Let’s look at an example:

Lucy and Ricky Ricardo owned a week at the Falls.  During their annual week vacation in March, they attended an owner’s update and after learning about the InnSeason Vacation Club, they decided to convert their week to Points.  After the conversion was complete, they ended up with 65,000 Points annually.  Not a bad number of Points if you are one to take short getaway trips and last-minute exchanges for discounted Points.

For the first year of their Vacation Club membership, they were able to book the following reservations:

2 nights (3/6-3/8) at InnSeason Resorts Pollard Brook in a 1 Bedroom unit for 18,000 Points

2 nights (5/13-5/15) at InnSeason Resorts The Falls at Ogunquit in a 1 Bedroom unit for 18,000 Points

4 nights (11/4-11/8) at InnSeason Resorts Captain’s Quarters in a 1 Bedroom unit for 26,000 Points.

They accrued 3,000 Points on June 30th.

(All Points used were based on the 2012 Points Grid)

After trying out the other locations, the Ricardos realized that they really loved the Falls at Ogunquit and would like to book a week in late May or early June every year since they loved coastal Maine but at a different time than their old week used to be.

The Falls at Ogunquit

Looking back at their Points grid, they found that the spring weeks at the Falls are worth 90,000 Points for a full seven night stay.  In order to make sure that they are able to book the week that they want to have, they will have to make sure that they own enough annual Points  in order to book that reservation 12 months in advance.  Owning 65,000 Points and wanting to book a 90,000 Point week, clearly they have an issue.

In this instance, the Ricardos would be best off calling their sales representative and discussing their options for purchasing more Points.  The reason behind purchasing more Points rather than prepaying and borrowing the Points is simple.  If you borrow Points, you fall into the same 4 month booking window as accrued Points.  By owning the amount of Points needed on an annual basis, then you simply pre-pay your annual Club Fees and book a year ahead.  No 4 month window to hinder you from getting the week of vacation you desire!

After the Ricardos upgrade their Club membership and now own 110,000 Points (they wanted a little extra so they could still take a weekend to themselves somewhere else within the Vacation Club).  That means they are now able to book using those Points a year in advance.

Having more Points allows them to book a year in advance without any of the hassle of accrued Points or borrowing Points.  If they decide in June of 2012 that they want to book the same week in June of 2013, they simply need to prepay their 2013 Points and then use their 2013 Points to book the June week.

It all depends on how you plan on using your Vacation Club membership.  If, after the first year of using the Club, you find that you want to take more vacations, longer vacations, or a vacation during a higher Point season and it’s something that you plan on doing quite often in the future, the best option is to purchase more Points.  This will help you open up the booking window and allow you to use that 12 month booking window in order to book the reservation you wish to have!

Escape to the Cape in the early spring for a few days. Mid-week on the Cape in early April is only 6,500 points per night!  Or plan now to spend a week in NH this summer. Kids love it. Biking, hiking, water parks, zip lines, trained bears and great swimming pools….all the things kids love. But you have to plan now to secure accommodations. Summer is prime time everywhere and availability is limited.

Make sure your fees are paid, grab a calendar and call. 800-228-2968. This summer, when you are relaxing poolside with the family you’ll be a hero…and you’ll be glad you did.

Note: “Accrued points” can be used to book stays within 4 months or less, as well.

Perhaps some of you will be getting skis or ski clothes from Santa. In any case, January is the perfect time to head up to Lincoln. There is snow. Both Loon and Cannon have that covered. And it is simply less crowded…and if you go mid-week…you’ll never come back on a weekend. You’ll save money and have the slopes to yourself!!

Loon offers lessons in skiing and boarding starting at age 3!  Daycare too. What better time to learn. The staff is trained, and kids, well they seem to listen better to professional instructors, and it affords you time to enhance your skills!  Cannon Mountain has the world famous Tuckerbrook Family Area – 4 lifts, and 13 trails designed and built just for families.  And the prices are great. The trick is to call now. Plan today, so that your family can spend some time together this winter.  Call 800-228-2968 and book your winter getaway today!!!

To this end, we here at the Falls at Ogunquit are trying to raise funds in support of this organization during the month of December.  We are offering a night’s stay at the low rate of $65 from December 1-December 29, excluding weekends, when you contribute at least $50 to this Preservation Fund.

