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Author	Topic: Tell me your timeshare ownership story
Strong1 TUG Member Posts: 73 From: Lucan, Ontario, Canada Law Cranberry Ontario, Glenmore Sands SA, Presidential Villas SC, Kona Coast I, Kona Hawaiin Village, San Clemente Inn Registered: Sep 2001	posted 11-20-2004 08:16 Hello everyone. We live in South Western Ontario, and since there aren't many timeshares really close to us (other than the Collingwood/Barrie/Huntsville area) we ended up eventually owning timeshares pretty far from home. That got me wondering where other Canadian Tuggers own, and how their "timeshare story" evolved, so I am posing the question "Tell me your timeshare ownership story". I'll start. We bought out first timeshare (EOY - even years) in Collingwood (Law Cranberry) from the developer (I know better now!) in 2001. We stayed there over New Years a couple of years and had a great time. We purchased a couple of cheap extra blue weeks from them to trade with. I am happy with the trades we have received (Bay Club Hawaii, Chateau Charmant - near New Orleans- during Jazz week, Grand Mayan Riviera Maya and a 3bedroom Cypress Pointe Grandvillas in Orlando). Somewhere along the line I found TUG and became interested in South Africa. We bought a cheap resale1 bedroom annual red week at Glenmore Sands in 2003 and have had some great trades with it by depositing early and booking far ahead (Paniolo Greens Hawaii, Monte Carvoiero Club Portugal and Club La Costa at Marina Dorada Spain). Over the past couple of months we have purchased 2 additional resale timeshares (the paperwork is still in progress). First we purchased a 3 bedroom lock-off EOY- even years at Presidential Villas at Plantation Resort in South Carolina (Myrtle Beach) where my sister also owns and a 2 bedroom annual points at Kona Hawaiin Village by the Sea (a Fairfield points resort). We love the Kona area and plan on visiting the Kona timeshare every other year. So, that's our story. I would love to hear how others got involved in timesharing and what and where they own. ------------------ Colleen IP: Logged
BL Moderator TUG Volunteer Posts: 3103 From: B.C. Canada Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-20-2004 12:28 Interesting topic. I live on the West Coast and because I like to travel somewhere warm, own almost all "traders". I started with a South African week, but have bought and sold until I own three timeshares that I trade (I really have to pare that down to two because I get a bonus week with one and I can't take four weeks vacation a year) and an EOY Shuswap houseboat that we never exchange. I think I've bought and sold about a dozen timeshares to get the "stable" that I now have, that works well for me. My only regret? That we didn't start timesharing a lot earlier when our children were smaller. We used to cram four of us in a hotel room for $100 a night in California or Hawaii, when we could have had a two bedroom place for that. Bev IP: Logged
Crisby TUG Member Posts: 100 From: Burlington, Ontario, Canada -- Own at Vistana and Orange Lake, Florida, and at Carriage Hills in Canada Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-20-2004 13:10 We bought at Vistana Orlando ten years ago (after spending a week in a hotel room with four of us passing the stomach flu around, with only one bathroom). Then we bought a week at Orange Lake so Bill could have a golf holiday each year, and another week at Vistana and finally a week at Barrie (Carriage Hills) so we could drive to our vacation and stay in Canada. We have traded all over the place - Hawaii, Hilton Head, Vancouver Island, Sedona, California, Florida, North Carolina and plan to keep it up. Hopefully Europe in the next couple of years. Timesharing is the best way to go. Our kids, parents, siblings and friends have all benefited from our smart vacationing (and generosity). Chris ------------------ If you look like your passport picture, you probably need the trip. IP: Logged
