# To all Marriott Renaissance Aruba owners



## qlaval (Mar 28, 2007)

Hi all,

I'm already a TS owner at the Marriott Ocean Club.

But on my last visit I did also rent one week at the Renaissance Marina, of course I did go at the Ocean Suites and like it very much.
I'm now thinking about buying two weeks over there.

A few questions...

How's the economical situation of those timeshare?
I've heard that the previous TS manager disapeared with the money of something like that ?!? 
Is future viability OK?

Is there a website for the owners?

Are those TS RTU or deed? If RTU up to when?
Where are the TS situated in the building?
Are they all the same? (Smaller-Bigger, Newer or Redecorated etc...)
Ocean view, Oceanfront, Garden view or else?

Maintenance fees?

Strangely Marriott Vacation Club don't list them, do Renaissance TS have a different status? Same for Interval (do they have Marriott priority for exchange?)

Feel free to add anything as I'm very eager to learn more about the Renaissance TS. 

Yours,

Pierre


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## gmarine (Mar 28, 2007)

qlaval said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm already a TS owner at the Marriott Ocean Club.
> 
> ...



Renaissance Aruba is not owned by Marriott and is not part of Marriott Vacation Club. It is Marriott in name only and owned by an Aruba company, MetaCorp. The resort does not have Marriott priority with Interval.

It was formerly Sonesta Suites. It is a RTU expiring in 2054. The resort has two sizes of 1 bedroom units, with ocean view, pool view or island view.

Maintenance fees $620 for the large units, smaller units I think are mid $500s.

Timeshares are mainly on the 1st, 3rd and 5th floors of the Ocean Suites building. Larger units are on each end of the building, all with oceanview.

Owned since 1994, no manager ever took off with $$ or anything like that since I have been an owner


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## ownsmany (Mar 28, 2007)

*owner also*

I am also an owner there.  May consider selling my week - only because I own too many timeshares at this point.

It is a great resort.  Never any problems with Manager taking money since I've owned.  MF are reasonable IMO.  Good trader and always seem to get a AC if I deposit it.  Resort seems financially sound - although I haven't been there for a few years.  So any places to see - so little time.


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## qlaval (Mar 28, 2007)

First thank you all for sharing

I've look for MetaCorp

It is the biggest private company of Aruba.
Own 2 hotels, 2 casino, Balashi...,Coca-Cola of Aruba and more, sounds like a solid company.
(I prefer doind my homework before buying...never to carefull before investing...)

Would anyone have some kind of property plan with unit numbers?

Tx


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## gmarine (Mar 28, 2007)

There are some downsides to owning at Renaissance. Management has over the years moved owners units without consulting owners. This was done to all owners who had owned units on the 2nd and 4th floors. They were moved to the 1st, 3rd and 5th floors when the other floors were converted to hotel units. Owners fought and lost even though many were given lesser views and/or smaller units.

There have also been several special assessments over the years. Nothing huge, the largest was $302, but there is no accountability of where our maintenance fees go.

Management is not very owner friendly. Keep that in mind if you purchase. And in a few years when the Renaissance contract is up, the resort may change names again. This could be for the better or worse.


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## qlaval (Apr 3, 2007)

gmarine said:


> Renaissance Aruba ... is a RTU expiring in 2054. ...



I have seen different ending year period for the end of the RTU.
Or even in some case a lifetime RTU...!?!  

Is this possible? Is it ignorance from different sellers?
Could someone help me out on this one?

Tx.


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## JimC (Apr 3, 2007)

I believe all of the resorts and timeshares are on land lease property in Aruba.  If the land leases are not renewed then the government must buy the improvements at market value.


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## gmarine (Apr 3, 2007)

Attribute it to owner error and/or misinformation. Unfortunately there is a lot of that at Renaissance. My contract reads RTU till 2054. Not that a few years either way would matter much.


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## qlaval (Apr 13, 2007)

gmarine said:


> ...My contract reads RTU till 2054...



I've contacted Brian van Romondt at the Renaissance. 
He's the Members Relations Manager at the resort.
(He also own VR Realty in Aruba -An Aruba realtor)

When I ask him about the ending period of the RTU at the Renaissance. 
He replied:
_"Our time shares are based on an indefinite lease and therefor are RTU"_
When I ask him to confirm if he meant that ALL TS were lifetime RTU
_"All our leases are indefinite RTU"_

Is it because the rental contract need to be renewed in 2054?
I will have to find that out...

Also there is a website for the owners:
http://www.renaissancearubamembers.com/

And finally somebody did disappeared with the money... 
(Thanks to Melanie for the following)

_"Way back when it was Harbourtown, the developer went bankrupt but the government came to the rescue & the Sonesta chain took over honoring all of TS contracts..."

