» My Timeshare Exchange Vacations

Hyatt Highlands Inn Timeshare Exchange

Jeff Pierce — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 17:24:48 +0000

Hyatt Highlands Inn Pool

I just got confirmed for the best exchange ever out of the 50+ I’ve done. I deposited my 2009 Swallowtail at Sea Pines week 43 on Hilton Head, probably 10-12 months in advance. I started my search on Nov 9, 2009 exclusively for the Hyatt Highlands Inn.

I don’t remember how big of a span of time I requested, but I’m sure I told II that I’d take any week from Aug 2010 through Dec, and I’d accept a 1 bedroom.

On Jun 8, 2010 I was confirmed into a 1 bedroom ocean view for Thanksgiving 2010. (Sorry I couldn’t make the picture come out better)

What’s interesting is that my timeshare in Hilton Head is not even ranked as a Premier or Select Resort and although week 43 is Red, it is not prime Red week like the summer weeks are.

Hyatt Highlands Owners Lounge

I’m confirmed to unit #405 which is an ocean view. When I went to the Hyatt Hotel website and to rent that 1 bedroom during Thanksgiving would cost $4,683 plus tax. Let’s call it $5000. I paid $4500 for that week 20 years ago. This is timesharing at its best.

Hyatt Highlands Jacuzzi

For several years now I’ve offered the secrets to getting incredible exchanges, no matter what quality of timeshare you own, through the sale of my Timeshare Exchange Bibles.

Hyatt Highlands Inn Balcony

If you haven’t picked up your copy yet you can get The Timeshare Exchange Bible – II Edition by Clicking Here Now!

You can pick up your copy of The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition by Clicking Here Now!

Hyatt Highlands Inn Bedroom

Life’s too short and you’ve spent too much money on your timeshare to be getting mediocre exchanges. Get your Timeshare Exchange Bibles now.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 22 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International, are the only books of their kind in the timeshare industry and designed to help you master at the very complicated art of getting good exchanges.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

My Timeshare Exchange To Pagosa Springs, Colorado: Day Trip to Mesa Verde

Jeff Pierce — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:19:06 +0000

Mesa Verde

I had done a timeshare exchange to Pagosa Springs, Colorado and was very excited to learn that America’s premier archeological park, Mesa Verde, was only a 2 1/2 hour drive. National Geographic Traveler had named it as one of the fifty “must see” places of a lifetime.

Mesa Verde is also our first World Heritage Site and it’s easy to see why. The 700 year old homes, villages and kivas where the religious ceremonies were held speak eloquently of the people who built them. And whatever you do, don’t call them Anasazi. In today’s politically correct world they are now called Ancestral Puebloans.

Cliff Dwelling Mesa Verde

There are over 4700 archeological sites within the 52,000 acre park and more than 600 of them are cliff dwellings – the most spectacular to see. Mesa Verde was inhabited from about A.D. 550-1300. It was discovered much later on a snowy December day in 1888, while ranchers Richard Wetherill and Charlie Mason searched Mesa Verde’s canyons for stray cattle. They unexpectedly came upon the cliff dwelling now know as “Cliff Palace” for the first time.

After paying only $15 to enter the park I drove the 15 miles to the Park Headquarters along the top of the mesa. Once there I paid $6 for two ranger guided tours of the cliff dwellings of Cliff Palace and Balcony House - definitely the best $6 I’ve ever spent.

The first tour was led by a sixty something, pony tailed Navajo by the name of Clyde – big disconnect – who added personal insights into the Native American culture. He said the Ancient Puebloans ate while sitting on the ground to be closer to “Mother”. Earth was Mother and rain Father. He said that he remembered as a kid the long conversation his whole family had about buying a kitchen table and chairs to sit at for their meals. Those of his family that objected did so because it was distancing them from “Mother”.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwelling

The second tour was led by a very informed and experienced Caucasian ranger but lacked Clyde’s color commentary. I highly recommend asking for a Native American guide if you’re ever touring the park.

It was a long day but worth it. All in all, Pagosa Springs was a great place to to take a timeshare vacation and I look forward returning to it again. The next time I exchange my timeshare there I’ll be checking out The Million Dollar Highway that loops from Durango to Ouray – the “Switzerland of America” – to Telluride and back.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

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My Timeshare Exchange To Pagosa Springs, Colorado Part 3

Jeff Pierce — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:50:14 +0000

Friday September 11, 2009 3:37 P.M.

