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Thoughts on Village d'ile de france

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We're now nearing the end of our two week holiday here at MVF and I wanted to share some of the observations we've made.

This is the first time we've spent two weeks here and also the first time we've been in summer. One of the more noticeable differences we've found compared to other Marriott resorts is there is less of a sense of exclusivity. Almost every family here is on a cheap preview offer and are only here for about 3 days. This means that pretty much everyone keeps themselves to themselves and there is little of the integration and meeting new people that we've experienced in other resorts. Also, without sounding like a snob, it's clear that Marriott aren't ensuring that their caveat regarding a minimum income is being adhered to when offering people preview offers. We've only spoken to one family who are Marriott owners. It probably explains why they've drafted in their top sales reps from Spain to try and increase sales. My advice would be that it's not that the reps in MVF can't sell but the people who are taking the previews have absolutely no intention or means of buying.

The outside pool is ridiculously cold. On hot sunny days when the pool should be brimming with kids they're all in the inside pool, it's a ridiculous sight. To sit by the pool and watch newly arrived kids run excitedly into the pool and jump out immediately in shock is ammusing at first but it soon turns to bemusement and then anger as to why the management are refusing to heat it. The manager's explanation to me that it costs 200 euros a day to heat is a poor excuse considering the maintenance fees that owners are paying.

Housekeeping is very hit and miss. One day you'll receive a good clean, rubbish taken out and towels replaced whilst other days you'll receive half the number of towels you need and you'll come home to the smell of a cleaner having had a poo in your loo!

I do like the resort very much and find the villa's to be a fantastic place to spend your holiday however it lacks what other Marriotts have and that is owner presence.

France is also now prohibitively expensive so we'll be considering Spain and the US for future holidays.
 

cwtkm3

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It was the same at the Radisson Golden Sands in Malta in that lots of people were on the £99 deals. Supposedly the most demanding season but few Owners that we met. So where are all of the platinum owners? They must have lots of inventory if they can offer cheap deals at this time of year.
 

Numismatist

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Thanks for this mini-review; it's very helpful. We're big Disney fans and have mildly considered the France Marriott timeshare there, but can't seem to find enough positive things to push us over the edge and go!
 
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Thanks for this mini-review; it's very helpful. We're big Disney fans and have mildly considered the France Marriott timeshare there, but can't seem to find enough positive things to push us over the edge and go!

I wouldn't buy here. As much as I like the place I couldn't see myself using it as a holiday resort if I was unable to trade. It's great if you're Disney fans but realistically how often are you going to go?

It was interesting that the sales rep didn't even mention anything about buying into MVF during her pitch but went straight into Playa Andaluza.
 

MALC9990

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Of the 4 Marriott Vacation Club resorts in Europe, Marbella Beach Club and Son Antem in Mallorca are both essentially sold out. I think Son Antem is 98.5% sold out and there the sales team has been scaled right back and many experienced staff were let go and replaced with cheaper recruits who have little or no experience. Marbella has been selling a few resales and sales of other resorts for a long time.

At Playa you now see a large pre-fabricated building in the car park. This is a telesales operation for Europe and Playa sales staff are selling hard to get through their inventory in this difficult economic climate.

One of the big problems with staffing (both sales and operations) at MVF is the French employment laws. Max 35 hr week and must have 2 days off every week - that's a 7 hr day and TS sales just do not work that way. Hence the import of sales staff from Spain to get round the fact that locals will just not do the hours needed to make the commission. The same issue affects the quality of the staff that they can get for the operational side of the business. Many of the operational staff are hired from the north african immigrant community in and around Paris and are usually contracted through another company and hence no affinity to Marriott and the concept of service levels that owners have come to expect. I got this from a good contact in sales and marketing at Son Antem (since then he has been let go!!).

So I am not surprised by the feedback from the OP. I to would not buy there - not that I need any more weeks, and I think many owners there buy with the view that it will be a great trader for other Marriotts through II.
 
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Many of the operational staff are hired from the north african immigrant community in and around Paris and are usually contracted through another company and hence no affinity to Marriott and the concept of service levels that owners have come to expect. I got this from a good contact in sales and marketing at Son Antem (since then he has been let go!!).

That would probably explain the surly attitude of many of the cleaning staff, expecially when you ask them to come back later because you're in the middle of something. They also don't knock before letting themselves in!
 

MALC9990

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That would probably explain the surly attitude of many of the cleaning staff, expecially when you ask them to come back later because you're in the middle of something. They also don't knock before letting themselves in!

Totally different in Son Antem. Whilst many of the HK staff are again from outside Spain, the attitude and service are excellent. This year we had several guests staying and when one group left and another arrived mid way through week 1 we asked for a change of bed linen in the second bedroom. Guest Services wanted to charge a fee - the HK staff that day just said - "don't worry we will see to it". They got a decent tip when we left.

Also the HK supervisor attends the weekly owners get together to address any questions and you also get a courtesy visit from a supervisor about day 2 or 3 to ensure everything is OK and all working.

