It seems the OP included Grand Château in their list of "'points only' MVC locations" when it shouldn't have been.
No question. I had completely forgotten that Grand Chateau was sold as weeks. Thank you! (and editing original post).
I don't know how MVC manages seasons, but it's also the case that if you book say McAlpin in club reservation window, you can use any points, so that also affects what you're paying to stay. I.e. in December leading to Christmas McAlpin was 8,000 instead of 11,200pts. MVC owned weeks would be an II exchange, but that takes the whole week. With my Sea World deed, including whole club dues cause I don't yet have another deed - I get 11,200 pts, but only had to "spend" 8,000 for that December week. I expect Abound would vary with season maybe, but I'm almost certain the deeded weeks don't for MFs. In that case, you're either paying the entire $1,576.23 vs ~72% of the HGVC deed OR you're comparing whatever the points discount for seasons is, but starting from a seemingly much higher number.
I agree that it is difficult to compare unless we are treating the same season and size for both systems. I had looked at HGVC, you can get the same points for a 2BR of lower season and even size, as for a higher season 1BR, when buying a deeded week. For MVC, if you purely look at trading in II, a week is a week regardless of season. However, if you elect Club Points, then it varies depending on season.
Like you I rate Elara slightly higher than GC and so considered that comparison more ‘fair’ than the other three you mentioned (which based on reviews I consider worse…but have never actually stayed in).
But there is more that makes up the maintenance fee than a mid-week tidy. Does Grand Chateau offer any other services that Elara doesn't? Grand Chateau offers included valet parking. I believe only self parking is free at Elara.
I would too, but self parking isn't an option at Grand Chateau. Apparently they can't do it if they wanted to given the configuration of the garage and the volume of vehicles. The money has to come from somewhere.
Though this is well into the "what should you be forced to pay for" vs what seems like "drip pricing", in cities where you may elect to walk or taxi / uber instead of renting or bringing a car, parking probably ought to be "optional". In Flamingo it was self park free in a garage or self park in 10 spots right by the door for I think $25 a night. That's still $175 for a week, so if you're saving over that it's gravy for everyone, but if you're a person who doesn't bring a car in Vegas for whatever reason - it'd kind of chaff to pay $175 "just in case".
I think it depends on how you use each system. HGVC is primarily points when going outside your home resort. The best usage with MVC is leveraging lock offs to use at other resorts. Points are a finite currency that can get you something of equal value. I don't know all the point values but in order to stretch your points you need to be willing to stay during a lower demand time of the year, a 'lesser' resort or a stay in smaller units. The same isn't necessarily true to MVC deeded weeks. I can lock off my unit and get two weeks to exchange through Interval International; a one bedroom and a studio. I can take each of those and exchange them into other Marriott resorts, mostly into two-bedroom units and often during decent times of the year. Not necessarily ultra peak, but not always mud season either. I am getting two weeks out of my one. So, effectively my $2000 MF becomes $1000 for a week in a two-bedroom. Perhaps the same is possible when utilizing the HGVC system. If so HGVC offers some simplicity in using points but I am sure there are situations where I can get two weeks in the same if not better resorts and villas than using a comparative HGVC deeded week to do the same.
I think it also must depend on your familiarity with the system. While I don't own Marriott because it always seemed "expensive" to me, I did pick up a Fox Run for II trades. Maybe II only works for Marriott now, but my understanding is the summer Fox Run 2 BR trades reasonably well in II. I still see a lot of only 1BR or smaller, so it makes me wonder how realistic II is for the lock off and turn a studio into a 2BR. I'm not saying it can not be done, but again it seems far more "playing a more complicated game" to me than look for a 2BR off season at 5600 pts. Or get 1.5 weeks with a gold season and borrow from next year.
It's $99 per step up, so a studio to 2BR is only $198. Leverage II Platinum and you save $40 per step up. That said, the membership, upgrade, and exchange fees do add a lot to the equation. I believe the exchange fee is $164 Marriott to Marriott/Vistana.
Ahh, it's cheaper than I thought. Good to know. And yea, I like the included RCI with HGVC, so I can see that if included with Marriott for II.
Yea, IDK if ongoing searches will make up for it or if my plan for low MF "good trader" will be a bust in the longer run.
Yea, I tend to not really compare Max because a resale owner isn't going to get that - so I do count the booking fees. But we do have to compare what you could realistically buy into today I think. I hope Fox Run does pull some off season 2BR Marriotts for me - otherwise IDK, I might have to just say II isn't really for me. If it is good, I might eventually consider a cheap week lock-off at Marriott, but I still think I'm getting more use in other systems.
Vistana sold small 1BR units. I am not aware of Marriott selling studios.
Not to my knowledge. They did sell 1BRs though, we own a 1BR at Grande Vista and the Custom House is all 1BRs. But the occupancy is 4 people - a King Bed + a sofabed in the LR.
Buying directly from HGVC or MVC isn't the right answer in 99% of cases...but in both systems there is that 1%. And perhaps unsurprisingly the #1 exception in both cases is to buy a bunch of resale weeks and then upgrade (HGVC) or enroll (MVC) those weeks with a direct purchase.