Reservations must be made in advance directly through the resort at 207-646-4600 and your contribution must be presented at check-in in the form of a check for $50 (or more!). This discount cannot be combined with other discounts or packages.

If you want to learn more about this fund, visit their website at www.marginalwayfund.org.

Everyone knows Newport best for the Mansions.  These sprawling summer “cottages” were once the home to the great American industrialist and captains of industry.

The Breakers

The Breakers is the largest of the Newport Mansions and probably the most impressive and most frequently visited.  The Marble House is a personal favorite and has a beautiful, almost exact replica of the ballroom at Versailles as well as a gorgeous authentic Chinese Tea Room on the back lawn  Rosecliff is one of the smaller but still equally impressive mansion.  Each mansion provides guided tours and offers a breathtaking glimpse into the lives of some of America’s most wealthy families.

Newport did not earn the nickname “The Sailing Capitol of the World” without good reason!  The Museum of Yachting is the perfect place for any sailing enthusiast out there!  Combining exhibits with workshops and events throughout the year, there’s always something to experience at this museum featuring one of Newport’s favorite past-times.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame

Tennis players and fans will love a visit to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.  With more than 20,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, guests will be able to learn the history of tennis as well as the Newport Casino, the building the museum is housed in.  The birth of US Open was seen on the grass court located on the grounds and today is the site of the annual Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.  You can even rent some court time and play on these historic grass courts!

Newport Harbor Light

If you want to have more of an adventure, spend some time tracking down the many lighthouses that dot the shoreline of this Ocean State city and brush up on your pharology (the study of lighthouses).  Many of these lighthouses can be visited and toured.  Not only will you enjoy some beautiful sights, you’ll also get to explore Newport, Jamestown, and some of Bristol County while searching for these beacons of light that helped the ships safely navigate the shores of Rhode Island.

For the history buff – Newport is a virtual treasure trove of historical spots!  The first incarnation of Fort Adams was built in 1702 during the War of Spanish Succession.  Throughout American history, Fort Adams has provided protection to Newport and the cities on Narragansett Bay.  Today, Fort Adams is best known for hosting the Newport Folk Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, and it’s fantastic tours of the grounds.

Rhode Island got its start as a state with religious tolerance when Roger Williams left Massachusetts Bay Colony to create a place where he could worship freely.  Newport is a shining example of where Roger William’s legacy lives on.  Visit many of the old churches and synagogues to learn the history of how they were built and admire the colonial architecture.  Most of the places of worship still have active congregations!  Some of the more famous are Trinity Church, the Touro Synagogue, and the Great Friends Meeting House – all of which offer tours.

Touro Synagogue

Looking for more of a nightlife?  Newport won’t disappoint!  With some great dining options, great live music locations, and a nearby slots casino, there’s something for everyone at night.

Dinner options abound in Newport.  For fine dining – there are so many to choose from!  The Spiced Pear is one of the finest restaurants in all of Newport.  Famous for its New England Tasting Menu, this would be the perfect spot to enjoy a romantic evening or celebrate an anniversary!  Looking for some surf and turf?  Make reservations at 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille.  With the best of the sea and the best of locally grown produce, this restaurant sure to make for an enjoyable evening.

Want a more casual dining experience – don’t worry – Newport has that covered too!  Visit the Barking Crab and enjoy some of the best seafood in Newport! Or stay close to the Newport Bay Club and check out the Rhino Bar and Grille; Newport’s only Multi-Club destination! Each night of the week features great specials and dancing or live music.

Looking for more of an adrenaline rush?  Then head over to the Newport Grand and have fun at the poker and blackjack slots or take in some comedy or live music in the event center.  Whatever you choose to do, make sure you have fun doing it!

And let’s not forget, no trip to Newport would be complete without stopping at Newport Creamery for the signature Awful Awful – one of the best “drinks” you’ll ever have! What makes this treat so tasty is that it not only uses ice cream, milk, and flavored syrup like most Frappes and Cabinets do, it also uses a secret frozen ice milk mix which is why this “drink” will leave you wanting more!

Newport Creamery's Awful Awful

This is just a sampling of what Newport has to offer.  Find out more on your own trip there!  Book your stay at the Newport Bay Club today by calling Vacation Club Reservations at 800-228-2968 and have your own adventure in Newport!  We’d love to hear where you went and what you tried so feel free to leave us your own Newport tips after you come back!