I’ve just arrived in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for my Interval International timeshare exchange at the San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort after an 8 hour drive from my home in Scottsdale, Arizona. It’s been a beautiful drive but I’m happy to get checked in and pop open a beer.

I’m immediately impressed with the timeshare villa. I have a gorgeous 2 bedroom attached home complete with a garage. The home is about 1600 square feet, has 16 foot arched ceilings and is very tastefully furnished. In fact, there is a solid leather couch/sofa sleeper in front of the natural stone fireplace and 46 in flat screen TV in the living room. This is when owning a timeshare really pays off.

The whole place is filled with natural light and I have a great view of the San Juan Mountains from the living room and master bedroom. The kitchen boasts stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops with contemporary pendant lighting hanging from the ceiling.

Both bedrooms have king size beds and flat panel TV’s and the master bath has double sinks, a walk in shower and a spa tub big enough to comfortably fit 2 adults. All the furnishings are top quality. This is definitely a timeshare I’d recommend and come back to.

I had chosen to do a last minute timeshare exchange to Pagaosa Springs over one in Glacier, Montana because of a few things: I could drive to Pagosa Springs and there were balloon, wine/ food and beer/music festivals all going on the weekend I arrived. In addition, the golf rates dropped from $89/round to $47. A perfect vacation for me. Get out of the desert heat, see some green mountains, eat, drink and play golf.

I awoke both Saturday and Sunday mornings to a sky filled with colorful balloons. Back dropped against the San Juan Mountains they made a beautiful site. One even landed 50 yards from my timeshare in an open field.

Colorfest Balloon Festival

I hadn’t realized that the wine and food festival was only on the Friday night that I arrived so unfortunately I missed it. On Saturday afternoon I did drive by the venue where the beer and music festival were being held, but it didn’t look interesting enough so I didn’t attend.

I played 2 rounds of golf at the Pagosa Springs Golf Club, a really nice 27 hole course. The course and greens were in excellent shape and for only $47 including cart I found it to be one of the best courses I’ve played for a while at that price. For an added touch, there were wooden carvings of animals along some of the holes of mountain lions and eagles.

Nice touch to Pagosa Springs Golf Course

Wood carving on one of the holes

In my last post I’ll be talking about my day trip to America’s largest archeological park.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

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My Timeshare Exchange To Pagosa Springs, Colorado Part 2

Jeff Pierce — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:43:50 +0000

I’ve just gone through the Four Corners area on the way to my timeshare exchange in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I’m only 25 minutes into the southwestern part of Colorado and I’ve already left behind the starkness of the desert for lush green mountains. I love Colorado and have done many timeshare exchange here – mostly to Vail, Beaver Creek and Aspen.

As highway 160 leads me to Cortez, Colorado I’m driving on a valley floor that’s surrounded by a huge towering mesa that is our nation’s largest archeological park – Mesa Verde. It’s really an incredible piece of geology in itself and I look forward to coming back and exploring the ruins.

Mesa Verde

Coming out of Cortez I climb into a sizable thunderstorm. Near the top of the pass I witness a large lightning bolt strike a power line tower not far from me and light it up. It’s pretty cool and something I’ve never seen before although I’m glad to start descending from the summit to a lower elevation.

I reach Durango and the highway turns east to Pagosa Springs. The rest of the drive is pretty but uneventful.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting better timeshare exchanges in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Join me on:

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My Timeshare Exchange To Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Jeff Pierce — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:30:53 +0000

I’ve been confirmed for my timeshare exchange through Interval International to The San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort in Pagosa Springs, Colorado and I’ve decided to drive there. It’s about an 8 hour drive and I’ve been looking forward to it.

As I drive out of the Phoenix metropolitan area on Highway 17 towards Flagstaff, I’m surprised at how green the desert is. That is, green to us locals. I’ve forgotten how pretty and unique the Sonoran desert is here. There are some really exotic looking Saguaro cactus on this stretch.

