Brian, thanks for highlighting and posting this article. We joined the Unlimited Vacation Club last year during a trip to Cancun. So far we are very satisfied with the “club” and have taken several vacations with many more booked over the coming year.
Just to explain a couple of things about the properties included in the program. These are all-inclusive resorts such as Secrets (adults only), Dreams (families) and other affiliated brands of similar quality. These are not “Club Med” type party hotels. These are nice resort hotels in desirable vacation areas and are not timeshares. The other guests we’ve met are all nice, respectful people similar to us. The properties offer a variety of room and suite options but they are hotel room type accommodations, not villas like timeshares.
The properties offer various restaurants, bars, social clubs, swimming pools and beach areas on premises which are included with every stay. Yes, there are certain restaurants and facilities that are included for higher level members or at an additional charge for members not at those levels. The Preferred level that we are members of includes most every on-site benefit including private pool areas.
As for the “value” of the membership, it is dependent on how you use it and what your needs/ expectations are from a vacation. We have / will save thousands of $$ from the normal rates these resorts charge by using our free premier nights and discounted rates. Some resorts, as mentioned in the article are 2 for 1 using the free nights, but they often run sales of 1 for 1 rates at those resorts and they always advise when a resort will increase to 2 for 1 in the future.
For example, UVC is building a new Secrets resort by Baby Beach in Aruba, planned to open next spring. They started taking reservations recently at 1 to 1 for this resort that will be 2 for 1 once opened. We booked a week there for a year from now using free nights at 1 for 1.
We are taking our family (married daughters, husbands and our grandkids) to Cancun over Presidents week this coming February. We used our free Premier nights for 3 rooms for this trip to Dreams Vista Cancun. We are only paying for airfare ( which is pricey for that week). I haven’t even checked what the resort price would have been if paying $$.
The one thing I can say about the resorts we have stayed in so far is that the service is outstanding, the staffs are friendly and accommodating and go out of their way to make sure your stay is awesome. They always upgrade us to the highest level preferred rooms available some of which include dedicated butler service. The restaurants are excellent with various cuisines including steakhouses, sushi and hibachi as well as Mexican and other specialties. We have never paid extra for food or drinks. They also have coffee shops with snacks available 24 hours a day, all included.
This type of vacation may not be for everyone. We are long time Marriott Vacation Club owners and have enjoyed vacations in larger villa accommodations when our kids were younger (and still do with our grandkids as we are leaving for Aruba on Saturday) at locations like Orlando, Hilton Head and other US vacation areas. We were looking to enjoy different types of vacations such as Secrets, adults only with friends. Although the club buy-in is pricey, I don’t stress about increasing annual maintenance fees for my real estate “ownership” as that season is now coming with MVC.
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