[2020] Was your Marriott Gold Holiday week ranked higher than a Gold week

[David26]

We bought a Marriott Gold Holiday at the Marbella Beach resort way back in 2008, and at the time, I remember being told during the sales pitch that Gold Holiday week owners could make reservations within both the Gold and Silver seasons, ie: the Gold Holiday week had a higher ranking than the Gold / Silver weeks. I recently tried to make a reservation for September 2021 and was told that my Gold Holiday week was restricted to specific time slots as per the resort calendars, and that I did not have access to the Gold / Silver weeks unless I went through Interval Int.
In the last 12 years, we have exchanged to Florida and holidayed in our home resort within the Gold Holiday season. Our kids have grown and gone their own ways, so this year is the first time that I tried to make a reservation that would suit myself and my wife .. No kids!
I`ve looked at various threads on this, and other forums, and if my logic is correct, at some point the value of Gold Holiday seems to have dropped below Gold, and Marriott moved the goal posts.
Does this ring true for any of you guys ?

 

[vacationtime1]

We bought a Marriott Gold Holiday at the Marbella Beach resort way back in 2008, and at the time, I remember being told during the sales pitch that Gold Holiday week owners could make reservations within both the Gold and Silver seasons, ie: the Gold Holiday week had a higher ranking than the Gold / Silver weeks. I recently tried to make a reservation for September 2021 and was told that my Gold Holiday week was restricted to specific time slots as per the resort calendars, and that I did not have access to the Gold / Silver weeks unless I went through Interval Int.
In the last 12 years, we have exchanged to Florida and holidayed in our home resort within the Gold Holiday season. Our kids have grown and gone their own ways, so this year is the first time that I tried to make a reservation that would suit myself and my wife .. No kids!
I`ve looked at various threads on this, and other forums, and if my logic is correct, at some point the value of Gold Holiday seems to have dropped below Gold, and Marriott moved the goal posts.
Does this ring true for any of you guys ?

What does the documentation say about your week? That is what is controlling.

What a salesman says during a sales pitch isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

 

[David26]

Hi Robert,
No mention of the reservation overlap on any documentation, and yes ... the sales pitch was only verbal, but it was said, and I`ve seen other threads mention the higher ranking of the gold holiday week versus the gold week. I can`t believe I imagined it, so just wondering if other owners think that Marriott changed the ranking ... it sucks !

David

 

[Dean]

We bought a Marriott Gold Holiday at the Marbella Beach resort way back in 2008, and at the time, I remember being told during the sales pitch that Gold Holiday week owners could make reservations within both the Gold and Silver seasons, ie: the Gold Holiday week had a higher ranking than the Gold / Silver weeks. I recently tried to make a reservation for September 2021 and was told that my Gold Holiday week was restricted to specific time slots as per the resort calendars, and that I did not have access to the Gold / Silver weeks unless I went through Interval Int.
In the last 12 years, we have exchanged to Florida and holidayed in our home resort within the Gold Holiday season. Our kids have grown and gone their own ways, so this year is the first time that I tried to make a reservation that would suit myself and my wife .. No kids!
I`ve looked at various threads on this, and other forums, and if my logic is correct, at some point the value of Gold Holiday seems to have dropped below Gold, and Marriott moved the goal posts.
Does this ring true for any of you guys ?

I'm partly replying to subscribe. I've seen a few posts talking about this issue specifically booking other gold weeks when owning a gold holiday but not also being able to book silver. I can't speak for this resort but I know there were times at other resorts when owners of event weeks could book other weeks. To make it worse, it appears the points you get if you enroll for a Gold Holiday weeks is actually slightly less than for a regular Gold week there.

 

[echino]

There are some Marriott resorts where owners of fixed holiday weeks have access to the rest of the Platinum season as well. But it's only at some resorts, not at all resorts. Also, owners do not have access to a lower season (such as Platinum cannot book Gold). Rather, it's owners of one fixed holiday week within e.g. Platinum season can access the rest of the Platinum season.

Gold Holiday is not a fixed week, it's a separate season. No access to other seasons.

 

[David26]

There are some Marriott resorts where owners of fixed holiday weeks have access to the rest of the Platinum season as well. But it's only at some resorts, not at all resorts. Also, owners do not have access to a lower season (such as Platinum cannot book Gold). Rather, it's owners of one fixed holiday week within e.g. Platinum season can access the rest of the Platinum season.

Gold Holiday is not a fixed week, it's a separate season. No access to other seasons.

Thanks echino,
Timeshare is a complex system. Now that I know the apparent limit of our gold holiday season week, we will make our reservations accordingly.

David

 

[MOXJO7282]

I think what you may have heard was the holiday week would have a higher trading power with companies like II and RCI because very few Marriotts, allow you to reserve in a different season then what you own.

 

[bazzap]

There have been some strange anomalies with Gold Holiday weeks in Europe.
Although they cost more, some were allocated fewer DC points than Gold weeks at the same resort when the programme was introduced here.
I can only speak with clear knowledge about this for Club Son Antem.
At this resort, yes Gold Holiday week owners do also have access to Gold season weeks.
However, access to this inventory is quite limited.
Realistically it has to be, otherwise in the extreme all Gold Holiday week owners could decide to book in the Gold season and there would not be enough weeks left for Gold week owners to be able to book in their own season.

