Hawaii trade for DVC?

[leslieh]

We are thinking about trading pts. for Oahu Timeshare for this summer. Any information would be great if you have done this before or a similar transfer. Would I be better off selling points and paying for place in Hawaii. We have two years of points to use, 1 year banked.

 

[spiceycat]

call MS now and see what they have for your time period.

If nothing - then you need to decide if you want to just rent your points - or get on their list.

 

[bongo59]

Oahu is not worth any DVC trade in my opinion............you can get places on oahu dirt cheap for cash..............if you want to do hawaii do it via DVC on the big island at the mauna lani resort..............it is fabulous and we have done it every yr for the last 3...........my wife wanted to do oahu this yr and we did and she said never again............the value is not worth it.......mauna lani bungalows are a true huge benefit that more DVCers should use.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We are thinking about trading pts. for Oahu Timeshare for this summer. Any information would be great if you have done this before or a similar transfer. Would I be better off selling points and paying for place in Hawaii. We have two years of points to use, 1 year banked.

The only Oahu timeshare resort on DVC's World Passport Collection list is Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Resort, near Kapolei. If you would could get a 7-night stay in a 1BR for 160 points, you would be getting an excellent value for your DVC points. (The resort also has studios and 2BRs.) The Ko Olina Beach Resort has received very favorable reviews.

The Ko Olina Beach Resort is not in Waikiki. It's on the opposite side of the city of Honolulu. In some ways, it will feel like staying at resort on another island, but, with a rental car, the many attractions of Ohau are available to you.

If you're thinking about summer 2005, you're almost certainly too late. There are probably many other owners of high quality timeshares who have requests pending for summer 2005 at the Ko Olina Beach Resort -- and a fair number of those requests have probably been pending since 2003. As Ko Olina owners deposit weeks with I.I., some of those pending requests will be filled. The demand will exceed the supply, so many requests will go unfilled. (And the Marriott owner priority works against those who are trying to trade non-Marriott timeshares.)

We haven't stayed at Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Resort yet, but I successfully arranged a trade into a Ko Olina 2BR using a Marriott timeshare week that I own. I made the request almost two years before my requested stay, and the exchange cleared 12 months before the check-in date.

Oahu is not worth any DVC trade in my opinion............you can get places on oahu dirt cheap for cash..............if you want to do hawaii do it via DVC on the big island at the mauna lani resort.

High quality resorts in Hawaii charge high prices. That's true of Oahu or any of the other islands. Yes, there are some cheaper places several blocks back from the beach on Waikiki, but you get what you pay for.

You certainly can't get Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Resort "dirt cheap for cash," nor can you get the adjacent J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort "dirt cheap for cash."

With the Concierge Collection, at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel on the Big Island, a standard view room is 50 points per night, a garden view room is 61 points per night, and an ocean view room is 81 points per night. That works out to 350 points, 427 points, or 567 points, respectively, for a 7-night stay. I'm sure it's a fine hotel, but it doesn't seem like a good use of points to me -- especially for a hotel room instead of a multi-room vacation condo.

 

[jekjones1558]

Oahu is not worth any DVC trade in my opinion............you can get places on oahu dirt cheap for cash..............if you want to do hawaii do it via DVC on the big island at the mauna lani resort..............it is fabulous and we have done it every yr for the last 3...........my wife wanted to do oahu this yr and we did and she said never again............the value is not worth it.......mauna lani bungalows are a true huge benefit that more DVCers should use.

When we used points to stay at the Mauna Lani, we were in the hotel, not the bungalows. The room was nice but certainly nothing in comparison to the private bungalows that house the likes of Celine Dion. Did you stay in the bungalows? How'd you do it?

 

[Dean]

The Marriott is quite a ways away, more like the other side of the island, not just the city. It is very nice by report and I wouldn't hesitate to stay there but it is not in Waikiki so one might want to stay there for a couple of days in addition. Renting a timeshare in Waikiki might be a good option as well.

 

[TnRobin]

Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Resort is a beautiful resort. We saw it when we did the Paradise Cove Luau this summer. It is probably a 25-35 minute drive to Waikiki Beach (If there is no traffic in Honolulu). I agree that a stay here would have the peacefulness of an "other island" stay, but the convience of an Oahu stay. It will also put you within a nice drive of the Dole Pineapple Plantation and the North Shore.

We did a private trade with owners at the Hilton Hawaiian Village - part of the Hilton Grand Vacation Club. It was wonderful. It is the only resort on Waikiki Beach I would consider staying at. It is at the west side of the beach away from the hub-bub. It also has the largest beach of the Waikiki hotels. It is about a 15 minute walk from the Hilton to the international market and the Royal Hawaiian Mall. This resort has both hotel rooms and condos.

