Marriott Timeshares Spain or France

[Carlsbadguy]

Thinking of using a Marriott travel package next year for a week of hotel in London then a week of timeshare in Europe. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which of the Marriott's in Spain are nicer and which would be more centrally located for tourist attractions.

Also how far from Paris is the Marriott in France located and what other tourist attractions are nearby. Do most people rent a car when they stay here. Without a car what are the transportation options from the airport.
Thanks

 

[larue]

Thinking of using a Marriott travel package next year for a week of hotel in London then a week of timeshare in Europe. Does anyone have any suggestions as to which of the Marriott's in Spain are nicer and which would be more centrally located for tourist attractions.

Also how far from Paris is the Marriott in France located and what other tourist attractions are nearby. Do most people rent a car when they stay here. Without a car what are the transportation options from the airport.
Thanks

The timeshare outside of Paris is a great place immediately adjacent to Euro Disney and is very close to a 30 minute rail ride in to Paris. If you don't mind the commute, it is the best place to stay in the area in my opinion.

 

[Kola]

I would suggest you do a search under "Europe" where these subjects have been discussed several times. For example, read all pro and con posts about Marriott's Isle de France here:

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54710&highlight=Marriott+Isle+France

We have stayed in both Marriott's Isle de France and Marriott's Marbella. These are quite different resorts in terms of amenities, location etc. Don't hesitate to ask specific questions that would meet your specific needs.

K,

 

[Dave M]

If you want to do such a trip, be sure to check out reservations before ordering a Travel Package. If you plan to go during the summer peak season, you'll likely have a great deal of difficulty in getting plane tickets with the frequent flyer miles you'll get. Most airlines make very few frequent flyer seats to Europe available during peak season.

Also, the hotel portion of a Travel Package can be used for a hotel stay, but not for a timeshare stay. You'll need to order separate timeshare stay certificates. Further, most Marriott timeshares make no nights/weeks available for Marriott Rewards stays. Getting reservations at major Marriott hotels in peak summer is not easy either.

Thus, before you decide to do this, go to Marriott.com and go through the motions as though you were reserving a week at your choice of hotels and timeshares, checking the "Use Marriott Rewards points" box. That will tell you if the lodging part of your plan has a chance. Do the same at your favorite airline site before you order the Travel Package. Once Marriott deposits the frequent flyer miles from the Travel Package into your airline account, you can't cancel the Travel Package.

Lastly, note that the entire Rewards program for Travel Packages and many other Rewards will change on January 15. As an example, Travel Packages as we now know them will disappear and comparable benefits will become much m ore expense (in terms of points).

 

[kjd]

Trip to France or Spain

I am starting to look into a trip to Europe for 2010. Having been there before I know that you can forget France in August. The country shuts down for vacation and the populace goes to other European locations. Traffic is bad and everything is either crowded or closed.

Isle de France is not always an easy trade through II and I would say that if you want to stay there you should try to trade into there first before purchasing any travel packages. The off seasons or shoulder seasons are the best times to travel in Europe. If you have 540,000 points you can probably get two business class air fares and two weeks at European Marrriott hotels. A trade into Isles de France will make it three weeks. If you had to use cash instead of points that's probably close to a $20,000 vacation.

The problem with Marbella is that it is not as centrally located in Europe as Isles de France. Marbella is not far from Madrid or Barcelona but the rest of Europe takes some time to get to and there will be added travel costs. It may be good enough that you want to stay in Spain and/or visit North Affica or Portugal. The TUG reviews about Marbella are very good and the Costa del Sol area offers some great vacation experiences.

 

[Carlsbadguy]

I am looking for a stay in September or October using a Marriott point travel package to supplement airline mileage I already have and for a week hotel in London. Then using my MArriott Summit Watch for a trade. Right now between me and my wife we have about 450,000 Marriott points. Will have to book before the Jan 15 change, so will book the London hotel and airfare and then hope to arrange a trade to the France Marriott for the following week. A couple of year ago I had a summer trade to France, but cancelled it so I was wondering how hard a trade for mid-end September would be.

 

[Dave M]

One key missing piece of info: What Summit Watch season do you own?

I have a reasonably trading Platinum Grand Chateau with which I can see a Village d'Ile-de-France available week for the first week of November, but nothing for September or October. But my guess is that if you have a Platinum week and put in an ongoing request, you'll be successful. The challenge is that more latitude in what weeks you'll accept (especially if you have a Gold or Silver week) increases your odds, but makes it impossible to lock in your other reservations.

