Best New England Beach Timeshare

[wyatt-wyatt]

I'm hoping to get suggestions concerning the all-around best timeshare location/system for New England beach vacations.

I have small children and live in New England (in southwestern NH, so 2 to 3 hours from the beach in all directions).

Priorities (in rough order of importance) are:

(1) Good bang for the buck when comparing annual MF's vs. quality, size, and functionality (kitchen, etc.) of unit.

(2) Proximity (ideally walking distance) to the beach.

(3) Ability to utilize weeks on a floating basis & realistic ability to book summer weeks (don't mind booking many months ahead of time so long as there is generally availability during summertime weeks when the booking window first opens).

(4) Kid-friendly atmosphere & amenities (pool, play area, etc.).

(5) Proximity to a pleasant walking-friendly downtown with restaurants, shops, ice cream, etc.

(6) Ability to book larger units (3br or 4br).

(7) Participation within a network/system (other than RCI/IL) that allows exchange into other pleasant New England properties.


I realize that it is likely impossible to get all of these things at a single resort, but I want to try to find a New England beach resort that is strong in as many as possible. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[theo]

My $0.02 worth...

I'm hoping to get suggestions concerning the all-around best timeshare location/system for New England beach vacations.

I have small children and live in New England (in southwestern NH, so 2 to 3 hours from the beach in all directions).

Priorities (in rough order of importance) are:

(1) Good bang for the buck when comparing annual MF's vs. quality, size, and functionality (kitchen, etc.) of unit.

(2) Proximity (ideally walking distance) to the beach.

(3) Ability to utilize weeks on a floating basis & realistic ability to book summer weeks (don't mind booking many months ahead of time so long as there is generally availability during summertime weeks when the booking window first opens).

(4) Kid-friendly atmosphere & amenities (pool, play area, etc.).

(5) Proximity to a pleasant walking-friendly downtown with restaurants, shops, ice cream, etc.

(6) Ability to book larger units (3br or 4br).

(7) Participation within a network/system (other than RCI/IL) that allows exchange into other pleasant New England properties.


I realize that it is likely impossible to get all of these things at a single resort, but I want to try to find a New England beach resort that is strong in as many as possible. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks!

That's quite a list and, with no disrespect intended, I think that you may be dreaming. That clearly stated, I'll nonetheless offer a few observations and personal opinions:

1. 4BR timeshares are essentially non-existent throughout the entire area you've specified. As well, even 3BR units are more rare than hen's teeth. Not what you want to hear, but an indisputable fact nonetheless.

2. Floating ownerships will only very rarely (...if ever) get you into a New England beach summer week. Those prime, high demand weeks are generally all already owned by fixed week owners. If you want a guaranteed NE beach summer week, you will most likely need to find and buy a fixed summer week.

3. When you say "beach within walking distance" in the context of New England timeshare facilities, you have immediately eliminated every facility in Maine and all of New Hampshire and most of Massachusetts (with the exception of a few places on mid-Cape Cape Cod). I don't know anything about the RI places, most of which I believe are Wyndham properties. Inland Vermont obviously has no coast or beaches --- and Connecticut has been "donated" to the mid-Atlantic region, since it's more like New York than it is like the rest of New England. Accordingly, there are truly only five genuine New England states....

With that extensive and formidable list of requirements / preferences, you might instead consider renting a house or large cottage for a week at a time. You are quite simply not going to meet most of your specified criteria in many (...if any) of the New England "beach" timeshare facilities I have ever encountered.

 

[massvacationer]

I pretty much agree with Theo.


The only place near a beach with floating summer weeks, that I can think of is Wyndham Long Wharf. You could look for a 2 bd. There that floats over weeks 25 to 35.

 

[SOS8260456]

I agree. Newport, RI has nice resorts which are in the Wyndham systems. Some of the resorts have 3 bedrooms. There are floating red weeks out there for sale. You can also access these resorts through Wyndham points, but having Advanced Reservation Priority is unlikeley, so you would have to nail down a reservation at the 10 month mark which can happen, but these 10 month reservations go fast.

We love Newport, RI, but have never been there during peak season. We debate about a summer trip because none of the resorts are close to the beach, so if our family wanted to split up, it would be a pain. Some are on the bay with excellent views. The beachs we have seen are small, so we can only imagine how crowded they may get. I know when we have headed to the beach on nice off season days (usually March or April), the parking lot is pretty full.

Finally, the maintenance fees in Newport are much higher than if you owned in other Wydham resorts.

I think you would be much better off just renting.

 

[massvacationer]

It's very tough to get prime-summer reservations at the Wyndham Newport Resorts using Wyndham points. These resorts were all originally sold as weeks (most were fixed during the summer - but Long Wharf was sold as floating)....not enough summer weeks were converted to points to create good summer availability in points.

You should not buy Wyndham Points and count on getting these summer reservations. There are a few available at ten months and sometimes some cancellations show up - but not enough availability to rely on. (Shoulder and off-season is easily available using Wyndham points.)

