Are you happy with your TimeShare?

[bookworm Member Find all posts View Profile Close bookworm]

This thread is an interesting one and helpful read for me - thanks - its probably good for me to think about how I might feel about getting into timesharing a few more years down the road when the newness wears off! I can see that this could be addictive. We've only taken two RCI last calls so far and our first real exchange is coming up in a few months (Hilton Head - can't wait!), but I've been amazed at what is possible through timesharing. Even though the pickings are sparse among the last minute deals at times, we couldn't be happier to get away for even a few days in the midst of a busy life. Having 2 bedrooms in a unit is such a gift when you have two small children. I think we are completely spoiled now.
We just bought some Fairfield points and we can't wait to see where they will take us!
Thanks for the insights,
Angela

[Ireland's Call Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ireland's Call]

No not happy . I am a Marrriott owner ( 3 weeks in Spain ) The II filter concept means I get few "transfers" when I want .Also there are only 4 Mariotts in Europe and 5 star locations are limited.
Marriott themselves are selling weekends in their hotels on Ebay , hence it's much cheaper to buy a weekend that way.
Would sell if I could and have more flexibility with my maintenance fees.
G

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

Yes, we're very, very pleased with our timeshares. Took some time and effort to get where we are, though. We used to have points in an expensive system, a week with an expensive brand and 2 cheap weeks that could only be used by trading in RCI. We bought all of them at discount or resale and we sold all of them with no real profit made, no loss taken either.

Through these experiences over several years, we learned what really works for US - and we have thoroughly enjoyed our Fairfield/Wyndham points. As someone else said, it's like having dozens of home resorts - many in destinations we like and expanding.

We recently bought another resale fixed week for several reasons:

• location less than an hour from home;
• we like the area, which is the attraction, more than the resort itself;
• low MF - smaller resort/limited amenities and the area has low labor costs, insurance and taxes;
• well-maintained;
• trades in both RCI and II - some flexibility;
• don't need a power trader;
• found a very good deal/purchase price for this particular week.

So we've owned 4 that we liked but didn't love so we resold them. We love one and we've just bought another. Overall, it's been a fun hobby. We save more vs. alternative vacations than we pay in maint fees so it's been worthwhile. And we have no plans to stop timesharing so far.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

I was not happy with mine but it was because the salesman was not honest with me. Had I known what I was getting into I would have never gone the timeshare way. This is no way says that all salesmen are the same. There is bad in everything, I just got one on the bad ones.

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

I would love to sell all 3 of ours, but DH says he won't sell them for pennies on the dollar! I did manage to sell one week...he is not a happy camper about that.

We bought our first in '83, then slowly added two others for a total of 5 weeks. When DH was working and we had kids spread all over, we did make trips to see them and had some very nice exchanges and got to go to places we wouldn't have gone to on our own. But retirement brought some changes...rising airfares, kids closer to us, and a lack of desire to drive long distances to get to where we might want to go, and some health issues. I don't enjoy "the hunt" anymore...for either resorts or what to do when we get there. I'm glad we have 'been there, done that' but want out now. JMHO

[TimeshareVon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimeshareVon]

Another Happy Camper Here!

Yes, I thoroughly enjoy my timeshare ownership. Don't get me wrong, it isn't without some hassles and frustrations but all in all . . . we could not do the vacationing and travel we do without it.

We currently own three TS's all via resale:

Fairfield Kingsgate, fixed week #18, 3Br lock off unit
Lifetime in Hawaii, floating 1-52 week, ST/1Br unit
Fairfield Flagstaff, fixed week #13, 2Br unit

I would be hard pressed to come up with an accurate count on the number of RCI exchanges I've done dating back to my first RTU ownership in the 80's, but I would conservatively guess it to be at least 30. Some of the nicer places I/we have been include:

Oberstauffen, Germany
Kona, Hawaii (numerous times, with two more weeks coming in Sept07)
Maui, Hawaii
Aberfeldy, Scotland
North Yorkshire, England
Lake Tahoe, Nevada (twice)
Padre Island, Texas

Other places, average to good include:
Bonita Springs/Ft Myers, FL (several times)
Alexandria, VA (Washington, DC)
Nashville, TN
Orlando (at least 10 times!)
Williamsburg (twice before buying there)

Lousey:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Some place on a lake in Texas, about 60-90 minutes north of Dallas

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

No not happy . I am a Marriott owner ( 3 weeks in Spain ) The II filter concept means I get few "transfers" when I want .Also there are only 4 Marriott's in Europe and 5 star locations are limited.
Marriott themselves are selling weekends in their hotels on Ebay , hence it's much cheaper to buy a weekend that way.
Would sell if I could and have more flexibility with my maintenance fees.
G

That is why I sold my Gold Fairway Villa weeks(2) - it did not have the 'strength' to pull the good times/resorts and the Quality filter hardly let me 'see' anything...I just got off the phone with II and traded my last week - took a studio for my 2BR deposit but can't complain because it is in high season and if I hadn't been able to make that exchange, the week would have expired.

I suspect if you want to travel in Europe, the quality filter is a big drawback, too bad you can't travel more in the US

[Linda VH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Linda VH]

Yes, we're happy!

I have to temper that, however, by saying that we're fighting with unFF over our Bluebeard's. I asked DH if he wanted to sell or give those 3 weeks away but he said "no way and let THEM win - they are thieves". We use our 3 weeks in Aruba every year and get our airfare early so it is "cast in stone" lol!!! Our Orlando Vistana is a float so I hang in to see who I'm letting use it or if we'll take our g-son. We have not tried to trade far and wide as DH is a bridge player on the board of Florida Unit 128 of the ACBL and we will get a week here in FL for the tournaments. Since most of them are off season we haven't noticed a problem.

[Linda74 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Linda74]

We have two timeshares converted to points in RCi and just bought a Mayan Palace 2BR that we will break into two weeks per year to use. We use our timeshare points for accomodations skiing as well as several other trips. We are newly retired and now empty nesters so we can take smaller accomodations and go on the spur of the moment. We certainly would not be travelling as much as we are if it were not for the timeshares. So, yes we love timesharing and the travel it affords us. Our kids love getting free vacations each year and we have been able to ask friends to join us for vacations. It works well for us, but I must say that maximizing the points requires lots of diligence and time on TS4MS and TUG