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Custom House Timeshare

Doreen0521

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Hello TUG Members. I am new to this group and I need some advice. I am interested in purchasing one of the two Custom House listings that are currently posted.
I know that Custom House is part of the Marriott Vacation Club.
One of the listings is for a Platinum Season 1/2026-12/2026
One of the listings is for Annual 1Bedroom Platinum Season 5/25-11/25
Can someone explain the difference between these two "Seasons" and how they work. Why does one have a full year and the other only 7 months?
Also, I know that purchasing timeshares today is considered a very "foolish" investment and Im not even really sure why Im doing this.
I live in Western Massachusetts and love to visit Boston and thought that maybe this would be a good investment as the Custom House gets very good reviews.
How does trading work with each of the two above "plans"?
I have so many questions but I thought I would start here and get some baseline knowledge.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide to help me out with this decision.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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Hello TUG Members. I am new to this group and I need some advice. I am interested in purchasing one of the two Custom House listings that are currently posted.
I know that Custom House is part of the Marriott Vacation Club.
One of the listings is for a Platinum Season 1/2026-12/2026
One of the listings is for Annual 1Bedroom Platinum Season 5/25-11/25
Can someone explain the difference between these two "Seasons" and how they work. Why does one have a full year and the other only 7 months?
Also, I know that purchasing timeshares today is considered a very "foolish" investment and Im not even really sure why Im doing this.
I live in Western Massachusetts and love to visit Boston and thought that maybe this would be a good investment as the Custom House gets very good reviews.
How does trading work with each of the two above "plans"?
I have so many questions but I thought I would start here and get some baseline knowledge.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide to help me out with this decision.


The Custom House ONLY has two seasons. One is Platinum (late spring, all summer, and early fall) and Gold (which is late fall, all winter, and early spring). A one bedroom will trade for a two bedroom elsewhere.

Custom House is an RTU property (right to use).

Platinum by far is the most desirable time to own there. I wouldn't consider buying Gold.

Resales can be purchased for a song. They are worth it only if you plan to use it for your own use (I don't think you can make much if you rent because the maintenance fees are over $2K now).

You can split use of this: One reservation for three days, and the other reservation for four days. Only allowed ONE weekend if you split use of it.

It's a classic 1847 building owned by the City of Boston. Marriott has use of it until 2057. Don't know what will happen beyond that point.

Suggest you rent a few nights there to experience the feel of it before committing to buying. It's a GREAT location!









.
 

Doreen0521

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Thank you for your quick response. I have some additional Questions. Please see text in red.

The Custom House ONLY has two seasons. One is Platinum (late spring, all summer, and early fall) and Gold (which is late fall, all winter, and early spring). A one bedroom will trade for a two bedroom elsewhere.

Custom House is an RTU property (right to use). What does right to use mean? Im assuming the two for sale are both platinum as they state that in the title.

Platinum by far is the most desirable time to own there. I wouldn't consider buying Gold.

Resales can be purchased for a song. They are worth it only if you plan to use it for your own use (I don't think you can make much if you rent because the maintenance fees are over $2K now).

You can split use of this: One reservation for three days, and the other reservation for four days. Only allowed ONE weekend if you split use of it.

It's a classic 1847 building owned by the City of Boston. Marriott has use of it until 2057. Don't know what will happen beyond that point.

Suggest you rent a few nights there to experience the feel of it before committing to buying. It's a GREAT location!
 

dioxide45

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dioxide45

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You can split use of this: One reservation for three days, and the other reservation for four days. Only allowed ONE weekend if you split use of it.
Custom House also has a daily split use.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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.


about RTU:

Right to use (RTU) at The Custom House basically means that you can reserve one week per year in the season in which you have purchased. You don't own the week and you may need to surrender your use in 2057 (the City of Boston owns the building and it is managed by Marriott). You are responsible for annual maintenance fees from when you buy it until you sell it or when it is surrendered back to the City of Boston.




Gold weeks are: Weeks 1-18 and Weeks 47-52

Platinum weeks are: Weeks 19-46


Gold and Platinum are the only seasons there. I don't advise buying a Gold Week at the Custom House because of the time frame. Platinum weeks are more desirable in my opinion.












.












.
 