If you do Oahu - do not miss the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet. Ask your hotel desk for the dates.

Also I agree with the availability of 2005. 3 months ago, we had to cancel a II trade and asked to rebook in Hawaii 2005. The only availability at that time was for the Kona Coast (on Hawaii) for December 2005. Of course there are always last minute cancellations - good luck.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The Marriott is quite a ways away, more like the other side of the island, not just the city.

Please look at the map of Oahu at http://www.bestofhawaii.com/maps/images/oahu.jpg

The map shows Waikiki Beach (southeast of Honolulu Airport) and Ko Olina (west of Honolulu Airport). Ko Olina is not "more like the other side of the island." The area between Waikiki Beach and Ko Olina is the city of Honolulu and her suburbs. The traffic can be nasty during commute hours, but not so bad at other times.

Some people love Waikiki; some people hate it. It depends on how you feel about a very dense collection of highrise buildings with relatively small, crowded beaches. I happen to like Waikiki.

For our upcoming trip, I'm sure we'll take a day trip to Waikiki one day. But we'll spend a lot more time enjoying the lagoons at Ko Olina and visiting some of the attractions around Oahu. Some of those attractions are closer to Waikiki, but others are closer to Ko Olina.

 

[TnRobin]

Horace, Thanks for the map. The Honolulu Airport is on the east side of Pearl Harbor. Honolulu lies further east from the airport. Iolani Palace reference is where Honolulu lies. Having been there recently, I will agree with you that Wakiki and Honolulu are very congested. But Barber Point and Ko Olina are very quiet Most of the traffic from Honolulu and Waikiki head up the interstate (H-2) toward North Shore and totally bypass Ko Olina.

The Marriott Ko Olina is located on the west shore of Oahu. Which brings up another thing about this resort. Since it is on the far southwest side of the island, the sunsets are spectacular.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The Honolulu Airport is on the east side of Pearl Harbor. Honolulu lies further east from the airport. Iolani Palace reference is where Honolulu lies. Having been there recently, I will agree with you that Wakiki and Honolulu are very congested. But Barber Point and Ko Olina are very quiet Most of the traffic from Honolulu and Waikiki head up the interstate (H-2) toward North Shore and totally bypass Ko Olina.

You make a good point that downtown Honolulu is located where the map has the label for Iolani Palace. Also, Waikiki is actually a neighborhood within the city limits of Honolulu.

I posted the map to clarify my original comment that the Ko Olina Beach Resort "is not in Waikiki" and that "it's on the opposite side of the city of Honolulu." I was not just referring to downtown, but to the whole built-up city area that stretches to Pearl City and beyond. I think Dean was trying to make the point that Ko Olina is not right on the other side of downtown -- but I was concerned that Dean's choice of words could lead a reader to believe that Ko Olina is really on the other side of Oahu (which Ko Olina is not).

 

[bongo59]

we visited Ko Olina twice in the last two yrs and truthfully i was not impressed. To go to oahu most want to stay on waikiki or on the northshore at the bonsaipipline. You cant rent houses up there for about 1000 bucks a week. Oahu is also a very small island that can be circumnavigated easily in a day but Ko Olina is located on the far western shore where the highway can not pass to the north shore due to the high spike volcanic mountains in this area..........there is also a national forest there. You have to go back to the mid portion of the island on H2 and bisect it heading north past the dole plantation. I will say for 160 points it would be worth it for cetain folks. If your kids want to surf forget it. Western shore has few waves. North shore in the winter is for expert only and waikiki anyone can surf yr round right on the beach...............It is a good drive away from waikiki and the only time there is not traffic is at night time. If you stay there you will be isolated for night life. that may or may not be a benefit. Most who go to Oahu go because it has the bigtime nightlife of a large city. We did stay at the bungalows and had a private chef and butler on points. it cost us but 342 points and we got it because the mauna lani staff booked us into an overbooked rooms and did not tell the management until two days before we arrived with our party of 8 in three rooms. The only place to put us all in was the bungalows and it was jawdropping.................i would recommend it highly to anyone who stays north of Kona............and the golf is to die for..............

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The only place to put us all in was the bungalows and it was jawdropping.................i would recommend it highly to anyone who stays north of Kona............and the golf is to die for..............

Congratulations on being put into the bungalows! That's great.

The Concierge Collection chart for the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Big Island is only for hotel rooms, not for suites or bungalows. I'm sure that the rooms are extremely nice hotel rooms with fancy bathrooms and twice-daily housekeeping -- but one of the big reasons we're in DVC is because we like vacation condos with a living room, kitchen, and washer/dryer.

