What non-HGVC timeshares do you own

[Arimaas]

Was considering adding another system to my portfolio just to have some options (I have been looking at Wyndham since I live in Metro NY and HGVC doesn't really have very much within day trip distance). Just wondering what other systems some of you folks own, and what you like/don't like about it.

 

[buzglyd]

Just bought a Vistana Villages Bella resale. The locations are a nice compliment to the HGVC system.

I also own Carlsbad Inn (GPX) and Gaslamp Plaza Suites (VRI/Trading Places).

 

[Arimaas]

Just bought a Vistana Villages Bella resale. The locations are a nice compliment to the HGVC system.

I also own Carlsbad Inn (GPX) and Gaslamp Plaza Suites (VRI/Trading Places).

I was reading about the Vistana resale. There's some kind of quirk that has to do with voluntary vs mandatory club and exchanges?

 

[buzglyd]

I was reading about the Vistana resale. There's some kind of quirk that has to do with voluntary vs mandatory club and exchanges?

Yes read the information in the Vistana forum. Only a handful of resorts transfer with points. Easy to find though.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

+1 Vistana is a good compliment to HGVC with locations on Maui, St. John, Atlantis Bahamas, Steamboat, Arizona.

We are currently closing on Vistana Westin OF resale on Maui. This property is a mandatory property. We look forward to II for Marriott, Hyatt and Four Seasons for cash getaways and limited trading of our studio lock off.

Hilton is a more flexible system.

 

[JohnPaul]

We own in a variety of systems because they each offer their own attributes. However, we live in California so some of these may not be as useful for you.

Vacation Internationale - We are Prestige Platinum which gives us amazing perks but would cost a fortune to get now. Mostly Western US, Canada and Mexico. No housekeeping fees but a $20 reservation fee.

Worldmark - This ownership is extremely versatile. Something like 90 resorts now but concentrated in the west. Favorites include Park City (very limited number of units) and the Camlin in Seattle. People complain about pressure to do sales presentations during your stay but just say no.

HGVC - W 57th St and The Residences in Manhattan - sounds like not something your interested in based on your location.

Shell Vacation Club (West) - love this for San Francisco, Napa and San Diego - also access to Hawaii and other resorts. MF are a bit high but they are operating in expensive places. Have used their version of bonus time for midweek hotel room at Inn at the Opera in San Francisco for $30 per night plus $17.50 reservation fee (and you get breakfast).

Vistana (Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon (Beaver Creek), CO) - Probably the one I'd give up first. It is a voluntary resort which means that the ability to have StarOptions, which are points that let you use other properties or other seasons and unit types, will not transfer with a sale. Anyone that buys this from us will have to use 7 days in the season/unit size we own. At a Mandatory resort, the StarOptions go with the sale. Bought a fairly inexpensive developer every other year summer week to get some ski days at Beaver Creek. Being every other year with a club fee every year makes the MF a bit high for what we get. However, we like the property. We also like that we got Gold status with Starwood and Marriott due to our purchase. Late checkouts (SPG) and free breakfasts (Marriott) are handy.

We also own Sedona Pines (Sedona, AZ) and Oakmont Resort (Pigeon Forge, TN) for RCI points with low MF. Let's us do some exchanges, especially for skiing in Colorado.

Now that we are retired, we are spending over half our time in timeshares. Good luck on your search. There are a ton of options depending on what is important to you. I'm personally a fan of point systems that let me book what I want/where I want/for however long I want with no exchange fees but everybody is different.

 

[hurnik]

Some friends of mine own Worldmark and I thought they just recently (or were going to) changed something about being able to book NYC hotels or something with Worldmark points. I may have mis-heard her, but she wasn't happy apparently.

 

[Panina]

Was considering adding another system to my portfolio just to have some options (I have been looking at Wyndham since I live in Metro NY and HGVC doesn't really have very much within day trip distance). Just wondering what other systems some of you folks own, and what you like/don't like about it.

Instead of another system you could get a southwest Florida affiliate in hgvc. This way you have a strong trader in interval and can also enroll it as part of hgvc if you want.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Instead of another system you could get a southwest Florida affiliate in hgvc. This way you have a strong trader in interval and can also enroll it as part of hgvc if you want.

A very interesting idea! Can you elaborate i.e.

1) Which affiliate gives you the best bang for the buck - what is the Vegas of southwest Florida in terms of MF/point and buy-in cost? If you had to purchase one for a strong II trader/high point HGVC what would you buy? and ballpark how much?

2) How many points in HGVC are they worth?

3) Can you get II trades easily into Marriott, Vistana, Hyatt in prime locations?

4) Is it better to buy resale? or to buy from affiliate to get to HGVC Elite?

5) How difficult are these to sell or give away when you don't want it anymore?

 

[frank808]

We also own Marriott, Disney Vacation Club, Grandview in Las Vegas for RCI points and Christmas Mountain to generate RCI points/TPU and Interval deposits.

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[BigDave]

We also own Disney Vacation Club and love it.

 

[Panina]

A very interesting idea! Can you elaborate i.e.

