Marriott Vacation Club "Destinations" - What I Like and What I've Done

Thank you Charles. I took your advice a while back and also joined TUG. I think I need to just work a little harder at getting to this information and insight.

I've also talked to some of the resellers about their recent experience. It does appear that Marriott is exercising the ROFR selectively for the best weeks. All weeks are not created equal and the weeks that went into the Trust at the outset were what was unsold and were probably not the best weeks at the best resorts. They should be motivated to improve the availability of the better weeks as opportunities present themselves.

Again, thanks,

Dennis

dennish144 wrote:

Thank you Charles. I took your advice a while back and also joined TUG. I think I need to just work a little harder at getting to this information and insight.

I've also talked to some of the resellers about their recent experience. It does appear that Marriott is exercising the ROFR selectively for the best weeks. All weeks are not created equal and the weeks that went into the Trust at the outset were what was unsold and were probably not the best weeks at the best resorts. They should be motivated to improve the availability of the better weeks as opportunities present themselves.

Again, thanks,

Dennis

Dennis,

Go to the Marriott Forum. There is a thread called, Recent ROFR Activity. There a poster named GregT provides some insights on current ROFR activity. Also, the database is under poster, dioxide45. At the bottom of his posts you will see the links to ROFR and buybacks.

I hope this helps.

A belated thank you to Charles.

We did purchase another Newport Coast Platinum week privately. Incidentally, all Newport weeks are 2 Bdrm units. We use Newport for a family reunion every other year and have found it increasingly difficult to reserve needed weeks.

Our Newport ownership enables us to compete with "only Newport week owners" for desired weeks, which we like. The points program does provide flexibility, but it also increases competition for high demand weeks such as Newport Villas in June, July, and August.

We did have a great vacation/reunion at Newport in late July. It gets better every time as family members, 21 this year, found more fun and interesting things to do. One highlight was a photo session with a professional photographer, David Marano, at Corona del Mar Beach.

A suggestion, one of our creative daughters-in-law gathers photos from everyone and edits a reunion photo book using a service from Costco. This is always a favorite gift.

I am a 26 week owner at the Marriott Grand Residence and I enrolled in the Vacation Club Destination point system. I have converted most of my usual unused weeks to points and rented them out to other owners that needed extra points. Of note, per Marriott rule, all points can be transferred or banked one time only. If I rent my 2014 points, the points have to be used to reserve a week in 2014 and the points can not be transferred again or banked to 2015. JPS

kathrynm139 wrote:

Thanks to you, Dennis, for starting this positive forum! My husband and I have three weeks we own--two Platinum weeks at Breckenridge, CO and a Platinum season lock-off unit at Canyon Villas in Scottsdale, AZ. So far we have been to Fords Colony, VA (Williamsburg--and with your love of history, Dennis, this should be a MUST DO for you!), Marbella, Mallorca, Palm Desert, Oahu, Kauai (twice!), Aruba, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale. Trading for Marriott Reward Points we have gone to Vienna, Prague, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Venice, and in 3 weeks we will be going to Berlin for 6 days (and a BIGGIE on my bucket list--seeing the Berlin Philharmonic in their hall!) and 5 days in Munich (we love the option to be able to use the "open jaw" with the airlines using our air miles from our Marriott Reward Points!). What we always have appreciate with Marriott is that you know you will be walking into a quality environment with excellent accommodations--no nasty surprises! We have always been treated well my the Marriott Reps and the people at the Resorts and Hotels. We have high hopes that the Destinations Program will work well for us in the future, and have just made our first deposit with the Program receiving our 6,500 points for our three resorts. We hope to plan a family vacation to Hawaii next year with our son and wife, our daughter and husband and our (soon to be!) 4 grandchildren (one is on the way in September!). Any advice--as I know we will need several rooms! Will 6,500 points net us two units in the less popular season in Hawaii (I know there is no real "low" season!)? To date, we couldn't ask more from our experience with Marriott!

Suggestions? We live in So. California and own several weeks at Newport Coast for family reunions every other year. Our family is large and growing, 5 married children and 14 grandchildren with families in California, Kansas and No Carolina. We also own in Las Vegas and Boston and also own points - all Marriott. In the non-reunion years we like to take individual families with us to timeshare locations nearer their homes. Thus, we've taken the non-west coast families to Myrtle and Orlando.

Inasmuch as 3 of the 5 children's families live in California, we need to identify great non-Marriott properties that we can trade into that are fun during non-school times for active families. We have plenty of Interval trades stacked up which can be used. We want California locations to lessen the travel time and expense. Any suggestions......

Well in Escondido

I note that some feel there are too many negative comments over at the "Ripoff" forum. You may want to add some positive commentary here. I enjoy reading about ways to enrich our timeshare experience.