Hgvc Eagles Nest Marco Island, Hgvc Surf Club Marco Island, any of the HGVC in Captiva or Sanibel, Sanibel Beach Club II, Hivc Sunset Cove Marco Island. There are many other very nice timeshare in southwest Florida to go to but I wouldn’t call them top tier.
HGVC.
Most of the SW Florida Timeshares were started by a company name Captran in the 70's and 80's, by a guy from Ball State University.
Keith Trowbridge developed the first successful purpose-built interval ownership resort in the United States in 1974, Florida’s Sanibel Beach Club, a 31-unit condominium project built and completely sold out in 18 months. He founded Captran Resorts International, Ltd. At its peak in the late 1970s, that company posted annual timeshare sales of $50 million.
Many of their resorts were not "purpose-built", but, rather, they were re-purposed motels.
I understood what you mean by "top-tier", those corporate-branded resorts folks are so fond of now, but that is not the history in SW FL.
We vacationed in SW FL timeshares for many, many years, never stayed in a top-tier resort, and were always 100% satisfied. Still are.
Asking a question, not starting an argument. What you quoted correctly notes that SBC I (where we own) was purpose built. SBC II and LR&C were also purpose built. Which Captran Resorts were re-purposed motels?
Thanks.
What an interesting pack of information. I just had time to look at a few pages but my curiosity will make me look at it all when I have time. Thank you for sharing.Here's Captran resort brochures and price sheets (58 Pages):
http://nebula.wsimg.com/9d50aad5e18...52F0A154A04CBBFF4&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
I'll go through it and list the resorts (circa 1980-ish):
Sanibel Beach Club II
Sand Castle Beach Club
Shell Island Beach Club
Sanibel Beach Club
Caribbean Beach Club
Lighthouse Resort and Club
Kahlua Beach Club
Penthouse Beach Club
Seagull Beach Club
Freeport Resort and Club
Daytona Resort and Club
Bonita Resort and Club
Estero Island Inn
Well, that's 13 of the 35.
There's a wealth of revealing information in that packet. All the prices, promotions and sales figures. Some of the listings mention "Original Building(s) and New Constructions. Who knew they operated the Interval College on Sanibel?
Related to the OP, the HGVCs and Marriotts and Hyatts did not come along until much later.
What an interesting pack of information. I just had time to look at a few pages but my curiosity will make me look at it all when I have time. Thank you for sharing.
Re-surfacing this post.I can second her recommendations and add my own about the HGVC resorts. We've stayed at the Charter Club on Marco Island. Casa Ybel on Sanibel Island. On Captiva the Plantation Beach House and Plantation Beach Club. We like both but prefer the location of Plantation House.
We also stayed at the Lighthouse Resort on Sanibel and and Sanibel Beach Club II can recommend them too.
We stayed at Sarasota Sands in Sarasota on Lido Key and really the beach there and the resort too. Our one bedroom unit wasn't what we'd had when we stayed in the two bedroom units at the other resorts but it had everything we needed and we would go back.
Re-surfacing this post.
Are you finding these trades through RCI-weeks?
Re-surfacing this post.
Are you finding these trades through RCI-weeks?
I have been looking into different options to travel to the area. But the buy-in to a resort company that has anything in the area have a high buy-in (Marriott, Hyatt).RCI points.
the buy-ins for some HGVC affiliates in Marco are not that much-for ex. you can get a summer/fall flex week at Eagles Nest or Surf Club for $5K or less if you don't need prime/platinum season. There are 2 listed on a resale website currently. I read of someone buying one for $2500 last year, so I'd offer that to start. IMHO, after 10 years of RCI trading, in a non-Covid year, you'll have a VERY difficult time getting Jan-March weeks in SW FL.But the buy-in to a resort company that has anything in the area have a high buy-in (Marriott, Hyatt).
Also need at least a two- bedroom.
Well, if you read the Wyndham forum you will find a person that always recommends renting.In a “Forest for the timeshare trees” observation, SW Florida has an unlimited number of fine, independently owned resort condos professionally managed and available for rent at rates approximately those of timeshare maintenance fees. They often feature the same quality and amenities that timeshare units do. Admittedly many of the communities limit weekly rentals in favor of longer required stays but it’s worth asking why people are so focused on timeshare properties if the goal is snagging a nice vacation accommodation. I tip my hat to TUG for everything they’ve done to educate the public but this seems to be a blind spot.
Given the bandits you are surrounded by at Wyndham that’s understandable. I avoided mentioning that when you rent a 2/2 at a whole-ly owned community you don’t have to negotiate the sales presentation minefield. Clearly a benefit.Well, if you read the Wyndham forum you will find a person that always recommends renting.