1) Which affiliate gives you the best bang for the buck - what is the Vegas of southwest Florida in terms of MF/point and buy-in cost? If you had to purchase one for a strong II trader/high point HGVC what would you buy? and ballpark how much?

2) How many points in HGVC are they worth?

3) Can you get II trades easily into Marriott, Vistana, Hyatt in prime locations?

4) Is it better to buy resale? or to buy from affiliate to get to HGVC Elite?

5) How difficult are these to sell or give away when you don't want it anymore?

I will tell you what I have...
I purchased a 2 bedroom flex winter week in Eagles Nest, Marco Island. It flexes week 5-16.
Weeks 5,6,14,15,16 gets 5000 points, weeks 7-13 gets 7000 points.

I have not traded it yet in interval but I know it will be a great trader based on another 1 bedroom unit I own on Marco Island. It is at Sunrise Bay, which is a non rated resort in interval, and not considered as high in prime time and is a fabulous trader in interval.

I have tried to use the points on my other hgvc week for trading thru the hgvc RCI portal and have had little success with trades.

With my 1 bedroom on Marco Island I have traded often into Marriott’s, Hyatt’s and have seen Vistanas available.

I purchased resale through auction, paid $3650 a year and a half ago. This was a great price as through the resort they were asking $12,000 which was negotiable. Patience and active looking made me find this. Elite to me has no value.

For what I purchased I feel I could easily get my investment back. Giving it away I would have many takers.

I personally do not look at mf/point price cost. Ok, everyone I understand why you do. I believe buy what you would be happy to use if you weren’t trading and buy something that you can find a new home for easily if needed.

I currently also have a regular hgvc week and if I had to do it again I would get an affiliate instead. The affiliates have a choice whether to participate or not. I like that option that I am thinking of gifting my current week and getting another affiliate. My mf is $1113.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Was considering adding another system to my portfolio just to have some options (I have been looking at Wyndham since I live in Metro NY and HGVC doesn't really have very much within day trip distance). Just wondering what other systems some of you folks own, and what you like/don't like about it.

I also live in Metro NY and not only HGVC not have options nearby, tim

+1 Vistana is a good compliment to HGVC with locations on Maui, St. John, Atlantis Bahamas, Steamboat, Arizona.

We are currently closing on Vistana Westin OF resale on Maui. This property is a mandatory property. We look forward to II for Marriott, Hyatt and Four Seasons for cash getaways and limited trading of our studio lock off.

Hilton is a more flexible system.

I have to agree that if you are looking for a different system you want to get one that trades with II so you have that segment of the timeshare world covered since HGVC trades with RCI. In addition to HGVC we only own a 2 BR at Misner Place which is in the South Florida city of Weston. FL. While that resort also trades with RCI we have RCI points which has enabled us to make some excellent exchanges. For those RCI points we just recently reserved 2 weeks in the Kaanapali Beach Club for April 2019.

 

[csodjd]

I feel so inadequate. I just have a Marriott Maui week in addition to 6200 and 8400 pt HGVC weeks.

 

[Helios]

Starwood and Marriott.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I feel so inadequate. I just have a Marriott Maui week in addition to 6200 and 8400 pt HGVC weeks.

LOL..."inadequate" and Marriott Maui sounds like an oxymoron...

 

[1Kflyerguy]

We have Marriott Destination Points. I really like Hawaii, and Marriott is a nice compliment to HGVC,

 

[Tamaradarann]

I feel so inadequate. I just have a Marriott Maui week in addition to 6200 and 8400 pt HGVC weeks.

Since you own both RCI and II perhaps you can speak to the benefits of having access to both system for trades, extra vacations, getaways etc.

 

[Caligirlfrtx]

We own in a variety of systems because they each offer their own attributes. However, we live in California so some of these may not be as useful for you.

Vacation Internationale - We are Prestige Platinum which gives us amazing perks but would cost a fortune to get now. Mostly Western US, Canada and Mexico. No housekeeping fees but a $20 reservation fee.

Worldmark - This ownership is extremely versatile. Something like 90 resorts now but concentrated in the west. Favorites include Park City (very limited number of units) and the Camlin in Seattle. People complain about pressure to do sales presentations during your stay but just say no.

HGVC - W 57th St and The Residences in Manhattan - sounds like not something your interested in based on your location.

Shell Vacation Club (West) - love this for San Francisco, Napa and San Diego - also access to Hawaii and other resorts. MF are a bit high but they are operating in expensive places. Have used their version of bonus time for midweek hotel room at Inn at the Opera in San Francisco for $30 per night plus $17.50 reservation fee (and you get breakfast).

Vistana (Sheraton Mountain Vista in Avon (Beaver Creek), CO) - Probably the one I'd give up first. It is a voluntary resort which means that the ability to have StarOptions, which are points that let you use other properties or other seasons and unit types, will not transfer with a sale. Anyone that buys this from us will have to use 7 days in the season/unit size we own. At a Mandatory resort, the StarOptions go with the sale. Bought a fairly inexpensive developer every other year summer week to get some ski days at Beaver Creek. Being every other year with a club fee every year makes the MF a bit high for what we get. However, we like the property. We also like that we got Gold status with Starwood and Marriott due to our purchase. Late checkouts (SPG) and free breakfasts (Marriott) are handy.

