Marriot vacation club

Ai li

Ai li

Registered User
Have anyone heard of Marriot vacation club?

I saw Marriot vacation club's booth at baby show last Friday and went to ask them for more info about the club. The staff at the baby show didnt seem to have much knowledge about the package or details about it, but kept saying it is designed to be very babies/ kids friendly. But was told to make an appointment with a 45 mins personal tour at Times Square. Which I did!

What curious me is the 'gift' that provided for any couple going for 45 mins tour. It is just seem to be too good. eg: 2 adults and 1 kid Disneyland free ticket... HK$500 Renaissance hotel dining vourcher + Mini octopus card with HK$500 value... On top of that, they provide you with refreshment and 2 hours free car park or claimable taxi fare for not more than HK$50.:wow:

I think I would feel obligated by having all these above. But that is not my intention of going. I just want to know more about the club.

Anyone has the same experience?
 
Feeling obligated is exactly what they are trying to make you feel by giving you all those free things. They want you to buy a share in their vacation club. This technique is not new. Personally I don't think these 'gifts' are worth it. You will end up getting hassled for ages afterwards with follow up calls, emails, god knows what else. Besides, if you have no intention to really consider buying a share why waste their time too?
 
actually my husband and i went to listen (we knew it was sales-sy) and it wasn't all that bad. they're not THAT pushy.

but it wasn't 45 minutes, more like 2 hours, and although comfortable and all (cake and tea, etc and place is not dodgy) all we got for it was one night stay at the marriott airport (newly opened?). the sales plan for the vacation club sounded pretty good too but definitely out of our budget for now.

Ai li could you post what you actually got? i mean, your lists of 'gifts' sound too amazing to be true!
 
The gift that I got!

There are 3 choices of gifts to choose from.

1) FREE entry ticket : 2 adults + 1 kid to Disneyland.

2) HK$500 Renaissance hotel dining vourcher + Mini octopus card with HK$500 value

3) They have a list of hotels with discounted rates in Singpore, HK, China, Thailand and Japan. Eg: JW Marriot in HK only HK$1600++ per night, HK$2600 at Ritz Carlton Singapore. However, we can only choose of the hotel with discounted from the list ( I personally think that this one is the least attractive one)

4) Phuket deal. I told them I was not interested in going to Phuket. So, she skipped the choice. (but i think the Phuket one is rather attractive, casue the staff told me many people choose Phuket deal.


I havent gotten the gift until the day I show up for the talk. Oh my goodness, it is 2 hrs long!!

Solidstar, did you sign up with them the package? If not, how did you managed to 'get away' from them?

HI Aussiegal,
Thanks for your kind advice. I wasnt given the impression that It is about buying share or Marriot points (according to my friend). I thought it is something that they are promoting their baby friendly resorts or hotels. Haha, Silly me!!
 
>> You will end up getting hassled for ages afterwards with follow
>> up calls, emails, god knows what else.

In our case, I guess, they figured our we knew their tactics, as the soft sales person finally brought "her manager" in to explain how the deal worked. At which point, I remarked, "so you're the closer eh?".

For those of you who are used to time-shares, this deal is different. From what I gather, Marriot does not physically own the properties and you are not on the deed (in the US your name is on the deed of the property).

Regardless, the deal breaker for me is always when someone says you have to sign an agreement (which in this case is worth 100s of thousands of dollars) and cannot give you a copy to read or consult with someone more legally minded.

PLEASE read up and do your research BEFORE you go, as they apply serious pressure on you "this deal will not be available if you walk away".

We did not bother with the gift that they gave us, as we know there would be a sales pitch at the end of that free holiday too.

>> asue the staff told me many people choose Phuket deal

Yes, and they want you to take the deal, as it gives them one more opportunity to sell to you when you're relaxed and in a very controlled environment.
 
One more thing, here's a link which will explain a little bit more about deeded vs right to use time shares.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeshare

Care should be taken with this form of ownership as the right to use often takes the form of 'club membership' or right to use the reservation system. Where the reservation system is owned by a Company not in the control of the owners, the right of use may be lost with the demise of the controlling Company.
Click to expand...

Remember, the agreement is COMPLEX .. and in the 5 or 10 minutes I had to glance at it, I could not figure out who owns the properties, who controls the reservation system and what happens if Marriot or the owner goes bankrupt etc.
 
My friend has signed up and it costed her about $120k payable in instalments. She joined the cheapest plan.

Yes, you do get an incentive for attending the seminar but my husband wouldn't let me go in case I signed up too. You can also have the option of $1k worth of Sogo or Citysuper coupons.
 
My inlaws have been very satisfied marriot vacation club owners for over 7 years now. they have 3 weeks and use them for family holidays everywhere, but mostly for golfing in the US as they are semi retired. You can trade your weeks for other locations around the world if you want to travel outside the property that you own. In Canada, they call it Timeshare and is quite popular.

Since hubby and I don't have any weeks, we thought about buying before but since his parents already have 3 weeks, we usually travel together so we don't need our own weeks. We have been to the seminars twice, once in Palm Desert, California and in Phuket Thailand - both times we received the special offers of $100USD but at the end, we just told them we need more time to think about it, or that we would consider it for the future and there wasn't any pressure. I received the notice for the one in HK but we are just too busy to attend, otherwise we would have. I think it's nice to go see what they offer. We have really enjoyed vacationing with Marriot.
 
