• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

[2006] Any Michigan owners?

AmyL4408

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
282
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Michigan
I live in Michigan. I own at Marriotts Grande Vista in Orlando, Florida.

A timeshare that I didn't have to fly to would be a great idea.... But Michigan seems so expensive for timeshares!

I found a Vacation Club for $ 1 on ebay, with almost $1800 in MF's per year!!! So I don't think that is quite a good deal. You do get 4 weeks of stay, but in Michigan thats alot of money for a week's stay. Not much of a bargain. Does anybody really vacation for 4 weeks in Michigan? Does it have a good exchanging capability, if we got sick of being in Michigan?

Shanty Creek?
Boyne Mountain?

Any owners out there?

Amy
 

rod

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
300
Reaction score
7
Points
228
Location
Marshall, Michigan
Re: Any Michigan owners?

I own a summer week at Sudendorf that I purchased just last summer - I am afraid that I cannot answer your question about trade power just yet. The accepted theory on TUG is that since the supply of resort weeks in Michigan is so low, and it is a desirable location (in season), that the Michigan resorts should have good trade power.

Shanty Creek is a large resort development that includes year-round homes, wholly owned vacation properties, timeshares, 3 golf courses, and 2 downhill ski areas.

The timeshare operations that I know of at Shanty Creek are:

(1) Cedar River at Shanty Creek which, according to RCI, has 1 to 5 units and 1 to 100 RCI members who own there
(2) Shanty Creek Lodges has 21 to 50 units and 500 to 999 RCI members who own there
(3) Sudendorf at Schuss Mountain has 6 to 10 units and 101 to 249 RCI members who own there
(4) Vacation Club has more than 50 units and 500 to 999 RCI members who own there
(5) Vacation Club II has 11 to 20 units and 101 to 249 RCI members who own there

While the resort uses a point system to handle reservations, the base unit that is being sold is a floating studio. I feel the maintenance fee of $444 per week is excessive for a studio - in general, I expect a reasonable maintenance fee for a well maintained 2 bedroom unit to be about $400 per week.
 

AmyL4408

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
282
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Michigan
Re: Any Michigan owners?

rod said:
Shanty Creek is a large resort development that includes year-round homes, wholly owned vacation properties, timeshares, 3 golf courses, and 2 downhill ski areas.

My main concern is the value. When you can pay for a "rental" stay and can get a golf package included with it, I think you save money versus paying for the timeshare and then having to pay for golf or even skiing seperately.


Last fall we stayed at Agaming outside of Traverse City. They had 3 bedroom condos for rent. I think it cost us less than $700 for a 3 night stay with 4 rounds of golf(two people). We shared with 2 other couples. With packages like that, its like paying for the golf and getting the stay for free.

You could spend $100 a day a person golfing at Shanty Creek, easily.

Do you get any kind of ownership discounts at Shanty Creek for golf or skiing?


Thanks
Amy
 

dogfeet

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
139
Reaction score
41
Points
389
Location
Michigan
Re: Any Michigan owners?

Amy, I am an owner at Shanty Creek Vacation Club. I have owned for just over a year and bought on ebay. The deal that you mentioned that is now on ebay is too much maintence fees for the points you get. The timeshare I own is 126 points for a maintence fee of around 600 dollars. The current deal on ebay gives you 182 points for around 1,800 dollars.
I do like the flexibility of the points system because it allows you to book partial or full weeks at different times of the year than the time that you own. As to owner discounts for golf or skiing, I am not sure but before you would buy either Shanty Creek Vacation Club or Shanty Creek you could always call the resort and ask. Hope this is of some help.

dogfeet
 

wdaveo

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
77
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Re: Any Michigan owners?

Hi Amy, I am in Michigan and also own in Orlando. I am frustrated that there are not more timeshare options within driving distance...much less in Michigan (well, there are a few here but they are impossible to trade into in the summer.)

Good luck!

Dawn
 
Joined
Nov 10, 2005
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Portland, MI
Re: Any Michigan owners?

Hi Amy,

I live in Michigan and own 4 weeks at Pinestead Reef in Traverse City and 8 weeks in other great spots. 2 - 2 bedroom, 2 bath units at the Reef I've owned since 1995 (Nov. blue weeks-bought them both for $800.), 2 I bought last year on Ebay - very cheap (Jan. red weeks). I don't golf, but love TC (grew up there). The MF's are $454 per week. Were $350 until last year.

