Where is Marriott?

[puckmanfl]

good evening...

I can tell you what they are not doing....

They are not completing the build out at Lakeshore. Just finished my annual Staycation there. Property still rocks, but not a hint of new construction on the open land!!!!

Puck..

p.s has anyone noticed how exciting my Bolts are this year!!!

 

[dioxide45]

I wouldn't hold my breath. MVCI has made it clear on their earning call that they do not plan to get in the real estate business.
Right now based on performance, they are doing fine with what they have as far as inventory and sales.
They can feed the sales/PR machine with new "explorer" announcements and more RC integration for another year or two.

Remember with a points based system, all those crappy summer weeks in the Desert and other off season are still points for them to sell.

I agree, they have plenty of inventory and I would think they perhaps have more inventory in RCC that they can convey to the trust. My point was that if they ever begin building, I would expect it to be at one of their unfinished properties before they begin adding new locations.

 

[NYFLTRAVELER]

........ I think it is the feeling of staying in a rented condo and not at a resort. Had the same feeling when we stayed at sheraton vistana resorts. It is a townhouse complex trying to on be a resort.
.........

Yes that is the feeling I get with some of these. As I said my first MVCI experience was at Newport Coast and to me that had the look and feel of a resort.......that is what led me to buy (resale).

However, I have come to learn that not all of the MVCI properties are like that and many are as you suggested the look and feel of a condo and not a resort. If I had known that I may have thought twice about buying as at least for us when we vacation we prefer a resort like setting where we can spend full days on site (pools, activities, snack bar, etc) and where the property has a modern look and feel as opposed to the feel of having a visit to a 55+ Condo community.

I do have upcoming visits to Harbour Lake and Frenchmans Cove, both of which (I think) have the resort look and feel.

 

[dioxide45]

The three palms are some of the first Marriott purpose built timeshares. Sabal was the first. I don't know if the other two were the next or if they moved on to other areas in between.

These properties don't have the resort feel like the new larger properties. They certainly can't change the architecture of the buildings. I think there are even a raised or sunken living rooms in the villas at one of these properties. That certainly isn't how new villas are built, but it certainly wouldn't be an easy thing to change.

Any changes now would come at a cost to the owners. The cost wouldn't be insignificant. While we haven't been to these properties, I have herd that they have their charms. There is enough of those with a resort feel, that you should be more than happy. Not all the properties need to be the same.

 

[GregT]

p.s has anyone noticed how exciting my Bolts are this year!!!

Top of the division, right?????!!!!!!


Go Bolts!!!!!

 

[Luvtoride]

I wouldn't hold my breath. MVCI has made it clear on their earning call that they do not plan to get in the real estate business.
Right now based on performance, they are doing fine with what they have as far as inventory and sales.
They can feed the sales/PR machine with new "explorer" announcements and more RC integration for another year or two.

Remember with a points based system, all those crappy summer weeks in the Desert and other off season are still points for them to sell.

Rt,
My "crappy summer week in the desert" (bought resale) just got me a trade to the Marriott Aruba Surf Club in May. Regardless of how "disappointed" some of you here are in the lack of new locations and properties for MVC the fact remains that these resorts are the most coveted in II and still retain great trade value.

As for hints at new plans, I just spoke to my Marriott Sales rep, whom I bought from 6 years ago and always keep In touch with when I'm at Singer Island. This was not in any sales presentation. He said that MVCI is looking to offer large luxury homes in resort areas (think Inspirito like) in th future. This is in response to owners who Want to travel in large parties, multi families, etc. that current resorts can't easily accomodate. Owners could pool their points to stay in these homes (5 or more bedrooms). This is a great idea in my opinion without laying out more money to join Inspirito, or pay to rent these great homes in resort areas.
I am confident that MVCI is not resting on their laurels and is always considering ways to enhance their offerings to owners. If you're not going to do it right, why bother rushing to do it at all?

 

[kds4]

Rt,
My "crappy summer week in the desert" (bought resale) just got me a trade to the Marriott Aruba Surf Club in May. Regardless of how "disappointed" some of you here are in the lack of new locations and properties for MVC the fact remains that these resorts are the most coveted in II and still retain great trade value.

As for hints at new plans, I just spoke to my Marriott Sales rep, whom I bought from 6 years ago and always keep In touch with when I'm at Singer Island. This was not in any sales presentation. He said that MVCI is looking to offer large luxury homes in resort areas (think Inspirito like) in th future. This is in response to owners who Want to travel in large parties, multi families, etc. that current resorts can't easily accomodate. Owners could pool their points to stay in these homes (5 or more bedrooms). This is a great idea in my opinion without laying out more money to join Inspirito, or pay to rent these great homes in resort areas.
I am confident that MVCI is not resting on their laurels and is always considering ways to enhance their offerings to owners. If you're not going to do it right, why bother rushing to do it at all?

This would be consistent with recent Wyndham activities. While in Myrtle Beach over New Year's, we were shown a 'neighborhood' of single family homes that Wyndham points owners can redeem into (instead of staying in one of the traditional beach front high rises) during a 4 hour sales pitch.

 

[SueDonJ]

Rt,
My "crappy summer week in the desert" (bought resale) just got me a trade to the Marriott Aruba Surf Club in May. Regardless of how "disappointed" some of you here are in the lack of new locations and properties for MVC the fact remains that these resorts are the most coveted in II and still retain great trade value.

