Rating the owner friendliness of various timeshare resort groups

[BocaBum99]

I've noticed a lot of complaint threads about various timeshare companies lately. It's far more than normal. I am wondering if the developers are getting so desperate to cut costs and prop up revenue that they are adopting a more owner unfriendly stance than normal.

On this thread, I'd like you to rate your resort group on a scale of 1-10 (1: couldn't possibly be worse, 5: barely acceptable, 10: couldn't possibly be better) in various customer service attributes. I'm interested in seeing how we perceive the various resort groups.

Resort Group Name (Marriott, HGVC, Wyndham, WorldMark, Bluegreen, RCI Points, etc)
1) Reservations: how hard or easy is it to book a reservation?
2) Owner Services: always tries to resolve my problem?
3) Keeping costs down: how well do they keep maintenance fees low?
4) Maintaining our value: My resort group has policies that make my ownership worth less every year.
5) Trend: Is it getting better or worse?

Just curious as to how each resort group stands out amongst owners on this messaage board.

 

[WalnutBaron]

Interesting post, Boca. Here is my response:

Starwood Vacation Network

Reservations: 9 I have had no issue whatsoever making reservations through SVN. However, as many have pointed out here, their telephone-only system is archaic. It would be more convenient to reserve online, which is not possible right now.

Owner Services: 10 In my experience, Starwood has performed admirably. Their personnel are well-trained, polite, and responsive. They also ask you to answer a brief telephone survey right after the call, so they know they're going to get graded on how well they did.

Keeping Costs Down: 2 A decided low point for Starwood. Their MF's are among the highest and--as has been pointed out on other threads--the increases for many resorts this year have been inordinately high.

Maintaining Our Value: 9 One of the keys in maintaining value is the maintenance of the resorts themselves. Starwood's quality is consistently outstanding, so at least we're getting something for those very high MF's. Some have complained about how Starwood raised the bar for 5* Elite ownership, but that's in a stratosphere I don't live in

Trend: 7 Starwood is still adding new resorts, which is a plus in this lousy economy. The versatility of their system--from the ability to trade weeks or spend StarOptions for a specific number of night, to the conversion option to Starpoints for their hotels in locations that villas do not exist--is fantastic.

Overall, I'm a happy Starwood owner!

 

[vacationtime1]

Starwood:

Reservations: 9; I agree with WalnutBaron.

Owner Services: 9; I get some flak on whether they will deposit my reserved week into II or whether they try to give me an inferior week. However, in each case they have ultimately done the right thing. Their telephone staff is very well trained.

Keeping Costs Down: 2; 10% annual increases in MF's are unwarranted. The CC&R's give Starwood too much power over the HOA (such as controlling unreserved inventory and renting it out for Starwood's benefit).

Maintaining Our Value: 2; the categorization of resorts as "voluntary" destroys resale prices. Perhaps I shouldn't complain; I bought three excellent traders for very nice prices. But the original purchasers took a bath.

Trend: 6; the new resorts come with sky-high developer prices -- and they are all voluntary. OTOH, they are beautiful and I can trade in rather than purchase them.

 

[yumdrey]

For Worldmark :
1) Reservations: 10-their online reservation system is top notch
2) Owner Services: 9
3) Keeping costs down: 9
4) Maintaining our value: 6
5) Trend: 5

For Hilton :
1) Reservations: 9
2) Owner Services: 10
3) Keeping costs down: 10
4) Maintaining our value: 10
5) Trend: 9

For Starwood :
1) Reservations: 5
2) Owner Services: 9
3) Keeping costs down: 6
4) Maintaining our value: 9
5) Trend: 7

 

[rickandcindy23]

Wyndham/ Fairfield
1) 8 -- Easy to book a reservation, most of the time, except the system closes at night and has some occasional technical problems
2) 5 -- The Owner Relations group of people are 50% good and 50% clueless, which is a shame for a big company that charges such high fees
3) 5 -- The costs are determined by the actual resorts, but the fees the corporation charges are skyrocketing. Example: PIC went from $50 per week deposited last year to $89 this year. That is a huge increase!
4) 1 -- Wyndham apparently doesn't care about resale value in the slightest. Case in point: reducing our benefits, even as VIP, and not allowing any benefits to transfer in resale.
5) 1 -- Getting much worse, with benefits dropping almost bi-annually; higher fees; and knowledgeable owners are always waiting for the next "shoe to drop."