Last edited:

tschwa2

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A few in S and VA, a single resort in NC, MD, PA, and UT, plus Jamaica and the Bahamas
Hello TUG Members. I am new to this group and I need some advice. I am interested in purchasing one of the two Custom House listings that are currently posted.
I know that Custom House is part of the Marriott Vacation Club.
I have so many questions but I thought I would start here and get some baseline knowledge.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide to help me out with this decision.
I wouldn't expect to book the way you book hotels. I would expect that you have to plan how you want to book the 7 nights a full year in advance and be prepared to reserve either the whole week or each part of the split week at exactly 12 months. As you can see the platinum season is from early May to mid November. The majority of those owners are going to want late June to mid August but even other dates will likely require you to plan 9-10 months in advance.
 

andre10056

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Hello TUG Members. I am new to this group and I need some advice. I am interested in purchasing one of the two Custom House listings that are currently posted.
I know that Custom House is part of the Marriott Vacation Club.
One of the listings is for a Platinum Season 1/2026-12/2026
One of the listings is for Annual 1Bedroom Platinum Season 5/25-11/25
Can someone explain the difference between these two "Seasons" and how they work. Why does one have a full year and the other only 7 months?
Also, I know that purchasing timeshares today is considered a very "foolish" investment and Im not even really sure why Im doing this.
I live in Western Massachusetts and love to visit Boston and thought that maybe this would be a good investment as the Custom House gets very good reviews.
How does trading work with each of the two above "plans"?
I have so many questions but I thought I would start here and get some baseline knowledge.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide to help me out with this decision.
Hi Doreen.

As a long time timeshare owner who's down to "only" four timeshares (all of which I think I can easily sell, not for much, but I'm almost certain that I can get rid of them if I wanted), I am NOT a believer in timeshares. I think virtually all timeshares are a burden, not a benefit.

The exception may be timeshares where the rent that you might get far exceeds the annual maintenance fees. Two of my timeshare are in that category. As an example, I own a Palm Beach, Orange Beach, Alabama 1 BR, 1 1/2 baths. Its maintenance was, from the top of my head, about $1200. I rented it last year, having locked in a July 4 week, for slightly more than $3000.

TheTimeTraveler addressed this very issue above when he/she wrote, "I don't think you can make much if you rent because the maintenance fees are over $2K now".

But what I learned some years ago in my attempt to rent for the entire seven days is that people don't want to stay for seven consecutive days. As soon as I changed my listing from "minimum stay seven days" to "minimum stay two or three days", the inquiries came fast and furious. That's what people do nowadays. So now I might rent for the first three days and then the next four days...or even 3, 2, and 2. And always do a "midweek cleaning" between renters.

OK. That being said, a timeshare further involves making a decision perhaps 6 or more months in advance when you might like to travel. What happens if perhaps 35 days prior to your planned arrival date, you find out your best friend is getting married? Oops. Perhaps you can cancel but your options for a re-booking at that point are only for the most undesirable dates.

And timeshare maintenance fees keep climbing ever higher and apparently you'd be on the hook until at least 2057 as a "right to use" owner.

So why obligate yourself? Why not just rent whenever you get the urge and when you know for sure there's nothing keeping you from traveling? And, as you know, Boston is great in February as it is in July.

Here, for example, is the Marriott Revere beach right across from the ocean. Beautiful panoramic views. Extraordinary gourmet free breakfast. Fitness center, business center. Indoor pool. Right on the MBTA's Wonderland blue line stop and quick and easy subway transportation to all Boston has to offer. Freedom trail. North End. Back Bay. Beacon Hill. Boston Symphony Orchestra. Museum of Fine Art. Fenway Park. Any kind of cuisine you can possibly imagine. Harvard Square. TD Garden for the Celtics or Bruins. Again, all accessible via a clean, safe subway system filled with parents with kids in strollers and 300,000 college students attending schools like Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern, etc., etc., etc.


In fact, Revere Beach itself has some extraordinary events like the International Sand sculpting competition:


There are times when you just can't believe what you're seeing other humans do. This is one of those times.

So...I'm an advocate of renting, not owning a vacation lodging place.
 
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WildBigPaw

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I don't suggest buying into timeshare if you haven't, although this property has scarce availability on the rental market or marriott.com. I expects this property holds higher rental value than the underlying maintenance fee. For example, May is a very popular month, with $500+/night -- only if available -- over the commencement weekends of those colleges in Boston area.
 

