RCI or rent points and go with cash?

[rowbear]

Thinking of going to the Key West (not the resort) or possibly an island destination in 2011 and I have to say I am not terribly impressed with most of the pictures of RCI resorts I have seen online at various destinations. If I rented my entire point allotment for a year I should have over 2500 to work with.

Your opinions?

 

[AuntTink]

From what others have said, you are better off renting your points and paying cash if you want to stay outside of DVC resorts. Don't have any experience, but like you have looked online at the options and seem to think the veterans speak wisdom.

 

[rowbear]

I wish some of them would share or at least vote so I can make an informed decision.

 

[rowbear]

2 votes and 50/50 results. I guess I am on my own here.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Since booking with an exchange can be such an iffy ordeal, I'd probably rent out and book what you want on your own.

 

[Brian Noble]

It is almost always a better deal for a DVC owner to rent points out and use cash to secure the vacation lodging they desire. It is also a little more work, but as they say, there's no free lunch.

Depends on exactly where and when you want to go though. The better Key West resorts may well go for more than $2,500 for a 2BR during peak season. Then again, the better Key West resorts might not be deposited to RCI, for the same reason that you are considering not depositing your DVC points. And, you may decide that throwing a little extra money in with your rental proceeds to get exactly what you want to be a fair price to pay.

Do a little bit of research on the various rental sites (TUG, RedWeek, etc.) to get a sense.

 

[rowbear]

Thanks for the advice. I was really leaning this way too. I have never transferred or rented points before but it seems like the right answer.

Let's say I wanted to rent more than a year (300) and do around 450 so I can really go in style. About how long would that take to unload that much do you think?

 

[rentayenta]

I am currently on a wait list for an RCI resort in Zihua, Mexico but I am really liking the idea of renting out my points and paying cash for another place to stay there.

 

[rowbear]

This is for my 20th anniversary and I just don't think I want to trust RCI. Some of the places on their site look nice but many of them look old or offer very few pictures.

 

[maciec]

I would rent. Based on the reviews I have been reading about the RCI resorts they don't get as good of reviews as the II resorts. I would take the money and find a better place.

 

[culli]

For anyone thinking of doing any timeshare avenue other than DVC I would recomend doing some searches on http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/

You can post specific questions you might have on a resort or area and if you join have access to online resort reviews from others. You will get other viewpoints as this forum is a timeshare user group not a DVC site, get a much broader point of view. I believe they also have a rental ad section.

I would find trading with DVC into RCI (or II when they had it) difficult as they don't allow you to control the transaction and see what is available. I would probably rent or transfer the points and get exactly what you want.

 

[Dean]

I would not go with RCI for KW. I'd look for a private exchange to one of the Hyatt's or talk to independent exchange companies like SFX or TPI about an exchange to one of the Hyatt resorts. Given the choices, I'd rent for cash or use cash and find other ways to use the points. Of the 2 resorts, the Galleon would be the only one I'd consider.