4 seasons residence club forums

[Steve]

Does four seasons aloow an owner to bank and borrow points?

No. Four Seasons does not have a point system. They simply credit you with a dollar amount which is good towards the price of a hotel stay.

Four Seasons is the LEAST FLEXIBLE hotel based timeshare system. It is not set up to be convenient for owners to exchange from one resort to another. If you are looking for a strong internal exchange system, you will be very disappointed with Four Seasons. I can't emphasize this enough.

Steve

 

[benjaminb13]

is there a link to contact Judi at Smart Choice?

 

[alwysonvac]

Does four seasons allow an owner to bank and borrow points?

As stated above, this is not a point-based system. There is no internal banking or borrowing.

Four Seasons offers Interval International for banking. You can deposit your week with II. FS owners have priority when exchanging back into their home resort. I think that means that there is a FS window where deposited FS weeks are suppose to be available to FS II exchangers only before the general public. I don't know how long the window last. I just won't expect a July or August week to be available via II. I think you can work with the FS owner services desk to deposit and exchange your week but I'm not sure since I haven't exchanged my FS week with Interval International (II).

The other available exchange options are discussed in this thread - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48429

Good Luck

 

[benjaminb13]

how do the dollar amount credits work? I assume they are only for 4 seasons Hotels right or are they more flexible- airline miles, affiliate hotels etc.

 

[Steve]

Judi can be reached at Smart Choice Timeshare Realty. Their website is:

www.timeshareaz.com

The Four Seasons dollars are only for use at Four Seasons hotels. As I have said before, this program is NOT flexible.

Steve

 

[GregGH]

how do the dollar amount credits work? I assume they are only for 4 seasons Hotels right or are they more flexible- airline miles, affiliate hotels etc.

Trading for hotel credits is not a good deal - and is ONLY AVAILABLE thru DIRECT SALES with FS's

Trade for hotel stays - do in Jan thru Mar ( cap of 25% limit )
2 Bed Gold = 1750 points ( on average 1 pt = $1.00 )
2 Bed Plat = 2450 points

Go to Aviara because you love the place. Perry has had some great pointers on trading for max value with Worldmark or Marriott.

Greg

 

[Kagehitokiri]

do those = MF?

 

[theworm]

do those = MF?

those would be >= the MF (about $2k for a 2bd) but for $2450 value in points, you are trading a full week in a 1650sqft 2 bed condo for 5 days in a 450 sqft standard hotel room.

I don't see the value proposition in that...bad deal on the point conversion.

 

[Kagehitokiri]

you could get 12 nights in Uruguay, but i agree while it kind of makes sense, having it just equal MF is pretty meh. so its not really converting, its like if you dont want to go to TS you dont pay for "it" you can spend the same amount on hotels.

 

[benjaminb13]

A lot tof this info is really helpful-
I spend Easter every other year in San Diego- so Im seriously considering this resort-
So I assume if I purchase a gold season I should be in good shape right?
The one thing slowing me down is that the Mfs are really high- averaged to almost 300.00/night-
But I understand an owner can take his pick at II. and this should be a plus-
how do the 4 seasons II xchange work?
Is the exchange on II done a week for a week?
Or-- is a there an allocation of points
my 2000 pt hyatt allowa me II xchange at the cost of f 1300 points so I have 700 points left over to use

 

[Bill4728]

A lot tof this info is really helpful-
I spend Easter every other year in San Diego- so Im seriously considering this resort-
So I assume if I purchase a gold season I should be in good shape right?
The one thing slowing me down is that the Mfs are really high- averaged to almost 300.00/night-
But I understand an owner can take his pick at II. and this should be a plus-
how do the 4 seasons II xchange work?
Is the exchange on II done a week for a week?
Or-- is a there an allocation of points
my 2000 pt hyatt allowa me II xchange at the cost of f 1300 points so I have 700 points left over to use

The Four Seasons will trade very well but trading is always a problem. It is because if you want the Westin or Marriott TS in Maui. You should have enough trading power to get both but since Westin & Marriott owners have a preference trading into their own branded resorts, you may never be able to get one.

