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Beyond VSE/Starwood (My Survey)?

travelpager

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 10, 2016
Messages
57
Reaction score
99
Points
78
Location
Houston, Texas
Resorts Owned
Vistana: WKV (AZ); SVV-Bella (FL); WRV (CO); some SheratonFlex
1) Where do you want your home resort to be?

Um, somewhere convenient (by car or non-stop flight <3-4 hrs) and pretty (Texas Hill Country, Colorado) that holds appeal for me/others at least 8-9 months out of the year. Open to suggestions and ideas, but somewhat irrationally disinclined to anchor further in hurricane-prone areas (been there, done that...at home).

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?

I'd say we'd use another home resort every other year. In 7 years with Starwood (now VSE), we've visited one home resort 3 times (Colorado), another only once (Arizona), and otherwise happily traded within Starwood to visit Orlando and Maui and/or for hotel stays in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Whistler, Rio. Excepting Colorado, we've always bought (resale/requal) based on power to trade (StarOptions) balanced with annual MF. Have never gone the Interval International route because we've wanted/needed accommodations centrally located within cities. With full knowledge that the world is larger than Starwood/VSE and that the only certainty is change, I'm researching where to go from here.

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Ski country (love Whistler/Vancouver and Colorado), *Aruba, *Belize, Spain, *Portugal, *Tokyo.
*Travel bucket list of places not yet visited.


4) How many people do you usually travel with?

Immediate family unit of 4, but I really want option to link up with friends or additional family. Let's say 4-8 ppl.

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?

School schedule...mostly. Vacation travel could include one week in February.

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?

Yes.

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?

Yes.

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?

4. Will consider 3, but place had better be immaculate. Fwiw, as much as I like a Westin or W, I've been known to rate a bright and clean Hampton Inn over the occasional musty, dusty airport Sheraton.


9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?

Depends. I have a strong preference to buy resale and would require inordinately extensive research and deliberation before spending more than $10k.

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?

I would hesitate before sinking MFs much beyond $2k without conservative but strong belief in trading power or ability to leverage.

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

Let's just say that DH and I make a good team. (Yes...sort of.)

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?

With apologies to the Swiss band Yello: Ohhh, yeah (flashback to "Ferris Bueller's Day Off").

In short: despite a great experience with the SVO/VSE system, we see reason to "diversify" and don't quite know where to go from here. :confused: Currently casting eye toward Worldmark (meaning, I'm looking into what it is/how it works), Hyatt system, as well as specific independent properties. I found TUG in 2007, right after DH/I bought retail (with qualms). Hear this, though: I harbor no regrets today because that purchase initiated us into a (TS) world previously unbeknownst to either of us. I have great respect for the TUG forum boards.
:clap: Now...assign me homework! Direct my research, please! :D

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