If you are like one of those many people who get suckered into going to a timeshare presentation because they entice you with either money, free food, or big discounts on activities, and you wonder if purchasing a timeshare is a good deal, then you need to read this. I’m not sure if I was a sucker but I do own a timeshare. I think for some people it can be a good deal and for others it won’t be the way to vacation. There are so many different timeshares out there so I will just comment mainly on the one offered by Starwood, which own Westins, Sheratons, Four Points, The Loft, The W, and St. Regis.
I’ve been to a few timeshare presentations such as Wyndham, Marriot, and of course Starwood. I’ve discovered that Starwood is the most expensive but I think they do have the nicest properties. Every one I have been to has been clean, modern, well maintained, and with excellent customer service. I have been to the one in Palm Springs, Arizona, and Maui. So far, I think the villa in Hawaii is by far the nicest (you can’t beat an ocean front property where you can see whales from the pool). Every Starwood villa comes equipped with either a full size kitchen or kitchenette and washer and drier (super convenient if you have kids). They have all the utensils you need to eat and cook with, which can save you a lot of money. Also, I believe most if not all of Starwood’s villas have pools and tennis courts.
But not everything about Starwood villas is great. The yearly maintenance (homeowner’s association fee) is high and can go up every year. They also don’t have too many villas, but they are continually building more around the world. I believe they only have villas in the U.S. and Mexico. As a Starwood villa owner, you purchase a timeshare at a specific location (known as your home villa), but are able to trade it for another location if you desire. You can book up to 12 months in advance for your home villa, and 9 months in advance at other villas. You also have to book the villas in weekly intervals. However, if you want to stay less than a week you can only book 3 months in advance. One nice thing about Starwood, is that you can convert your villa option into Starwood hotel points. But of course there is a FEE!!! Having the ability to convert villa options into points is HUGE because there are lots of Starwood hotels worldwide.
Marriot and Wyndham are cheaper, but their facilities don’t seem as nice. Wyndham seems like a very good deal because they have a lot of locations and seem to have the most flexible plans. IF you enjoy high end vacationing I would go with Starwood, but if you don’t need the BEST accommodations, I would go with Wyndham.
