The New Vacation Revolution

Although it may include a mini-bar, a hotel room is ultimately just a bedroom. What kind of vacation can a family enjoy in that?

Timeshare suites bring a different degree of vacation. They often include a kitchen, a living room, and multiple bedrooms. They can sleep a group of friends or a whole family, and larger units can comfortably sleep more than 10 adults without fees for additional occupancy.

Even more exciting is the fact that timeshare suites usually have everything you could possibly need for a week of vacationing. I’m talking about televisions, stereos, a washer and dryer, and a full kitchen. And the kitchen is even fully stocked - usually with pots and pans, a dishwasher, and salt shakers too.

The kitchen allows for big savings, especially for large families. It’s a no brainer - getting items at a grocery store is an easy way to save money. Instead of dining out for every meal, timeshare makes it easy for a family to save money each day while they are on vacation. All you have to do is take advantage of the kitchen.

One simple trip to a nearby grocery store can save you hundreds of dollars over the course of your vacation. With timeshare, a vacation does not commit you to going out to eat two or three times a day. For example, you can pick up snacks, cereal and milk at the store and have it around for your family.

You can also make your own margaritas. We got to do this at a number of fabulous timeshare resorts - including one in Grand Cayman where our suite was right on the beach. Our suite was furnished with its own blender, and the refrigerator had a built-in ice maker.

Your bill when you check out of the timeshare resort will be zero. After all, you own the property, and since you already paid your ownership feeds, you will likely not owe another penny. Of course, you may have to pay for long distance calls, your bar tab, etc.

(Note that some countries, especially in the Caribbean, may charge a “timeshare tax” for people that stay at the resorts. Additionally, a few resorts have been known to charge for electricity usage during your stay. The applicable resort or exchange agency will inform you of these fees.)

Since you actually own a part of the resort, you have a degree of control. You can sell your interest at any time. If you don’t wish to use your week, you can rent out your time to someone else or give the gift of a quality vacation to friends or loved ones. Some vacation ownership programs even offer a program where the resort rents your unused vacation time for you.

Even though you may only own one week, there are opportunities to take more vacations. As an owner, your home resort will give you the chance to reserve and use their extra inventory at a bargain rate. This is referred to as “bonus time.” It is empty suites that will stay empty unless the resort puts someone in them. Rather than make no money, they often rent the suites at heavily discounted rates, allowing you to enjoy discounted vacations.

Similarly, resort exchange companies often have extra weeks in their spacebank that aren’t being used. Rather than let these vacations go to waste, they do the same thing. Weeks in the “spacebank” that have not been booked within one to two months may be available. These stays require no maintenance or exchange fees, and there is no usage limit. The only requirement is that you have a membership with that particular exchange company. Vacation escape prices typically start at $149 per week but vary considerably in price.