Where else do you time share (or have rented time shares?)

[peacefrogdog]

We enjoy our DVC points, but always looking for trying new thigns also interested in hearing about other people's experiences at non-DVC timeshares where you have either rented or have owned? We're a family of 5 with three younger kids (aged 7, 5, and 5).

Where else other than DVC properties have you stayed where you had DVC-style villas (w similar grade decor and furnishings, with complete kitchens, and either 1 or 2 bedrooms)? in particular looking for family friendly resorts/villas in places other than Orlando.

Also if you have rented, would appreciate hearing about whether you rented through certain websites like redweek or directly through owners.

Thanks in advance

 

[dvc_john]

Besides DVC, I own some Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. And with trading within those systems and I.I., and using I.I. getaways, I've stayed in over 70 timeshares, including Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Big Island), Lake Tahoe, Newport Calif, Disneyland Calif, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Colorado (Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Aspen), Park City, Phoenix, San Antonio, Hilton Head, Myrtle Beach, Williamsburg, New York City, Branson, Gatlinburg, all over Florida, Puerto Rico, Cancun, and Paris. All had condo type 1 or 2 bedroom units with full kitchen (except NYC 1-br didn't have a kitchen, but who wants a kitchen in NYC)). Several were below DVC standards, but most were equal or nearly equal to DVC quality, but perhaps without so much theme. But then again, most were Marriott's, Hilton's, and Hyatt's which are all top tier.

I still have my favorites though: DVC in Orlando, and Sanibel Island Florida.

 

[robert@dvcstore]

DVC works well for me and my family. I have done some trading way back with II and traded for a week at the Red Wolf Inn at Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe. Nice, woodsy, one bedroom with small kitchen and fireplace and within walking distance to the Village at Squaw. It also had a nice view of the ski slopes.

Robert

 

[Deb & Bill]

We rented someone's timeshare at Marco Island, FL. It was not Crystal Shores.

 

[tidefan]

We also own a fixed week at the Royal Palm Beach Club in St Maarten and love it too! Have been every year for the past 7 and going again for the 8th straight. Even better, I got it resale and saved a bundle...

 

[Cee]

We own two weeks at Palm Beach Shores. It's beautiful and has great trading power.

 

[littlestar]

We've stayed at Marriott's Grande Ocean resort on Hilton Head - it was wonderful. We had a top floor unit looking at the ocean.

We've also stayed at Marriott's Cypress Harbour, Marriott Harbour Lakes, Marriott Imperial Palms, Sheraton Vistana, and Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando and enjoyed those timeshares, too.

I've got a stay coming up at my new Pigeon Forge, TN, home resort, Wyndham Smoky Mountains, in May. Also have a stay booked in May at Wyndham's Bonnet Creek resort in Orlando. Both of these stays are Extra Vacations purchased through RCI - they were both less than $500 a week for 2 bedroom units for a week.

I love my RCI and II (Interval International) memberships - Interval for trading and RCI for their cash rentals.

 

[dboules]

We own points at Fairfield/Wyndham as well as DVC. I must say I enjoy my DVC way more.

I usually bank my points with Fairfield/Wyndham with RCI and then book weeks. I get more bang out of my points but I usually end up with too many weeks and not enough vacation time.

I have stayed on the Big Island, Branson, Ridgedale MO (Big Cedar Lodge), San Antonio on the riverwalk, Las Vegas and my sister has used my F/W for coming to Orlando and Pagosa Springs, CO (skiing).

I am going to Hot Springs with my girlfriends this next month.

I have to say the quality of the accommodations is vast. Some are not so great and some are amazing. You just have to do a lot more research about which resort and it seems like you do have to plan a lot farther out than using DVC.

Hope this helps!

Diana

 

[littlestar]

I usually bank my points with Fairfield/Wyndham with RCI and then book weeks. I get more bang out of my points but I usually end up with too many weeks and not enough vacation time.

Diana

I plan on banking some extra Wyndham points into RCI. I'm hoping to deposit two 77,000 Wyndham deposits in RCI and maybe snag a couple of Hilton weeks for off season travel.

 

[dboules]

I have found that the points deposited is not the power but the season.

