What do MVC owners think of Abound?

[sunski]

TBH, I never fully read the terms of DC since I got my one Developer week in "free" and had only lowly select status. I only knew about the grandfathering from sales and here. Do the Abound terms read about the same as current DC? Anything majorly different?

 

[JIMinNC]

TBH, I never fully read the terms of DC since I got my one Developer week in "free" and had only lowly select status. I only knew about the grandfathering from sales and here. Do the Abound terms read about the same as current DC? Anything majorly different?

I haven’t compared the two in detail. In my initial quick read of the Abound terms, however, it did seem like they read almost the same as the DC terms.

 

[DRH90277]

I think Abound is a mirage with a name. Is this anything beyond just a rebranding? Again, "Where's the Beef?"

 

[ljmiii]

Whatever makes you think that MVC folks should get 13-month access to Vistana resorts…

Because we get access to the other properties in the DC trust at 13 months.

 

[JIMinNC]

I think Abound is a mirage with a name. Is this anything beyond just a rebranding? Again, "Where's the Beef?"

It is mainly a rebranding for us on the MVC side. They are mainly just bringing Westin and Sheraton owners into the program we have had for 12 years. The “beef” for MVC owners is access to whatever Westin and Sheraton inventory finds it’s way into Abound. Initially that will be limited, but over time, as Marriott exercises ROFR on Westin and Sheraton weeks and more Westin/Sheraton owners elect their weeks for points, the inventory available to us will probably increase. I do think it will take a few years.

 

[David10225]

We are are Shereton Desert Oasis now in a 1 bedroom that we got through Interval by using 2022 mvc points. I don't think it's up to MVC standards. I couldn't even fit my suitcase in the closet!

 

[rcv82]

We are are Shereton Desert Oasis now in a 1 bedroom that we got through Interval by using 2022 mvc points. I don't think it's up to MVC standards. I couldn't even fit my suitcase in the closet!

Is it the small or large 1 bedroom? The small 1 bedroom units should be compared to a studio as they are the same points in Vistana. I recall the large units as being fairly spacious.


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[jabberwocky]

Is it the small or large 1 bedroom? The small 1 bedroom units should be compared to a studio as they are the same points in Vistana. I recall the large units as being fairly spacious.

I think it has to be the small 1BR, unless they have an enormous suitcase! The large 1BR are actually quite spacious.

 

[CPNY]

I think it has to be the small 1BR, unless they have an enormous suitcase! The large 1BR are actually quite spacious.

Right, in which case, the one bedroom they’re in is superior to Marriott studio standards. Which is the standard it needs to be compared to.

 

[David10225]

Right, in which case, the one bedroom they’re in is superior to Marriott studio standards. Which is the standard it needs to be compared to.

i dont know what size 1 bedroom we stayed in. All Im saying is the closet was not deep enough to fit our suitcase. In years of teavel, that has never happened to me.

 

[jme]

We are are Shereton Desert Oasis now in a 1 bedroom that we got through Interval by using 2022 mvc points. I don't think it's up to MVC standards. I couldn't even fit my suitcase in the closet!

Quite a claim. Is it a studio (second BR)? or is it the 1BR master suite with kitchen?
Imho, not being able to fit a suitcase in a closet is not an indication of inferiority, unless you suffered multiple other shortfalls in the accommodations.
Frankly we seldom put a suitcase in a closet unless it's overhead next to the extra blankets, etc., and then, if need be, we find another spot....quite simple.
I'd be interested to learn the other negatives you have.

(As an aside, I believe the Sheraton resorts may not always reach the level of the Marriotts, but they're close.
They're certainly better than most of the other brands, so I'm content to have them aboard.......lots more decent choices.)

If I have the right resort, is THIS the place at which you stayed?
Scroll thru the pics---it's gorgeous.

