What's Your Marriott 'Sleep Number'? [How many MVC properties ...?]

[kds4]

It does beg the question.....are people staying at more/different properties then they did in the old days because of the DC and the ability to use points for a couple days at this resort and a couple days at that resort, thus sampling more resorts. I know I have several stays at locations that were less than a week that I might not otherwise have tried.


.

That's a really good question. I know that this year we are doing more 'points' based travel than 'weeks' based II exchanges. Last year we did 1 points based trip. Of our 5 trips booked for 2015, 2 of them will be points based (Cypress and Ocean Watch), while 3 of them remain weeks deposited with II.

So far, we really like being able to stretch our points during the 'off-season', and count that a plus for DC points. While you cannot 2 for 1 exchange by 'locking-off' or doing an 'XYZ' exchange as with II, the off-season points discounts (for places we like to go), let us do essentially the same thing by getting twice as much usage for the points we expend. It's almost like a 'reverse skim' that benefits us.

Of course, in the summer/peak usage months, the 'skim' bites back - Hard. We haven't tried to secure a peak season points reservation (at least partially due to the points price tag), but may for 2016.

 

[pedro47]

I'm interested to know which resorts everyone would choose as a favorite. Not interested in writing or reading a book about every resort - "this one because ..." and "that one for its ..." and "the other if ..." - but just a simple notation for yours and maybe your partner's one favorite.

I'm editing my post to show mine and Don's favorites, feel free to do the same.

My favorite resorts are Manor Club @ Ford Colony(free golf), Ocean Watch (The Maple Villa..This is the Commander-in-Chief favorite resort) and Surf Watch on Hilton Head Island.

My favorite ocean view villa was @ Grande Ocean..The Sea Horse Villa #8426. A direct ocean view of the ocean. It was awesome.

 

[heatherw]

Playa andaluza
Son antem, mallorca
Marbella
Phuket beach club
Ille de France
Grande vista
Breckenridge mountain valley lodge
Doral Marriott villas
Aruba surf club
Newport coast

my Favourite is still Phuket beach club and looking forward to being there again soon.
Would love to add more but we don't get to the States as often as i would like

 

[Davey54321]

We are at 25 and this year will bring us to 26 (Lake Tahoe)

1. Doral - Miami
2. Shadow Ridge- Palm Desert
3. Custom House - Boston
4. Grande Vista - Orlando
5. Cypress Harbour - Orlando
6. Lakeshore Reserve - Orlando
7. Ocean Pointe - Palm Beach
8. Crystal Shores - Marco Island
9. Surf Club - Aruba
10. Ocean Club - Aruba
11. Fairway Villas - Atlantic City
12. Marbella -Spain
13. Williamsburg Sequel-Virginia
14. Ocean Watch - Myrtle Beach
15. Barony - HHI
16. Waiohai - Kauai
17. Ko Olina - Oahu
18. Canyon Villas - Phoenix
19. Newport Coast - CA
20. Summit Watch - Utah
21. Maui - Original property
22.Kauai Lagoons - Kauai
23. Surfwatch, HHI
24. Oceana Palms
25 Grand Chateau, Las Vegas

We will probably add 1 a year and then come to a grinding halt (in terms of visiting new instead of revisiting, which we also do)....unless they start adding locations (more in Europe and something in Central America or Mexico would be nice)....
Vicki

 

[bazzap]

Multiple stays at
Club Son Antem
Frenchman's Cove
Ille de France
Marbella Beach Club
Mai Khao Beach
Phuket Beach Club
Playa Andaluza
St Kitts Beach Club
Our favourite is Phuket Beach Club, where we have enjoyed over 6 months of stays in total.
We only returned in mid December and have just booked our flights to return this October.

 

[BocaBoy]

If you count Manor Club and Maui Ocean Club as two resorts each, we will have stayed at 30 MVCI resorts by early February. Our three favorites are Maui Ocean Club (new towers), Kauai Lagoons and Manor Club (original section). Here are the 30 in no particular order other than our three favorites are listed first in order of preference:
Maui Ocean Club (new towers)
Kauai Lagoons
Manor Club (original section)
Ko Olina Beach Club
Waiohai Beach Club
Maui Ocean Club (original section)
Kauai Beach Club
Manor Club (Sequel)
Grand Chateau
Fairway Villas
Sabal Palms
Cypess Harbour
Grande Vista
Lakeshore Reserve
Oceana Palms
Ocean Pointe
BeachPlace Towers
Timber Lodge
Summit Watch
Newport Coast Villas
OceanWatch
Canyon Villas
Grande Ocean (currently there)
Barony Beach Club (next week)
Heritage Club (after Barony)
SurfWatch (after Heritage)
Harbour Club (after SurfWatch)
Harbor Point (agfter harbour Club)
Monarch (February)
Sunset Pointe (February)

