Atlas, The Vacation Owners Club FAQs

Q: What happens happens if I become an Atlas member in the middle of a year and cannot use my week in that year?
A: Your week will automatically roll over to be used in the following year – either within Atlas resorts or to book into an RCI Weeks resort.

Q: If I do not want to use my week in any year, will you rent them for me and pay my management charges from the rent derived?
A: No. But you are quite at liberty to do this privately

Q: How do I get directions to the resort I have booked?
A: Detailed directions to your resort are provided with your written confirmation.

Q: Do I need to take towels, crockery, cutlery etc..
A: These are all provided in your apartment, but for more specific information about exactly what is provided in your apartment call the resort you are visiting on the contact numbers provided in your written confirmation

Q: How long does it take to get my membership pack after I have paid my Atlas purchase price?
A: Once Hutchinson and Co Trust Company Ltd, have received the full balance of your purchase price, the enrolment lead time is approximately 6-8 weeks. Please note that the trustee cannot forward documentation to begin the enrolment process until full payment has been receive

Q: What are the useful contact numbers?
A:
>> For reservations of accommodation and travel services as well as basic enquiries, please contact your local reservations centre. The telephone numbers are given in your guide book and on this site under "Getting in touch". Please quote your Atlas membership number notified to you when you receive your welcome RCI pack when you make the call.

>> If you have been awarded a complimentary week, or would like to book a promotional bonus week from any of the Petchey Leisure publications, please contact 0034 952 850 218.

>> For all other questions, please contact Vacation Management Holdings S.L. The telephone number is 00 34 952 850 511 and email address marketing@petcheyleisure.com

Q: How do I reserve accommodation at an RCI resort rather than within Atlas?
A: After selecting the RCI Resort you wish to book, call your local reservations centre.

Q: What happens if I do not have enough weeks to make a desired reservation?
A: You can borrow weeks from next year to use this year. Just call your reservations line for more information

Q: When can I borrow weeks?
A: You can borrow your weeks from the next Use Year at any time, as long as the relevant management charges are paid on those weeks.

Q: How can I obtain more weeks?
A: If you want more weeks permanently, you can contact Petchey Leisure by clicking here.

Q: What happens if I have already paid fees in advance for RCI membership before joining Atlas?
A: Any period of RCI weeks membership running concurrently with your three years of RCI membership with Atlas will be added to those 3 years to give you a longer RCI membership period and meaning you do not loose any period of RCI membership for which you have already paid.

Q: How can we access any available weeks no matter what unit size and season we own in?
A: If you book an Atlas resort within 60 days of your travel date all rules re unit size and season are waived. For RCI bookings the same applies to bookings made within 45 days days of your travel.

Q:How do I save weeks from one year to the next?
A: With Atlas there is no need to contact us to bank/save weeks. Weeks are issued at the start of each year and automatically carry forward to the following year.

Q: How can I determine the quality of the resorts at which I will be staying?
A: All resorts affiliated to RCI are assigned a grading level. The highest grading level is Gold Crown followed by Resort of International Distinction etc. Refer to your RCI directory for more details or visit: http://www.rci.com/index

Q: How is my Use Year determined?
A: Your weeks use year runs from 1 January to 31 December each year.

Q: What if I want to send a friend or family to use my reservation?
A: Your reservation can be given to anyone you wish. You can obtain a Guest Certificate which allows your friends and/or family to take advantage of the reservation. Guests must be at least 18 years old. Some resorts, however, may have higher age requirements.

Q: How far in advance can I book?
A: Atlas weeks can be reserved up to two years in advance.

Q: What happens when I cancel a confirmed reservation?
A: For Atlas reservations, if you cancel less than 30 days from the start date of the week, you will loose the week. For any other cancellation, you will get your week back to use again. For RCI reservations, the standard RCI Rules apply, ie, Cancellations received up to 2 days before the start date of the confirmed week entitle you to request another exchange. However, the exchange priority you receive will be reduced. The later the cancellation is made the lower the priority and members will be required to pay an additional exchange fee.

Q: Can I bequeath my week to relatives or friends?
A: Absolutely. Weeks can be bequeathed to anyone providing the procedures relating to transfers of ownership are followed. Refer to your Atlas Rules for more information.

Q: Who is the Trust Company for Atlas, The Vacation Owners Club?
A: Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Ltd www.hutchtrust.co.uk

Q: What does the Trust Company do?
A: It protects the weeks in the Club so that there are always as many weeks in the Club as weeks owned by members and ensures that there are no mortgages or loans held on any of the properties in the Club. For more information about the Trust Company, go do www.hutchtrust.co.uk

Q: What are my management charges used for?
A: They are used to pay for the reservations service, customer services and the management charges of the weeks in the Club.

Q: If I do not use my week, do I still have to pay my management charges for that year?
A: Yes. All of the services which we have in place for members and the access to weeks must be maintained every year and the Club’s budgets are drawn up on the basis of members using these services. Also, all of the resorts within Atlas require payment of their annual management charges, due from Atlas, every year. But remember, if you do not use your week in one year, you will still have the option to use them in the following year, as long as the management charges for the original year have been paid.

Q: What if I have difficulties whilst on holiday visiting a resort at which the resort management appear unable or unwilling to rectify?
A: Contact RCI helpdesk (00 44) (0) 1536 31 5555 where the operators will give you help and advice.

Q: Do Resorts have specific check in days?
A: Yes. Each resort has its own check-in and check-out days. The most common day is Saturday with an afternoon check-in and morning check-out. For details on check-in and check-out days see the resort information on this website and/or your booking confirmation.

Q: Can we change our check-in day once we are confirmed?
A: Some resorts do have more than one possible check-in day but you can not change your confirmed check-in day except by contacting the reservations office through which you made your booking. Some resorts do rent out extra nights, please check with the Resort directly for availability and prices.

Q: What if we are going to be late arriving at the resort?
A: We provide you with the resort phone number in your confirmation details. If you are going to arrive late, you should call the resort to advise them of your estimated arrival time. The resort will hold your reservation as long as it has been notified in advance.

Q: What if I lose my confirmation?
A: Simply contact your reservations office and a copy of your confirmation will be forwarded to you.