You may wish to consider the Marriott in Newport Coast. It about the same price, MF will be much lower but will trade better than the four seasons because of the trading preference II gives Marriott owners trading into other Marriott resorts.

 

[benjaminb13]

thats a thought-what is the going resale rate for Marriott NCVs- can I also get an EOY for the 6000 range? Ive been to NCV and they are very nice- How do they compare to Aviara?

 

[GregGH]

A lot tof this info is really helpful-
..... The one thing slowing me down is that the Mfs are really high- averaged to almost 300.00/night-
........But I understand an owner can take his pick at II. and this should be a plus- how do the 4 seasons II xchange work? Is the exchange on II done a week for a week?......

Hello

1) start reading the non-tradional forum - you will soon shed the idea that $300/night in MF is HIGH. We are talking about pushing you from a 3 star to a 5 star location. Want towels - you got them - every day. Want a maid to clean EVERY day - you got it .... start enjoying life!

2) NEVER trade with II - it will always be a trade for something much less. II is starting a hi end trade company in 2008 - or RCI has ... http://www.theregistrycollection.com/how_to_exchange/exchange_grid/.
These are at least on an even level of quality. ( edit -- FS Aviara is 'unofficially accepted for Registry - unofficial as FS didn's sign on --they may be waiting for the II hi end site ??)

3) The ONLY way to compare Marriott NCV is to stay at both. Marriott is a very nice location - just not an Aviara. But the prices they can ask are similar ( ?? have not looked in awhile ) - if you want a smaller quieter location - where the staff are SO WELL TRAINED ...gee..that is the issue --how in the heck does FS get staff to be so attentive....

Regards
Greg H

 

[Steve]

Benjamin,

Four Seasons II exchanges are week for week. There is no point system with Four Seasons. You keep asking about a point system. Four Seasons is NOT points based. It's a weekly timeshare. If you want points, stick with Hyatt or go with HGVC.

About the best you can hope to do with Four Seasons and II is to split your lock-off villa into the two parts and then try to trade back in to larger units than the ones you gave up. I have never done this and don't know how realistic it is. It MAY be possible, and it MAY NOT. If it worked, you would get two weeks in one or two bedroom villas for one maintenance fee (plus the lock-off fee and the exchange fee).

As for Marriott's Newport Coast, I have stayed there as well as Aviara. The Marriott is a great resort with an absolutely stunning ocean view. It has terrific architecture and a real "WOW" factor. I really like this resort.

The Four Seasons is smaller than the Marriott, quieter, and lower density. It doesn't have as impressive of a view...but it does have far larger and nicer villas. It also has wonderful, expansive grounds whereas the Marriott villas are somewhat crammed in on top of one another. Here are some further comparisons:

The Marriott villas are nice, but the 2nd bedroom is rather small. The Four Seasons have huge 2nd bedrooms. The Four Seasons villas have wonderful fireplaces. The Marriott villas do not. The Four Seasons 2 bedroom villas are lock-offs. The Marriott villas are not. The Four Seasons villas have three bathrooms. The Marriott villas have two. The Four Seasons villas are about 1/3 larger overall than the Marriott villas. The Four Seasons villas are adjacent to a full service hotel. The Marriott villas are not. The Four Seasons has daily maid service. The Marriott doesn't even have a midweek cleaning.

In short, there is a definite difference in quality between the two resorts. Marriott's Newport Coast is a first class resort. Four Seasons Aviara is a luxury class resort. Both are very nice, but they are different. I am happy staying at either one. Four Seasons, however, is my favorite of the two.

Steve

 

[Sir Newf]

Steve- Thanks for the summary comparison...I'm still looking into EOY 4S, and slighly considering Newport Marriott- but now I'm convinced even more, that it will be 4S....I DO want that luxury resort experience..

