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Four Seasons Scottsdale

TravelTime

TUG Member
Joined
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Location
California
Resorts Owned
All Resale: MVC DPs, Marriott Ko Olina, Marriott Marbella, WKOVR-N, Four Seasons Aviara
I finally got a highly desirable exchange from Elite Alliance. I have a 2 BR at Four Seasons Scottsdale booked for Christmas week. Following that week, I have a 2 BR for New Year’s Week at Four Seasons Aviara (I own there). Both are dog friendly. We are planning a 2 week road trip with the dogs and kids.

I looked online and Four Seasons Scottsdale is charging over $3700 a day plus tax and resort fees for that week in a 2 BR suite. That sounds unbelievably expensive. Does that sound correct? Do people pay that much to stay there during the holidays? Is it a really nice resort?

I was almost going to allow someone to use a guest certificate to stay there at my cost. When I found out how expensive it is, I decided to combine it with my week at FSA. These two resorts are some of the highest rated on TUG.
 
Yes, that’s correct. There‘s the Four Seasons Resort and the Four Season Residence Club (FSRC) - see map below.
Rental prices at Four Seasons resorts are much higher especially during the holidays.

Here are some FSRC rental prices

Tri West also has some FSRC photos - see link (select Photo Gallery at the top of the page).

1611021014465.jpeg


1611021219719.jpeg
 
Yes, that’s correct. There‘s the Four Seasons Resort and the Four Season Residence Club (FSRC) - see map below.
Rental prices at Four Seasons resorts are much higher especially during the holidays.

Here are some FSRC rental prices

Tri West also has some FSRC photos - see link (select Photo Gallery at the top of the page).

View attachment 31244

View attachment 31245

I would guess that the reason the resort is so expensive is it’s run by Four Seasons. There are probably too many TS owners on the residence side who do not use their units so it drives down prices.

Are Residence Club members allowed to use all amenities like hotel guests?
 
Yes, that’s correct. There‘s the Four Seasons Resort and the Four Season Residence Club (FSRC) - see map below.
Rental prices at Four Seasons resorts are much higher especially during the holidays.

Here are some FSRC rental prices

Tri West also has some FSRC photos - see link (select Photo Gallery at the top of the page).

View attachment 31244

View attachment 31245

Prices are so low on the timeshare side. I wonder why anyone would stay on the resort side. The price of a week in a 2BR timeshare there is the same as one day on the resort side. Maybe people are just not aware.
 
Both resales webpages below indicate FSRC owners have full access to the vacation amenities of Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North. But I suggest calling the FSRC if access to hotel amenities are important to you.


 
I finally got a highly desirable exchange from Elite Alliance. I have a 2 BR at Four Seasons Scottsdale booked for Christmas week. Following that week, I have a 2 BR for New Year’s Week at Four Seasons Aviara (I own there). Both are dog friendly. We are planning a 2 week road trip with the dogs and kids.

I looked online and Four Seasons Scottsdale is charging over $3700 a day plus tax and resort fees for that week in a 2 BR suite. That sounds unbelievably expensive. Does that sound correct? Do people pay that much to stay there during the holidays? Is it a really nice resort?

I was almost going to allow someone to use a guest certificate to stay there at my cost. When I found out how expensive it is, I decided to combine it with my week at FSA. These two resorts are some of the highest rated on TUG.
Would owning four seasons in aviara allow you to book at any other 5 resorts in the Four seasons residence club (scottsdale, jackson hole, Costa rica, mexico)? Would it be difficult to exchange to these resorts? I was looking at getting into it and I did not see any Post regarding this. Thanks
 
Would owning four seasons in aviara allow you to book at any other 5 resorts in the Four seasons residence club (scottsdale, jackson hole, Costa rica, mexico)? Would it be difficult to exchange to these resorts? I was looking at getting into it and I did not see any Post regarding this. Thanks

Owning FSA allows you to trade into Four Seasons in Scottsdale in the same season at 6 month. For the others, you need to enter the lottery. We won the lottery and went to Four Seasons Costa Rica our first year. But we did not win the second year.
 