So if you deposit a Red week studio at 70,000 points it will trade better than a white 2-bedroom at 126,000 points.

I also do several 28k deposits and find things in off season or WAY WAY out many times.

But again, I don't plan far enough out to use my weeks to their fullest and I just don't have enough vacation and availability due to school schedules so I end up letting my family/friends use my time share weeks more than me.

I never have that problem with Disney and could always use more points at more resorts

Diana

 

[ccgirl]

As for locations, I found the Gatlinburg, TN locale very family friendly. We went there last year for the first time and can't wait to to back next year. There is so much more to do there than I thought there would be and our timeshare had it's own water park. My children are 7 and 2 and they LOVED it. In fact, they wanted to go there this year instead of Disney.

 

[littlestar]

I have found that the points deposited is not the power but the season.

So if you deposit a Red week studio at 70,000 points it will trade better than a white 2-bedroom at 126,000 points.

I also do several 28k deposits and find things in off season or WAY WAY out many times.

But again, I don't plan far enough out to use my weeks to their fullest and I just don't have enough vacation and availability due to school schedules so I end up letting my family/friends use my time share weeks more than me.

I never have that problem with Disney and could always use more points at more resorts

Diana

Thanks for the tips!

 

[Brian Noble]

Yes, that's pretty standard Wyndham advice: season over size.

It will be interesting to see if that is still true after RCI goes to Value Transparency. Word on the street is that is anywhere from June to November this year.

 

[mommacat56]

It will be interesting to see if that is still true after RCI goes to Value Transparency.

What is Value Transparency? I don't know much about RCI exchanges as DVC has been a perfect fit for my family vacation needs. I haven't wanted to trade my DVC for other non-Disney properties even when II was the exchange network.

I do have a week at Harborside at Atlantis, but that exchanges with II and on points with Starwood. Haven't wanted to trade that either, but might think about Hawaii in a few years. Maybe I'll just wait for Aulani to open and hope to get a ressie at 7 months (or might even buy some points!)

 

[lark]

We almost never stay in hotels anymore. I don't own any timeshares other than DVC, but rent frequently. For families, Carlsbad Inn in SoCal is amazing in the summer. Tamarack, also in Carlsbad, is good. Four Seasons Aviara is maybe the nicest timeshare in the country, but not right on the beach -- great though for families with legoland aged kids. Marriott Summitt Watch or Mountain Side in Park City are fantastic. Harborside Atlantis is great. Marriott Maui is awesome and can often be rented for less than maintenance fees with planning. (Not full kitchens, though, except in the new towers, which rent for lots more money.) Marriott Kauai is supposed to be great -- we'd like to try it some day. People love the Westin in Maui. Great resort, but I don't like the location. Westin Keirland is nice, but there's not a ton for families to do in Scottsdale for a week. Marriott Newport Coast gets good reviews, but I've never been there. Depending on what you're into, there are a couple of neat places on the Oregon Coast -- one (Depot Bay) that is high on the bluffs above the ocean. Can be nice for some families. Custom House in Boston is great if you like big city vacations.

One place I'd love to stay but is very hard to find on the rental market is Wave Crest in Del Mar, CA.

 

[Starr W.]

We own besides DVC, a Starwood ski week in Colorado, a Bluegreen fixed week in Northern Michigan and Wyndham points.

With my Starwood week I trade into a 2br for the Westin Princeville, week prior to that we'll be at the Wyndham Kona Hawaiian(that's a big thanks to the TUG sighting board that spotted a huge bulk banking before I knew my way around RCI). We're using Wyndham points for a few nights in HNL on the inbound part of our trip. I started trading for this trip (July 2010) in November 2008! Got my Westin trade in November 2009.

We'll be staying at the Great Smokies Lodge(new Wyndham Resort) in June.

We've stayed at Marriott's Summit Watch in Park City, Sheraton Broadway Plantation in Myrtle. Been up to Boyne Mt, Michigan in winter(we own a summer week) to ski. Stayed at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in January(on points). Used an II getaway to do a girls trip to Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg,VA.

My take with Wyndham is it makes much more sense for me to use my points internally. We like the variety of their locations(beach, urban and mountains) plus we started with DVC and like the flexibility of point systems.