Starwood--not much experience with it, but so far it rates high, compared to Wyndsham

 

[lprstn]

Well I belong with 3 timeshare resorts...

Ranking 10 (high) to 1 (low)

Starwood;

1) Reservations: 8 - Its pretty easy to make reservations, however I have never used it for the Staroptions yet, but went online and it seemed easy. The only thing I don't like is that if I use the StarOptions function it can be hard to get the location I want, and there are limited number of places I can go. Also, some functionality of the program is not available on the web.

2) Owner Services: 3 - I have had my challenges with owner services, I would have to call them 3 or 4 times to get resolutions to some of my problems, or to even get certain information.

3) Keeping costs down: 1 NO WAY! for my 1 lousy week I have paid A LOT of $$ especially when they did the assessments recently.

4) Maintaining our value: 5 I am torn on this, as I purchased it for $2200 resale, I was dissappointed that the rating at my resort went down in the 7 years I had it, and then they hit the owners with fees. Heck I went there for a stay and my room looked like I was stuck in the 70's only for the sales person to try to convince me to 'upgrade', and I told him.."Why should I?" I pay mf's but you aren't even updating the unit I have.

5) Trend: I think its getting better, now that they have done the worse in some ways. I mean with the assessment, I figured they could at least back off a bit on raising the mf's but then they raised mine by $100 a year.

However, I am attached to my starwood as it was my 1st resale timeshare, and I love the flexibility it gives me with dual affiliation, staroptions and the great amenities offered at the resorts.


Wyndham;

1) Reservations: 10, out of all the resorts I own, I get the most from my ownership with Wyndham. I see lots of complaints here, but I have gotten what I wanted from this program. Reservation request are easy to make and to cancel. I can book within Wyndham's many resorts, with RCI or even Plus Partners (in which I have used for Cruises (w/2 days resorts stays), airfare, Disney tickets) when I have excess points or just don't want to spend additional $$ on a different type of vacation.

2) Owner Services: 8 I personally have been happy with them. I usually get people who are very willing to help, even when sometimes they are not fully knowledgeable they will try.

3) Keeping costs down: 8 well for me my MF's haven't gone up extraordinarily high when I compare what I get in vacations to my Sheraton. With my Wyndham's 154,000 pts (I started out with) I weasled 3 weeks of solid vacations out of them and 1 weekend. I paid the same MF's that I paid for my Sheraton Vistana which I only got 1 week of travel. Also, I was allowed to give them my Vistana for another 154,000 points. So in my opinion, I get WAY more for my MF's with Wyndham than Sheraton. Also, all the places I have stayed that were Wyndham were adequate, not all were plush or ritzy, but they had lots to do onsite and were clean and well appointed.


4) Maintaining our value: 3 -Well if you consider the retail value...no way, most timeshare resorts don't even do that. Also, the value resale has gone down, but personally I don't care. I didn't purchase a TS to make a profit, I purchased it to take vacations, and for me that is the value. So in personal value, Wyndham makes the grade. In financial value, they get a failing grade.

5) Trend: Its getting worse. However, for the way I use the product, its just fine, as long as I can use the internal resorts, still bank and trade through RCI and use my points for a cruise here and there... I am satisfied.





Presidential Resort;

1) Reservations: 5 - Not that easy, as I have to call in order to make all my reservations

2) Owner Services: 5 a mom and pop shop it feels like, as they never seem to know any answers to the questions I have about the TS program or my product.

3) Keeping costs down: 7 - my mf's include day use of the property, as well as I can keep a camper up there and move it every 2 weeks without to much additional pay.

4) Maintaining our value: 8 I believe this resorts works hard at keeping its standing, and I haven't seen it drop in the 10 years that I have owned here.

5) Trend: It is getting better, as they now have a partnership with several other great resorts and try to offer an internal trading system to each.

 

[WalnutBaron]

1) Reservations: 10, out of all the resorts I own, I get the most from my ownership with Wyndham. I see lots of complaints here, but I have gotten what I wanted from this program.

Thanks for the comments...very interesting!

 

[thoscook1]

El Cid Vacation Club

Reservations 10

Very easy and offer personal assistance and never try to rush and make sure everything is clear in the process. Always provide their name for contact on any issues or questions that may arise.


Owner Services 10

Always helpful and strive to assist in handling any issues very quickly. Great VIP program with fairly low points requirements.


