Marriott Vacation Club - Additional Points (New Member)

[Tahoe-Maui0317]

Aloha!
New member here, I have been browsing and really appreciate all the honest unbiased opinions!

We just had an amazing trip at Marriott Vacation Club in Lahaina, Maui! We booked the week second hand at a great rate. My wife and I have 6 kids and it was the first time in a long time we have been away alone, it was amazing but of course all we could do is think about how great a trip would be with all the kids. We would like to make the trip to Maui a yearly trip and are looking to see if MVC is something that will save $ over time vs purchasing second hand each trip.

Well...that got me thinking about a MVC points timeshare. Looking at redweek and other timeshare places I could not find a timeshare points resale that made sense without a large yearly maintenance fee. If it was just my wife and I some options would make sense, but as soon as you go to a large 2 bedroom unit those points become too expensive.

My question is the additional points and their cost, if we do 4K a year and we need 2k additional points for a trip that we do not have banked, what is the cost of those additional 2k points? Do you pay the cost of the room at Marriott’s standard room rate?

Any information (unbiased and honest) would be greatly appreciated!!

MAHALO! (You can tell we just got back from Hawaii!)

 

[Fasttr]

Add’l points can be rented for approx 60 to 65 cents a point. Check out www.vacationpointexchange.com or www.ownertrades.com

That said, have you considered purchasing a resale week at the Maui Ocean Club?

 

[Dean]

Aloha!
New member here, I have been browsing and really appreciate all the honest unbiased opinions!

We just had an amazing trip at Marriott Vacation Club in Lahaina, Maui! We booked the week second hand at a great rate. My wife and I have 6 kids and it was the first time in a long time we have been away alone, it was amazing but of course all we could do is think about how great a trip would be with all the kids. We would like to make the trip to Maui a yearly trip and are looking to see if MVC is something that will save $ over time vs purchasing second hand each trip.

Well...that got me thinking about a MVC points timeshare. Looking at redweek and other timeshare places I could not find a timeshare points resale that made sense without a large yearly maintenance fee. If it was just my wife and I some options would make sense, but as soon as you go to a large 2 bedroom unit those points become too expensive.

My question is the additional points and their cost, if we do 4K a year and we need 2k additional points for a trip that we do not have banked, what is the cost of those additional 2k points? Do you pay the cost of the room at Marriott’s standard room rate?

Any information (unbiased and honest) would be greatly appreciated!!

MAHALO! (You can tell we just got back from Hawaii!)

What's best depends on how you'll use it. The answers are different if you're talking Maui routinely for a 2 BR? Would you go every year? EOY? Are you looking at other MVC locations to visit as well? Points are expensive every resale but for some they may be the best choice. When this question comes up I always suggest one look at where they want to go, their budget, and their flexibility. I then suggest they be introspective to judge their travel preferences (more location based? more quality based? how important is view type?).

Since you need a 2 BR (or maybe even a 3 BR) and plan to go yearly you should simply buy a week, don't try to do it on points or exchange. But will you really go yearly with air, kids activities and the like? Will you go more than a week, maybe 2 different islands. My inclination is to discount the idea you'll go to this one resort yearly long term and therefore to consider an EOY, possibly combined with an EOY elsewhere either on a different island or some other location.

 

[StevenTing]

If your goal is Maui I would suggest a resale week over Points. However this removes flexibility. Since you have little kids this means that you will likely only have certain times of the year you can travel where the kids are not in school.

On the most expensive side, you could buy a Fixed week 3BR for about $85k. The particular owner I know has 2 weeks that they want to sell together and it’s in what I would call super prime time as its smack in the middle of summer and overlaps Independence Day.

So on the high side you’re looking at $170k for 2 weeks. If you were to do a points reservation you would probably need closer to 8000-10000 points to book Maui in the new towers for 1 week. IF you were to do resale you’d be looking at $64k-$80k for 1 weeks worth of points.

But understand that Maui is one of the most expensive resorts so you’re going to be pay lots of $$$ either way.

