Points programs - which one's best?

[siki]

I am finding out that there are a few different points programs out there. It seems that Fairfield is the most flexble. Is this a correct assumption?

I also saw HGVC and RCI points. What are the main differences between these three? Also, are there any other programs I am missing?

I want to weigh all my options.

Thanks!
Michelle

[geekette]

"Best" depends on the user. I have Bluegreen and love it - it might not work for you.

It would be helpful for you to list the areas/times you'd like to vacation and what other information might help whittle the list to "best for You."

["Roger"]

I agree with Geekette -- there is no "best" program. What is best for one person may not be that good for another. Many people, for example, like Worldmark and I don't doubt that it has a good program. But most of its resorts are located toward the west coast and that would not work well for me.

She gave some good suggestions as to what information that you might provide that can help us steer you in the right direction.

[Maybe, a few comments to get you started... These are some very quick quips that others may not fully accept. Call them one persons impressionistic (perhaps misguided) view of the points clubs...]

HGVC has the most uniformly high class resorts, but much more limited locations than the other point clubs.

Bluegreen is located mostly in the midwest and south east.

Worldmark is stong in the west.

With Fairfield be sure that you understand the different levels of membership. (Not being part of it, my eyes gloss over as I glance at some of the explanations. Maybe if I seriously looked at it, it would not seem so complicated.)

RCI Points is basically a grouping for "independents." It has the largest selection of resorts, but availability depends upon how many Points memberships were sold at a particular resort. At some, availability is easy, at others near impossible.

Shell Vacation Club has a fairly wide range of resorts, but some who have looked into it complain that its maintenance fees are too high. (I don't know how high that is.)

[Jya-Ning]

you can add disney, sunterra, royal holiday. El cid Vacation Club.

Jya-Ning

[timeos2]

As others stated what is "best" in points programs is open to interpretation for sure. But Wyndham (the system formerly known as Fairfield) is a very good system, growing smartly, each resort seems to be better than the last and VERY inexpensive to buy on resale. It may be the best bargain in points right now. At retail its a nearly a rip-off unless you enjoy knowing your purchase was devalued by at least 70% the moment your right to rescind ends. And don't get sucked into the sales rhetoric about the many VIP levels - the cost is not worth the extremely limited benefits. Wyndham points act as all points systems should. A point is a point is a point. Doesn't matter how you bought it, what resort it's based at or what the annual fees are. All points spend alike. There are a few, easy to grasp rules such as you do get a preference reserving time at your home resort. Things get more complicated when the flexibilty starts to impact ease of use - there are SO many ways to use and maximize your points that it can get complex. But the underlying system is very sound, time tested and worth the learning curve. Just remember - buy resale.

[BocaBum99]

Fairfield isn't the most flexible. There are lots of point systems that have similar or more flexibility. Fairfield IS the most complicated. They nickle and dime you for everything. Very Cendant / RCI / Wyndham Vacation Ownership-like.

[allenke]

I would have to say that Worldmark by Wyndham is one of the most flexible programs. As mentioned above, stronger in the West.

Ken

[Abaco-Bob]

Shell Properties is also a points based program. Good Properties in Hawaii.

Abaco-Bob

[az mom]

Hi,

I own Sunterra points and have been happy with my purchase. The system was a little complicated to understand and there are distinct differences between resale and developer points. Once I began to understand, I was able to use my points well and get a lot of value for my investment. They have more resorts in the South, both West and East, than elsewhere.

Stacy (az mom)

[momeason]

Originally Posted by az mom

Hi,

I own Sunterra points and have been happy with my purchase. The system was a little complicated to understand and there are distinct differences between resale and developer points. Once I began to understand, I was able to use my points well and get a lot of value for my investment. They have more resorts in the South, both West and East, than elsewhere.

Stacy (az mom)

Yes, but Sunterra has big restrictions on resale points. Fairfield resale is cheap and a point is a point.

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Vacation Internationale is also a good program, with resorts in western North America, Mexico, and Hawai'i. VI can be purchased inexpensively and is easy to use.

It is also firmly controlled by its members, not by a developer.

[Kona Lovers]

As Abaco-Bob mentioned, Shell Vacations Club has some good Hawaii properties. We've also traded very easily through RCI with Shell points.

Marty

[AwayWeGo]

Originally Posted by siki

I want to weigh all my options.

Deciding on timeshare points is different depending on whether you're starting out totally from scratch (i.e., you do not yet own any timeshares of any kind) or whether you are considering taking a points plunge after you're already into some form of timeshares.

