• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

Marriott Waiohai or Marriott Grand Chateau

steined

Guest
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Points
311
I'm interested in both of these locations with a 2BD, 2BR and Platinum, float. Being a newbee for approximately the same amount of money to buy, which one would be the wise choice for trading and resale (both easier and highest dollar)?

I know MF would be higher in HI and can live with that for the above choice.

Also any tips on how to sell my wife on the idea of timeshare? She wants to be flexible and is afraid that we would have trouble trading weeks to other areas in vacation land. She has read the war stories on TUG. Also she procrastinates on making decisions on where to go to vacation.

Thanks to any and all comments
:shrug:
 

Bill4728

Moderator
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
11,038
Reaction score
598
Points
899
Location
Lake Tapps, WA
LV like several other areas ( orlando, williamsburg, branson) even though there is high demand there is way more TS supply then demand.

IMHO, Hawaii is a much better choice to own.
 

camachinist

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,889
Reaction score
2
Points
36
Location
Central California
In the current environment, IMO, you'd be better off renting. Generally, if you like going to Hawaii and money to get there isn't an issue, MAW is a beautiful place. We'll be back there for our second visit in about a month. I personally prefer Hawaii to Vegas anytime but that's just me :)

FWIW, NCV (Newport Coast) has always been a good trader for us and prices there have really tanked of late and Marriott doesn't seem to be ROFR'ing there. Based on supply/demand, I'd pick NCV over Vegas, presuming you're not in love with Vegas.

IMO, the best way to decide is to rent from an owner at each resort and go stay a week or two. With Hawaii, two :)
 

vacationtime1

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
5,159
Reaction score
2,750
Points
649
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
WKORV-OF (Maui)
WKV x2 (Scottsdale)
We own at the Waiohai and love it there; it is a beautiful resort in a beautiful location. I've never been to the Grand Chateau. With those limitations:

1. When you buy in Hawaii, you buy view category (they call the entire year platinum). At Waiohai, ocean view costs 33 - 50% more than island view (MF's are the same). If you exchange in, you usually get island view. Marriott has a hierarchy for assigning rooms; owners trump exchangers within a view category. Island view at the Waiohai can be a parking lot view.

2. Hawaii MF's are higher than most anywhere else, so the economics disfavor trading a Hawaii property, especially a high-end one such as the Waiohai. If you don't plan to go every year, consider buying an every other year contract.

3. Waiohai units are all 2 bedroom non-lockoff. That makes it less flexible, although that would not be a factor if your plan is to use the entire unit every use year.

I strongly agree with the suggestion to rent first. You will learn a lot about what you like, what works for your family, and what doesn't work.
 
Last edited:

thinze3

Tug Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2007
Messages
6,364
Reaction score
37
Points
483
Location
Houston, TX
I'm interested in both of these locations with a 2BD, 2BR and Platinum, float. Being a newbee for approximately the same amount of money to buy, which one would be the wise choice for trading and resale (both easier and highest dollar)? ....

You will find that Waiohai costs a few thousand dollars more than MGC. Here is an annual MGC that just sold for $9K on eBay. Here is any every-other-year Waiohai that just sold for $8K on eBay - and this seller has ZERO feedback. Annual island views at Waiohai will run about $15-16K but can be found on eBay for as little as $13.5K . Here's a current listing.


Terry
 

m61376

Tug Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2006
Messages
7,200
Reaction score
269
Points
518
Location
NY
Resorts Owned
Marriott Aruba Surf Club 2 & 3BRs
As posted above, Hawaii weeks will cost more both initially and annually (in MF's). If you want to go to Hawaii at least every other year, then there is an advantage to owning there: you can book the week you want and are guaranteed the view you want. If seeing the ocean is important to you and you intend to use the unit, then owning OV or OF may make a big difference in your vacation and is worth the extra money- if you can afford it.

Hawaii weeks are also amongst the strongest traders, but keep in mind the higher MF's that you'll be paying. If you want to go EOY at most, then consider buying an EOY Hawaii unit and either an annual or alternate EOY MGC week. That might be your best bet- can book Hawaii every other year, get your view, and use or trade the MGC unit, which has the advantages of lower MF's and can be locked off for 2 weeks of vacation in a 1BR and studio unit (if you don't need the larger unit). While MGC trades well, you'd always have the option of using the Hawaii week if you are looking for a prime week (hard trade/peak season) for any given exchange.
 

lll1929

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2007
Messages
996
Reaction score
1
Points
228
Location
Kansas City, MO
When depositing the 1bdrm or entire unit into II, I believe Hawaii would get an AC but Grand Chateau has not received an AC.
 

dhole

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2005
Messages
83
Reaction score
1
Points
368
Location
Des Moines, IA
I Own Them both

We own both Waiohai and GC (3 bedroom). We bought Waiohai resale and GC preconstruction and paid the same $$ for each of them. That said:

Waiohai - Easy rental @ $2500/week. The years we don't use get rented. Gorgeous Resort. Will trade for just about anything, anytime. We have a deal with another owner and we share weeks every other year so we each get two weeks every other year starting in 09. Just about sold out so should retain value. Small scale resort (no buildings higher the highest Coconut tree!) on the sunny south shore at Poipu beach. If you deposit, you get an AC. We don't deposit this because we others to trade.

Grand Chateau- Great resort. 3 bedroom locks off into full two bedroom plus a full one bedroom. Rented 3 bedroom last year for $3500 in March. Doesn't trade as well as Waiohai, but does give you two week by lockoff or split weeks if you don't lock. More flexibility and closer. We have Allegiant Air that flies direct to Vegas for $89 each way.........

In summation, they are both great and different. We bought Waiohai first then GC. We use them both and enjoy. We also have a silver lockoff week at Horizons Branson that we use to chain with the above to book 13 months out. We then use Branson to trade in flexchange for Orlando in Winter, williamsburg in fall etc. Works great for us........
 

applegirl

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
1,542
Reaction score
6
Points
248
Location
Apple Valley, CA
I agree that the OP should take his wife to a Marriott timeshare property for a week through renting from a private party. Let her test drive the idea and see how wonderful these vacations are!

Renting for a few years may be the way to go although resale prices are at historical lows.

Janna
 

James1975NY

TUG Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
1,215
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Location
Orlando, FL
Renting is a great option. Especially the first year around. I am assuming that you live on the West coast so I would suggest renting Hawaii and then checking out the vegas property on a package deal through Marriott for a long weekend.

Hawaii is going to trade very well throughout the world; however, if you are going to typically stay within the Marriott family, trades should not be too difficult with any advance planning...Marriott owners have a priority to confirm exchange before any other II member.

If you plan on going to a Hawaii property 2-3 out of every 5 years, I would suggest owning there for ease of use.
 
Top