Marriott Vacation Club - BIG SCAM !!

[rthib]

Thanks , would like to understand more on option 1, I have no plans to open more credit line , what does non judicial foreclosure mean . I am not a FL resident . If i default are there any risks to my assets that i own in other state.

It just means that they don't have to go to court to foreclose. They can only go after the asset used to get the loan (in this case the Marriott Points)

Foreclosure stays on record for 7 years. During that time you will find it hard to get a mortgage or refinance.
Credit will be harder/more expensive,
That includes student loans for any children not based on need (Things like PLUS loan etc...)
So keep that in mind.


As a side note, this is one of the reasons to never finance a timeshare with a home equity loan or any other loan back by a real asset.
If Marriott finances, they are using the points deed as collateral for the loan. If you took out a home equity loan to buy your timeshare, then you are using your home as collateral and that would be a whole different story if you defaulted.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Do not call a lawyer. I cannot believe any TUG member would post lawyers' phone numbers. That's not good advice.

Use what you bought. You liked what the salesperson said about the product, and unless there was a misrepresentation that made you sign on the dotted line, you really have no reason to feel scammed. You must have felt at the time that you could afford what you bought.

You can always buy more points later via resale and game the system a bit. I chose to buy resale Marriott weeks over 16 years ago for the first ones. I am happy with that decision. Most anything I want or need is available to me via exchange, plus we love the locations we bought, and they were extremely cheap to buy. Any time you can buy a deeded 2 bedroom Marriott Platinum week for $2-4K, with fees of around $2,000 per week that locks off into two deposits into II, those are some pretty cheap vacations. $164 exchange fees in II, Marriott-Marriott.

One thing I know about timeshare is that it's constantly changing. Some day in the future, perhaps Marriott will allow me to enroll my Shadow Ridge weeks into Abound for a few hundred bucks, but would I want to do that? I don't know. The weeks are worth 4,000 points each (I think I remember correctly) and it requires a big purchase to enroll the weeks (we own 3). I wouldn't enroll Willow Ridge because those would not be worth many points. The fees are very high on those. Shadow Ridge MF's are about the same as what you bought.

 

[WBP]

Thanks , would like to understand more on option 1, I have no plans to open more credit line , what does non judicial foreclosure mean . I am not a FL resident . If i default are there any risks to my assets that i own in other state.

Some genius(es) think you should hold onto a Pink Elephant (at a $50,000.00+++ expenses), that has depreciated in value by about 80% since you purchased it, when, before you realize how difficult it is to use, and how your intended use cannot be realized, you can walk away from it, calling your down payment and lawyer’s fees, the cost of doing business for what may have been an uniformed purchase decision, or lapse in judgement.

Rest assured that this TUG audience is skewed, and not of any statistical significance.

 

[m61376]

If you felt you could afford the 50K a month ago, and nothing has changed, personally I wouldn't wreck my credit for 7 years. Besides not being able to get a new cc, you'll have issues with getting a new mortgage (including refinancing if you've purchased a home lately and rates come down), car loans, student loans, etc.. Sometimes life intervenes and you need a home equity loan- that'd be out too. Or a job transfer or other life event....

As others have said, you can make good use of those points and, while perhaps not as easy as advertised, you can get great value. Use your corporate membership in Interval to book a Getaway perhaps; many are relatively low cost weeks. Lots of great availability in Orlando, for example, and if you're flexible there are some great last minute deals. For example, I found a last minute deal last year for a friend who needed to change her Punta Cana reservation due to an approaching hurricane at the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba for a 2BR for $845 for the week, which Marriott is renting for about 1K a night. So if you learn how to use the system you can find some great value.

 

[akimp23]

If you felt you could afford the 50K a month ago, and nothing has changed, personally I wouldn't wreck my credit for 7 years. Besides not being able to get a new cc, you'll have issues with getting a new mortgage (including refinancing if you've purchased a home lately and rates come down), car loans, student loans, etc.. Sometimes life intervenes and you need a home equity loan- that'd be out too. Or a job transfer or other life event....

As others have said, you can make good use of those points and, while perhaps not as easy as advertised, you can get great value. Use your corporate membership in Interval to book a Getaway perhaps; many are relatively low cost weeks. Lots of great availability in Orlando, for example, and if you're flexible there are some great last minute deals. For example, I found a last minute deal last year for a friend who needed to change her Punta Cana reservation due to an approaching hurricane at the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba for a 2BR for $845 for the week, which Marriott is renting for about 1K a night. So if you learn how to use the system you can find some great value.

