Original Message:
Re: want to buy a Marriott timeshare: advice needed (by K. D.):
As the OP pointed out in her first post, "We want to use the TS to be able to travel to different areas. We enjoy the Caribbean. We would like to start to go to Europe." If you want a prime Marriott location and like the Caribbean, then I would suggest the Marriott Surf Club in Aruba (resale), which is a beautiful and friendly island and not very expensive with great food. The Caribbean has 3 times of year with the winter months being prime. I would suggest buying for the best you can get (winter) and ocean view or front, high floor, building close to the ocean (Lighthouse if possible). This is a very congested and prime area, but easy to trade to another area because they are always sold out; I used to own at this TS. Remember, the better you own, the easier it is to trade or rent.
In the Caribbean, during late Sept./early October, everything shuts down (or partially open) for maintenance, so keep that in mind. Holidays are considered prime. Summer months are off-peak because the tropical breeze tends to die off and it is more humid.
When you trade with II, you aren't going to necessarily going to get a Marriott, esp. in Europe. It most likely will be a different hotel of the same category and it is supposed to be the same view and number of bedrooms/bathrooms that you own, but you don't always get what you ask for. Often you are better off searching on their web site for something that someone just "banked" (gave up) and snatching it. Of course in a place that is not as popular, you may not have this problem.