Best II Trader

[Mjasp]

Hi Everyone!
In your opinion, what is the best II trader with the lowest maintenance fee?
Looking for the lowest maintenance fees and best trader, will use it for trades only and to have access to bonus weeks.

Thanks

 

[BJRSanDiego]

There have been other threads where people have discussed and debated these topics. I think that it is a complex topic, especially when you throw in the exchange company (you mentioned ii), the timeshare network (Marriott, Hyatt, etc.), plus the areas you want to exchange into, unit size (# bedrooms and whether they can be split), points versus weeks, etc. Also, keep in mind that if you want to use ii to exchange in to a network with owner preference (e.g., Marriott), you will want to deposit another Marriott (Marriott owners get a 22 day preference period over non-M owners).

It is my own belief that the lowest maintenance fee timeshares do not have the highest trading power. LowEST is not the same as low and decent trading power is different the the highEST. So your "quest" is likely to be one of trade-offs: to find a timeshare with a reasonable maintenance fee and decent trading power.

 

[escanoe]

(Marriott owners get a 22 day preference period over non-M owners).

It is my own belief that the lowest maintenance fee timeshares do not have the highest trading power. LowEST is not the same as low and decent trading power is different the the highEST. So your "quest" is likely to be one of trade-offs: to find a timeshare with a reasonable maintenance fee and decent trading power.

I have been using HGVC and RCI for a few years now and like the OP am weighing making a purchase that will get me in II (one of several considerations). I have a question about this "22 day preference" for Marriott owners. Is that for any Marriott owner trading on II, or do you have to have the MVC points product?

I am mostly curious. My heart/analysis is currently set on buying a resale Hyatt Residence Club (diamond level) week in Key West.

Going back to the OP's question, it does seem like a complex one to me. If it were being asked of an RCI Points property, I would interpret it as the property giving you the highest ratio of points to maintenance fee dollars spent .... seems like II is not that simple.

 

[dioxide45]

I have been using HGVC and RCI for a few years now and like the OP am weighing making a purchase that will get me in II (one of several considerations). I have a question about this "22 day preference" for Marriott owners. Is that for any Marriott owner trading on II, or do you have to have the MVC points product?

I am mostly curious. My heart/analysis is currently set on buying a resale Hyatt Residence Club (diamond level) week in Key West.

Going back to the OP's question, it does seem like a complex one to me. If it were being asked of an RCI Points property, I would interpret it as the property giving you the highest ratio of points to maintenance fee dollars spent .... seems like II is not that simple.

Marriott preference applies to all Marriott owners depositing or using their Marriott weeks for exchange in II. The timefram may not always be 24 days (haven't ever seen 22 days mentioned before this thread). There was a 21 day preference in the old Horizons brand. That said. The preference period can be any length of time really. There is no specified number of days spelled out in the II Guide. There is also an additional preference period when exchanging between Marriott and Vistana properties.

 

[sfwilshire]

I own a couple of weeks at Tree Tops Resort in Gatlinburg. I've been giving them to RCI for the last few years, but they are dual-affiliated and II always seemed eager to get the weeks when I deposited with them. Many of the owners use their weeks, so that makes them scarce enough to up their value, I think. We live in the area, so just bought them to exchange. They have a good management team and maintenance fees have remained very stable through the years. They are around $515 now. The resort was completely rebuilt after the wildfires a couple of years ago with no special assessments and no loss of use. It looks like a brand new resort now. I've been very happy with them since the 90s.

Sheila

 

[escanoe]

I like RCI (weeks and points). I want to know what I am missing with II. If I don't go the Hyatt Residences Club Route to get into II, I see a lot of advantages to going with one I can deposit into either II or RCI. Mind if I ask about how many TPUs you get for one of the Tree Tops weeks in RCI?

I own a couple of weeks at Tree Tops Resort in Gatlinburg. I've been giving them to RCI for the last few years, but they are dual-affiliated and II always seemed eager to get the weeks when I deposited with them."

 

[GTLINZ]

I have been using HGVC and RCI for a few years now and like the OP am weighing making a purchase that will get me in II (one of several considerations). I have a question about this "22 day preference" for Marriott owners. Is that for any Marriott owner trading on II, or do you have to have the MVC points product?

I am mostly curious. My heart/analysis is currently set on buying a resale Hyatt Residence Club (diamond level) week in Key West.

Going back to the OP's question, it does seem like a complex one to me. If it were being asked of an RCI Points property, I would interpret it as the property giving you the highest ratio of points to maintenance fee dollars spent .... seems like II is not that simple.

Well it is complex because it depends on what you want to do.

I used to own HGVC and bought a Hyatt unit also. After some time I sold my HGVC unit because I was happy with interval and with internal Hyatt trades. So i can relate to wanting to get access to Interval - Interval inventory is generally much better than RCI as are the getaway weeks and I like it a lot better than RCI . The main reason I like it is access to Marriott properties - which are similar quality to HGVC but they have SO many more locations.

So I can speak about Hyatt ownership and II. Hyatt is a very strong trader and will pull most anything . It is important to consider that we are content to travel off season - so we have no issues trading with Interval into places we like. But for high demand weeks having a "preference" is very important. The Marriott preference existed before Marriott points and I would think points owners have it but someone would have to confirm. I have also heard Vistana owners talk about a preference. I may be wrong but i think there are multiple internal preferences in Interval that allow trades within a system (i.e. Marriott) before the inventory would become available to everyone else (who has the ability to see it but Hyatt should be able to). And I would think most of those preferences are based on weekly deeded ownership.

And FYI - Hyatt will not allow Interval trades into Hyatt because Hyatt has always been a points system and they don't want you to figure out a way to use less points. But Hyatt also does not show up often in Interval because most folks use their week or use internal trades. It was just a good fit for us.

 

[sfwilshire]

I like RCI (weeks and points). I want to know what I am missing with II. If I don't go the Hyatt Residences Club Route to get into II, I see a lot of advantages to going with one I can deposit into either II or RCI. Mind if I ask about how many TPUs you get for one of the Tree Tops weeks in RCI?

Both of my weeks are floating, so I try to play around with the TPU calculator before choosing a week. This year I got 28 TPU for each. Last year it was only 22 but the calculator wasn't working and I just guessed (wrong) at the best week to book. 2018 I rented one week and got 23 TPU for the other. Tourism was still recovering from the 2016 wildfires, so I just got 23 TPU in 2017 as well. One year I got 32 TPU each. I hope the economy will let us get back to that soon.

If the news reports are any indication, Gatlinburg is booming right now. They just announced Dollywood is opening soon. I guess tourists are going for the driving locations to avoid planes.

Sheila