Keeping cost down 9

Very low maint fees about $2.50/1000 points and increases not unreasonable


Maintain Value 8

Keep facitlites in good shape

Trend 9

Seem to add 1-2 quality resorts to internal exchange program (no fee) each year as well provide RCI points & weeks , cruises, etc as part of the program. Also, have about 20 of the best Wyndham resorts as internal exchanges.

 

[Cathyb]

I'll start with the better one:

Worldmark
Reservations 10 Online very user-friendly; detailed unit; many choices
Phone: Very friendly and helpful
Owner Serv. 9 Very helpful
Costs 9 Comparative to others, very reasonable
Value 9 Only drawback is the increased credits/new locations
Trend 10 Getting cities and interesting locations

Marriott
Reservations 7 Fight for summer months and holidays
Owner Serv 9 Squeaky wheel gets the oil
Costs 5 Maintenance fees escalating
Value 7 Hit by the market devaluation badly
Trend 8 Great choices and lots of flexibility to use points

Starwood
Reservations 8 Don't like getting up at 6AM to get best choices; online archaic
Owner Serv 9 Fairly knowledgable
Costs 3 Nickel and dime you
Value 2 Change rules after purchase devaluing Mission Hills
Trend 8 Adding some decent locations

 

[Debbyd57]

Resort Group Name: Wyndham
1) Reservations: 9 - I haven't had any major problem except waiting too long and what I want is booked. However, I usually search the resorts available. The internet booking site is usually easy and the vacation counselors are for the most part well trained and friendly.
2) Owner Services: Not sure what this means.
3) Keeping costs down: 8 - Compared to many timeshare groups my maint fees are fairly good. I think they are all still under $500 per week.
4) Maintaining our value: 5 - The condos are kept up well at the ones I own but the points are devaluing faster than other timeshare groups.
5) Trend: 2 - Some of the decisions that FF/Wyndham is making our bad for the owners and they don't seem to want to listen to what we want. However, the locations are good, we have a wide choice of resorts, the resorts have a lot of ammenities and the units are mostly kept up well. We have stayed at some of the older resorts (FF Glade, FF Plantation, etc) and have been mostly happy with our stays.

 

[bnoble]

Wyndham:

Reservations: 9 Excellent 10-month availability. Lots of resorts in areas I want to travel. New web interface very easy to use, with powerful serch tools. Might soon be a 10, as it seems the newer resorts in Panhandle and Myrtle Beach are removing the peak-season pressure there.

2) Owner Services: 3 or 7. A 3 for the "powers that be" for responding to owner issues with platitudes if at all. A 7 for the "front line folks" who seem willing to fix those issues that are under their control, but could be better trained.

3) Keeping costs down: 3. Nuisance fees are well out of line, but "core" costs of the points plan have grown at very modest rates. A note that Wyndham does not control most HOAs. My HOA (Sea Gardens/Waterfalls) has been very cost-conscious, and are to be commended. They get a 10.

4) Maintaining our value: 3. The policies are horrible. The new resorts are great, though point creep may require that I add on soon.

5) Trend: 3. Definite downward trend. The only saving grace here is the new resorts coming on line, which are great.

If I had it to do over again, I would buy into Wyndham again, though I might have gone with a slightly larger deed to start. On balance, I get good value out of the system, and the nuisance fees/policies are really side issues. At its core, it's still a very good deal at resale pricing.

 

[CatLovers]

Since no one has responded on the Shell Vacation Club, I'll throw in my votes. Would appreciate hearing other SVC owners' experiences as well.

Reservations: how hard or easy is it to book a reservation?
9 - but then I always plan out well ahead (12 months within my home club and 9 months within other regions) and seem to have no trouble getting my first choice

Owner Services: always tries to resolve my problem?
7 - the two times I have had an issue, it has been resolved to my satisfaction, but it took persistence and tenacity on my part

Keeping costs down: how well do they keep maintenance fees low?
9 - Well their mfs aren't exactly low (slightly lower than the Starwoods and Marriotts), but I really like that my mfs seem to be put to good use. They are constantly updating, painting, cleaning at all my home club resorts that I have been to.

Maintaining our value: My resort group has policies that make my ownership worth less every year.
7 - newer benefits seem to be for owners who have bought direct from SVC, and resale owners are excluded. However, I haven't really missed what they are touting as direct purchase benefits!

