Maui: Marriott vs. Westin

[baccachew]

Hey Everyone,

This is my first post. My husband and I currently own a 2 bedroom lock-off at Kahana Falls on Maui with his mom. The beds there are terrible (i have a bad back) and his mom is going to buy us out. We love Maui so we want to buy another timeshare. I love the westin heavenly beds and have seen the villas that westin has built. I have not seen the Marriott property yet (we will go take a look why we are here) but I was wondering what are people's advice between the two.

Here are some of the things that are going through my head...

We most likely will come back to Maui every year, but I would like to be able to trade to other islands sometimes.

Is one more kid friendly over the other? We don't have kids yet, but hopefully will soon.

How is the Trading power via II?

Thanks for any advice!!
becca

 

[clsmit]

Becca -- You might want to read both the Marriott and Starwood (owner of the Westin) boards. Both groups will have a lot to say about their Maui properties. Both are wonderful; both have drawbacks. For Starwood, at least, you don't have to buy in Maui to go to Maui, especially if you can go during the off season.

Do lots of reading before spending any money! Best of luck with your decision.

 

[DeniseM]

Where to start-

BUY RESALE! It's a buyers market right now!

At the top of the Marriott Board there is a Marriott FAQ, and at the top of the Starwood Board there is a Starwood FAQ.

Starwood and Marriott both have timeshares on Kauai.

The Marriott is in the heart of all the action on Ka'anapali Beach, and the Westin is up the beach in a much less crowded area. Which location is best just depends on what you like.

The only thing about trading an expensive timeshare in II is that it is very hard to get an equal exchange and trading down is no fun. If you don't want to go to Hawaii every year, consider an every other year ownership. The maintenance fees are so high, they aren't cost effective exchangers.

It is relatively easy to exchange into the Starwood Kauai Resort (Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas) using Starwood's internal exchange system, except for Christmas and New Years. At both resorts (Kauai and Maui) Christmas and New Years weeks are premium weeks that have to be bought as fixed weeks.

Chart comparing the 4 major hotel based timeshare systems: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83345

 

[Denise L]

Welcome to TUG!

We own at the Westin on Maui and go every year. We love it! We informally toured the new Marriott villas (purpose-built timeshare section versus remodeled hotel rooms) in March of this year and loved them. We love the beach in front of the Westin Ka'anapali for the awesome snorkeling and diving. We love being away from the crowds of the Whaler's Village area.

If we had to do it all over again, I'd probably buy at fixed week, fixed unit at the Westin Ka'anapali, or a fixed week, fixed unit at the new Marriott villas ,or both . I would never trade with II because the maintenance fees are so high. It would be better to rent out my week and use the proceeds to rent where I wanted to go.

 

[readyalready]

We've stayed at both and own at neither, but we did buy a different Starwood property this year so that we can use Staroptions to get into the Westin Kaanapali the years we want to go there.

It has been 4 years since we stayed at the Marriott. Even then it was hard to find chairs at the kids pool, I can't imagine what it is like with the new units, the tiny pools they put in front wouldn't cut it. The beach there was not very friendly for kids, we often saw boogie boarders and then paramedics when they separated their shoulders. The kids did enjoy the pirate ship area, waterfall pool and slide. It was nice to walk the Whaler's village restaurants. The Marriott beds used to be very uncomfortable, they may have changed them out since then.

Last year we stayed at the Westin Villas for the first time. We had a phenomenal ocean front unit that definitely had an impact on our opinions, but we loved it. We never left the resort to snorkel, we just walked out the beach where the kids spent most of the time playing. They spent very little time in the pool. We took the shuttle to Lahaina or drove for dinner a few nights but ate in more than ever during a vacation. We preferred the less frenetic feel of the WKORV than the Marriott area and could be happy there a very long time.

I'd stay at either again but prefer the Westin, it really is subjective though.

 

[Ken555]

I bought Westin Kierland and have traded into the Westin Maui properties every year (off-season) since 2006. I'm headed for Maui again in February, and did an II exchange to return again in September. I think Maui is the best Westin timeshare I've been to yet.

I haven't toured the Marriott, but keep hearing great reviews of it. I'd like to tour it, but have no intention of buying there...

And yeah... the beds *are* great!

 

[ondeadlin]

Regarding trading power ... given the MF in Hawaii, you'd always be better off renting out your week than trading it IMO.

 

[Hawaii123]

Isn't the Starwood on Kauai a hotel (not condos)?

 

[vacationtime1]

Isn't the Starwood on Kauai a hotel (not condos)?

There is a Sheraton Hotel in Poipu where they were going to build timeshares before the economy cratered.

There are Westin timeshares at Princeville which are now open (WPORV).

The Princeville Hotel will soon re-open as a St. Regis, one of Starwood's premium brands.

 

[jjking42]

the Westin beds are mch better