Google Travel

www.google.com

 

[David10225]

Well, it may be quite a claim, but really, that's how I feel. To further explain, there was a closet in the bedroom. The right had side (sliding doors) of the closet in the bedroom was entirely taken up by a safe attached to the back wall at about knee level so you could put nothing on the floor there. On the left hand side, there was one of the one of those folding luggage racks. The opening of the left hand side of the closet, was not wide enough for the suitcase to sit on the rack. Between the bathroom and the kitchen, there was another closet, with a floor sweeper/vacuum, but it wasn't deep enough to fit my suitcase in it. I was able to put our smaller suitcase in it. Thinking back on it now, I suppose I could have tried taking the luggage rack out of the closet, and could have maneuvered the case in. If that is what I should have done, then, then that's on me.

Just as an aside, there is considerable construction going on at the back part of the resort where our room was located. If anyone plans to visit soon, see if you can get a room not so near the construction. It is very noisy when the machines are going. We arrived at 930 PM on a Friday night, so it wasn't till Monday morning that the workers returned.

I guess that wraps this up for this topic!

 

[DRH90277]

The topic question was "What do MVC owners think about Abound?"

Well, I don't see much to think or even dream about yet. It seems someone came up with a name, but I didn't know what it really meant. So, I ask Siri and it says "have in large numbers or amounts: this land abounds with wildlife.

"Wow, so I guess we will be overwhelmed with new resorts, choices, and locations to which we have not ventured. The first tranche must be this Westin/Sheraton deal for 25 resorts (on top of the existing MVC resorts.) And then, I guess we will have lots of new owners coming in with inventory. We will all share this combined inventory using points to acquire what comes available. Points will be sold by Abound and vacations will be added to the Trust. Week owners will deposit their vacations for points. Then all will spend these points on the available inventory. Abound probably means that rather than the difficulty we now have getting point vacations, there will be an abundant supply of what we want, when we want it.

Now, is this what we can now dream about? I wonder how long I need to dream.

This name change will make all this happen even though we suffer a shortage of the reservations we want.

 

[JIMinNC]

The topic question was "What do MVC owners think about Abound?"

Well, I don't see much to think or even dream about yet. It seems someone came up with a name, but I didn't know what it really meant. So, I ask Siri and it says "have in large numbers or amounts: this land abounds with wildlife.

"Wow, so I guess we will be overwhelmed with new resorts, choices, and locations to which we have not ventured. The first tranche must be this Westin/Sheraton deal for 25 resorts (on top of the existing MVC resorts.) And then, I guess we will have lots of new owners coming in with inventory. We will all share this combined inventory using points to acquire what comes available. Points will be sold by Abound and vacations will be added to the Trust. Week owners will deposit their vacations for points. Then all will spend these points on the available inventory. Abound probably means that rather than the difficulty we now have getting point vacations, there will be an abundant supply of what we want, when we want it.

Now, is this what we can now dream about? I wonder how long I need to dream.

This name change will make all this happen even though we suffer a shortage of the reservations we want.

A lot of your posts focus on a shortage of points reservations/availability in MVC. Based on your postings, I think I recall that the reservations you desire are prime-time summer Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, and maybe Newport Coast. Just remember, those are the types of reservations that have always been hard to get via an exchange program if you do not own at those particular resorts in those seasons. Summer HHI, for example, was a difficult internal II trade prior to the launch of the Destination Club, it remained a tough get in the DC Points system, and will likely remain that way in Abound. After all, a points system is just another type of exchange system. That's why as long as I've been a participant in the TUG Marriott Forum the expert advice has always been "if you need to travel in high demand seasons at high demand resorts, own there." When we bought our initial Points/week bundle to become Marriott owners back in 2014, even the MVC sales rep said our purchase would work well for the spring/fall shoulder season times we were after, but if we had to have summer HHI, we should buy a summer resale week at our favorite property from MVC internal resales.