DRH90277

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Marriott: Ocean Watch, Newport Coast, Grand Chateau, Custom House, Timber Lodge, VCP's.
We have owned Custom House for many years and then bought a second one. This is unlike any of our other timeshare interests as it is just charming to be there in the midst of history. Every year we find something new. We have also taken our grandchildren there to experience the history and these experiences are the greatest. I find it difficult to compare this to any other timeshare - it's a guaranteed reservation at a historic property in the heart of Boston, in a great season, and at a bargain price.

In use - As mentioned, we usually use our Platinum season reservations but when we can't we offer them first to family and then sometimes revert to exchanges through Interval (exchange as a 2 bedroom). I have looked at the rental rates but have never done this due to the low rents. Funny, rooms in that area of Boston can rent for $800 night without the historical aspects and location.

This is a timeshare which may be hard to get into unless you own there - only 84 rooms. We find it worth it to own, use it frequently, and would give up other timeshares to keep this very special one.
 

Doreen0521

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We have owned Custom House for many years and then bought a second one. This is unlike any of our other timeshare interests as it is just charming to be there in the midst of history. Every year we find something new. We have also taken our grandchildren there to experience the history and these experiences are the greatest. I find it difficult to compare this to any other timeshare - it's a guaranteed reservation at a historic property in the heart of Boston, in a great season, and at a bargain price.

In use - As mentioned, we usually use our Platinum season reservations but when we can't we offer them first to family and then sometimes revert to exchanges through Interval (exchange as a 2 bedroom). I have looked at the rental rates but have never done this due to the low rents. Funny, rooms in that area of Boston can rent for $800 night without the historical aspects and location.

This is a timeshare which may be hard to get into unless you own there - only 84 rooms. We find it worth it to own, use it frequently, and would give up other timeshares to keep this very special one.
Thank you so much for the info. Do you use your timeshare every year?
 

DRH90277

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Thank you so much for the info. Do you use your timeshare every year?
We have two weeks, we own one and one of our son owns another - both in the trust. We use ours every year and so does he. We like to go Memorial Day and he likes Labor Day. I asked our son if he wanted us to go at the same time and his response was, no this is our special time together alone (their kids are all grown) in a special place. My wife and I are in our late 70's and this is a perfect vacation for us - easy to get to from the airport, use the subway to get around with our weekly pass, experience the north end restaurants and Mike's pastry, the Freedom Trail, Old Ironsides, the harbor, the Gardens, the Red Sox, etc.

Incidentally, we are going in mid-June this year for the 250th anniversary of the Bunker Hill Battle.

I'll try to reach out to you, and we could talk. I hope you get to go and experience the Custom House.
 

TheTimeTraveler

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Hello TUG Members. I am new to this group and I need some advice. I am interested in purchasing one of the two Custom House listings that are currently posted.
I know that Custom House is part of the Marriott Vacation Club.
One of the listings is for a Platinum Season 1/2026-12/2026
One of the listings is for Annual 1Bedroom Platinum Season 5/25-11/25
Can someone explain the difference between these two "Seasons" and how they work. Why does one have a full year and the other only 7 months?
Also, I know that purchasing timeshares today is considered a very "foolish" investment and Im not even really sure why Im doing this.
I live in Western Massachusetts and love to visit Boston and thought that maybe this would be a good investment as the Custom House gets very good reviews.
How does trading work with each of the two above "plans"?
I have so many questions but I thought I would start here and get some baseline knowledge.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide to help me out with this decision.


If you go to www.Redweek.com there are currently approximately 30 rentals available to rent (anywhere from one day to a full seven days). When you get onto the Redweek website key in "Marriott Pulse" or "Marriott Custom House". I would suggest trying to grab one of those rentals to experience th stay at the Custom House for yourselves prior to making a commitment to purchase.....








.
 

Doreen0521

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If you go to www.Redweek.com there are currently approximately 30 rentals available to rent (anywhere from one day to a full seven days). When you get onto the Redweek website key in "Marriott Pulse" or "Marriott Custom House". I would suggest trying to grab one of those rentals to experience th stay at the Custom House for yourselves prior to making a commitment to purchase.....








.
Thank you so much for the heads up on this.
 

WBP

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I believe you got excellent advice AGAINST owning at the Custom House.

The only exception, to that sage advice, I believe, would be a case where you thought, for sure, that you would otherwise be spending 7 nights in a nice hotel, per year (the season, if you were to own at Custom House), in Boston, and you would expect to do that, for, at least the next 7-10 years. In my opinion, Custom House maintenance fees are high, and their trajectory has been one of steep increases, over 25 years. But, hotel rates in Boston, are steep, and significant (with substantial, added taxes).

