Best timeshare you ever stayed in?

[vacationlover2]

Tell us the best timeshare you've ever been to. Where, what company, was it an exchange, what was so great about it.

Thanks!

 

[susan1738]

Pueblo Bonito - Mazatlan

Let me qualify this by saying that we are heading to Hawaii for our first time in March, so I may have to change my answer then. But for now, we absolutely LOVED Mazatlan, and plan to return again when our 1 in 4 rule has "expired." The people there are so friendly, the meals were awesome, the happy hours delightful! Oh, and it was an RCI exchange.

 

[Keitht]

For quality of furnishings and fittings along with overall size, Orange Lake. Before anybody starts screaming how good/bad (delete as applicable) OL is, it was our first t/s exchange and we have been to plenty of others since!!

For location Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. The unit was quite small, but who cares when you're in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

 

[dougp26364]

To date, our favorite two we purchased at. Both are Marriott's. One is the new Grand Chateau in Las Vegas and the other is Ocean Pointe in Palm Beach Shores, FL. What we like about them is the location as well as Marriott's quality.

At Ocean Pointe, we have a 3 bedroom ocean front unit. We enjoy sitting out on the balcony with a cup of hot tea in the mornings and evenings, watching the ocean, the boats/ships and hearing the waves come in. The resort also has some of the nicest grounds for a timeshare resort we've ever seen.

Our Grand Chateau unit is also a three bedoom and these sit occupy the entire end of each tower. They are huge units and the 3rd bedroom locks-out into a compete one bedroom unit with a full kitchen and washer and dryer. The location works great for us on the south end of the strip and it's just a short walk for us to get into the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood's shopping center. It does not have all the amenities of resort style timeshares but, when we're in Vegas, that doesn't matter to us.

Originally, Ocean Pointe was an exchange that we decided to purchase. We bought Grand Chateau after touring the resort and seeing how nice the 3 bedroom units were going to be (purchased pre-construction).

 

[caribbeansun]

The best I've been to is one I own - The Reef Resort. Amazing location, large comfortable and clean units, oceanfront and a perfect fit with our lifestyle.

 

[littlestar]

The best one I've ever stayed in was at Disney's Villas at Wilderness Lodge. We had a 2 bedroom top floor unit with a cathedral ceiling. It was wonderful. We own there, too.

My other favorite stay was not a timeshare yet (I heard that is changing, though). It was the Sheraton at Poipu on Kauai. On my, how I loved staying there. Open air lobby right on the ocean with a killer view and fantastic guest service.

 

[Big Matt]

Best all around would be Marriott's Grande Ocean in Hilton Head.

 

[california-bighorn]

Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach and the resort now known as Poipu Beach Resort or something like that. After swearing to never buy another TS, I bought resell at PBSB after exchanging into there. This place blew our socks off!! We were able to rent at Poipu Beach for about the cost of MF's. I know there are other resorts that are more high-scale then these, but these are best we have stayed at.

 

[Bill4728]

We exchanged into Club Intrawest in Whistler twice and just had to become an owner because we loved it so much. It big enough to have most all things you expect at a resort but it is and never will be a MEGA -resort.

Two nice pools (one for families and one for adults), a game room with free video games for the kids, a movie theater were at night they play DVDs (guest or one of their free library of movies), if you want to get out of your room, you can pickup a book and sit by the fire in the Club's library. All the changing room near the pool have a swim suit spinner to dry your suit before you go back to the room. There is always a urn of hot cider in the lobby.

We love the place.

 

[KevinRS]

So many choices

1. Reef Resort, Cayman
2. Westin St. John
3. Banff Rocky Mountain Resort (I agree about the location)

Too hard to narrow down to just 1

 

[chemteach]

Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach

That's ours, too! The 2 bedroom units at PBSB are absolutely fantastic. Service was great, we loved riding the carts up and down the place. The kids really enjoyed it. 4 pools, all with a kids pool, one with an amazing panoramic view of the sunset. We thought the units were nicer than our Westin Mission Hills unit.

Smuggler's Notch was a close second because it's so family oriented. Units are nice, but nowhere near the quality of Sunset Beach.

 

[susieq]

So far, (the operative word here), the best timeshare exchanges we've made, (through RCI), are Los Abrigados, Sedona AZ, and Faifield Pagosa, Pagosa Springs CO. :whoopie:

Sue

 

[caribbean]

By far, The Residences at the Crane in Barbados. The 3BR penthouse units with plunge pools are spectacular and the smaller ones are nice as well. Going back yet again in June and have a 2BR with a plunge pool. Looking forward to using the newly completed pool complex. Trade through RCI Points

Didn't stay there, just took the tour, but have to say that the 4 BR Presidential unit at Fairfield Governor's Green in Williamsburg was very impressive.

 

[Karen G]

This is a hard question as there are so many I've enjoyed, but a big part of what makes the following resorts "best" is their location and the activities nearby, not necessarily the furnishings inside the unit, though all were fine. All are with RCI, unless otherwise noted.

