Any recommendations for a resort exchange in Hawaii

[workingmom]

DH and I have decided to take the family (2 girls ages 4 and 5) to Hawaii next Christmas through an interval international exchange. I noticed that there are so many resorts available to us through the exchange! Does anybody have any thoughts or recommendations as to which resort may be best for a family with two young girls? Any ideas about kids programs? We have never exchanged before and are in unfamiliar territory. Thanks!

 

[rbuzzotta]

Workingmom...............you read my mind.

I have a thread over at the Community board about Hawaii with children.....lots of wonderful advice.

It is expensive and dianeschlitch suggested an exchange since we are DVC members too!! However, I havent' got a clue as to how...........

Asking DVC veterans for help in exchanges too!!!

Thanks

 

[danicaw]

We stayed at the Kona Coast resort on the Big Island in 2001.

We traded a non-DVC timeshare for the week but this resort does trade with both II and RCI.

We have a few pics of the unit (which was actually a part of Phase I) on our website with a day by day trip report. You can click on the thumbnails to see bigger pics. The only ones of the unit are on that first page.
http://www.thatswright.com/BigIsland/index.htm

We enjoyed the resort as well as the island. Have fun planning, and let us know when you end up going.

 

[Dean]

There really aren't that many choices and only about half are up to DVC standards. You're OK with KCR, the Marriott's and maybe Hanalei Bay but the rest are a little below standards and/or not in good places comparatively. Look for a direct exchange and investigate the specific resorts you're interested in. Consider an independent exchange company where you have access to additional quality resorts (like the Embassy resorts, Whaler, Westin, Hilton) and/or can trade a 1 BR and have a change of getting a 2 BR. What else do you want to know.

 

[Lisa P.]

You've gotten some good advice above. I would add, that since you are seeking Christmas week (very high demand), it would be wise to make your request as soon as possible. Many people deposit their weeks with the exchange companies right after they pay their annual maint fees (Dec/Jan). Christmas weeks will be taken first. And Christmas week airfare may become pricier by early spring so you may want to secure your accommodations before then, if possible.

It may be worth considering, to make a back-up reservation with a hotel or rental condo, which can be cancelled later without penalty, if you are able to secure your exchange accommodations. Wish you well!

 

[Dean]

Now that I have more time, I can expand on my thoughts. I agree with Lisa to plan early. To me early is more than 12 months out. All of the resorts on the DVC list and several that are in II but not on the list would be acceptable to me. That doesn't mean that I'd consider them a fair exchange using my DVC so each one would need to look at the situation and make the best choice for them. I'd stay at all of the choices on the DVC list but would only consider an EVEN exchange using DVC for the ones I mentioned plus the Embassy, Westing and Hilton. One issue with KCR and the Bay club (now Hilton) is that they are relatively easily available so even though they might be good resorts, they may not be the best use of points as you could likely get them cheaper than the value of the points exchanged.

I would suggest the air fare is far more costly than the room for a family so getting the cheapest prices or using FF miles is likely the most important choice. Therefore taking Lisa's advice and securing your flights and a backup rental or hotel might be the best. One might also talk to San francisco Exchange Company and Trading Places and independent exchange companies that do well in HI. They would also have potential access to the RCI options as well. If you can trade for exactly what you want early, there is a value in that. We had our units secured and FF flights by 11 months out for a trip this past summer and were thrilled. Four FF tickets, 2 concurrent 1 BR units at the Embassy on Maui and a 2 BR at the Embassy on Kauai. We did not use DVC for exchange though and I'm glad we didn't.

A direct exchange still might be the best option as you can know exactly what and when you're getting. There's no reason not to pursue multiple options at this point as long as none of them will lock you in.

 

[glewis1123]

My brother owns a timeshare at the Mariott's Maui Ocean Club - it's in the Kaanapali area on Maui. We went with him last summer and it is a beautiful resort - has wonderful pool facilities incl slides and is on the beach. It is on our exchange list.
He bought into a 2bedroom - oceanfront and paid $45K for it 3 years ago when the timeshare units were first being built.

I don't think you'd be disappointed in this resort.

 

[downontheBW]

I have an ad on Timeshare Users Group to trade my BWV for Hawaii in 2004. I just received an email today from someone who would like to trade their 2BR at Marriott's Waiohai on Poipu Beach, Kauai for a BWV 2BR in April 2004. This is probably a great property - it doesn't even open until spring 2003. Since it's just DH and me, we only want a studio so I'll have to turn this one down.

If it falls through, is anyone interested? I don't feel that I should post their email address here but I could pass your information along to them.

 

[links4]

We are the owners of the 2BR/2BA (sleeps 8) Marriott Waiohai timeshare referred to by downontheBW. We are interested in doing a direct exchange with DVC owners for a 2BR Boardwalk Villas the week of April 3 or 4, 2004.

As the Waiohai is new, I can't vouch for the property yet (we're going this April). However, I can tell you that it is located right on the ocean on Poipu Beach in Kauai and is near many restaurants and shopping.

 

[KANSAS]

I am interested in trading a week
2 bedroom 2 bath at BeACH CLUB VILLA
4
a
2 bedroom 2 bath at MARRIOTT ON POIPU BEACH
Please email me at
jpb@sutv.com

 

[Dean]

I've seen the property and it should be very nice when finished. Phase 2 should be pretty close to completion by then. The newer Marriott's tend to be top notch. I think this is a fair trade as long as either the DVC member needs a 2 BR or the HI owner were willing to accept either a smaller unit or less than 7 days. The Kauai Marriott has studios and 1 BR units and is not that difficult to get with a top trader right now, especially in direct exchange.

 

[fkj2]

When you refer to a "direct exchange", do you mean listing it with TUG?

 

[downontheBW]

fkj2,

I'm not Dean, but... Yes, a direct exchange would be mean just between 2 parties - the owners, with no 3rd party exchange company (II, RCI, SFX, etc.). The TUG is what brings folks together to enable direct exchanges.

I know that the existing Kauai Marriott near Lihue (that Dean was referring to - please correct me if I'm wrong) has studios, 1BR & 2BR - the new Marriott Waiohai is the second Marriott timeshare on the island of Kauai. The Marriott site (www.vacationclub.com) states that the accommodations at Waiohai are 2BRs but it doesn't mention that they are lockoffs. The information doesn't look complete/up-to-date so there may also 1BR and studios available. Dean probably has that info though.

 

[links4]

Just to clarify... as downontheBW stated, the Marriott Waiohai is a brand new property and only has 2 br units, no lockoffs. Dean is correct that Marriott's Kauai Beach Club has lockoffs, smaller units -- also the kitchens are only partial (small refrigerator, microwave, no oven/stove). But Waiohai has a full kitchen, large 2 br units, sleeps 8 people.... I have only seen the property during construction, so I'm not qualified to compare it to the Disney properties, but I think that a 2 br DVC Disney would be a comparable trade to 2 br Waiohai.

 

[kem330]

links4- do you have flexibility with weeks- we want to go next Christmas or NY's and I have points at BWV and BCV that I would be willing to trade. Email me: kem330@aol.com

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by fkj2
When you refer to a "direct exchange", do you mean listing it with TUG?

There are a few other places for direct exchanges but TUG is the only one I've used personally at least for non Marriott exchanges. Any one that's an owner might be a possible contact for a direct exchange.