I should add that it’s practically impossible to book a 3BR in Maui as there are so few in the trust. You might find yourself frustrated. I ran into this issue about 3 years ago and that’s when I decided to purchase my fixed weeks.

 

[taffy19]

Very expensive but guaranteed every year during summer vacation time and you know what view that you'll have too. That 4th of July week should hold its value better than most other weeks during the year and you'll have many years of great memories of your family taking vacations together on one of the most beautiful beaches in Hawaii. You can always rent the weeks out if you want to go to another location one summer.

Ask GregT on this Board! He has said it so many times that these memories are priceless and worth the money his family has paid.

We were here recently and saw more whales than we ever have seen and even a monk seal right on the beach in front of the Lahaina tower. They are starting to visit Maui again.

 

[TXTortoise]

Dean, Taffy and Stephen are right on target, as six young kids does add a variable to the decision most don’t have to consider.

I was going to suggest two summer fixed Week 2BR 4th of July week’s currently listed on Redweek, but you truly need some growing space in the future. My guess those 3BR weeks should sell in the 67-75k range, depending on the floor and seller interest, and would give you tremendous options in the future if you truly love Maui. And they are very rare.

Just flying eight people to Maui starts to determine your overall budget, but the uniqueness and rental value of the 3BR provides for significant income in the years you don’t go to Maui, e.g., net $4k+ per week.

If you are willing to spend this kind of money, then grabbing a rare 3BR two-week summer set of weeks for Maui and then either rent points or consider a small hybrid package to leverage broader travel would be the ultimate solution.

 

[aland0524]

Maui has this great way of intoxicating people and make it easy to quickly part with our money! We love Maui Ocean Club but given that you really haven't stayed here with your kids yet, it may be smarter for you to rent this first time with the kids. You'll be able to determine if you need two or three bedrooms, type of view, stay in old tower or new tower, etc. It would also allow you to sort through the trip logistics and also see how your kids react to the resort (my kids loved coming very year but when they got older, they either couldn't afford the plane fare anymore or preferred other venues to vacation in). There will always be options to purchase resale weeks (my preferred option also) or points but it may make sense for you to rent first vs parting with a lot of money and a significant long term commitment to pay maintenance fees.

 

[Tahoe-Maui0317]

Maui has this great way of intoxicating people and make it easy to quickly part with our money! We love Maui Ocean Club but given that you really haven't stayed here with your kids yet, it may be smarter for you to rent this first time with the kids. You'll be able to determine if you need two or three bedrooms, type of view, stay in old tower or new tower, etc. It would also allow you to sort through the trip logistics and also see how your kids react to the resort (my kids loved coming very year but when they got older, they either couldn't afford the plane fare anymore or preferred other venues to vacation in). There will always be options to purchase resale weeks (my preferred option also) or points but it may make sense for you to rent first vs parting with a lot of money and a significant long term commitment to pay maintenance fees.

THANK YOU ALL for your responses, very much appreciated to hear all types opinions. I agree with you Alan it is intoxicating, which is why i skipped the “complementary welcome kit” aka sales pitch! We are going to purchase second hand next year already looking for a 2BR that sleeps 9 for $4k +/- for the week. I wouldn’t ever want a 3BR the point is to be out side and spend time with the kids! We enjoy and are used to being together we spend our summers in a travel trailer in front of Northern California lakes. The idea was to get points to force us to go, but as most who responded are right with kids things come up, sports, significant others, etc it will become hard. The points system and option to visit other locations seemed intriguing, but after looking at the maintenance fees being almost the amount of a week stay in a 1200sf ocean view for a week, just can’t be justified, at least not yet, maybe in the future! I see a lot of resale’s in the market, maybe for a reason who knows. Reading on the changes to Marriott/Bonvoy it seems like things are still evolving in this industry so I will keep checking in here to find out!

THank you again all, this is a really powerful community! I have enjoyed all the info I have read.

MAHALO!

 

[TXTortoise]

Sounds like a plan, but even the 2BRs max at eight occupancy, though if you have a really young one it might work for a few years.

