Dealing w timeshare vs vrbo options going forward?

Have had our timeshare since 2005. After our winter trip this year, I immediately went to rebook for next year to find that our timeshare had....cancelled on us, I guess. RCI still had us as members but no more points b/c the TS canceled our membership.

I then called the resort and no one could figure out why we were cancelled. Never delinquent on payments, etc. Finally, they reinstated us and we're a go for winter 2023.

But dealing with the person at the timeshare has been nothing but a shitshow. Complete and total apathy in helping us over months of unanswered emails and finally I called them. Equally apathetic service.

While it seemed like a good idea at the time and has served our family, we are now debating whether to upgrade at the current place (currently a 1 BR sleeps 4) to a 2 BR. However, it still seems like the TS maintenance is always less expensive than vbro comparable rates(not accounting for price on top of maintenance.)

Right now, we have to stick to weeks that revolve around school calendars but that's going to change slightly in a few years and we'll have more flexibility. But I think we'll also be coming in high season (...or after March 15 low season could work too.)

Do most here do vrbos? hotels? I know many do beachside villas but that seemed steep last time I checked ($3K for 6 nights in high season). Just looking for ideas to plan ahead/.

As far as Beachside, their prices are much higher in high season, yes. We always go off season, so prices are much lower. And their prices are based on one, two, or three bedrooms. The only addition to their prices is a 5% tax. And there is daily maid service. To ME, timeshare has never been my deal, because we could never go the same week every year, but everyone is different.

We never did timeshare,just didn’t want to be locked in. We have done Vrbo numerous times in Sxm and many other places. We have stayed in some really nice properties. If you are willing to do your homework,you can find a good property at a reasonable price.

We always rent units above Petit Casino in Orient Village. The one bedroom units run about $1200 for a week in the off season. I can't even imagine a better location for us.

IMHO, there so many beautiful places to stay on the island. Take your pick, French or Dutch!!! We have been going mostly the end of October into November when the rates and flights seem to be much more reasonable, there for a "TS" would never work for us. Our very first trip was at Divi, it was nice, to much like a hotel atmosphere for us. From there we've only stayed at privately owned/operated. Our two top places is Beachside Villa's in Beacon Hill on the Dutch side, as I say about these lovely villa's, "You will want for nothing" In my opinion, it has it all for us!! My other top place is with Bruno's Paradise Bungalows in Orient village. He and his family are great host, with a 4-5 villa's over looking orient beach with a lovely pool view!! Love that Orient village vibe!!
http://www.beachsidevillas.com/
https://www.facebook.com/michel.gauthier.3358

OK - time shares are not for everyone (one size never fits all!) But I couldn't be more satisfied with my decision to purchase at the Royal Islander 25 years ago. While it's true that you are "locked-in" to specific weeks, another way of looking at it is that you have those weeks reserved - which can be a nice benefit especially during the high season. And while it's true that that the MF at the timeshares increase every year (what doesn't?), over the years I have more than recouped my initial purchase price with MF's lower than rentals. Now I believe the Royal Islander to be among the best timeshares on the island, so my experience maybe be fairly unique, but those are my observations - for whatever they are worth.

Agreed.......RI LePlage is the best I've stayed at as far as T/S go.

Been going to SXM every year for 35 years(except pandemic). We, like many bought timeshares so our kids could go during Christmas vacation days from school. Later when school was not part of the formula we kept timeshares for a family reunion every year. When TS maintenance and travel costs got crazy (IMO), we decided to sell timeshares and rent. Going at less costly times can save real $. We skipped pandemic timeframe and plan on going back in November 2022.

We inherited 4 weeks of TS in Michigan and despite using a week or more a year for exchange vacations the maintenance fees were like an albatross around our neck. So after years of trying we finally figured out a way to pay our way out of them (costly). As a bonus we received five years of RCI Points which concludes Feb 2023. We too will be using many of this years points for two weeks (end of Oct / beginning of November). My wife and I both believe that the world would be a better place without TS.

Tom - Will you be staying at The Belair?

We loved our timeshare and enjoyed it from preconstruction to its demise during hurricane Irma with almost no regrets or downside to its loss. We were fortunate that our place allowed in house exchanges which were easy to do so we really weren’t locked in to given weeks if we wanted to change our plans and we often did just that. The only real negative we experienced in timeshare ownership was the last ten years of extremely heavy annual AMF increases but even then, we were paying comparable prices to other properties we occasionally stayed in but we had the assurance of exactly what we were getting.

We loved our particular unit, the property, the staff and most of all - the very convenient location. Timeshare ownership never limited us to staying only at our property and thankfully, we discovered Beachside Villas before we lost our Towers ‘home’ and we have been happily ensconced there for about four weeks a year ever since.

To tell anyone else the better route re buying TS or not would be a huge mistake on my part but I can safely say, while TS really worked for us for the first twenty years, given the way it evolved and knowing what can happen with an unscrupulous owner or management company I would NEVER suggest today anyone purchase timeshare. And since you can often rent them for the AMF or less, it’s a personal choice or decision. Not right or wrong but more a matter of whether it meets your personal agenda. If it does and the price is right for you, go for it. If not, there are so many wonderful island properties.

