Marriott Vacation Club
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Bait and Switch
For over 30 years, I have been associated with Marriott as a Lifetime Titanium member and MVC owner. For years, I have complained about the annual maintenance fee increases. When an alternative was offered, we fell victim to what we now recognize as a bait and switch tactic. The points-based replacement for the deeded property has cost us dearly. The idea of "appreciation" never materialized, and the resale value is near zero, with no market demand. The maintenance fees are outrageous, and we have no intention of continuing. In 2024, the maintenance bill for the "virtual unit" was $1,027.48, up from $943.87 in 2023 for significantly shorter stays. In contrast, the fee for a week at Cypress Harbor was about $232 per unit/day ($1,625) in 2022. Under the "new and improved" points system, the fee is $393 for each of the 2.62 days our points will cover; $161 more per day. The value we are receiving falls far short of what we were led to believe. The flexibility to convert MVC points to Bonvoy points has been significantly curtailed. As an early owner, I was grandfathered with rules allowing me to exchange my week for Bonvoy points, a practice I used often. Currently, our MVC points balance is 4,500, with 2,000 incentive points expiring on May 29, 2024. I am unable to exchange any of these points. Previously, if an MVC property wasn't available, I would exchange MVC points for Bonvoy points and opt for a hotel stay. We feel deceived by MVC. We leapt at what we were told was a superior offer but are trapped in a deal that was misrepresented as promising savings but delivering poor value for more money. The new points system was positioned as an escape from the high maintenance fees, which were escalating as many other owners made the transition, leaving a smaller pool of owners to support the properties. We request immediate action to release us from this obligation and convert our remaining points to Bonvoy points.