Interesting Price Comparison at HH

[stlrod]

As I have been trying to decide whether to buy Marriott or DVC on Hilton Head, I did a price comparison to see if one strongly favored the other. It was amazing how close they came. I compared prices for each of 3 seasons at Barony Beach (using a Garden Villa) with the cost of points it would take to stay a full week in a 2BR at DVC during the applicable season (using $65 a point). Here's how it came out:

Platinum BB ($20,500) = 315 points ($20,475) $25 diff
Gold BB ($18,500) = 285 points ($18,525) $25 diff
Silver BB ($14,100) = 215 points ($13,975) $125 diff

The killer was the maintenance fees/dues. While they stay at around $500 for each season at BB, they go from $745 to $950 to $1040 at DVC. Despite this, I've decided to go with DVC because I can get 5 nights (S-TH) during the summer for about half the cost of a summer week at BB. Also, as a Marriott owner in Orlando, I get a discount at the Hilton Head Marriotts and can always trade the Orlando week. I'm not trying to start a major discussion about Marriott and DVC (been there, done that.) I just thought the closeness of the prices was interesting. My suspicion is that the competition from Marriott (which unquestionably dominates the HH market) is why DVC offers the $10 buy back at HH (of course, you still get first year's use at Marriott which would need to be considered plus the Marriott Reward points for buying.)

 

[deerh]

Interesting comparison, but I have looked for resales since June in a number of agencies, and Marriott has a LOT higher main. fee than $500! Some are $800 to $900 per year. At least this is what it has said on the sales sheet. Believe me, I have checked websites for timeshare sales, and these are what I have found out. Most of these I quoted are not even Platinum weeks, they are red or whatever they call it. I would double check the main cost on Marriott, they may be more than you were quoted. But, I am glad you are going with DVC, as I am going to buy soon HHI with DVC, and I only looked at the 2 big players-Marriott and DVC, those were the only 2 I would look at.
Good luck, and maybe we will be neighbors at HHI!!
deerh

 

[stlrod]

Since you're in Atlanta, we'll just pick you up on our way through.

 

[stlrod]

Actually, if you go to The Timeshare Store's site, tere is a Silver week for sale at BB and it lists the Maintenance Fees as $572 which I now recall is the amount I was told on a recent tour. My maintenance fees in Orlando are only slightly more, nowhere near the $800 range.

 

[deerh]

Come on by Atlanta and pick me up! I am ready for HHI! Interesting main. fees for Marriott, but again, at $572 for a silver week, I was interested only in a platinum week, wonder what that main. fee would be? Probably more than $572. I was going for the main summer weeks, guess that's why the main. fee is more. There are not many platinum weeks for sale either, saw very few in my 2 months of looking. I will be on the front porch waiting for the ride!! LOL
deerh

 

[stlrod]

The maintenance fees generally stay the same for the seasons at Marriott (at least that's true at my resort and what the salesman at BB told me.) I'll pick you up on the way down at Easter. We're staying at BB though. You'll have to wait 'til 2003 for the ride to DVC.