Marriott Vacation Club resorts in Hawaii

[starzim]

My wife and I looking to travel next year, no kids. Looking for input on the best/pros/cons on MVC resorts in Hawaii. Any info would be great.
Thanks

 

[10spro]

Gosh I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. The Hawaii Marriott properties are all wonderful, even the old hotel conversions are really nice. I think it more depends on which island you want to see.

 

[zentraveler]

Gosh I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. The Hawaii Marriott properties are all wonderful, even the old hotel conversions are really nice. I think it more depends on which island you want to see.

Agree. Figure out which island you want to see, what you want to do and go from there. We are at Marriott Kauai Beach Club now and it is lovely, although there is some major construction going on in the OV building for the Sonesta Hotel which is noisy but hopefully will be over by next year. Hotel conversion with limited kitchen and no w/d in units but the property is gorgeous. You can check the resort reviews section of TUG also. They are all nice; we have stayed in most of them.

 

[ljmiii]

My wife and I looking to travel next year, no kids...

Assuming that means it will be just the two of you and no other adults then Waiohai and Kauai Lagoons drop out of the running because they don't have any studios or 1BRs. Beyond that you really can't go wrong...it's just a question of which island you want to visit. We've been to Ko Olina and KBC, we own at MOC, and though we have never stayed at the MVC Waikoloa, we've stayed at the HGVCs in Waikoloa a couple of times. My standard Hawaii advice follows...

“Everyone finds their own Island” is a Hawaiian quote I love.

O'ahu - Honolulu is a multicultural urban paradise with a beach and a plethora of Hawaiiana and WWII history and some of the best food in the world. The rest of the island is home to beautiful mountains, beaches, and towns all more or less linked back to the mother city. I highly recommend it for 'first timers'. For better or worse Ko Olina is on the west coast of O'ahu far from the major attractions.

Kauai - Kauai is the lush tropical paradise of most people's dreams of Hawaii. I can't recommend it highly enough. Waiohai is our favorite MVC Hawaiian resort and sits on Poipu beach - one of the world's best beaches with snorkeling, swimming, wildlife, etc. KBC is quite nice and has an amazing pool, Lagoons has beautiful villas but no beach or onsite dining.

Big Island - Pretty much everything anyone could want all on one Island. Volcanos, orchids, snow, lava fields, coffee, waterfalls, ranches, snorkeling, taro fields, black, green, and white sand beaches, etc. Waikoloa is a planned resort community...but the 'nearby' towns of Hawi, Waimea, and Kailua-Kona are all worth the trip. Hapuna Beach is about 15 minutes north.

Maui - For better or worse Maui's West coast has devolved into a congested suburban vacation resort area. Hana is a beautiful, unparalleled remote retreat. MOC is OK and we own there but Maui is our least favorite of the four. Obviously the opinion of others varies since MOC is probably the most sought after MVC resort in the US.

 

[10spro]

“Everyone finds their own Island” is a Hawaiian quote I love.

You have inspired me to try Kauai again. Have not been there in 20+ years. Never really understood what the big deal was about Maui, but visited MOC Kaanapali area 8 years, and we keep going back, to your point though, very resort-y.

 

[Dean]

My wife and I looking to travel next year, no kids. Looking for input on the best/pros/cons on MVC resorts in Hawaii. Any info would be great.
Thanks

I can't speak to the resort on the big island but have stayed at all the rest and lived there 3 years. IMO all are great except for KBC, will never stay there again, I'd rather be working. IMO it really depends on whether you've been before and how long you're staying. If one is traveling from the Eastern US, I wouldn't go for less than 1.5 weeks, preferably at least 2 weeks. If someone has never been before I recommend Oahu for the historical and tourist sites plus Maui first choice and Kauai second choice for the other week. No bad choices of islands.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I wouldn't rule out 2BR resorts. we like getting them even if it's just 2 of us. A side benefit is here and there we get friends to go along with us as we did here in Palm Desert and last years Kauai Lagoons (great place and an epic hike there). Not been to KBC, but the rest of them are all good. I agree Oahu as #1 choice for the sites at least for first time. Ko Olina pretty easy trade though it's not too close to much.