1. 2 bed/2bath London flat obtained through DAE
1. Pueblo Bonito Rose, Cabo (we own 2 bed/2bath oceanfront, fixed wk.)
2. Manhattan Club, NYC
3. Eagle Crest, Oregon
4. Mt. Bachelor Village, Oregon
5. Legacy Golf Resort, Phoenix
6. HGVC Flamingo, Hilton, Strip - Las Vegas
6. Fairfield Grand Desert and Grandview, Las Vegas

There are ties for 1st and 6th place.

 

[talkamotta]

It all depends on who you go with and why?

1. Longboat Bay Club - smaller resort than some would like but I love it there.
I didnt go there this year and Im having withdrawls.

2. Westgate Canyons - great atmosphere and location

3. Marriott Grande Ocean - was a little too cold when I took the kids but it is
a very nice location and resort.

4. Sands of Kahana/Maui - great location and the unit I stayed in was wonderful with most perfect views.

I really liked El Rancho in Mazatlan-the location, the resort was nice enough, not fancy, the staff and location were perfect.

The Royal Mayan in Cancun. Location for the beach was good, a little far from the activities we wanted to do. Rooms and staff were very nice.

I like Fairfield Flagstaff for the location. Resort was nice enough but didnt spend very much time there only to sleep because there is so much to do and see.

I would think that would be the draw anywhere in the Banff or Jasper area.

Ive found that it is the people you are traveling with and thier attitudes that make the biggest impact on the resort.

 

[Steve]

Marriott's Manor Club

My absolute favorite is Marriott's Manor Club. I exchanged into this resort through II, and after staying there, I bought a week. The quality of the construction, furnishings, and landscaping (esp. in the original section) are exceptional. Manor Club truly captures the grace and charm of Colonial Williamsburg. The architecture and decor fit in perfectly with the resort's surroundings...and the attention to detail is superb. As a native Virginian, and a lover of American history, a stay at Manor Club is about as good as it gets. I feel completely at home there.

Steve

 

[timeos2]

Speaking only of places we've stayed

My absolute favorite is Marriott's Manor Club. I exchanged into this resort through II, and after staying there, I bought a week. The quality of the construction, furnishings, and landscaping (esp. in the original section) are exceptional. Manor Club truly captures the grace and charm of Colonial Williamsburg. The architecture and decor fit in perfectly with the resort's surroundings...and the attention to detail is superb. As a native Virginian, and a lover of American history, a stay at Manor Club is about as good as it gets. I feel completely at home there.

Steve

While our stays were now over 5 years ago and things change of the many places we've been in timeshares the Marriott Manor Club (original section and especially building 1 which was actually built prior to Marriott taking over) still stands out as the best of the best. As Steve said it was everything about it that said quality. The location (too far away from almost everything you want to do in Williamsburg - but it isn't the only Williamsburg resort that suffers from that), while in a very upscale area, is actually not the best but the resort itself makes up for it. I've not heard as much positive about the "sequel" and there are a few that come awfully close (Wyndham Alexandria, most of the Wyndham Presidential suites and a few others) but unless time has been unkind to the property the Manor Club gets our "best" vote. There certainly may be better out there we haven't come across yet but it is the one which we have had the chance to actually visit and enjoy.

 

[riverdees05]

Of the timeshares that we own and have exchanged into, we think Grand Timber Lodge in Breckenridge is the best.

 

[lvhmbh]

Costa Linda Aruba!!!!

 

[Kola]

I am surprised no one has chosen the Grand Caymanian or Marriott's Desert Spring Villas ? Why ?

Kola

 

[chellej]

Our Fav's

Pahio Shearwater
Hilton Hawaiian Village
The Bay Club (Big Island)
Grand Timber Lodge
The Royal Mayan
Ram's Horn - Estes Park
HGVC@ Seaworld
The Grand Mayan - Riviera Maya


for location: Island Park Village

 

[Dori]

So far, our favourites are as follows:

1. Houses at Summer Bay
2. Sheraton Desert Oasis
3. Lawrence Welk Resort Villas (Escondido)

We are headed to FFGrand Desert in May, and I have a feeling that it may make my list.

Dori

 

[BocaBum99]

3 bedroom cabin at Big Cedar in the Bluegreen Wilderness Club.

 

[labguides]

Grand Timber in Breck and Westgate Park City are the best "so far". Westgate Park City has a nice spa.

 

[jerseygirl]

My favorites -- all equal -- for a combination of resort and location:

• Harborside
• Disney's Old Key West (my favorite DVC resort, but I haven't stayed at Wilderness or Saratoga yet)
• Marriott Surf Club (Aruba)
• Carlton Court (location only -- resort just "okay")

Looking forward to exchanges later this year to Westin St John and Marriott Ocean Club (Aruba) -- hoping to add them to my list!