I am also seeking advice from my lawyer that my company provides via insurance ..

 

[dougp26364]

I am also seeking advice from my lawyer that my company provides via insurance ..

That’s probably the smartest thing you could do. Let us know if he has any words of wisdom we might have missed over the years. Maybe he/she has a new trick we’ve all missed

 

[akimp23]

That’s probably the smartest thing you could do. Let us know if he has any words of wisdom we might have missed over the years. Maybe he/she has a new trick we’ve all missed

Right , worth a try . Thanks for your support ..

 

[JIMinNC]

When we first became Marriott Vacation Club owners in 2014, we started with fewer points than you now have. We have subsequently added points, but with adequate advance planning (12-13 months in advance) we have received great value from our ownership. Here is a list of where we have traveled using our points in the last decade:

1.) Barony Beach Club, Hilton Head
2.) Grande Ocean, Hilton Head
3.) Heritage Club, Hilton Head
4.) Grande Chateau, Las Vegas
5.) Desert Springs Villas I, Palm Desert
6.) Waiohai Beach Club, Kauai
7.) Maui Ocean Club, Maui (multiple times with points)
8.) Pulse at the Mayflower, Washington DC
9.) Village d'lle-de-France, Paris
10.) Desert Springs Villas II, Palm Desert
11.) Crystal Shores, Marco Island
12.) Ocean Pointe, Palm Beach FL
13.) Pulse South Beach, Miami Beach
14.) Grande Vista, Orlando
15.) Newport Coast Villas, California
16.) Waikoloa Ocean Club, Big Island
17.) Aruba Ocean Club

The first ten in the list were booked in the years when we only had about 3400 points available. We now have a little over 6000.

Since you are outside your contractual cancellation period, before you wreck your credit, take the time to learn how to use the system. The resorts are great, and if you learn the system, and book well in advance, you can get some great vacations.

 

[akimp23]

When we first became Marriott Vacation Club owners in 2014, we started with fewer points than you now have. We have subsequently added points, but with adequate advance planning (12-13 months in advance) we have received great value from our ownership. Here is a list of where we have traveled using our points in the last decade:

1.) Barony Beach Club, Hilton Head
2.) Grande Ocean, Hilton Head
3.) Heritage Club, Hilton Head
4.) Grande Chateau, Las Vegas
5.) Desert Springs Villas I, Palm Desert
6.) Waiohai Beach Club, Kauai
7.) Maui Ocean Club, Maui (multiple times with points)
8.) Pulse at the Mayflower, Washington DC
9.) Village d'lle-de-France, Paris
10.) Desert Springs Villas II, Palm Desert
11.) Crystal Shores, Marco Island
12.) Ocean Pointe, Palm Beach FL
13.) Pulse South Beach, Miami Beach
14.) Grande Vista, Orlando
15.) Newport Coast Villas, California
16.) Waikoloa Ocean Club, Big Island
17.) Aruba Ocean Club

The first ten in the list were booked in the years when we only had about 3400 points available. We now have a little over 6000.

Since you are outside your contractual cancellation period, before you wreck your credit, take the time to learn how to use the system. The resorts are great, and if you learn the system, and book well in advance, you can get some great vacations.

One questions regarding points since you are more than 10 years .. did the points value depreciates year after year. Will it value end up being less than year end maintenance?

 

[Pamplemousse]

One questions regarding points since you are more than 10 years .. did the points value depreciates year after year. Will it value end up being less than year end maintenance?

The maintence fees on points and weeks go up every year so each trip does cost more.
But the number of points for a full year at a resort is unchanged- a few days change because of holidays but when one day goes up another goes down.

 

[JIMinNC]

One questions regarding points since you are more than 10 years .. did the points value depreciates year after year. Will it value end up being less than year end maintenance?

It depends on what you mean by “value”. The free market resale value of your points is only about $3/point or so, at most. That doesn’t change significantly from year to year, and represents what you could get if you tried to get out by selling your ownership rights to someone else.

If by “value” you mean the value of the vacations you can book each year, then that’s a different answer. The amount of points it takes to book a given week at a given resort doesn’t change significantly from year to year. Sometimes they will tweak the dates and seasons slightly, but the total number of points assigned to a given resort is fixed and controlled by the legal structure of the MVC points trust. For example, in 2017 the points cost to book a week in a 1 bedroom ocean view at Marriott’s Waikoloa Ocean Club on the Big Island of Hawaii cost 4250 points during the highest cost season. For 2025 and 2026 it is still 4250.

