Momof5

Hi

My hubby and I think we may join the Marriott Vacation Ownership club (we have also want to look at Starwoods). We are going for a 4 day trip because of it.

Wanted to know if you joined, how do you like it. Is it easy to trade or (I guess) book out ( my firned says that can make some money??)your weeks you do not use. Are they nice? Do you feel you have gotten your moneys worth? Depending on the property is there a price difference? Is location that important? Ever hated the place you recieved? Easy to deal with etc.

I would rather ask the experts then some sales guy and get my information before I go. I was talked into this trip and hope it is a good one. My hubby wondered if their are bad ones or a bad location to buy from. Again excuse any mis reference we are going by what my friend said and she just bought 6 weeks (some over holidays).

We do travel 2 or 3 times a year and love to travel outside the USA to.

Thank you for all detials, prices and good and bad experiences. Thanks in advance

DebitNM

I have heard of many negatives and few positives of doing this. There have been quite a few threads on here about same subject. DO your HOMEWORK - it is easy to get caught up in these and think you are getting the deal of the century. The sales people are experts and can juggle numbers and wow you like you won't believe.

One thing is certain -- DO NOT buy from salesmen, buy a resale IF you are going to buy. You will pay a lot and they will overwhelm you with reasons that make it seem like a great idea. If you are going to use it ok, but don't buy it for investment.

Read some of those other timeshare threads:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34889520

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34870756

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...id=1&tid=82567

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34980366

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=34949757


Hope this helps...
Debi

Momof5

Thank you Debi

I will check them out, I agree it can be overwhelming.

You are awesome!

laurenzo

Hi momof5. I have never bought a timeshare but have been to a few presentations and have been very tempted. I did a bunch of research on timeshares when I returned from the last one and decided if we do buy, it will be a resale. There are a couple of companies that have large inventories of resale...
check ebay, bidshares.com and google holiday group (I think that is the name). I googled timeshare resales and looked that way. They really go down in value so you can get a good price on a resale for starwood, marriott, or hyatt. Good luck to you

Momof5

Thank you laurenzo. I will check it out. This is my dilema are they really worth it? Does a family really save money or just another thing I hae to plan a year in advance. I will have to think long and hard if I really want one but if I do it will be a resale. I wonder how much they cost in comparison to a new one.

Thanks again!

gail

Also do some math - compare cost of ownership with cost of equivalent rental for about 10 years.

And don't listen to whatever friend says you can make money on these - the only peopole who believe that work in sales for timeshares.

Unless something turns around in timeshares, they do not have resale value - as evidenced by all the timeshares for sale on the secondary market at discount prices.

So if you do this, go into it with your eyes open and not hidden behind the rose colored glasses of the salespeople. Never buy on the spot when they finish their sales presentation. If they will not let you think about it for a day or so, run. Who spends that kind of money without getting time to think about it? I know several families who are happy with their timeshares - but there are also horror stories. If you buy, buy it to use - not as an investment, for resale, etc.

And my guess of doing math over 10 years of ownership is based on observation that that is a reasonable time span after which an individual's family, vacation preferences, economic situation changes, especially if you have kids.

iceeu2

Momof5, check out timeshareforums.com
There are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable people there and Marriott has it's very own forum.

You might also go to tugbbs.com and get good advice also.

Just from reading, I would think Marriott is top of the line in vacation ownership.

dolciani

We own 2 Marriott Timeshares and have had very positive experiences from our ownership. I disagree that you should buy your timeshare 2nd hand - if you do not buy through Marriott, then you cannot trade your timeshare for points. Trading your timeshare for marriott points is a great advantage some years - it enables you to stay in Marriott and Renaissance hotels all over the world and for time periods that are less than a week (your timeshare trades are only for weeks at a time). We have used our timeshare ownership to travel to Hawaii (twice), the Caribbean (often), Spain, California, Florida, Costa Rica, South America, and Mexico. The nice thing about the Marriott is that it has a standard so you always know what the rooms are like. Go for the 4 day trip and explore - but don't buy until you have seen more than one of the properties that you might enjoy. Marriott will offer you many discounted trips to listen to their sales pitch - once you are an owner, you are often excluded from these sales pitch trip opportunities are discounted rates.

Momof5

Wow, you know I knew there were smart people out there in Fodor land but great answers. Yo have me really thinking. Thank you agian for all the advice I will try and follow it all.
Keep it coming.

lvk

Judging by your screen name, you have children. The number one complaint of parents of school-aged children is the low availability during the typical school vacation times, even if you try to book a year in advance. The salesmen will have a slick answer for this, I am sure, but don't believe them.

If you have the flexibility to travel outside of these times, you have a lot more choices.

Before you go, do an Ebay search on completed auctions for the Marriotts/Starwoods in your preferred areas. Be sure to take note the # of bedrooms, whether it is a "red" week, and whether it is annual or bi-ennial. This way, you will be armed with the knowledge of the prices on the re-sale market.

mamajo

I second what Iceeu2 says...go to Timeshare forums and/or Timeshare Users Group (www.tugbbs.com) and ask the people who own timeshares. Definitely do your homework before you buy...and buy resale and save a lot of money. But LEARN FIRST.

artlover

We have a Marriott timeshare and I would suggest only buy resale. Happy with it? Well, let's put it this way--it "forces" DH to take vacations, so in that way, yes, I'm happy. Trading through Interval International isn't always easy, but we have stayed in really nice places in Mallorca, Costa del Sol (Marriott there was great), Mougin, and SF as well as local places in the Pacific Northwest. Check out tug2.net for some great information on this.