# The best Marriott Values for Trade



## potterew (Jan 27, 2010)

I was curious about what you experts think the best value to use for trade within the Marriott system is.  I am looking for reasonable cost, low maintenance fees and best trade value.

In my last presentation, Vegas was highly toutes as a great trade, but I looked at II getaway weeks and saw that I could book just about every week of the year for half the cost of the maintenance fees.  I am thinking that this says that II has a large surplus of this resort and will result in lower trade value.

Are my assumptioons how it works or am I off?


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## Dean (Jan 28, 2010)

IMO, personal situation plays into this question.  On sheer numbers alone, Branson likely best fits your description but there are many other choices including Grande Vista, Harbour Lake, the desert location, LV and Manor Club sequel.  All of these have lockoff's.  If you consistently need a 2 BR, the non lockoff's move up and I'd add Doral, Legends Edge, NJ and Manor Club non lockoff's.  I'm sure you could add others to the list.  However, there are other issues.  One is that in today's times you can often get a resort cheaply enough that would not have been on your list otherwise.  Also, I'd suggest you consider location and/or whether you'll use the week part of the time.  It is a very personal decision in many ways.


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## LAX Mom (Jan 28, 2010)

To add to Dean's comments I would say you need to figure out where & when you want to vacation. Do you have school age children and want to travel during their school holidays when many resorts are in demand? Are you a retired couple who can travel on short notice?

What about where? Hawaii? Orlando? It makes a big difference in what you need to get there.

For instance if you want to travel to Hawaii every summer and must have a 2 bedroom with a full kitchen then you better have an excellent trader or buy in Hawaii. 

If you want Newport every July or August buy Newport. If you would like to travel to Orlando during the off-season there are lots of options for you. No sense spending the money for a unit in Hawaii if you'll mostly trade for Orlando in October.

That's what makes this timeshare game so interesting, there isn't a solution that's best for everyone. Figure out what best suits your family and then proceed.

Regarding your question about Vegas, it's possible many of these getaways are developer inventory. Marriott still has units to sell so they hope some of these customers will purchase. Vegas also has lots of inventory so it might just be a matter of excess inventory at this point in time. It's definitely a popular destination but at times during the year you can find great hotel deals on priceline.


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## Big Matt (Jan 28, 2010)

Dean's points are all very good.  Just as a reference point.  I've locked off my 2BR Manor Club Sequel and Grande Vista all but twice and have never stayed in a studio once in a trade, and I travel in peak season due to school schedules.  That's not one studio in 20 vacations.  Just think of buying a lock off as buying two timeshares with half the maintenance fees.



Dean said:


> IMO, personal situation plays into this question.  On sheer numbers alone, Branson likely best fits your description but there are many other choices including Grande Vista, Harbour Lake, the desert location, LV and Manor Club sequel.  All of these have lockoff's.  If you consistently need a 2 BR, the non lockoff's move up and I'd add Doral, Legends Edge, NJ and Manor Club non lockoff's.  I'm sure you could add others to the list.  However, there are other issues.  One is that in today's times you can often get a resort cheaply enough that would not have been on your list otherwise.  Also, I'd suggest you consider location and/or whether you'll use the week part of the time.  It is a very personal decision in many ways.


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## m61376 (Jan 28, 2010)

Big Matt said:


> Dean's points are all very good.  Just as a reference point.  I've locked off my 2BR Manor Club Sequel and Grande Vista all but twice and have never stayed in a studio once in a trade, and I travel in peak season due to school schedules.  That's not one studio in 20 vacations.  Just think of buying a lock off as buying two timeshares with half the maintenance fees.



But to paint a fair picture, when do you make those upgraded trades with your studio? Likely it is during Flexchange (59 days or less before travel); don't get me wrong- it is a GREAT way to maximize your benefits, but not everyone wants or can make last minute travel arrangements.

It is important for the OP to be realistic about when and where he/she likes to travel and how flexible their schedule is, both wrt travel times and planning.


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## Superchief (Jan 29, 2010)

With the changing dynamics of the Marriott timeshare business, I highly recommend that your first consideration should be where you would want to vacation on a regular basis. I would not buy a timeshare in a location that I would only plan to use less than 50% of the time. IMO, there is minimal value in the MR point option, and exchanges are becoming more uncertain and costly. Therefore, I would first select your preferred location, and then consider its exchange power. I own platinum, gold, and silver weeks at several locations and have success with my exchanges. However, I have travel flexibility and don't usually try to exchange into the highest demand locations/ weeks. Good luck with your decision.


