Posts: 532
From: Punta Gorda, FL, OWN: Grande Vista, Orlando (2), Custom House, Boston, Harbour Club, HHI, Ocean Pointe, Palm Beach Shores, Surf Club, Marco Island,
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 04-18-2005 20:08               

---

Hi all, We just returned from a week in Las Vegas and did the presentation for Marriott's new timeshare there. It was quite different from others we have gone to...it was held in Polo Towers(a rival timeshare), the actual timeshare isn't yet finished but they have built models which you can walk through so you can actually be in a unit instead of just trying to visualize one, then you finished and sat down with your salesperson...after talking a while she brought in her immediate superior and he did the actual "money discussion". When we told him that we would only be interested in buying one if we could avail ourselves of Marriott's buy back program, he informed us they were not doing that at Grand Chateau. We thanked them for their time but said we were not interested in buying another timeshare...then our salesperson and her superior asked if we would sit with another Marriott person and do an eval of how they had handled the presentation. We agreed. Lo and behold this was another salesperson who offered us "Las Vegas Encore" program....if you pay $995 in installments or $895 up front you get 12 months to return (in which time they have frozen current prices for you) and upon your return you get 8 days, 7 nights at Treasure Island Hotel, choice of 4 show tickets, complimentary dinner for 2, etc and if you purchase at that time they will deduct the $895 or $995 from your timeshare purchase. You can also extend the 12 month deadline to 18 months for $50 extra. We opted for the program but I had the feeling Marriott is turning into Fairfield...if you aren't ready to buy from the 1st salesperson they wear you down with a parade of supervisors...maybe if we resisted long enough Bill Marriott himself would have appeared. Maybe this has been covered before...if so...I apologise for repetition...if not, I thought you all would be interested in perhaps Marriott's new approach to timeshare presentations. I must add that there was no high pressure but 3 sales people trying to sell you one timeshare is my first encounter with a Marriott property. Linda

IP: Logged

Posts: 164
From: From: Roseville, CA Resorts: Marriott Waiohai, Marriott Newport Coast
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 04-18-2005 21:31               

---

Wow..that encore program is pretty interesting. There was another thread before about someone being able to buy a Marriott at prices from months ago. That must be what he did.

Does anyone know of other resorts doing this type of offer?

Jan

IP: Logged

Posts: 118
From: New York, Ny
Registered: Dec 2000

posted 04-18-2005 21:41               

---

We also asked about the trade up when we attended the presentation a month ago. We were told that they cannot do so at this resort because they are in partnership with Polo Towers for the Grand Chateau. Apparently, Polo put up the land and Marriott is doing the construction. If they let Marriott owners trade up they will have to let Polo owners do the same. The sales rep said there is talk about buying out of the partnership with the Polo Club but I imagine that will take a long time.Land in Vegas on the strip is the most expensive in the country. An acre sells for $14mm to $20mm. Guess that was the quickest and cheapest way for Marriott to get their foot into Vegas.

IP: Logged

Posts: 1992
From: Wichita KS owner: Polo Towers/ The Villas at Polo Towers/ Marriot's Ocean Point/Marriott's Grand Chateau/ HGVC LVStrip/ Grand Regency Branson, MO
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 04-19-2005 05:05               

---

Actually, Polo Towers and Marriott are in a joint venture together on this one. Stephen Cloobeck, the CEO of Diamond Resorts International which is the developer of Polo Towers had the plans already in place for the Grand Chateau. It was not originally going to be branded as a Marriott.

Marriott was wanting a TS in Vegas but wanted something close to the strip. Cloobeck had decided he was ready to get out of developement. Marriott and DRI came to a partnership which is called something on the lines of "Hard Copy" (I'll have to look it up in my paperwork). This agreement allows Marriott to develope and brand the Grand Chateau a Marriott.

There had been hopes in the beggining that Marriott would also brand Polo Towers and take over it's management but, that ain't happenin'. I went back into some archives a couple of months ago and it was Cloobeck who had actually started that rumor.

As part of the deal, Marriott took over the sales force from Polo Towers. They are PT's sales people but have been working for Marriott for at least a year. Part of the deal was that Marriott would complete the sale of the remaining units of the Villa's at Polo Towers before beginning construction and sales of the GC. There were still a few developer units left in PT's when we were there in March. There was a sign advertising this fact in the lobby.

So PT's and Marriott really aren't competing against each other but are working with each other. However, the agreement does not allow for a PT's owner to upgrade their unit into the new Marriott. We'd have loved to have done that with our Skyview unit in tower 1.

IMO, PT's will never be managed or branded by Marriott. I look for Cloobeck to attempt to sell the land out from under PT's somewhere in the future, which is going to cause problems for all PT's owners. IMO, Cloobeck could care less about the owners and is only in it for the money. If Mr. Seigel from Westgate hadn't been neighbors with the new developer for Aladdin/Planet Hollywood, I believe the new Marriott would have been the new Westgate and PT's owners would now be Westgate owners. I feel PT's owners really dodged a bullet there.

IP: Logged

Posts: 80
From: Philadelphia Pa, Marriott Newport coast , Star Island
Registered: Apr 2004

posted 04-19-2005 06:25               

---

Does any think with all the anouncement of new TS being built in Vegas that is why they offering the return deal. Does return trip require that you go through another sales picth.What where the price and incenatives offered.Is Vegas plat all year?
Sheldon

IP: Logged

Posts: 1992
From: Wichita KS owner: Polo Towers/ The Villas at Polo Towers/ Marriot's Ocean Point/Marriott's Grand Chateau/ HGVC LVStrip/ Grand Regency Branson, MO
Registered: Jan 2001

posted 04-19-2005 10:31               

---

We were offered 90,000 rewards points plus the current owner and self referal points if we purchased. We were also offered the option to purchase 90,000 rewards points for $745.

GC is platinum all year.

IP: Logged