Just back from Maui - Thanks Dean

[Chameleon]

Just stayed at the Embassy Suites in Maui on Dean's recommendation. It was great. We traded through Interval International. We made a request for the Marriott, Westin or Embassy Suites in April and we were notified in July that it was available for 160 points.

We were given a room on the second floor and were able to see the water from our balcony. We were able to see the whales from the balcony. The room was large and had a microwave, separate shower, soaking tub and a medium sized fridge.

The hotel was on the beach and had two pools, one with a slide and a hot tub. My two sons age 5 and 2 loved the slide. They each were allowed to go down by themselves and they loved it. The hotel was very nice and we would definitely stay there again.

Thanks for the great advice Dean.

 

[momsgoofy]

Sounds like a great relaxing trip!!

Was it difficult to make all of the arrangements? We just purchased our DVC and Hawaii is one of the places we absolutely plan to use it for so any information you could share would be appreciated!

Thanks!
Laura ºoº

 

[Doug Wolfe]

Thanks for making this post. I look forward to doing Hawaii at some point too. I want all the details I can get. Dean of course is a great wealth of information.

I would like to take the whole family, but my wife insists this will be a mom & dad trip only, when we finally go. We'll probably go in 2006 or 2007. This year it's Hilton Head!

 

[Dean]

I'm glad it worked out for you. I always worry when making recommendations that someone else's situation or experience will give them a different outcome than I expect. You mentioned in the other thread that is was a regular hotel room. I assume you mean a regular suite type hotel room with a separate LR and well equipped mini kitchen. We stayed there back in 2002 using two concurrent weeks which we got on exchange through San Francisco Exchange. We were higher up but overlooking the star market. That was OK as the only real requests we had were NS and the units as close as possible. I had hoped they would give us a 2 BR instead of the two 1 BR but I can see how most places don't operate that way but I did ask.

I had wondered how II would do getting deposits as it's been RCI over the years and also had an affiliation with SFX with most owners still having access to RCI. Assuming the same unit type I'd put the Marriott first, Westin second, Whaler third (not on DVC list) and the Embassy fourth. And to be honest, if the Embassy were inside the Kaanapali development itself, I'd put it third above the Whaler and just under the other two.

And this reminds me of something I have mentioned in the past but likely not as much as I should have. When getting an exchange make sure you figure out when and how to make requests for THAT resort. Then when the time comes, do make the requests. All the better if you can find out the nuances that will give you a leg up.

 

[Cora]

For our honemoon in '91 we stayed at the Embassy Suites. It was great. My fondest memory was sitting on the balcony looking out over the ocean with my coffee and having it "snow" (hawaiian snow is when they burn the sugar cane fields and the ash looks like snow).
Glad you had a great time.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dean, are these "suites" the only thing we can trade for? Is it not possible to get a 2 bedroom?

 

[Dean]

Dean, are these "suites" the only thing we can trade for? Is it not possible to get a 2 bedroom?

There are only a few 2 BR and they are rarely traded or deposited at all, much less in II. I think your only real chance of getting a 2 BR is to find a private owner to trade. Same could be said for any of the properties set up accordingly including the Marriott's that are lockoff's or have few 2 BR units. And the same is true for the Caribbean as well but maybe to a slightly less degree other than maybe Cancun which has mostly 2 BR. The bottom line is if you really must have a 2 BR, you are in a world of trouble for high demand trades for a number of reasons to include simple availability.

When we went in 2002, we traded through SFX. I knew we wanted 2 weeks with one in Maui and one somewhere else not Oahu with Kauai being our first choice for the second island. I ONLY searched for Maui initially and then only started looking at Kauai once I had my Maui week. Since I knew I could make do with a 1 BR, that's what I concentrated on. In part because I was trading 1 BR units and in part because it would increase our chances of success. I knew we could get a roll away at most of the resorts and that my son would sleep on the floor if need be. So I got the Maui 1 BR, then started looking for Kauai where it's easier to find a 2 BR. Since I got the 2 BR as a rental for a good price, I used my other week I was trying to trade to get the second 1 BR at the Embassy on Maui. The roughly $500 total extra cost was worth in IMO.