I don't know about Shanty Creek, but Pinestead Reef exchanges well. We traded via RCI for the month of Jan. this year into the Desert Oasis Resort in Catherdral City, CA. (Palm Springs area).

We "exchanged" a Jan. Reef week through RCI into a 2 bedroom 2 bath unit at the Pinestead Reef mid May this year. It was great. So warm we were able to lay on the beach. They have an indoor heated pool and hot tub anyway.

If you go to PinesteadReef.com there is a listing of weeks for sale by owners and some very good prices, however, if you're a golfer, I'd really consider Shanty Creek. They practically give them away on Ebay. People just want to get out of their MF. Good luck.

Marilyn
 

Leturno

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2005
Messages
350
Reaction score
1
Points
228
Location
Illinois
Re: Any Michigan owners?

marilynnewkirk said:
Hi Amy,

I live in Michigan and own 4 weeks at Pinestead Reef in Traverse City and 8 weeks in other great spots. 2 - 2 bedroom, 2 bath units at the Reef I've owned since 1995 (Nov. blue weeks-bought them both for $800.), 2 I bought last year on Ebay - very cheap (Jan. red weeks). I don't golf, but love TC (grew up there). The MF's are $454 per week. Were $350 until last year.

...

Marilyn

Marilyn,

I have seen posted in places some sort of notice about Pinestead and proximity to a road? What is that about? When you see pictures it looks like a picturesque location on a fantastic Lake Michigan beach.

Scott
 

jmeninga

Tug Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2005
Messages
24
Reaction score
1
Points
363
Location
kalamazoo, mi
Re: Any Michigan owners?

Pinestead Reef is located on what is basically the main drag in Traverse City. You enter the units from the road side. This is pretty unbelievable, but you really do not hear much road noise (I tend to be REALLY sensitive to stuff like that). The timeshare is heavily concrete or stone, and I think it must be really well-insulated. You walk straight thru the condo, and the opposite wall has sliding glass doors that open to the beach.

There is an April week for sale on E Bay for a dollar or two.
 

AmyL4408

newbie
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
282
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Michigan
Re: Any Michigan owners?

My husband said there was a timeshare in Traverse City that went bankrupt a few years ago.....


He wondered if it was the Pinstead Reef :eek:




Amy
 

Weimaraner

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,475
Reaction score
23
Points
398
Location
Michigan
I know this thread is pretty old but I had the same question and thought I would revisit the topic rather than start a new thread. I too live in Michigan and own Marriott and wish there was a timeshare closer to home. I have been to Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey which is part of the Marriott brand but I couldn't find any rooms with MR points last summer. I love to visit Traverse City beaches in the summer and it is quite expensive. I'm looking into Pinestead Reef since it seems to get good reviews and would appreciate any feedback from those who love to travel in Michigan. :hi:
 

Twinkstarr

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
7,269
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Location
Ohio
I know this thread is pretty old but I had the same question and thought I would revisit the topic rather than start a new thread. I too live in Michigan and own Marriott and wish there was a timeshare closer to home. I have been to Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey which is part of the Marriott brand but I couldn't find any rooms with MR points last summer. I love to visit Traverse City beaches in the summer and it is quite expensive. I'm looking into Pinestead Reef since it seems to get good reviews and would appreciate any feedback from those who love to travel in Michigan. :hi:

I'm just south of you in NW Ohio

We bought a fixed week at Hemlock at Boyne week 32. Amazed at what Bluegreen did with those original Boyne condos. It's not Marriott/Starwood, but it's a nice silver crown unit for around MF's of $600 a year. Does slightly better than average in RCI. It only cost me $405.

Most everything "up north" are fractionals, we looked at Boyne's offerings(including the Inn at Bay Harbor), and the Homestead in Glen Arbor. Really didn't want an 1/8 or 1/4 share.
 

Quilter

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 9, 2005
Messages
3,379
Reaction score
789
Points
498
Location
Plymouth, MI
Bringing this thread back to the surface.

