AGM update

It has been confirmed that there was insufficient quorum on 28th June, so the adjourned meeting shall be held at Ballroom Level 1, Heritage Hotel, Ipoh on Saturday, 19th July 2008 at 11am.

See you there.

Some vacation packing tips

Vacation packing tips are useful as a reminder for the well travelled vacation taker but for those just planning to go on a vacation, the following tips are invaluable.

1. Choose your vacation luggage carefully. While togetherness is great, it's advisable for each of you to pack at least one bag of your own for clothes and toiletries.

2. Select vacation bags with wheels. Even garment bags come on rollers these days, so there's no need for anyone to wrench his back before the big night. And you won't feel so guilty including everything you'd like to pack.

3. Pack right for the weather. You wouldn't carry the same things on a safari vacation as you would on a trip to the tropics or Europe.

4. Going someplace where you'll need to dress for dinner? Place sports jackets, pressed shirts, and dresses in a shared garment bag. If possible, keep them separated by dry cleaners' plastic or tissue paper to avoid wrinkling.

4. Roll, rather than fold, vacation garments. It saves packing space and also can cut down on wrinkles.

5. Make sure your name, home, and vacation address are on a luggage tag and somewhere inside the bag you pack as well.

6. Pack your carry-on bag carefully. Pieces do get lost. Travel with one complete change of clothes, vital medicines, and sundries you can't live without in your carry-on.

7. Know what size carry-on your airline permits, and how many pieces are permitted on board.

8. Hate to shlep heavy shoes, books, and/or sporting equipment? Make life easy for yourselves: Send it ahead via any available courier service, and arrange with your hotel to hold it until your arrival.

9. If you're on a budget, pack things like sunscreen, sunglasses, and skin lotion rather than planning to buy them at a vacation resort, where they're often expensive.

10. Make a photocopy of all your credit cards that shows numbers clearly. Pack a copy for yourself and leave the original with a trustworthy friend.

Reselling of membership

Under section 2 subsection 8 of our HGVC trust deed (section 2.8), it states;

No Obligation to Repurchase
Without affecting the Operator's rights contained in Clause
21.1 of this Deed, the Operator shall not be obligated or required under any circumstances whatsoever to repurchase the Timeshare Memberships at the request of the Timeshare Members or anyone of them.

Is it not clear that there should not be any agents acting on their behalf to solicit for membership resale?

Reselling Your Timeshare

Unscrupulous companies typically contact you by phone, mail or the Internet asking you to call a phone number about your timeshare. The salesperson may claim that the market is "hot" for resales, when in fact the market varies considerably depending on location and the prime season for that particular unit. For an advance fee of about RM300 to RM700, some salespeople promise to sell your timeshare for a price equal to or greater than your purchase price. They may claim to have a list of sales agents and potential buyers. While the seller may possess these lists, it is unlikely the parties are interested buyers. To further entice you, they may promise a money-back guarantee or a government bond if they can not sell your timeshare within a certain amount of time.

In the end some owners have found that their timeshare did not sell, their fee was not returned and they were given a bond worth as little as RM60 to RM70. If you are considering reselling your timeshare and are approached by a company offering to help, the Better Business Bureau recommends the following:

Do not agree to anything over the telephone until you have had a chance to check out the company.

Ask the person to send you written materials.
Ask for references, including address and phone number and contact them.
Ask where the company is located and in what states it does business.
Ask if the company's salespeople are licensed to sell real estate where your timeshare is located. If so, verify this with the state licensing board.
Find out if the company charges a commission. Do they handle the entire closing and provide escrow services? Do they charge an up-front listing or advertising fee? What does it cover and is it refundable?