MOC EOY 2BR Island/Mountain View might be doable of $5-6K, though ROFR may be an issue until you get to $8K or so, but at least if you lose one to ROFR, you just go bid on another.

Lots of rental options as you start your journey...and at some point, you really ought to try a 3BR Lahaina/Napili tower rental with your crew.

Let us know how your search goes... we all love the vicarious enjoyment of spending other people's money. ;-)

https://www.redweek.com/resort/P1409-marriotts-maui-ocean-club/timeshare-resales

http://rofr.net

I'd also try https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/lihwi-marriotts-waiohai-beach-club/

JiminNC just closed on a 2BR EOY in the $4-5K range I believe, and it's an awesome property, different, but awesome.

 

[aland0524]

JiminNC just closed on a 2BR EOY in the $4-5K range I believe, and it's an awesome property, different, but awesome.

JiminNC - Was this for a 2BR EOY at the Waiohai? What view?

 

[JIMinNC]

JiminNC - Was this for a 2BR EOY at the Waiohai? What view?

Haven’t closed yet, but we passed ROFR at $4K on a 2BR EOY-Odd Island View at Waiohai. Submitted all closing docs last week, now waiting on process to finalize.

 

[taffy19]

THANK YOU ALL for your responses, very much appreciated to hear all types opinions. I agree with you Alan it is intoxicating, which is why i skipped the “complementary welcome kit” aka sales pitch! We are going to purchase second hand next year already looking for a 2BR that sleeps 9 for $4k +/- for the week. I wouldn’t ever want a 3BR the point is to be out side and spend time with the kids! We enjoy and are used to being together we spend our summers in a travel trailer in front of Northern California lakes. The idea was to get points to force us to go, but as most who responded are right with kids things come up, sports, significant others, etc it will become hard. The points system and option to visit other locations seemed intriguing, but after looking at the maintenance fees being almost the amount of a week stay in a 1200sf ocean view for a week, just can’t be justified, at least not yet, maybe in the future! I see a lot of resale’s in the market, maybe for a reason who knows. Reading on the changes to Marriott/Bonvoy it seems like things are still evolving in this industry so I will keep checking in here to find out!

THank you again all, this is a really powerful community! I have enjoyed all the info I have read.

Nobody knows your situation better than you yourself. Aland0524 is right that the Maui Ocean Club on Kaanapali Beach has a magic spell over you and that you would like to own a piece of Paradise.

However, it is overkill to buy a 3 BR fixed week/unit here if the kids are older already and may not want to go with the parents every year anymore and to rent the condo out may take effort and worries too that you may not have time for or want to bother with. You are smart to research all avenues first and then decide.

Maui has this great way of intoxicating people and make it easy to quickly part with our money! We love Maui Ocean Club but given that you really haven't stayed here with your kids yet, it may be smarter for you to rent this first time with the kids. You'll be able to determine if you need two or three bedrooms, type of view, stay in old tower or new tower, etc. It would also allow you to sort through the trip logistics and also see how your kids react to the resort (my kids loved coming very year but when they got older, they either couldn't afford the plane fare anymore or preferred other venues to vacation in). There will always be options to purchase resale weeks (my preferred option also) or points but it may make sense for you to rent first vs parting with a lot of money and a significant long term commitment to pay maintenance fees.

Very good advice and certainly when the kids are already older and becoming more independent.

I believe that many Trust Points are on the market already because people didn't buy enough of them and were disappointed that they didn't succeed in going to the places that they had thought would be easy to go to. All developers seem to have their sales galleries in the most demanded tourist places so selling points will be easy.

It was the same with the big II and RCI books that they had laying on the table to sell you the dream to visit all these beautiful, idyllic tourist places that you didn't buy.

 

[Dean]

JiminNC - Was this for a 2BR EOY at the Waiohai? What view?

I bought an EOY IV 1.5 years ago $2501 out the door, seller paying closing. We've seen a rise in prices and ROFR in general since then so it's hard to compare.