# Is it possible to rent Worldmark Marina Dunes for a few days ?



## xzhan02 (Jan 20, 2006)

Will be in Monterey area in Apr for 5 days.  The high hotel rate makes me wonder whether it is possible to find reasonable rental at WM Marina Dunes ?  Does WM allow owner to rent out partial week, and is it still likely to be available, and if so, is there a general rental rate for WM point ?  It costs 1100-1200 pt/day for my dates.


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## kapish (Jan 20, 2006)

*Check out the Marina Dunes Resort/Hotel*



			
				xzhan02 said:
			
		

> Will be in Monterey area in Apr for 5 days.  The high hotel rate makes me wonder whether it is possible to find reasonable rental at WM Marina Dunes ?  Does WM allow owner to rent out partial week, and is it still likely to be available, and if so, is there a general rental rate for WM point ?  It costs 1100-1200 pt/day for my dates.


Worldmark has less than 20 units available at Marina Dunes, however the rest of the units are available through the Marina Dunes Resort/Hotel. It may be very difficult to reserve at WM Marina Dunes, especially for a few nights, but I am sure you can reserve a few nights and stay at these non-WM units. More information can be found at:  http://www.marinadunes.com/

Hope this helps.


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## roadsister (Jan 20, 2006)

xzhan02 said:
			
		

> Will be in Monterey area in Apr for 5 days.  The high hotel rate makes me wonder whether it is possible to find reasonable rental at WM Marina Dunes ?  Does WM allow owner to rent out partial week, and is it still likely to be available, and if so, is there a general rental rate for WM point ?  It costs 1100-1200 pt/day for my dates.



If I remember correctly the non-worldmark units rent for $195.00 a night...OUCH!


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## nightnurse613 (Jan 20, 2006)

Why Marina?  It's a little out there.  Pacific Grove or Carmel would probably be closer to where you want to be.  There are probably many hotels in the neighboring town of Seaside that would be cheaper.


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## spatenfloot (Jan 22, 2006)

xzhan02 said:
			
		

> Will be in Monterey area in Apr for 5 days.  The high hotel rate makes me wonder whether it is possible to find reasonable rental at WM Marina Dunes ?  Does WM allow owner to rent out partial week, and is it still likely to be available, and if so, is there a general rental rate for WM point ?  It costs 1100-1200 pt/day for my dates.



Worldmark allows rentals but reservations for less than 7 days can only be made at 60 days out which will limit availability.

BTW, Worldmark website shows NO availability that month.


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## xzhan02 (Jan 23, 2006)

Thanks all.  I know it's a long shot but just want to give it a try.  It's time to "educate" my kids who grew up with timeshare that most hotels (what they call timeshare units) have only ONE room, and be ready to shell out at least $150 a day.


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## jbcoug (Jan 23, 2006)

spatenfloot said:
			
		

> Worldmark allows rentals but reservations for less than 7 days can only be made at 60 days out which will limit availability.
> 
> BTW, Worldmark website shows NO availability that month.




Worldmark doesn't rent their units directly. It would be possible for an owner to make a reservation and then they could rent it to you, if one were available.

John


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## Swarthog (Jan 23, 2006)

*Marina Dunes, good luck*

It seems that The Marina Dunes Worldmark has the highest occupancy rating of any Worldmark. Thing is they treat you like crap there and the units are small and nowhere near the beach. That doesn't mean you wont be carrying your bags all over the dunes because the carts are for "real" customers. OK so I may be exagerating a little, but I've known more people who have hated this resort more than any other WM. Better to try Priceline and get a hotel room in town.


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## sultan_sfo (Jan 24, 2006)

*Marina Dunes*

Terrific Resort. Terrific location. Those who cannot walk 50 yards to the beach should just stay at home. If you are staying a full week and have lots of luggage, ask for permission to drive closer to your unit to unload. Yes -- those golf carts are for renters only. /Sultan


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## roadsister (Jan 24, 2006)

I have stayed at the WM Marina Dunes 6 times and never felt inferior or treated badly....in fact my room wasn't ready by 4:00 so a 1/2 hour later I returned and they had a bottle of wine in my unit for me!  The walk to the beach is 3-4 minutes walking by a plant preserve on the way...very interesting to read about them.  The rooms are smaller than some of the other resort rooms, but by no means tiny. Very nicely decorated.
This is one of my favorite resorts.....I grab a day or two here and there whenever I can.