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## sjuhawk_jd (Jan 29, 2010)

potterew said:


> I was curious about what you experts think the best value to use for trade within the Marriott system is.  I am looking for reasonable cost, low maintenance fees and best trade value.
> 
> In my last presentation, Vegas was highly toutes as a great trade, but I looked at II getaway weeks and saw that I could book just about every week of the year for half the cost of the maintenance fees.  I am thinking that this says that II has a large surplus of this resort and will result in lower trade value.
> 
> Are my assumptioons how it works or am I off?



I am going to answer your question directly based on what I know. 

Marriott's resorts in Palm Springs (Palm Dessert) in CA, platinum season. Few benefits:

(1) Trades very well, MFs are around $1000 for a 2 bedroom.
(2) You can book a March week and rent it out if you do not want to use or trade and come out ahead. 
(3) Buy in resale for about $7K.


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## markbernstein (Jan 29, 2010)

Just for fun, I'll post my current thinking, and ask people to tell me where I've gotten it wrong.

We own one week, and will likely buy a second some time in the future.  The criteria I've put together so far include:

 - Eastern U.S. (we live in Michigan, so this keeps travel reasonable)
 - Somewhere we'd want to go (which eliminates Branson)
 - 2-BR lockoff, to maximize trading
 - Not overbuilt, also to maximize trading (so no Orlando, and probably not Hilton Head)
 - Reasonable price and maintenance fees

I've looked around a little (not extensively) in both Tug classifieds and on ebay.  Right now, I'm leaning toward Manor Club in Williamsburg.  

Does that make sense?  Are there better choices?


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## yumdrey (Jan 29, 2010)

sjuhawk_jd said:


> I am going to answer your question directly based on what I know.
> 
> Marriott's resorts in Palm Springs (Palm Dessert) in CA, platinum season. Few benefits:
> 
> ...



I will add another benefit:
(4) it is lock-off


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## Dean (Jan 29, 2010)

m61376 said:


> But to paint a fair picture, when do you make those upgraded trades with your studio? Likely it is during Flexchange (59 days or less before travel); don't get me wrong- it is a GREAT way to maximize your benefits, but not everyone wants or can make last minute travel arrangements.
> 
> It is important for the OP to be realistic about when and where he/she likes to travel and how flexible their schedule is, both wrt travel times and planning.


I would totally agree and I'd consider the $75 lockoff fee as well.  That's one of the reasons I actually bought 2 trading units.  I'll lockoff one and not the other most years.  I have, however, traded the studio from the lockoff trading unit well.  Conquests include trading the studio to a 2 BR GV week, a Platinum Surfwatch week and a Maui studio later retraded for a 1 BR.  Only one of these was during flexchange time, Surfwatch.  IMO, with the current exchange set up a studio is best utilized for short notice, high demand locations where a studio is acceptable and for high availability options like Orlando or LV.  Thus I again say, consider one's personal situation carefully before buying a unit to trade but for the right person, it can be a windfall.  Fortunately we're pretty flexible overall with the exception of we can't travel short notice but we are flexible in terms of when (with planning), where, which weeks, etc.  We're usually very happy to travel off season to warm places and shoulder season much anywhere.  We normally prefer to travel when school is in for most options.


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## yumdrey (Jan 29, 2010)

markbernstein said:


> Just for fun, I'll post my current thinking, and ask people to tell me where I've gotten it wrong.
> 
> We own one week, and will likely buy a second some time in the future.  The criteria I've put together so far include:
> 
> ...



But Williamsburg is one of overbuilt area.


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## Dean (Jan 29, 2010)

markbernstein said:


> Just for fun, I'll post my current thinking, and ask people to tell me where I've gotten it wrong.
> 
> We own one week, and will likely buy a second some time in the future.  The criteria I've put together so far include:
> 
> ...


With the requirements you've listed there really aren't any other choices except MC Sequel that I can think of.  To get other choices you'd have to look further away or give up the lockoff option.  Ocean Pointe would be a consideration as would the desert locations and LV.  The trouble is that for most people there really is little crossover between the best resorts to use and best resorts to trade, esp if looking for a lockoff.  Given the current prices I think it's better for many people to actually buy one of each than to try to make one work for both.  The up front prices aren't that much different currently though there is a yearly cost associated.  That way if you plan accordingly you can take advantage of the 13 month reservation options by combining the 2 as well.


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## KathyPet (Jan 29, 2010)

We have had great luck trading our MMC platinum.  We have traded to Hilton Head multiple times in mid summer, Hawaii and St. Kitts in platinum time.  As a matter of fact we have never not had a trade go through and have owned since 94.  We trade EOY for points so that means and have never actually stayed at MMC.  So that means we have used it 8 times for trades and never failed to get what we wanted.


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## abdibile (Jan 29, 2010)

I think you can not beat Willow Ridge Lodge (formerly Horizons Branson) Platinum.

