Depending on if you "qualify," you will get a superb rate to a top resort. You won't qualify for many of these deals unless you have a "partner" that you live with, make a decent household income (for Marriott, $100K) and don't have anyone coming that works for the hotel chain. Marriott told me they won't ask for proof of salary to avoid making the customer jump through hoops. Yes, Canadians totally qualify.
I went to the Marriott Vacation Club website and clicked on "request information." I received a call back during my work day, which I don't answer, and called back in my free time, asking for the person that left his information. They would not pass me onto that person as I suppose, it didn't matter. They claimed that because I was called back, I must have qualified for their best deal. I did explain to him that I don't believe so, unless they investigated my history with Marriott and saw my status with the hotel chain.
I was offered their "best" deal--the not "best" deal apparently costs about $100USD more than what I was offered.
Other hotel chains, including Choice Privileges, also offers timeshares and a presentation that you have to sit through with your spouse/partner. It's called They even offer babysitting while you attend the session. They are usually 90 minutes to 2 hours. To get in touch with them, you could call Choice Privileges to inquire about a hotel and they will possibly transfer you before you hang up to BlueGreen Vacations (their timeshare company), or you could email them HERE and await their reply and offer by phone (better than email). I don't believe they expected one to have a family income of $100K the same way Marriott did.
Marriott's timeshare presentation is apparently 90 minutes. They offered me the $199 deposit deal, where I pay whatever the differential is depending on which of their properties I would like to stay at--and they gave me the maximum 15 month window to use up the deal, though the person I spoke to promised me they would extend it if I needed to cancel or something came up. I could book it within 15 months, and then book 9 months in advance, but the follow up caller told me no extensions and no 9 months in advance outside the 15 month window. I did record my conversation (as we all should) as evidence but I don't think I'll have a problem. The $199 is not refundable. When you arrive, you also get a $50 Marriott gift card that you could use at the property of save it for another Marriott stay.
All properties offer an upgrade to a 2 bedroom suite if they aren't ALREADY two bedroom suites, as a few offer a 2 bedroom suites as the smallest room! Depending on the property, the deal as to how many nights it is, is based on that particular location, so for example, going to Hawaii, the deal is 6 nights, 7 days, while for West Palm Beach, it's 3 nights 4 days for $249 off season, $349 at high season, and an additional $50 over US holidays, whether they are during off of high season. You have the option of extending your stay up two additional nights at a subsidized price. With Marriott, you also have the option of using your points to extend your stay, but it will cost you A LOT of points as they are all category 8 resorts (one below Tier One, with each night costing 40K per night). They have properties around the world, but the deal only seems to include US properties and I believe, Aruba, but they are extending the number of options to many more over the next year period. The Hawaiian property is the most expensive, running around $699 but for 6 nights on the main island (BTW they 3 properties in Hawaii) but for what you're getting, it's TOTALLY worth it. Put it on your AMEX and then I know someone you can sell your points to at 1.3 cents per point, so 70K points, you'd get $910, which should cover the stay. No additional fees--no resort fees or taxes for this deal!
NOT all of these locations are part of the deal YET, but they were mentioned to me that they will be in that next one year period. Click here to see the locations.
I'll have to add to this post as I figure out where I'm going, and then after I get back!
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