Is this offer worth the $$$/points?

[pwrshift]

winger ... you're sounding a little like a point nay-sayer. Depends how you look at it ... if you buy two weeks for $66k you get 2 mill MR points 'free'. If you consider the whole package you get 2 mill points AND a residual value of two very nice 2 bdrm suites, which at 50% would be $33,000 of your total if not more. That would bring the point cost down to about half your estimate, as you noted the omission.

The key here is 700,000 MR points the first year so you can get packing and another 1.2 million still to come over the next 6 years. At $200 a night in a Marriott FS hotel, how many nights would you need to earn 2 million points ... or another way, how many years would it take to buy 2 million points at the allowed 100,000 a year (spouses)?

A huge bank account of points with the opportunity to replenish points you've used allows you to 'use' the system to your advantage. I'd rather have a week at County Hall than a week at a TS these days (empty nester) but not everyone is the same.

Brian

 

[winger]

Nah, I am a believer in points (that's why we bought direct) - both use of pts and flexibility to turn a TS to points if desired. I just wanted to put out there some #'s I was playing with over lunch - wanted to get some eyes on it in case I am missing something huge.

For some reason, I thought the "use" of points on a trip would run (value speaking) over $.035/pt.

From my own experience counting from Dec 2007 through April 2009 (about 16 months), I redeemed two sets of r/t tickets to Hawaii (coach of course) for four of us...and had a one week stay over 4th of July at a cat 6 Marriott - and I still have a cat 6 hotel to spare ---> all using points. value of these alone I calc to be over $9000. And I did not even take into account the TS weeks used as well It's sweet. TS AND MRP's - at a bargain price with flexibility built in.

winger ... you're sounding a little like a point nay-sayer. Depends how you look at it ... if you buy two weeks for $66k you get 2 mill MR points 'free'. If you consider the whole package you get 2 mill points AND a residual value of two very nice 2 bdrm suites, which at 50% would be $33,000 of your total if not more. That would bring the point cost down to about half your estimate, as you noted the omission.

The key here is 700,000 MR points the first year so you can get packing and another 1.2 million still to come over the next 6 years. At $200 a night in a Marriott FS hotel, how many nights would you need to earn 2 million points ... or another way, how many years would it take to buy 2 million points at the allowed 100,000 a year (spouses)?

A huge bank account of points with the opportunity to replenish points you've used allows you to 'use' the system to your advantage. I'd rather have a week at County Hall than a week at a TS these days (empty nester) but not everyone is the same.

Brian

 

[thinze3]

What are the chances during these relatively slow times that Marriott would retro a resale unit if one were to buy a Marriott TS direct? I think Marriott did this a few short years ago at Surfwatch.


Terry

 

[fjay]

I forgot to mention that we received about half a million points for the purchase (without financing the purchase). So instead of waving my $28,000 goodbye, i'll be enjoying my 2 week category 7 trip to Europe. And, i'll do that every year, too. QUOTE]

How exactly did you get 500,000 points for the purchase of only $28,000??

 

[Mr. Vker]

We Marriott direct buyers have to speak up! If any newbies read this forum, they're going to think buying resale is the only way to go and that is absolutely not the case.

With the example I gave above, we received enough points with our Marriott direct purchase to earn a 2 week category 7 European vacation with airfare. Given todays dollar, how much is that vacation worth? I believe it is very close to the $15,000 difference in price between resale and developer. Now if you are not interested in taking vacations, other than with timeshares, buying from the developer is not an advantage for you.

I agree! We purchased Phuket in 2005 and Aruba in 2006. Phuket was $13500. Quite a deal! Aruba about $23000. We ended up with enough Marriott points to get (2) travel packages-a category 6 and a catebory 7. We used the AA miles for 2 first class tickets from Baltimore to Bangkok. Total value of those tickets-$38000.00.

We still have our Marriott certificates. We are using them in 2010 for my 40th birthday. Its great that Marriott lets us extend them beyond the first year.