Are there any owners from the Inn at Bay Harbor on TUG? If so, I'd like to know if there's and owner's blog. We've stayed there twice; once with Marriott Rewards and once on an II exchange.

We're Marriott owners and I wish we had more resorts within driving distance like those owners in SC and FL so we could take advantage of short stays.
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
2,959
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
I know this thread is pretty old but I had the same question and thought I would revisit the topic rather than start a new thread. I too live in Michigan and own Marriott and wish there was a timeshare closer to home. I have been to Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey which is part of the Marriott brand but I couldn't find any rooms with MR points last summer. I love to visit Traverse City beaches in the summer and it is quite expensive. I'm looking into Pinestead Reef since it seems to get good reviews and would appreciate any feedback from those who love to travel in Michigan. :hi:

Hi, I was just wondering if you ever bought at Pinestead Reef? I'd love to purchase a week there in June or Early September.

Did you buy a flex week or fixed week?
 

Weimaraner

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,475
Reaction score
23
Points
398
Location
Michigan
No I never did. Prices are pretty high for the summer weeks I would be interested in. I ended up getting a RCI resort with the hopes of trading in. The best trade I've ever seen has been a mid June week. They do have resales listed here http://www.pinestead.com/Timesharesales22-36.htm


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
2,959
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
Hi Amy,

I live in Michigan and own 4 weeks at Pinestead Reef in Traverse City and 8 weeks in other great spots. 2 - 2 bedroom, 2 bath units at the Reef I've owned since 1995 (Nov. blue weeks-bought them both for $800.), 2 I bought last year on Ebay - very cheap (Jan. red weeks). I don't golf, but love TC (grew up there). The MF's are $454 per week. Were $350 until last year.

I don't know about Shanty Creek, but Pinestead Reef exchanges well. We traded via RCI for the month of Jan. this year into the Desert Oasis Resort in Catherdral City, CA. (Palm Springs area).

We "exchanged" a Jan. Reef week through RCI into a 2 bedroom 2 bath unit at the Pinestead Reef mid May this year. It was great. So warm we were able to lay on the beach. They have an indoor heated pool and hot tub anyway.

If you go to PinesteadReef.com there is a listing of weeks for sale by owners and some very good prices, however, if you're a golfer, I'd really consider Shanty Creek. They practically give them away on Ebay. People just want to get out of their MF. Good luck.

Marilyn

I live in MI and I'm interested in purchasing a memorial or Labor Day week at this resort. I looked on there website and the weeks starting with 19 and up are pretty expensive. I just want to find something affordable and a 4 hour drive at most.
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
2,959
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
No I never did. Prices are pretty high for the summer weeks I would be interested in. I ended up getting a RCI resort with the hopes of trading in. The best trade I've ever seen has been a mid June week. They do have resales listed here http://www.pinestead.com/Timesharesales22-36.htm


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks so much, I just wish the resale units were priced a bit cheaper
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
2,959
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
I know this thread is pretty old but I had the same question and thought I would revisit the topic rather than start a new thread. I too live in Michigan and own Marriott and wish there was a timeshare closer to home. I have been to Inn at Bay Harbor in Petoskey which is part of the Marriott brand but I couldn't find any rooms with MR points last summer. I love to visit Traverse City beaches in the summer and it is quite expensive. I'm looking into Pinestead Reef since it seems to get good reviews and would appreciate any feedback from those who love to travel in Michigan. :hi:

I'm on the local relators email list and thus far the unit and week that I'm looking for has not popped up. These weeks are going for $14K+

The summer weeks go for the same dollar amount as WKV in AZ
 
Last edited:

Weimaraner

TUG Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2006
Messages
1,475
Reaction score
23
Points
398
Location
Michigan
No wonder I never see them in RCI. Everyone wants to be in TC in July and August. Mario Batali needs to stop telling the world how wonderful northern Michigan is:D
 

Sugarcubesea

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
4,038
Reaction score
2,959
Points
449
Location
Novi, Michigan
Resorts Owned
QH, HBC, VBHC, & Pinestead Reef
No wonder I never see them in RCI. Everyone wants to be in TC in July and August. Mario Batali needs to stop telling the world how wonderful northern Michigan is:D


I just looked on Craigs List and those summer weeks at the Reef are going for $1300 to $1800 a week
 
Top