I’m so excited about spending the weekend in Florida at Marriott’s Oceana Palms, especially since the PR Director just sent me the photo above, saying, ” I just took this picture … worst view at the resort.”
Well, if that’s the worst view, I may need to spend more than a weekend there!
And that’s why I’m going. A few other bloggers and I will be learning more about Marriott Vacation Club and sharing our own views on trends in family travel. We’re going to find out why timeshares are becoming more popular than ever and why they’re an especially attractive option for empty nesters.
Because I want to get information that will really help you, I’m hoping you’ll leave a comment below with any questions you have about timeshares. Don’t be embarrassed — most of us know very little about the subject, and your questions will help all of us. I will ask anything you want to know.
And, if you have any experiences — good or bad — please share them here. Let me know why you would or wouldn’t consider a timeshare. Be honest!
I will be reporting back after I get home on Sunday night — unless I decide to stay another week or two — and will be Tweeting live from there. Please follow me and Marriott Vacation Club so you can keep asking questions.
Wouldn’t it be great if this could be the oasis we all share?!
I hope you have a wonderful time. It looks like an amazing place to visit.
We own various timeshares. Each company has its pros and cons. I think a good question for Marriott might be on flexibility – you don’t always want to stay at one location, so how is their process designed to serve the owner who wants maximum flexibility and convenience? What steps have they taken in order to reduce complex aspects in their program? Have fun! Can’t get enough of that blue-green ocean against the white sand!
I keep seeing all these posts about Florida. It makes me wish I could leave Michigan and go visit all of my family. I do enjoy having 4 seasons, but the cold doesn’t really agree with me.
Worst view.. love it.. That view is gorgeous. Have fun… Love Vacation Clubs.. kinda forces you to stop and take a vaca.. which is something everyone should do.
Have a wonderful time!!
We’ve never really considered buying a timeshare because we always wanted to take our vacations at places that were completely new to us rather than coming (or going) year after year to something familiar. Are there timeshares for people like us?
That photo looks stunning – take me with you, heehee
Have a fantastic time, and I look forward to seeing your photos and reading your thoughts xxx
I hear about timeshares all the time but know little about them. People who I “think” don’t have much money (who am I to say???) have timeshares and travel all over the world, trading and double trading. I don’t understand how it works.
I’d like to know how affordable they are, and why, after peripherally asking, original fees seemed to be so expensive. How affordable could they be if that is true?
My brother once had a timeshare in VT. It worked out great. But I always thought I wouldn’t always want to be tied down to one place. How can you trade? Agh.
I’m very confused. Anything you can do to straighten me out would be great.
Have fun, enjoy the ride, and safe travels.
that looks fabulous!! i’ve always been hesitantly interested in a time share but was a bit intimidated by the commitment I guess. i look forward to your clarity and assessment and to pictures of you with big drinks and a great tan! have so much fun!!
It’s rainy and cold here in Kansas today (the geographical center of the US and furthest from an ocean). Lovely picture! I hope you have a grand time.
My mom and her husband have had a time share for about 10 years. They took our family for a long weekend in Estes Park, CO. This summer, my uncle went with my step-dad to Sedona, AZ for a week in red rock country. They’ve enjoyed having a time share.
I look forward to seeing your pics.
we own 4 timeshares, which is at least 2 too many! We sre actually leaving tomorrow for a week with some of our family at Shadowridge in Palm Desert. We also own a week at Desert Springs 2 (a newer developement…Desert Spring 1 is older and part of the same property). One in Oahu called Ko Olina and one at the Manhattan Club in NYC. The system can be very confusing for those of us who are not detail oriented. I haven’t even begun to figure out the new destination points program, but luckily, my husband gets it…more or less. I like timeshares because you can feel like you have the comforts of home…..spaciousness that you don’t get in a hotel room, a kitchen so you don’t have to eat all your meals out, and nice pools….I feel comfident that Marriott has a good product, but I don’t know about other timeshare companies. The downside is having to pay high maintenance fees and property taxes. if I had it to do all over again, I would just travel to all-inclusive resorts….you pay for the vacation up front and that’s it. And, you can choose whenever you want to gol You have specific time frames when you own a timeshare and sometimes don’t get the specific week you want….you are allowed to book a year in advance, so you have to know that you will be traveling then. Lois, I don’t think this would work for you because your family seems to do last minute trips. So, it can be expensive to own a timeshare and take years to break even. And, in case no one has noticed, you can look at the Redweek site and find 100s of timeshares for sale, well below the original purchase price. We have neighbors who owned a prime time week at the Marriott Ocean Club in Maui. he paid $100,000 (!!!) for his 2 weeks and was happy when he was able to seel it for $50,000! He was fed up with the fees and having a hard time getting his dates…altho’ he did say they had wonderful family vacations there. Some people love them and some people can hardly wait to get out. A large group of owners at the Manhattan Club are trying to get the Attorney General to investigate the owner…for overselling the weeks and offering rooms for rent on Hotels.com. The owners can’t get their days, but if they go on one of these sites, they can easily rent a room!! So, what do we think of timeshares?? Well, we like going to Hawaii and Shadowridge (because it’s just a 2 hour drive), but if you asked if we would buy again, the answer would be NO!
Hope you have a wonderful time. Lucky you getting a weekend on the beach.
What a gorgeous view! If that’s the worst thing to look at there, you’ll no doubt have a wonderful time!