Dori TUG Member Posts: 1025 From: Scarborough, Ontario, Canada , Owner at Harbour Inn and Resort Club, Brechin, Ontario and a Lowveld week Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-20-2004 17:37 We bought our first week (resale from a friend in 1992) at Harbour Inn and Resort, about an hour north of Toronto. We bought it strictly to trade, as we wanted to venture farther afield on our holidays, to somewhere warm at March Break. We had done the hotel bit and it was every bit as expensive as a week in a timeshare. Our first exhange was to Vistana Resort in Orlando, and we were blown away by the accomodations. We couldn't believe our good fortune! We bought another week at Harbour Inn the following year, again to trade. Each year we go to Florida in the winter and up until 2 years ago, when we bought a cottage, we also went to Virginia, Pennsyvania, Tennessee, etc., for a week in summer. Three years ago, we bought a SA week at Lowveld Lodge, and love using it to exchange. We are contemplating buying another SA week. Timesharing has been a wonderful experience for our family. We have created so many memories with our children. Dori IP: Logged
AE TUG Member Posts: 1388 From: Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-20-2004 21:48 We bought a 3 BR EY at Cypress Pointe I in 1992 and another 3BR EY in 1993...then we upgraded to Cypress Pointe Grand Villas EY for one of the weeks (around 1996) and upgraded the other CP I week to an EOY CP II week a few years later. Upgrading a 3 BR CP I EY (which could NOT be split into 2 units) to a 3 BR CP II EOY (which could be split into 2 units) might seem riduculous but it halved out maintenance fees while giving us the same trades (i.e. the 1 BR at CP II trades the same as the 3 BR at CP I - go figure!) Our only regret was that we bought from the developer (oh well, live and learn) IP: Logged
BarCol TUG Member Posts: 958 From: Newmarket, Ontario, Canada Owner: 2 Aquamarine Villas, 2 Durban Sands and Foxrun! Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-21-2004 06:08 Hi all: We bought developer from Carriage Hills in 1997 (pre TUG knowledge) and sold that in 2001 to buy resale at Aquamarine Villas in California, also bought the late great (trader) Panache in 2000 and have just heard it has died, also bought resale and sold Cape Winds in Hyannis, and also bought 2 Durban Sands in 2003 (and still own) and last year bought Foxrun on a resale. So the portfolio is stable now at 4 weeks owned, but one never knows..... Like Dori said, timesharing has been terrific for our family and we're now layering on a base tan to get ready for the Mayan Palace Rivera Maya for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Years - it's a tough life...... ------------------ Barb [This message has been edited by BarCol (edited 11-21-2004).] IP: Logged
SW4035LM unregistered	posted 11-21-2004 10:25 We purchased our first timeshare at Meadow Lake in Montana in 1994 which was 3 weeks rotating every year. The second was Manteo Beach Club in Kelowna which we sold when MF went out of sight. We did make a profit! Also bought and sold a Marriott but still own 2 weeks every other year in Mesquite NV and 2 weeks at the Mayan Palace. We converted our 3 weeks at Meadow Lake into RCI Points for $1500 total and now get 5 or 6 weeks depending on how we use them. Works great if you own a 2 bedroom and only need a 1 bedroom. So in total we get about 8 weeks per year. Wish we had found Tug before we purchased. We have been so many places I know we never would have gotten to without timesharing. We've been to Oregon, California several times, Arizona 4 times, Mexico 5 times, Florida 3 times and also Georgia, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Williamsburg, Cape Cod, Pennsylvania, England, Scotland, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany. Will still love Meadow Lake and still go every year once for a week and again for 3 or 4 days. All of these trips were using our timeshares. What a great way to travel! Lynn IP: Logged
