Problems with Conceirge Bookings???

[SSR-Mike]

Has anyone had experience with non-Disney trip planning using your DVC points? I am concerned about availability at Conceirge Collection locations. Recent accomodation request was not available despite the availability on the lodging's own website.

Frustrated DVC Points holder. Ready to write nasty gram to DVC management.

Please let us know.

SSR-Mike

 

[bicker]

You may want to read through your DVC materials first. We aren't guaranteed that there will be space available for us at any exchange-location, even if they have general availability. Rather, it is up to each of the exchange-locations to make specific rooms available to us. So your beef is with the exchange-location, not DVC.

Concierge Collection providers may require minimum stays and may impose blockout dates that will be unavailable for program use.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

SSr Mike - What location are you trying to book and for what dates?

We booked a couple of time throught the CC and did not have any problems. We've stayed at the Mauna Lani, Kapalua Bay, and the Fairmont in San Francisco. Maybe it's the time of year.

You might want to try calling them back and checking again, or seeing if there is a wait list available.

I'm sorry to hear you couldn't get your dates, but hopefully they will become available.

 

[SSR-Mike]

We still haven't been contacted back by the Juniper Hill Inn in VT. It seems like once I had mentioned DVC, the story of availability changed. First they told MS @ DVC that they didn't have availability due to a wedding, when I emailed directly, their reply was we have multiple rooms available. When I called to thank them for the quick reply, I mentioned that we were DVC members - it was then that their tone changed about availability and again it was put into question. Their lack of response after several days tells me they aren't interested in booking DVC guests.

I'll remain hopeful, but it seems like it's not going to happen, and I am not impressed with my first attempt at the Conceirge Collection. I have worked in customer service for more than twenty years and first impressions are a huge part of maintaining a healty business. DVC needs to consider if establishments that have availability aren't willing to book the rooms to DVC members, then maybe they shouldn't be part of the program.

We'll give it a little more time, and will update you all as things progress.

Thanks - Mike and Sheri.

 

[Dean]

They can block out dates and limit number of rooms just like FF miles for airlines. Here is the official wording from DVC. They way I read it they do have a right to limit the number of rooms. The question is how much power DVC has to trouble shoot for you and will they go to bat. But you certainly could rent out your points and reserve for cash, you might do better anyway depending on current specials.

BLOCKOUT PERIODS; SPACES IN TRAVEL OPTIONS ALLOCATED BY PROVIDERS. DVD reserves the right, in its sole
discretion and without the consent of any DVC Member or Guest, to impose blockout periods for any Travel Options. If a blockout
period is imposed, reservations may not be made for the dates included in such blockout periods. DVD may be allocated a limited
number of spaces in particular Travel Options by the respective Travel Option Provider; however, DVC Members will compete with
other DVC Members in seeking and reserving this limited number of allocated spaces in the Travel Options. Once the limited
number of spaces in a particular Travel Option has been reserved by DVC Members, other DVC Members will enjoy no priority
when requesting reservations for such accommodations and will compete with the general public in seeking and reserving spaces in
the Travel Options.

 

[bicker]

Dean: That applies to all Travel Options. However, over and above that, Concierge Club providers can impose their own blockouts.

 

[Dean]

Dean: That applies to all Travel Options. However, over and above that, Concierge Club providers can impose their own blockouts.

This quote comes from the "Members benefits Guidebook" from the website under the section that deals directly with CC. But the quote agrees with your premise other than it implies that DVC gets so many rooms for members that are there until used up,whether this is true in practice may be another matter. I'd assume there's a lead time cutoff. BTW, DCL acts similarly as well but I don't think DC does.

 

[dvc-NE]

I've become more cautious about the whole CC. Dean was helpful on this matter. I can drive to Juniper Hill so I have considered that option. However, I had a semi-dissapointing experience booking The Sagamore in New York, although I never stayed there and wound up cancelling. We booked this Aug for 3 nights which was supposed to be 51 pts per night. When I called MS they told me it would be 9 extra pts per night because of our son. My wife and I decided that 60 pts per night was a little steep considering there were no activities or food included, simply the lodging.

Bottom Line: $95 to book CC, which for a one night stay at a B&B can negate the savings. Also, look for hidden costs, like adding 9 pts a night for a child. Please be aware that if you cancel (as I did) the booking fee is gone, but more importantly, understand that you now have turned your DVC pts into "reservation" points. What that means is that if you cancel, you can not use your points at a DVC resort. You can use on other CC, DCL, or Disney Collection, but not any of the DVC resorts. So what I did was book the Yacht Club, we are AP holders. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[rsschneck]

We just used points from the CC for the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa. We had no problems booking through DVC. We had no problems staying at the resort. It was very nice and something I would not have PAID for.

 

[fishermouse]

SSr Mike - What location are you trying to book and for what dates?

We booked a couple of time throught the CC and did not have any problems. We've stayed at the Mauna Lani, Kapalua Bay, and the Fairmont in San Francisco. Maybe it's the time of year.

You might want to try calling them back and checking again, or seeing if there is a wait list available.

I'm sorry to hear you couldn't get your dates, but hopefully they will become available.

We also stayed at Kapalua Bay, this past Oct. It was great, I can't believe they are tearing it down. They upgraded us to one of the villas, the view was breathtaking. Back to original question we also stayed at Charleston Place, both times booking was easy and we were treated like first class guest. Seemed like they went out of their way to impress when they found out we were DVC. Maybe I'm just not used to such highclass hotels, DVC did all the leg work and confirmed everything before we left for vacation. Could not have been better.

 

[ralphd]

We stayed at the Royal Garden Hotel in London and received excellent service. They upgraded our room and gave us our room 7 hours prior to the hotel check-in time.

 

[Daitcher]

We still haven't been contacted back by the Juniper Hill Inn in VT. It seems like once I had mentioned DVC, the story of availability changed. First they told MS @ DVC that they didn't have availability due to a wedding, when I emailed directly, their reply was we have multiple rooms available. When I called to thank them for the quick reply, I mentioned that we were DVC members - it was then that their tone changed about availability and again it was put into question. Their lack of response after several days tells me they aren't interested in booking DVC guests.

I'll remain hopeful, but it seems like it's not going to happen, and I am not impressed with my first attempt at the Conceirge Collection. I have worked in customer service for more than twenty years and first impressions are a huge part of maintaining a healty business. DVC needs to consider if establishments that have availability aren't willing to book the rooms to DVC members, then maybe they shouldn't be part of the program.

We'll give it a little more time, and will update you all as things progress.

Thanks - Mike and Sheri.

Listen Mike,

I'll tell you the truth here. DVC is a great company but these timeshare guys certainly play up booking other properties thing. DVC is a terrible program for exchanges and the concierge collection point values are so inflated. If you bought DVC with the idea of doing this often then you are going to be very dissapointed. Don't feel like you are alone, I feel I was duped by my guide. I hope something gets worked out.


DAVE

 

[Daitcher]

We also stayed at Kapalua Bay, this past Oct. It was great, I can't believe they are tearing it down. They upgraded us to one of the villas, the view was breathtaking. Back to original question we also stayed at Charleston Place, both times booking was easy and we were treated like first class guest. Seemed like they went out of their way to impress when they found out we were DVC. Maybe I'm just not used to such highclass hotels, DVC did all the leg work and confirmed everything before we left for vacation. Could not have been better.

Charleston Place is one of my favorites and they treal ALL of there guest that way. Glad you had such a great experience but lets not give DVC the credit for it.


DAVE