vineyarder

From CNNMoney 3 12 08: Beach-house bargains - Mar. 13, 2008

Kagehitokiri

Asia, Mexico, South America the only places the dollar is strong.

Desties

Rich Keith is right about the overbuilding on Grace Bay. I took a long walk this past summer along the beach -- from Hemingway's all the way to Coral Gardens, and it seems as if there's a new development every few paces where there was nothing before.

The island isn't much to look at, but the beach is so clear that when I show photos to friends they think it's a swimming pool.

There's also plenty of flights into Provo, so it seems as if the infrastructure is there, but I guess developers got ahead of themselves.

Steamboat Bill

I 100% agree with that statement as I posted the same thing after my visit to the HCC property last June.

Turks and Caicos has a fantastic beach (Grace Bay) but the developers are too aggressive in overdeveloping the resorts and adding too many massive high rise buildings and should keep the buildings to no more than 4 or 5 stories.

TravelGuy

I'd be fine with High Country Club adding a unit (or two) on TCI before adding properties at any other island locations. I believe that those of us who have gone to this property will be RRs (repeat-reservers).

pwrshift

Here's the beach view from Marriott BeachPlace Towers in Fort Lauderdale. How many DC's (other than ER) are that close? At $12,000 for a 2 bdrm suite lockoff capable it's a pretty good deal ... buy two and always get your weeks, holidays or not.

Greater Fort Lauderdale Beach Cam

LTTravel

HCC: Turks and Caicos
Playa del Carmen (2)
Nuevo Vallarta
Cabo San Lucas

All oceanfront. You may argue that the NV and Cabo are a little further from the water, but you don't have to cross the street and there is beach front services. You don't have to pay $25 for a chair and umbrella.

DC4MS

I agree that that is an incredible price for a prime location, but most people here desire a significant upgrade in square footage, number of rooms, and quality of furnishings, that a Marriott timeshare simply cannot provide.

In addition, many people join a Destination Club because they want an alternative to staying at a hotel-resort style complex and want to avoid crowds or get special perks.

100% of the Destination Clubs (even including the lowest priced ones) here could easily afford to buy a beachfront condo that would easily surpass the Marriott BeachPlace Towers in terms of features.

Destination Clubs are an alternative to buying a second home or condo and can even be considered an alternative to buying a PRC, fractional or timeshare. Unfortunately, none of them sell for $12k per week for a 2 bedroom.

Kagehitokiri

if a club can get them, high end luxury hotels / resorts make great properties, whether condos at hotel like FS in a city, or villas at a resort like Aman on a beach, etc. and most of those properties are much smaller than the lower end properties nearby. (so avoiding crowds)

DC4MS

Yes, I agree.

My last comment was primarily directed towards Marriott BeachPlace which may be a very nice place, but it is not the same as a Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, etc.

pwrshift

BeachPlace is far from the quality of a RC, FS, SR, etc., but (luck of the draw) it now sits along side and beachfront with a host of 5* condo-hotels including Trump, W, Hilton, St. Regis, Atlantic (Luxury Collection), etc. It is no longer the gathering place for rowdy spring breakers...they've moved way north with the $3 hamburgers.

I've made no secret on TUG of my disatisfaction with decisions made by the HOA at BeachPlace, but they are spending $8 million THIS YEAR on upgrades for all the 1350 sq ft suites - long overdue, but at least getting done with no special assessments. MF is about $1050/week.

I anticipate that it will be a very nice upgrade - perhaps not to the level of a DC private home/condo, but buying 2 suites resale for $24k and splitting lockoffs, an empty nester like me can get 4 weeks in a row with this million dollar view, booked 13 months ahead even if it involves President's week and/or all of March Break (already done for 2009 back in January 08) and no restrictions in following years. That's about $525/week.

Comparable sized suites on either side of BeachPlace started at $4.5 million and more. The ER suites in the St Regis right next door to BP were even larger although decorated a little stark for my tastes! Trump was selling at $1600 sq ft.

I think there is a place for both TS and DC in a vacationer's portfolio - with a condo-hotel or two thrown in for good measure. Over the years, your vacation needs change as your family changes - kids do grow up and leave the nest one day and a 1350 sq ft condo right on the beach may be all you need at some point in life. Take a look at that view again:

Greater Fort Lauderdale Beach Cam

Steamboat Bill

I have to admit that the Marriott BeachPlace is a great property at a great price for a empty nester. Your cost per week is less than the cost per night for most DCs.

I also agree that there is a place for both timeshares and destination clubs in a vacationer's portfolio (along with a PRC or fractional), except I disagree with adding a hotel-condo as most deals are better for the developer than the buyer. Also the hotel-condo prices are crashing as banks are refusing financing and the revenue from rentals is WAY below what any of the phantom projections from the salesreps promoted.

Although Marriott BeachPlace is a timeshare (not even the highest rated Marriott), I think the way "pwrshift" uses it reminds me more or a PRC or Fractional property. He has been able to book a MONTH on a beachfront property for much less than any DC or PRC or Fractional or VRBO rental can provide.

Marriott BeachPlace, it pretty unique as the resale values here are pretty low. With the new Marriott Marco Island selling new 2 bedroom timeshare weeks for about $50-75k....I think the better option would be to join a Destination Club. If you love Fort Lauderdale (as you obviously do) then you made on of the best deals in terms of $/night that I have ever seen for that location.

Minor correction - the webcam is at the SE corner of the BeachPlace development (off the Sloppy Joe's balcony?) and is not the 100% view from the Marriott. In reality, the Marriott is located about 200 yards (behind) west of this beachcam and you have to cross a busy street to get to the beach/water.

Thus, the Marriott BeachPlace does not fit the "travelguy" beachfront criteria of being able to throw a beach chair from your balcony and hitting the sand, however, it is so close that this is a shade of gray, not black and white issue.

vineyarder

But as a point of clarification, does the 'travelguy beachfront criteria' use a chair pitcher that is on or off performance-enhancing steriods?

pwrshift

Actually, Bill, I think the webcam is in the middle of the BP complex, over Fat Tuesdays and just behind our fav place - Hooters.

And that location is definitely NOT two football fields back to BPT ... not even one CFL football field length! I'd say 100 giant steps at most to the elevators. Why not walk it when you're getting some wings next week?

There's a very safe Marriott tunnel or St. Regis overpass for those afraid to cross the two lane one-way street but I've never found it a problem as all the cars are going very slow waiting for the bikini traffic to cross.