Be wary of companies charging an advance "appraisal" fee for services. Consider opting for a company that offers to sell for a fee only after the timeshare is sold.
Contact the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org), state Attorney General's office, and local consumer protection agencies in the state where the company is located to find out if complaints have been lodged against the company. If you have any complaints against any marketing agent, you may also try http://www.complaints.com.my

Keep in mind that there are other resale options. You may try selling your timeshare yourself, by placing an ad in a newspaper or magazine, or contacting a real estate agent familiar with the area. If all the timeshares have been sold in your development, consider asking the seller to establish an on-site resale office. As an alternative, you may consider an exchange program. For a fee, these programs allow you to arrange trades with other resort units in different locations.

Booking efficiency

Last Friday 20th June 2008, I did a fax booking for one night at M-Suites, Johore Bahru. This morning on 24th June 2008, I received a confirmed booking by fax. This paves a path towards a happy membership with HGVC. I certainly hope that such services will continue.

Keep up the good work at the management of Heritage Grand Vacation Club.

AGM reminder 28th June 2008

Come and support your Liason Committee at the 8th AGM to be held at Ballroom Level 1, Heritage Hotel, Ipoh on Saturday, 28th June 208 at 11am or at the adjourned AGM (same location) on Saturday, 19th July 2008 at 11am. If you wish to get some more details, you may contact Mr. Liew Thim Mun (membership 100906/I) by email, tmliew@streamyx.com or voice 017-8888 381.

HGVC latest destination - Sabah

Radius International Hotel, Waterfront, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah is a newest and stylish “ BOUTECH ” concept hotel as the Group’s first “ BOUTECH ” Hotel in the region. The term “ BOUTECH ” is the combination of the words “boutique” and “technology” to reflects the size of the hotel and the technologically skewered infrastructural interior design. The hotel was design to not just fit today’s needs but also for the needs and changes of tomorrow.

The hotel is located on the 7 th Floor of Warisan Square, a shopping centre in the middle of Kota Kinabalu. Guest will find an easy walking access to all local attractions, commercial districts, retail, eating and entertainment facilities. Just 10 minutes away from Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Nature and adventure, Islands and beaches, golfing and diving, all these are interesting offering available in Sabah, The Land Below The Wind .


How to get there? Click on map to get larger picture.

Latest resorts

List of Resorts open to members as at June 2008
==========================
Local
-----
1. Heritage Hotel Ipoh, JLn Raja Hilir,Perak - Superior room
2. Heritage Hotel Cameron Highlands, Tanah Rata, Pahang - Superior room
3. Butterworth Travel Lodge, Loron Bagan Luar, Butterworth, Penang - Standard Twin room

Additional local resorts
-----------------------
4. Zon Regency Hotel (Eden Garden)Komplek Bebas Cukai JB Stulang Laut - Std Twin room
5. Copthorne Orchid Hotel (since November 2007), Penang
6. Cititel Express Kuala Lumpur
7. The M Suites, JLn Skudai, Johor Bahru - Tropical Studio Suite
8. City Bayiew, Jln Hang Tuah, Melaka - Superior room
9. Genting Permai Park & Resort, 10Km Genting Higlands, Pahang - 3-Bdroom Apartment
10. Pangkor Puteri Resorts, Jln Pasir Bogak, Perak - 2Bdrom Apartment
11. Paradise Lagoon Hotel, Port Dickson, Negri Semibilan - 2-Bdroom Apartment
12. Sutra Beach Rsort, Kg. Rhu Tapai, Setiu Terengganu - Std/Twin Bedroom
13. Holiday Villa Cherating, Kuantan, Pahang - Std/Deluxe room
14. Stanford Hotel, Jln T.A.Rahman, Kuala Lumpur - Std Twin room
15. Radius International, Warisan Sq, Kota Kinabalu - rooms/suites

Others
------
16. Aseania Seaview Resort, Jln Pantai Tengah, Pualu Langkawi - Superior room
17. Country Villas Kajang, Country Heights Kajang, Selangor - 3-Bdroom Apartments
18. Royal Crown Hotel, Phuket, Thailand - Superior room
19. Best Western Resort Country Club, New Dehli, India - 2-Bdroom Apartment