Would owning four seasons in aviara allow you to book at any other 5 resorts in the Four seasons residence club (scottsdale, jackson hole, Costa rica, mexico)? Would it be difficult to exchange to these resorts? I was looking at getting into it and I did not see any Post regarding this. Thanks

I called Four Seasons Residence Club yesterday to understand exactly this. Here's what I learned:
1) Exchanging to JH, CR, etc. are part of a privilege called Club Benefits. These do not ordinarily transfer to resale buyers, unless the resale is through Four Seasons' preferred exchange/broker (Tri-west link). (Aside but similarly: the FSAC = FS Accommodation Credit benefit also doesn't transfer ordinarily unless purchased through Tri-west).
2) Assuming you have the Club Benefit, the exchange is facilitated through an annual exchange draw/lottery, which takes place in November. You would still book your week normally, but in November, you can decide whether you want to enter the exchange lottery or not. If you decide to enter your week, it must be the full week, so for example, if you split your 1 week 2 bedroom lock-out into 2 stays, you don't get to enter 1 week and hang on to the other for your personal stay.
3) First step in the lottery process is that FSRC selects the weeks that will have the opportunity to exchange their week. My understanding is that the win probability is influenced by number of weeks and whether you won in the previous year. If you won in the previous year, the probability of winning again is lower (not sure if its 0), to give all owners a chance to exchange. FYI, they quoted that there were approx. 2000 weeks entered in the draw in November 2020 for an available 250 weeks. That implies a low win probability, but they also mentioned that 2020 was an anomaly as one would expect.
4) Assuming your week is selected for the exchange, you get access to their availability portal, in view only mode, which shows the weeks and resorts that are available. There is a date when then portal goes live for booking, so the view only mode allows you to plan if you can find a resort/week that works for you.
5) Assuming that you find a week/resort that works for you, then you would try to book it when the portal goes live for everyone. Subject to first come first serve at this point.
6) Last thing to add here is that there is a $100 to $400 charge per night, depending on your ownership week and what you are exchanging into. So for example if you had a gold week and you were exchanging into a platinum week, you may be required to an additional $400 per night for the trade.

Of course, I have never actually tried this, so others who have experience can validate or correct any of the above. Documenting it here to the extent it helps others as the information on this is limited/fragmented.

One question for others - why are there so many Aviara resales listed and going for next to nothing? I see 327 units for sale on Tri-West's website. Has it always been the case?
 
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I called Four Seasons Residence Club yesterday to understand exactly this. Here's what I learned:
1) Exchanging to JH, CR, etc. are part of a privilege called Club Benefits. These do not ordinarily transfer to resale buyers, unless the resale is through Four Seasons' preferred exchange/broker (Tri-west link). (Aside but similarly: the FSAC = FS Accommodation Credit benefit also doesn't transfer ordinarily unless purchased through Tri-west).
2) Assuming you have the Club Benefit, the exchange is facilitated through an annual exchange draw/lottery, which takes place in November. You would still book your week normally, but in November, you can decide whether you want to enter the exchange lottery or not. If you decide to enter your week, it must be the full week, so for example, if you split your 1 week 2 bedroom lock-out into 2 stays, you don't get to enter 1 week and hang on to the other for your personal stay.
3) First step in the lottery process is that FSRC selects the weeks that will have the opportunity to exchange their week. My understanding is that the win probability is influenced by number of weeks and whether you won in the previous year. If you won in the previous year, the probability of winning again is lower (not sure if its 0), to give all owners a chance to exchange. FYI, they quoted that there were approx. 2000 weeks entered in the draw in November 2020 for an available 250 weeks. That implies a low win probability, but they also mentioned that 2020 was an anomaly as one would expect.
4) Assuming your week is selected for the exchange, you get access to their availability portal, in view only mode, which shows the weeks and resorts that are available. There is a date when then portal goes live for booking, so the view only mode allows you to plan if you can find a resort/week that works for you.
5) Assuming that you find a week/resort that works for you, then you would try to book it when the portal goes live for everyone. Subject to first come first serve at this point.
6) Last thing to add here is that there is a $100 to $400 charge per night, depending on your ownership week and what you are exchanging into. So for example if you had a gold week and you were exchanging into a platinum week, you may be required to an additional $400 per night for the trade.