Just read shri's post and agree, if you decide to buy, be informed and prepared to read all the fine print. i think when my in laws bought 7 years ago, the terms were much much better back then. just wanted to give feedback that we have enjoyed marriot timeshare but we ourselves don't own one so can't offer too much detail.
 
We attended as my husband wants to listen to their offer, i got $500 sogo voucher. We end up buying as my husband really wanted to have that. We regularly travel for vacation so it's worth it and we're happy with it. Once you signed up, they give you another $500 dining voucher as thank you. If you give referral names, they give you another $1,000 dining voucher. Of course, this amount is so small compared to what you have paid. But for us, it's also an investment.
 
we just told them we weren't interested. and that actually they told us we can try a one year 'deal' and see if we liked it, but i'm hugely pregnant (due march) so we're like 'we won't be doing any travelling at ALL in that one year. they weren't THAT pushy and was like, 'oh well if you want to just contact us'.

and that was 2 weeks ago and i haven't received any follow up calls or pestering calls or emails since then...

to be quite honest, had we the extra money i would have been interested too, the packages sound quite good (agree with milkmonster)
 
I think they work out who to be 'pushy' with and who is not in the market at all for their deals and is only interested in the free gifts.

I actually like Marriott but am just not interested in being tied to staying with them when we holiday so it's not something for us right now.

Their Phuket property is really lovely (probably one of their best worldwide) and as Shri pointed out, they would be trying to get you to stay there as once you are on holiday you are more relaxed and more likely to say yes.
 
we went to a sales seminar and the offer sounded good IF you do actually take regular holidays in 4+ star hotels/resorts. As I am lucky if I can convince hubby to take a week off for holiday each year we decided it was not for us. The were very convincing in their presentation but they respected our 'no' and we have not heard from them since. We got a free night at the Mariott HK.
 
Thank you very much for everyone input :-D

We went to the seminar yesterday. 'Unfortunately' we signed the package from them ;P

Just like to share how is our package like.

1) HK$180 for 20,000 club points. Points are issue to us yearly. This year we will get 20,000 points, and next year another 20,000 points...until year 2056. Oh yes, installment is available.

2)with the club points, we are able to trade the stay with Marriot or Marriot chains at a very decent deal. eg:

Marriot's Phuket Beach Club (2 bedrooms) can be trade with 2300 points (Mon- Thu) or 4100 points (Fri - Sat) 3000 Sunday during non-peak season. Their super peak seasons can be triple the points. (Jan 1-8, Jan 23-39, Dec25-31)

In addition, we have to pay USD2412 for yearly maintainance fee. They called it club dues.

Oh yes, we obtained the gifted that promised. (HK$500 voucher + HK500 mini octopus card).

I found that they are not ' as pushy as' I thought it would be. Maybe the Sale person that sold to us is rather new, he has just joines Marriot for 2 weeks

:Butbut, in order to enjoy so called a 'special deal' we must sign the contract on the same day in order to have free Rewards points (not club points that I mentioned above).

They gave us 20,000.00 Rewards points which is enough for 5 days stay with Ritz Carlton Singapore (according to Sales manager, Marriot has bought over Ritz Carlton Singapore), as I was disappointed Singapore hotels were not listed on the list (booklet). That means, we cant use club point to trade Marriot or Ritz Carlton while we are in Singapore, but we can use Reward points to trade the stay with Ritz Singapore.

I think I am confusing the readers here. The Marriot vacation club gives out 2 type of points.

a) Club points (this is what we paid for, HK$180K for 20,000.00 points)
b) Rewards Points (given free when buying the club points).

What is the different?
Club points only can be used on their listed hotels from the booklet that they gave us. They are mostly Marriot hotels or resorts and Renaissance hotels.

Rewards points can be used any hotel that affiliated with Marriot. (have to go to the website to see what are the hotels available for Rewards points).

Club points can be converted into Reward points. 1 club point = 5 reward points. Convertion fee applies. (I think under USD200 dollar for convertion fee)

If anyone likes to know more about it, Pls feel free to ask me. :thanks
 
Just want to add that we have not been hassled at all. We sat through the 2 hour sales pitch and walked away - have never heard from them since.
the dealbreaker for us was that we had to sign on that day, or the offer was withdrawn.
 
Ai Li

It would be nice to get intouch with you to discuss the holiday alternatives as I am still so blurr about how this whole things work.
We bot into the plan in mid march last year... as hubby really believed that this should be the way we holidays going forward.
But till todate, we have yet to book any hols cos we are not keen on Thailand (cos of the political instability) which they are big on.
But one thing that might interest u guys is that you can get cheap service apt at 2 Mcdonald road in Hong kong for as low as USD 50 (off season rate of course). This is the only "benefits" that I have used and used twice to date (both time for visiting guests).
 
HI Arwen,

Oh, you got the deal too? I mean Marriot Vacation Club?

Yes, me too!! Still very blur about the program, i think they have too many choices, arent they? eg: option 1 - 4.

Sure, I would love to meet up about talk about it. Maybe end up you are the one explaining all these to me :haha:

Let me know when it is convenience to you. Is tomorrow fine with you?

:thanks
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top