Who has the best timeshare on the market?

[Melder]

Who has the best timeshare offering on the market? I have a family member, who keeps asking me for advice. She is wanting to purchase a resale. There are so many to choose from…. Hyatt, VRI, Bluegreen, Westgate, Hilton, HGVC, Marriott, Starwood, Wyndham, DVC, Silverleaf, Holiday Inn, Worldmark

I own and only know about Wyndham. Are there better ones out there? What resources could I use to compare?

 

[MOXJO7282]

Who has the best timeshare offering on the market? I have a family member, who keeps asking me for advice. She is wanting to purchase a resale. There are so many to choose from…. Hyatt, VRI, Bluegreen, Westgate, Hilton, HGVC, Marriott, Starwood, Wyndham, DVC, Silverleaf, Holiday Inn, Worldmark

I own and only know about Wyndham. Are there better ones out there? What resources could I use to compare?

It really depends on the travel wishes and the travel profile of the individuals looking to buy.

We should create a questionnaire for newbies that pose this questions because it comes in frequently and the answers could vary widely depending on wishes and profile.

My feedback would be unless they want to go to prime time resorts during prime season there really is no need to purchase anything because there are so many legit rental offers out there that you don't need to buy to go to some nice resorts at a good rental price without the initial outlay of the purchase and the risk of having something that you may not want to own down the road.

It is different if you're looking to go to prime resorts during prime season because during those times the demand allows owners to charge a premium rental price above maintenance fees but during shoulder or low season there are many rentals at even the nicest resorts that are only slightly above MF or even less than MF.

If by chance these individuals do want prime resorts during prime seasons I always recommend Marriott and Redweek.com. Marriott for my money has the best combination of resort and location quality and Redweek.com is the best site for Marriott resales in my 15 years of experience buying, selling and renting prime Marriott weeks.

 

[geekette]

Who has the best timeshare offering on the market? I have a family member, who keeps asking me for advice. She is wanting to purchase a resale. There are so many to choose from…. Hyatt, VRI, Bluegreen, Westgate, Hilton, HGVC, Marriott, Starwood, Wyndham, DVC, Silverleaf, Holiday Inn, Worldmark

I own and only know about Wyndham. Are there better ones out there? What resources could I use to compare?

"Best" for what? "Better" in what way? Without any indication of goals, preferences, finances, region, etc., it's not possible to answer your questions. Bluegreen is best for me, but that doesn't make it better than Wyndham for you, or her.

You have landed at the single best resource for all things timeshare.

 

[bizaro86]

Maybe go to the newbies forum and fill out the "what to buy questionnaire" using her information. Link is here: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208742

There are a lot of good systems, which one will be best for her depends on what type she is looking for. There isn't one 'best' system, imo.

 

[MOXJO7282]

Maybe go to the newbies forum and fill out the "what to buy questionnaire" using her information. Link is here: http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=208742

There are a lot of good systems, which one will be best for her depends on what type she is looking for. There isn't one 'best' system, imo.

I should've known TUG had a questionnaire as the "crack staff" of TUG admins never miss a thing!!

 

[ronparise]

I dont like questions that ask for the "best" anything. The use of the word "best" implies that there is just one

The question should be rephrased to ask, "whats the best for my friend?.. Here are their needs and wants and budget."

 

[DeniseM]

We should create a questionnaire for newbies that pose this questions because it comes in frequently and the answers could vary widely depending on wishes and profile.

There is one on the newbies forum.

 

[Melder]

"Best" for what? "Better" in what way? Without any indication of goals, preferences, finances, region, etc., it's not possible to answer your questions. Bluegreen is best for me, but that doesn't make it better than Wyndham for you, or her.

You have landed at the single best resource for all things timeshare.

You are right. TUG is a very valuable resource. I recommended this site to her. There is a lot of information to search through in order to compare. I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary of the different club offerings.

My friend wants to make memories for her family. Her children are in school, so travel must be summer months. Go to places like Destin, Myrtle Beach, San Francisco, TN, CO, HI without having to stay in hotels. She would like to have flexibility to choose between 3 - 7 nights in 1 or 2 bedroom units. Budget: Under $2k

 

[ronparise]

You are right. TUG is a very valuable resource. I recommended this site to her. There is a lot of information to search through in order to compare. I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary of the different club offerings.

My friend wants to make memories for her family. Her children are in school, so travel must be summer months. Go to places like Destin, Myrtle Beach, San Francisco, TN, CO, HI without having to stay in hotels. She would like to have flexibility to choose between 3 - 7 nights in 1 or 2 bedroom units. Budget: Under $2k

I'm going to bet Wyndham will be the only system that has resorts in all those locations

 

[jwalk03]

You are right. TUG is a very valuable resource. I recommended this site to her. There is a lot of information to search through in order to compare. I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary of the different club offerings.

My friend wants to make memories for her family. Her children are in school, so travel must be summer months. Go to places like Destin, Myrtle Beach, San Francisco, TN, CO, HI without having to stay in hotels. She would like to have flexibility to choose between 3 - 7 nights in 1 or 2 bedroom units. Budget: Under $2k

I thinking renting would be a better option than owning. That is a lot of different places, and each one timeshare system has different strengths and weakness based on geography. I don't own any timeshare, but have had a great deal of success with very reasonable rentals through TUG for the last 18 months or so.

