Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club is one of the most difficult timeshare resorts in Interval International to exchange in to.  One reason is because the people who buy there spend a substantial amount for their purchase and are therefore less likely to want to exchange it somewhere else.

Another reason it is such a difficult timeshare exchange is because of the sweetheart deal Marriott has with Interval International.  When any Marriott owner deposits a week with Interval International it goes into a separate exchange pool for 30 days that is made available exclusively to other Marriott owners.  This drastically reduces the amount of weeks made available to non-Marriott owners and is very unfair.

Of course another reason it’s such a difficult timeshare exchange is because of the demand for Hawaii in general, and Maui in particular.  The waiting list for Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club is enormous and you must have both a very powerful exchanging timeshare and to have maximized your exchange power to be placed high enough up on the wait list to get confirmed.

To learn how to maximize your exchange power in both Interval International and RCI Click Here Now.

Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club is one of my favorite timeshare properties.  The views of the island of Lanai or the West Maui Mountains are incredible.  It’s location right on Kaanapali Beach is one of the best and besides the restaurants on site, you are a short walking distance to Whaler’s Village for access to many more shops and restaurants. Don’t miss the old whaling village of Lahaina Town nearby.

Don’t miss this rare chance to visit one of the most beautiful islands in the world and stay at one of Interval International’s best timeshare resorts.

There are two things that make getting a timeshare exchange during a holiday so difficult.  First is the fact that the owners are more likely to want to use their home resort on holidays so fewer weeks are given up to RCI and Interval International. 

Second, the demand for holiday weeks is much greater than normal.  Fewer weeks coupled with much greater demand leads to a much more difficult timeshare exchange.

There is already a waiting list for many timeshare for next 4th of July so get your request in now.

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To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 888-382-1222.  It is the National DO NOT CALL list. It will only take a minute of your time.  It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number.  You can also register for DNC by clicking here.

With floor to ceiling windows, elegant furnishings, flat screen televisions, marble and granite details and much more, combined with its location, it’s sure to sell out quickly.  Opening prices will range from $58,000-$100,000 per week.  To read more, click here.

So what about timeshare exchange possibilities?  Of course it will be one of the most difficult exchanges you’d ever do because the people who pay that kind of money for a timeshare aren’t going to be in a hurry to give it up to go somewhere else.

Typically, it takes 5 years before there’s any decent amount of exchange activity.  Since West 57th Street is part of the Hilton Club, Hilton members will be scooping up most of the availability in the beginning before RCI members.  This is typical for any new timeshare that opens in a marquis location, is a brand named and part of a club.

So here are a few timeshare exchange strategies to help you out for this, or any extremely difficult exchange.

First, call RCI and see if they are taking requests for West 57th Street now.  If they are, give as many dates as possible that you’ll accept between October 2009, a few months after grand opening, and May 2010. (you can’t request more than 2 years in advance)

Next, tell RCI you’ll accept any size suite, including a studio, even if you’re giving up a 2 bedroom.  This increases your chances exponentially.

Finally, before you do the first 2 things, you should get my guidebook on how to maximize your exchange power for even more valuable timeshare exchange tips.  Click Here Now to read more about it. You’ll need all the help you can get to be successful at getting into Hilton’s West 57th Street. 

Even doing everything right this will be a very difficult exchange but you may be pleasantly surprised.

If you’re a golfer and doing a timeshare exchange to Maui, make sure you play Royal Kaanapali, or the north course.

Maui’s first golf course was designed by renowned golf course architect, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and has been know as the “Hawaiian Home of the Senior PGA Tour.”  Because of that, it has been known as a difficult course for us non-professionals to play and many of us ended up playing the much tamer south course or Kaanapali Kai.

Not any more.  Royal Kaanapali has been lovingly re-worked by one of the best in the business, Robin Nelson.  The course is much more playable and enjoyable and one of the best in Maui.

With sweeping mountain and ocean views you’re able to see whales breeching in the distance while enjoying a pleasant game of golf.  And an added bonus is the great weather in Kaanapali.  Just 6 miles north of Kaanapali is Kapalua, one of the prettiest, but rainiest parts of an already beautiful island, and home to 2 great golf courses.

Playing the Plantation Course of Kapalua, home to the very first PGA event of the year, the Mercedes-Benz Championship, is a must.  But be prepared for rain showers. 

