# South Florida west coast timeshares



## mlsmn (Jun 1, 2019)

Besides Marriott and Hyatt timeshares what other top-tier timeshares 
from Tampa through Marco Island would you recommend?


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## Panina (Jun 1, 2019)

Hgvc Eagles Nest Marco Island, Hgvc Surf Club Marco Island, any of the HGVC in Captiva or Sanibel,  Sanibel Beach Club II, Hivc Sunset Cove Marco Island.  There are many other very nice timeshare in southwest Florida to go to but I wouldn’t call them top tier.


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## Jan M. (Jun 1, 2019)

Panina said:


> Hgvc Eagles Nest Marco Island, Hgvc Surf Club Marco Island, any of the HGVC in Captiva or Sanibel,  Sanibel Beach Club II, Hivc Sunset Cove Marco Island.  There are many other very nice timeshare in southwest Florida to go to but I wouldn’t call them top tier.



I can second her recommendations and add my own about the HGVC resorts. We've stayed at the Charter Club on Marco Island. Casa Ybel on Sanibel Island. On Captiva the Plantation Beach House and Plantation Beach Club. We like both but prefer the location of Plantation House.

We also stayed at the Lighthouse Resort on Sanibel and and Sanibel Beach Club II can recommend them too.

We stayed at Sarasota Sands in Sarasota on Lido Key and really the beach there and the resort too. Our one bedroom unit wasn't what we'd had when we stayed in the two bedroom units at the other resorts but it had everything we needed and we would go back.


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## OldGuy (Jun 1, 2019)

HGVC.

Most of the SW Florida Timeshares were started by a company name Captran in the 70's and 80's, by a guy from Bowling Green University.

*Keith Trowbridge developed the first successful purpose-built interval ownership resort in the United States in 1974, Florida’s Sanibel Beach Club, a 31-unit condominium project built and completely sold out in 18 months. He founded Captran Resorts International, Ltd. At its peak in the late 1970s, that company posted annual timeshare sales of $50 million.*

Many of their resorts were not "purpose-built", but, rather, they were re-purposed motels.

I understood what you mean by "top-tier", those corporate-branded resorts folks are so fond of now, but that is not the history in SW FL.

We vacationed in SW FL timeshares for many, many years, never stayed in a _top-tier_ resort, and were always 100% satisfied.  Still are.


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## OldGuy (Jun 1, 2019)

It's been years since I spent any time on my study of SW FL resorts, so this is from a long time ago.  But, note how few of them would be considered _top-tier _corporate-name-brand ones.  The ones we've stayed at are in bold.

SW FL Resort Ratings:

1. Hyatt Siesta Key 10
2. Cottages at South Seas 9.25
3. Hyatt Coconut Plantation, Bonita Springs 9.25
4. Sanibel Cottages 9.14
5. Sunset Cove, Marco Island 9.13
6. Plantation House at South Seas 9.00
7. Limetree Beach Resort, Sarasota 9.00
8. Hurricane House, Sanibel 8.83
9. Longboat Bay Club, Longboat Key 8.78
10. Charter Club of Naples Bay 8.75
11. Marriott's Crystal Shores, Marco Island 8.71
12. Little Gull, Longboat Key 8.71
13. Gulf Tides, Longboat Key 8.70
14. Charter Club of Marco 8.66
15. Tortuga Beach Club, Sanibel 8.59
16. Sanibel Beach Club 8.57
17. Shell Island Beach Club 8.55
*18. Club Regency, Marco 8.50*
19. Eagles' Nest, Marco 8.47
20. Sanibel Beach Club II 8.42
21. Umbrella Beach Resort, Holmes Beach 8.29
*22. Calini Beach Club 8.20*
23. Casa Ybel, Sanibel 8.18
24. Gulf Stream, Bradenton Beach 8.17
25. Plantation Beach Club at South Seas 8.00
26. Bel Air Beach Club, FMB 8.00
27. White Sands of Longboat 8.00
28. Suntide Island Beach Club, Sarasota 8.00
*29. Sandpiper, Siesta Key 8.00*
30. Island Towers, FMB 7.80
31. South Seas Club 7.80
*32. Sea Club V, Siesta 7.75*
33. Surf Club, Marco 7.73
34. Surfrider, Sanibel 7.69
35. Seawatch, FMB 7.67
36. Marina Village at Snug Harbor 7.60
37. Kahlua Beach Club 7.50
*38. Lighthouse, Sanibel 7.50*
39. Harbourview Villas at South Seas 7.50
40. Gulf Pointe of Naples 7.50
41. The Penthouses at Gulf Stream 7.50
42. Resort 66, Homes Beach 7.35
43. Vanderbilt Beach and Harbour Club 7.33
*44. Bonita Resort and Club 7.33*
45. Estero Island Beach Club 7.25
*46. Lehigh Resort Club 7.20*
47. Tropical Sands 7.13
*48. Mariner's Boathouse 7.00*
49. Caribbean Beach Club 7.00
50. Sunrise Bay, Marco 7.00
51. Charlotte Bay 7.00
52. Windward Passage 6.93
*53. Lahaina Inn 6.83*
54. Four Winds of Longboat Key 6.75
55. Fishermans' Village 6.69
56. White Sands, Naples 6.50
57. Royal Beach Club 6.50
58. Smugglers' Cove, Bradenton Beach 6.33
59. Sandcastle Beach Club 6.00
60. Siesta Sands, Sarasota 5.75
*61. Englewood Beach and Yacht Club 5.60
62. Sea Oats 5.58*
63. Sea Club I, FMB 5.50
64. Marco Resort & Club 5.30
Sarasota Sands ?
Sandrift, Naples ?
Lovers' Key ?
Plantation Bay Villas at South Seas ?
*Caribe Beach Resort ?
Via Roma Beach Resort*


