New Timesharing concept

I am actually "considering" buying where I want to vacation.

This is a new concept to me, most of my timeshares are low MF's, great traders. Which has worked perfect until recently.

I am planning on going to Kauai EOY for 2 consecutive weeks.

I just got back from a 2 weeks stay and decided there aren't any timeshares in Kauai that compare Marriott. I'm sure Westin will be, but its pricey, and probably won't be that easy to get into. Plus I'm not all that impressed with the Princeville area.

Anyway, I'm considering buying 2 EOY weeks at Marriott Kauai. I haven't decided if I'll do both at Waiohai or one at each Marriott.

I know I could get a Manor Club platinum or some other great trader for probably half the cost and half the MF's. However, I like the concept of having a guarantee of two weeks in a row and not "hoping" I'll get the back to back week trades, with the exact check in dates I need.
I know Waiohai and KBC float 1-50. but I think if i have 2 weeks, I am pretty sure I'll be able to get two consecutive summer weeks if I'm persistent. I wouldn't have so much confidence trying to book summer Newport coast or somewhere that really shouldn't be platinum all year.

This past vacation. I stayed one week at Waiohai and the second at Pahio. I was sooo spoiled at Waiohai, that I hated the Pahio resort. I love a big pool, bar and grill, nice beach on site and all that. I knew that Waiohai or KBC comes up last minute on II. So I figured I would book the Pahio and cancel it and book a last minute KBC or Waiohai.
I had an ongoing search and I checked many times a day for a week. lots of other dates came up, but never the one I needed. So that plan didn't work.

I wouldn't mind every once in a while stay in Maui at the Ocean club, as my 2nd week.. but I figure Waiohai or KBC should be able to trade in. Even if its only for a 1bd, although I prefer 2bd.

Any thoughts or advice? Am I crazy to spend $25K or so to get the (2) EOY's? I'm very surprised Waiohai isn't sold out or more popular. I can't imagine anything getting much better than that.
I "think" if I buy right.. I should be ok, if or when I go to sell my unit.

I'll basically have to sell my annual platinum 2bd's at Hilton to buy one EOY at Waiohai. I wish Hilton would build on Kauai, it would make things easier for me.

ohhh, by the way. I have 3 small kids and I 'll be only traveling on during the summer for the next 15 years or so. If I could travel offseason. I'm sure I'd have better luck with exchanging.

Thanks
Dave

Dave,

Mariott is pushing the idea of 2 weeks EOY instead of 1 annual week at Waiohai. If you buy 2 weeks EOY, EOY you'll be a mulitple week owner and can reserve both your weeks at the 13 month mark. Meaning that when you get a week, you shouldn't have alot of problems getting the second week.

Also, you could buy 1 eoy week at both waiohai and KBC and stay a week at each since they are a really different resort experiance.

Dave, I think buying where you really like to go is the best idea of all and you will enjoy it many years. Like Bill said here, buying two units EOY has other advantages too. I prefer the Waiohai and certainly with small children. They would be happy there all day long.

Our neighbors own there and her children are older than yours but they still like it too and look forward to the trip each year. The beach is great for snorkeling and surfboarding too in the afternoon. I love that resort. We would have bought there if we could have bought a fixed week for the time period we needed. Maui had that available but not the Waiohai.

You buy there and we may do a direct exchange one day if it falls over Easter again. I have offered the same deal to my neighbors but it has to be vacation time for them too.

Thanks Emmy.. (and Bill)
I think if I have two weeks, I shouldn't have much problem booking the weeks I need. I'm pretty flexible from Mid June to Mid Aug.

Sounds like a deal.. we'll keep in touch. Easter week in Maui sounds great.

I really like the idea of a week at each Kauai resort, but what I don't like is packing everything up and moving. Also, getting rid of all the refrigerated food, since I'd have a 6 hour in-between time.

We are at that point too. We have a number of t/s that we bought with the idea of trading. Some we bought because we will always go there. And, one we bought for a point hound.

We are now thinking of one more to add a guaranteed 2nd week to our favorite / will alsways go/ location. Buy it. :whoopie:

Beverley

What about the Sunterra Poipu Point? I thought you bought Sunterra points? Isn't that a good one? The Maui Sunterra is really nice, and there are a few two bedrooms there. I loved that resort, when we stayed there 7 years ago.

You should buy where you want to go, Dave. I think trading is a wonderful thing, and the last-minute trades are pretty great, too. But you cannot count on Marriotts being available on the islands as trades, even with Marriotts, so buying where you want to go every year does make sense.

