Which Marriott timeshare for May/June?

[Detailor]

OP here. Looks like I better make a decision soon. Thank you for all the advice. I seem to recall lots of availability at Cypress Harbour and Grande Vista but it looks like availability for larger (2 bedroom) units is slim. I am looking at trades using SIL's expiring trade week and not Getaways at the moment. And her trade is a 1 bedroom unit so may be restricting availability to smaller units. The 3 bedroom Marriott unit is gone but I do see two weeks available at Royal Palms. I haven't been dilligently checking first thing in the morning like I used to when DVCs traded through Interval and I was able to get weeks at Old Key West in the past. Might need to work a little harder at this to get the best trade though. Calypso Cay is coming up in a 2 bedroom and so is Mystic Dunes and Parkway International, and the Sheraton Vistana properties, Westgate Lakes, Vacation Villas, Westgate Towers, Westgate Town Ctr, Blue Tree, High Point, Liki Tiki, The Seasons, and Westgate Palace. Even a 3 bedroom unit at Star Island! Was thinking the Marriott properties were superior but if anyone thinks I should consider some of the others mentioned, give a mention.

Of those I'd be happy with the Marriott Royal Palms, Sheraton Vistana Villages or Sheraton Vistana Resort resorts, in that order of preference. I would place Cypress Harbour and Grande Vista ahead of those resorts, if they show availability, though. I'd strongly suggest that if you see something that you want you ought to grab it/them - it's not uncommon for some of the nicer resorts to disappear quickly.

Dick Taylor

 

[madelyn]

This morning Marriott Sabal Palms is showing up. Also Harbour Lake in a 2 bedroom but it is a few days earlier than we would like to travel. Seems like there is more availability first thing in the morning!

 

[madelyn]

Gave Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve a second look this morning when a 1 bedroom unit showed up. The photos of the resort look really nice but I'm guessing the location isn't as ideal as the other Marriotts and what's up with the limited kitchen and it looks like no washer/dryer in the unit. Were they converted hotel rooms?

 

[Detailor]

Gave Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve a second look this morning when a 1 bedroom unit showed up. The photos of the resort look really nice but I'm guessing the location isn't as ideal as the other Marriotts and what's up with the limited kitchen and it looks like no washer/dryer in the unit. Were they converted hotel rooms?

Lakeshore Reserve is a new build and looks to be really luxurious. I don't believe that this resort has dedicated one bedroom villas, instead I believe that the 1BR units are lock-off units from 2BR and/or 3BR villas. So, that's why there isn't a full kitchen in those units (when the lock-off isn't split the villa not only has a full kitchen but a bonus limited kitchen in the lock-off part). Similarly, that's also the reason that there isn't a laundry space inside the 1BR. But Marriott does accommodate guests staying in those villas by placing washers and dryers in common areas of their resorts and I'm certain that that's the case for Lakeshore Reserve.

As far as the location is concerned I think it's all relative. Lakeshore Reserve is further away from the theme parks and the plethora of restaurants in the tourist areas of Orlando, but I don't think it's significantly so. The difference is about a mile for SeaWorld when compared with Grande Vista, maybe a mile and three quarters when compared with Cypress Harbour and Harbour Lake and it's about 3 miles closer to SeaWorld than the three Marriott Palm resorts (and they're only six miles from SeaWorld). For the Magic Kingdom the difference is about two miles compared with Grande Vista, about 3 and a half miles compared with Harbour Lake/Cypress Harbour, and around six miles compared with the Palm resorts (which is probably less than 7 miles from the TTC parking lot that serves the Magic Kingdom).

Further out? Yes. Worth the extra five to ten minutes of travel time? The resort looks like it could well be worth it.

Dick Taylor

 

[dioxide45]

Gave Marriott's Lakeshore Reserve a second look this morning when a 1 bedroom unit showed up. The photos of the resort look really nice but I'm guessing the location isn't as ideal as the other Marriotts and what's up with the limited kitchen and it looks like no washer/dryer in the unit. Were they converted hotel rooms?

Lakeshore Reserve is a new build and looks to be really luxurious. I don't believe that this resort has dedicated one bedroom villas, instead I believe that the 1BR units are lock-off units from 2BR and/or 3BR villas. So, that's why there isn't a full kitchen in those units (when the lock-off isn't split the villa not only has a full kitchen but a bonus limited kitchen in the lock-off part). Similarly, that's also the reason that there isn't a laundry space inside the 1BR. But Marriott does accommodate guests staying in those villas by placing washers and dryers in common areas of their resorts and I'm certain that that's the case for Lakeshore Reserve.

Lakeshore Reserve has two basic types of 1BR units. There is the 1BR side of a regular 2BR lock off unit. Then there is the larger 1BR side of a 2BR deluxe unit (these are 2BR units that have two 1BR sides). The smaller side of that deluxe 2BR is a smaller 1BR and doesn't have a washer/drier and also has a "limited kitchen". Marriott calls this a deluxe studio where II calls it a 1BR with limited kitchen. If you hold out for a 1BR with full kitchen, it will also have a washer and drier in the unit.