 

[kds4]

If you count Manor Club and Maui Ocean Club as two resorts each, we will have stayed at 30 MVCI resorts by early February. Our three favorites are Maui Ocean Club (new towers), Kauai Lagoons and Manor Club (original section). Here are the 30 in no particular order other than our three favorites are listed first in order of preference:
Maui Ocean Club (new towers)
Kauai Lagoons
Manor Club (original section)
Ko Olina Beach Club
Waiohai Beach Club
Maui Ocean Club (original section)
Kauai Beach Club
Manor Club (Sequel)
Grand Chateau
Fairway Villas
Sabal Palms
Cypess Harbour
Grande Vista
Lakeshore Reserve
Oceana Palms
Ocean Pointe
BeachPlace Towers
Timber Lodge
Summit Watch
Newport Coast Villas
OceanWatch
Canyon Villas
Grande Ocean (currently there)
Barony Beach Club (next week)
Heritage Club (after Barony)
SurfWatch (after Heritage)
Harbour Club (after SurfWatch)
Harbor Point (agfter harbour Club)
Monarch (February)
Sunset Pointe (February)

30 gets a 'Wow+'.

 

[kds4]

My favorite resorts are Manor Club @ Ford Colony(free golf), Ocean Watch (The Maple Villa..This is the Commander-in-Chief favorite resort) and Surf Watch on Hilton Head Island.

My favorite ocean view villa was @ Grande Ocean..The Sea Horse Villa #8426. A direct ocean view of the ocean. It was awesome.

Seems our respective Commanders in Chief agree that Ocean Watch is top notch. We just spent last week at MOW in the Maple Building overlooking the Serenity Pool with it's changing water colors at night.

Looking forward to returning this December for New Year's Week 2016 to try an Ocean Front unit in the Conch building. We toured a remodeled unit as part of our owner's update last week. Nicely done, IMHO.

 

[Fairwinds]

We have stayed in 19 Marriotts timeshare resorts but I listed 20 because of upcoming St. Kitts reservation this March. All 19 were home resort or Interval trades, St Kitts is our first DC trade. My favorite resorts are Frenchman's Cove, Monarch and Desert Springs??????? I really like them all.
Canyon Villas
Desert Springs Villas
Newport Coast Villas
Villas at Doral
Lakeshore Reserve
Sabal Palms
Maui Ocean Club
Custom House
Barony Beach Club
Harbour Club
Monarch
SurfWatch
OceanWatch
MountainSide
Manor Club
Frenchman's Cove
St. kitts Beach Club
Village d'lle-de-France
Club Son Antem
Marbella Beach Club

 

[dansimms]

24 MVC plus 2 Ritz

1. Doral - Miami
2. Phuket - Thailand
3. Custom House - Boston
4. Grande Vista - Orlando
5. Cypress Harbour - Orlando
6. Lakeshore Reserve - Orlando
7. Ocean Pointe - Palm Beach
8. Beach Place Towers - Ft. Lauderdale
9. Surf Club - Aruba
10. Ocean Club - Aruba
11. Fairway Villas - Atlantic City
12. Sunset Pointe - HH
13. Royal Palms - Orlando
14. Sabal Palms - Orlando
15. Streamside - CO
16. Desert Springs I - CA
17. Ko Olina - Oahu
18. Canyon Villas - Phoenix
19. Timber Lodge - Lake Tahoe
20. Summit Watch - Utah
21. St. Kitts - Carribean
22. Ocean Pointe - FL
23. Oceana Palms - FL
24. Grand Chateau, Las Vegas
25. Ritz San Francisco Executive Apartment
26. Ritz Winding Bay, Abaco (No longer run by Ritz)

Loved them all! Have also walked the property of another 10 or so that we may have been staying at a nearby hotel.

Our favorite property was Phuket
Best Unit - Ritz San Francisco (By a wide margin!)