North of Flagstaff I stopped at the Cameron Trading Post for gas and had a look inside. I’m now getting into Navajo Nation territory. There is some interesting stuff in the trading post but mostly tourist nick nacks. The original hand woven rugs were the best things there but $4900-$7900 for a small rug is ridiculous.

Authentic Navajo Rug

The landscape north of the trading post is really beautiful. I can easily visualize the Native American Indians riding across the desert and imagine their teepees poking up in the distance.

At about 200 miles from home it occurs to me that a person on horseback, making good time, would have taken about 5 days to get to where I’m at in 3 hours; and probably at least 2 weeks in a wagon train.

I’m in awe of the early pioneers like the Spanish Conquistadors in the 1700′s and the Americans that crossed such a huge expanse of unpopulated territory in the 1800′s and what they endured to reach their destinations. What temerity, focus and bravery it must have taken.
I also think it would have been incredible to camp in the virgin desert beneath a sky with no light pollution or people and only mother nature at her rawest.

The desert north of the trading post is really beautiful. It’s exotic and epitomizes the colors and land features of Arizona. There are buttes, mesas and mounds everywhere that are the muted pastel colors of pink, ocher, blue, purple, green and charcoal, back dropped against a blue sky filled with cumulus clouds. Many of the mesas are horizontally striated with these pastel colors. It’s breathtaking, and I imagine Indians everywhere.

On the radio they’re talking about 9/11 and I’m suddenly filled with mixed emotions. Without getting too patriotic on you, I’m reminded what a truly great nation we are and how anyone could think otherwise, regardless of our bumps and warts, is beyond me.

But as I drive across the Navajo Nation I’m reminded of how badly we treated the Native American Indians; how we broke our promises and stole their lands. It’s one of a few, or possibly many, sad chapters in our history. But are there any other countries in the world that haven’t done things they now regret and are ashamed of? I doubt it. It certainly doesn’t make what we did right, but to those with anti-American sentiments, I suggest you take a little closer look at home.

And to any Americans currently whining about how they want their old USA back during these turbulent times, I suggest you remember that the old USA belonged to the Indians, not us.

As I continue east on 160 past the little outpost of Tsegi, AZ, I see some fantastically shaped buttes jutting out of the desert. Trying to describe it in my mind I finally think of Monument Valley and when I get a chance to look at my map, lo and behold, I find I’m skirting the eastern edge of it. I’ll take the 23 mile detour on my way back to go through it since I’ll be gaining an hour.

Hwy 160 now jogs north to head to Pagosa Springs. As I turn north, I leave Arizona. Within 60 seconds I pass a sign that says “Welcome to New Mexico” and then “Welcome to Colorado”. I’ve just traversed 3 states in one minute and I am, of course, at Four Corners. I resist the impulse to stand in line at the marker to be able to say that I’ve straddled 4 states because I straddled 2 hemispheres in Quito, Ecuador in 1977.

Anatomy of a Timeshare Vacation: Part 3

Jeff Pierce — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:29:33 +0000

I decided to exchange my timeshare to the San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort for several reasons; I’ve been wanting to explore that area for some time now, I could drive there, there is a Balloon AND Wine and Food festival that weekend and the golf rates at the 3 courses drop from $89 to $35 that week.

As I mentioned earlier, I like to drive so I’m looking forward to the 8 1/2 hour trip through Tuba City, the Navajo Nation and the Four Corners region from my home in Scottsdale, AZ. If time permits I may take a day on my return to stop at Canyon de Chelly.

Canyon de Chelly

The San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort is new having just opened in June of 2009. Interval International has rated it as a Premier resort, its highest category. There are 20 units open now with room for 200 total at build out. The timeshare consists of 2 properties; The Timbers, stand alone 2 and 3 bedroom homes and The Links consisting of 1,2 and 3 bedroom condos.

The Links at San Juan Mountain Golf Resort

According to the website,

“The Links is a beautiful vacation ownership community located on the Pagosa Springs 27-hole Championship Golf Course. Guests and owners are within walking distance to shopping and dining. In the winter, the Links provides cross country ski-in/ski-out services on the groomed golf course track as well as downhill sledding in front of the building. Some of the extras include:”

Panoramic Views of the San Juan Mountains
Gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances, granite countertops, garbage disposal, and tile floors
Cable TV and High Speed Internet Access
Double insulated, sound proof common walls
Luxurious bathrooms with granite counter tops, walk-in shower, and garden tub

Living Room

Even though I exchanged my timeshare at the last minute, I received a welcome letter from Peggy Davenport the resort’s Director of Guest Services in just a few days. I called her to get some information on the resort and recommendations for activities and restaurants, and it was evident that she was not only enamored with Pagosa Springs but also with the resort itself.

