Welcome to the California forum!

JWC · #1 (**permalink**) 07-16-2005, 11:28 AM

My user ID is JWC which are my initials for John Cummings. I am one of the moderators of this forum. Feel free to discuss anything you want that relates to California whether it is about timesharing or not.

I have owned at 2 coastal California resorts for many years. I have lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and currently live in the Temecula Valley in Southern California. I have used the San Francisco Exchange company exclusively for the past 9 years. Prior to that I belonged to both RCI and II. I have literally traveled every square inch of this great state.

So just post away and have fun. Hopefully any questions you have will be answered.

psrrobbins · #2 (**permalink**) 12-04-2006, 03:04 AM

John,

Just read your post. I have also owned several California ts for several years, although I recently sold my desert ones and acquired my first Coastal one (Carlsbad Inn.) I am curious, what factors or events caused you to go with SF Exchange exclusively? Personally, I joined them but never used it, so i do not have experiences to base an opinion of them. I mostly use RCI although I occasionally use Platinum Interchange. You ,along with the entire timesharing world, has an opinion on RCI. I would like to mention that PI is very good, has a good selection of resorts, and their costs to the trader is less.

JWC · #3 (**permalink**) 01-10-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psrrobbins

John,

Just read your post. I have also owned several California ts for several years, although I recently sold my desert ones and acquired my first Coastal one (Carlsbad Inn.) I am curious, what factors or events caused you to go with SF Exchange exclusively? Personally, I joined them but never used it, so i do not have experiences to base an opinion of them. I mostly use RCI although I occasionally use Platinum Interchange. You ,along with the entire timesharing world, has an opinion on RCI. I would like to mention that PI is very good, has a good selection of resorts, and their costs to the trader is less.

I have been a timeshare owner for 20 years. I own at San Luis Bay Inn - Avila Beach CA and Gaslamp Plaza Suites in downtown San Diego. San Luis Bay Inn is dual affilated with both RCI and II and I was a member of both. I canceled my RCI membership because they lied to me and then were very rude when I caught them at it. I was happy with II but I wanted to exchange into HGVC/Flamingo Las Vegas and I couldn't do it with II. I tried SFX and they were able to get the HGVC resort. That was 10 years ago. Not only did I get the week I wanted but I was able to use a bonus week for it. Since then I have used SFX exclusively because they have always been able to satisfy my requests and some of them were pretty tough. They also have many benefits such as NO 1 in 4 rule which has enabled me to exchange into the HGVC/Flamingo resort several times ( 4 in one year ) as well as do back to back consecutive weeks exchanges. There is the free upgrade, free guest certificates etc. and a general lack of restrictions and some other important perks. SFX has worked very well for me so I have no intention on trying anybody else as long as they continue to work as they have.

emba2005 · #4 (**permalink**) 01-10-2007, 08:54 PM

I own at Villa L'auberge in Del Mar, CA and have so far used SFX. I am a newbie at timesharing, but I have had a great exchange with SFX. I've exchange to Cypress Harbor in Orlando and it was great.

Roger · #5 (**permalink**) 02-02-2008, 04:02 PM

I saw negative reviews of Silver Lakes Inn and also a few on SL Vacation Club that were negative. Is is as bad as I've read?

kapish · #6 (**permalink**) 02-02-2008, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger

I saw negative reviews of Silver Lakes Inn and also a few on SL Vacation Club that were negative. Is is as bad as I've read?

This resort in Helendale, CA seems to be always available on RCI. Although I have never been to this place, I also have read several reviews suggesting it being a less than desirable "resort" out in the middle of nowhere... map

Icc5 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-02-2008, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JWC

My user ID is JWC which are my initials for John Cummings. I am one of the moderators of this forum. Feel free to discuss anything you want that relates to California whether it is about timesharing or not.

I have owned at 2 coastal California resorts for many years. I have lived in San Diego, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and currently live in the Temecula Valley in Southern California. I have used the San Francisco Exchange company exclusively for the past 9 years. Prior to that I belonged to both RCI and II. I have literally traveled every square inch of this great state.

So just post away and have fun. Hopefully any questions you have will be answered.

Hi John,
I too own 2 California Resorts, Club Donatello in S.F. and at Lawrence Welk in Escondido. We also have points with Worldmark which several are in California. Been with RCI since about 1990 and have only used them and Worldmark. Hope to follow your forum to stay informed.
Thanks for the new Forum
Bart

katiemack · #8 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 12:34 AM

We had the misfortune of staying at the Silver Lakes resort. We would never, ever go there again. If you want further info, let me know.

JWC · #9 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Icc5

Hi John,
I too own 2 California Resorts, Club Donatello in S.F. and at Lawrence Welk in Escondido. We also have points with Worldmark which several are in California. Been with RCI since about 1990 and have only used them and Worldmark. Hope to follow your forum to stay informed.
Thanks for the new Forum
Bart

I have since sold my San Luis Bay Inn timeshare a few months ago so we just own at Gaslamp Plaza Suites now. Since I have retired, we are dong less and less timeshare trips and many more non-timeshare ones.

I live just 30 miles north of Lawrence Welk. We often go to their theater. In fact we are going to See "Oklahoma" there in a few weeks.

JWC · #10 (**permalink**) 02-03-2008, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kapish

This resort in Helendale, CA seems to be always available on RCI. Although I have never been to this place, I also have read several reviews suggesting it being a less than desirable "resort" out in the middle of nowhere... map

Several years ago, we stayed there one night on bonus time when we were driving back home from Las Vegas. It definitely lives up to the reviews. It is basically a converted motel in the middle of nowhere. The nearest city is Barstow which is pretty small and definitely not one of the nicer cities of California