Maintenance fees are only $736
It is a lockoff, so can get two exchanges plus perhaps another AC
Easy to get a summer reservation
Best timeshare in Branson according to TripAdvisor
It can be rented above MF in the summer (but is worth much more in II)
Cheapest Platinum week to buy
Great trading power (even the studio gets Marriott bulk bankings of 2 BRs and 1 and 2 BR have shown good results in ongoing searches)

Only drawback: I would not really like to go there, but I do not care.


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## kjd (Jan 29, 2010)

There are a lot of good suggestions on this thread from folks that have a lot of experience in trading. My advice is just take what you need and use it.

There are always two ends to a trade.  What you are trading and where you are trying to vacation.  Your questions seem to focus upon the "what" and not much on the "where".  The "what" seems to take care of itself, more or less.  When trading for another Marriott I've found that platinum trades best with platinum, gold for glold etc.  There are all kinds of exceptions to that like flexchange, shoulder seasons, 13 month rule, etc.  The II trading system seems to use the Travel Demand Index for trading power but many folks claim there is more to it.  However, no one has shown any concrete proof that there is a secret system in place.  I think that it's difficult to determine the real trading power of any timeshare except for their seasonal identifications.  Therefore, it probably is best to consider the maintenance fees and where and when you would like to vacation most of the time as a guide.

The "where" is at other end of the trade and is a little trickier.  It strictly depends upon inventory.  There are several Marriotts that have high owner usage and therefore less availability to traders in peak seasons.  It has little to do with trading power.  It's just folks enjoying their units.  The traders will get the crumbs.

Trading into a lockoff resort may only yield a lot of locked off one bedrooms and studios.  Las Vegas for example.  It raises a quesion as to whether folks trading from two-three bedroom only resorts get full trading value for their units.  Who knows?


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## Latravel (Jan 29, 2010)

sjuhawk_jd said:


> I am going to answer your question directly based on what I know.
> 
> Marriott's resorts in Palm Springs (Palm Dessert) in CA, platinum season. Few benefits:
> 
> ...




Ditto.  I am surprised by the units I see when use my Shadow Ridge units to trade.


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## Superchief (Jan 29, 2010)

markbernstein said:


> Just for fun, I'll post my current thinking, and ask people to tell me where I've gotten it wrong.
> 
> We own one week, and will likely buy a second some time in the future.  The criteria I've put together so far include:
> 
> ...




I noticed you already own at Oceana Palms, but Ocean Pointe is a good option, especially silver season if your travel schedule is flexible. PBI and FLL have good airline choices with reasonable fares. We own both because we plan in the future to stay three weeks in the area (2 back-to-back using lockoff at OP) when I have more vacation days. Our silver week has been an excellent trader, even for the lockoffs. Canyon Villas may not be Eastern, but it meets your other criteria. We were pleasantly surprised with all of the things to do in the Phoenix, Sedona, and Flagstaff areas. Southwest flies to Phoenix, so air fare is reasonable and the weather is more predictable than anything in the east. Fifteen major league baseball teams now have spring training in the area.


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## Big Matt (Jan 29, 2010)

Nope.  

I've only had a couple trades through flexchange and both were with ACs.  I must admit that one was for Grande Ocean in July, so I got lucky.  

I've traded my studio a bunch of times for 2BR and 1BR either directly on line using an ongoing request.  I won't tell you that I've been to Hawaii, Aruba, ets. during prime season, but I've been to prime locations during high season in the Continental US.  I like to go to Orlando, Williamsburg, Boston, Newport Coast, and Hilton Head.  I've never had any issues.





m61376 said:


> But to paint a fair picture, when do you make those upgraded trades with your studio? Likely it is during Flexchange (59 days or less before travel); don't get me wrong- it is a GREAT way to maximize your benefits, but not everyone wants or can make last minute travel arrangements.
> 
> It is important for the OP to be realistic about when and where he/she likes to travel and how flexible their schedule is, both wrt travel times and planning.


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## brianfox (Feb 2, 2010)

abdibile said:


> I think you can not beat Willow Ridge Lodge (formerly Horizons Branson) Platinum.
> 
> Maintenance fees are only $736
> It is a lockoff, so can get two exchanges plus perhaps another AC
> ...



Correction on the MF: 2010 was $774.
I recently purchased a Silver week at Willow Ridge - for the express purpose of requesting the lockoff and exchangeing in Flex.  If you are persistent, nice cancellations always pop up.  I considered going for the Platinum (Willow Ridge Platinums are the cheapest of all Marriott Platinums), but in my opinion, even a Willow Platinum doesn't trade very well.   (NOTE: my definition of a good trade is getting into HI in summer...very high expectations indeed)  My Willow Silver was purchased for $700 on E-Bay.  Platinums range from $900-$2000 - wild variations.

