Exchanging to Hawaii lots of questions...

[Laurabearz]

We are toying with doing in 2007. Ideally we would love to do two weeks. One on Maui at the Marriott's Maui Ocean Club and the second on Oahu at the Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club.

I know the Marriott Ocean is sweet... is the Ko Olina on par with it??

We are open for any two weeks during summer vacation. I am guessing I would have to secure one and then try and get the other one on either side of the first. Or is there a way to link them.

Which of those two resorts do you feel would be the harder to book anytime between the end of June to early August?

How far in advance can you summit your request?

Thanks bunches!!

 

[Laurabearz]

Ugh... been reading up... seems I want the two most popular hotels at the most popular time....

We really want to do two weeks (time change and all) and would prefer both on points.... any suggestions.

We want what everyone else wants... great pool (slide is important but not a deal breaker), beach front, 2 bedroom, air conditioning.

 

[Cinderella]

Laura - I would go on the waitlist for any time during summer 07 and see what happens. I waitlisted for October this year and was offered a resort on Kaui then a resort on Maui within about a week - these weren't Marriott's tho. Why don't you waitlist for the Marriott's and then if you don't get them by a few months before you go, you could start adding other resorts.

I spoke to a man yesterday who went to Marriott Maui Ocean last year and he absolutely loved it - but he paid cash - over 600 dollars per night!!!

 

[Caskbill]

We actually took the sales tour for the Ko Olina resort a couple of years ago. It's definitely the best Marriott in Hawaii, and could easily be the best MVC resort in their whole system. If I recall, purchases for a 1-week stay in a 2-B/R started at about $30,000 and went up from there depending on exact week and view.

IMO, even trading Disney points, it's going to be tough to get anything at the Ko Olina.

As for the Ocean Club, we actually stayed there for a few days. It's very nice, and the pool area is great. It may be tough to get anything there either.

I don't recall seeing water slides at either resort, but they might have had some small ones I didn't notice. Remember, Hawaii is mostly oriented toward adult travelers, not families or children. You won't see any high emphasis for children't activities such as you would at Disney.

 

[Laurabearz]

I guess we will file this under a dream Eh???

Most II properties you can request a year out? Is that right? So if I want anything between begining of June to the Middle of August can I can each week during that time frame to add it into the search... can I just can all the begining they will add each week for me?

Would each request cost $75? Or is that only when the match has been made??

 

[disneydenisel]

I have heard that even Marriott owners have a hard time getting into Hawaii (especially Maui), so if you are really serious about staying at those two resorts during the peak summer season, then you might be better off renting your points and using the money to rent the timeshares there. I don't think that you would be able to get two 2-bedrooms for your exchange, but you might be able to rent one two-bedroom from an owner. The other option would be a private exchange. Try and find an owner at each resort who would want to go to DVC. Still another option would be a private exchange company like SFX (I would guess that some of them take DVC, it's so popular!)

We own at the Westin timeshare there, and a one-bedroom there can rent out for $1800-2800 a night, depending on the season. The 2-bedrooms can go for as little as $3000, but during high season, maybe more. I would imagine that the Maui Ocean Club has comparable rental rates (from owners, rack rates are more). I think Ko'Olina would be somewhat less. Maybe you can get two 1-bedrooms instead?

We have been going to Maui with our kids since they were born. We spend most of the time at the beaches, in the pools, and exploring the island. We never get bored, but it certainly is a different vacation than WDW. There are a lot of families with kids there, a lot of them from California because it is so close.

Best of luck with your trip planning. If you haven't already looked at www.tugbbs.com, you might browse there on some of the forums that deal with Marriott, Hawaii and Exchanging.

 

[llp479]

We own at Ko'Olina. It's a beautiful resort, and preferable in some respects to Maui. Maui is a converted hotel, and does not have full kitchens or washer/dryer. It is a tough trade even for MVC owners, but I was able to trade Grande Vista in Orlando for a 2 bdrm in June, booking our Ko'Olina week following. Now I can't find decent airfare from anywhere near Chicago. As Ko'Olina is new, and still under construction, you might have an easier time getting in here. It's only 22% sold, according to the letter we got last week.

I would also add MVC's Waiohai to my list of HI properties. It's on Kauai and is on Poipu Beach. No water slide, but the property is beautiful. All dedicated 2 bdrms, and also new, so not sold out, which means MVC will sometimes deposit "developer" weeks with II.

II will let you request a block of weeks. I requested weeks from the beginning of June to the middle of August. MVC properties are a tough trade because MVC owners have a 21 day window over other owners. So if a HI property is deposited with II, for the first 21 days, only a MVC owner will be able to make the trade. The other issue is that Ko'Olina is a lock-off, and most owners will not deposit a full 2 bdrm. Since Waiohai are dedicated 2's, that's all you will see with II.

Marriott's web-site will have pictures of all the resorts.

 

[Dean]

I guess we will file this under a dream Eh???

Most II properties you can request a year out? Is that right? So if I want anything between begining of June to the Middle of August can I can each week during that time frame to add it into the search... can I just can all the begining they will add each week for me?