 

[DRH90277]

A lot of your posts focus on a shortage of points reservations/availability in MVC. Based on your postings, I think I recall that the reservations you desire are prime-time summer Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, and maybe Newport Coast. Just remember, those are the types of reservations that have always been hard to get via an exchange program if you do not own at those particular resorts in those seasons. Summer HHI, for example, was a difficult internal II trade prior to the launch of the Destination Club, it remained a tough get in the DC Points system, and will likely remain that way in Abound. After all, a points system is just another type of exchange system. That's why as long as I've been a participant in the TUG Marriott Forum the expert advice has always been "if you need to travel in high demand seasons at high demand resorts, own there." When we bought our initial Points/week bundle to become Marriott owners back in 2014, even the MVC sale rep said our purchase would work well for the spring/fall shoulder season times we were after, but if we had to have summer HHI, we should buy a summer resale week at our favorite property from MVC internal resales.

JIMinNC - I enjoy your posts and note that you also live in NC. So, we are probably both fans of OceanWatch and Hilton Head resorts. It is hard to beat them, and they are close by car. And yes, we did buy multiple OceanWatch "and" Newport Coast weeks as a defensive move to access what "we wanted" around the points system. I think it is unfortunate that we had to do that.

You are right about my posts and the repeated emphasis, but it is absolutely true the trust does suffer a lack of the better inventory. Why hasn't MVC been exercising the ROFR and buying up the better "in demand" resale weeks for 10+ years. Is MVC deliberately dumbing down the quality of available resorts for point owners? Are they trying to redirect us toward the outsourced stuff?

One excuse, they are relying on week owners to deposit the better weeks for points. This could be pretty stupid, why would they expect me to deposit my 6 Ocean Watch weeks for points so I can spend them on lower end resorts such as Grand Chateau, Pulse Mayflower in DC, etc. (just my opinion). So, what happens, those with better owned weeks are renting them out, depositing in Interval, etc. Week owners do have the option of renting out weeks for cash and renting what they want - the "cash" alternative to the points program. Is it good or bad that I might have better access to good reservations thru rentals on Redweek than by using points?

MVC's latest venture with the Westin/Sheraton properties is going to be slow to access. It might help a bit, but it won't solve the shortage in available reservations for the best resorts. And the current MVC inventory will be subjected to a whole new population of users.

 

[frytard]

I am not too familiar with what is happening with Abound. My mom who is transferring her Grand Chateau 2 BR to me pre2010 bought - Should i do this sooner than later or it doesnt matter on timing?

Thanks!

 

[CPNY]

I am not too familiar with what is happening with Abound. My mom who is transferring her Grand Chateau 2 BR to me pre2010 bought - Should i do this sooner than later or it doesnt matter on timing?

Thanks!

It shouldn’t matter on timing. Is it currently enrolled in the points program? All benefits should transfer to you so in reality it shouldn’t matter.

 

[DanCali]

Because we get access to the other properties in the DC trust at 13 months.

Vistana weeks cannot be booked more than 12 months in advance. It doesn't matter if the owner is Joe X, a real estate Trust like Westin Flex or Abound, or a Real estate trust that inherited booking privileges from Joe X who elected points for his week. Those are simply the booking rules.

 

[rthib]

Why hasn't MVC been exercising the ROFR and buying up the better "in demand" resale weeks for 10+ years. Is MVC deliberately dumbing down the quality of available resorts for point owners?

For the same reason they used to show people the II catalog and not mention that they were not going to get into those resorts. They don’t need those weeks to sell points. And why would they pay top dollar for in demand week, when they can pay pennies for a junk week. Both end up as points to sell and that is what they sell, points and a dream.

 

[JIMinNC]

Why hasn't MVC been exercising the ROFR and buying up the better "in demand" resale weeks for 10+ years. Is MVC deliberately dumbing down the quality of available resorts for point owners? Are they trying to redirect us toward the outsourced stuff?

The main reason they repurchase weeks is to resell them as Points. I suspect they have a maximum price at which they are willing to exercise ROFR for any specific week. Their goal is to acquire inventory at the lowest reasonable cost to optimize their overall cost of inventory. It makes no sense for them to overpay for a week just because it is attractive to book. Paying too much doesn't help them achieve their profitability goals.

 

[timsi]

JIMinNC - I enjoy your posts and note that you also live in NC. So, we are probably both fans of OceanWatch and Hilton Head resorts. It is hard to beat them, and they are close by car. And yes, we did buy multiple OceanWatch "and" Newport Coast weeks as a defensive move to access what "we wanted" around the points system. I think it is unfortunate that we had to do that.