To the OP:
You need to consider all the extra fees involved with owning even a cheap Willow Ridge.  Yes, the MF are only about $775.  But then you need to add in $89 for Interval membership, $75 for a lockoff fee, and $149 for each trade (assuming you want to exchange the master and studio).  That adds over $450 to your costs every year.  

Assuming you are doing the lockoff and exchanging both weeks, you will be spending a total of $1236 - or $618 per week.  In today's economy, that adds up.  And keep in mind that MF go up steadily each and every year.  Plus, you get to pay a nice special assessment once in a while.

And, honestly, Interval Getaways are such a good deal, it makes me wonder why I have a timeshare at all.  Many decent destinations are in the $400-$500 per week range - below the yearly price you will pay for the Willow Ridge.  You're not going to find top of the line resorts in the Getaway section, but you probably won't get an exchange into one even with a Platinum Willow Ridge either.  The only catch is that you can't be an Interval member unless you have a TS to begin with.


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## NJDave (Feb 2, 2010)

I would consider Orlando.  Orlando is one of the cheapest places to buy a platinum week.  I know Orlando is overbuilt and thus often recommended on TUG as a place not to own.  However, we have traded for Marriotts in Hawaii six times and Myrtle Beach four times all in July / August and not within the 60 day window.  In addition, in trade tests, I have seen units such as Marco Island with our Orlando Marriott that other Marriotts could not see.


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## winger (Feb 3, 2010)

NJDave said:


> I would consider Orlando.  Orlando is one of the cheapest places to buy a platinum week.  I know Orlando is overbuilt and thus often recommended on TUG as a place not to own.  However, we ....



which resort do you own?


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## Cathyb (Feb 3, 2010)

*And the exchange fee costs...*



Big Matt said:


> Dean's points are all very good.  Just as a reference point.  I've locked off my 2BR Manor Club Sequel and Grande Vista all but twice and have never stayed in a studio once in a trade, and I travel in peak season due to school schedules.  That's not one studio in 20 vacations.  Just think of buying a lock off as buying two timeshares with half the maintenance fees.



Should add in the exchange/upgrade fee costs as well; although I agree having the lockoff feature gives so much more flexibility.


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## kjd (Feb 3, 2010)

Everybody and their brother locks off Vegas.  As mentioned earlier if you're looking for a one bedroom it's great.  Two bedroom or three bedrooms at MGC can be difficult.  There are several other resorts where this also occurs.  (Tahoe, HI, etc.)  The MGC one bedroom portion of a lockoff is a nice unit for two people.  If you need more space you are probably better off trying to rent a bigger unit rather than attempt a trade.

I have locked off my units at MGC every year and have seldom had trouble trading a studio for anything that I wanted.  While you have to be flexible with dates the MGC studio trades rather well.  I have never used flextime there.  If I've had a problem seeing availability I have switched to using the one bedroom portion instead.  

IMO one bedroom buyers have been scared off because of the large one bedroom availability due to lockoff.  I believe it's probably true at some of the other lockoff resorts as well.  Resale prices of one bedrooms are low.  It's another case of "buyer beware" in the timeshare market.


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## Dean (Feb 3, 2010)

kjd said:


> Everybody and their brother locks off Vegas.  As mentioned earlier if you're looking for a one bedroom it's great.  Two bedroom or three bedrooms at MGC can be difficult.  There are several other resorts where this also occurs.  (Tahoe, HI, etc.)  The MGC one bedroom portion of a lockoff is a nice unit for two people.  If you need more space you are probably better off trying to rent a bigger unit rather than attempt a trade.
> 
> I have locked off my units at MGC every year and have seldom had trouble trading a studio for anything that I wanted.  While you have to be flexible with dates the MGC studio trades rather well.  I have never used flextime there.  If I've had a problem seeing availability I have switched to using the one bedroom portion instead.
> 
> IMO one bedroom buyers have been scared off because of the large one bedroom availability due to lockoff.  I believe it's probably true at some of the other lockoff resorts as well.  Resale prices of one bedrooms are low.  It's another case of "buyer beware" in the timeshare market.


I agree this is an issue at resorts that have mostly lockoff's but it does not totally elimate larger units in the system, esp at places that also have dedicated 2 BR units and those with 3 BR where you still have a 2 BR left after you lock off.  Still, 1 BR and studios will always be easier at those type resorts assuming not change in the lockoff costs and trade parameters.  Just another example of knowing the makeup of the resort you're buying into or trying to trade to.


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## NJDave (Feb 3, 2010)

winger said:


> which resort do you own?





Cypress Harbour - Special Season

We initailly bought in Orlando since we go there every year.  However, we never stay at Cypress Harbour. I trade it every year for other Marriotts in prime locations and use a cheap trader or an AC to get Grande Vista or Vistana Villages.


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