 

[zentraveler]

Assuming that means it will be just the two of you and no other adults then Waiohai and Kauai Lagoons drop out of the running because they don't have any studios or 1BRs.

“Everyone finds their own Island” is a Hawaiian quote I love.

Waiohai and Lagoons are also very hard to get into. Waiohai seems to have a lot of 4-8 week owners and management priorities them. We tried to buy there several years ago but got ROFR'd. Lovely resort, but unfriendly staff and not that many ocean views.

I can see why Kauai Beach Club is not that popular (fine with me!) but the grounds are stunning, as is the setting on Kalapaki Beach. The OF and OV views are also incredibly pretty. Nearby restaurants are great.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Waiohai and Lagoons are also very hard to get into.

Got into both back to back this past year. A rare OGS for me. Definitely harder than Ko Olina. Loved Waiohai and fortunately didn't have any staff issues. But we preferred Lagoons still. Got a great exchange there with a great view.

 

[michael49]

We have now been to all the Marriott timeshares in Hawaii and we own at Marriott Ocean Club and Waiohai. All the timeshares are wonderful. My personal favorites are Waiohai and Kauai Lagoons. But you really can't go wrong with any of the locations. It all depends upon which island(s) best suit your tastes. I also agree that the 2 bedroom only locations should not be ruled out.

 

[BocaBoy]

I can't speak to the resort on the big island but have stayed at all the rest and lived there 3 years. IMO all are great except for KBC, will never stay there again, I'd rather be working. IMO it really depends on whether you've been before and how long you're staying. If one is traveling from the Eastern US, I wouldn't go for less than 1.5 weeks, preferably at least 2 weeks. If someone has never been before I recommend Oahu for the historical and tourist sites plus Maui first choice and Kauai second choice for the other week. No bad choices of islands.

I agree with you on KBC.

 

[aland0524]

I agree with you on KBC.

We recently just spent 2 weeks in Kauai (and we're now at the MOC/Lahaina for another 2 weeks). We stayed at Koloa Landing for 5 days and Waiohai for 7 days. But we stayed one night at the Kauai Beach Club because we had to bridge our leaving Koloa Landing and the Waiohai by a day. While we used to think very negative things regarding the KBC, like most TUGgers, we were pleasantly surprised during our very short stay. Because we were using some Vacation Points that were about to expire, we decided we'd just go for the Parlor oceanfront instead of Studio or one bedroom. We got a room on the 10th floor of the Kilohana building and the parlor turned out to be a great room. If you don't mind the Murphy bed, the room has a kitchenette - microwave, full size fridge (freezer big enough for icecream, pizza, etc.) and even a dishwasher! And there's a nice size lanai which is better than the Studio or even One-bedrooms which apparently don't have a kitchenette and only has a Juliet balcony. While this size room isn't likely to be something you'd want to stay in for a week, it's a great value for those that are looking for a place to stay, maybe eat in every now and then...and learn how a Murphy bed works! But sitting out in your lanai overlooking Kalapaki beach and the ocean can't be beat. (Unless one decides to go to Waiohai and spring for the 2 bedroom...or to MOC for a one bedroom oceanfront). Here are some pictures of the parlor for those who aren't too familiar with this option.

 

[ljmiii]

...But we stayed one night at the Kauai Beach Club because we had to bridge our leaving Koloa Landing and the Waiohai by a day. While we used to think very negative things regarding the KBC...

We had a very similar experience. We traded our Waiohai 2020 week back into Waiohai in 2021 and all we could get was a Sunday to Sunday stay...so we booked an OF 1BR (Studio + Parlor) at KBC and the four of us stayed in Kilohana one Saturday night to fill the gap.

We were very, very impressed. The villas had been newly renovated and were quite comfortable with enough kitchen for late night snacks and breakfast. Stunning view with the sounds of the waves lulling us to sleep. Enormous pool with lots of space available in the hot tubs (which just is never true for us at Waiohai, Ko Olina, or MOC). Great restaurants within walking distance. All in all, much, much nicer than I had been led to expect.