Of course, I have never actually tried this, so others who have experience can validate or correct any of the above. Documenting it here to the extent it helps others as the information on this is limited/fragmented.

One question for others - why are there so many Aviara resales listed and going for next to nothing? I see 327 units for sale on Tri-West's website. Has it always been the case?

Awesome. I guess it explains most if not all of it. Sounds complicated to exchange though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi Everyone - been a while since been to TUG ... fun catching up on stuff. Maybe I can add a few points here ( for what it is worth )
- the issue of two parts at Scottsdale - I quickly toured a unit some years back - but I think it like Aviara -- when vacancy exists you will find your next door neighbour booked thru Four Seasons ( we find this a lot in Jan & Feb when conventions at the Hyatt overflow - in non coVid Years )
- please remember the people who bought into Punta Mita ( picture attached ) and C.R. paid a ton more money than we did for FSA ... and you get less prime weeks for obvious reasons ... a side note -- at Punta Mita - it was interesting to see so few 2 bbd units - most are 3 bbd ( with 4bbd on the top ) ...but even these are fewer units when compared to the people who own FULL QUARTERS or FULL YEAR ownership !! ... ( it helps if you watch Billions series one more time ...:). With that being said - you never ever saw any impression of a two tier level of customer service ... every person treated exceptionally well ... as you come to expect from FS.
- never ever upgrade to a 3 bbd at Punta Mita ... the 3rd bed is small and at the back - but the two are equal in the front with amazing everything ... so Our daughter and son-in-law keep asking when ware we going back ...:). Picture is the 'kids' who we could not get out of the plunge pool in our balcony. These kids make more money than I do ...:). At least I warned you .... damm kids ....
 

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Awesome. I guess it explains most if not all of it. Sounds complicated to exchange though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
One other thing that I was told was that to keep the FS Club Benefits on a resale Aviara unit, the purchase price has to be over $2,500. This could be inclusive of MF, closing fees, etc, by the new buyer), but it has to be over $2,500 or the FS Club Benefit would be lost on resale transfer. Also, for the accommodation credit, the purchase price is higher - either $5,000 or $7,500 or something to that effect. This is all for a gold week. Not sure that it is for platinum or Scottsdale resale.
I’m in process of becoming a FSA owner and planning on going there in the next 3 months.
 
We have traded into FS Scottsdale twice in the past three years. The TS part of the resort is very nice. The hotel resort is also very nice but IMHO not worth any extra money vs staying at the TS.
Both the hotel and TS have great pools and the pools have pool side service and a restaurant so you are treated like a super high end resort.
 
Owning FSA allows you to trade into Four Seasons in Scottsdale in the same season at 6 month. For the others, you need to enter the lottery. We won the lottery and went to Four Seasons Costa Rica our first year. But we did not win the second year.

I was told that you cannot enter the lottery the year following you have won it.
 
I was told that you cannot enter the lottery the year following you have won it.

We have two units so we can enter with the unit that did not win in the second year.
 
We have traded into FS Scottsdale twice in the past three years. The TS part of the resort is very nice. The hotel resort is also very nice but IMHO not worth any extra money vs staying at the TS.
Both the hotel and TS have great pools and the pools have pool side service and a restaurant so you are treated like a super high end resort.
I just scored a trade through II using 1 bedroom from SDO and am expecting great things based on a 3 day trip to FS Lanai a few years back, but am wondering if you can tell me anything about the facilities at Troon. Can you still use the facilities at both if you are at the residences? Is the fitness center (important to my husband) nice? Does it have steam and sauna? Do they have the little amenities at the pools like bug spray and sunscreen so you do not need to worry about getting some when you get there? Are the Sprouts or Whole Foods within a decent driving distance? is the kitchen well-equipped? Thanks so much for your help.
 
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