If you want to go during the summer, you'll have to buy a week that is deeded for the summer.

 

[SOS8260456]

Just curious....

Ok, leaving out the original poster's request for floating and the request for larger size units, if you wanted a prime summer New England beach timeshare which resorts should you be looking at?

I haven't done any research in a long time, because we have pretty much decided that nothing North of us can make us happy summer beach vacationers plus we need warmer ocean water than we feel is offered North of us.

But, from my memories of my original research, back when we were open to all possibilities, it didn't seem that there was all that much quality wise in NE. It seemed like there were a lot of converted hotels and resorts with poor reviews.

Any thoughts?

Lisa

 

[massvacationer]

I think that if you need a bigger place and want flexibility as to dates, you should consider renting cottages/ beach houses. Timeshares are not as extensively developed in coastal New England as places like South Carolina and Florida

 

[e.bram]

Look at Surfside in Falmouth, Ma. ON the BEACH, full kitchen ,tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, Good as it gets. Also exchanges with VRI.

 

[theo]

My $0.02 worth, since you asked...

<snip>....it didn't seem that there was all that much quality wise in NE. It seemed like there were a lot of converted hotels and resorts with poor reviews. Any thoughts?

Like most generalizations, this one is partly true and partly inaccurate...

In Maine, Samoset Resort in (mid-coast) Rockport and Harbor Ridge (further "Downeast") are certainly very nice coastal properties; built as timeshare condos right from the outset and anything but "converted hotels"; both have consistently great reviews. Samoset has a spectacular hotel on the property, but the three timeshare buildings are entirely separate and distinct from the "hotel". The Sunday River ski / golf resort complex in western Maine, although certainly not coastal, is also quite nice with numerous amenities.

In Massachusetts, Brewster Green on "lower" Cape Cod was designed as condos from the outset too and certainly does not in any way resemble a "converted hotel". Consistently very good reviews there as well. Harbor Hill in Provincetown was also built as condos from the outset and was certainly never a hotel.

That being said, many (probably most, actually) of the timeshares in and around Hyannis or "mid-Cape"
Cape Cod are certainly no more than converted motels and could never credibly claim to be anything more.

 

[tschwa2]

I've seen some beautiful fractionals with 3 and 4 bedrooms. But the buy in costs are $100,000+ and the MF's are in the $3000-6000 range and you still only are guaranteed one summer week, 2 off season weeks and the possibility of more time based on availability.

 

[EducatedConsumer]

For the urban/urban beach mix (with tongue in cheek):

Stay at Marriott's Custom House in downtown Boston. You may get a view of Boston Harbor from your villa.

For the beach, walk accross the street from the Custom House to the Aquarium Blue Line stop. Take the Blue Line towards Logan Airport. You have two "beach" choices north of Logan Airport:

(1) Constitution Beach at the Orient Heights stop on the Blue Line. This place is a hoot. The beach overlooks the runways at Logan Airport (there an arms length away), and on a summer evening you can hang out at Constitution Beach and watch the jumbo jets line up on the runway for International departures. While they're waiting to take off, your sense of smell will be overcome by jet fuel fumes. Very intimate.

SEE: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/FekacfLT0iJv6fn6T1xTOg?select=oixHQWGAJkxjAhqOFHuNqA

Royal Roast Beef, accross the street from the Orient Heights T stop is a Yelp favorite for roast beef and FRESH fried fish.

(2) Revere Beach at the Wonderland stop on the Blue Line. This place is a hoot too. Some refer to Revere as a "prestigous North Shore community." I guess if you're comfortable shopping at Walmart instead of Gucci, Revere is a prestigous North Shore community. You might see some of the creatures that hang out at Revere Beach on: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/photos/

SEE: http://www.yelp.com/biz/revere-beach-revere

Kelly's Roast Beef, directly accross the street from the beach, is a renowned Boston institution. You might find someone there who knows something about the Gardner Museum art heist.

And finally, the Mac Daddy of Boaton area beaches accessible by the MBTA is the Manchester by the Sea beach, one of the nicest beaches on the North Shore of Boston. Take the Commuter Rail from North Station to Manchester by the Sea. You'll find people dressed in Kate Spade and Vineyard Vines attire here. Doubtful that anyone at Manchester by the Sea would know anyone responsible for the Gardner Museum art heist.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Try: www.smuggs.com

They have some wonderful 3-4 bedroom fractional ownerships. They do have a beach of some sort on a lake which is pretty much on the resort. Water is cold even in summer, but people do swim in it

 

[MULTIZ321]

For the urban/urban beach mix (with tongue in cheek):
Take the Commuter Rail from North Station to Manchester by the Sea. You'll find people dressed in Kate Spade and Vineyard Vines attire here. Doubtful that anyone at Manchester by the Sea would know anyone responsible for the Gardner Museum art heist.

Educated,

You made my day - thank for a good laugh.


Richard