Trading Places vs Hawaii Timeshare exchange

[nygiants11991]

Do you have a favorite? If so, why? Do either of these companies offer bonus weeks?

I am own on Maui at the Marriott and Oahu at the Imperial and am cosidering an exchange on Kauai.

I am a member of II until April 2010. Their fees seem to be high in comparison to these two companies. So before I make a decision to drop II, I would like to hear others experience with these two companies.

TIA

 

[rickandcindy23]

I would think the Marriott would trade into the Kauai Marriott pretty easily through II.

You can see availability at Hawaiian by going to the website and log-in using the username 9999, and the password is htse. They have lots of Lawai Beach inventory, but they don't have much in the way of other Marriotts, and they have no other resorts that are of that same quality. They never even have Shearwater. But Lawai is a really nice resort and a decent exchange for your Imperial week.

Trading Places looks decent, but again, they don't have any quality resorts on Kauai, and they rarely have even Lawai Beach. I think I have seen some Hanalei Bay. You can look at their inventory without logging in.

I would stick with II, if it was me wanting Kauai, and I would put in a request for the dates I wanted, including the Westin as a choice. I would bet you will get something through II, and they are still pretty reasonable, considering Hawaiian charges a membership fee, too.

 

[DeniseM]

I like and use HTSE - but neither of those companies get Marriott quality deposits. They are stong in the mid-level resorts.

If I wanted to go to Kauai and owned Marriott, I'd put in a request for a II exchange to a Marriott or Westin.

If you want to exchange with HTSE, I'd use the Imperial week, because HTSE doesn't weight deposits, so your Marriott and Imperial would have the SAME trade value with HTSE.

HTSE does give bonus weeks, but only for Hawaii deposits.

To log into HTSE at a guest go to www.htse.net and put 9999 in the top box and htse in the bottom box.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Denise, we posted at the same time, with the same advice. I guess we are thinking alike today!

 

[DeniseM]

Yep! GMTA!

 

[nygiants11991]

Thanks Cindy & Denise. I have heard good things about Lawai, so I think I will keep my Marriott on Maui and exchange my Imperial for Kauai.

Do you think I would have a better chance of trading my Imperial for Lawai through II or using HTSE? I also see I can upgrade (for a fee) if I use HTSE, do you know if II has that option? But if I was not going to upgrade would HTSE be better than II for this exchange? My II member ship is (I think) $89 and the exchange fee would be $149. If I joined HTSE the membership would be $49 and exchange $99. So there is a savings of almost $100 dropping II and using HTSE. But then I loose my option of exchanging my Marriott for a Marriott in the future. Have either of you used or heard anything about the Marriott Owner Exchange?

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks Cindy & Denise. I have heard good things about Lawai, so I think I will keep my Marriott on Maui and exchange my Imperial for Kauai.

Do you think I would have a better chance of trading my Imperial for Lawai through II or using HTSE?

Definitely HTSE - they are located at the resort.

I also see I can upgrade (for a fee) if I use HTSE, do you know if II has that option?

They do not.

But if I was not going to upgrade would HTSE be better than II for this exchange? My II member ship is (I think) $89 and the exchange fee would be $149. If I joined HTSE the membership would be $49 and exchange $99. So there is a savings of almost $100 dropping II and using HTSE. But then I loose my option of exchanging my Marriott for a Marriott in the future. Have either of you used or heard anything about the Marriott Owner Exchange?

You can belong to both HTSE and II and as many other exchange companies as you wish - so no, you don't lose the option to exchange your Marriott with II. I'd definitely use the Imperial to exchange with HTSE and use II for your Marriott. You could join HTSE for just one year, try them out, and then decide if you want to continue with them. You could also just join HTSE for the years when you want to do an exchange with your Imperial week, but not the years when you use it yourself.

Depositing your Marriott with HTSE is a waste of an expensive TS, because it will have the same trade value as the Imperial, and HTSE does not get Marriott quality deposits, so you'd be trading your Mercedes for a pool of Chevys. It makes more sense to trade your Chevy for a pool of Chevys.