I’ve done more than 50 timeshare exchanges and I’ve learned that an enthusiastic staff usually translates into much better vacation experience; not only because of a warm and friendly staff but also the quality and care of the resort. Happy employees do their jobs better.

I decided to talk with the resort manager since attitudes, good or bad, usually filter down from the top. I left a message for Lonnie Lowe and when he called back my conclusions were confirmed. Lonnie is one of the developers of The San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort as well as the resort manager so his enthusiasm would be expected, but it went beyond that.

I could tell from our brief conversation that he wanted to create an overall customer/owner experience beyond that of normal timeshare resorts and more on par with the big boys like Marriott Vacation Club, Westin and Disney Vacation Club. I’ll see when I get there. Although the resort just opened in June and I expect the units and public areas to be pristine, I developed a critical eye about judging resorts from working at the Four Seasons. So far so good.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

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Anatomy of a Timeshare Vacation: Part 2

Jeff Pierce — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:10:46 +0000

In the previous post I had checked out doing a RCI timeshare exchange to The Club at Glacier, an all inclusive timeshare at the gates of Glacier National Park. I next checked what I could pull in Interval International.

My Hilton Head timeshare week pulled a 2 bedroom, Premier resort at the San Juan Mountain and Golf Resort for September 11-18. To my pleasant surprise, the 2 bedroom was a stand alone home in “The Timbers” and not a condo. Now we’re talking.

The Timbers at San Juan Mountain Golf Resort

Here’s what their website says:

“The Timbers is a luxury vacation ownership community in Pagosa Springs. Located near the Pagosa Springs Golf Course and Recreation Center, The Timbers features nearby lakes for fishing, private walking paths, and a large pond with a water feature. The Timbers offers magnificent views of the San Juan Mountains. Some of the extras include:

Quality wood cabinetry
Dramatic vaulted ceilings
Natural gas fireplace in great room with stone and wood mantle
Gourmet kitchen with stainless appliances, granite countertops and tile floors
Cable TV and High Speed Internet Access
In-floor radiant heating
Double insulated, sound proof common walls
Luxurious bathrooms with granite counter tops, walk-in shower, garden tub, and double vanity

Anatomy of a Timeshare Vacation

Jeff Pierce — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:12:58 +0000

I was in serious need of a vacation and I had a couple of timeshare weeks banked with both RCI and Interval International. I wanted a Gold Crown or Premier resort somewhere in the mountains to get out of the heat of Scottsdale, AZ; and I wanted it in the next 2 weeks.

I first checked RCI and found the The Club at Glacier, an all inclusive spa at the gate of Glacier National Park in Montana.

The Club at Glacier Timeshare Resort

I like to drive so I Map Quested it only to find out that it would take 21 hours from my home in Scottsdale. That was out of the question so I started checking flights. I figured that I’d fly into a major hub and drive from there to save on airfare.

Flights to Salt Lake City, UT are plentiful and only about $250 round trip but that still left a 10 1/2 hour drive so I next checked flying into Spokane, WA. It looked to be a great drive and only 6 1/2 hours but the flights were at inconvenient times and cost $350. Helena, MT was about the same driving time and price but the flying time with lay overs was too long.

While looking at the map I noticed that Calgary, Alberta Canada looked fairly close and I was surprised to find it only a 3 1/2 hour drive. Now we’re talking. But I figured the international airfare would be more than I wanted to spend. Wrong again! The airfare was only $287 round trip and I could get non-stop flights on both legs of only 3 hours in length.

I’ve traveled the world but I’ve never been to Glacier Park so the trip was very intriguing to me. Here’s what I would have paid for that timeshare exchange: $525 for 7 days meals (the all inclusive fee of $75/day), $287 for the flight, about $400 for car rental and gas for a total of $1012. It’s amazing how fast you can spend $1000 these days and that didn’t include my HOA and exchange fees.

