Just remember Low season = Rain, which in Thailand may be very heavy and prolonged.
You can be lucky, but it is high risk.
You can be lucky, but it is high risk.
High season:
1. PBC rental (2 bedroom villa) via SMTN seems to be USD 2500 (unsure if this inc tax) + transaction fee
2. Booking on marriott.com (inc tax) is $2841 for an adv booking or $4376 otherwise
3. Using my AP would be most of my 33k annual allowance. Around 30k I think.
I will check paperwork once home for exact numbers but the cost of point usage is approximately:
MF: 30,000 x 0.034 = $1020
+
1 years use of 42 ownership outlay: 30,000 x $1.3 / 42 = $929
=
$1949
I guess the true cost is a little more as I would be earning about 3% interest on the money if it was sitting in my bank account. On the flip side I also haven't factored in the free MRPs and Premier status benefits.
This doesn't seem too bad... what am I missing?
Last-minute low season:
1. PBC rental via SMTN seems to be USD 348 (inc transaction fee but unsure if this inc tax)
2. Via marriott.com last minutes deals would be $1578
3. Last minute AP bookings (less than 59 days) cost 10,000 points regardless of low/high season so a third of the above calculation comes to $650
Rental looks better here. The trouble is our eldest son starts school next year so I'm not sure to what extent we'll be able to take advantage of low season.
If I were to buy resale in the future can I use these points alongside my developer points?
If I buy resale weeks now and convert them into the new points system I assume I'd lose some value - isn't this why many owners on the old system are selling? This loss of value would be in addition to MVCI perks I would miss out on. However maybe I'm over-valuing the benefits you get by buying direct. If buying resale I'd rather buy points directly to keep things simple.
On a slightly separate note, has anyone valued Asia versus European versus US points? So far on this thread it seems that the Asia points may be better value/more flexible than the US equivalent.
I have no idea how the Asia Pacific points system works, nor do almost any of the U.S. based posters on TUG. Canceling may be a good idea but I have no idea because I don't know the facts. I am continually amazed by the clear and forceful advice we sometimes see here from those who do not know the facts. I am not trying to be quarrelsome, just objective.
1. The OP already stated that they want to be part of the Marriott AP point system.I think we have enough facts. The owner only has a few days to cancel and doesn't know enough about the system and are coming to TUG to ask questions about it. The fact is that you can't learn everything you know to make an educated purchase like this in three days.
Rescind is by far the best advice anyone can give/get in this situation. The same deal will be there in a few weeks (If the OP fly's back to Thailand from Hong Kong, NOTE: this is my comment - Ron98GT) if they decide they still want to buy from the developer.
What you say is true- and I wasn't meaning to imply in any way that a resale week was the only way to go. However, by virtue of the fact that the OP was here asking questions and undecided (which is great- that's what TUG is for) I think the advice to rescind and take the time to make sure you're making the best decision is appropriate, and not overstepping. MVCI will always be happy to make another deal, but they won't give you your money back later on.Which would make sense for you & me because we want to own weeks, no DC or AP points. But there are many Marriott owners here on TUG that wanted DC points for one reason or another. If you want points, your going to have to pay for them. I don't think that you can purchase AP or DC points in the resale market, and if you can what the cost would be and the availability. So it goes back again, if you want to be in the points system, your going to pay (thru the nose) for them.
Being points and that I have very limited knowledge of the DC points system, let alone the AP system, I see no way that I could offer any advise either way, but it is interesting discussing the AP/DC system and learning more about it. It will also be interesting to learn which way the OP decides to go, although it sounds like they are leaning towards keeping their points contract and not canceling.
I have to agree 100% with BocaBoy:
If the OP wants to fly to Phuket from Honk Kong to pursue that or another deal. So yes the OP could get the same deal at a later date, but at the cost of thousands of dollars (airfare, lodging, meals, etc)What you say is true- and I wasn't meaning to imply in any way that a resale week was the only way to go. However, by virtue of the fact that the OP was here asking questions and undecided (which is great- that's what TUG is for) I think the advice to rescind and take the time to make sure you're making the best decision is appropriate, and not overstepping. MVCI will always be happy to make another deal, but they won't give you your money back later on.
If the OP wants to fly to Phuket from Honk Kong to pursue that or another deal. So yes the OP could get the same deal at a later date, but at the cost of thousands of dollars (airfare, lodging, meals, etc)
Hi everyone. Thanks so much for the rapid and thorough community support and particularly MALC9990 for the AP insight. You'll be pleased to know I decided to cancel (on day 5 of 5!) and am waiting for the confirmation this week I totally agree that there's no incentive to rush into a purchase.
I am still inclined to buy some developer points once I've done some more research but may end up buying a smaller number then topping up with resale points. I'm less comfortable with the idea of weeks but it's good to know then could be an economical option in the future.
One thing I'd like to look into more are the pros and cons of buying to the Asia model versus the rest of the world. In addition to HK I also have an address in the UK and don't like they heavy dependency that the vacation club asia has on II. Having said that the AP system seems a little more flexible and possibly a little cheaper so I'll try and extract some of the differences already highlighted in this thread and start a new one.
For completeness I'll update again once I hear back from the vacation club. Thanks again!
AP points owners can already use AP points to reserve time at European MVCI resorts but at a greater cost of points. As a DC points enrolled owner, I cannot use DC points to access AP Points Club resorts availability but that may be something that comes on the future.
As to the relative merits of the two points systems, for me the AP points system is more attractive of the two - kind of the lesser of two evils it you will. Why? Well in the case of the DC, you buy into the property trust and do so in perpituity. This has ramifications for the future. IN the case of the AP points, you become the member of a Right to Use vacation club. All the units are owned by the Club not the members. There is a defined end date after which your membership ends.
My understanding is that AP points can only be used within the AP resorts. Otherwise you have to go via II. Is that what you meant re reserving at the European resorts? I'm surprised the reverse is not true. Are the AP resorts therefore not on II?
Would you mind elaborating on this?
1. Re perpetuity, do you mean DC points have no expiry date? Surely that is better value? AP points currently only have 42 years to expiry.
2. Re buying into the property trust, as a (potential) point owner surely it wouldn't matter to me whether the physical properties themselves are effectively owned by individuals on the legacy system or the Club? In both systems aren't pure point owners effectively in a right to use relationship?
Clearly I still need to do more reading...
I hesitate to mention this, as nothing is documented yet and I won't really believe it until I see it in writing and understand exactly what it says.
However, we were advised at a Sales Presentation today that the new single, global points currency "Marriott Vacations Worldwide Points" available early 2015 will allow DC and AP Points Owners, Enrolled Owners, Overlay Owners... who have "converted" (I hate use of that word in this context, it is very misleading) to use their points to book any of the MVW resorts worldwide.
Time will tell and we shall see.
True.That would be amazing! Early 2015 isn't far off
The same applies to resorts in Spain and France. This also applies to the resorts in the Caribbean that are outside US jurisdiction (St. Kitts and Aruba) - I am not sure if the resort in St. Thomas (US Virgin isles) is RTU or deeded property owned in perpetuity.
I hesitate to mention this, as nothing is documented yet and I won't really believe it until I see it in writing and understand exactly what it says.
However, we were advised at a Sales Presentation today that the new single, global points currency "Marriott Vacations Worldwide Points" available early 2015 will allow DC and AP Points Owners, Enrolled Owners, Overlay Owners... who have "converted" (I hate use of that word in this context, it is very misleading) to use their points to book any of the MVW resorts worldwide.
Time will tell and we shall see.