Relative Cost of Club Sunterra vs other methods of non-TS vacationing

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

My wifey and I are having this ongoing colorful discussion with her childhood-best-friend-now-nemisis cousin. The cousin calls timesharing a waste of money, that us buying more (our recent conversion into Club Sun) is more wasted money tossed after the original waste of money when we purchased Polo Towers. She brings up things like direct rental, travelocity, Expedia, costco, AAA, etc. to finding nice accomodations (some within packages).

Can I just get some help here for why Club Sunterra is a better value cost wise then other non-timeshare alternatives? Our two criteria of travel are that we like to go to resorts with at least one bedroom and a kitchen. We also like resorts in nice places (Newport Beach, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Orlando, etc.).

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

My wifey and I are having this ongoing colorful discussion with her childhood-best-friend-now-nemisis cousin. The cousin calls timesharing a waste of money, that us buying more (our recent conversion into Club Sun) is more wasted money tossed after the original waste of money when we purchased Polo Towers. She brings up things like direct rental, travelocity, Expedia, costco, AAA, etc. to finding nice accomodations (some within packages).

Can I just get some help here for why Club Sunterra is a better value cost wise then other non-timeshare alternatives? Our two criteria of travel are that we like to go to resorts with at least one bedroom and a kitchen. We also like resorts in nice places (Newport Beach, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Orlando, etc.).

Hopefully, others will chime in. I have found my Club Sunterra adventure to be an outstanding value. As I told Bing earlier today, I stayed in a wonderful Marriott in Vegas next to your Polo Towers for annual costs with exchange fees of ~$56/night. As Alan says on TUG, that's not even Motel6 or Super8 rates and my buy-in was exceptionally cheap, also. Sunterra resorts are fine, I've never been unhappy with the stay and the added II privileges are great, Club Sunterra works well there, not perfect.

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

Hopefully, others will chime in. I have found my Club Sunterra adventure to be an outstanding value. As I told Bing earlier today, I stayed in a wonderful Marriott in Vegas next to your Polo Towers for annual costs with exchange fees of ~$56/night. As Alan says on TUG, that's not even Motel6 or Super8 rates and my buy-in was exceptionally cheap, also. Sunterra resorts are fine, I've never been unhappy with the stay and the added II privileges are great, Club Sunterra works well there, not perfect.

Yes I would love other's binging their input.

How does the math go here with your stay? Was the II exchange made during flex? was it a one or two bd? Did you take into acct the $135 II exch fee?

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

Comparison real life. I have to go to San Antonio for 3 nights in early Nov. The cheapest room at Hilton on the River Walk was $189 per night up to $300 per night with a view of the Riverwalk. I'm staying at the Hampton Inn, $129 per night. (Cheapest rate quoted)

I couldn't get into Wyndham's La Cascada or Riversuite Suites (yet!). If I could my average night would range from $40 to $70 per night based on a $4/1000 points MF cost (which mine are lower).

Add 16.5% hotel tax. My 3 nights at Hampton Inn costs $438. It's a hotel room with 1 double bed. I do get breakfast and free parking.

7 nights at Hampton Inn in my room would cost $1060 with the hotel tax. I sure wouldn't want to hang out in that room for a week, especially with another person.

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

How does the math go here with your stay? Was the II exchange made during flex? was it a one or two bd? Did you take into acct the $135 II exch fee?

I gave all the details that I'm giving in this post.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

My wifey and I are having this ongoing colorful discussion with her childhood-best-friend-now-nemisis cousin. The cousin calls timesharing a waste of money, that us buying more (our recent conversion into Club Sun) is more wasted money tossed after the original waste of money when we purchased Polo Towers. She brings up things like direct rental, travelocity, Expedia, costco, AAA, etc. to finding nice accomodations (some within packages).

Can I just get some help here for why Club Sunterra is a better value cost wise then other non-timeshare alternatives? Our two criteria of travel are that we like to go to resorts with at least one bedroom and a kitchen. We also like resorts in nice places (Newport Beach, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Orlando, etc.).

Let your cousin think what he wants. We all know that Timesharing is a tremendous value relative to just about every other accommodation type possible.

I'm going back to Palm Beach Shores, Florida in December to stay at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort again. $250 per week for 2 weeks in 1br units. He cant' beat that price. Let his ignorance be bliss.

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

Oh, I forgot about an exchange I have made to Marriott Grande Ocean, HHI, 2BR for Christmas. I paid full boat with my WM credits, 10,000 for the exchange, $525 MF plus $139 II exchange fee, total $664 for the week or $95/night.

Let your cousin try to rent that unit for that price. No way.

Based on prior threads by Spence and the efficiency of Sunterra's exchange point cost, you might even do better on a $ per night cost.

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

Let your cousin think what he wants. We all know that Timesharing is a tremendous value relative to just about every other accommodation type possible.

I'm going back to Palm Beach Shores, Florida in December to stay at the Marriott Ocean Pointe Resort again. $250 per week for 2 weeks in 1br units. He cant' beat that price. Let his ignorance be bliss.

Not to get off topic but there's a good chance we might run into each other at OP. We're there from Dec. 9th until the 16th.

I'm afraid as an owner at OP our cost base is a tad higher. But, we will have the master suite of the ocean front unit my wife wanted. I've always found it's less expensive no matter what when my wife is happy vs unhappy.

As for tossing good money after bad, by joining Club Sunterra we'll generally have enough extra points for a week or two weeks extra for a couple of flexchange trips. We can use these for long weekend trips at drive to destinations. Even if we only use them to go to Branson, MO, the extra cost will only amount to $286 (exchange fee plus club membership fee). If we make two trips you can dilute the cost of the membership fee by half. For us we consider that a good deal as we get to spend those nights in a 1 or 2 bedroom condo rather than in a hotel room.

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

Just a couple of comments so far
1) where are the email notifications that ppl respond to my thread? This email notification has really been hit and miss for me since I join TS4Ms

2) the cousin is a "she", not he, which makes it that much more interesting when we are having a convo. I find it much harder to talk logic with someone of the opposite sex, not sure what it is.

3) I really want to hear from a couple of more people on this, especially those who used to own TS and no longer, this binging the most minority of TS4M members. Obviously, something in the 'math' caused a 'desserting' of the TS way of traveling. Maybe if I hear very specific figures from folks in this minority group, I can better understand the cousin's point of view.