 

[Dave M]

...so will book the London hotel and airfare and then ....

As I suggested above, please look online now to see if the flights and hotel dates you want (or are willing to accept) are available for award travel.

 

[LisaH]

I have used my Marriott Canyon Villas lock-offs to trade into Marriott Marbella (late June) and Marriott d'Ile-de-France (early July). Both came through within 60 days window during Flex-change period. In the old days, when my hotel portion of the certificate approaching expiration date, I called Marriott Rewards and got it extended twice. I wonder if they would be doing the same later again if I redeem my points for the travel package now...

 

[jerseyfinn]

A few thoughts/suggestions.

You might want to make a couple of different London reservations straddling different weeks while you float your timeshare trade on Interval. This way, the easier part of your itinerary ( your hotel stay ) is secured and you need only see which way the trade goes.

The downside to this strategy is that you would have to book your trans-Atlantic FF award airtravel via London and catch a connecting flight. But you would have your main flight secured and need only wait to see which dates you fly to Spain or France.

It's also a good idea to log onto MVCI and take a gander at the resort calenders for Spain and France to see how your weeks line up ( actually this is a good practice for any trade ). I know that Marbella has both a gold season and a gold holiday season which straddles September and October. I don't know how these variances would effect a trade outcome for a gold to gold week trade. Playa Andaluza will be in gold season throughout.

A trade to Spain should work provided you get your request set up in the queue. Be aware that September is a very busy month at these resorts as the weather is fabulous and the resorts will be mostly full. Demand in early October is also robust.

Keep in mind that a flex change exchange under the 60 day window is never a lock, though chances improve for a week or two to float out late as the seasons wind down.

Both France and Spain will place you in the heart of a lot of sights and activities. It's really a matter of what you want to accomplish and getting your trade request in the queue.

Barry

 

[davewasbaloo]

I love all the European resorts and there are tons of things to do near all of them. But please be advised you will need a car for all of the resorts to get the most out of them.

We own at Ile de France (and have clocked 51 visits to the region over the last 22 years) and we have stayed (or by Feb will have stayed at all the Spanish resorts). Any specific queries, let me know.

From Ile de France, Paris is ok, but not on the doorstep. But to be honest, 1 or 2 days in Paris is more than enough for us. But 13th Century Markcet town of Provins (UNESCO world heritage site) is less than 45 min from the resort. The Champagne Wineries and Notre Dam de Rhiems where all the kings of France were crowned is less than an hour east. Also there is the artist colony of Barbizon, beautiful storybook Chantilly - the largest French library and gallery, horse museum, Lipenzer Stallions, and art that inspired Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty is less than an hour. WWI battlefields, Armistace Wagon, and stroybook villages. AS well as 3 world class theme parks on the doorstep (the 2 Disney parks - DLP is nicer than WDW's Magic Kingdom and Parc Asterix). And there is a 200 store mall and aquarium 2 miles from the resort which sits on a golf course. Normandy beaches, the Bayeux Tapestry, Brussels, Amsterdam and Germany can be long (very long day trips - or an overnight).

Son Antem is a laid back local with great golf and watersports options, and wonderful Spanish small towns. Mallorca is great for mountains and beaches, wonderful architecture in Soller and the works of Miro can be found throughout the island. The Drach caves has subterranean lakes and live classical music concerts using the cave acoustics.

The Marbella and Playa Andaluzia are not far from each other. Ronda (less than an hour), Gibralter (less than an hour), Cadiz, Seville and Granada (a few hourse) and Morocco all make for fab excursions too.

 

[sjnoble]

We have recently just booked a trip to Paris using the Marriott's travel package for the end of Oct09. And luckily we got a Ile de France trade that connected right after our hotel stay in Paris.

We got the Paris Vendome Renaissance, but I just saw that a new Renaissance Arc de Triomphe will be open in Mar 09, I wonder if we should try to switch to the newer hotel?

One reminder United is changing the award program on 1/1, so I had to reserve the business class seats before the end of the year. I was only able to book Air Canada business class seats over the phone. there has been no UA availability, I wonder if it's because the program is changing in the New Year and they're not releasing any seats until the new program is in effect.

I hope it won't be too cold yet in Paris at the end of October/beg of November.

Are day trips manageable to adjacent countries such as Belgium?