 

[Ann in CA]

Our long distance favorite was Phuket Beach Club, Kauai Lagoons is our once in a while favorite, and Waiohai has our hearts almost every year. All were from either using our owned weeks or exchanges, with a couple of extra nights at GO and one extra night at KBC using bonus DC points, and rented DC points. We've been back to almost all, and if we were closer to Hilton Head, we'd be as frequent visitors there as we are to Timber Lodge!
Kauai Beach Club
Mountainside
Waiohai Beach Club
Summit Watch
Desert Springs Villas II
Desert Springs Villas I
Grande Ocean
Timber Lodge
Phuket Beach Club
Canyon Villas
Ko Olina
Kauai Lagoons Kalanipu'u
Grande Chateau
Marbella Beach Club
Plalya Andaluza
Maui Ocean Club
Maui Lahaina & Napili Villas
Club Son Antem
Barony Beach Club
Newport Coast Villas
Legends Edge

 

[jme]

I'm flabbergasted at several lists. Wow!!!
Actually I'm so impressed that I've arranged dinner with the leader next week.

(and as for Janette, you are amazing. I envy your trips the most because I know you enjoy them so much.)

Grande Ocean*.......x 75 (our kids grew up there)
Lakeshore Reserve
Custom House
Kauai Beach Club
Grande Vista
Cypress Harbour
Royal Palms
Oceanwatch
Manor Club
Beachplace Towers
Ocean Pointe
Newport Coast Villas*
Summit Watch*...x 4 (ski weeks, not summer)
Mountainside*...x 3 (ski weeks, not summer)
Barony
Surfwatch
Harbour Club
Monarch

*Favorite?.....several "ties" denoted by asterisk,
because we made special memories with our kids there,
and each was priceless in its own way.

All stays were high season, except for a few off-season weeks at GO (DC points, A/Cs, XYZ weeks, P-33 OwnerDiscounts, etc) which we are loving more and more.
Our 4 June weeks at GO are written in stone, however.



FUN FACTS (because we don't limit ourselves to Marriott timeshares):

1. A few of our favorite "full weeks" at Hotels using Rewards Points:
London Marriott County Hall x 2, London Marriott Grosvenor Sq,
JW Marriott Penn Ave Washington DC, JW Marriott San Francisco,
Frenchman's Reef St Thomas, Marriott Marquis Times Sq/Christmas,
Marriott Renaissance Times Sq/Christmas, Marriott Renaissance New Orleans,
Marriott Long Wharf Boston.

2. Three AMAZING weeks at non-Marriotts which are family favorites:
Atlantis .... the all-time favorite vacation with our kids!
Cameron House Cottages--Loch Lomond, Scotland
Wychnor Park--near Cotswolds, England

3. All-time favorite resort hotel with 20+ stays:
Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC....almost every year in Fall.....heaven on earth.

4. TUG members we've met and love (and many we've dined with):
Beaglemom3 (Jeanne)
jont (John and Maria)
FlyerBobcat (Tom and Maggie)
John Bach (John and Patti Jo)
Art (Art and Nancy)
Dave M
Janette
Carol C
Makai Guy (Doug)
GFoley (Gloria and Bill)
SteveCottrell(Steve & Cath,UK,NZ)--spent day at their house in England.
Gregs (Greg and Diane Stralka)---our families have met several times.

5. Famous stars I've been mere yards away from, but never met:
Susan (SueDonJ)

6. TUG members I hope to meet at some point:
Boca Boy, Big Matt, Greg T, Puck, cp73 (Chris), MOXJO7282 (Joe)

7. next up on our wish list, and still holding: ITALY
(if our daughter hadn't gotten married last May, we could have owned Italy)




.

 

[Pens_Fan]

Not nearly as many as some of you:

Canyon Villas
StreamSide
SurfWatch
OceanWatch
Aruba Ocean Club
Aruba Surf Club

 

[budnj]

1) Aruba Surf: Favorite. “toes in the sand etc”, mojitos at Carlito’s!
2) Aruba Ocean: co-favorite, close enough to Carlito’s
3) Lakeshore Reserve
4) Cypress Harbour
5) Beachplace
6) Doral
7) Harbour Club
8) Ocean Pointe
9) Oceana Palms
10) Crystal Shores
11) Fairway Villas



JME: I'm impressed with your "Stars" list! I've only had the fortune of meeting dioxide!

