The Top Reasons to Buy a Marriott Timeshare

Marriott has been in the timeshare business since 1984, making them the first large hotel company to enter the industry. Marriott’s solid history and wide range of options make it one of the most desirable timeshares in the world. As a major player world wide, it’s safe to say that Marriott will continue to be an industry leader.

One of the big selling points, a key innovation that allows Vacation Club owners to convert their timeshare accommodations to "points," is known as Marriot Rewards ® Points. You can "spend" these points on things such as hotel rooms, car rentals and airline tickets, instead of using your allotted timeshare.

Because of this point system, a Marriott Vacation Club timeshare comes with a high exchange desirability so you easily have the option of vacationing at a resort or timeshare all over the world.

With a Marriott timeshare you gain access to other resorts and a system of bonus points that provides access to a range of vacation options. Marriott Timeshares, known as Marriott Vacation Club International, allows you unrivaled flexibility. If you also have membership with Interval International, you can exchange your week(s) how, when, and where you want. Interval International is affiliated with most Marriott timeshare resorts and it gives owners a choice of over 4000 resort destinations, a pretty sweet deal.

Here are some examples from the Marriott Vacation Club website of how you could use your points:

14,000 points- 1 weekend night at a Residence Inn by Marriott or other Select location

30,000 points- 10,000 frequent flyer miles with one of nine airline partners

100,000 points- 7 nights at a Courtyard by Marriott or other Select Marriott accommodations

200,000 points- 7 nights at the most in-demand Marriott Choice accommodations plus two coach round-trip airline tickets to any destination in the world, plus 25% off Hertz® rental, 100 minute pre-paid AT&T calling card.

The downside to the rewards system is that if you buy your Marriott timeshare on the resale market you can’t participate in the rewards program unless you purchase the points from Marriott. However, there is an exceptional resale market so you may still be able to find the perfect purchase.

Prices

Marriott timeshare prices range from $7,500- 65,000, depending on location, resort demand, season, number of weeks and size of the villa required. Indigo Guides says that "Buying new Marriott properties can be an expensive option so opting for Marriott resale [properties] can be a wise move. Marriott does sell both new and resale properties at their resorts but there are also resale opportunities such as resale brokers."

Not Blowing Any Smoke

Last year, according to the Bill Marriott blog Marriott decided to make 100% of its North America hotels smoke free. Bill Marriott claims that, "Taking good care of our employees has been the hallmark of Marriott’s success ever since we were founded by my mother and father 80 years ago. We’ve learned that when you take good care of the customers, they keep coming back.."

The Greening of Marriott

"People want to do business with companies that do the right thing," says Bill Marriott. He is referring to Marriott’s policy of caring for the environment. They have planted trees in Jordan, they will lower greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 2010, and they have helped clean up shorelines along the Potomac.

All and all, if you’re considering purchasing a Marriott timeshares, changes are you’re making a smart decision. A solid history of success in the timeshare industry should be reassuring. And with the Marriot Rewards system, you can exchange your timeshare allocation for hotel accommodations, airline tickets, car rentals and more.

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