The daily change of towels and tidy was excellent and mid-week clean was also very meticulous. They even cleaned the ash out of the BBQ in the garden after I had used it the night before and before I could get round to do it myself. Also - pool towels. You start your visit with 2 per guest (2 bed unit sleeps six - so 12 pool towels). When we left after two weeks I counted 34 pool towels - we thought they were breeding behind our backs.
 
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I agree with you re Son Antem. We experienced a completely different approach to housekeeping when we were there. The best to date however has been at Fairway Villa's, they also received a big tip when we left as well as plenty of beer that me and my father didn't have time to get through.
 

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Interesting review. We own at Ile De France and have done for 5 years now, having been to the resort 7 times (and Disneyland Paris and the surrounding area 57 times). We have also been to Playa, Marbella, Son Antem and Newport Coast.

We find that all the resorts have their pros and cons. Marbella offers the best activities, Playa is the most relaxing, Newport offers some great kids options, Son Antem has the golf and the best spa, and IDF? Well we still love it. We have always had good housekeeping on par with the others. We have a great rapport with Jo. And we bought because we used to be Disney fans (we still prefer DLP to Walt Disney World in many ways) and there is a lot to see in the area (more than the Spanish resorts). But I agree with a number of things you have said.

There is not the same sort of spirit as the others, and we get a lot of cheap folks coming in (many doing a lot of damage to the units themselves, which puts pressure on the maintenance budgets). There are other factors though too. We have met many owners, especially at the welcome drink (something the other resorts have not done to the same extent in our experience). The majority of owners use it as a base, but go out all day. Whether that be Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios or Parc asterix (fantastic park too btw), or into Paris, Versailles, Champagne Tasting, Provins, Giverny, Pierrefonds, Fountainbleu, Vaux le Vicompte, Chantilly, Reims, some go to the WWI trenches, Normandy, and even Brugges when staying there or any of the other excellent destinations in the area, it is not a resort people go to and stay to chill out like the ones in Spain. It is a very different type of resort, more akin maybe to Vegas or Boston.

The pool is the one thing I really hate. It is beautiful, and the lazy river and spa area are great. But it is too cold. Frankly I would be willing to pay more if the pool were usable. We have been able to use the outdoor pool once in our 7 trips and it was great. It is a real annoyance and one I would like to raise at the upcoming general meeting.

But overall, we still love the resort. For our family it is the easiest and cheapest to get to (we can drive, and we use Tesco vouchers so our channel crossing is free). And it trades relatively well. If we could sort out the pool and get a decent on site restaurant, then I would be happier.

Every MVCI has their own charms, and I must confess, I find there is more of interest to do around IDF than the Spanish resorts. Sure, places like Malaga, Ronda, Granada and Seville are great, but the area nearer the Costa resorts are horrid and the water smells. And Son Antem is a wonderful resort, especially if golfers, however, I see it as a place I would want to go every 10 years or so. What is wonderful about MVCI is there is something for everyone. I have absolutely no desire to visit the Hilton Head or non Orlando resorts of Florida, no desire to go to Branson or the Jersey Shore, nor palm springs.

Not everyone skis. And layng on beaches are not for everyone. Not everyone likes theme parks or museums. And there are many that like them too.

I would have never gone to the Costa Del Sol or Majorca were it not for MVCI, but I am glad we tried it, and found things we did love. But for me, Ko Olina, Vegas, Tahoe, Williamsburg, maybe Boston and Thailand are all on my future wish list.

BTW - there are complaints I could make about all the resorts if I so chose....
 
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IThe majority of owners use it as a base, but go out all day. Whether that be Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney Studios or Parc asterix (fantastic park too btw), or into Paris, Versailles, Champagne Tasting, Provins, Giverny, Pierrefonds, Fountainbleu, Vaux le Vicompte, Chantilly, Reims, some go to the WWI trenches, Normandy, and even Brugges when staying there or any of the other excellent destinations in the area, it is not a resort people go to and stay to chill out like the ones in Spain. It is a very different type of resort, more akin maybe to Vegas or Boston.

I agree with you that IDF offers so much more in terms of things to see and do compared with Spain. I've never been particularly enamoured by the Spanish countryside, too dusty and dead in my opinion, whilst the French is lush and welcoming. What Spain has against France is the weather, at least at Playa, Marbella and Son Antem you can almost be guaranteed sun. Our kids at the age they are will play in the pool all day every day and this was the big problem in France. They enjoyed Provins but were bored by Chateau Fontainbleu. Paris wasn't particularly exciting for them other than the Eiffel Tower. I would probably enjoy France more with just myself and my wife but whilst the kids are young pools that you can swim in and guaranteed sun are the winners.

We've traded next years week for Hilton Head as it ticks all the boxes (fingers crossed it goes through). The kids aren't interested in sightseeing but ask them if they want to spend the day riding bikes, playing on the beach and mucking about in pools then they're over the moon. It also means I get my fix of America for the year.

