Is buying a timeshare 'ever' a good idea?

[YYJMSP]

It's all about collecting luggage tags. The market price is ~$25K each...

I'm self employed, work horrible hours in bursts, and I really like knowing that I've got my next four trips booked for the next twelve months and ready to go, just set aside meals and entertainment costs, as the lodgings were all paid for when the MFs came up in Jan.

The upfront capital outlay got me home resorts I would revisit, and I have the flexibility of exchanging to SPG points (not all agree this is a good value, but it is for us travelling to popular destinations during holiday seasons to upscale properties)

With the larger multiple units we get through timeshares vs traditional hotel rooms, we often have family and friends come along. This has significant value to us, as there are benefits of enjoying time off with others.

In our minds, buying the timeshares was definitely worth it, and I'm sure I can come up with the fuzzy math to show how I've made back my investment.

 

[JudyS]

Well, after considerable research and discussion we have made our purchase.

We bought a 2Bdrm LO at the Sheraton Vistana Resort, fixed week in high season. Purchased for $1.....

Congratulations! I wonder how many of us SVR owners there are here on TUG?

Most of the lock-offs at the Sheraton Vistana Resort are actually "fixed/floating" weeks, not true fixed weeks. Fixed/floating is an unusual type of reservation system that Starwood uses. Owners of fixed/floating weeks have the right to the week listed on their deed if they reserve early enough. (The exact reservation window varies depending on the resort.) If owners don't reserve early enough, the week becomes floating instead and the owner can chose from whatever is available during their floating season.

Once your ownership is the Starwood computer system, you can call and find out if it's a true fixed week or a fixed/floating week.

If you plan to use the week yourself, fixed/floating should work fine. (In fact, it is preferable, because it's more flexible.) For trading, fixed holiday weeks may have more trade power than a fixed/floating week.

 

[tomandrobin]

It's all about collecting luggage tags. The market price is ~$25K each...

That's funny.....But we do burn through luggage sets. Not as much as we use to, but our "checked" bags take a beating.

 

[YYJMSP]

That's funny.....But we do burn through luggage sets. Not as much as we use to, but our "checked" bags take a beating.

We gave up on nice/expensive luggage, and just spend another $200 on two sets of cheap Costco stuff and hope it last a year or so...

One of my fun games after a trip is trying to figure out exactly what combination of throwing and crushing was required for the baggage handlers to damage a bag so it broke in the specific way ours got mangled.

 

[SmithOp]

I've got a Tumi that's still going strong 15 yrs on.

I just picked up a free SVR fixed week 12, looking forward to going RCI hunting when it hits Easter week.

One TS week a year is good when you work a traditional 8-5 career, more is better when you retire . 11-11-11 was my last day working.

 

[YYJMSP]

One TS week a year is good when you work a traditional 8-5 career, more is better when you retire . 11-11-11 was my last day working.

My wife (the bottleneck in our vacation plans ) is the 9-5 in the family. We still manage to use up 6 TS weeks each year or so.

I think I'll be working until the day after I die -- I'm sure there's some paperwork involved with moving on to the great interval in the sky...

 

[tomandrobin]

I've got a Tumi that's still going strong 15 yrs on.

I just picked up a free SVR fixed week 12, looking forward to going RCI hunting when it hits Easter week.

One TS week a year is good when you work a traditional 8-5 career, more is better when you retire . 11-11-11 was my last day working.

Congrats on your retirement!

 

[MichaelColey]

We gave up on nice/expensive luggage, and just spend another $200 on two sets of cheap Costco stuff and hope it last a year or so...

We've had good success with Samsonite roller luggage (bought at either Costco or Sams -- can't remember which). We've had our current set for several years, so it's seen about 30+ trips, and dozens of flights.