What is best for short stays?

[duck_widow]

Still reading and learning here. Still haven't bought. I 'think' I want to do mostly long weekends, short stays etc. with maybe a single week long vacation a year. What system do you recommend for this? I'm on the west coast.

Worldmark? Hyatt? Something else? I assume fees are cheaper if I stay within the system I own.

If I do an exchange into a different system than the one I would own in, would I have to do a full week?

Thanks for your time!

 

[DeniseM]

In general, timesharing doesn't work the best for short stays, because timesharing involves long term planning and sort stays are more likely to be a short term or last minute decision. Not that it can't be done, but you will have to be flexible. The most popular locations and holidays are often reserved 12 mos. in advance. One of the points systems (and we have a board for that) is probably the best.

Another thing to look at is the way points are charged for weekends. Often in a points system, weekend nights will cost you twice as many points as week nights, so the points don't go as far when you are reserving all weekends.

Exchanging through one of the exchange companies is almost always for a full week, although there are a few exceptions. I think SFX has a split week option in the bay area/wine country and I think DVC also has a partial week option when exchanging through RCI. Although, I wouldn't buy DVC to use it that way - too expensive.

 

[ecwinch]

WorldMark has more West Coast resorts than other Developer with their own internal trading network. Wyndham tends to be more focused in the Florida/South/Central markets.

 

[Talent312]

I'm somewhat biased here, 'cuz my favorite system is Hilton's HGVC.
This is due in no small part to their short-stay options...
1. For "club" reservations, the minimum is 3-nights;
B. For "open season" (LT 30 days), the minimum is 2-nights (with very decent cash rates).
... both have excellent online availability transparency.
... alternatively, you can convert your points to HHonors for hotel stays.
<just my 2 cents>

 

[HenryT]

I think the key is always where do you want to vacation? I would think about what week-end locations I want to vacation in the most and see what system has the most resorts in those areas. I would also consider the quality I want in a resort.

If your primary vacationing is week-end vacations you definitely need to to with a points system. WorldMark has the most resorts on the west coast and the quality is generally good but not as good as the hotel timeshares (Marriott, Hilton, Westin, etc.). I am assuming for week-end stays you would want drive-to locations.

You also need to consider how far in advance you would normally schedule your vacations. If you normally schedule your vacations 60 days out or less, a number of the point systems allow you to schedule week-end stays (though availability may be limited). If you plan farther in advance your choices are more limited. In, general, the larger the unit you require the more limited your options are if you plan at the last minute.

I guess everything else being equal (and not knowing your vacationing style) I would think WorldMark would be your best bet.

 

[gorevs9]

Salesmen tout the availability of short stays, but IMO, one or two night stays using RCI Points is not very cost effective. The exchange fee is $39/$59, plus many resorts will charge an additional cleaning fee. This can vary, but once I was charged $50 because I only stayed 5 nights instead of 7. Add that to the "value" of your points. If you were only going to use the TS for 1 or 2 people, it might be better to find a low cost hotel room. If your points would otherwise expire, then a short stay is a great way to use them.

 

[donnaval]

Also, you need to take into consideration extra charges imposed by "the system."

For example, with Wyndham, each reservation requires a transaction credit--you get a very minimal number of transactions, based on the number of points you own. Each time you make a reservation, no matter how many points you use, counts as a separate transaction UNLESS all the reservations are made on the same day - say you make reservations for three different weekends, and do them all on on the same day, it counts as only one transaction. However, if you book the same three short stays and make those reservations on different days, you will be charged for each one separately, and have to pay for any over your allotment.

Also, Wyndham charges housekeeping points for each stay. Short stays use up as many housekeeping credits as a full week. For example, you need 77 housekeeping credits for a 2-br unit for a whole week. But, if you book a 2-br unit for two nights, it also costs 77 housekeeping credits. Once you use up the allotment assigned to your points, you need to buy extra housekeeping credits from Wyndham.