I decided to do a search in Interval International to see what I could find. I’ll talk about that in the next post.

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Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 21 years.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.

For 10 FREE videos on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to TheTimeshareExpert.com.

Interval International to Launch Short Stay Exchange

Jeff Pierce — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:32:59 +0000

Big news for Interval International and its members. According to Perspective Magazine, the industry’s most read B2B publication, II members will soon be able to exchange for less than a week. According to II it’s set to launch this spring, but other than the article in Perspective Magazine, (see below) details are lacking.

There’s nothing on the Interval International website yet but according to the article this option will only be available to Interval Gold members. I’ve never been a fan of Interval’s Gold membership. It costs an extra $54/year but this may now be worth it to many timeshare owners looking to take shorter, more frequent vacations.

How well it will work is yet to be determined. If an Interval Gold member books 4 days in a resort, the entire week has to be taken out of inventory for all II members.

Read the article below for a little more detail and save Perspective Magazine in your favorites. It’s a great timeshare resource to keep up to date with what’s happening in the timeshare industry.

According to Perspective Magazine,

“A leading global provider of vacation services, will debut its online ”ShortStay Exchange” program this spring, giving its upgraded, Interval Gold® members the opportunity to vacation in shorter increments.

“With today’s hectic schedules and tighter budgets, many consumers are opting for weekend or four-day vacations. “ShortStay Exchange” allows us to provide great value to our members by expanding the overall flexibility of the vacation ownership product,” said Sharon Freed, senior vice president of consumer marketing for with Interval International. This enhancement also will be a great selling feature at Interval-affiliated resorts, since it offers buyers the chance to tailor their vacation time to fit their needs.”

In fact, the “ShortStay Exchange” program reflects emerging consumer travel preferences. Research findings from the 2008 National Leisure Travel MONITOR show that “weekend trips” (defined as trips of four nights or less that include a Saturday) now represent 53 percent of all vacations taken by Americans.

Another program benefit is that the shorter stay encourages Interval Gold members, whether they transact in weeks or points, to trade their time for accommodations at resorts they have not previously visited, thus broadening their experiences within Interval’s ever-expanding network.”

Jeff Pierce, The Timeshare Expert, has taught thousands of timeshare owners the secrets to getting the best exchanges with both RCI and Interval International for over 18 years.

His two books, The Timeshare Exchange Bible – RCI Weeks Edition, and The Timeshare Exchange Bible – Interval International Edition, are the only and most authoritative in the timeshare industry.

I would love to have you share your opinions and personal insights on this blog.
For 3 free tips on getting a better exchange in RCI and II, go to http://www.TheTimeshareExpert.com

Sonoma Barrel Tasting Week End 3

Jeff Pierce — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:49:20 +0000

I thought I’d end this series of posts on the timeshare exchange I did to WorldMark Wine Country Sonoma with a description and pictures of the drive on Coast Highway 1 north of the wine country.

I’ve travelled the world and done many beautiful drives but this one rates as one of my favorites. I only got as far as the town of Gualala but if you want to make a full day of it, go all the way to the charming town of Mendocino.

Going west of Guerneville, a popular summer vacation spot on the Guerneville River, you’ll go through the little town of Monte Rio.

There you’ll find Northwood Golf Club an excellent, and challeging 9 hole golf course built by Allister MacKenzie. He’s the same architech that built Spy Glass in Pebble Beach and Augusta National where the Master’s Golf tournament is played. Don’t miss playing this great course. The course record is 63 for 18 holes set by Ken Venturi many years ago.

Here are a couple of pictures.

You’ll follow the river through Duncan’s Mills to where it empties into the ocean at Jenner. Find you way down to the state park where you’re likely to find many seals and sea lions lounging on the beach with Sea Otters playing in the lagoon. You can easily spend hours here.

Above the beach sits a great restaurant with really fine food and spectacular views call River’s End.

Here are some views from the restaurant.

They rent cabins as well.

If you want to pack a picnic lunch there are many places like Fisk Mill Cove to stop and enjoy it.

There are very few timeshare resorts in RCI or Interval International to exchange to in Napa and Sonoma and they’re hard to get. So make sure you plan in advance and supercharge your exchange power in RCI and II before you put in your request.

Click Here Now to supercharge your exchange power in RCI.

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