MoeDan2727 TUG Member Posts: 50 From: Thornhill,Ontario Canada Registered: Apr 2003	posted 11-21-2004 18:44 Hello everyone-great topic-Bought the first timeshare "pre construction" (1985) Horseshoe Valley Resort(2 bedroom),near Barrie,Ont.with the ex wife when the kids were very young. Moved onto Thornbury Harbour Club, in Thornbury, Ont.( a studio unit)now known as The Royal Harbour Club in 1987 with present wife. Then we added Harbourside Vacation Villas (2 bedroom) in Collingwood,Ontario in 1992. We managed to get 9 years of useage out of it and then boom no more access and eventually class action law suit begun, still in litegation. For many years we used both Horseshoe Valley and The Royal Harbour Club to exchange with and travelled all over North America and the Caribbean (approx.40 exchanges). During that same time we used Harbourside Vacation Villas every year and never exchanged it because we love the Collingwood area. Once we "lost" Harbourside we decided,all pre TUG, that we should take the plunge again and investigated many options eventually deciding the Fairfield system seemed the best fit. We wanted something that would enhance the timeshares we already owned.......thus we are now V.I.P. Gold with Fairfield, by using the PIC program. The first year was awful (and we had almost 20 years experience with timeshare, imagine a newbie) but now I can say we have learned a lot and use the system to our best advantage. By the way, along the way both Horseshoe Valley and The Thornbury Harbour Club declared bankruptcy, but we stayed with them both and still own to this day. Love our timeshares and now of course we have multiple "weeks" available to us to use each year. Just sent our daughter and boy friend to Florida for a week, as a graduation gift and they had a blast.......even went to the timeshare sales pitch.....another generation is interested........ Moe IP: Logged
eal TUG Member Posts: 501 From: Calgary Alberta Canada Registered: Jul 2001	posted 11-21-2004 22:07 Interesting stories! DH and I bought into the bottom rung of the ladder (20k points eoy) with Geoholiday in 2001. We then purchased a lot more points via resales until now we have 140k EY. I typically use about half the points to book weeks that are good rentals (and to cover mf's), and then we enjoy the fabulous opportunities to travel with the rest of the points - Costa Rica, Arizona, Tahoe, Park City, S. Carolina, Florida, Quebec, UK. We also own a week at Big Sky in Montana (fixed week, Canadian holiday week, within driving distance) and a week at Big Bear, CA, (80 miles from my brother-in-law's home). I can't believe how our vacations have changed so much for the better since we discovered timesharing! IP: Logged
MoeDan2727 TUG Member Posts: 50 From: Thornhill,Ontario Canada Registered: Apr 2003	posted 11-22-2004 01:35 A correction to my wife's posting. I bought Horseshoe preconstruction in 1981. Paid low season rate (white?) late October which has since been upgraded to mid season (Blue)in late 80's and high (red) in mid-ninties. Joys of Global warming. Dan IP: Logged
Mush TUG Member Posts: 291 From: Saskatchewan Registered: Dec 2000	posted 11-22-2004 13:10 We bought A SA week, then another, then 2 more. Finally we purchased an Aussie Points resort. We usually trade 1 or 2 weeks, and put the rest into the points for deposit program. We've used the points for a couple exchanges, and tickets on AA to Cancun last Christmas. We have been very happy with our decisions. We've been to Cabo twice, Vallarta 3 times, Cancun area twice, Las Vegas, and Hawaii twice. They have been wonderful resorts (with one exeption) and much better than hotels. IP: Logged
CarlK TUG Member Posts: 98 From: Kingston, Ontario, Canada Registered: Aug 2003	posted 11-23-2004 06:15 We were introduced to Fairfield by good friends and in doing some research into timesharing I found the Fairfield Yahoo Group. This led to the resale purchase of points deeded at Pagosa, Colorado and FF Bay, Arkansas. Although we only got into timesharing in the Summer of 2003, we have enjoyed 2 Thanksgiving weekends in Quebec, 2 weeks in Florida (Orlando and Daytona Beach) a week at Massanutten, Virginia, and will be back in Quebec for a week in December. For 2005 we have confirmed exchanges for 2 weeks in Puerto Vallarta and 2 in Greece. For 2006, we are confirmed into Italy. We have had some great holidays and look forward to many more. Being in our mid-50s there are times I wish we had done this years ago, but there are other times when I wish we were retired now so that we could get away more often! Carl IP: Logged