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## Bwolf (Jun 2, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> HGVC.
> 
> Most of the SW Florida Timeshares were started by a company name Captran in the 70's and 80's, by a guy from Ball State University.
> 
> ...



Asking a question, not starting an argument.  What you quoted correctly notes that SBC I (where we own) was purpose built.  SBC II and LR&C were also purpose built.  Which Captran Resorts were re-purposed motels?  

Thanks.


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## OldGuy (Jun 2, 2019)

Bwolf said:


> Asking a question, not starting an argument.  What you quoted correctly notes that SBC I (where we own) was purpose built.  SBC II and LR&C were also purpose built.  Which Captran Resorts were re-purposed motels?
> 
> Thanks.




Good question.  Captran developed 35 resorts total, but it would take a really good search, or a question directed to someone else, to nail them all down.  BTW, Sanibel Beach Club sold out in 18 months.  Not bad for the first purpose-built timeshare in the US.

If you remember the times, the mid-70's, or have read about it, it was a time of high inflation and would have been a tough market.

Keep in mind that this was before the Seigels and Wilsons of the TS world started their mega-resorts in Orlando.


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## OldGuy (Jun 2, 2019)

22 resorts there.


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## OldGuy (Jun 2, 2019)

Here's Captran resort brochures and price sheets (58 Pages): 

http://nebula.wsimg.com/9d50aad5e18...52F0A154A04CBBFF4&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

I'll go through it and list the resorts (circa 1980-ish):

Sanibel Beach Club II
Sand Castle Beach Club
Shell Island Beach Club
Sanibel Beach Club
Caribbean Beach Club
Lighthouse Resort and Club
Kahlua Beach Club
Penthouse Beach Club
Seagull Beach Club
Freeport Resort and Club
Daytona Resort and Club
Bonita Resort and Club
Estero Island Inn

Well, that's 13 of the 35.

There's a wealth of revealing information in that packet.  All the prices, promotions and sales figures.  Some of the listings mention "Original Building(s) and New Constructions.  Who knew they operated the Interval College on Sanibel?

Related to the OP, the HGVCs and Marriotts and Hyatts did not come along until much later.


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## OldGuy (Jun 2, 2019)

I see all this was not without a few bumps in the road:

https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1984989/in-re-captran-creditors-trust/


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## Panina (Jun 2, 2019)

OldGuy said:


> Here's Captran resort brochures and price sheets (58 Pages):
> 
> http://nebula.wsimg.com/9d50aad5e18...52F0A154A04CBBFF4&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
> 
> ...


What an interesting pack of information.  I just had time to look at a few pages but my curiosity will make me look at it all when I have time. Thank you for sharing.


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## OldGuy (Jun 2, 2019)

Panina said:


> What an interesting pack of information.  I just had time to look at a few pages but my curiosity will make me look at it all when I have time. Thank you for sharing.



