More points OH MY !! HHI @ $60/pt vs. Marriot

[DaveO]

I never thought I would add on again ..... but ......

We just moved to KS from MA and we want to make sure we can see the ocean on a regular basis. We already own 70 pts at Vero but it is just to quiet there for us and the beach there is just so so the last two visits. We have been to DVC @ HHI and really liked it. To make sure we get a summer week at HHI I am going to buy another TS.

I was going to buy into Marriot so that I would have better trading in the event to want to go to another beach (Aruba, MB, HI) ... but

1) I saw a DVC HHI resale for $60/pt (200) will this even pass ROFR? Does anyone have experience with HHI and ROFR?

2) Any opinions on buying Marriot Grande Ocean / Barony VS DVC HHI - I know the big difference is not being near the beach but the Marriot resale would be alot more than the DVC resale.

Thanks for any suggestions and advice.

Dave O.

 

[CMedley78]

I don't think it will pass....My husband and I just added on 26 pts while in HHI a few weeks ago and we paid either $92 or $96 a point (I can't remember right now...). $60 is so low, I don't see them passing that through ROFR. It's worth a shot....

 

[Dean]

I never thought I would add on again ..... but ......

We just moved to KS from MA and we want to make sure we can see the ocean on a regular basis. We already own 70 pts at Vero but it is just to quiet there for us and the beach there is just so so the last two visits. We have been to DVC @ HHI and really liked it. To make sure we get a summer week at HHI I am going to buy another TS.

I was going to buy into Marriot so that I would have better trading in the event to want to go to another beach (Aruba, MB, HI) ... but

1) I saw a DVC HHI resale for $60/pt (200) will this even pass ROFR? Does anyone have experience with HHI and ROFR?

2) Any opinions on buying Marriot Grande Ocean / Barony VS DVC HHI - I know the big difference is not being near the beach but the Marriot resale would be alot more than the DVC resale.

Thanks for any suggestions and advice.

Dave O.

It depends on how you'd use GO. If you are looking at a 2 BR for a week GO will be cheaper up front and every year. For a smaller unit or different timing, DVC will be cheaper. GO still will be an expensive choice for trading within Marriott, there are better choices for that goal alone.

 

[DaveO]

Dean - Thanks for the comments.

Both GO and Barnoy are rated 9+ on TUG. Do you see any difference in trade value with those with Plat weeks?

I am torn .. I can get HHI DVC for about 16k which will give me 2BR for 6N. A GO will run me $6k - $8k more. I plan to try and trade out only about 25% of the time (Once every 3/4 years) is the extra upfront cost worth getting into Marriot?

Thanks!!

Dave

 

[ctrabada]

My father and sister have owned at Marriott's Grande Ocean since it opened. We go every year and absolutely love it. This year we are all going but my DH & DD are going to be staying at Disney's HHI for the first time while my parents and sis stay at GO. The villas at GO were recently refurbished (and owners had to pay a hefty assessment!) and look beautiful. They are very spacious and the beach is great. It has several wonderful pools and the location, just outside Sea Pines is great. We love biking to the lighthouse.

If you decide not to buy add'l points, GO will be a great choice IMHO.

 

[JimC]

Also keep in mind that DVC HH resort is a split resort. The main resort is not beach front. There is a separate beach house that you can walk, drive or take the DVC shuttle to. It is not as desirable as a single beach front property, but it is well executed. Still it is a very nice resort and staff with fine restaurants within walking distance or a short drive.

 

[Dean]

Dean - Thanks for the comments.

Both GO and Barnoy are rated 9+ on TUG. Do you see any difference in trade value with those with Plat weeks?

I am torn .. I can get HHI DVC for about 16k which will give me 2BR for 6N. A GO will run me $6k - $8k more. I plan to try and trade out only about 25% of the time (Once every 3/4 years) is the extra upfront cost worth getting into Marriot?

Thanks!!

Dave

First, the hefty assessment at GO was about $250 total to upgrade the units including granite countertops, etc. Not bad by timeshare standards.

I think the trade value would be identical between the 3 newer resorts (Surfwatch, BB & GO). And that's true for gardenview, ocean side, ocean view, ocean vista or ocean front. The nuances really come in using and exchanging in, not exchanging out. For example, weeks 22 & 23 at BB and SW are Platinum where they're gold for GO. That means one thing if you want to travel to HH those dates part of the time and later in the summer, others, you do not want GO. If you want to travel to HH those weeks all the time, you want GO but a gold week. BB & SW have the gardenview units which would trade the same but maybe not be as desirable to use, esp. at BB where they are across the street and around the corner. Remember that II doesn't know what unit/view they're getting so that's why they would have the trade power the same.