We also own Sedona Pines (Sedona, AZ) and Oakmont Resort (Pigeon Forge, TN) for RCI points with low MF. Let's us do some exchanges, especially for skiing in Colorado.

Now that we are retired, we are spending over half our time in timeshares. Good luck on your search. There are a ton of options depending on what is important to you. I'm personally a fan of point systems that let me book what I want/where I want/for however long I want with no exchange fees but everybody is different.

What is the quality of Shell? I've been considering it.

 

[csodjd]

Since you own both RCI and II perhaps you can speak to the benefits of having access to both system for trades, extra vacations, getaways etc.

I've got two weeks at Hilton Hawaiian Village. Just recently added one week at Marriott Maui Napili Tower. I can't speak to the benefits of access to both trading systems because, so far, I've not had reason or desire to trade. Where would I go that's better than Hawaii, ocean front, 2-bedroom, etc.?

I will say this. Now that I have access to II, I've browsed through both RCI and II and, first impression, is that II has a lot more to offer. Nicer places, nicer timeshares. But, that's also based on my biases of where I find interesting and desirable. I can't say that another person wouldn't come to a very different conclusion. Another factor though is that the Marriott Maui 2-bedroom oceanfront is a premium spot/room, and it's a lockoff unit into a 1-bedroom and a studio, each of which has high trading value on II. So, it can be traded to two weeks at a lot of top-notch places. (But, note that Marriott MF are about double that of Hilton.)

 

[hurnik]

I'd love to own a Marriott, but the buy-in is expensive (IMO) especially if you tack on the cost for a resale to be allowed to book like a regular owner.
I briefly thought about Worldmark as a "cheap" way to access II. Specifically for Maui and Caribbean, although with the hurricanes in the Caribbean, not sure if it's wise at this point (I'll have to check the Caribbean sub-forum and see how the islands have faired).

Yeah, an HGVC affiliate may let you do that, but I think the resale costs for the affiliates that have II access is about 2-3x the price of Worldmark.

But I will say this thread is very informative.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am learning a LOT from this discussion. Tuggers are awesome!

Thanks @hurnik for the idea on Worldmark for II. I hesitate to add yet another system to my portfolio - too many moving parts.

HGVC affiliates with II sounds attractive (even if slightly higher) because it could kill two birds with one stone. Special thanks to @Panina for info on FL affiliates. Biggest issue is that I am on the west coast so would not regularly visit FL so if they limited trading we would be stuck.

Are there any affiliates on the West Coast or is Bay Club associated with II?

 

[frank808]

I am learning a LOT from this discussion. Tuggers are awesome!

Thanks @hurnik for the idea on Worldmark for II. I hesitate to add yet another system to my portfolio - too many moving parts.

So HGVC affiliates with II sounds attractive (even if slightly higher) because it could kill two birds with one stone. Special thanks to @Panina for info on FL affiliates. Biggest issue is that I am on the west coast so would not regularly visit FL so if they limited trading we would be stuck.

Are there any affiliates on the West Coast or is Bay Club associated with II?

Bay club is RCI only. Buy a marriott resort in florida platinum season and use that as a trader in II. That is what i do with my marriotts. Complements hgvc nicely.

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[CalGalTraveler]

Thanks, so Bay Club on the big island is II? We would enroll with HGVC but if II trading were feasible in addition to HGVC this might justify the higher maintenance fee.

Similar to the Maui Marriott response, our Westin OF maint fee is so high that trading in II or even within Vistana is not worth it. We will trade the studio lock-off sparingly and mostly use or rent it out.

 

[jnsrusty]

I am learning a LOT from this discussion. Tuggers are awesome!

Thanks @hurnik for the idea on Worldmark for II. I hesitate to add yet another system to my portfolio - too many moving parts.

So HGVC affiliates with II sounds attractive (even if slightly higher) because it could kill two birds with one stone. Special thanks to @Panina for info on FL affiliates. Biggest issue is that I am on the west coast so would not regularly visit FL so if they limited trading we would be stuck.

Are there any affiliates on the West Coast or is Bay Club associated with II?

Grand Pacific Palisades, Grand Pacific MarBrisa and Carlsbad Seapointe Resort are both affiliates on the West Coast that, in addition to trading with HGVC, can also trade with Grand Pacific Exchange (GPX). GPX is a small exchange, but there are several timeshares located in California and 3 in Hawaii. GPX also offers Insider Weeks, which are discounted, cash weeks. It all depends on what you are looking for, but if you are specifically looking for West Coast options and I would add, even more specifically Southern California, one of the HGVC/GPX affiliates might be worth looking into. We own at MarBrisa, which we love, but in addition to trading in HGVC, we also like to take advantage of the Insider weeks that GPX offers. You can find some amazing deals!