 

[pwrshift]

FJAY -- If you read my post #33 above and cut it in half it will approximate how you can get 1 million points for a $33,000 purchase at Grande Lakes. It will take about 7 years of non-use...during which you would be able to have about 2 business class two-week trips to Europe. The package I outlined was for the first 300 people to buy as founding members and I think they've got that in the first week, so it might be a little different now. If you have a Marriott rep that knows about the plan, he'll work it out for you. I think they're offering 9.9% on it too, which is lower than the normal 13.99% -- both of which are outrageous percentages IMO.

Brian

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I have been evaluating the Orlando deal and it is still not clear to me.

Buy a 3 bedroom Lakeshore Reserve Platinum week for $32,015 and then pay about $1,100 per yar + $140 for points only to get 120,000 points. Then they convert to AA miles at almost 3:1 ratio.

Thus, 4% opportunity costs of $32,000 = $1280 + $1,100 + $140 = $2520 true cost per year just to get 120,000 points and that will barley get you one coach ticket (assume the 50,000 miles as I rarely see 25,000 seats anymore. Then it states converting points to miles may take several weeks.

What am I missing?

 

[pwrshift]

Bill ... does the 3 bdrm appeal to you because of your DC preferences in size or do you really need it short and long term? It kinda depends on whether you'd buy for the points and after the trade-for-points period 7 years ... or if you'd eventually use it or split it and rent it or deposit with Interval?

If you'd end up renting it I'd buy the plat prem period rather than plat as they'd get the most money. Size wise, the most appealing to me is the 2 bdrm lockoff that splits into two 1 bdrm suites each with a kitchen (not a kitchenette). Then you split for $75 and can use or rent them ie: Pres week every year or March break.

Re: MF ... don't forget that Marriot will be subsidizing the MF for several years but they will still go up...but not necessarily a lot more when Marriott doesn't subs. any more as more of the units will be sold then and paying for the overheads.

The key here is that these are brand new and they have a very good intro pricing you won't see again on this complex ... and a million points for the purchase (thereabouts) over the 7 year period...a lot of those up front. That's where the points program is disappointing to many who find it takes years to build up a million points ... or even 540,000 pts for the first 2 week business class trip to Paris and London. You'd get enough just for buying and more to come after that.

The residual value is always there ... so that should be taken out of the 'cost' analysis, and how to you evaluate 1 million points ... maybe at $0.0125 per point? But the true value of the MR points is how you use them, not as much as what you paid for them. There's no free lunch but some lunches are better than others.

Brian

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I really am spoiled by 3 bedroom DC properties now....but the new Marriott in Orlando is equivalent to HCC and UE Premiere. I may get rid of my MMC and replace it with the Lakeshore Reserv.

I just think the points for a 3 bedroom (120k) vs 2 bedroom (110k) is not that great. I would be much more interested if the 3 bedroom points were something like 160k (more fair).

 

[pwrshift]

Bill ... never buy FF miles without taking the air+hotel packages...the premium doesn't work. I don't understand how you figure 120,000 FF miles barely gets you 1 coach ticket as biz class to Europe is 80k with UA ... you use the 'saver' chart and book business/first on a 2 class aircraft. I don't think it's ever taken more than 4 days to get FF miles deposited in my airline accounts. Converting weeks to MR points is a $104 fee .. not $140 ... and you have to non-use the suite for 7 years (so keep MMC for now and trade into Grande Lakes). The real value of MR points vs cash is in using business class air, not economy/coach. Leave the kids at home.

UA Saver Chart:

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,1142,00.html

Your 7 year cost for the 3 bdrm would be about $32,000+$7000 for 6 years of MF/fees, or $39,000. Factoring in 'lost opportunity' just doesn't work for vacations IMO. To buy a million MR points would cost you $12,500 (if you could) ... the residual value (est 50%) of the TS is about $16,000 so your retention is $28,500. So you're out $10,500 for the TS until you start using the points.