Same here.

I have found a few old brochures online before, but when I opened this document this morning I was amazed.  I just kept reading and reading and reading.

Can you imagine any of the timeshare companies today making all of that sensitive proprietary stuff public???!!


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## Bwolf (Jun 3, 2019)

This is all very good stuff, OldGuy.  Seems more and more information is available online.  Thanks.


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## needhelp (Jul 29, 2021)

Jan M. said:


> I can second her recommendations and add my own about the HGVC resorts. We've stayed at the Charter Club on Marco Island. Casa Ybel on Sanibel Island. On Captiva the Plantation Beach House and Plantation Beach Club. We like both but prefer the location of Plantation House.
> 
> We also stayed at the Lighthouse Resort on Sanibel and and Sanibel Beach Club II can recommend them too.
> 
> We stayed at Sarasota Sands in Sarasota on Lido Key and really the beach there and the resort too. Our one bedroom unit wasn't what we'd had when we stayed in the two bedroom units at the other resorts but it had everything we needed and we would go back.


Re-surfacing this post.
Are you finding these trades through RCI-weeks?


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## Jan M. (Jul 29, 2021)

needhelp said:


> Re-surfacing this post.
> Are you finding these trades through RCI-weeks?



RCI points.


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## theo (Jul 30, 2021)

Deleted; I had failed to notice that the "Captran" topic had not actually had any further input for over two years now.  
Nonetheless, my belated thanks to OldGuy for providing a very interesting retrospective on a geographic area of personal interest to me.


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## dayooper (Jul 30, 2021)

needhelp said:


> Re-surfacing this post.
> Are you finding these trades through RCI-weeks?



Thank you for bringing this thread up! Very interesting!


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## needhelp (Jul 30, 2021)

Jan M. said:


> RCI points.


I have been looking into different options to travel to the area. But the buy-in to a resort company that has anything in the area have a high buy-in (Marriott, Hyatt).
Also need at least a two- bedroom.
On another forum, some people have offered suggestions for some independent resorts. But it is scary buying into something without easy location trade options.


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## Bwolf (Jul 31, 2021)

Some people at Sanibel Beach Club have said they bought there because they could not exchange into it.  The statistics I've seen about usage at SBC show owners overwhelming use their units followed by rentals.  Exchanges are very low. Many of the rentals are by owners renting from other owners via a "listserv" run by an owner.  There is an active, on-site sales program with pretty good turnover.  Buying into an independent resort on Sanibel is a good value.  All the resorts seem to be well run and the location is good.


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## elaine (Aug 2, 2021)

needhelp said:


> But the buy-in to a resort company that has anything in the area have a high buy-in (Marriott, Hyatt).
> Also need at least a two- bedroom.


the buy-ins for some HGVC affiliates in Marco are not that much-for ex. you can get a summer/fall flex week at Eagles Nest or Surf Club for $5K or less if you don't need prime/platinum season. There are 2 listed on a resale website currently. I read of someone buying one for $2500 last year, so I'd offer that to start. IMHO, after 10 years of RCI trading, in a non-Covid year, you'll have a VERY difficult time getting Jan-March weeks in SW FL.


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## elked12 (Aug 2, 2021)

Which resale website are they on? Thanks


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## elaine (Aug 3, 2021)

Not an endorsement-but I did a google search: https://www.sellmytimesharenow.com/timeshare/Eagle's+Nest+Beach+Resort/resort/buy-timeshare.

Several on TUg use Judi Kozwolski  or Seth Nock at https://www.sellingtimeshares.net/selling-timeshares/about-us.  I don't see any current listings, but you could always call/email and get on a list if they get something. Both have been repeatedly recommended by others on TUG over the years.


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## Sullco2 (Aug 6, 2021)

In a “Forest for the timeshare trees” observation, SW Florida has an unlimited number of fine, independently owned resort condos professionally managed and available for rent at rates approximately those of timeshare maintenance fees. They often feature the same quality and amenities that timeshare units do. Admittedly many of the communities limit weekly rentals in favor of longer required stays but it’s worth asking why people are so focused on timeshare properties if the goal is snagging a nice vacation accommodation. I tip my hat to TUG for everything they’ve done to educate the public but this seems to be a blind spot.