Me? I’d personally recommend Beachside Villas but hoping all these strong recommendations don’t make it too popular and unattainable for us mere mortals. 😊😊

Tim, I am 150 percent in agreement with you about Royal Islander. Even with the increase in fees, my three weeks every year mid March to April, I have NEVER regretted my decision to pur hade our first week, over THIRTY years ago. Our fixed weeks have been a blessing for us. We know exactly when we will be there, plan well in advance, and see our ''second family" there every year. Where else can one go, know exactly whaere they will be situated, have OCEAN FRONT rooms, and all for a little over 120 day. Also, the staff is fantastic.

We go every year in November for out 11/08 Anny. Looked at favotrite Villass SBR 2 bed / bath .Found a Vrbo at Rainbow beach club with roof deck for $300.00 less per day. Hoping I don’t get cancelled at last minute. Booked and deposit of course

Amen. I Rent TS. Never want to own in a hurricane zone👏🙏

Dolfer,
No Belair this time. We are renting a place (VRBO) at Beacon Hill.
It will be different for us since we spent so many years @ Belair on Little Bay.

Thanks for the feedback.

I didn’t want to drop names but since it’s been mentioned, the person handling it at RI is the issue. I’ve met the owners , like the property and location but geez, the service to members is atrocious.

The shame of it is we LOVe the location and property, no surprises and we are RCI Points so there is some flex there. We are not locked into weeks.

BUT my goodness gracious, the person handling it just doesn’t care. It shouldn’t take weeks to respond to email. And there is no other person guiding the ship.

Tom--It's amazing how different one's vacation is, based on where you are staying, even though it's the same island. I'm sure there are a lot of things you will miss about not being at Belair, but you will have some new experiences also. Have you stayed other places than Belair before now? Everyone is different and people's needs change over time. But I do wonder sometimes how people who have ALWAYS stayed at the same place, how their perception of the island is different than other people, who stay in different places. I was trying to count in my head the other day the number of different places we have stayed on island, and gave up, once I got to a couple dozen. And our vacation was very different each time, based on where we were staying. Enjoy your stay in Beacon Hill!

So it sounds like you had a weeks and then went to points? Just curious how costly or how much of a loss was it to get rid of your weeks.? To be honest we’re not unhappy with RCI points. We either use our Saint Martin room or trade it for skiing. My only gripe is that since the situation with the supposed cancellation of our points from the resort, no one knows why, and since then trying to find a helpful person at the resort has been atrocious.

Now that the situation is resolved, here we are trying to attempt to give the resort additional business by possibly upgrading to a bed two bedroom and yet it’s like they really could care less.



EdB, I am right there with you. The staff is great except when you’re dealing with the office. Although I don’t know how it cost you a 120 a day. I’m guessing that’s 1990s prices for a studio or a one bedroom? Yes I loved RI Specifically because I know that after a nonstop flight from New York I could literally be in my room in 20 minutes @ The Driftwood bar three minutes later.

So at this point if the resort representative doesn’t want my money, will find other businesses on the island that value our business. Such a shame.

Amen

To the captain

You are correct, RCI Weeks to RCI Points. I inherited 4 weeks of TS at a northern Michigan golf/ski resort from my parents. Fees got to be almost $300 a month. The type of TS was forever, no time limit, locked in for life. AND the TS was unsaleable. No body would buy them, even for free. Finally we paid $15,000 to get rid of it, we were desperate, and in return we got 5 years of Points, which ends in 2023.

its.135/day. 1 bedroom. Since Lucy retired a couple of years ago, the office does seem a bit more ''slack'' than it was for all those years with her. I do have to tell a funny story that just happened to us this week. We received a letter from Royal Islander's company they use for the payment of the maintenance fee. Supposedly we are past due and they sent out a bill. The funny thing about this...the payment due is.........THIRTY CENTS. Somehow, our bill for our three week mainenance missed a dime a week. I told my wife to call the office, and see if they will take a credit card for payment. THIRTY CENTS. someone screwed up. LOL

You know, it's funny that you said that about staying in different places you get a different vibe of the island!! As you know, Louise will write up a trip report for every trip for TTOL based on our notes for each day on the island mostly while I make breakfast in the morning. She types them up when we get home and we put them in a three ring binder. Now and then, we refer back to these reports and one day we tried to count how many places we stayed over the years. What brings me to this with you and Eric, is the TTOL Halloween party that Dennis and Michelle (RIP) organised. For that rip we stayed at THREE different places in one trip!! Cap Craibs seven nights, one night at The Summit (Halloween party night) seven nights at Mary's Boone!! SO! if we were locked into a TS we wouldn't be able to move around as we did that year! The Summit was old world Caribbean with that lovely pool and the Kissing Fish bar was wonderful!!! Yes, we to have lost count on how many places we've stayed at over the years! Fun stuff!!

I hate moving on vacation, but it does give you a more rounded vacation, staying on each side of the island.

Carol,
Actually stayed at Dawn Beach first few years we went to SXM in the 80s, when there was still a resort there.
We are looking forward to the change from Little Bay, Belair.

OK, enjoy!