Timeshare vs Vacation Club
Timeshares and vacation clubs both offer avid travelers comfortable housing options away from home. The two terms refer to similar products, but there are a few distinct differences that we’ll compare and contrast below.
|
|
Timeshare |
Vacation Club |
|
Origins |
The term “timeshare" was first thought up in the early 1960s by a company called Hapimag inBaar, Switzerland. |
The term “vacation club" was first conceived by Marriott in 1984. |
|
Deeded Ownership |
Owning a timeshare usually means you own a legal deed to a piece of real estate. |
Your deeded ownership is in the form of club points that are tied back to an individual resort. These points can be exchanged within the club’s network for other resort stays around the world. |
|
Price |
Based on a single week worth of use. |
Based on flexible options of multiple vacation usage. |
|
Ease of exchanging locations |
Depending on the type of timeshare purchased you will need to give yourself more time to make an exchange. Typically, you’ll need to plan a year in advance to confirm your week and make a successful exchange through RCI or II. |
It is typically easier to exchange locations within a vacation club because of the point system. For example, if you are a member of the Marriot Vacation Club you can use your Vacation Club Points for other Marriott owned VC locations with ease. |
|
Time and date flexibility |
If you own a fixed week(s) timeshare you’ll be guaranteed a specific week each year at the location you purchase. If you own a floating week(s) timeshare you’ll be given a range of weeks to choose from. |
Return to the same location each year at the same time or travel the world at one of the vacation club's many locations. |
Which Should You Choose?
That is the age-old question, isn’t it? Ultimately the choice is going to come down to your goals and budget. Let’s explore a theoretical example. You have a large extended family that has made it a tradition to visit Myrtle Beach every year at the same time. Your immediate family enjoys these vacations and doesn’t have any interest in going anywhere else each year. In this situation a fixed week timeshare would probably be the best, most affordable option for you. Keep in mind that various affiliated exchange companies such as RCI and II offer the ability to exchange your timeshare week and location.
On the other hand, let’s say you’re a couple of retired empty-nesters who’d like to travel the world in style. You know you’ll be vacationing a lot over the next several years and are looking for a way to stretch your dollar. In this situation a vacation club would probably be your best bet because you can internally exchange your ownership to stay at a variety of resorts within network without using external exchange providers such as RCI and II.
Again, there are different types of timeshares and vacation clubs that can completely change what the best option for your situation would be. Whichever you choose, make sure to view our resale timeshares and vacation clubs for sale to save money on both options.