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## needhelp (Aug 6, 2021)

Sullco2 said:


> In a “Forest for the timeshare trees” observation, SW Florida has an unlimited number of fine, independently owned resort condos professionally managed and available for rent at rates approximately those of timeshare maintenance fees. They often feature the same quality and amenities that timeshare units do. Admittedly many of the communities limit weekly rentals in favor of longer required stays but it’s worth asking why people are so focused on timeshare properties if the goal is snagging a nice vacation accommodation. I tip my hat to TUG for everything they’ve done to educate the public but this seems to be a blind spot.


Well, if you read the Wyndham forum you will find a person that always recommends renting.


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## Sullco2 (Aug 6, 2021)

needhelp said:


> Well, if you read the Wyndham forum you will find a person that always recommends renting.


Given the bandits you are surrounded by at Wyndham that’s understandable. I avoided mentioning that when you rent a 2/2 at a whole-ly owned community you don’t have to negotiate the sales presentation minefield. Clearly a benefit.


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## Deb & Bill (Aug 7, 2021)

I sold two flex weeks at Charter Club Marco for around $1.5K each.  We used them late May, Oct until we moved to Marco.  I wouldn't book or buy Sunset Cove since it isn't on the beach and isn't walkable to the beach.  You need to take a shuttle to get to the beach.  Charter Club, Crystal Shores (Marriott), Surf Club, Club Regency, Eagles Nest are the timeshares right on the beach.


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## needhelp (Aug 23, 2022)

elaine said:


> the buy-ins for some HGVC affiliates in Marco are not that much-for ex. you can get a summer/fall flex week at Eagles Nest or Surf Club for $5K or less if you don't need prime/platinum season. There are 2 listed on a resale website currently. I read of someone buying one for $2500 last year, so I'd offer that to start. IMHO, after 10 years of RCI trading, in a non-Covid year, you'll have a VERY difficult time getting Jan-March weeks in SW FL.


We are looking for summer weeks. This year I was able to get an RCI exchange into Naples the 2nd week of August.  Our school starts after Labor Day, so it was great timing. 
I will be on the lookout for the summer/fall flex week.


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## needhelp (Aug 26, 2022)

I have been debating where to ask this question, so I will just add it to this thread.
From what I have read so far, I think Charter Club of Marco Beach flex summer or Vanderbilt Beach and Harbour fixed weeks 28-31 would work best for us.
My questions:

I have an ebay search and redweek notification for these properties. Any additional advice on buying these resale?
It seems the resorts have similar amenities - beach access, bike rentals. Can some provide some contrasts?
Thanks is advance.


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## PigsDad (Aug 27, 2022)

needhelp said:


> I have been debating where to ask this question, so I will just add it to this thread.
> From what I have read so far, I think Charter Club of Marco Beach flex summer or Vanderbilt Beach and Harbour fixed weeks 28-31 would work best for us.
> My questions:
> 
> ...


For Charter Club, call the resort directly and ask to speak to the sales office.  They handle resales for owners, and usually have plenty of flex deeds for sale.  That also applies to all/most of the HGV SW FL properties.

Kurt


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## MickeyBlue (Sep 5, 2022)

mlsmn said:


> Besides Marriott and Hyatt timeshares what other top-tier timeshares
> from Tampa through Marco Island would you recommend?


The hgvc affiliates


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## MickeyBlue (Sep 5, 2022)

needhelp said:


> It seems the resorts have similar amenities - beach access, bike rentals. Can some provide some contrasts?
> Thanks is advance.


Charter club has free bikes, helmets, kayaks, paddle boards, hobie cat for owners. Ping pong, large covered gas grill, shuffle board, small gym. The units are being refinished (kitchens and floors I think) and pickle ball court (s) will be installed in 2023 (don’t know if new addition or just replacing tennis Court?) wifi works well if you need to “wfh”.


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## Deb & Bill (Sep 10, 2022)

Judy Kozlowski helped me sell my two flex weeks at Charter Club.  I bought both of them via Seth Nock.  Flex weeks are usually good from May to about first week of Dec.  I paid around $2K for each and sold for about $1.5K.  The board does a good job of maintaining the resort.   It's 42 years old (I think it opened about 1980).  Lots of free toys to use, but you have to pay for the lounges and the umbrellas.  You can pay by the day or the week.


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