barto TUG Member Posts: 407 From: Alberta, Canada Registered: Aug 2001	posted 11-24-2004 13:32 Friends of ours bought at the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort (from the developer!) and rented out to us and others to help recoup some of their maintenance fees. We liked the resort, loved the area, so I kept my eyes open for a good deal. A local couple was selling theirs for really cheap, so we bought it...even though it's a week we probably could never use because of my job! (Late Feb. ski week) But this was about the closest timeshare to us, a 4.5-hour drive, so it became our 'de facto' favorite anyway. We've traded it for other weeks in Banff and Canmore over the years, and have used the Bonus Days feature to stay at our home resort for just a few days here and there. Picked up a couple other weeks from Holiday Group in their auctions: a Bahamas red week and a blue Royal Harbour Resort week (were told we could use it to internally exchange into Banff, then that changed after we closed!), but got good trades with them, too, through Donita's (now Donita's DAE). Still hadn't joined RCI, but took the plunge with a SA week (Dik) with the 10-year membership deal just before it expired. Now looking at two more white SA weeks for a price too good to resist... Recently closed on a week at Banff Gate Mountain Resort (not the Banff Gate Mountain Lodge & Spa just down the road - very confusing). This was the former Alpine Resort Haven that went through bankruptcy...we kept driving up there marvelling at the seclusion and views, then exchanged in there 3 times in the past 1.5 years, and found a good deal on a red floating week there, so we're up to 5 timeshares with two more pending. Will probably look to sell the Royal Harbour and/or Bahamas week(s) just to keep the maintenance fees nearly reasonable. That said, I'm kinda looking at low-cost ways to get into Points so we could have more flexible arrangements at different places, but NOT until I sell off a couple of our weeks! ;-) Good thread...this timesharing thing is kind of a sickness, isn't it? Bart IP: Logged
Strong1 TUG Member Posts: 73 From: Lucan, Ontario, Canada Law Cranberry Ontario, Glenmore Sands SA, Presidential Villas SC, Kona Coast I, Kona Hawaiin Village, San Clemente Inn Registered: Sep 2001	posted 11-24-2004 15:20 Thanks to everyone who has responded so far. The stories are really interesting, yet isn't it interesting how often they are similar. I can't image not having timeshare time to use for vacation. We are definitely addicted and I will never go back to staying in hotel rooms (especially with two sons over 6 feet plus a petite daughter who needs a lot of bathroom space!). I love TUG, it's been a godsend to me and helped me to understand how to get the best advantage out of what we have, plus what to buy to get more of what we want. ------------------ Colleen IP: Logged
sea TUG Member Posts: 60 From: Marriotts Harbour Point Weeks 10 and 48 Registered: Apr 2003	posted 11-25-2004 06:45 We'd listened to friends praise their Marriott timeshare vacations for years. We decided to start listening, really listening. They purchased from the developer, but had since heard of the resale market, so we pursued this. In 1999 we bought 2 resale weeks in Hilton Head SC, directly from Marriott. They have served us REALLY well. They have provided us with family vacations like we would never have had otherwise. Our family and friends have also benefitted by our membership with Interval International, and the great getaways available. I am totally thrilled with our involvement with timesharing. It is excellent value. TUG has been a fabulous source of information and entertainment for me. Sometimes when the rest of the family is watching sports, I'll be sitting with them, but at the computer, reading TUG bulletin boards!! IP: Logged
randkb TUG Member Posts: 40 From: Bathurst, NB, Canada Owner: Fairway of Palm Aire, Dikhololo, Sudwala, Vacation Village of Westin, Celebrity Resort , St. Micheals Sands, Durban Sands Registered: Aug 2001	posted 11-27-2004 06:48 We live on the East Coast and bought our first timeshare on ebay (Florida) four or five years ago. Over the past few years, we have bought seven South African weeks, sold our original Florida timeshare and bought two lock off units in Florida. We love timeshare vacations. Unfortunately, we just need more vacation time or to retire soon. We travel to Florida several times a year and usually once a year to Vegas. We have been to the Carribbean, Scotsdale, Cape Cod and just returned from two weeks in Maui. We have 5 weeks booked in Mexico for next year as well as several trips to Florida for this year and next. Unfortunately our two weeks in the Cayman Islands for this March was cancelled. We absolutely love timeshare vacations! IP: Logged
