Cancun sales tentatively set to start Oct 2009

[Dave M]

It appears as though Cancun will be the only new Marriott resort to commence sales in 2009. Prices should be in the general range of what Aruba Surf sells for now. There will be both lock-off and non lock-off units and some 3BR units. About 245 units in the resort when fully built.

See posts #12 & #16 of this thread for my current understanding of the resort's planned location.

See this thread for Marriott's Aruba Surf prices in November 2007 and this thread for an update in early 2008. Prices have gone up a bit from there.

 

[californiagirl]

Wow, that is exciting. Do you know when occupancy will begin? Thanks for the info.

 

[Dave M]

Sorry. That's all the info I have for now.

P.S. This is a project that could get me to buy another preconstruction week from Marriott!

 

[Latravel]

Yea! I'll ask about pricing when I go to Timber Lodge in a couple of weeks. Maybe they'll know the pre-construction cost. This is so exciting!

 

[Zac495]

Really? Buy pre-construction now? With points almost useless - would it be a good deal or is it better to just buy a resale cheap and try to trade in? (NOT that I'm thinking of buying it - just curious).

 

[m61376]

That's someplace I was hoping would come along. Of course, I was also hoping that pre-construction pricing would be better. If the economy hasn't turned around by then, I wonder what kind of incentives they will offer, esp. with financing being so tight.

 

[sernow]

I would think that the incentives would have to be huge to enormous, considering the freefall in resale prices. It's difficult to justify not buying a Marriott property resale for 33% of the developer price otherwise.

 

[Dave M]

I'll ask about pricing when I go to Timber Lodge in a couple of weeks.

Don't bother. They won't have any pricing info. Prices haen't been set yet. That's why all I could provide was a comparison for a "general range" of pricing. Even that expected general range isn't guaranteed yet.

I would think that the incentives would have to be huge to enormous, considering the freefall in resale prices. It's difficult to justify not buying a Marriott property resale for 33% of the developer price otherwise.

Although I don't have any inside info about incentives, I would expect them to be comparable or even less than the incentives for other recent Marriott resorts. Some projects (such as the new towers in Maui) sell themselves when sales first open. I believe this will be one of those that - because of the location - will sell itself. Although the economy is in the pits now, it won't continue to be down forever.

As for buying from Marriott, there are many here who choose to buy from Marriott even when resales are available. And those who hang out here at TUG are the smart ones who know about resales. The typical first-time timeshare buyer has no idea what the resale market is all about.

The legitimate reasons (although many others would discount those reasons) for buying from the developer have been enumerated here numerous times. For many buyers, price is not the only determining factor in buying a timeshare, just as it isn't in deciding which car or handheld computer game to buy or when to buy it (i.e., when a new model is introduced or 12 months later when huge discounts are available.)

 

[Dave M]

Additional to my OP....

The resort shape will be the traditional beach "U" and will have two pools. I believe there will be 2BR non-lockoff units and 2BR lockoffs that split as two 1BR units (!), like Lakeshore tier 2. That will be great for possible multiple ACs from II! Also, 3BR units (likely lockoffs, although I don't know the configuration) as I stated in the OP.

 

[sernow]

Edit: Ok Dave. Forget I brought it up. I look forward to a new option when visiting Cancun.

 

[Dave M]

Since the purpose of this thread is to provide info about an upcoming resort, I won't debate the issue further. Each side has its supporters. There are numerous existing threads that focus on such debates.

 

[Latravel]

Sernow-
There are countless people who know very well about the resale market and chose to buy from Marriott.

Dave, do you think they would lower the price point as compared to previous preconstruction prices? Maybe that is a way to overcome the declining prices on the resale market. Could this be an even better time to purchase pre-construction?

 

[Dave M]

Dave, do you think they would lower the price point as compared to previous preconstruction prices?

I wish I knew more. But I don't think more info is available. The best info I have is the expected "general range" discussed above.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Dave: Do you know if the Cancun property will be deeded property?

 

[JimIg23]

Would the deed be bound by Mexican or US law? I would be interested in this, the only concern is what I had at St. Kitts, hurricanes and the financial issues which would arise from alot of destruction.

 

[Dave M]

Sorry. As I have stated above, I don't have any additional info yet.

As for U.S. vs Mexico law, I would guess Mexico. Not U.S. law, as I believe is the same as when you buy any non-U.S. Marriott timeshare. That's just a guess. See the first sentence of this post.

....

Edited to add that at least one internal Marriott rumor is that ownership will have a 50-year life with some residual value and/or opportunity to renew, similar to some other Cancun timeshares.

 

[Carol C]

How are they going to market Cancun? Are they going to use OPC's set up in kiosks in the CUN airport and other high-traffic areas?

 

[Dave M]

As I have stated several times, I don't have any more info.

However, my personal view is that you can certainly expect:

• Permanent kiosks in one or more of the three Marriott brand hotels in Cancun.
• A big e-mail and telephone campaign to existing Marriott owners before sales open.
• A brisk telesales business once sales open.

I don't know where MVCI plans to have its initial sales office in Cancun.

 

[capstoneds]

Any guess as to beach quality?

Having spent the last two spring breaks at the JW Marriott down the road a couple of miles from the location of the new timeshare, I would be concerned about the beach depth at the new timeshare. There is very little beach left in front of the JW.

Since it is not yet built, maybe no one has a clue. On the other hand, if you do have an educated guess based on conditions at the timeshare location please share.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[Carol C]

Having spent the last two spring breaks at the JW Marriott down the road a couple of miles from the location of the new timeshare, I would be concerned about the beach depth at the new timeshare. There is very little beach left in front of the JW.

Since it is not yet built, maybe no one has a clue. On the other hand, if you do have an educated guess based on conditions at the timeshare location please share.

Thanks,
Kevin

When it comes to beach "depth" in Cancun's hotel zone, it is what is. In fact there has been considerable beach erosion throughout the hotel zone in the past decade, due to somewhat frequent hurricanes and the bigger tropical storms. If Marriott is smart (and I think they are) they'll build the newest/best swimming pool complex in the hotel zone (if they have enough land for it). They'd be smart to put a nice pool on the roof, as Beach Palace has done. When you're faced with chronic beach erosion, it's best to build "up" and not "out".

 

[KarenLK]

That property has been sitting there vacant since WIlma. I am glad they will develop the property into something of quality. And I am especially glad that it won't be a high rise condo complex, which seems to be taking over the strip there.

 

[dioxide45]

There will be both lock-off and non lock-off units and some 3BR units.

Once again lied to by a Marriott rep. Were told that Marriott was not building any more lock offs. This was in their attempt to sell us at a lock off resort. This was also before Lakeshore Reserve announced lock offs.

 

[Dave M]

Were told that Marriott was not building any more lock offs.

That has been reported and debunked numerous times on this forum over the past few years. Marriott builds lockoffs when it can because it knows they are popular and easier to sell, meaning more profit for Marriott. In most instances where lockoffs are not available at new resorts, it's because of parking space limitations and/or or local regulatory/ordinance restrictions.

 

[GrayFal]

Ahhhhhhh, Cancun! I wish times were different....

 

[KathyPet]

The only way I would ever buy from Marriott directly again after the latest point devaluation is if they offered me a huge and I mean huge # of points as a incentive. They really raked current owners over the coals and I would never buy direct again and that is from someone who bought three MVCI's from Marriott and defended the buy direct way for years.