You are right about my posts and the repeated emphasis, but it is absolutely true the trust does suffer a lack of the better inventory. Why hasn't MVC been exercising the ROFR and buying up the better "in demand" resale weeks for 10+ years. Is MVC deliberately dumbing down the quality of available resorts for point owners? Are they trying to redirect us toward the outsourced stuff?

One excuse, they are relying on week owners to deposit the better weeks for points. This could be pretty stupid, why would they expect me to deposit my 6 Ocean Watch weeks for points so I can spend them on lower end resorts such as Grand Chateau, Pulse Mayflower in DC, etc. (just my opinion). So, what happens, those with better owned weeks are renting them out, depositing in Interval, etc. Week owners do have the option of renting out weeks for cash and renting what they want - the "cash" alternative to the points program. Is it good or bad that I might have better access to good reservations thru rentals on Redweek than by using points?

MVC's latest venture with the Westin/Sheraton properties is going to be slow to access. It might help a bit, but it won't solve the shortage in available reservations for the best resorts. And the current MVC inventory will be subjected to a whole new population of users.

Marriott may not have a business incentive to convey to the trust the best deeds it acquires through ROFR and foreclosures. The weeks conveyed to the trust may be composed primarily of deeds that are not very valuable to the developer's rental business.

The question remains if the administrators of the trust act in the best interest of the trust owners if they continuously turn a blind eye and accept a low-quality inventory. It is possible that their responsibility is even higher if at the same time they work for the trust and for the developer since the trust owners would be left with no practical protection.

 

[DRH90277]

A new name, Abound, does not remedy the problem of booking the point reservations you want.

 

[frytard]

It shouldn’t matter on timing. Is it currently enrolled in the points program? All benefits should transfer to you so in reality it shouldn’t matter.

Yes we enrolled last year. That way i wouldnt get a fee or something

 

[JIMinNC]

A new name, Abound, does not remedy the problem of booking the point reservations you want.

My point is simply that any individual owner's perception of "problems of booking the points reservations you want" depends on what you are trying to book. If you are usually trying to book the highest demand weeks at some of the most popular locations, your experience is going to be very different than someone who is looking for shoulder seasons. If you are hoping to book prime time at the most demanded resorts, you are going to have just as hard of a time with points as weeks owners had before points trying to trade for these same high demand weeks in Interval. Yes, MVC sells the ability to use points to book "any" MVC resort, but that's no different than when they sold MVC Willow Ridge weeks by promoting the idea of using II to trade Willow Ridge for Hawaii or Hilton Head summer. Those were hard trades, too. With timeshare, if there is a reservation you must have, you should own there.

 

[DRH90277]

My point is simply that any individual owner's perception of "problems of booking the points reservations you want" depends on what you are trying to book. If you are usually trying to book the highest demand weeks at some of the most popular locations, your experience is going to be very different than someone who is looking for shoulder seasons. If you are hoping to book prime time at the most demanded resorts, you are going to have just as hard of a time with points as weeks owners had before points trying to trade for these same high demand weeks in Interval. Yes, MVC sells the ability to use points to book "any" MVC resort, but that's no different than when they sold MVC Willow Ridge weeks by promoting the idea of using II to trade Willow Ridge for Hawaii or Hilton Head summer. Those were hard trades, too. With timeshare, if there is a reservation you must have, you should own there.

With respect, I understand all that. It is also unfair to harp on my requests for better resorts and season reservations - that's exactly why I spent my money for Marriott Vacations. Don't make excuses for MVC - do you work for them? MVC's inability to fill booking requests using points for better resorts coupled with little effort to add the better inventory is out in the open. Did you really buy into Vacation Club so you could compromise your requests for point reservations? And please don't blame this on the unwillingness of week owners to deposit their great weeks for points.

Of interest, I received an email from Redweek this morning showing rental additions for yesterday - 19 for Newport Coast and 6 for OceanWatch. MVC is probably sitting there wondering, where do all these weeks go and why?