Question re. "Gold" and "Gold Holiday" weeks

[mickeypops]

We own a Gold week at the Marbella Beach Resort. We are very straightforward owners as we simply use our week at our home resort every year; no trading, no taking points, no depositing with II or whatever.

We always go in September, when the entire month is available for Gold week owners.

Next year, because of a family wedding, we'd like to go in October, but I see that the month is virtually all "Gold Holiday" on the calendar.

Two questions for the experienced TUGers out there:

a. Why is October a higher status month than September? Seems counter-intuitive to me???

b. Can I easily exchange my gold week for a gold holiday? Do I need to first reserve a gold week and then deposit it in II? Or is there a Marriott internal way to do this, even if there is a fee?

Many thanks

M

 

[m61376]

You will need to reserve a week in your season and then deposit it into II and request an exchange. You should reserve one of the highest demand weeks in your season, not necessarily when you normally travel. Look at the TDI index in II to figure out which week would be best to reserve. Try to get your request in over a year in advance and request as many weeks in October as you'd be able to go, to increase your chances.

Please ignore- does not apply:The only way to do this internally would be to join the DC program. That would avoid fees, but because of the skim you'd only have enough points likely for a shorter stay, although joining now gives you 800 bonus points. However, it would cost 595 (assuming you bought directly from Marriott) to even join and then you'd have an on-going annual fee of 165.
Trading your week through II would entail joining II (if you are not already a member) at an annual fee of ~$89 and then a trade fee of $119.

As for Gold Holiday- I am assuming there are school holidays in October for European schools, but someone else will have to elaborate there.

 

[MALC9990]

We own a Gold week at the Marbella Beach Resort. We are very straightforward owners as we simply use our week at our home resort every year; no trading, no taking points, no depositing with II or whatever.

We always go in September, when the entire month is available for Gold week owners.

Next year, because of a family wedding, we'd like to go in October, but I see that the month is virtually all "Gold Holiday" on the calendar.

Two questions for the experienced TUGers out there:

a. Why is October a higher status month than September? Seems counter-intuitive to me???

b. Can I easily exchange my gold week for a gold holiday? Do I need to first reserve a gold week and then deposit it in II? Or is there a Marriott internal way to do this, even if there is a fee?

Many thanks

M

It is all a result of the School Holiday dates around Europe. Since different countries have different weeks school holidays you will find that different weeks in October are half term weeks across the various major countries in Europe. Since at the Marriott Resorts in Europe the two major nationalities of owners tends to be German and British (often about 30% each with the balance across the many other nations) then it can often be that October is taken up by school holidays somewhere in Europe.

It is the same for Marriott Son Antem where the peak summer time of late July and most of August is Platinum as is the Easter period and Gold Holiday weeks are the half term school holidays in mid-Feb and the half term weeks around late May to early June and then again in October also the early part of July is Gold Holiday and finally the Christmas 2 weeks are Gold Holiday.

Something else I have heard but not had confirmed is that a Gold Holiday week owner in the European resorts can book Gold Weeks but a Gold owner does not have access to Gold Holiday weeks.

To get a week or weeks "out of Season" you will need to book a week/weeks "in Season" and deposit with II and then place a request for the desired "out of season" week/weeks.

 

[mickeypops]

Thanks for the advice. With regards to DC, I don't think that the European resorts are involved in the program (yet.) I'm not interested in it in any case.

M

 

[MALC9990]

The only way to do this internally would be to join the DC program. That would avoid fees, but because of the skim you'd only have enough points likely for a shorter stay, although joining now gives you 800 bonus points. However, it would cost 595 (assuming you bought directly from Marriott) to even join and then you'd have an on-going annual fee of 165. Trading your week through II would entail joining II (if you are not already a member) at an annual fee of ~$89 and then a trade fee of $109.

European Resorts are not included in the DC and owners are not eligible to enrole.

 

[m61376]

sorry-of course you are right. I was trying to paint too complete a picture I guess.

 

[cwtkm3]

The information you have been given is correct. You may also want to add Playa Andaluza as for some reason Marriott didn't include a gold holiday season at this resort and Easter is gold and not platinum like at Marbella and Son Antem (not sure about France without looking it up).

As a gold holiday owner at Marbella I can reserve gold weeks as well. The gold holiday weeks were more expensive and plugged more to families when we bought back in 2002 due to the school holidays. Of course it doesn't cover most of July and Aug but our thinking back at that time was that we wouldn't go there in the height of summer. Having said that we've exchanged numerous times into platinum season using our gold Playa Andaluza.

Provided you get your request in early ie one year in advance I don't think you'll encounter any difficulty whatsoever.