Trend: Is it getting better or worse?
9 - we are very happy with our SVC membership

 

[Jya-Ning]

Wyndham -
1) Reservations - very reasonable availability. Inventory wise will be 9. Not very good to sell the affiliate resort inventory time, although it does add a different dimension in its profile, I will give 4 in that aspect. On-line system, I think although it is great improvement from it used to be but there are still a lot can be improve, I will give it 7. Calling to VC usually take a while, but nothing very unreasonable, I will give it 8

2) Owner Services - Willing to help I will give 9, with a company this big, customer this size, I think it is pretty good. The ability to help, I will give it 7. The knowledge is about 6. The feeling about the corp care in this aspect is probably close to 3. The resort front-end and activity group I will give 7

3) Keeping cost down - The program itself 9, although it nickels and dimes you, if you follow it as basic, you will pay the basic membership fee, and that is surprising increase very little. Consider it also pays RCI membership fee, it is really in the cheap side. The extra cost is 5. They have a tendency to increase the fee to an unexpected full amount that can be expect not change for like 5 years at least. It does reduce its flexibility a little. Personally, if you use it as a big floating "week" only exchange program, you get a very reasonable system to expect. And if you want to take it to its full flexibility, you will pay for all the extra cost it may carry instead of some club may let it spread on to those who don't use any of the advance feature. The resort management fee is also split into a lot of nickel and dime package. And most are a % of cut by the POA. However, I don't believe they are great as resort management team as a whole, and I certainly don't think they are helping cut the cost, I will give 6

4) Maintaining our value: They are not knowing to willing to build stuff from years of work until the last 2 years after they purchase the name right of Wyndham. Beside that, their stock value is also the worse in all the big hotel groups. If they have problem keep create the value for their stock holder, what are the chance of maintain the value?

Retail wise, I will give 6, they do try to maintain that area, alas, its sale force is the best 5. Resale wise, it is 7, with the way the destroy all the value, there is not much chance you will see another bad drop on it unless economic is really bad.

However, if you bought retail and try to resale it, it is 2

5) Trend: don't know, Personally, I think after they purchase name right of Wyndham, they show signs of trying to become a reputable company. If that continue, it will be good. However, they don't have too consistence on that one. As economic went downturn, they do show ability to just back to old form.

I will give it 4 Since I don't know which side will win out. Also, I can hardly see the further trend will be as bad as the previous trend. I will think it will maintain that way at least a while

Jya-Ning

 

[TerriJ]

Thanks for sharing. I have only dealt with HGVC, so it is nice to see the comparisons.

 

[Carolinian]

The most owner-friendly resorts are the sold out resorts that are run by an owner-controlled HOA board (and one that is not under the thumb of a management company). That is the only type of timeshare I am interested in owning at. I will trade into the others, but I would not own there. Developer control is a big negative, as they look out for the developer, not the individual owners.

 

[jdetar]

Marriott Cypress Harbour
1) Reservations: 9 - called, didn't have to hold, walked me through my first booking relatively simple process!
2) Owner Services: 8 - pretty good! friendly to work with, although can get juggled around on the phones
3) Keeping costs down: 5 - MF's have a steady increase rate above inflation even, but nothing too aggressive for my resort, however my parents resorts are inflating too quickly.
4) Maintaining our value: 8 - resort is well taken care of, and a great reputation.. as well as the whole company. trades well too.
5) Trend: i don't know, too new of a customer

Rayburn Country Club

1) Reservations: 10 - don't need to! points resort.
2) Owner Services: 10 - never a problem, don't need to do anything.. points are simple!
3) Keeping costs down: 10 - most solid track record of stable MF's I've seen.
4) Maintaining our value: 10 - points per dollar ratio on MF's are not the lowest I've seen, but they are very low and have maintained this for years. Figuring they're just a standard resort, I can only see the value possibly increasing in the future since they don't have gold or silver crown status they need to maintain.
5) Trend: 9 - despite the poor economy, trend is the same.. very stable ownership. the resort knows it's goals and keeps costs down to keep owners happy.

Dikhololo
1) Reservations: 10 - so simple, don't do a thing.
2) Owner Services: - don't know, never spoke with anyone at the resort
3) Keeping costs down: 10 - lowest MF I know of so how could I complain.
4) Maintaining our value: 10 - again, lowest MF, huge trading power. superb value
5) Trend: 9 - got better, but thanks to the Rand hitting an a low of 11 on the USD. this is my favorite of the three TS's.