost me around 160 points for a one bedroom unit in the spring and fall and anywhere from 218-296 for those peak seasons to which you referred, based on the 2003 chart?

And, do you think this trade would be between the hotel itself or the timeshare, which I didn't realize was at Atlantis?

Just so you know, the thought of spending 160 points for a one bedroom unit for a week's stay during spring/fall just about makes me drool with anticipation.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Dean, thank you for the clarification.

The post from Jdubbs at the top of the thread made it seem that the actual Atlantis Resort and Casino, Paradise Island, Bahamas, was now available through DVC, presumably as part of the Concierge Collection. Many people on this board use the term "trade" regardless of whether they're writing about DVC's World Passport Collection (full week exchanges to timeshare resorts) or DVC's Concierge Collection (nightly rooms at expensive deluxe hotels).

So I read your subsequent post as saying that the Atlantis Resort and Casino was closing this fall for repairs. I was surprised when I couldn't find any details on the Internet.

Based on your clarification, I now realize that this thread is actually about Starwood's timeshare Harborside Resort at Atlantis, which is part of the Atlantis development on Paradise Island. It's available through DVC's World Passport Collection, not DVC's Concierge Collection. As you mention, owners at other Starwood resorts have a priority over DVC owners to get into this desirable, high-demand resort, so this will probably be one of the more difficult World Passport Collection (Interval International) exchanges for DVC members.

 

[Terry S]

Werner, I agree with you. When I first read the post I assumed that the Atlantis resort was part of the CC. I was a bit disappointed to learn that this was about Harborside. Although, the thought of going to Paradise Island at all is a good one. I would just rather it be the Atlantis as part of the CC.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by Terry S
I would just rather it be the Atlantis as part of the CC.

If DVC hears from enough members that they would like to see the actual Atlantis Resort and Casino added to the Concierge Collection, I would imagine that DVC would have a business discussion the sales department at the Atlantis to see if they could work something out.

There's a precedent for having a part of a resort complex available through the Concierge Collection and part available through the World Passport Collection. In Miami, the Doral Golf Resort and Spa is available through the Concierge Collection. Marriott's Villas at Doral, a new timeshare resort consisting entirely of 2-BR units, is available through the World Passport Collection.

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by fkj2
does that mean you think that it would cost me around 160 points for a one bedroom unit in the spring and fall and anywhere from 218-296 for those peak seasons to which you referred, based on the 2003 chart?

And, do you think this trade would be between the hotel itself or the timeshare, which I didn't realize was at Atlantis?

Just so you know, the thought of spending 160 points for a one bedroom unit for a week's stay during spring/fall just about makes me drool with anticipation.

I think your numbers are correct, just remember it's at the timeshare and not the hotel itself. Frankly, I never even thought about it being the a CC item for the hotel itself until others mentioned it. I guess it's the right side of my brain thinking, the one that deals with regular timeshares. Even when I think about it, the DCL, CC, etc are not trades in my book. Actually, I would assume that no new II resort will be available directly for points reservations through CC, etc unless they are members of the ones already there (Intrawest, Cordial). I can't imagine there being a CC for the came resort available through II. Even though the 2 resorts are available for Doral, they are different companies and the CC was in place first. I guess this means I can't see them adding Atlantis itself to the CC.

I think DVC has, and has had, a unique opportunity. They could make further arrangements directly with other points systems and resorts under the BVTC umbrella, must like they have with Intrawest. Shell, Worldmark, FF, Equivent, Bluegreen, Hyatt, Hilton and the like are prime candidates for this type of arrangment. Yes, I know some are now owned by Cedant, who also owns RCI, making this less likely for those players. Still, RCI has been trying to get DVC back into their fold and it would give them an inside route.

One of these days, I've got to ask the points for Intrawest through the BVTC. I'm sure I've asked them years ago but it's been so long I don't have a clue. Anyone have an idea as to the number of points to stay at these locations reserving directly with points?

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by Dean
I can't imagine there being a CC for the same resort available through II. Even though the 2 resorts are available for Doral, they are different companies and the CC was in place first. I guess this means I can't see them adding Atlantis itself to the CC.

And there are two resorts at Atlantis -- the Atlantis Resort and Casino and Starwood's timeshare Harborside Resort at Atlantis -- just as there are two resorts at Doral. (Actually there are more that two resorts at Atlantis, but we're only dealing with two resorts for this discussion.)

The Atlantis Resort and Casino is in the same class as the hotels and resorts that are in the Concierge Collection (CC). I could use several different measurements -- nightly room rate, unique nature of the property, and worldwide repuation -- to justify this statement.

But, for now, my understanding is that the Atlantis Resort and Casino is not available through CC. The CC list is short, and it doesn't change often. But, if DVC management hears sufficient demand for particular resorts from DVC members, the list could grow. The Atlantis Resort and Casino would be a reasonable candidate for inclusion -- even if the Harborside Resort is available through a World Passport Collection / Interval International exchange.

I agree that I would never expect the exact same resort to be available both through the CC and the World Passport Collection.

 

[Dean]

Werner, it is 2 different resorts but my understanding it's the same company, at least in some aspects. Doral is 2 totally different companies. No arguement that the hotel there appears to be top notch.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Marriott's Villas at Doral resort is an alliance between between KSL (owners of the 700-room Doral Golf Resort & Spa) and Marriott Vacation Club International. According to an article at the Timeshare Beat, KSL sold the site to Marriott, but KSL manages the Marriott resort.

Starwood's Harborside Resort at Atlantis is a joint venture. According to the Kerzner International Limited Corporate Overview, the Harborside Resort is a 50/50 joint venture between between Kerzner International Limited (owners of the 2,317-room Atlantis Resort and Casino) and Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc.

So both timeshares are business ventures involving a host resort company and an experienced timeshare company, leveraging the facilities of the host resort -- but the business arrangements are different at the two resort complexes. Yet I'm not sure any of this really matters.

I'm not trying to debate with Dean, whose postings on this board I greatly respect. But I still think that the Doral complex sets a precedent for how an II-affiliated timeshare resort and a famous deluxe resort at the same resort development could be available through DVC's WPC and CC, respectively.

Dean believes this will never happen at Atlantis, and I agree that this will probably never happen. I'm just making the point that there's no reason why it couldn't happen if DVC and Kerzner International wanted to make it happen.