 

[Ekaaj]

3- where the staff are SO WELL TRAINED ...gee..that is the issue --how in the heck does FS get staff to be so attentive....

They hire and actively recruit great people, and then spend weeks training them to the FS standard. The Four Seasons, as a corporation, also treats their employees with a good deal of respect, and gives them nice perks. I worked there years ago, and really enjoyed it. I left only for a job in the financial world, otherwise I probably would have stayed.

 

[theworm]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their input/info on FSA, and for Judi's contact info. She was most helpful (providing me with the real market rates on FSA 2bd plat weeks). I'd recommend contacting her if you're looking.

I was able to snag a 2bd plat for about 40% of developer-direct pricing. In escrow now and don't want to jinx it

 

[Steve]

Congratulations! I'm glad that Judi was helpful, and that you got a good deal on your purchase.

Welcome to the Four Seasons family.

Steve

 

[benjaminb13]

If I purchase a gold season- If easter week, xmas week falls under the gold season- is it very difficult to make a reservation for those weeks or is it almost guaranteed so long as I schedule ahead of time.

 

[TomCayman]

Just to add to the conversation... this summer we took a family vacation to SoCal and stayed one week at Aviara and one week at Marriott Newport Villas, so I can compare from a family vacation standpoint.

I echo comments that Four Seasons is a luxury resort, Marriott simply a nice one.

I'd also add :
- the summer climate in Carlsbad is well nigh perfection... my wife would run the trails by the lagoon around 7am in low 60s, cool enough to run the fireplace in the condo in the morning, by mid-morning the clouds would be burned off and temps in high 70s til about 5pm, then things would gradually cool off... basically like a perfect summer day in Northern Europe. To compare, Newport Coast is very nice, but a little warmer

To put it simply, I am a timeshare developer (well know around TUG parts), yet I am considering buying a 2BD Platinum week at Aviara, simply to bank weeks on alternate years and go for two weeks every other year in summer... the only mistake we made this summer was not spending enough time at Aviara... it is very relaxing

 

[benjaminb13]

Although I hear 4 seasons is truly a luxury resort- There More options with 4 seasaons gold than Marriott gold NCV-----We will probably have go marriott-
3 reasons
1) MY wife considers Newportbeach a nicer vac destination than Carlsbad
2) MFs for 4 seasons is just too high(2100- if the MFs were 1200 that might work- Marriotts is around 750 - a third of the price)
3)I understand both programs have old fashioned - sometimes frustrating exchange/reservation systems( Ive oned at Waiohai b4 got frustrated and sold then bought HGVC Waikoloa for flexibility)
But-----Marriott has more resorts

Only problem is I will pay much more for a Marriott plat- 16500 to 17000 ---because gold is out- I hear booking Easter during gold season is an impossibility- - I hear even reservations for owners of platinum floating at Marriott is still a coin toss-

 

[TomCayman]

Question for Aviara experts... do they allow banking of weeks within the resort ? I'd like to go for two weeks every other year, so that is what would make sense for me.

 

[GregGH]

Thanks for the data and additional commentary. It'd appear that, generally speaking, the $30k/$26k, $15k bands would represent about 1/2 to 2/3 of the developer-direct prices, yes?
......snip ....)

I think the $15,000 is 2 bed gold and $25,000 are 2 bed platinum weeks for the most part --very few 1 bed units sold I think

Greg

 

[theworm]

I think the $15,000 is 2 bed gold and $25,000 are 2 bed platinum weeks for the most part --very few 1 bed units sold I think

Greg

$25k is indeed a 2bd plat annual; I'm in escrow on one for $23k. They tend to range anywhere from $22k to $26k on resale.

I haven't yet thanked TUG for the help (which saved me $30k from developer-direct) because I don't want to jinx the escrow

 

[theworm]

Question for Aviara experts... do they allow banking of weeks within the resort ? I'd like to go for two weeks every other year, so that is what would make sense for me.

No banking - use it or lose it.