These threads about benefits of direct purchase for points benefits are always vague, often touting only the great vacations, air+hotel packeages etc. My questions for you, to help me evaluate this comparison are:
1. How much did you pay for your week, and when?
2. How many incentive points did you get?
3. What are your annual maintenance fees (about $1500?)
4. How many points do you get in exchange for the week and the $104 trade in fee?
I paid 25K cash (no interest to pay) in 2003 for a 2bdrm lock off. No closing costs.
I received 250,000 points for two years because the property/building was not going to be ready for me for a couple of years. I did not have to pay any maintenance fees either during that time. They started out at just over $1000 but now it's almost $1500.
I get 100,000 points for the exchange.
You take this and add to the equation that my wife travels for a living and stays at Marriott's over 100 days out of the year using the premier card where we get a minimum 5 points per dollar along with her frequent flier miles where she is platinum with Continental. Our vacations are very, very nice. The rewards program is great. You have to look at your situation and take advantage of it. When we went to Paris the first time, we used only Marriott Points from the incentives and went first class. Check out the price of those tickets on Expedia or Orbitz. You will see what I mean about getting my money back plus some. I already have my first class tickets for the two of us and my son to Florida for next summer. The rewards program pays over and over for us.
Most importantly, I like when I go to my property at Ko Olina. The rooms are bigger than many of the other Marriott properties like Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert. I love being in Oahu where I have access to both a city and the tropics. I would not suggest anyone to buy a property that they don't plan to visit a lot. I try to use mine every other year, but sometimes we make other plans.
I look at it that with that one week in Paris and Japan using those points and flying 1st class with our hotels included. I made my money back if you were to say you bought my timeshare at the bargain basement price of $5000. I have seen what they are reselling for and it varies so I went to the lowest.
I stand behind what I said earlier. It all depends on what you want and if you are willing to take the time to plan. Planning vacations and getting the maximum out of what you have is the key. I will not be buying any other Marriott's because they are expensive and I am a Gold Elite Diamon Resorts member. I have the best of both worlds as far as flexibility.
I hope that takes the vagueness out of it for you. There were a couple of other incentives but I can't seem to remember them but they were little things.
and not on anyone else's. I have taken full advantage of the rewards program and have not regretted it. I have already made that extra money I paid in developers fees back and not spent an extra dime to do it and I still have the benefit and plan to continue to do so.