QuietCanadianMale47 TUG Member Posts: 40 From: Estevan, Saskatchewan MayanPalace owners, Grand Mayan & Maz-pac owners Registered: Mar 2004	posted 12-02-2004 20:42 I agree - this is a great topic. My story again is fairly similiar. We went with friends to their timeshare which was a 2 bedroom Mayan Palace unit in the fall. The next year we tried an all-inclusive resort which was in Acapulco and swarming with younger adults. We didn't like the buffets as by the end of the week they all tasted the same....they wouldn't make any different cocktails, and ever carried only one kind of beer - I guess that some people think they can taste a difference in beers. Anyway, after the all-inclusive week we stayed a second week at Acapulco again in the Mayan Palace, and could hardly wait for our tour and presentation to purchase our timeshare. We initially bought a 1 bedroom suite, with a 1 year option to get the studio unit, which we also did. That was it, then the Grand Mayan's came along and I resisted at first - but I did cave in when I felt I had a good deal...from the developer of course. But, we always go to one of the Mayan Palace resorts and never traded. We just love them...I know that I haven't given other places a chance. When people complain about the walking and the size of the resort's I'm sorry but that is what I like. Garth IP: Logged
rpsmason TUG Member Posts: 156 From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Own at Geo, Trade Winds, Boambee Bay Registered: Sep 2003	posted 12-03-2004 21:43 We joined with Geo Holiday (as a GeoPlus member) for 30K EOY in 2002. We thought we were buying from Geo, but it turned out to be just a company called AJP Marketing. If we received what we were promised it would have turned out to be a great deal, but of course, they fell out with Geo and promptly went out of business. Much of what they told us we were purchasing proved to be false. The same people are still in the same building doing the same thing but for other timeshare resorts, and I think they are on their 3rd company now in as many years. Oh well, lesson learned & it turned out that it was an ok deal in the end. We have found that Geo has great trading power and this makes up somewhat for the higher maintenance cost. In our 1st year, we were able to use them to get 2 weeks in St-Maarten & a week down with Tradewinds in the Grenadines. Loved Tradewinds so much we bought a EOY package. The next year we used Geo again to trade to Tradewinds (yea! 1 in 4 year rule doesn't apply if you are a member at that resort...) and when we were down there upgraded to the full Tradewinds membership. We ended up purchasing a RCI Points week in Australia and I must say that I have been very pleased with the overall RCI Points system. Have done several trades now, all seamlessly. One thing I should mention. If you are a Geo Holiday member considering upgrading to Geo Plus, I wouldn't recommend at this time it if you also have a RCI Points account. Not an issue if you have an RCI Weeks account, but the Geo Plus/RCI Points systems aren't compatible (even though it sounds like they should be). ie, we pay 2x RCI Points membership fees each year. One to maintain our GeoPlus privileges and one for our Australian / Tradewinds resorts. IP: Logged
hotspot TUG Member Posts: 11 From: newmarket, on, canada Registered: Sep 2004	posted 12-07-2004 17:17 I bought my Mexican timeshare on the first "girls trip" I went on after my son was born (3 yrs) Being a single mom, I realized how easily I had fallen into the "me last" syndrome and I bought the timeshare as a way to make myself enjoy life a little more. What started out as my own little treat has gradually evolved into a yearly competition between my siblings to see who gets to go along with my son and I on our explorations. I love the wealth of differnt destinations available and the flexibilty having a kitchen in the unit allows. I bought in Mexico to take advantage of the beach deposit = beach exchange and so far it has worked for me. I love this country of ours but by February I am more than ready to visit the sun! IP: Logged

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