GVC Sunterra - Is it a freebie?

by **kingdobe** on Tue Nov 06, 2007 07:33 am

Sunterra is the kind of company you must enter eyes wide open,you must use the system to get the most out of the points.The original cost is very high to join but buy the minimum amount they will sell than buy further points of fellow members this time of year its a buyers market.The problem is people think that they can use Sunterra like a high street travel agent just pop down and book a holiday when they please because the way it is set up all the very popular weeks go first so you must plan ahead we do the year before so we get what we want.
Barry

by **Dezzer** on Wed Nov 07, 2007 20:08 pm

Playing the system is what it's called I think Bazza and I'm not championing Sunterra or looking to justify a "bad" investment. It's taken me years to work it all out and I still get it wrong coz there are other things going on in my life, which are capable of distracting me when I should be booking up. Your point about buying a min no of points, and then getting from members really cheaply further points is an excellent one. Why should we line the reps pockets? After all they sell high and will only buy back very, very low.

When I joined I was encoursged to buy 40 points, a regular tactic it would appear coz you can theoretically get a fortnight on half points.

Not impossible, but if circumstance dictates that you are pretty inflexible, just buy what you need to get away using a regular quota, otherwise you'll be very disappointed.

by **nix** on Thu Nov 08, 2007 01:40 am

You can indeed push down the initial cost too. If you come across as really think the product is great but the price is the stopping factor, then they will come down in price - it may well take a couple of hours but getting it close to �100 per old point* isn't unheard of. (* they recently added a couple of noughts to everyones points to make them inline with some other company or something so 40 points becomes 4000)

The thing (or one of) I don't like about Sunterra (my parents are members) is that every holiday includes a "welcome talk" where they want to tell you the latest developments - effectively try and sell you more points at some point. The couple of times I went I did enjoy my "really keen but price is too much", but my best was when I last went with them 2 years ago and got them down to �104 per old point. That was on a half price holiday, which you can get so long as its out of school holidays, and you are flexible and organised (book them the first day they become half price)

by **bev1410** on Sat Nov 10, 2007 05:25 am

Bazza.
You do get a free holiday, you can take your xchildren, you pay your own flights.
The only commitmenet you have to make is to give up about 4 hours of your time for GVC to show you around the local hotels to the one you are staying in.
I've been with GVC for about 7 years, I now live in Australia and would like to sell my points.
When you've had your holiday and you are interested in purchasing any points, I am happy to do a very good reduced deal.
Hope the infomation is of use.
Beverley

by **kingdobe** on Wed Nov 14, 2007 16:30 pm

Just a note you can only buy points of a member if you are a member yourself my advice is if you wish to join buy the minimum amount they will sell you than buy off fellow members (mine are not for sale).
Barry

by **nix** on Thu Nov 15, 2007 17:49 pm

Don't forget Sunterra (now Diamond Resorts) will try to sell you them for upto �3 per point, with usually 5000 the minimum purchase. With a lot of haggling you will get it to just under half this, but still it could be around �7K for the 5000. I know at one point they used to let people get as little as 25(00) but afaik its now the 5000 minimum (as this will get you a week in a 1B at peak season, or 2 weeks or upto 3B in lower seasons)

Resale (to other members) is usually at around 20-30% of the original value, though recently this is running at 1%, due in part to the take-over by Diamond Resort, and the hike up in yearly fees with people fearing it to continue (currently is �271 plus 4.4p per point rising by 12-16% next year depending on number of points)

by **kingdobe** on Sat Nov 24, 2007 14:24 pm

You are right nix there is no real resale value for the points some members have been giving them away,the hike in fees have been rough but if it improves the standards (it was okay for me never been to a bad resort)buying into the scheme is NOT A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT it is a investment in holidays.
Barry
Hell i'm beginning to sound like a rep.

by **nix** on Mon Nov 26, 2007 00:55 am

Kingdobe,

yes there is no real resale as you can only sell to other members. If people are made aware that they pay a large sum up front and will then pay annual fees only slightly below what renting weeks in apartments would cost, then that's would be refreshing. I know a few people who own points and most are happy because the resorts they go to. Some tell me its not such the bargain of low-cost holidays it was when they joined (mostly between 4 - 10 years ago), but are still happy "currently".

Most people who are unhappy is because the commission-based sales reps sold them a dream and its not turning out like that. Those that are happy understand how to use the system and what it can/cannot offer. You are paying a premium (of which only a small amount buys resorts) to go to not-so-exclusive resorts (others go via schemes such as interval international, etc), paying annual fees that rise by 6% annually that you're contracted to pay for the next 50 years, unless you can find another existing member to take them (hopefully for money, but not necessarily so).

If you buy a brand new car in the UK, it devalues greatly the instant you drive it off the forecourt. It continues to depreciate as time goes on. The same could well be said for Sunterra points.

by **JohnLewis** on Fri Nov 30, 2007 14:52 pm

We signed up to the inappropriately named Sunterra Trial Membership through one of their sales franchises and received on of their "free" holidays. What a mistake! I have never felt as totally mis-sold with this and are taking it up with Sunterra.
My advice, save the money and have some decent holidays.

by **kingdobe** on Sun Dec 02, 2007 17:55 pm

Please explain Johnlewis how was you miss-sold nix sunterra will never be for you you seam to prefer the cheap holidays with the appropriate standards that the price you pay brings,i for one have never regretted our buying into the club.All i can say is when i'm sitting in the pool side bar at white sands beach club i will be saying what a rip off.
Barry