"The former developper name was Swain. Under his management, the development went bankrupt in 1993. According to a court-appointed trustee, Antilles lawyer Rob Blaauw, bondholders lost $5-million, 
another investment firm lost $4.5-million, and Aruba Bank lost $2.2-million!"  

"But most troubling to Blaauw was the more than $300,000 lost by time share investors. Blaauw said that while bankruptcy proceedings were in motion in Aruba, 
Swain persuaded time share investors to send tens of thousands of dollars of additional money directly to one of his companies, rather than send it to court-approved managers of the development. 

"He just took their money and went away with it. It was pure fraud," Blaauw said."_


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## gmarine (Apr 13, 2007)

qlaval said:


> I've contacted Brian van Romondt at the Renaissance.
> He's the Members Relations Manager at the resort.
> (He also own VR Realty in Aruba -An Aruba realtor)
> 
> ...



I know Brian and several others at Renaissance. They all mean well but sometimes are not so forthcoming with info. The current government lease expires in 2054. The timeshare contracts are subject to any extension, however there is no assurance it will be extended. 

I cant speak for the accuracy of the info about the developer stealing money other than as an owner since 1994 I have never heard the story. And I have known several people who have owned there longer than I have.

I can tell you that one inaccuracy is the part about Sonesta honoring the contracts. Thats not accurate. The resort was a Sonesta franchise. It was not owned by Sonesta, therefore Sonesta had no part in honoring timeshare contracts. It was Seaport Management for Meta Corp that handled the timeshare contracts.


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## qlaval (Apr 13, 2007)

2054 - 2007 = 47years left

47 + 45 = 92y/o for me.  I think I can live with that.... 

The only draw back is if I decide to sell them in 30 years(If I ever live until then...), they will have a lower value because of the few years left guaranteed until an hypothetical renewal.

As for the Sonesta I already knew (because of you gmarine...)that they were only honoring the TS contracts by extension of the real owner Metacorp who decided so or was force to do so when they did take over Habourtown bankruptcy.


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## gmarine (Apr 13, 2007)

qlaval said:


> 2054 - 2007 = 47years left
> 
> 47 + 45 = 92y/o for me.  I think I can live with that....
> 
> ...



The RTU expiration doesnt bother me either. I'm not trying to discourage you. Just warning you that management can be very difficult. 

For example a few years ago the resort levied a $302 special assessment for renovations. I asked for a statement of accounting for where the maintenance fees have gone since a good portion of the fees were going to a reserve fund. At first management told me they wouldnt give it to me. Only after much fighting and many calls and letters did I finally get a statement.
I have no idea how accurate the info even is because they are not accountable to anyone.

Just recently the resort made some of the resort areas adults only. This includes the pool at the Marina building and one of the two beaches on the private island. Not that big of a deal in itself but how about the families that purchased with the idea of being able to use all the facilities who now have less places to choose from. And even worse is the thought of what else the resort could do that would affect owners in a negative way.

Many owners, luckily not me, have already had their contracted units changed by the resort when they converted the 2nd and 4th floors to hotel units. 

Anyway,its great resort but it isnt always a great place to own.


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## qlaval (Apr 13, 2007)

Tx gmarine.

I sure appreciate ALL your inputs.
Some prefer to hear only what they like, not my case I prefer knowing the goods and the bads before making a decision to buy.

As of now I have a verbal acceptance for a purchase offer.
Will tell you more once the contracts are signed.

Cordially,

Pierre


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## gmarine (Apr 13, 2007)

Pierre

Make sure you verify that the unit you are purchasing was not moved when they converted the 2nd and 4th floors to hotel units.. A few years back on TUG a person asked me about a unit purchase. It turned out the unit they were purchasing was one that was moved to a different floor. They had been expecting ocean view but the unit had been moved to island view.

Also, dont forget there are two sizes of 1 bedroom units. If you need any info on unit location etc just let me know.

George


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## qlaval (Apr 14, 2007)

Hi George,

Could you describe the accommodations in kitchen?
What is included regarding pots, appliances and plates etc...

I've look at pics of before and after the renovations.
Also it looks like there was a 2 coil cooking range before and not anymore...
Not sure about the ventilation fan either.










I've also saw some interiors where there is a glass opening in the bedroom wall, some not.
Some had carpet other tiles flooring are those differences related to the bigger and smaller units?







Tx.


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## gmarine (Apr 14, 2007)

I dont know the exact cooking facilities because I havent been there since the renovation. I believe it is fridge,freezer,micro,used to be two burner cooktop but not sure anymore,coffeemaker,sink and plates,flatware etc. The hotel type units have less kitchen facilities.

The glass block wall units are the smaller type units. I believe the renovation gave the timeshare units carpet versus tile.


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