"Very expensive" is in the eye of the beholder. I routinely forgo by owned weeks at Pinon Pointe and exchange them annually for stays at Hyatt Ka'anapali, Hyatt High Sierra in Lake Tahoe, and Hyatt Highlands in Carmel. I don't consider $41 to be even a drop in the bucket for the privilege of staying in these first class resorts in world-class destinations.
As to your point that in-system Hyatt exchanges are limited, this is true. Hyatt has fewer properties in their system. It works for us because we desire to stay in Ka'anapali, Tahoe, and Carmel every year, and those resorts are the best in these great locations. I'm guessing that folks who love returning annually to the Hyatt ski resorts in Colorado or beach resorts in Florida feel similarly. Like every system, each person should select the one that meets their needs best. I think Marriott/Westin are also great resorts. But in Maui, the Hyatt is nicer. In Lake Tahoe, the Marriott/Hyatt are both nice, depending on whether you like the business of Heavenly Village (or wan to do ski in/out) or the "in the woods" and "on the beach" experience in Incline Village. No one can touch Hyatt in Carmel, and this resort is breathtakingly beautiful.
Agree with you about Maui.
We have stayed at every resort [3 x Westins, 2 x Marriott's and Hyatt] and Hyatt is hands-down our favorite.
As for Tahoe, we have stayed at the Hyatt, but just as easily book 5 nights at the Ritz in Truckee [3BR/4BR] which works out cheaper than the Hyatt.
As for Colorado we have stayed at all the Hyatt's as well as all the Marriott's as well as all the Ritz [Aspen, Vail usually 3BR sometimes 4BR] and guess what we prefer.
We did love the 3BR at the Park Hyatt, Beaver Creek [Top-Floor: 4055]. Also liked the 3BR at the The Aspen Mountain Residences, Hyatt.
BTW: All exchanges in the Marriott system are confirmed 13-Months out [ZERO-Fees] and some changed within 60-Days [ZERO-Fees] for a 30%-Discount.
Summary: There is only so many times we can travel to the same destination's and unfortunately, other than Maui, Hyatt is just too limited for our style of travel.
As for interval, I get better value locking off and depositing [MKO: Studio + 1BR] or [WKV: 1BR + 1BR] and paying an upgrade-fee of $59/Size-Up to exchange into 2BR/3BR [even 4BR].
1 x 2BR-Deposit [Marriott/Westin] gets us 2 x Weeks in a 2BR or larger fir for about $150/Night.
Agree that everyone's profile/preference is different.
Since Hyatt choices are limited, for us, we used to use Interval.
If we didn't have Marriott/Westin we would have no choice but to use Interval for Hyatt exchanges.
However, we get better value in Interval via Marriott compared to Hyatt.
E.g. INTERVAL: With a Marriott deposit, a week in a 2BR costs me $1000-MF. With Hyatt it costs me $2000-MF.
WISH: I hope Interval will change the rules and let me pay $59/Size-Up for my Hyatt deposit rather than expect me to deposit 500-1000 more points [$1000-MF] for a size-upgrade.