Narragansett Bay and the Newport Bridge

Behind the brick building facade, there are one and two bedroom suites and townhouses.  Each unit is comfortably set up with one queen bed per bedroom and a queen sized pull-out sofa in the living room area.  The living and dining areas allow your family to enjoy breakfast before going out to explore for the day or relax after a day of shopping.

The Newport Bay Club

All units (with the exception of the two bedroom Suite) have a galley kitchen.  The galley kitchen comes equipped with a 5.0 cubic fridge, a microwave, glassware, silver and cookware, and coffee maker.  These units do not have stove, however, in Newport there is certainly not a lack of dining options!

Galley Kitchen

The bathrooms are elegant with a marble shower that allows you to live like the millionaires!  Also, each unit has television with cable tv, DVD player, DVD rentals through the Front Desk, and free Wi-Fi throughout the resort.

Living room/Dining area

Once you settle into your luxurious room, there are many other wonderful features of this resort in the “Sailing Capital of the World.”  Enjoy continental breakfast every morning starting at 8 am complete with coffee, juice, and all of your favorite breakfast treats!  Every morning, the front desk will gladly provide you with your choice of complimentary newspaper, either the Providence Journal or USA Today.

If you have one danish too many, don’t worry, take advantage of the resort’s Bay Club Fitness room with treadmills, recumbent bikes, and cross trainers.  If you’re not a fan of those machines, you also have full access to the Newport Athletic Club in neighboring Middletown, which boasts a wonderful swimming pool.

Bay Club Fitness room

In the evening, enjoy the sunset over Narragansett Bay and the Newport Bridge on one of the two rooftop observation decks.  Feel free to enjoy a drink while enjoying the show!

Not looking to go out and explore Newport?  Schedule yourself an in-room massage with the on-site licensed massage therapist.  Also if you forgot something while packing, there is a small variety store located on the first floor.

Start planning your trip to Newport and call 800-228-2968 to book your room today!

So, as with all things, it’s best to start at the very beginning.  What is the Vacation Club?

You attended a Vacation Club Presentation where you purchased and chances are that you had the Club described as a Points program and a great way to vacation throughout the world (a very basic paraphrase, I’m sure).  It is all of that and then some however, does that really explain what it is?

In order to fully understand the Vacation Club and how your Points work, we need to understand some basic concepts of traditional (weeks) timeshare.  With traditional timeshare, owners purchased a specific week and unit number at one specific resort.  That meant that every year, you and your family would go to your unit and enjoy your week of vacation.  If you didn’t want to go to the resort, you could rent the unit out and collect some rental revenue to use as you like.  Yet another option would be to deposit the week and make an exchange through your exchange company for another resort somewhere within the exchange system.  Pretty basic concept.  One unit, one week, three options to use.

Now, think of each resort with weeks that are owned by owners with those options.  52 weeks in a year, 100 rooms per resort – about 5200 owners at a resort if one person owned each and every week separately.

We all know that isn’t the case though.  There are some resorts where yes, each and every unit for each week of the year is owned by one person but here is where the Vacation Club comes into the picture and makes timeshare and vacation ownership a whole new game.

The Vacation Club is set up as a Deed in Trust.  That means that every member is a member of that deed.  When a member purchases into the Vacation Club, they purchase a set amount of Points.  Those Points are then matched up to a piece of inventory that correlates to the amount of Points purchased and the Vacation Club then purchases that piece of inventory from the developer and puts it into the Trust.

Once the piece of inventory is purchased and entered into the Trust, that inventory is then made available for everyone in the Club to use on a first come, first serve basis.  Unlike traditional timeshare, there is not just one piece of inventory at one resort, for one week attached to your Points.  Any piece of inventory owned by the trust (as long as it’s available for booking) is able to be reserved using your Points.

Another great thing about this method of Vacation Ownership is that the Vacation Club can go to other resorts and purchase more Vacation Club inventory as it is made available.  So, in our case, we have branded resorts that represent where the majority of the Vacation Club Inventory is owned.  Keep in mind that most of these resorts were previously sold as traditional timeshare, meaning that there are still traditional timeshare owners at these properties and the Vacation Club does not own every week and every unit at these properties.  As we speak to more traditional owners at the InnSeason Vacation Club Resorts and they convert to Vacation Club members, the amount of inventory in the Vacation Club Trust will grow in relation to those converted members.