What a gorgeous view! Hope you have a great time!
Okay, you had me at that gorgeous beach. I should be at your door in about ten minutes. Just quickly waxing the lady garden.
Looks beautiful! I know quite a bit about timeshares and the convenience. I’ll be very curious to see the results of your weekend! Hadn’t heard of this one before!
I’d love to know about the flexibility as well. There are a few places I do enjoy returning to, though I always love discovering something new.
If that is the worst view, I would love to see what the best one is like 🙂 Have fun!!
Have a great trip! I will be in FL at the end of the month and looking forward to it as well, since I have not been there in years!
Looks fantastic Lois. Have a wonderful time!
This looks like a gorgeous spot! I’m always looking for places to visit and my family and I really enjoy staying at the Marriott chain of hotels.
Look at that amazing view! Now is the best time for a vacation 🙂
What a perfect worst view. I could defiantly look at that worst view for a week.
That looks so beautiful and relaxing. Take me with you!
Oh I can’t wait to hear how it goes… I totally want to go with you. Lol… I love travelling and Marriott is a great hotel to stay in
If that’s the worst view of the hotel, then it’s a place I definitely need to be! It’s gorgeous!
It looks beautiful! We’ve been happy with Marriotts although we’ve never done a timeshare. Have fun and I’ll look forward to reading about the trip.
That looks pretty amazing if you ask me. I’d love to go there!
We love our Marriott Timeshare and the newer destinations program. When the kids were young we took the week long stays at various properties. We now take many smaller trips…we are headed to the desert for this weekend. The biggest complaint I have is that there are so many great vacation deals now through Groupon etc. that we do not use as they include airfare and hotel. We purchase each component of our trip separately so we use the timeshare.
If that’s the worst view at the resort, I bet the best view would blow me away. I would love to be on that beach right now instead of in this thunderstorm!
How does the Marriott differentiate itself from other timeshares? I would be interested in flexibility. I have heard via friends that timeshares can be limiting and expensive. Then at the end of your stay the question I will have for you will be, do you see yourself buying into the timeshare program? Have fun, this seems like a great way to gather information, thanks for sharing what you learn!
What a beautiful view, I’m amazed that that is the “worst” view on the property! I’ve been thinking about looking into a time share lately so I look forward to your follow up post when you get home!
sounds like a tough media trip for you. My husband is a Marriot rewards member but never tried the vacation clubs
That is still a pretty amazing view! Looks like a great place. I love Marriott properties. High quality all around.
Look at that view! It’s like paradise! I don’t believe there’s a bad view – beautiful. Looking forward to follow up posts, enjoy!
Here’s my question. With a timeshare do you have to always use it on a specific week? What happens if you can’t go on your week?
I used to work for a time share company and from that perspective I don’t think I’d ever invest in one but I know so many people who have and are.
Are happy with their investment**
Sounds like a stunning place to visit, with beautiful views!
If the time comes that you want to sell, are you penalized with steep fees? Just curious, I’d love an answer though.
Worst view, are you kidding? That view to me looks like a perfect getaway! 🙂
Gorgeous view! If that’s the worst I’d like to see the best
at this moment in time, if you want to sell your timeshare, you will not get anything close to what you paid. We have friends who sold their Desert Springs I timeshare about a year ago, for one cent! yes, you read that right….one penny! they just wanted to be rid of it. We’ve never been restricted to a specific week, but you buy into times of the year. So, there are certain weeks that you cannot go. But, with their new system of destination points, that may not be the issue. I heard people complaining that the number of points you need gives you 6 days, as opposed to 7 under the old system. They make it sound so simple; it’s not for me. I’m glad my husband takes care of reservations, etc.
That looks so beautiful! We stay Marriott often due to their timeshare – actually went on our honeymoon in Aruba and stayed at one of their resorts there, too! But I haven’t seen this one!
Enjoy your time away, Lois!
I don’t understand the timeshare thing, I just know my family went on a few vacations for “Free” at a timeshare! That view is gorgeous.
Have a wonderful time away it looks beautiful – look forward to hearing how it goes:) x
What a beautiful view. My brother has a timeshare in FL so I usually use his but would love to stay here.
Try to have a good time. 😉 Even with the worst kind of view. LOL(So jealous!)
oh the ocean…..it always looks so inviting and soothing to me! I was only in Florida once for work and we stayed in a hotel downtown the whole time we were there. I never saw the ocean….ugh! Great pics!
I would love to look into time shares once the kids are a bit older. Have a wonderful time!
I bet this is going to be such a wonderful time for you.
I’d be interested in learning whether there is any distinction between a “vacation club” and a “time share” — or is the term a euphemism because timeshares often have a tarnished image?
I totally need a vacation. I would totally be interested in a timeshare like this. I love the view from the ocean as well.
Worst views? Wow! What a perfect looking spot! Lucky you! My sister has been a member of the Marriot Vacation Club for many years and usually goes to the Marriott’s Newport Coast Villas on the PCH in California. She has gone to Hawaii and a couple others too. I went the Newport Coast Villas with her twice for weeks and it is an AMAZING place! Their programs and amenities are top notch and the place is just perfect! I would highly recommend it.
What a beautiful place to visit! Hopefully someday my hubby and I will be able to get away to a place like this.
Wow that is absolutely breathtaking. I’d take the worst view there.
Paradise! That is the only way to explain the picture! The worst view? Wow!! I need to go there!