 

[Dean]

Please look at the map of Oahu at http://www.bestofhawaii.com/maps/images/oahu.jpg

The map shows Waikiki Beach (southeast of Honolulu Airport) and Ko Olina (west of Honolulu Airport). Ko Olina is not "more like the other side of the island." The area between Waikiki Beach and Ko Olina is the city of Honolulu and her suburbs. The traffic can be nasty during commute hours, but not so bad at other times.

Some people love Waikiki; some people hate it. It depends on how you feel about a very dense collection of highrise buildings with relatively small, crowded beaches. I happen to like Waikiki.

For our upcoming trip, I'm sure we'll take a day trip to Waikiki one day. But we'll spend a lot more time enjoying the lagoons at Ko Olina and visiting some of the attractions around Oahu. Some of those attractions are closer to Waikiki, but others are closer to Ko Olina.

It's out well past Barber's Points and toward Waianae. Some times of the day it can easily be an hour or more drive, even longer during rush hour. It's in an area long regarded as not the best area to be in though I hear that things have changed somewhat. When I lived there it could easily take me an hour and a half to drive the 12 miles to home in Kanaohe.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It's out well past Barber's Points and toward Waianae. Some times of the day it can easily be an hour or more drive, even longer during rush hour.

I agree. If someone's goal is to visit Waikiki daily, Ko Olina is not a good place to stay. But Oahu has a great deal more to offer than just Waikiki.

 

[bongo59]

waianae is still the oahu slum area............when driving to ko olina you pass through it and it sure dampens your spirt when going..........the funny thing is when you go with the marriott guides they take you off H2 so you dont see it..........but it make the trip there 15 minutes longer.............the beaches their are very rocky and ko olina has been dredged several times to bring in the good sand from the south shore of the island

 

[lat]

I just signed paper to buy Marriott Ko Olina with Marriott directly. I was really looking forward to our visit in 2006. On Tug, Ko Olina gets GREAT reviews, and people love the man made lagoons. This is the first time that I read these criticisms. I certainly hope TUG is right. I was told Ritz Carlton will be building there, along with Four Seasons.

The Ko Olina is next to a JW Marriott which has a Roy's in there. I would assume this area must be changing and will get better and better.

 

[Dean]

I just signed paper to buy Marriott Ko Olina with Marriott directly. I was really looking forward to our visit in 2006. On Tug, Ko Olina gets GREAT reviews, and people love the man made lagoons. This is the first time that I read these criticisms. I certainly hope TUG is right. I was told Ritz Carlton will be building there, along with Four Seasons.

The Ko Olina is next to a JW Marriott which has a Roy's in there. I would assume this area must be changing and will get better and better.

I think the area has improved and the really rough areas are farther out still. I hear the resort is beatiful so I wouldn't worry if it fits your needs otherwise.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

waianae is still the oahu slum area............when driving to ko olina you pass through it and it sure dampens your spirt when going.

Please look at a map of Oahu. Waianae is around 10 miles beyond Ko Olina. You do not pass through Waianae when driving to Ko Olina from the airport or from Waikiki. In fact, there's no reason to drive through Waianae for any reason because HI-93 West does not go to any real attractions, and HI-93 does not connect to the North Shore.

Are you perhaps thinking of a different timeshare complex or hotel?

For more about Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, see http://marriott.com/property/propertypage/HNLKO

On Tug, Ko Olina gets GREAT reviews, and people love the man made lagoons. This is the first time that I read these criticisms.

Please notice that only one poster in this thread, bongo59, is criticizing Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club. And, based on bongo59's comments about the location (including how a salesperson accessed the resort from H-2), it seems that bongo59 might be thinking of a non-Marriott resort in Makaha instead.

To bring this topic back to DVC, I remain convinced that if a DVCer can get a 1BR at the Ko Olina Beach Club for 160 points, it would be a very good use of DVC points -- as long as the DVCer plans to have rental car and is not expecting to be in Waikiki.

 

[aero99]

I have arranged a private trade into Ko Olina for this July. I picked it because it was away from waikiki! We like to relax during vacations and Ko Olina sounded like a nice quite spot with a wonderful beach. We rented a 2-bedroom penthouse (just means higher floor) unit. I will definitely give a full report when we get back.

BTW, I went with a private trade because I heard it is next to impossible to get a 2-bedroom via trading (also I saved 60 pts since it cost 2100 and I just rented out 210 pts).

Melissa

 

[lat]

Thanks for all your advices.

Melissa, how did you arrange for a private trade?

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!