Timeshare Points System at Marriott Vacation Club is Changing
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Starting July 16, 2009, the Marriott Vacation Club timeshare program will change its timeshare points system by integrating Marriott Vacation Club properties into Marriott Rewards Categories.
The good news for Marriott timeshare owners is that as part of this change, their timeshare stays will now be eligible for Marriott’s Fifth Night Free program, which Marriott describes as follows, “Guests must reserve a stay for a minimum of 5 redemption nights at one hotel to receive the fifth night for free. The fifth night free will be automatically applied when guests reserve for a minimum 5-night redemption stay.”
Marriott Vacation Club Timeshare Assigned New Rankings
According to Marriott Vacation Club, the strategy behind the change involves assigning hotel category levels to the Marriott Vacation Club timeshare resorts. Most timeshare properties will be ranked as a category 5, 6, or 7, in the Marriott Rewards system. This means that a one-night stay will require 25,000 points; 30,000; or 35,000 points respectively, based upon a deluxe guestroom, and depending upon whether the resort is a category 5, 6, or 7 property.
Upgrading from a deluxe guestroom to a one-bedroom timeshare will require an additional 5,000 points per night; a two-bedroom timeshare will call for 10,000 more timeshare points; and a three-bedroom timeshare will be 15,000 more points per night, all above the base points requirement for that resort.
One simple way to look at this is that at a category 5 resort, the cost in points will be 210,000 points for 7 nights in a two-bedroom timeshare. That rate increases to 240,000 points for the same number of nights, and the same size timeshare unit at a category 6 resort, and 270,000 points at a category 7 resort. These numbers include the benefit of using your one free night that is available to you when booking five or more consecutive nights.
Receiving Your Marriott Rewards Credit for Marriott Timeshare Stays
Remember that in order for a Marriott Vacation Club International owner to ensure receiving Marriott Rewards credit for Marriott Vacation Club International nights, he or she should present his Marriott Rewards member ID at either the time of check-in or check-out. The option for Marriott timeshare owners to count timeshare nights towards qualifying for the next level of Marriott Rewards Elite status, went into effect last June 30 (2008) but still comes as a surprise to many Marriott timeshare owners.
The new timeshare points system applies to reservations booked on or after the July 16 effective date. If you have already scheduled to use your timeshare points after the effective date the timeshare rates at the time of booking will prevail.
You may wish to also visit Marriott Vacation Club Rewards FAQs, if you have additional questions.