Would each request cost $75? Or is that only when the match has been made??

Yes, each would be $75. And you'd have to take one without knowing if you'd get the other. Maui will be harder so one approach would be to only search for it until you matched then add the other. Another approach is to look for both until you find one that works then adjust your request accordingly. You can actually search for 2 years out but the earliest any weeks will start showing up is 13 months out. If you'll be attempting to use FF miles, this may be more important to you and can usually be done at 330 days out for most companies. If that is the case, once you get your flights, you can adjust your exchange requests accordingly. I'd suggest you consider adding the Kauai Marriott's, Westin on Maui and the Embassy on Maui and possibly Kauai.

 

[Scotch]

2BR Maui will be really tough because they are lockoffs and almost all Marriott Maui owners who exchanges will split the week to deposit two weeks into II or rent/use one week and deposit the other. With m/fs on 2BRs costing $$$, that is one way to maximize the value. If you really want the resort I suggest you consider whether a 1BR will suit you as well.

 

[Bama Penguin]

I was able to exchange into Marriott Ko Olina in September of 2004. Was on waiting list for 4-6 months. I jumped at the offer of a small studio (had a microwave and refrig) for fear of not getting anything if I held out. Did seven nights at Ko Olina and two additional nights at Mauna Lani on the Big Island as a side trip to visit the volcanoes.

Obviously the key is being real flexible in when to go and what accommodations will work for you.

The Ko Olina is real nice, comparable to DVC property. No slide at the pool from what I remember. Somewhat remote in that it is 20 miles back to Honolulu.

 

[Dean]

I was able to exchange into Marriott Ko Olina in September of 2004. Was on waiting list for 4-6 months. I jumped at the offer of a small studio (had a microwave and refrig) for fear of not getting anything if I held out. Did seven nights at Ko Olina and two additional nights at Mauna Lani on the Big Island as a side trip to visit the volcanoes.

Obviously the key is being real flexible in when to go and what accommodations will work for you.

The Ko Olina is real nice, comparable to DVC property. No slide at the pool from what I remember. Somewhat remote in that it is 20 miles back to Honolulu.

Marriott tends to do developer deposits, unlike DVC. This means that resorts being built and not sold out can be gotten somewhat more easily than if they were sold out and you were relying on the members themselves to deposit.

 

[jmatias]

Laura,

Another option may be a direct exchange with a Marriott owner. Over on the TUG board there is a direct exchange section under the classified ads. Maybe you could swap a DVC reservation with a Hawaii owner.

You are correct in that you are asking for the hardest to book weeks and 2 bedroom units also...you never see those online with Interval. I'm a Marriott Maui owner and I even had a hard time booking my home resort week

Good luck with your plans!

 

[Laurabearz]

Laura,

Another option may be a direct exchange with a Marriott owner. Over on the TUG board there is a direct exchange section under the classified ads. Maybe you could swap a DVC reservation with a Hawaii owner.

You are correct in that you are asking for the hardest to book weeks and 2 bedroom units also...you never see those online with Interval. I'm a Marriott Maui owner and I even had a hard time booking my home resort week

Good luck with your plans!

I am nervous about direct exchanges... long way from home if something gets messed up..... although I ahve been offered the Westin from a DISer.... just no time to reserch it or the other resorts mentioned in this thread....

I also want to look into cash prices, and renting out points to cover it...

So many options. Thanks so much for the imput, it helps.

 

[Scotch]

I am nervous about direct exchanges... long way from home if something gets messed up..... although I ahve been offered the Westin from a DISer.... just no time to reserch it or the other resorts mentioned in this thread....

I also want to look into cash prices, and renting out points to cover it...

So many options. Thanks so much for the imput, it helps.

Join TUG -- free to use BBS but for the $15 (?) fee you can access the TUG Reviews and just spend time reading them to help you pick resorts. Must easier than reading through various BBS threads. I find those reviews invaluable when planning exchanges.

 

[kaw1106]

Laurabearz,

My parent own at Marriott Ocean Club in Maui, they are taking 14 of us(Kids and grandkids) this June. They had to get a 2nd 2 br and that was difficult to do, and they own 3 other Marriott Vacation club properties. My parents were told when they bought that it is one of the most sought after properties Marriott has.

If your heart is set on that you might have to try TUG and do a direct exchange.

I wish you well

Kathleen

 

[littlestar]

The Westin Kaanapali Villas are awesome. They have a pool slide. I also think you would have access to the Westin hotel facilities/pool via shuttle if I remember correctly. Disneydenisel, did I get that right? I know you're an owner there on Maui at the Westin villas. I walked down to the Westin Kaanapali Villas last April while on Maui and snorkeled out in front of the Westin villas at the beach there (saw turtles and lots of tropical fish) - great beach, by the way:

http://www.westinkaanapali.com/pr_photos.htm#

Also, Embassy Suites Maui has a nice pool with slide:

http://www.mauiembassy.com/