Even if you’re not a golfer here’s what you need to know about doing a timeshare exchange to Maui.   Most of the timeshares in RCI and Interval International on West Maui are in that rainier section.  From the old Embassy Kaanapali timeshare, now called Kaanapali Beach Vacation Resort, north to the Gardens of West Maui at the entrance to Kapalua run a string of, and the majority of RCI and Interval International timeshares.  They are located along Lower Honoapiilani Road.

If the address of the resort you want to exchange into in either RCI or Interval International is greater than 3500 Lower Honoapiilani Road, Lahaina, expect more wind and rain.  Because there’s so little availability in Maui I still recommend the resorts in this rainier section.  It’s possible you’ll encounter good weather for the week you’re there. 

However, I was hit by rainy weather almost everyday in January and February this year while a few miles down the road, Kaanapali experienced much better weather.  The locals who’ve lived here for a while said that it was an unusual January and February.

Those of you that have good timeshares and apply the suggestions in my guidebook should request Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club and the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort.

Right on the very edge of this rainier section is the Kaanapali Beach Vacation Resort a Sunterra/Diamond resort.  While the timeshare condos that I saw were very nice the resort itself needs some work.  It too is a difficult exchange but until it’s fixed up I’d rate it a 4 star rather than a 5 star like the Marriott or Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort.

In other words, if you currently have a search going and have paid the full exchange fee, don’t cancel it and ask for a refund so you can start the same search for only $1.  If you do, you will start your search all over and you will be placed lower on the waiting list. You will be responsible for the balance of the exchange fee once you are confirmed.

Following US Airway’s (my least favorite airline) lead, Northwest, Delta, United and Continental have started to charge if you want to check more than one bag.  Now expect to pay at least an extra $25 per bag if you’re checking more than one per person.  Look for many new fees to be implemented May 5, 2008.

Be sure to weigh your bags before you leave.  If you even slightly exceed 50 pounds per bag you could be hit with another $80-$100.  And once you’re at the airport ready to leave for your timeshare vacation, they have you over a barrel.

Those of you planning on doing a timeshare exchange to Hawaii should check out airfares before you’re week is confirmed.  Aloha Airlines, Hawaii’s second largest airline that’s been in service for 60 years, filed for bankruptcy and suspended operations.  A few days later, ATA, a low cost provider of air transport to Hawaii, did the same. 

Who knows if this will be good for the traveler or bad but A quick look on the Internet found fares ranging from about $550 to $1700 roundtrip from Phoenix to Maui.  Only Hawaiian Airlines had the fare for $550.  Plus, no charge for the second bag of checked luggage. 

US Airways, not surprisingly, wants $1064 round trip and they don’t even buy you dinner first - unless, that is, you count a bag of pretzels.

So before putting in your request for your timeshare exchange do some homework to find out what you can expect to pay for airfares and luggage. 

Interval International has it listed as a 5 star. I’d rate it a 3 Star timeshare property.  I believe the 5 Star rating is due more to its location and demand than the luxe of the property.  The condos, and the resort itself, need updating and sprucing up. It’s going downhill from the nice resort it used to be. 

But, if you don’t expect a really nice 5 star resort like the Westin or Marriott, the Sands of Kahana can be an acceptable exchange just because there are so few timeshare resorts on the beach in Maui.

You can read about it in Trip Advisor.  As usual, the reviews are very mixed.

What the resort does have going for itself is its location on Kahana beach, the on-site restaurant, bar, bar-b-ques, tennis courts and activities desk.  Also, the condos are very spacious with very well equipped kitchens.  It is also near the Farmer’s Market, restaurants, Napili Bay for snorkeling and beautiful Kapalua.

The Sands of Kahana has much more exchange availability than the much more difficult to get Westin or Marriott in nearby Kaanapali Beach.  Those of you that own very high quality timeshare resorts and apply all of the suggestions, techniques and strategies I recommend in my exchange guide should request only the much nicer Westin and Marriott properties and leave out the Sands of Kahana.

The rest of you should request all 3 plus Diamond’s Kaanapali Beach Club, which I’ll review later.  You’ll still need to apply all of the strategies in my timeshare exchange guide book to get these very difficult resorts, but you should be successful if you do.

While staying at the Sands of Kahana have at least one breakfast at The Sea House on Napili Bay.  This is one of my favorite restaurants and is just 3 miles north of the resort right before you get into the beautiful Kapalua area.  This tranquil restaurant has great food that’s well priced, a friendly staff, a beautiful view of Napili Bay and great service all to the sounds of gentle Hawaiian music.  Don’t miss Mama’s Ribs and Chicken and Maui Tacos in the Napili Shopping Center for fast food and take out. 

