Marriot Harbour Lake

[Sv1plat52]

what would be the best strategy to get into marriot harbour lake for 2 weeks every year in the summer?

I currently own a vistana timeshare, but I was thinking about looking into the marriot system.

Any hints help?

 

[Pamplemousse]

what would be the best strategy to get into marriot harbour lake for 2 weeks every year in the summer?

I currently own a vistana timeshare, but I was thinking about looking into the marriot system.

Any hints help?

I was just on interval looking for summer Orlando getaways for a friend and I saw many Harbour lake weeks available. I think about $1000 for July 2 br and maybe half that for early June, later August. I don’t think Harbour lake is a difficult trade either.
Pretty reasonable- less than a week maintenance fee. Your family might grow out of it- ours did and we moved on to cypress or grande vista as favs.

 

[Gemini Chica]

Depends when you want at the moment getaways for mid August for under 500.


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[Dean]

what would be the best strategy to get into marriot harbour lake for 2 weeks every year in the summer?

I currently own a vistana timeshare, but I was thinking about looking into the marriot system.

Any hints help?

Lot's of options. You could see how things go through II from owning Vistana trying for Getaways, you could buy a week there (or 2), you could buy a lockout elsewhere and trade in or any combination. It really depends on your risk tolerance, how flexible you are for the weeks themselves and what other vacation options you want to explore. If you already are a member of II, you'll have the chance to check that option our fairly soon. 2 owned weeks will give you the option of having a 1BR unit and not moving (likely not guaranteed) plus 2 studios for exchange as well as reserving 13 months out from the Thursday start. A 2 BR locked off would give 2 weeks with a guaranteed move for the direct ownership but one could also try to upgrade the second week through II as a request first option. Points would work well for this but would be a very expensive option to do so.

 

[Pompey Family]

We own a platinum week at Harbour Lake, been there once and probably unlikely to visit again as our kids are older and it's the only Marriott not to be designated an Elite resort in Interval and I can understand why. As a trader it's got us into other Florida resorts during August as well as Park City, Williamsburg, Fairway Villas and a couple of non Mariiott's that I wouldn't bother with again. We once got lucky with a trade into Grande Ocean in August but I suspect that it was due to an initial mistake by an II employee who then rectified the mistake and managed to honour it for us, we've never seen a HHI exchange opportunity for August since. Never been able to secure a peak European Marriott with it.

We've since enrolled it into the points program. If we are likely to return to the US then we'll consider whether to see what our exchange optinons are or combine the points with our other enrolled week and see if we can secure a better option that way.

We've certainly not decided to sell the week. Whilst our kids are 14 and 11 we still have some years where we're tied down to the school holidays but it won't be long before our options open up and we potentially may see better availability outside the premium periods.

 

[Dean]

We own a platinum week at Harbour Lake, been there once and probably unlikely to visit again as our kids are older and it's the only Marriott not to be designated an Elite resort in Interval and I can understand why. As a trader it's got us into other Florida resorts during August as well as Park City, Williamsburg, Fairway Villas and a couple of non Mariiott's that I wouldn't bother with again. We once got lucky with a trade into Grande Ocean in August but I suspect that it was due to an initial mistake by an II employee who then rectified the mistake and managed to honour it for us, we've never seen a HHI exchange opportunity for August since. Never been able to secure a peak European Marriott with it.

We've since enrolled it into the points program. If we are likely to return to the US then we'll consider whether to see what our exchange optinons are or combine the points with our other enrolled week and see if we can secure a better option that way.

We've certainly not decided to sell the week. Whilst our kids are 14 and 11 we still have some years where we're tied down to the school holidays but it won't be long before our options open up and we potentially may see better availability outside the premium periods.

It's definitely not the only MVC resort that is Premier and not Elite in II, not even the only one in Orlando. There are other factors on resort ratings in II besides just quality. There's a checklist of items one must have to qualify though I don't have the actual list. One can have the best resort in the world but not meet the technical criteria and one will not achieve the status, hence the Pulse resorts normally being Premier and not Elite. But I agree there are limitations to the resort. It's smaller, more urban in feel and the orientation is to younger children which is true to it's Horizon roots before it was a MVC resort. Horizon resort were targeted for younger families with less means but only 2 of the initially planned 4 resorts were built, the other being Branson now Willow Ridge. That's why the rooms are smaller and back in the day, had cheaper furnishings. Interestingly those 2 are some of the better trading purchases for Platinum and they seem to have similar trade power as well. I own both for traders (Platinum) but haven't owned the HL long enough to have a track record. I've done well with WR but I plan far in advance and I am realistic on my choices. I also try to hedge my bets wherever possible, often with a DC points reservation. If trading to non Marriott options especially the lower rating can actually be a plus in some situations. From what I can tell, II does community rating which means the same weeks at GV or LR will have the same trade power as HL the only difference being the resort quality, RCI is more resort by resort. Also realize that from what I can ascertain, II doesn't use the published resort ratings to any degree. Historically they've had internal (to II) rating system that was grade based with both a points system (ie 89%) and a letter grade (ABC), I am not sure if they still do it this way currently.

