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Maui Ocean Club Suites versus Villas

Time2Buy

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I've been watching eBay and other sites for a deal on a unit at Maui Ocean Club. The suites are priced significantly less than the Lahaina/Napili Villas. Is it worth the difference to have a full kitchen in a 2-BR unit? Maintenance fees are also less. Is it also worth the premium for an ocean view versus an island/mountain/garden view? I'm looking for a floating week because the fixed weeks are out of my price range.

I understand the recommendation about not buying in Hawaii due to the high cost of the maintenance fees but we go to Maui every year and plan to continue to do so for a long time in the future. We want to be sure that we can reserve a summer week.

Thanks in advance for any input,

Greg
 

winger

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I think this is a personal choice/decision - on each of the points you mentioned.

For example, in our case, having use of a full kitchen is worth ALOT since my son has many, many food allergies, a couple of which are life-threatening. Being able to make home-cooked meals for him even to take to restaurants with us (parents and sister can still eat out without major concerns) is priceless.

We used the suite's 2-bedrooms' limited kitchen a couple of yrs ago - it was workable but by no means as nice as a full kitchen.

Also, since we exclusively trade our units (for over 13+ yrs), owning a float vs fixed does not matter for us.
 
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bobmcgraw

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Hi Greg,

Like you, we visit every year. As a result, we bought in Maui to ensure we get the experience we want every year instead of having to count on a good trade.

We own a 1BR OF suite and a 2BR OF Lahaina/Napilli villa. And we like them both. Which one is better depends on what you want. Here are my thoughts:

The OF suite is much closer to the water. I like sitting on the Lanai with a drink and enjoying the completely unobstructed view.

It is also closer to the super pool and the Lanai is bigger.

The OF villa is much nicer in terms of quality and overall experience.

In the suite, while nice, I do have somewhat of a feel that I am in a hotel-like accommodation.

In the villa, I feel like I am in an apartment/home. It just has a different feel. It is like coming home.

When we are in the suite, we adjust accordingly and limit our food options. It isn't to big an issue but it does limit us.

In the villa, we actually enjoy doing some cooking ourselves. You know, cooking, talking with friends, relaxing with a drink while we prepare the meal. It is a great social time for us.

Also, we really like having the washer/dryer right in the unit as we do with the villa.

I don't have a 2BR suite but if I could only own one unit and could afford the villa, I am pretty sure that would be my choice.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Bob
 

winger

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If you plan on having guests, note the Suites 2BD has three (3) bathrooms - which may come in handy.
 

vacationtime1

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I think this is a personal choice/decision - on each of the points you mentioned.

We own a 1BR OF suite and a 2BR OF Lahaina/Napilli villa. And we like them both. Which one is better depends on what you want.

I agree that there is no single, right answer. In fact, the unit you may want to have for one trip may differ from what you may want to have for another trip.

I suggest that you go as a renter first, do the tour so you can get inside each type of unit you are considering, let the housekeepers let you walk through units when they are being cleaned (nothing like seeing the actual views), walk the grounds both during the daytime and after dark, and then decide. Knowledge is power. Prices are not going to jump in the next year. And your choice will be better informed.
 

m61376

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In addition to the above sage advice, since no one addressed views- whether the price difference is worth it varies upon who you ask. For a property you will be visiting and not trading, you really need to think about your personal preference, and how important an ocean view is to you and your family. Personally, I know it adds A LOT to my vacation; my husband likes it, but it is not as big a deal to him.

There are a lot of bargains out there today; divide the price differential by 10 and ask yourself is it worth $X per year to have an ocean view room? If it is, then go for it.

When I bought my Plat. week at the SC, I was willing to pay a few thousand dollars more to get an Oceanside rather than an Oceanview room, but the price differential for OF was just too high for the added benefit to me. Others likely felt paying more for OS was crazy, and a few felt that OF prices were worth it. Others are perfectly content with GV's. So, again, talk with your family and together decide what's imp.
 

MOXJO7282

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The full kitchen and the in-room laundry is very nice but to me not worth the premium you have to pay in price and MFs for the villas
 

Lawlar

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Fixed or Forget It

I understand the recommendation about not buying in Hawaii due to the high cost of the maintenance fees but we go to Maui every year and plan to continue to do so for a long time in the future. We want to be sure that we can reserve a summer week.


Greg

When we bought our Lahaina Villa unit we soon discovered that summer weeks were impossible to get (the salesperson told us that we would have no problem getting summer weeks, but that proved to be false). We converted our purchase to a fixed week so that we will not have to worry about whether we can get a week that suits our needs.

We have been going to Maui every year for over twenty years. So for us it is nice to have a unit on our favorite beach. But we certainly wouldn't do it again if we had the choice (just consider the MFs, let alone the cost of the unit).

If you are going to spend the money for a Villa, get a fixed unit or you may find those with 13 month priority and the new system will take all of the good weeks and you will end up spending a fortune for a unit that you can only get at times that don't suit your needs.

Why not rent every year? Or take advantage of the hotel specials that appear almost every year. That's what we would do if we could go back to day one....Unless you got money to burn.

Good luck.
 

Michigan Czar

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The full kitchen and the in-room laundry is very nice but to me not worth the premium you have to pay in price and MFs for the villas

I agree 100%! We also love the 3 showers in the suites as we usually bring extended family along and it is nice to have 3 showers. We grill out a bunch and occassionally go out to eat so the limited kitchen isn't that bothersome to us. I also like being closer to the ocean and super pool vs. the new villas.
 
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