But don't rule out purchasing a Points program of one of the major companies such as Fairfield, Marriott, Starwood, etc... I suggest you take the time to study what each has to offer. There is a lot of information here at TUG. And many Points owners have established Yahoo groups to share information. One example is the Fairfield Yahoo group. Membership is free but you must fill out a simple form requesting to become a member.
Most experienced timeshare owners generally feel that is is better to buy Points on the resale market. It's often times 80-90% cheaper than buying from the developer. There may be some reduction in the "perks" available to resale purchasers but generally not enough to justify paying full price.
If you choose to become a full (vs. free) member of TUG, you will gain access to the "Resort Reviews" section which contains thousands of reviews of 3500+ timeshare properties all over the world. You can see what timeshares exist in areas of interest and then read the reviews to see which, if any, provide the atmosphere, amenities, and convenience you are seeking.
Since you are planning to vacation in what is considered in the world of timesharing to be the "off season" months (children are in school) you have a good chance of obtaining reservations at some of the most desirable timeshares, if you invest enough time and energy to learn the rules of the Points-based program you purchase. If you can begin searching well in advance, it increases your chance of success. And conversely, if you can make a travel decision on short notice (within 45 days or even closer to the check in date) you may find some great last minute cancellations or unreserved weeks--and they will require use of far less of your points, thus yielding more vacation days per year.
You would need to buy enough Points in the system which has the best inventory in the areas you would like to visit. Some of the hotel-affiliated programs such as Marriott Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacation Club, and Starwood allow you to reserve hotel rooms using your "timeshare" points when there is no timeshare unit available at your desired location.
Hubby and I have stayed in timeshare units in or close to London (Chelsea district-- a short walk to Buckingham Palace and Harrod's), Venice, Rome, Assisi, Copenhagen, and Paris. We have also stayed at timeshares that were in small towns and villages within a decent drive of major European cities--Mougins in the south of France, West Sussex between Brighton and London, and Miterfels and Oberstaufen in east and west Germany, respectively. These resorts almost always have day or overnight tours available to nearby major cities and touristic attractions. However, we always had a rental car and went exploring on our own. We did day (and occasionally overnight) trips to Munich, Regensburg, Rothenburg, Prague, Salzburg, Lake Como, Lagano Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Naples, Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Malmo and Stockholm etc...We brought bathing suits with us on each trip but rarely found time for the beach or pool. We can do that back home. Why waste time that could be spent exploring all the history and culture and world famous sites of Europe?
While we started out wanting to stay in big cities, we soon found that we had a much more "authentic" and enjoyable experience staying in timeshares in little known towns and villages. We ate at local restaurants, shopped in local stores, attended local churches, plays, concerts, etc.. The staff at these timeshare resorts are accustomed to catering to timeshare owners from all over the world. They usually hold an Orientation meeting the day after most of the guests arrive, and talk about and distribute well-written hand-outs (in several different languages) containing recommendations about what to see and do in the area, including driving and/or public transportation directions, where to shop and dine, tips on cultural customs, etc...The staff is also available on a daily basis to answer questions and make suggestions. Since their salaries are paid for by the owners of the timeshare units, it is expected that the advice the staff gives is honest, and does not involve any "kickbacks" from the establishments they recommend.
We found the local villagers to be very friendly, and genuinely interested in having conversations with us about life in our country, and theirs. We also enjoyed the more relaxed and intimate interaction with the other people from around the world, who had exchanged into the timeshares where we were staying. Timeshare ownership seems to create a special bond. There are usually a lot of demographic similarities. People readily ask where you own and where you have exchanged. These experiences are, I think, much harder to come by at a chain hotel in a large city. We have much better memories of our vacations spent in the timeshares in little known towns.
We live in the New York City area and have maintained on-going contact for almost 10 years with a then-police officer (now Chief of Police in a major Germany city), and a fiesty union leader from Sydney Australia whom we met at European timeshares.
Keep in mind that your vacation wishes may change. After you have been to most of the major cities in Europe, you may consider the airfare and hassles of international travel to be more trouble than it's worth. There are so many nice places to visit in the U.S. and Canada. There are also cities in Mexico that are known for their beaches but are near many historical sites (Mayan ruins, Merida--with all its Spanish conquest history and beautiful bulidings plus vibrant daily life). We have also been on timeshare vacations to Hawaii (each of the 4 major islands), Sedona and Phoenix Arizona, all over California, Vancouver, Alexandria Virginia, Willaimsburg, Cape Cod, the Berkshire and Pocono Mountains, and all over Florida plus many other places. Vacations to these areas are quite easy to accomplish via Points in the right systems. And it's nice to go on several drive-to weekend getaways.
These are some of the lesser known aspects of timeshare ownership that may, or may not, appeal to you.