 

[vacationtime1]

We owned KBC for about ten years and liked it a lot; I think it has an undeserved bad rap here. Yes, the rooms are small, but everything else about the resort is first rate (and superior to all of the other Marriott timeshares on Kauai): excellent OF views (actually Nawiliwili Bay views), multiple on-site restaurants, the best pool on Kauai, and nice public spaces.

It is the only timeshare on Kauai where you can guarantee yourself an OF view -- and a good one.

We sold only as part of a reorganization of our "portfolio" following a change in our primary residence (we sold 4 of our 7 units).

 

[travelhacker]

I haven’t stayed at Kauai Beach Club, but I’ve sent my parents to Koolina, Maui Ocean Club, and Kauai Beach Club. I think their favorite was Kauai Beach Club. It has its flaws, but they loved their room, the view, and the resort.

While I think I’d prefer Waiohai since it has a full kitchen, when we plan our next trip to Hawaii, we plan on putting in an ongoing search for it as well as Waiohai based on my parents strong reviews.

 

[NboroGirl]

I'll add my 2 cents about KBC. When we traded for Kauai and got a studio at KBC (we never stay in just a studio so I was a little worried), I was pleasantly surprised. It had everything we needed, and the staff was more than willing to supply anything it didn't have. I liked how big our bathroom area was, but best of all, even though we exchanged into it, we had a 9th floor room overlooking the pool and facing the ocean. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.

 

[JIMinNC]

I think @ljmiii gave you an excellent summary of the main islands, but just to prove the point that everyone likes different things about the islands, Maui and Marriott's Maui Ocean Club are our favorites. We fell in love with Maui over 30 years ago, and while west Maui around Kaanapali and Lahaina is certainly a mega resort mecca, we don't consider it to be all that congested - especially if you compare it to Oahu's Honolulu area and environs. Maui is certainly more developed than Kauai and Big Island, but we love the variety of superb dining options that can be accessed by a short walk down the Kaanapali Beach walk or with a short drive to Lahaina or Kapalua. Only Honolulu offers better dining, and that is in a congested city/urban environment. To us, Maui is the best of both worlds - scenic and beautiful, but with enough tourism development to have world class dining options. Maui also has the most humpback whales from December-April, as well as many more options than the other places for snorkel cruises, whale watches, sunset cruises. If you love to be on or in the water, Maui No Ka Oi (Maui is the Best).

Having said that, we love Kauai and the Big Island almost as much as Maui. We've been going to all of the islands for over 30 years. More recently, we spent a week each on Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island in 2019 (plus a few days on Oahu), and we spent a week on the Big Island and a week on Maui in early 2020. This past October 2021, we spent a week at Maui Ocean Club and a week on Kauai at Marriott's Waiohai. We just returned home today from another trip, this time spending a week at HGVC Kings' Land on the Big Island and a week at Maui Ocean Club. Next Feb/Mar, we will hit all three - Kauai (Waiohai), Maui (Maui Ocean Club, probably for two weeks), and HGVC on the Big Island.

Oahu is our least favorite since it is dominated by the city of Honolulu, and to us, Hawaii is not about big cities with freeways, rush hour traffic jams, busses, noise, and urban clutter. Having said that, going to Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, and the other famous sites on Oahu is a must for any first-timer to the islands and, as I noted above, even we might go there for a few days every few years.

 

[zentraveler]

Oahu is our least favorite since it is dominated by the city of Honolulu, and to us, Hawaii is not about big cities with freeways, rush hour traffic jams, busses, noise, and urban clutter. Having said that, going to Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, and the other famous sites on Oahu is a must for any first-timer to the islands and, as I noted above, even we might go there for a few days every few years.

Agree with JMinNC mostly, although we usually stay at Marriott Ko Olina to the quieter west side, which gets us out of HNL for our stay and spend a least a day driving around the very peaceful east island up the the north shore to Haweila and back down south to Ko Olina. Great peaceful trip and it is possible to just ignore HNL (unless you care about great restaurants) except to do some of the famous sites. We happened on a famous surf contest on a drive along the north shore once which was fun. Shrimp lunch truck, fruit stands, peaceful drive.

But I have also stayed in HNL a lot and if you want activity and Waikiki, which is a really cool active scene that is great too.