We could not afford to do buy Marriotts on the islands. I think they are fabulous, but I don't need the most luxurious places to stay, as I am a simple farm girl. I also like the weather in Princeville more than most people and it is an easy trade, especially the PAHIO's.

CaliDave said:

Thanks Emmy.. (and Bill)
I think if I have two weeks, I shouldn't have much problem booking the weeks I need. I'm pretty flexible from Mid June to Mid Aug.

Sounds like a deal.. we'll keep in touch. Easter week in Maui sounds great.

I really like the idea of a week at each Kauai resort, but what I don't like is packing everything up and moving. Also, getting rid of all the refrigerated food, since I'd have a 6 hour in-between time.

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Here is a recommendation we can make to the Marriott. Have a fridge somewhere in a common area. It may be there already but you may need more than one. Buy a big cooler (the throw away kind or give it to someone else) at the store and use that and fill it up with ice again during the day, if you need to, while you are still at the resort. We have done that ourselves. Moving is a pain but you have two different vacations in one. We love our two-week interval that we have and I wouldn't mind staying longer yet.

iconnections said:

Here is a recommendation we can make to the Marriott. Have a fridge somewhere in a common area. It may be there already but you may need more than one. Buy a big cooler (the throw away kind or give it to someone else) at the store and use that and fill it up with ice again during the day, if you need to, while you are still at the resort. We have done that ourselves. Moving is a pain but you have two different vacations in one. We love our two-week interval that we have and I wouldn't mind staying longer yet.

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Thats a good idea.. of course you can't bring much refrigerated food to KBC, the fridges are small.

Waiohai is our favorite too!

Aloha Dave !

Waiohai was our first timeshare purchase - we bought preconstruction while staying at KBC - and were so excited when we finally got to stay! We go every December (our annivesary) and thoroughly enjoy each trip. We have bought a few other weeks at other locations - always places we like to visit and vacation at, and are easy to get to from here (except for one little 1 bedroom week in Aruba) - that way - we are always looking forward to going and do not have to "exchange" and pay exchange fees. Last year we "fine tuned" our "portfolio" of weeks & traded in (and up) an extra week at Canyon Villas for a second week at Waiohai! So now we are looking forward to a week in October (countdown) this year as well as our December week. Maybe next year we will make it 2 back-to-back weeks! Or maybe make it 3 weeks in paradise by splitting our Ko-Olina week, before and after Waiohai!

We live in California - and Hawaii is just one state away! But regarding buying where you like to visit - we are all for it. And Waiohai is great property - when you want to trade - you will be able to! The EOY program seems to be working well and offers a lot of options.

Have fun and enjoy!

rickandcindy23 said:

What about the Sunterra Poipu Point? I thought you bought Sunterra points? Isn't that a good one? The Maui Sunterra is really nice, and there are a few two bedrooms there. I loved that resort, when we stayed there 7 years ago.

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rickandcindy23 said:

You should buy where you want to go, Dave. I think trading is a wonderful thing, and the last-minute trades are pretty great, too. But you cannot count on Marriotts being available on the islands as trades, even with Marriotts, so buying where you want to go every year does make sense. [Smilie]

We could not afford to do buy Marriotts on the islands. I think they are fabulous, but I don't need the most luxurious places to stay, as I am a simple farm girl. [Stick Out Tongue] I also like the weather in Princeville more than most people and it is an easy trade, especially the PAHIO's.

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You're right the Sunterra is pretty nice, I think its a long walk to a good swimmable beach. Its nice to be right on the beach, but I guess I can't get too picky.
I sold my Sunterra, I never converted to the point system. I didn't feel like paying them $4K, so I sold my weeks.

I know with Marriott , I;d be able to get the back to back weeks and they would confirm both weeks at once. . I'm not sure of the reservation policy of Sunterra.

I’d be concerned booking a week at Marriott, then calling Sunterra, finding out that week is booked.. canceling with marriott.. and on and on. I’d rather deal with the same company for 2 weeks. I don’t think I’d like staying at Sunterra 2 consecutive weeks, I know I could stay at Waiohai 2 weeks.
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Two weeks at the Marriott is a lot smarter than owning at two different brand name resorts and worry if you will get the adjoining weeks.

The real reason to own weeks

As the timeshare product has evolved the focus used for so long - buy here to trade there - has lost it's appeal. It was always really a way for developers to move lower demand inventory that didn't have much value sold for use at the home resort. The high demand times have always sold themselves.