What does change is the maintenance fee cost for each point you own. When we first bought in 2014 for the 2015 use year, the maintenance fee was $0.48/point. For 2025, it was $0.81/point. That’s an increase of about 5% per year over a decade. Over that same time period, however, hotel and other alternative lodging costs have increased as well. According to a Google search I did, the long term average for hotel inflation has been 3% to 5% per year, although it has averaged at a higher rate post-pandemic, and resort areas have seen even higher increases.

We find that our timeshares still provide good value versus hotel rooms. We recently came back from Aruba Ocean Club where a week in a 2BR Ocean View cost us 4650 points. At $0.81/point, that is about $3700 for a week, or about $540/night. On Marriott.com, rental availability at Aruba Ocean Club is very, very limited because Marriott only controls a small amount of inventory (most inventory is owned by owners in the timeshare program). I did see availability for a 2BR ocean view for next week listed at $1198/night or $8400 for the week. It’s not uncommon to see Caribbean and Hawaii hotel rooms at top brands like Marriott, Westin, and Hilton go for around $1000/night in prime season. We had to pay about that in January 2023 to stay at a Westin hotel in Grand Cayman (no MVC timeshares there).

All that is why we still see value in our ownership.

 

[dougp26364]

Right , worth a try . Thanks for your support ..

FWIW, most of us on this site bought at least the first contract the same as you, which is why we know that, once your past the initial period where you can rescind, you’re stuck.

 

[ljmiii]

One questions regarding points since you are more than 10 years .. did the points value depreciates year after year. Will it value end up being less than year end maintenance?

Our experience over the past 15 or so years is that MVC MFs have risen slower than the cost of comparable stays in other accomodations. But that's not saying much because the cost of travel over the time period has skyrocketed...particularly for higher end properties. We first got into Marriott Vacation Club because the price of beachfront Hawaiian accommodations that could give us and our kids (and later the grandparents) separate bedrooms was gobsmacking. And it's only gotten worse.

Admittedly, this assumes that travel is a given. Travel is a luxury and MFs are an annual commitment. And we could have decided at any time that we just want to stay home. But that hasn't happened yet.

 

[claraj]

I became a new owner when the pandemic allowed me to work remotely and I was able to travel a lot more. I've since added more points and 2 weeks to my ownership. I usually travel with at least 5 in our party where having 2 rooms is necessary. This, the locations and the consistent quality of the villas was the draw for me and my family. Also, I enjoy snowboarding and was already paying $400-500 per night to stay in a regular hotel room on the mountain. It can be great depending on your situation and travel needs.

 

[pedro47]

Suggestion to the OP, if they can book Monday thru Friday, they can used less points to travel.

 

[billymach4]

A big Uggggh, Moan and Grunt. Certainly sympathize. The internet and Google, AI platforms are your friend.

The open secret in the TS space is that resale is just as good as purchasing direct from the Sleazy Sales presentation. It is unfortunate you did not hear of this secret. As has been mentioned already many of us have started out years back in a direct high pressure sales gig. Many of us found Tug an rescinded immediately. It is a damn shame you did not know this. Very sorry. I know none if this will relieve your anxiety.

Marriott is probably the one best system of Timeshare systems. However even those of us that are seasoned in the Marriott system have learned to despise their high maintenance costs over the years. Their IT and website are also very sloppy and not robust for my purposes. Despite all of this I have learned to leverage their resort properties to suit my needs. I have many fond memories and experiences.

However the sales team is incentivized to sell. About 50% of the cost you paid is for marketing. It is really a distorted industry. This is one of those products that has to be initially sold in order to populate the inventory in the marketplace.

There is definitely some good advice. However I would not bank on any legitimate legal exit from your legal benefit or any other attorney. The industry writes these contracts that are ironclad with all rules in their favor. The only exception is the recission period.

You have two choices as far as I am concerned. Live with this and make lemonade. Or walk away and let if foreclose.

Certainly do let us know what your legal benefit shares with you.

Wish you all the best.

 

[billymach4]

@akimp23 You may also want to take some time and get further education from our very own @dioxide45 .

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[akimp23]

I became a new owner when the pandemic allowed me to work remotely and I was able to travel a lot more. I've since added more points and 2 weeks to my ownership. I usually travel with at least 5 in our party where having 2 rooms is necessary. This, the locations and the consistent quality of the villas was the draw for me and my family. Also, I enjoy snowboarding and was already paying $400-500 per night to stay in a regular hotel room on the mountain. It can be great depending on your situation and travel needs.

are there any ways to make shorter trips with points , instead of fixed 7 days ?