 

[davewasbaloo]

Oct/Nov could be in the 60's (F) or as low as the 20's - it can be dry and sunny or wet. That is the joy of Northern Europe I am afraid.

As for day trips, it depends on your stamina. Brugges can be a 4 hour trip and Brussels a little further by car. Or you could take the train from the Disneyland Paris station and be to those cities much quicker.

For anyone from the new world going to Ile de France, do not miss Provins. Besides the sites, they demonstrate medieval siege weaponry, demonstrate falconry and also equestrian displays (currently they are recreating Marco Polo's lessons with the mongols, including the use of wolves in hunting- who apparently traded in Provins before he went to China).

Provins has some great museums and is a fairly inexpensive but fascinating day out.

 

[Zac495]

We stayed at Marbella in Spain - check out my pictures and reports. We added 2days at a hotel (non-Marriott) in Seville. Great trip. I'm sure you'll have fun no matter what you decide! If you decide on Spain, I'm happy to share our experiences - Morocco - ah - the beautiful rug -

 

[Swice]

Not an easy trade

I've had a request in for MVCI Paris since August (requested any summer week)... and nothing has come through (using Myrtle Beach Plat). Started to get worried about airfare and FF availability.

On a lark, put in a request for Newport Beach for next Dec 26th... figured we'd do the Rose Parade stuff. Got confirmation in two days.

Paris is the first Marriott trade we've tried and haven't gotten by requesting a year in advance.

 

[jerseyfinn]

Paris is the first Marriott trade we've tried and haven't gotten by requesting a year in advance.

Just a conjecture on my part. But at the two Spain Costa del Sol resorts, many of the European owners do not start making the decisions or deposits until the new year. Don't know for sure if Paris follows the same trade paradigm as the Spanish resorts.

I can appreciate the airline worry as we were in the same position a few years back for Spain. In our case, we got a confirmed trade in mid-January, less than 6 months out from our date of occupancy.

But hey, you got a neat trade in for next year. Just goes to show that there's lots of ways to do things with MVC.

Barry

 

[Swice]

exactly

Yes, airfare to Europe is a big expense when you multiply times four!

Figure I'll have FF luck with Newport Beach if I start 330-days out (Santa Ana airport is a tough one to get a "deal" on from the east coast). Or I may even try Priceline.

 

[Carlsbadguy]

Has anyone ever stayed in a studio unit at the French Marriott Timeshare. Is it equivalent to a lockoff at their US properties.

 

[davewasbaloo]

Has anyone ever stayed in a studio unit at the French Marriott Timeshare. Is it equivalent to a lockoff at their US properties.

I have not stayed in one, but they are indeed lockoffs. They are brand new however, having only been built in the last 18 months (and all units are finished externally, with internal project to be completed by this summer). So I would expect them to be quite nice.

Be warned however, there is not a proper restaurant on site and French Restaurants are not open all day unless you are in a tourist mecca (so if planning on just using it as a place to crash, and want some drinks in a fridge, it would be ok, but then you might as well stay in a hotel IMHO).

 

[sjnoble]

I have not stayed in one, but they are indeed lockoffs. They are brand new however, having only been built in the last 18 months (and all units are finished externally, with internal project to be completed by this summer). So I would expect them to be quite nice.

Be warned however, there is not a proper restaurant on site and French Restaurants are not open all day unless you are in a tourist mecca (so if planning on just using it as a place to crash, and want some drinks in a fridge, it would be ok, but then you might as well stay in a hotel IMHO).

So are there multiple floors or all rooms are on the same floor? From the look of the buildings they look more like townhomes with stairs, how is the layout inside?

Thanks

 

[Carlsbadguy]

Booking on the Marriott hotel website it says the bed is in a loft- so I was wondering if even the efficeincy is 2 floors. I have the hotel in London and frequent flyer tickets booked so may book a hotel in Paris to stay at if the timeshare doesn't come thru.

 

[davewasbaloo]

So are there multiple floors or all rooms are on the same floor? From the look of the buildings they look more like townhomes with stairs, how is the layout inside?

Thanks

The main villas are two floors. The ground floor has the utility room, kitchen, lounge (with sofabed) and restroom, then upstairs is the master suite with a bathroom, 2nd bedroom and family bathroom with soaking tub and shower.

If memory serves from when we bought, the lock offs are the same and then on the ground floor is the studio adjoining the units. But I am a little hazy. When we bought, none of the lock offs existed.