Marriott Custom House v. Westin St. John

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

The reason she wants to buy a Marriott is to get the 24 day Marriott to Marriott preference in II. It is difficult to get the 'good' Marriotts at preferred times without another Marriott to use for exchange.

I hate to say this but after owning Marriott since 2001, I really haven't ever seen a great deal of benefit with that "24 day" preference. Online I've seen weeks that I shouldn't be seeing with non-Marrriott weeks. I'm just not sold on it. I will say that using deposit first I've been matched as soon as the week would normally be available (discounting that multiple week owners can book 13 months out). However, on a request first that I made almost 6 months ago. As soon as I can book our flights on Allegiant, which will happen in another month or two, I'll give up and cancel that request first exchange.

IMO, the only reason to own a Marriott is to be able to stay at that Marriott or get preference in unit assignments when exchanging into another Marriott. I just haven't seen a lot of benefit from the "24 day preference" rule.

There has been rumors that Marriott will eventually move to a points based reservations system. They do have a points based system up and running with their Asian properties. If they are able to convert their current weeks exchange system to a points based system then I think you'll see outside availablity of Marriott units become harder to get. That is assuming that Marriott holds the good weeks for Marriott owners until 6 months out when they might deposit them with I.I. Hyatt seems to be tough to get into because it appears they hold all the best weeks for Hyatt owners. If Marriott does something like Hyatt it could be great for Marriott owners with all the options Marriott offers but bad for those who don't own Marriott but like to stay at Marriott.

But of course any Marriott points based reservation system is all pure speculation at this point. There are no hard facts saying that it's definately coming. Only wishful thinking by some like myself.

Basically, I'm not sold that it's a great idea to buy into Marriott just to get any sort of trade preference with Marriott at this time. I remain an advocate of buy where you will want to stay at if everything else fails or own in a good points system with adaquate internal exchange rights.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Pat,
So if one bought an EOY Branson, would the season (silver, gold, plat) be a factor if bought for trading ?
This is so informative ! Thank you.
B.

Late edit: Never mind, I just read your info on Biskits' query and read that seasons do matter.

Do you know the story about the Vail Colorado Marriotts on ebay and why they're selling so cheaply ?

I would only purchase Platinum season in Branson. Silver season really should be bronze IMO. Virtually everything in Branson is closed during that time. Springtime is still pretty darn slow in Branson as well and I can almost always trade up in size into any resort I want.

Summer months, especially July, seem to be the best weeks for exchanging with a Branson unit. I own a week in Branson the we purchased to use. It is not a 6 premier resort (one of the few in Branson that isn't). If I plug in a summer week online to search I see some pretty decent exchanges. However, when I plug in a spring or winter week (we usually use it for the Christmas season) the exchange power goes down noticably.

As mentioned, with Flexchange there would be very little difference. Almost all of the blinders are taken off and any unit can see pretty much anything that is avaliable. The trick is you have to be able to plan and go in less than 59 days and you can't be to picky about where you want to go. Some great exchanges pop up sometimes but you can't count on it to be there all the time.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Big difference in the two......Marriott has a 24 day preference period, which really prevents many people from trading into the system, even other 5* weeks.

I have found this to be anything but a true statement. One of the downfalls of the Marriott "internal" preference has been that anyone can still pull great weeks with Marriott.

Why? Because Marriott is a weeks exchanger. If you want the greatest trade power you reserve the strongest week and then deposit it with I.I. I've read to many times where someone can't get the week they want at their home resort other than to exchange back into their own resort.

We own 3 I.I. weeks outside of Marriott. I have never had a problem seeing good weeks at Marriott resorts using these outside exchangers. I have reserved several Marriot weeks with outside weeks because we know that Marriott will almost always give us a quality stay.

FWIW, one of the weeks I'll use to search isn't even a 5 star week yet it will pull Marriott weeks. The only thing it doesn't pull are the most popular weeks and it doesn't trade up in size. Otherwise I have no problem seeing Marriott week with units outside of Marriott.

For the record, I can look with a Suites at Polo Towers week, Villa's at Polo Towers and Grand Regency at Thousand Hills in Branson week or use my DRI points to search. All of them will see good Marriott weeks online without a problem.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

doug

The only thing it doesn't pull are the most popular weeks

Exactly!

Of course you can pull weeks that are not high demand. But even with that, you must first wait 24 days. You are pulling what other Marriott owners do not want.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Doug

I hate to say this but after owning Marriott since 2001, I really haven't ever seen a great deal of benefit with that "24 day" preference.

Again, I would have to disagree with you.

I get emails all the time from people who want something I posted, but can not get it because of the Marriott preference. Even the last minute Marriott Custom House was under preference, and therefore went to a Marriott owner. Not even a 4 Seasons would have been able to pull it.

I notify people all the time when the Marriott preference is up on a week that are interested in, so that they can have a chance at it. I have found that it makes a huge difference in who's getting the high demand weeks.

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

Doug, I am also a Marriott owner since 2001 - and I agree with everything Angela said.....my only thought regarding your points/posts is that u r not locked into school vacations or traditional high demand travel time - then the preference is not as important because weeks WILL sit online for 2,3,4 weeks at a time.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Doug, I am also a Marriott owner since 2001 - and I agree with everything Angela said.....my only thought regarding your points/posts is that u r not locked into school vacations or traditional high demand travel time - then the preference is not as important because weeks WILL sit online for 2,3,4 weeks at a time.