One should be able to get a GV at BB Platinum for in the range of $14-16K but I've seen them for as low s $12K, resale. You give up the points but at a savings of about $10K. Oceanside at BB or GO will be close to $20+21K resale but well over $30K from Marriott with points. In comparison, a 2 BR for a week at DVC is 330 points, somewhere around $23K. You're looking at less points for $16K, but this is a decision you must make of how you will use it and what the benefit is to YOU. Yearly fees for the Marriott's in question would be about $850 for a week compared to around $1500 for the 330 points. The other benefits you'd get with these MVCI resorts to use would include the following:

• one call to make the reservation (hopefully) compared to 6 for 7 nights with DVC.
• Direct access to II
• Likely bonus week for II
• Internal trade preference to other Marriott's
• potentially lower cost and fees.
• a better location on HH, esp for GO, but all are oceanfront resorts.
• BETTER trade power in II in general

Benefits to going DVC for HH trips include

• The inherest benefits that come with DVC using II including a better request first option though this is less of an issue with Marriott to Marriott exchanges than other II options.
• More flexibility of using the points for other unit sizes or number of days.
• The option to use points at the other DVC resorts.
• The option of buying less points and making it like an every other or third year ownership.

No one can tell you what's best but here's some ideas to help your thinking.

• First, if you don't want a 2 BR most of the time for 6-7 days, go with DVC or some other timeshares not on the table at present.
• If you wanted to use exclusively for HH for weeks 24-34, buy GO. OF vs OS depends on how important this is to you, your budget and what prices you end up finding.
• If you end up deciding that Marriott is a better choice and want to use 20-40% of the time or less, I'd likely look for the cheapest option for Platinum which should be BB GV.
• If you want to use 60-80% of the time and trade occassionally, I'd look for ocean side or ocean front at any of those resorts with price being a main factor.
• If you can go mostly weeks 22 or 23 or want to trade more than 80% of the time, I'd put GO gold oceanside at the top of the list followed by BB GV with price being the main determining factor.

Other options would be to buy HH during the time you want that is somewhat cheaper such as Harbour Pointe and try to trade up when you use. You're talking less than half the price up front and likely 10-20% less yearly on dues. Then if you didn't match to trade up, you still have a place to stay that's very nice and in a decent location. Or you could go for a resort such as Williamsburg or one of the other somewhat cheaper locations with lockoff's where you could actually get 3 trades a year instead of 2 in most cases. But for that you'd need to match on a trade to have a place to stay at HH so more risk for that option. Those that are Marriott points junkies should consider Monarch as the top choice.

 

[DaveO]

*If you want to use 60-80% of the time and trade occassionally, I'd look for ocean side or ocean front at any of those resorts with price being a main factor.

Dean,

First I want to thank you for taking the time to help me and others on the board - I do not post much but have been here since 99. I always read your TS posts about other programs ... THANKS.

I think I am going to go with BB Ocenview. My wife loves HHI and we would use it 75% of the time, with other weeks either renting or trading out. We have been to DVC @ HHI and liked it but for the few extra thousand we can be oceanfront and the have the other Marriot benefits (I already have a ton of DVC BWV points).

In looking at resales GO seem to be 7k- 8k higher and I can not justify that for the same beach !!

Now off to find a great deal .....

Thanks again !!!

Dave

 

[Dean]

Dean,

First I want to thank you for taking the time to help me and others on the board - I do not post much but have been here since 99. I always read your TS posts about other programs ... THANKS.

I think I am going to go with BB Ocenview. My wife loves HHI and we would use it 75% of the time, with other weeks either renting or trading out. We have been to DVC @ HHI and liked it but for the few extra thousand we can be oceanfront and the have the other Marriot benefits (I already have a ton of DVC BWV points).

In looking at resales GO seem to be 7k- 8k higher and I can not justify that for the same beach !!

Now off to find a great deal .....

Thanks again !!!

Dave

Thanks for the kind words, I'm always glad to help when I can.

Given your stated situation I'd say your heading down the right path. Resale, I doubt you'll see much different between GO and BB when it comes down to it. You should be able to get either at around $20K if you work at it, possibly even more. SW will likely be higher simply because it's newer and those that bought paid more, not because it's better overall. Don't put too much credence in the listed prices. Here's the order I'd place the units from those 3 resorts.

1. GO OF
2. BB OF
3. SW Ocean Vista
4. GO OS
5. BB OS
6. SW OS
7. SW Garden View
8. BB GV

Price should be your guide between like units. GO has a leg up in several areas. It is in an inherently better location for most, it has more OF units so easier to book for those putting in the effort, many of the OS units are actually better than some of the OF units at GO as well.