The Vacation Club also seeks out high-quality resorts outside of the InnSeason Vacation Club brand.  These resorts where the Vacation Club owns inventory are known as DestINNation resorts.  Currently the Vacation Club has six official DestINNation resorts in some diverse locations – all of which were requested by current Vacation Club members!

So, knowing now that the Vacation Club owns selected weeks and units at selected properties, we know that the any given week at any resort in the Vacation Club will have a mix of inventory that looks similar to this:

Numbers are not exact - this is just an example

As you can see, during any week, there is a mix of owners.  Of the 76 units at InnSeason Resorts Falls at Ogunquit, 40% of those units are owned by traditional timeshare owners.  20% of those units have been deposited to the exchange company and owners of other timeshare resorts have exchanged into the unit.  30% of the units are owned by the Vacation Club and are booked by Vacation Club members using their Points.  The Developer may own 5% of the units and there may also be 5% of the units that are owned by delinquent owners who have not paid their annual fees which means they are not able to use their week but the homeowner’s association must re-coup some of the operating costs by renting the unit.

Understanding how the Vacation Club is set up through its inventory is key to understanding how to use your Points to get the vacations you wish to enjoy.

Our next post will go into the different types of membership within the Vacation Club and what that means when it’s time to book your yearly vacation.

32 Members were in attendance and we were happy to have them there with some great questions and comments about how they have been able to use their Points.  In talking with the members, we heard that there is some interest in St. Croix,  Alaska, and anywhere that the sun, surf and sand are plentiful.  We also had some of the members express interest in traveling to Las Vegas and Italy.  All great vacations  just waiting to happen!

Chenay Bay Beach Resort

One of the biggest tips given was to log in to the Owner’s Inn and familiarize yourself with your account.  Look at all the menu options.  Figure out what can be done online and save yourself a phone call or a stamp depending on what you’re trying to do.

Exchanging was also another topic that was discussed and in the near future, there will be blog posts with more information regarding exchanging.

The next VCU will be held in October and another is already being planned for November.  If you haven’t yet attended one, be sure to keep your eye on your email.  They are limited in size but with this new format, they will be happening more frequently throughout the year, so the chances of your ability to attend one should be better.

As always, if you ever have any questions regarding your InnSeason Vacation Club Membership, please feel free to contact us at innseason@vriresorts.com or by phone at 800-228-2968 to discuss your account with an InnSeason Reservation Agent.

Many of you joined the InnSeason Vacation Club  because you too love to vacation on Cape Cod.  That is why we are happy to share with you another great DestINNation where you can use your Points!  The Riverview Resort in South Yarmouth, MA is a wonderful place to visit and enjoy the best of Cape Cod.

Located centrally in South Yarmouth, the Riverview Resort offers the perfect spot to enjoy your Cape Cod vacation.  Located on scenic Parker’s River in South Yarmouth,  the Riverview Resort boasts 44 well-equipped rooms ranging from Studio to 2 Bedroom.  All rooms come with a partial kitchen which includes a mini-fridge, microwave, toaster, and coffee maker.  Wi-Fi is also available in all of the rooms.

On property, there are many wonderful amenities to enjoy.  Riverview Resort boasts a beautiful indoor pool and hot tub. Both are open from 8am – 10pm daily.  Please be cautious as there is no lifeguard on duty.

Another unique feature for this resort is the community kitchen.  Since the town of Yarmouth does not allow for cooking in the units, the resort has created a community kitchen where you may go and cook meals.  In addition to the community kitchen, there is also a wonderful barbecue area with picnic tables overlooking the river for you and your family to enjoy.

Also on property, you will have access to the fitness room, game room with pool table, and DVD rentals, and a great outdoor play area with games.

A major benefit of staying at this property is the fact that it is literally in the middle of Cape Cod.  This means that you can do the day trip into Falmouth and check out Woods Hole or you can drive in the other direction and have a great day sitting on Coast Guard Beach at the National Seashore!

Since Riverview Resort is a DestINNation resort for the Vacation Club, that means you may use your Points to book a reservation at this resort and you do not have to pay an exchange fee!

Get planning and get ready to have a wonderful Cape Cod vacation!  Call Owner Services at 800-228-2968 to book your stay today!