 

[Pompey Family]

It's definitely not the only MVC resort that is Premier and not Elite in II, not even the only one in Orlando.

My apologies, I wsa quoting a timeshare salesman so I should have known better, I hadn't actually researched it myself.

 

[rthib]

My apologies, I wsa quoting a timeshare salesman so I should have known better, I hadn't actually researched it myself.

When Harbour lake was built it was part of the Horizons branding which were meant to be family friendly (i.e. budget).
Whenever I am looking to go to Orlando, I always see it available. It has a lot of units and a lot of people bought it to spend with there families and quickly realized that no everyone wants to go to Orlando every year.

 

[Dean]

My apologies, I wsa quoting a timeshare salesman so I should have known better, I hadn't actually researched it myself.

Someone trying to get you to buy? While even broken clock is right twice a day, this is definitely a setup to be inaccurate.

 

[Pamplemousse]

We own a platinum week at Harbour Lake, been there once and probably unlikely to visit again as our kids are older and it's the only Marriott not to be designated an Elite resort in Interval and I can understand why. As a trader it's got us into other Florida resorts during August as well as Park City, Williamsburg, Fairway Villas and a couple of non Mariiott's that I wouldn't bother with again. We once got lucky with a trade into Grande Ocean in August but I suspect that it was due to an initial mistake by an II employee who then rectified the mistake and managed to honour it for us, we've never seen a HHI exchange opportunity for August since. Never been able to secure a peak European Marriott with it.

We've since enrolled it into the points program. If we are likely to return to the US then we'll consider whether to see what our exchange optinons are or combine the points with our other enrolled week and see if we can secure a better option that way.

We've certainly not decided to sell the week. Whilst our kids are 14 and 11 we still have some years where we're tied down to the school holidays but it won't be long before our options open up and we potentially may see better availability outside the premium periods.

I have owned a gold Harbour lake 2 br lock off for 12+ years.
We are exchanged on II to MVC resorts in Hawaii twice, Paris Disney, Aruba, St. Thomas, Palm Desert, Phoenix, Hilton Head and 4 other Orlando Marriott’s- all school breaks or summer.
I reserve the highest TDI week in my season, deposit into II and place my request 9-12+ months in advance and I have always received my exchange.
I believe success has a lot to do with the method you use and not only about what you own.

 

[mdurette]

As others have mentioned, I think getaways via II would be the way to go. The cost would be cheaper than paying 2 weeks MF with MVC and maybe just slightly higher with a cheaper trader that you need to pay MF and exchange fees for.

We still love going to HL and my kiddo is now 13.

 

[Dean]

As others have mentioned, I think getaways via II would be the way to go. The cost would be cheaper than paying 2 weeks MF with MVC and maybe just slightly higher with a cheaper trader that you need to pay MF and exchange fees for.

We still love going to HL and my kiddo is now 13.

I think it depends. I don't think the OP specified the size they want and it makes a big differences in my view on this. Of course they can give it a try for getaways and adjust later if needed. Ignoring availability and trade success issues, basically assuming both will be available and that the current getaway prices for getaways, upgrade fees and exchange fees remain proportional, here's how I see it. If they want a 2 BR for 2 weeks owning a trading lockout (maybe even at HL) and upgrading 2 smaller deposits to a 2 BR will cost in the neighborhood of $2100 a year vs Getaways around $2500 but both come with uncertainty. View/request priority isn't big at HL but is at some resorts. Buying 2 HL weeks will push the cost to around $3000 yearly but gives other benefits including reserving at 13 months out. The same thoughts for a 1 BR for 2 weeks is around $2200 for the higher demand weeks on getaways and $1400 for the lower demand weeks compared to an exchange cost of $1900. Owning 1 week there and doing some hybrid is likely even better. I ignored II membership costs because getaways and exchanges both require membership.

Personally if I wanted to go there 2 weeks a year most every year for a 2 BR, I'd buy 2 weeks there. IF I wanted to go 2 weeks and stay in a 1 BR, I'd buy 1 week. If the only reason to have II was because of HL, I likely wouldn't join II and would look at private rentals combined with ownership.