 

[larryallen]

We have stayed at most of the Marriotts, some Westins, a Hyatt and been to just about all the islands. We really like KOBC the best. We love that it is off by itself... but is 15 minutes from Kapolei which is now a pretty big city and 30 from the heart of Honolulu which offers just about everything a big city has to offer. Or we can drive to the north shore and go to quaint small towns.

 

[zentraveler]

We have stayed at most of the Marriotts, some Westins, a Hyatt and been to just about all the islands. We really like KOBC the best. We love that it is off by itself... but is 15 minutes from Kapolei which is now a pretty big city and 30 from the heart of Honolulu which offers just about everything a big city has to offer. Or we can drive to the north shore and go to quaint small towns.

Exactly the reasons we love this resort. The circular drive up to the north shore is a must for every trip.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

My wife and I looking to travel next year, no kids. Looking for input on the best/pros/cons on MVC resorts in Hawaii. Any info would be great.
Thanks

When I want to exchange into Hawaii, I deposit the highest possible TDI (travel demand index) week (Marriott) that I have available and then do a "shotgun" approach. I plug in every Marriott, the Sheraton, and the Westins. I do this because of the Marriott preference period and because the exchange fee is about $60 cheaper than if I include any non-Marriotts. I put in my request early (about a year out) and patiently wait. But I do check manually for availability as I am sipping my morning coffee.

Last year I got a match for Westin Princeville (Kauai) and Marriott Waiohai. I also put in a wide date range when I can. So, statistically, if I include 10 different Marriott family resorts I think that it gives me something close to 10X the chance of a match. So, that would be my advice - - cast a wide net rather than trying to home in on a single resort. Right now I have an on-going request for Hawaii. If I get a match to a resort that I've been at before, that would be fine OR if I get a match to a new resort that is also fine.

 

[gln60]

When I want to exchange into Hawaii, I deposit the highest possible TDI (travel demand index) week (Marriott) that I have available and then do a "shotgun" approach. I plug in every Marriott, the Sheraton, and the Westins. I do this because of the Marriott preference period and because the exchange fee is about $60 cheaper than if I include any non-Marriotts. I put in my request early (about a year out) and patiently wait. But I do check manually for availability as I am sipping my morning coffee.

Last year I got a match for Westin Princeville (Kauai) and Marriott Waiohai. I also put in a wide date range when I can. So, statistically, if I include 10 different Marriott family resorts I think that it gives me something close to 10X the chance of a match. So, that would be my advice - - cast a wide net rather than trying to home in on a single resort. Right now I have an on-going request for Hawaii. If I get a match to a resort that I've been at before, that would be fine OR if I get a match to a new resort that is also fine.

Flexibility,Patience and a decent trader is the recipe for successful exchanges using II.

 

[hangloose]

We recently just spent 2 weeks in Kauai (and we're now at the MOC/Lahaina for another 2 weeks). We stayed at Koloa Landing for 5 days and Waiohai for 7 days. But we stayed one night at the Kauai Beach Club because we had to bridge our leaving Koloa Landing and the Waiohai by a day. While we used to think very negative things regarding the KBC, like most TUGgers, we were pleasantly surprised during our very short stay. Because we were using some Vacation Points that were about to expire, we decided we'd just go for the Parlor oceanfront instead of Studio or one bedroom. We got a room on the 10th floor of the Kilohana building and the parlor turned out to be a great room. If you don't mind the Murphy bed, the room has a kitchenette - microwave, full size fridge (freezer big enough for icecream, pizza, etc.) and even a dishwasher! And there's a nice size lanai which is better than the Studio or even One-bedrooms which apparently don't have a kitchenette and only has a Juliet balcony. While this size room isn't likely to be something you'd want to stay in for a week, it's a great value for those that are looking for a place to stay, maybe eat in every now and then...and learn how a Murphy bed works! But sitting out in your lanai overlooking Kalapaki beach and the ocean can't be beat. (Unless one decides to go to Waiohai and spring for the 2 bedroom...or to MOC for a one bedroom oceanfront). Here are some pictures of the parlor for those who aren't too familiar with this option.

Thank you! This is what I was looking for. Appears to have nearly a full size fridge now. Yay! The photos online and description on Marriott/MVCI website was mixed.