All that said if your friend really wants to own, Wyndham may be a good option. They have a large inventory of resorts that includes more urban locations in addition to the normal beach and ski places.

 

[Passepartout]

Budget: Under $2k

Would that be all-in or annually?

 

[Melder]

Would that be all-in or annually?

annually.

Like I said, I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary document. I will suggest renting, so she can find out what works best for her. I'll point her to the TUG rentals.

 

[DeniseM]

annually.

Like I said, I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary document. I will suggest renting, so she can find out what works best for her. I'll point her to the TUG rentals.

A document that described all the resort systems would be the length of War and Peace.

An easier option is to have her complete the Newbie questionnaire.

 

[sue1947]

annually.

Like I said, I was hoping someone could point me to a nice summary document. I will suggest renting, so she can find out what works best for her. I'll point her to the TUG rentals.

There isn't a summary that compares all systems. There are too many variables both in the systems as well as purchasers to make any summary almost worthless. In addition, there are too many different systems with too many different pros and cons to fully investigate; your head will explode trying to make sense of it all. The only sane approach is to narrow it down first to a few to half dozen systems and then start digging deeper.

Fill out the questionnaire in the newbies section. It gets to the information that is needed to provide advise but also provides some insight for the newbie as to what they should be thinking about. The responses will then allow you to narrow down the options.
Given that she has to travel during school vacations when there is the greatest demand will be the biggest challenge. Wanting less than a week means a point system but the competition for school holiday weeks can be intense. If she wants summer vacation time at the beach, then she probably needs a fixed week, but that means less flexibility on length of stay.

Sue

 

[Passepartout]

There is nothing really wrong with Wyndham. You can give her tips on use, suggest resorts, they are nice resorts that are where she wants to go, perhaps not totally top shelf, but kids don't care anyway. There is an active resale market, and 2 grand a year should get her a big enough stash of points to be useful.

Another thought: VRBO rentals. You only pay when you rent, go where/when you want, and with no buy-in cost and no worries about getting rid of a timeshare or paying for a Special Assessment, it's something to think about.

Jim

 

[geekette]

I'm going to bet Wyndham will be the only system that has resorts in all those locations

Bluegreen, altho SanFran requires Traveller's Plus to access the Shell portfolio. In short, can't get to San Fran with resale but the other locations are in-network with any BG points buy.

 

[silentg]

Who has the best timeshare offering on the market? I have a family member, who keeps asking me for advice. She is wanting to purchase a resale. There are so many to choose from…. Hyatt, VRI, Bluegreen, Westgate, Hilton, HGVC, Marriott, Starwood, Wyndham, DVC, Silverleaf, Holiday Inn, Worldmark

I own and only know about Wyndham. Are there better ones out there? What resources could I use to compare?

The first timeshare we bought was a place we knew we would use. My advice is buy a place you would like to stay at the time of year you would want, if you only stayed there without trading. Low maintenance fee and enough room for your family. Good Luck!
Silentg

 

[DazedandConfused]

The best is the one that has the price, quality, amenities, and locations you like best.

 

[pedro47]

The best timeshare resort company to me are quality in all their resorts;great amenities with no added fees, the resort company should have timeshare resorts located around the world, the resort should be constructed like a hotel (solid), with elevators above the second floor, quality furnish in the living, bedroom, bath and kitchen areas and upgrading the whole resort and not one or two building every two to three years. I would buy at a home resort within a two to four drive from my home. We like Marriott and most Wynham Resorts are not that to far behind.

 

[theo]

The best is the one that has the price, quality, amenities, and locations you like best.

Well said. I would add space availability as another consideration, particularly in view of the scheduling constraints identified by the OP.

Like clothing or shoes, a timeshare has to "fit" its' buyer in order to be "best" for him / her.

 

[e.bram]

IMHO:You could be in the BEST timeshare in the world, but if you have the dumpster view instead of the OCEANFRONT unit you wanted. You might as well no go.

 

[cgeidl]

Let your friend decide.

Give the references to look at and tell your fried to narrow the selection down to three to five and then youn can assit in narrowing down to the final choice.Yur friend/ family member will learn from the experience.

 

[MOXJO7282]

The best is the one that has the price, quality, amenities, and locations you like best.

I'd add to this list "resale ability" and I think that does sum up what I think of as the "best" or "ideal" timeshare program.

 

[WinniWoman]

The best is the one that has the price, quality, amenities, and locations you like best.

I go with this as well.

 

[chapjim]

Who has the best timeshare offering on the market? I have a family member, who keeps asking me for advice. She is wanting to purchase a resale. There are so many to choose from…. Hyatt, VRI, Bluegreen, Westgate, Hilton, HGVC, Marriott, Starwood, Wyndham, DVC, Silverleaf, Holiday Inn, Worldmark

I own and only know about Wyndham. Are there better ones out there? What resources could I use to compare?

De gustibus non est disputandum.