 

[davidvel]

Here is the calendar for Marbella:

https://www.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/common/cms/mvc/pdfs/helpfulTools/resortCalendar/Marriott%27s_Marbella_Beach_Club_Calendar.pdf

As others have noted, you generally can only reserve your own season, and if you could reserve the lower silver weeks, they would have to allow silver weeks to reserve up to gold (or platinum.)

 

[SonAntemOwner]

Gold Holiday Weeks can be reserved in the Gold Season based on availability.
In the past there have been problems with reservations in September - many owners who used to book in July and August are now booking in September.
Also the Gold Holiday season and the ability to book in the Gold Season is unique for few resorts. Hence many associates at Owner Services do not know that it’s possible.

You might need to read the terms and conditions in your HOPA - Reservation procedures.


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[David26]

Thank you folks,
Its great to be able to tap into a wealth of knowledge/experience on Marriott timeshare.
Although I was annoyed when I was told I could`nt reserve a week outside my season, the owner rep did come through in the end and got us a reservation at the end of the Gold season for Sept 2021. In hindsight .... what you guys are saying makes perfect sense, and going forward I will work within our season.

Regards,

David

 

[cwtkm3]

We purchased 2BR gold holiday at Marbella Beach Resort in 2002 on the basis it allowed gold and gold holiday bookings. We specifically wanted May half-term annually which was gold hol. Our kids grew up so we then started booking gold generally in September.
We were never allowed to book into silver or platinum.
Our contract specifies we can book gold and gold holiday but we were told they changed this ruling around 2007. I don't know if it's true or not but I have always managed to book gold when wanted. Occasionally not got first choice but have always secured something.

A few of us fought the unfair destinations points allocation of 2850 for 2BR gold holiday week versus 2975 gold week. We were talking to people in Florida but told gold more popular and couldn't be changed. Gave up in the end.

Marbella got their calendar wrong. Easter is platinum but most platinum owners want July and August so they seem to have problems getting what they want.

Playa Andaluza has a much better calenda, no gold holiday so much easier to book.

Interestingly pretty much the whole of September 2021 is currently available to book with DC points at all 3 Spanish resorts although considerable skim.

Don't know about Son Antem but expect those weeks were initially sold with same sales tactics.

 

[bazzap]

At Club Son Antem, we initially bought Gold season weeks way back in the early 2000s.

When we looked to buy additional weeks in 2014, we considered buying Gold Holiday season weeks because of the additional access to Gold Season weeks.

I checked the HOPA reservation procedures and all they say is “subject to availability” as in the attached screenshot.

As a result, I contacted MVC European Owner Services for clarification and their response was
“Gold Holiday and Gold are two different seasons. Gold Holiday owners have additional weeks available to book which are not contained in the Gold season. There is a certain limited level of inventory in the Gold season which is available for Gold Holiday owners to book, however Gold Holiday owners do not have complete access to booking all dates in the Gold season. Our inventory management teams carefully monitor inventory levels and ensures there is an adequate amount of Gold weeks solely available to Gold season owners.

Furthermore, Gold Holiday owners are only able to book Gold Holiday weeks online, they are unable to book Gold weeks online unlike Gold season owners. This ensures that our inventory management team have strict control over what Gold Holiday owners have access to with regard to Gold inventory.”

 

[davidvel]

At Club Son Antem, we initially bought Gold season weeks way back in the early 2000s.

When we looked to buy additional weeks in 2014, we considered buying Gold Holiday season weeks because of the additional access to Gold Season weeks.

I checked the HOPA reservation procedures and all they say is “subject to availability” as in the attached screenshot.

As a result, I contacted MVC European Owner Services for clarification and their response was
“Gold Holiday and Gold are two different seasons. Gold Holiday owners have additional weeks available to book which are not contained in the Gold season. There is a certain limited level of inventory in the Gold season which is available for Gold Holiday owners to book, however Gold Holiday owners do not have complete access to booking all dates in the Gold season. Our inventory management teams carefully monitor inventory levels and ensures there is an adequate amount of Gold weeks solely available to Gold season owners.

Furthermore, Gold Holiday owners are only able to book Gold Holiday weeks online, they are unable to book Gold weeks online unlike Gold season owners. This ensures that our inventory management team have strict control over what Gold Holiday owners have access to with regard to Gold inventory.”

View attachment 27115

They must let a gold week owner reserve a holiday week if a holiday owner reserves gold. What do the procedures say about that?

 

[dioxide45]

They must let a gold week owner reserve a holiday week if a holiday owner reserves gold. What do the procedures say about that?

Not sure that they must. I suspect they just rely on developer inventory and gold week owners that are in default or otherwise fail to make a reservation to be able to give those to Gold Holiday owners.

As someone mentioned earlier, it has to be based on availability and some type of capacity control. They couldn't let all Gold Holiday owners book into Gold or they wouldn't have enough Gold inventory to go around for Gold season owners.

 

[bazzap]

They must let a gold week owner reserve a holiday week if a holiday owner reserves gold. What do the procedures say about that?

I have not seen any procedures, only the HOPA Reservation section I posted.
If anyone does have another document I would certainly like to see it.

 

[TravelTime]

I am wondering what European holidays fall into Gold Holiday season? Are Gold Holiday dates generally more desirable or harder to get than other Gold dates?

 

[bazzap]

I am wondering what European holidays fall into Gold Holiday season? Are Gold Holiday dates generally more desirable or harder to get than other Gold dates?

This varies by European resort and is fairly complex.
Here is the Club Son Antem Calendar and it varies as some of the Gold dates can be the hardest to get at times.