Now developers have figured out that trying to sell a dependence on exchanging to give the poor weeks value doesn't work well and doesn't make for happy, repeat buyers. They also dislike the power that gave the big two. So we have most new developments in groups of multiple resorts now based on "no need to trade - stay in our system". Coincidently (??) they maintain control in those systems.

So what used to be a weeks based exchange has evolved to the multi-resort internal exchange. Usually with fees corresponding to the value of the time you own not the same rate no matter how good or bad your exchange value may be.

All along the informed buyers, or those that lucked into the common sense that if it's a week/resort/unit I want others will too, bought the high demand times to maximize value for those annual fees. No need to trade if its a resort/location you enjoy but if you do trade someone else with a desirable resort/unit/location will be willing to give up theirs to get yours. The problem reminded that the poorer times - still paying the full fare but getting far less - expected the system to upgrade them. Thus the collapse of the equal trade system first envisioned by the RCI founders as owners learned the tricks and how to grab the most for the least.

Now the sensible move is exactly what you plan. Buy weeks at a resort you have plans to use. No need for exchange, the fees, the hassles - buy what you like and use it. It's the perfect timeshare.

For those who don't have a set resort or area they wish to visit time after time the multi-resort (or mini's) are the logical choice. The least effective, especially if you want newer and larger resorts, are the week based systems. They are mired in old ways and have inventory made up more and more of lower value time at older, often seasonal resorts.

Your plan sounds well thought out and it's perfect for todays timeshare realities.

Dave,
I can clearly understand where you are coming from. Especially with small children and you know your plans for the next number of years. Are these floating though?

Lisa

CaliDave said:

[I know I could stay at Waiohai 2 weeks.[/FONT]
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I came home from Waiohai saying I could LIVE there-LOL. You are correct-I don't think anything else compares in Kauai. I know a lot of people like the Sunterra property but it just doesn't compare to the Waiohai, IMHO.

I also had the same feeling as you, Dave. We stayed in a privately owned condo on the North shore first, then moved to Waiohai and then moved to MY timeshare in Maui. We hated Maui that trip. It was our first trip to Kauai and we much prefer it now. My Maui T/S was perfectly fine but it felt so inadequate compared to the Waiohai.

I instantly started looking for resales. I did find a guy selling both an even and an odd EOY for 13,900 asking price. I could absolutely KICK myself right now for not taking one of them. I was his first inquiry and he was very anxious to sell. It just turned in this fiasco with my family who all wanted in and I didn't want them in...they take plenny free vacations because of us. So, I let it go....still kicking myself.



We have talked before and decided that you and I have the same timesharing goals. California, Hawaii. I wish you luck in your quest.

Your neighbor,
Tracy

Dave,

We bought an annual year at Waiohai very early in development, but wanted to come every other year for two weeks because a one-week stay in Hawaii isn't long enough. By advertising on TUG I found another family with the same goal. So we exchange to get what we want: last year we went for two weeks, this year they went.

This is OK except that we have ocean view and the other family has island; it doesn't bother me much but my wife thinks one goes to Kauai to look at the ocean and not the garden. And it's a little inconvenient because you can't do a 13-month reservation, but maybe you have another week you could use to be eligible for that. So far, it is possible to get what you want by calling at 9am 12 months out, even for mid-July, but I can foresee that owning two weeks yourself will be more predictable as sellout approaches.

I've been looking for an EOY oceanview resale for over a year without success, so I think the concept is popular.

also-Cali Dave

timeos2 said:

...Now the sensible move is exactly what you plan. Buy weeks at a resort you have plans to use. No need for exchange, the fees, the hassles - buy what you like and use it. It's the perfect timeshare....

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Makes perfect sense to me. We have owned up to 11 ts at a time (down to 8 now). We have never exchanged. We use 5 each year (same time, same place), rent the other 3 every year (high demand event weeks). The 3 rentals cover about 80% of the mf + taxes for all 8. If I count the profit on the 3 we sold, I've got well under 8k in the total group of 8, not counting my rental profits over the years. Hey, I'm cheap on buying- I learned the strategies from Fletch (you old timers remember).

Buy where you want to go. No exchange membership fees, addl. fees for each trade, whether you will get a 'fair' trade (I'm not getting into the points vs. weeks arguement here-it's elsewhewre on the board.) I don't care about crossover grids, what developers do with their unused weeks, etc. My only concern is the best use of my weeks- I don't expect to 'trade up' (there's no free lunch for everyone all of the time- the math does not add up).

