New to timeshares. My timeshare survey.

[sweetsobriquet]

1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Canada

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Unsure

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Hawaii,
Caribean,
Europe


4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
5

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Mostly school schedule. Prefer to travel during winter months (Nov- Feb)

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time? Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
4 stars

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
$20k- but potentially more

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
Enough

11) Are you a detail oriented planner? Yes, but since we currently travel with small children, our trip itineraries are generally open ended

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes

 

[Tahiya]

Responses are in CAPS

QUOTE="sweetsobriquet, post: 3273153, member: 182060"]
1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?
Canada

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?
Unsure

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Hawaii,
Caribean,
Europe

EUROPE CAN BE TOUGH. EUROPEAN TIMESHARES ARE IN PLACES EUROPEANS WANT TO VISIT, WHICH IS OFTEN THE COUNTRYSIDE. MANY ARE NOT 4 OR 5 STAR.

4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
5

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?
Mostly school schedule. Prefer to travel during winter months (Nov- Feb)

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?
Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time? Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
4 stars

4 STARS MEANS YOU LIKELY WOULD MOST ENJOY THE HOTEL-BRANDED TIMESHARES: HILTON, MARRIOTT, HYATT, WESTIN. WE OWN EMBARC POINTS AND FIND THAT (ORIGINALLY) CANADIAN BRAND TO BE HIGH QUALITY.

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?
$20k- but potentially more.

BUYING RESALE, YOU CAN GET MOST TIMESHARES WITHIN YOUR BUDGET.

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?
Enough

THE RANGE FOR 4 AND 5 STAR TIMESHARES CAN RANGE FROM ABOUT $1700 PER WEEK PER YEAR TO ABOUT $4000.

11) Are you a detail oriented planner? Yes, but since we currently travel with small children, our trip itineraries are generally open ended

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?
Yes
[/QUOTE]

 

[jp10558]

So, 4 stars and international can be difficult. Like the previous reply, you would be looking at HGVC Legacy(very specific, not HGV), MVC, Hyatt etc. That said, you might be looking at Marriott for II access to get former Embarc for Canada. MVC has Hawaii, and they have a couple European places and Caribbean ones. Though I'd probably consider I might need different systems for different locations, specifically Hapimag for European cities, RCI/II for European 3* beach / ski / countryside locations.

Much of that is less relevant if you're mostly wanting to go in Canada - which IDK, maybe Embarc / psuedo HGVC rebrand for Canada. Canada doesn't have a lot of Timeshares, and the non Embarc ones seem more 2.5-3* and are in ski areas. Are those what you're looking for?

 

[sweetsobriquet]

So, 4 stars and international can be difficult. Like the previous reply, you would be looking at HGVC Legacy(very specific, not HGV), MVC, Hyatt etc. That said, you might be looking at Marriott for II access to get former Embarc for Canada. MVC has Hawaii, and they have a couple European places and Caribbean ones. Though I'd probably consider I might need different systems for different locations, specifically Hapimag for European cities, RCI/II for European 3* beach / ski / countryside locations.

Much of that is less relevant if you're mostly wanting to go in Canada - which IDK, maybe Embarc / psuedo HGVC rebrand for Canada. Canada doesn't have a lot of Timeshares, and the non Embarc ones seem more 2.5-3* and are in ski areas. Are those what you're looking for?

Thank you for that information. It's very helpful. We could definitely do 3 stars instead of 4. We're primarily interested in Canadian travel in the summertime (because its beautiful here) and international travel (US and Europe) in the winter. So less-specifically, ski resorts, although the mountains are beautiful in the summer too.

European countryside sounds great to us.

 

[jp10558]

Thank you for that information. It's very helpful. We could definitely do 3 stars instead of 4. We're primarily interested in Canadian travel in the summertime (because its beautiful here) and international travel (US and Europe) in the winter. So less-specifically, ski resorts, although the mountains are beautiful in the summer too.

European countryside sounds great to us.

Well, outside of Embarc, which I think might be best for Canada focused system, you would want to also consider RCI/II on fees and other locations with availablity.

Both have stuff in the Mt Tremblant area that I think are somewhat basic but do get you largish accommodations near old Quebec City.

In the winter you probably could use II to get MVC Paris (technically at the edge of the metro area) if you have decent II trade power. For unaffiliated resorts you'd want to look at the RCI and II sites. If you were willing to also consider the HGVC Craig Lodges in Scotland, you'd have obviously that location, but it also gives you a yearly option (well, per week you own there) to use HGVC Legacy, II, RCI or DEX EU so you kind of get a lot of potential options. What it doesn't get you, because of HGV being stuipd with naming is all the HGVC locations that are Embarc, i.e. Canada. However, people have said they've been able to exchange via DEX EU into those, but personally I'd suggest if you want 2 trips a year with 5 people, you should get at least 2 2BR units, because you'll need to book 2BR for 5 people.

For all the details on Embarc, see their forum here on TUG. For the Scottish HGVC Legacy (and optional II, RCI, DEX EU) see https://www.craigendarroch.com/sales/ ... For HGVC you'll probably want 11,200pts though for out of season like you said, 9,000 ish might do it in some locations.

Note that RCI gets included with HGVC Legacy club dues, but II or DEX have their own yearly fees.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Europe is tough. Hawaii is not difficult, if you want to trade into Hawaii. You could buy an ocean view Westin on Maui for $15,000 but only do that if you really want to use it. Don't buy it and trade.

I would buy Marriott's Shadow Ridge platinum week and deposit to II for two nice trades (pay $95 to lock it off into a studio and one bedroom). I just bought another one that I don't think will pass ROFR. The bid went too cheaply, I couldn't resist.

Marriott's Grand Chateau is a great trader as well. So is Marriott's Willow Ridge Lodges. eBay is the place.

The entire point of exchanging is to get better weeks for exchange; otherwise, there is no point. This was a dilemma back in the day, when owners of Marriott Hawaii and Caribbean weeks paid outrageous fees and then traded their weeks for not-so-great weeks. You only trade up, never trade down.

Caribbean is something I don't even look into because we live in the western part of the country and go to Hawaii a lot.

Sheratons are also great traders, but only Gold Plus or platinum season Sheraton Broadway Resort or Desert Oasis.