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## mtngal (Jan 25, 2006)

Wait a minute everyone!  Don't tell the world how nice this resort is (even with the small units) because then I'll never be able to get in.  With as few units as they have, it is difficult.  I've never managed to get in from the wait list, though one year I lucked out and got 2 nights over Labor Day weekend when someone canceled at the last minute (not usual).

Tell everyone that it's a long way from the beach (a short, interesting walk through a protected sand dune can be considered a long way, right?).  Add that you will have to carry your bags for a half mile (if you get one of the units furthest from the parking area, you might have to carry them the equivalent of a building's length, otherwise you might be parking right in front of your unit).  The staff isn't cooperative (we got there before check-in time and our unit wasn't ready.  The staff person asked me for my cell phone number so they could call when it was done.  They called about 30 minutes later, still before the official check-in time.  It's really stretching it to call that uncooperative).

So since they have so few rooms - it's a terrible resort.  You'll hate it.  Don't go there.  Leave all the time to ME!


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## sultan_sfo (Jan 25, 2006)

*Foggy Beach*

Agree with the above post.  Forgot to mention!
It IS cold and foggy most of the time. And the sand gets into your shoes. And that restaurant is so expensive -- wonder why the local area people  also eat there! And the rentals cost only $250 + a night -- so cheap. Don't use your WM credits to go there. /Sultan


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## Kevin (Jan 26, 2006)

*There is a reason I got out of Marina!*



			
				sultan_sfo said:
			
		

> Agree with the above post.  Forgot to mention!
> It IS cold and foggy most of the time. And the sand gets into your shoes. And that restaurant is so expensive -- wonder why the local area people  also eat there! And the rentals cost only $250 + a night -- so cheap. Don't use your WM credits to go there. /Sultan



Cold, wind & FOG... lots of FOG!!   Did I mention FOG?


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## LLW (Jan 26, 2006)

Kevin said:
			
		

> Cold, wind & FOG... lots of FOG!!   Did I mention FOG?



Why is it so popular then, whereas places like Windsor and Angels Camp, and even San Francisco, have a lot of availabilities?   I went to Marina Dunes in August and was surprised by the fog... lots of FOG!!


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## roadsister (Jan 26, 2006)

LLW said:
			
		

> Why is it so popular then, whereas places like Windsor and Angels Camp, and even San Francisco, have a lot of availabilities?   I went to Marina Dunes in August and was surprised by the fog... lots of FOG!!



It is so close to Monterey....the secret is to go end of Sept/Oct - no fog!!


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## sultan_sfo (Jan 26, 2006)

*Scenic*

Back to reality.
Monterey is a base location for an easy day visit to Carmel -- visit Clint Eastwood's restaurant at his hotel (he sold Hog Heaven), do the 7-mile drive (Pebble Beach). And for a slightly more strenuous trip (2.5 hours each way from Monterey), go to Big Sur and hang out and absorb the view of the Ocean  with a basket of fries and beer or a drink or coffee at Nepenthe. We have taken many overseas cruise vacations recently. For me, there is nothing in the whole whole world that beats Yosemite (need to stay in the valley one nite) and then Big Sur. /Sultan


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## LLW (Jan 27, 2006)

roadsister said:
			
		

> It is so close to Monterey....the secret is to go end of Sept/Oct - no fog!!




Thanks Faye. I had only heard of June gloom!


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## LLW (Jan 27, 2006)

sultan_sfo said:
			
		

> Back to reality.
> Monterey is a base location for an easy day visit to Carmel -- visit Clint Eastwood's restaurant at his hotel (he sold Hog Heaven), do the 7-mile drive (Pebble Beach). And for a slightly more strenuous trip (2.5 hours each way from Monterey), go to Big Sur and hang out and absorb the view of the Ocean  with a basket of fries and beer or a drink or coffee at Nepenthe. We have taken many overseas cruise vacations recently. For me, there is nothing in the whole whole world that beats Yosemite (need to stay in the valley one nite) and then Big Sur. /Sultan


The beauty of Big Sur is tremendous, especially if you can go high onto the mountains and look down. You are not the first world traveler I know who says the area around Big Sur is the most scenic in the world. A Brit I know says that too.


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