Now you want to trade in the million points for more than the $39,000 in travel value. Check Expedia and Marriott for prices and you'll see that is quite possible, especially if you go Europe. Makes you feel like the TS was free.

If you want to take your wife on 2 two-week trips to Europe over the next 7 years without MR points it could cost you about $44,000 incl biz class. Here's how: 28 days in a Cat6 hotel in Europe could be $500US a night ... value $14,000. 6 business class flights (80k FF x 6 = 480k) to Europe could cost $5,000 each ... value $30,000. $14,000 + $30,000 = $44,000, which is more than the cost of your timeshare. You got it free...and had 4 wonderful weeks in Europe and still have 160,000 FF miles left over.

Scroll down this page to see 'travel packages' section:

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/usepoints/morepack.mi


Take the million points and get 4 Cat6 air+hotel pkgs at 250,000 MR pts each. That gives you 4 certificates for a 7 night stay in any Cat6 hotel in the world (the JW at Grande Lakes is a 6, so is the JW in Phoenix and others). It also gives you 480,000 frequent flyer miles (120x4). Check the prices for business class on Expedia for a real shocker.

http://www.marriott.com/rewards/pointsGridPopUp.mi?awardType=Standard

Does that help any?

Brian

I have been evaluating the Orlando deal and it is still not clear to me. Buy a 3 bedroom Lakeshore Reserve Platinum week for $32,015 and then pay about $1,100 per yar + $140 for points only to get 120,000 points. Then they convert to AA miles at almost 3:1 ratio. Thus, 4% opportunity costs of $32,000 = $1280 + $1,100 + $140 = $2520 true cost per year just to get 120,000 points and that will barley get you one coach ticket (assume the 50,000 miles as I rarely see 25,000 seats anymore. Then it states converting points to miles may take several weeks. What am I missing?

 

[icydog]

OK;

Your deal :
Pay $12,000 to buy the TS
pay $1000/year in MFs ( which will go up)
pay $104 to turn your TS into 90,000 reward pts
Total of $1104 for 90K pt/year ( which can not be used at a Marriott TS.)

OR
Don't buy the TS saving $12,000
Buy direct from Marriott 50,000 reward pts a year for $625
Have your spouse buy 50,000 reward pts direct for $625.
Total $1250 get you 100,000 pts/yr
and use a Marriott Visa to get more pts
The pts you buy and earn can be used at all Marriott branded resort including TSs.

What do you think?

I tried to get the same 50,000 points for my husband as I just purchased for myself but I could not do it. The message read it was the same account and therefore I could only buy 50,000 a year. If he gets his own Marriott Rewards number can he do it? And if he can--- how do we combine them into one account for a big trip? .

We do share a Marriott Rewards Visa number. We also share the same email address. Could that be the problem?

Sorry if this sounds silly but I have no idea how to do this. Thanks.

 

[tompk]

You will each need to have an individual Marriott Rewards account. You are allowed to transfer points to a spouse's account when you are redeeming points. So, whenever you request a travel package you transfer points at the same time to get them all in one account.

Terms & Conditions for Transferring Points


This member benefit is only available at time of reward redemption (only one reward request per redemption, please).


Immediately prior to redemption, a member may authorize the transfer of the necessary Marriott Rewards points into the spouse's Marriott Rewards account in order to qualify for a specific reward.


Only the Marriott Rewards points needed to redeem the specified reward, rounded to the nearest 1,000 points, may be transferred - not more or fewer.


An "Authorization to Transfer Points" form must be completed and submitted to Marriott Guest Services to transfer the points. Forms are available by calling Marriott Guest Services at 1-801-468-4000. A request for reward redemption from the transferee's spouse must be submitted to the Guest Services Center with the Authorization to Transfer Points form.


Once the authorization for transfer is received and processed, the transferee relinquishes all rights to the transferred points, and they become the spouse's points.


For all "stay" related promotions, a "hotel stay" or a "stay" is defined as all consecutive nights spent at Marriott by a Marriott Rewards member.