 

[Fasttr]

are there any ways to make shorter trips with points , instead of fixed 7 days ?

https://www.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/common/cms/mvc/pdfs/owners/Owner-Benefit-Level.pdf

 

[bazzap]

are there any ways to make shorter trips with points , instead of fixed 7 days ?

Some resorts may have minimum length stays at certain times and dependent on owner level there may be restrictions on how long in advance of check in you want to book, but generally you can book anything from one day upwards.

 

[akimp23]

It depends on what you mean by “value”. The free market resale value of your points is only about $3/point or so, at most. That doesn’t change significantly from year to year, and represents what you could get if you tried to get out by selling your ownership rights to someone else.

If by “value” you mean the value of the vacations you can book each year, then that’s a different answer. The amount of points it takes to book a given week at a given resort doesn’t change significantly from year to year. Sometimes they will tweak the dates and seasons slightly, but the total number of points assigned to a given resort is fixed and controlled by the legal structure of the MVC points trust. For example, in 2017 the points cost to book a week in a 1 bedroom ocean view at Marriott’s Waikoloa Ocean Club on the Big Island of Hawaii cost 4250 points during the highest cost season. For 2025 and 2026 it is still 4250.

What does change is the maintenance fee cost for each point you own. When we first bought in 2014 for the 2015 use year, the maintenance fee was $0.48/point. For 2025, it was $0.81/point. That’s an increase of about 5% per year over a decade. Over that same time period, however, hotel and other alternative lodging costs have increased as well. According to a Google search I did, the long term average for hotel inflation has been 3% to 5% per year, although it has averaged at a higher rate post-pandemic, and resort areas have seen even higher increases.

We find that our timeshares still provide good value versus hotel rooms. We recently came back from Aruba Ocean Club where a week in a 2BR Ocean View cost us 4650 points. At $0.81/point, that is about $3700 for a week, or about $540/night. On Marriott.com, rental availability at Aruba Ocean Club is very, very limited because Marriott only controls a small amount of inventory (most inventory is owned by owners in the timeshare program). I did see availability for a 2BR ocean view for next week listed at $1198/night or $8400 for the week. It’s not uncommon to see Caribbean and Hawaii hotel rooms at top brands like Marriott, Westin, and Hilton go for around $1000/night in prime season. We had to pay about that in January 2023 to stay at a Westin hotel in Grand Cayman (no MVC timeshares there).

All that is why we still see value in our ownership.

I see you have lined up your vacations for 2 years . is this confirmed bookings . What if you have plans change ? my understanding is cancellation window is 60 days is that correct

 

[claraj]

are there any ways to make shorter trips with points , instead of fixed 7 days ?

Yes, I've used points to book trips that are as few as single nights. When I go skiing I usually book 3-4 nights. Also I am able to check in on nights other than Fri, Sat or Sun, which is what you are usually limited to if you own weeks.

As someone else has pointed out, some resorts require you to book a certain number of nights but I would say that most don't and particularly if you are not booking during peak season/holiday weeks.

 

[dougp26364]

are there any ways to make shorter trips with points , instead of fixed 7 days ?

We just returned from 4 nights in San Diego, then drove up the coast and spent 4 nights in Newport Coast. One of the great things about points with MVC is you can book 1 night or as many nights as you have points. What we like about it is we can book a stay starting any night of the week rather than the traditional check in days of Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. That allows me the flexibility to book days when flights are the cheapest.

 

[claraj]

I see you have lined up your vacations for 2 years . is this confirmed bookings . What if you have plans change ? my understanding is cancellation window is 60 days is that correct

You can cancel before 61 days without "penalty". If you cancel between 60 to 24 hours prior, the "penalty" is that these points will go into a holding account and restricted to booking stays within 60 days of check-in.

 

[akimp23]

You can cancel before 61 days without "penalty". If you cancel between 60 to 24 hours prior, the "penalty" is that these points will go into a holding account and restricted to booking stays within 60 days of check-in.

If i understand this correctly

Lets assume I booked a vacation for Dec 15th 2025 with 3500 points , and for some reason have to change plan and need to cancel this booking . What will happen here is I don't completely loose my 3500 points, but those points would be added back to my account after 60 days of cancellations . Is my understanding correct ?