If you want to go somewhere you don't own, rents are cheap, evan at peak demand, nice places. Or take one of the promo tours and have a backbone- say no.

Dave,
We own two EOY weeks at Waiohai (oceanview) and have never had a problem booking any weeks we want. The 13 month priority really helps. I'm with you.......buy where you really want to go. Plus, one week never seems enough for HI.

I recently decided to change my portfolio a bit for that exact same reason. I found I kept trading into Palm Desert every year so am selling one of my traders (Summit Watch) and buying at Shadow Ridge.

Good luck with your decision.

Jan

Have you considered Shell points?

CaliDave, just going to throw one more idea at you in case you haven't considered it. Have you thought about buying Shell Hawaii points? Shell has a gorgeous resort in Kauai (Kapaa) and if you own in the Hawaii club, you can book upto 12 months out. Other Shell owners (non-Hawaii) can't book until the 9 month window, so in the 9-12 month window, availability is very good. Can't speak for the summer, but I had no trouble booking choice units for two back-to-back weeks in the peak March period. I called fairly early though. In my several conversations with some of the more seasoned reps, they tell me that as long as I book 12 months out, there shouldn't be a problem. Specifically, we are thinking of going to Hawaii for two back-to-back weeks over the Christmas period in future years, and they tell me (I still have to find out for myself) that as long as I book in the 12-mo window, I should have no problem.

Anyway, mf's are comparable to the Hawaii Marriotts and Westins, and they have good resorts in Hawaii. The one downside - the only island they do not have a resort on is Mauii. We specifically bought Shell because we want to go to Hawaii regularly and couldn't fathom paying out the outright $'s needed to buy Marriott or Westin. Just thought I'd put it out there for you to consider .

Dave,

I think it's a great idea for you and your family! I am a believer in "buy where you want to go" because I am too afraid of exchanging because of school holidays, frequent flier flight schedules, etc. Plus I am just not a good gambler!

Now I'm afraid to visit Waiohai (on my list of timeshares I must stay at) because I will also want a week there . I've already browsed a bit of the resales just for fun...

Go for it ! It sounds like a great place and I can't wait to visit there!

Glad to read so many rave reviews of Waiohai. My impression from everyone's prior posts was that it was terrific there, but I was rather surprised by a friend's recent comments after returning from a preview package there. She had exchanged into Maui for a week and loved the unit there but really wasn't impressed with Waiohai. She was disappointed with the service there, etc. Do you generally find it up to typical Marriott standards?

m61376 said:

........ She was disappointed with the service there, etc. Do you generally find it up to typical Marriott standards?

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Surprising!

I used my owner week and rented a second week there in July. The service was impeccable - top notch in every aspect. I called ahead and ordered flowers, champaigne, strawberries and cheese with the concierge. When I arrived at the counter, the lady immediately dispatched the help to take this order out of their refridgerator and deliver it to my room before we got up there. It was delivered and displayed elegantly. Cost was even reasonable.

The concierge did every single booking for me throughout the week, island wide. They knew me by name in no time. Lost a card key, no problem, they came running! The bartender great. The welcome desk was friendly. Even the salesman at the presentation was fun.

I will be buying a second week as soon as finances permit. Traveling from Texas, it only makes since.

I know Waiohai and KBC float 1-50. but I think if i have 2 weeks, I am pretty sure I'll be able to get two consecutive summer weeks if I'm persistent. I wouldn't have so much confidence trying to book summer Newport coast or somewhere that really shouldn't be platinum all year.

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CaliDave:

Not quite right. KBC has a true Aloha Season. Season floats weeks 1-52, not 1-50. It is the only Marriott resort in Hawaii with a true 52 week float.
The implications of 2 weeks ownership at the 13 month window is self evident.

Fredm

All the advice is great. It appears that this would be the best move for me.
I was actually expecting some people to tell me how I should buy cheap Marriott's and trade and all that.
I know renting is probably cheaper, but 2 weeks in a row , isn't always going to work out finding rental units.

I haven't looked into Shell, I'll check that out. I'm looking for good pool and swimmable beach.

The service at Waiohai was great.

This is the same reason we have bought Disney. Its expensive, but we go there at least three times a year. Even though are kids are getting older, they are more Disney nuts then us now.

I love the Waiohai and can't wait to go back in 2009. I think you should go for the 2 EOY at Waiohai.