All I can report is what I've experienced. I've been able to use non-Marriott weeks with equal success to my Marriott weeks. Yet, when requesting a week 10 at NCV using an equally strong Marriott week, I can't pull it using request first.

I suppose milage may vary but I've seen far to many posts OY that indicate others have had very good success trading into Marriott with non-Marriott weeks. I'm just not impressed with Marriott system for internal exchanges as it encourages owners to request the highest demand week and then give that week to I.I. for exchange rather than offering it to owners.

The other thought is the units I use to search for exchanges may not be strong enough. I have a 3 bedroom platinum Grand Chateau in Vegas with week 9, which is one of the stronger weeks for this resort, and a silver season Ocean Pointe week, which exchanges surprisingly well despite being a silver season week and low demand on the I.I. demand index. If this is the case for my not seeing significant differences, then one has to ask the question, does Custom House have the exchange power required to get the high demand weeks wanted?

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

I just want to say that the discussion amongst Doug, Pat and Angie is really interesting to someone like me thinking of dipping their toe into the great Marriott pool.
How you've experienced ownership, your strategies and results is hugely informative.
With appreciation,
B

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Beags......I will give you one example that comes to mind, of why I feel the Marriott preference is a big perk to ownership. There are many!

A few weeks ago, an Aruba Ocean Club showed up for March. It is highly unusual to see Aruba in March, at the Surf/ Ocean Clubs, and here where 3 - 2 bdrms, sitting on-line.......

Marriott's Aruba Ocean Club • MAO
Palm Beach, , ARUBA - DCB
Resort Details & Photos

Mar 28 2008 - Apr 04 2008 2 6 8 268
Mar 29 2008 - Apr 05 2008 2 6 8 268
Mar 30 2008 - Apr 06 2008 2 6 8 268

I could not see them with anything other than a Marriott, and they were taken very quickly. However, this was an opportunity for any Marriott owner to grab one of these 2 bdrm, prime time Marriott's with a 1 bdrm. Also, if any Marriott owner had put in a request for these dates at the Aruba Ocean Club, they would have gotten their request filled. It was far in advance of check-in, so airfare would not have been an issue.

The odds of these 3 weeks going to a non-Marriott owner is 0, in my opinion.

I just want to say that the discussion amongst Doug, Pat and Angie is really interesting to someone like me thinking of dipping their toe into the great Marriott pool.
How you've experienced ownership, your strategies and results is hugely informative.
With appreciation,
B

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Yes, this is the sort of thing that I would be searching for.

Now, Pat suggests Branson, but I see some other inexpensive Marriotts (Vail and Vegas-> well not cheap, but low bidding as of this date for a resort of that high caliber). Can you give your thoughts on buying these as opposed to Branson (if theycan be bought cheaply?)
I'm thinking that maybe if I bought into Branson, I'd probably never go there, however, Vail & Vegas, more likely.

ebay has some deals currently on Marriott Vegas & Vail.
Yes, I will rememer;
2 bd l/o EOY. <------ Don't you just love the timesharespeak ?
2bd L/O EOY, PDQ, on the QT, ASAP ! Ha !

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

What seasons are you talking about? That would make a big difference.

If Vail is a ski week, hands down, that's what I would take.


PS....Other than Streamside at Vail. Stay away!!!!!!!

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

What seasons are you talking about? That would make a big difference.

If Vail is a ski week, hands down, that's what I would take.

Aha ! Yes, cheap probably because it's a mud season week. I will remember, "platnium, platnium, platnium".

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

But, Marriott owners...what about when you want to sell a low-season week? Are they sellable? Or...well, I guess with ROFR you always have some assurance you can unload them. Or can you turn them back in to Marriott?

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Well, I own Vegas. But I'm not certain I'd buy it to exchange. We purchased a 3 bedroom unit with the thought we'd stay in the master suite and exchange the 1 bedroom LO unit. What we liked about the unit was the huge floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the Vegas strip and that it had a very large 2 bedroom master suite and a lock-off unit that was a full 1 bedroom unit rather than a studio unit. This gave us the best of both worlds. A great 2 bedroom unit with a view and a full 1 bedroom unit to play with as an exchange.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Well, I own Vegas. But I'm not certain I'd buy it to exchange. We purchased a 3 bedroom unit with the thought we'd stay in the master suite and exchange the 1 bedroom LO unit. What we liked about the unit was the huge floor to ceiling windows that looked out onto the Vegas strip and that it had a very large 2 bedroom master suite and a lock-off unit that was a full 1 bedroom unit rather than a studio unit. This gave us the best of both worlds. A great 2 bedroom unit with a view and a full 1 bedroom unit to play with as an exchange.

doug,
Is yours platnium week ? The units look incredible !!!

Here's the one on ebay: MARRIOTT GRAND CHATEAU LAS VEGAS NEVADA TIMESHARE - eBay (item 140247577957 end time Jul-12-08 21:50:00 PDT)

What is week 14 in Las Vegas ? Silver ? Gold ?

Thank you for your input. Highly valued !