In reality I'm not particularly interested in sightseeing. Why do we feel guilty if we're not particularly interested in an historic sight. Too often we treat sights like a shopping list. Rushing between one after the other, trying to manage a tight itinery. Personally I enjoy immersing myself in the culture. Having a coffee on a French pavement cafe watcing the world go by. Drinking a few pints in a pub in Dublin (ignoring the pro IRA graffitti in the toilets!), trawling through a Turkish food market. I like to relax on holiday and to rush about trying to cram in the obligatory sights achieves nothing but the reverse. Hence relaxing on a beach or around a pool whether it be Spain, America or Canucn suits me down to the ground.
 
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There is not the same sort of spirit as the others, and we get a lot of cheap folks coming in (many doing a lot of damage to the units themselves, which puts pressure on the maintenance budgets). There are other factors though too. We have met many owners, especially at the welcome drink (something the other resorts have not done to the same extent in our experience).

Completely agree, it's amazing how some people behave. I'm quite happy to be labelled a middle class snob, I simply don't want to be surrounded by chavs when I'm on holiday. The skinheaded lad who walked to the village centre wearing nothing but his England shorts and his Everton FC tattoo's on display made me cringe. If I want to immerse myself with these people then I'd take my family on a £500 break to Torremolinos.

On the welcome drink front, the best one we experienced was at Son Antem. Completely inclusive and it didn't feel that everyone was there to grab a freebie and then slink off when they'd finished. People mingled and there was a real sense of being part of a club. I don't know if it's still the same now though. The one at IDF was a muted affair however I put this down to a mix of people from different nationalities. You didn't want to approach someone and just start speaking in English and make the arrogant assumption that they'd understand you.
 

MALC9990

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Completely agree, it's amazing how some people behave. I'm quite happy to be labelled a middle class snob, I simply don't want to be surrounded by chavs when I'm on holiday. The skinheaded lad who walked to the village centre wearing nothing but his England shorts and his Everton FC tattoo's on display made me cringe. If I want to immerse myself with these people then I'd take my family on a £500 break to Torremolinos.

On the welcome drink front, the best one we experienced was at Son Antem. Completely inclusive and it didn't feel that everyone was there to grab a freebie and then slink off when they'd finished. People mingled and there was a real sense of being part of a club. I don't know if it's still the same now though. The one at IDF was a muted affair however I put this down to a mix of people from different nationalities. You didn't want to approach someone and just start speaking in English and make the arrogant assumption that they'd understand you.

I am sorry to say that times have changed at Son Antem. In previous years the owners meeting on a Monday morning and again on Thursday evenings were legendary but were mostly if not entirely funded by MVCI marketing. Now the funding comes from the owners via MFs and so the event is now a meeting on a Monday morning, with coffee, juice and some pastries.

In the past these events were used to good advantage by MVCI marketing as they mixed owners with potential buyers in a very relaxed and informal environment.

Some owners are complaining that there should be a return to the days past but I am not so sure I want my MFs spent on the amounts of alcohol that was consumed. I would be happy to see a return to an evening event with a cash bar so that those wanting to have a few drinks can do so but at their own expense rather than at the cost of the MFs.

What the event does do is bring the resort operations management together with owners and for owners to meet with each other. So far, whilst I miss the days past where we could have a few drinks at MVCI's expense, I do feel that the change is warranted and is a better use of the money from the maintenance budget.
 

davewasbaloo

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What Spain has against France is the weather, at least at Playa, Marbella and Son Antem you can almost be guaranteed sun.... I would probably enjoy France more with just myself and my wife but whilst the kids are young pools that you can swim in and guaranteed sun are the winners.

This is very true. Our 10 day vacation in the Netherlands this month, it rained every day. It made us decide the next vacation will probably be Italy (shame there is no MVCI there).
 

davewasbaloo

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We've traded next years week for Hilton Head as it ticks all the boxes (fingers crossed it goes through). The kids aren't interested in sightseeing but ask them if they want to spend the day riding bikes, playing on the beach and mucking about in pools then they're over the moon. It also means I get my fix of America for the year.

In reality I'm not particularly interested in sightseeing. Why do we feel guilty if we're not particularly interested in an historic sight. Too often we treat sights like a shopping list. Rushing between one after the other, trying to manage a tight itinery. Personally I enjoy immersing myself in the culture. Having a coffee on a French pavement cafe watcing the world go by. Drinking a few pints in a pub in Dublin (ignoring the pro IRA graffitti in the toilets!), trawling through a Turkish food market. I like to relax on holiday and to rush about trying to cram in the obligatory sights achieves nothing but the reverse. Hence relaxing on a beach or around a pool whether it be Spain, America or Canucn suits me down to the ground.

It's great that MVCI offers such diverse opportunities. Nothing bores me more than hanging around one resort by the pool (unless playing with the kids). And of course we like to soak up the markets and restaurants, but while we are visiting great historic sites. So anywhere where there is a wealth of access to museums, monuments and great architecture makes me really happy. Hence why we bought at IDF rather than Spain (though there are some great offerings there too). But Hilton Head, unlikely to ever happen for us. And the only thing we like about Cancun is we can get to Tulum, Chitzanitza (Sp?) or down to Guatemala with relative ease (and it is safer than other parts of Mexico).
 
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