As for hints at new plans, I just spoke to my Marriott Sales rep, whom I bought from 6 years ago and always keep In touch with when I'm at Singer Island. This was not in any sales presentation. He said that MVCI is looking to offer large luxury homes in resort areas (think Inspirito like) in th future. This is in response to owners who Want to travel in large parties, multi families, etc. that current resorts can't easily accomodate. Owners could pool their points to stay in these homes (5 or more bedrooms). This is a great idea in my opinion without laying out more money to join Inspirito, or pay to rent these great homes in resort areas.
I am confident that MVCI is not resting on their laurels and is always considering ways to enhance their offerings to owners. If you're not going to do it right, why bother rushing to do it at all?

Branching out with luxury homes would be consistent with the latest poll that was sent out to "TOP. Travelers Opinion Panel" members. Here's the TUG thread about it.

I'd like to see them finish the build-outs that were in the plans before the economy tanked and they suspended all their pending projects. A couple of them have since restarted but not all. As far as brand new ground-up projects that conform to the traditional model of MVC properties, I don't think we'll see any until they've at least experimented with all of the various DC Explorer Club options that have been hinted at and/or talked about in their earnings calls.

My favorite at the outset was the idea of converting floors in existing hotels to timeshare units but I still can't figure out how MVW can own something in buildings that are only managed, not owned, by MI. What happens when/if the hotel owners switch to a non-Marriott manager? (Maybe the answers can be found in the relationship already in place with the affiliated properties in the A-P segment?)

 

[MALC9990]

Branching out with luxury homes would be consistent with the latest poll that was sent out to "TOP. Travelers Opinion Panel" members. Here's the TUG thread about it.

I'd like to see them finish the build-outs that were in the plans before the economy tanked and they suspended all their pending projects. A couple of them have since restarted but not all. As far as brand new ground-up projects that conform to the traditional model of MVC properties, I don't think we'll see any until they've at least experimented with all of the various DC Explorer Club options that have been hinted at and/or talked about in their earnings calls.

My favorite at the outset was the idea of converting floors in existing hotels to timeshare units but I still can't figure out how MVW can own something in buildings that are only managed, not owned, by MI. What happens when/if the hotel owners switch to a non-Marriott manager? (Maybe the answers can be found in the relationship already in place with the affiliated properties in the A-P segment?)

Sue

There are no converted hotel properties in AP as far as I am aware. The Phuket beach Club property is owned by a local Marriott Affiliate, the co-located JW Marriott is owned by a Thai conglomerate that also operates its own hotel chain - Anantara. Mai Khao Beach Club property is wholly owned by MVCI Asia Pacific and there are weeks owned at Ko Olina beach Club, Waiohai beach Club and Grand Chateau as well as units in the Empire Place Condo in Bangkok. So all these properties have clear Marriott Vacation Club ownership. More likely in AP would be the development of a resort co-located with a hotel perhaps. Bali is always being mentioned but never seems to arrive.

 

[BocaBoy]

The three palms are some of the first Marriott purpose built timeshares. Sabal was the first. I don't know if the other two were the next or if they moved on to other areas in between.

These properties don't have the resort feel like the new larger properties. They certainly can't change the architecture of the buildings. I think there are even a raised or sunken living rooms in the villas at one of these properties. That certainly isn't how new villas are built, but it certainly wouldn't be an easy thing to change.

Sabal was the first and Royal was the second. Imperial came sometime later, I am not sure exactly when. We bought at Sabal before it actually opened and when we bought, the construction on Royal had just started.

By the way, Sabal is the one with the sunken living room. I believe it is a single step down, perhaps two.

 

[mjm1]

Interesting. DSV 1 where we own is the only other Marriott where I have seen a sunken living room. My guess is that construction is more expensive, and perhaps not as flexible, so they stopped building them that way.

Mike

 

[taffy19]

All,

I'm puzzled by the lack of announcements from Marriott regarding expansion. Marriott is supposed to the pure-play vacation/lifestyle company, and yet I see the creativity/leadership coming from Wyndham and HGVC.

Both of those companies continue a steady advancement of new properties and, in Wyndham's instance, cross-pollination between its two timeshare networks (Wyndham and Worldmark). Even Worldmark is announcing new locations, after a couple year hiatus, by collaborating with a third party-timeshare system (Raintree).

Where are the upgraded units (Presidential Units?) Wyndham
Who is taking over existing buildings and converting to timeshares? HGVC
Who is absorbing up-scale/nicer existing timeshares? Worldmark
Who is constructing new properties? HGVC and Wyndham

I'm still happy to see the integration of RCDC into MVC -- and perhaps that's what Marriott would point to as new product offering --- but I'm intrigued they've avoided the four expansion opportunities noted above.

Best,

Greg

I heard from a local Maui broker, who is highly regarded by TUG members, that the Westin in Maui is going to break ground next to their existing resort but what they will build is not known yet.

Hilton will build a resort in Kihei with panoramic ocean views so I am curious what the Marriott will announce they will do and how soon? They cannot stay behind.

I also heard that the Hyatt brand is going to add more resorts as that was part of the sales agreement with ILG.

I like the idea of converting a few hotel rooms to timeshare condos in some of the old hotels in prime locations in the old cities (Capitals) of Europe or even in the USA like New York or San Francisco.