One option for those that can make it work is to start 2 separate exchange requests one for a smaller unit and one for a larger unit. Or you could look for a 2 BR and open up later to a smaller unit. If one is willing to accept some of the lessor properties, you're chances of getting a larger unit are much better. What's best really does depend on your needs, situations and expectations. While I'd never hesitate staying at the Schooner, Maui Lei, SOK, One Napili Way or the Papakea; I'd be unlikely to trade the number of DVC points required to do so. And while KCR on the Big Island is a nice resort, it's EASY to get thus making it of questionable value trading for DVC.

To me it's a bit of sport, much like playing poker or the slot machines. So the thrill of really looking for something and getting it with a lessor exchange option or for a cheaper rental is half the fun.

 

[Chameleon]

You mentioned in the other thread that is was a regular hotel room. I assume you mean a regular suite type hotel room with a separate LR and well equipped mini kitchen.

I was referring to the hotel room at the Hilton Waikoloa on the Big Island. That was a standard room. We booked that independently - not through Disney.

The hotel room at the Embassy Suites was large - similar to a one bedroom at OKW. It had a soaking tub and no washer or dryer. They had a VCR in the room but delivered a DVD player after we requested one from housekeeping.

I was happily surprised with the ocean view at the Embassy Suites.

Dean,

We are looking to go to HH the last week of June. We are on the wait list for a 1 bedroom or a studio. Any recommendations for the Marriotts at HH? Which one and what to pay? Is it possible to trade them for DVC?

Thanks again

 

[Dean]

Dean,

We are looking to go to HH the last week of June. We are on the wait list for a 1 bedroom or a studio. Any recommendations for the Marriotts at HH? Which one and what to pay? Is it possible to trade them for DVC?

Thanks again

Three Marriott's are on the exchange list. To be straightforward and honest, I think the top two (soon to be top 3) Marriott's at HH are far better choices in many ways than DVC. They have a much better location and, in many ways, I think they are nicer. They are only 2 BR and for a full week. A trade in would be precious little more points (259 vs 270) compared to a 1 BR for a week at DVC. Of course you'd have the extra exchange fee. Marriott's Grande Ocean would be the best choice IMO. Partly because it's in a better location but more that it only has Ocean Front and Ocean view units where Barony has a lot of Garden view units where you'd likely get stuck as an exchanger. The other Marriott is Harbor Club right across the street for Harbour Town in Sea Pines but it would be step down compared to DVC in some ways, but not that much. And the other facilities there are limited with essentially no activities on site.

As for as a rental, that opens you up to all types of possibilities. I don't have that good a feel for specifics for some of the lessor resorts and that is a hard time to get. I know that a full 7 days through Marriott, if available, would be roughly $3000 for Barony and GO varying a little upward with the view. You might be able to get a hotel for about $200 per room per night at some of the nicer places like Marriott or Hilton but you'd likely need a discount code to get it that low. And don't forget about cash rentals from Disney. I rented 3 weeks this year as we're doing a cruise then later in the summer, Charleston. We usually go every other year and rent out the off years. They were 9-16 July Ocean Front at GO for $2200 and the other both the week of 2-9 July with one week at GO and the other at the new Surfwatch resort for $2000 each. And before anyone says they wish they'd known, I did post for last years weeks (2004) and didn't even get one bite on the rent trade board. Plus they've been listed on my website which DIS made me remove the URL from my signature.

I hinted above at a new resort, Surfwatch, expect it to be added to DVC likely sometime the middle of next year.

 

[Chameleon]

Dean

Do the Marriott's have kids programs like the DVC HH? Arts and crafts and dolphin tours etc. My boys are 2 years old and 5 years old. I have seen rentals for GO for $1850 for the week I need. Thanks again.

 

[Dean]

Dean

Do the Marriott's have kids programs like the DVC HH? Arts and crafts and dolphin tours etc. My boys are 2 years old and 5 years old. I have seen rentals for GO for $1850 for the week I need. Thanks again.

I'm not sure. The last time I actually stayed at those resorts was prior to the timeshares. AMOF, the last time I stayed at the Kauai (now Marriott), it was the Kauai surf with Westin owning in between. Go to TUG and post there, there are a few that own at the various resorts. Most of the Marriott's do have kids programs, adults also to a degree, but I just don't know the specifics for these resorts.

 

[Chameleon]

Thanks - I'll let you know what happens