 

[Bnov]

Canyon Villas
Grand Residence Club Lake Tahoe
Grande Vista
Kauai Lagoons
Legends Edge
Maui Ocean Club (original)
Mountain Valley Lodge
Oceana Palms
Ritz Carlton Club, Vail
Sunset Point
Willow Ridge Lodge

This year adding:
Aruba Ocean Club
Manor Club
Mountainside
Ritz Carlton Club, Jupiter (now a Timbers resort)

It surprised me to see how many places we will have visited in three + years.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

Newport Coast (5/2012, 8/2013) [before buying DC points via resale]
SurfWatch (12/2014)

Upcoming:

Harbour Lake (2/2015)
Frenchman's Cove (12/2015)

 

[Janette]

Staying at Marriott hotel waterfront in Vancouver and our recent stay in the new Residence Inn in Manhattan on the top floor rank as our favorite hotel stays. GO and MFC are places where we return again and again. It depends on what you are wanting for a vacation. We are looking for beauty, relaxation and a little exercise thrown into the mix. I have some digestive problems and tend to eat in the unit on most vacations. We also stayed at the Marriott hotel in the
Wicklow mountains in Ireland. It was a beautiful hotel, but after staying in B&B's we vowed we would never stay in an American hotel in Europe. You lose the local flavor. Our favorite trip ever was the drive around Nova Scotia staying in b&B's. We spent 17 nights doing a comple drive around.

 

[Beefnot]

So far:

- Desert Springs Villas II
- Shadow Ridge Villas
- Newport Coast

Upcoming:

- Ko Olina (this weekend)
- Grand Chateau (April)

 

[hawk5]

We are at 14 resorts and will be adding 15 & 16 this summer!

Monarch
Royal Palms
Cypress Harbor
Harbour Point
Doral
Grande Vista
Heritage Club
Harbour Club
Barony
Manor Club
SurfWatch
Grande Ocean
Newport Coast Villas
Frenchman's Cove

Adding this spring/summer:
Shadow Ridge
Surf Club

Wow! I have so many favorites not sure if I can choose.

 

[jonmaiman]

Monarch at Sea Pines
Surfwatch
Manor Club Sequel
Maui Ocean Club
Kauai Lagoons


--Jon

 

[laurac260]

Three, in this order

Barony
Grande Ocean (bought there)
Ocean Place in Ft Lauderdale (I think that was the name, the name escapes me, it wasn't a memorable experience)

We love Grande Ocean so much, when we went to buy a vacation rental condo, we bought RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET from Grande Ocean! Close on the condo Feb 6!! :whoopie:

 

[BocaBoy]

I'm flabbergasted at several lists. Wow!!!
Actually I'm so impressed that I've arranged dinner with the leader next week.

Looking forward to it. The soon-to-be ( as of February) overall resort leader breaks bread with the Hall of Fame single resort leader. Should be great fun.

Marty, I enjoyed your FUN FACTS. We also love the London Marriott Grosvenor Square, the flagship of the Marriott hotels in London. When we went for the first time in 1988, it was Marriott's only London hotel. The Marriott Marquis Times Square is also a favorite of ours. We stayed a couple nights at Cameron House on a Tauck trip to England and Scotland 10 years ago, but it was at the hotel, not the cottages.

By the way, based on our stay this week at Grande Ocean, it will likely end up on our top 5 list. The villa is fantastic and so well laid out. We were lucky...we got an ocean front corner unit on the third floor of the Dolphin building with an AC from Interval. Now we are spoiled and will probably never be able to duplicate this assignment again.

 

[markbernstein]

Our list is a lot shorter, but hey, we've only been owners since 2009, and I'm not retired yet!

Ocean Pointe
Kauai Beach Club
Maui Ocean Club
Imperial Palms
Manor Club Sequel
Oceana Palms
Crystal Shores
Custom House

Coming up in 2015:
Frenchman's Cove
Mountain Valley Lodge

 

[TRAVELING FOOL]

This made me realize how much we have traveled with our TS:

Manor Club
Ocean Watch
Barony Beach
Surf Watch
Grande Ocean
Lakeshore
Beach place Towers
Grand Chateau
Canyon Villas @ Desert Ridge
Legend's Edge @ Bay Point

2015: Oceana Palms,Ocean Pointe,Cypress Harbour, and Monarch. We also have 2 non Marriotts for Cape Coral and Va. Beach. Hurray for retirement!

 

[BocaBoy]

Legend's Edge @ Bay Point

What was Legend's Edge like? We never hear anything about it.