Opened in 1993, it’s a challenging, beautiful and tranquil course from beginning to end and a lot less busy than the South Course.  The South course is more popular because it has two holes on the ocean but the staff and the locals like the North course better for the views. 

Although I didn’t see the South course, Ziggy the starter, told me that since it is lower and flatter, you don’t see much of the ocean except for the two ocean holes.  He gave me my choice of pairing up with some other golfers on the South course or playing as a single on the North. 

 Rather than hit and wait and take 5 1/2 hours to play the North I chose the South so I could take my time, a lot of pictures, play 2 balls and record my observations.  I never would have guessed that I could play on any course on a Sunday in Maui as a single.

The North course gains 900 feet in elevation and has incredible ocean views of the entire southern coast of Maui, with Molokini Crater lined up behind many of the greens.  With 3 sets of tees, this par 72 Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course ranges from 6914 to 6151 yards. 

The greens have a lot of undulations are very challenging.  The course had been aerated a month and a half ago so they were in nearly perfect condition.  The ball ran very true and smooth but it was like putting on a billiard table.

I was above the hole on the number 10 green and put a bit to hard and it went 20 yards off the green.  When in Maui, don’t miss this course.  It’s like a stroll through nature.

The 2 most distinct tourist areas in Maui are Lahaina and Kihei and both have a lot to offer.  Most of the island’s golf, and many of the islands attractions, are nearer the Kihei area. 

You can expect nearly an hour’s drive from Lahaina to get to most of the golf courses near Kihei.  The trade off is that many of Lahaina’s timeshares are on the beach where most of Kihei’s are across the street from the beach.

To really explore what Maui has to offer I’d recommend staying in Kihei at least once over the more popular Lahaina area.  From there you’ll be much closer to the summit of Haleakala crater for sunrise, the road to Hana, the beaches of Makena, La Perouse Bay to swim with dolphins, Iao Needle and the Up Country of Maui just to name a few.

The timeshares in Kihei are older and consist of a mix of full ownership condos, hotel rental condos and timeshare condos and don’t have the resort feel to them as do some of the newer ones near Lahaina.  So stay in Kihei for its location rather than it luxe.   I’ve stayed in the timeshares in Kihei several times and enjoyed the properties and the convenience of the town of Kihei.

In fact, the majority of timeshares in Lahaina, and all over the Hawaiian Islands are of mixed use as well, so if you want a “resort experience” make sure to consult with RCI and Interval International when placing a request.

In RCI you’ll find Kamaole Beach Club, Kapulanikai Vacation Suites, Maui Lea at Maui Hill, Maui Oceanfront Inn Vacation Club, Maui Sunset l and ll and Royal Aloha Village by the Sea in the Kihei area. 

In Interval International you’ll find Kamaole Beach Club, WorldMark Kihei, Maui Beach Vacation Club, Maui Banyan and Maui Schooner in the Kihei area.

Of course in order to do a timeshare exchange to any of the Hawaiian Islands, especially Maui, is one of the hardest timeshare exchanges you’ll ever attempt. To learn how to increase your chances of any timeshare exchange exponentially and to become a master of timeshare exchanges in both RCI and Interval International…

 Click Here for the best resource on timeshare exchanging in the world. 

“I’m all for helping charities like Donate for a Cause, but rather than walk away from your timeshare with only a small deduction, you’d be better off learning how to use your timeshare correctly.

The number one reason quoted for buying a timeshare is for exchanging it.  Ironically, the number one reason quoted for wanting to sell a timeshare is frustration with the exchange process. 

I’ve done nearly 50 timeshare exchanges with RCI and Interval International in 17 years, the last one to the Westin on Kaanapali Beach in Maui.  If I would have had to pay for the 1 bedroom out of my pocket, I would have been out $600/night.  Because I’ve discovered how to work the exchange system, I only paid $129 for the entire week.

Yes, I had to pay a maintenance fee of $600/year, but altogether this added up to about one night’s stay.

Timeshares, like most anything else, work well if you learn how to use them properly.  So don’t blame the timeshare for not working but the timeshare owner for not learning how to use it properly.”

Certainly, if you’re not going to use your timeshare anymore or leave it to your heirs, leaving it to charity would be a good thing.  If you do go down that road rather than reselling it, make sure you check with the BBB near the location of the charity to see if it is legitimate.  Call the charity to see how much of each dollar goes to overhead (read saleries and such) and how much actually goes to the charity itself.

In the meantime, learn how to become an exchange expert by getting my guidebook “The Insider’s Secrets to Exchanging Your RCI Timeshare.”