silver elite diamond

This morning, I had a newspaper waiting on my doorstep.
It's been the first one all month.

When you join a club, you expect to have special treatment when you are there, don't you?
Something to signify your investment in the group?
Some particular regard afforded you, to distinguish you as a member?

I have belonged to Diamond Resorts ever since it bought out Sunterra.
I had loved being part of Sunterra.
I had belonged to Sunterra ever since it bought out Epic Resorts.

I had joined that first club as my mother was dying. The club would allow me to have equity in the property, something I could bequeath to my heirs. The club would also make sure I took a good vacation, somewhere, every year. The club also used points, a much flexible option than fixed weeks.
In addition to those benefits of actually investing in Epic Resorts, I also received an espresso maker and a bicycle. The espresso maker became a Christmas gift for a friend. The bicycle went to my middle brother, to allow him to get to work.
Sharing the wealth, so to speak.

When Sunterra come on, I was skeptical at first. The points I was awarded were less than the number I'd had with Epic. That was a big concern.
But there were more places to go.
More places to explore.
Also, they seemed to genuinely listen to my concerns about the changes.
That was very good.
As I said, I loved being part of that group.

Then Diamond Resorts came on.
The people with this group ACT like they listen, but mostly they just hear you talking.
You know the difference, right?
They have the absolute worst communication amongst their sales staff, which is split into two types.
First, there are the Sales people, who get paid by commission. Their only function is to get you to sign on the dotted line. They will promise you anything, true or not, so you better do some homework beforehand. They also are carefully trained to respond to your questions and answers, to make sure they make you feel special. Sales people like Bill England, for example, who are so adept at lying to your face, even if you have tears streaming down.
Second, there are the Vacation Counselors. On the surface, they are the ones who give "Owner Updates", not sales presentations. What's the difference? Well, with the Update, they are to answer any questions you may have, as to how to better use your points to your advantage. They do listen much more so than the Sales people do, too, apparently.
After all, I had complained to Mindy Santana (at Crescent Resort in South Beach) about the same thing as I had to Christopher Leblanc (at Mystic Dunes in Kissimmee). I had told both of them about the genuine lack of special treatment given to me at every Diamond property. What was the point of being a Silver Elite owner with Diamond Resorts International if I received the same faceless regard as those vacationers having a "free" three-day-two-night sales pitch weekend?

I say "every" Diamond property treated me as just another pocketbook to be opened, but that is not true. One place, and that one place ONLY, treats me as a cherished member of this "Vacations For A Lifetime" club. Ever since the window washer incident of 2012, I have been given celebrity-quality treatment.
The manager at Daytona Beach Regency, John Betros, has been superb.
As I have told every Diamond Resorts person I have spoken to, they would do well to emulate Mr. Betros. He listens and responds to any and all concerns. He assures that any issues are dealt with promptly and resolved... and never recur. He even seems to have made a note that I prefer oceanside corner suites and tries to accommodate that desire. Sure, sometimes I have to make do with an ocean view instead.
(smile)
But I am ALWAYS warmly, and genuinely, welcomed and the front desk clerk checks in with him to let him know I have arrived.
I am ALWAYS given a wide berth by the concierge, receiving no harassing phone calls during my vacation.
I am ALWAYS awarded free internet service.
And I am ALWAYS greeted with a free newspaper on my doorstep on weekday mornings.

I had no newspaper at Fairway Forest in Sapphire, NC, during the second week of June. I was there for most of a week, but never a newspaper. True, that property is an "Affiliated" entity, so I suppose that is the reason for the lapse in that special perk. I was also the very first Diamond Resorts owner to ever stay with them, so perhaps they were not even aware of the perquisite due to me.
I had to unplug the phone to stop the calls from the concierge about an "Owner Update".
The internet service was free, so that was good.

I had no newspaper at Mystic Dunes in Kissimmee, FL, last week. That time, I was there for an entire week. At a Diamond Resorts property. True, I was there on my Silver Sampler membership, but you would think that an actual OWNER would still merit that slight perk, right?
Apparently they did not.
I still had to unplug the phone to stop the early morning calls.. Before my arrival, I had set up a time to meet with the sales staff, in compliance with my being there on the Silver Sampler. I had even confirmed the meeting when I checked in, even changing it to an earlier day, for their convenience.
That made no difference. I still received phone calls from the resort.
I had free internet service, even though the paperwork had said there was a fee. That must have pertained to non-owners.

I had no newspaper earlier this week, at Crescent Resort in South Beach, FL. I understand this is a newly acquired property. Perhaps they did not know of the perk for owners, either.
Here, I decided to sign up for the "Owner Update" upon my arrival. The concierge told me I would receive three $50 gift cards in return for 55 minutes of my time.
Sure, my vacation time was for sale for $150 per hour! (The meeting with Mindy actually went on for 90 minutes and only ended when I pointed out the time.)
The phone there never, ever, rang. I didn't even have to unplug it.
The internet service was free, but incredibly slow. (Honestly, it was almost like being on the old dial-up modems. Remember those days?)

Today, I am at Polynesian Isles, Phase 4, in Kissimmee, FL.
This is my first day here.
And I have a newspaper.
Even though I am only here for two days.
Maybe someone at Diamond Resorts is finally listening to me.
I do wish Stephen J. Cloobeck would.
Maybe he should pose as an Undercover Vacationer and see what happens.
THAT would be a show I would watch.