In our case, by the time we got interested in timehare points, we already had some straight-weeks timeshares -- 1 at a resort we like going to ourselves, 1 at a resort in a far-off overseas land that we bought strictly for straight week-for-week exchanges into nice USA timeshares.

We wanted the option of blending all those together if we choose, or not if we don't choose, so we went for RCI Points because (a) we were able to take that particular points plunge cheaply (relatively speaking), & (b) our other straight-weeks timeshares were part of the RCI timeshare-exchange system, allowing us to do Points For Deposit with them in any particular year if we want -- i.e., deposit our RCI straight-weeks timeshares into the RCI Points system for points-based exchanges, receiving an equivalent points-value for those weeks instead of just getting banked weeks on deposit for potential week-for-week exchanges. It's semi-complicated, but once we figured it out we felt good about going with it.

When we receive banked points instead of banked weeks (via Points For Deposit), we can use our points for points-based timeshare reservations or we can Raid The Weeks Inventory by using our points to get reservations at weeks resorts. Of course, when we're using points that we got via Points For Deposit to get a reservation at a weeks timeshare, then it's not so much an actual raid as it is a regular week-for-week trade that just happened to take a detour into & then back out of the points pool.

For our complete timeshare story, points & all, feel free to click here.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

[Steamboat Bill]

I like DVC the best (if you like Disney).

[CatLovers]

We recently made the plunge into Shell Vacation Club points (resale of course) after researching it for several months. Many TUGgers on this board feel that the MFs in SVC are high; we don't necessarily disagree, but we find that you get what you pay for. I am sure that you will get lots of pro and con responses to this statement but, FWIW, here's our opinion: we like the high-end luxury feel of the SVC resorts and we find that they have great locations particularly in Hawaii. We also appreciate that the "nickel-and-diming" seems to be less than in some of the other systems. So ... if the MFs are higher, then we figure we're getting what we paid for! You'll need to make your own decisions of course, but you're taking the right approach - research, ask lots of questions, and take your time.

[rifleman69]

Originally Posted by T_R_Oglodyte

Vacation Internationale is also a good program, with resorts in western North America, Mexico, and Hawai'i. VI can be purchased inexpensively and is easy to use.

It is also firmly controlled by its members, not by a developer.

Not totally 100% correct, but you're on the right track. It still is "owned".

[winger]

Marriott is where we decided to put our money. Combination of higher end resorts (w/ our MVCI timeshare) and points (w/ our Marriott Rewards) for hotel or travel packages (air/hotel/car) will take us many places on family vacaions in the future! Plus daily purchases with our Marriott Rewards VISA and ability to trade in our MVCI resort for annual points builds our points as well.


We are debating whether to add a WM to our portfolio as it seems a good supplement to our Marriott components outlined above.

[ykedoodl]

Best is in the eye of the beholders.

It has caught my eye the points system of Vacation Internationale. The ability to bank for three years and borrow from the future two is interesting. I also like to trade into RCI points vs Weeks. That ability as well as thier other-condo exchange to VI points is available to retail points owners. Similar to Fairfields PIC program that Boca first pointed out to me.

I also like the fact that they have some very interesting locations. By this I mean good Hawaii resorts, penthouse suites, and locations close to attractions like the beach etc. They also manage older well kept resorts this tells you about the better styles of management they use. They are also where we want to go. So... we will own more there in the future.

I'm surprised that there is no mention of Hilton, Consolidated, and some more of the smaller networks like ILX.

I'd love to hear about the ones that treat resale owners fairly as that is the big opportunity for us.

-Rob

[easterntraveler]

Any update?

[Bill4728]

This may be a good place to start
link

[Betsy]

Does anyone have info about Starwood Options and the Westin resort program?

[DeniseM]

Originally Posted by Betsy

Does anyone have info about Starwood Options and the Westin resort program?

Yes - we have a Starwood Forum. I'd start by reading the Starwood FAQ. However, Starwood is not really a true points system, because all Staroptions must be "attached" to a deeded week - you can't just buy the Staroptions for trading.

Starwood includes Westin, Sheraton, and some other affiliated resorts. Only a few of the resorts have Staroptions on a resale. Trading into some of the resorts with Staroptions is very difficult - especially Westin St. John (nearly impossible) and to a lesser degree, Harborside Atlantis, so I wouldn't buy at another resort, in the hope of exchanging into to WSJ or HA. Except for WSJ and HA, making a Staroption exchange into the other resorts, even Hawaii, is doable, if you understand the system and make your Staroption Resv. in a timely manner.

The negative side of Starwood is that management likes to change the rules with no warning - and seldom in the owners' best interest, and their maintenance fees are out of control. My Maui 2 bdm. was $2,300 this year - it's gone up $1,000 in less than 10 years.