When Given an Option, Pick the Resort

Resorts, condo resorts, timeshare resorts, even pool home and log cabin vacation rentals are all terms used when referring to vacation resorts. They are highly sought after for comfort, roominess, and amenities not generally found in hotel chains around the world. Here’s why:

• Families are able to vacation together for one weekly price instead of a nightly, per person rate. One person or four, the price is the same.
• Depending on the venue, there may be several on-site activities and possible inclusives such as horseback riding and meals, not offered by hotel chains.
• Amenities often include full kitchens, washer/dryers, full living areas, and other home-like features, making it possible to maximize the space without having to trip over suitcases and their contents.
• Ladies, one word: Bathrooms! Unlike hotels, where everyone shares one tiny vanity and water closet, resorts frequently feature multiple fully equipped bathrooms, up to one per living quarter!
• And whether it’s your hotel neighbors’ amorous activities at 3:00 a.m. or your own group’s raucous game of Mexican Train, the noise factor in resorts is greatly reduced, if not completely eliminated — as in the case of the pool homes and log cabins.

Timeshare Ownership v. Timeshare Rental

A Pricey Affair

With all these advantages, one would suspect that resorts would be a pricey affair. They can be. Especially the better ones. In fact, resort amenities are often one of the strongest selling features of timeshare sales.

As a former timeshare owner myself, one of the problems I discovered was that I was charged a rather large purchase price (in my case, around $23,000, mortgaged over a period of 15 years — I forget the interest rate), with an annual maintenance fee of around $600. I would not be charged for my visits. But wait . . . yes I would! Hello! I was being charged a monthly mortgage payment, plus $600 annual maintenance fee. Because I can’t remember the interest rate, let’s pretend there wasn’t one. (Yeah, like that happens.) Anyway, my monthly payment would have been around $128. Multiply that by 12 = $1,536. Add $600 to that and total expense each year = $2,136.

Limited Access

With ownership also comes limited access. Is it just me, or does that sound backwards? Anyway, my timeshare was available to me only one week — and an assigned one at that — per year. If I couldn’t make it that week, too bad.

Of course I was supposedly able to bank my week and exchange it. I was even supposed to be able to exchange my venue for either a sister venue (no extra charge) or a member venue through RCI at a discounted rate. On paper, that looked great. In reality, I could never make it work.

The real kicker here was that when I was not able to take my vacation during my timeshare week, and not being able to exchange it for a time and place I could actually use, I was charged the same as if I had.

Timeshare Resorts: Good ~*~ Timeshare Ownership: Not So Much!

Look, I’m not bashing timeshare resorts. I just listed several reasons why these venues are the preferred choice for great vacations! The thing I found cumbersome and expensive was the ownership part.

Solution: Timeshare Rentals

Keep in mind this blog is all about saving you time, money and hassle when traveling. So let me tell you there is a solution to getting the great resort stay while saving time, money and hassle! It’s by renting the units, not buying them.

How? Here Are Three Ways:

1. Private Rentals: Some owners are allowed to and do rent their units. You can find these by typing in condo resort rentals into your search engine. There are some online rental programs where you can search for available condos, but with this option, you’re pretty much on your own for booking, support, and handling. Also, the deals are all over the place, so you’ll need to do your research!
   Savings Recap:
   • Time: No savings
   • Money: Possible, but not guaranteed
   • Hassle: No savings
2. Booking Engines: I’ll go into this in much more detail in a separate post, but suffice it to say that the online booking engines such as Hotels.com, Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline and HotWire are geared toward discounted hotel bookings, not resorts.
   Savings Recap:
   • Time: Hotel search, yes; resort search, no time savings
   • Money: Hotel search, sometimes; resort search, no savings
   • Hassle: OK as long as you fit their online program model
3. Resort Access Memberships: I’m not referring to vacation clubs. Those operate very similarly to timeshare ownership. But vacation memberships are not actually a new concept — offline. The online version is relatively new. This subject will also be covered in more detail, but you will need to know that there are access fees for these services. The fees depend on the membership itself as well as what you want from your membership.
   Savings Recap:
   • Time: Huge savings after membership selection; shopping for the right membership can take a little time.
   • Money: Huge savings, which is the idea — you can even save enough to pay for your membership.
   • Hassle: Huge savings after membership selection; shopping for the right membership can be a bit of a hassle. But I’m here to help.

Of course some of you have friends, family, or employers who let you use their timeshare. If they aren’t charging you for the privilege, you’ve just latched on to the best deal in town! Lucky you! Until something goes wrong. Ouch. Let me know how that works for you.

Filed under: Travel Programs • Travel Tips: Venues • Value Comparisons

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