We stayed, last week, at the Residence Inn, at Fenway Park; get a look at the nighly parking rate (which don't change, in the dead of winter).

FYI, (Massachusetts) Governor Healey has opened the door to a new hotel tax, this Legislative Year. If that hotel tax passes, it is not clear, if it would be inclusive of timsehare usage.

We follow hotel rates, in Boston, and they are steep "during season," despite a significant increase of hotel rooms, in the city, over the past 5 years, with more hotel rooms coming. Look at the size of the Omni hotel in the Seaport District. I believe that hotel, alone, added 1100 hotel rooms, in Boston.

Although, we are big Marriott Loyalists, depending on the event that brings us to Boston, we have taken a fondness to the Citizen M hotels, one at the Boston Garden (right beside the North End), and the other, on the Fenway Park side of Newbury Street.
 

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andre10056

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I believe you got excellent advice AGAINST owning at the Custom House.

The only exception, to that sage advice, I believe, would be a case where you thought, for sure, that you would otherwise be spending 7 nights in a nice hotel, per year (the season, if you were to own at Custom House), in Boston, and you would expect to do that, for, at least the next 7-10 years. In my opinion, Custom House maintenance fees are high, and their trajectory has been one of steep increases, over 25 years. But, hotel rates in Boston, are steep, and significant (with substantial, added taxes).

We stayed, last week, at the Residence Inn, at Fenway Park; get a look at the nighly parking rate (which don't change, in the dead of winter).

FYI, (Massachusetts) Governor Healey has opened the door to a new hotel tax, this Legislative Year. If that hotel tax passes, it is not clear, if it would be inclusive of timsehare usage.

We follow hotel rates, in Boston, and they are steep "during season," despite a significant increase of hotel rooms, in the city, over the past 5 years, with more hotel rooms coming. Look at the size of the Omni hotel in the Seaport District. I believe that hotel, alone, added 1100 hotel rooms, in Boston.

Although, we are big Marriott Loyalists, depending on the event that brings us to Boston, we have taken a fondness to the Citizen M hotels, one at the Boston Garden (right beside the North End), and the other, on the Fenway Park side of Newbury Street.
Yup. That $68 overnight valet parking rate does seem a bit on the high side.

Of course, some people may need those unlimited in and out capabilities. But most prefer to get an unlimited MBTA pass for however amount of days they're visiting and take the subway.

If someone might be in the "subway" category, there is a pretty fair alternative. The multilevel, above ground parking garage on the other (non-beach) side of the tracks at Wonderland subway station is $7 per 24 hours Monday through Friday and $2 per 24 hours weekends. No valet but a good place to "store" your car. And Wonderland Station on the blue line is about 15, 20 minutes away from State Station in the heart of downtown. Heckuva better alternative than parking at the airport if you're flying to Europe or wherever from "a few stops away" Logan Airport.



parking garage.jpg




Alternatively, just park on the street, free of charge, on the ocean side of Wonderland Station as the train line goes to Revere Beach Station. The Marriott hotel is one of the buildings on the right:

ocean ave.jpg
 

WBP

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PS: Regarding reservations for “nightly (owner) usage” at Marriott’s Custom House:

In the season that you own, you can reserve one Friday and one Saturday night, and they must be reserved consecutively (not, individually);
The remaining nights, may be reserved, one night at a time;
I don’t remember what the MVC fees are for nightly usage.

In our experience, reserving nightly usage was a nightmare, it sounds much more appealing than the reality of making reservations, using nightly usage. With all due respect, after many years, we are over that, and, now, go to a hotel company website, and make reservations at a hotel, instead (sometimes we use the “Owners Discount” rate, at the Custom House).
 

DRH90277

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Custom House is unlike any other Marriott timeshare and should be placed on a pedestal. We're happy with our two ownerships there and use them most years. We're keeping them and we're just fine with the cost. The experience of staying in a well maintained historical building, the nearby local history and venues, the nearby restaurants, the great staff and service are unlike any other Marriott property.

If you think Custom House is expensive, think about owning a summer week at Palm Desert or an Ocean Watch for January use - now that's expensive to me in a number of other ways. There are no bargains in timeshare......
 

ljmiii

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Custom House is unlike any other Marriott timeshare and should be placed on a pedestal...
I completely agree. The only thing that compares is the RCC SF (at least now that the MVC DC no longer gives free breakfast nor the same furnishings as the actual Mayflower).
 
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