Got the winter blues? Boomers and seniors who live in the northern U.S. and Canada can find great deals by renting timeshares in favorite snowbird destinations such as the Wyndham Kona Hawaiian Resort, Scottsdale Links Resort (Arizona), Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and Montecristo Estates in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California.
The prices can be shockingly low – from as little as $77 per night for a premier villa that sleeps two in Las Vegas, or $99 per night in Orlando or elsewhere in the southeast, or even for $99 for the entire week for last-minute bookings in such desirable spots as New Orleans and mainland Mexico resort towns . The best deals await those travelers who are flexible and who seek an entire villa for the price of a hotel room.
Rent Other People's Timeshares
“People assume you have to own a timeshare to rent one,” says Sherri Weeks, general manager of ResorTime, but that is not the case. What’s more, timeshare properties are typically updated regularly,” she says. Working only with the properties, ResorTime is careful about the selection of units.
”We’re pretty particular,” says Sherri, noting that some units “are value rated” but there is a difference between a timeshare condo rental vs. somebody’s private home, which is “a different environment.” Timeshare units in the ResorTime rental pool have 24/7 management to resolve problems. “You’re not going to be shocked at what you find,” she assures rental customers.
Extended Family Trips and Reunions
Sherri points out that timeshares are perfect for older travelers for several reasons. “If they have dietary restrictions and they need to have specific foods,” the renters “don’t have to find a restaurant. You can throw some things in the fridge so you don’t have to go out” for all your meals. Compared to a hotel room, which is simply a place to lay your head, a timeshare unit is more like a suite. Many are one- or two-bedroom units that can be shared by friends or by an extended family.
“We see a lot more extended families traveling together so everyone has space to spread out,” Sherri says “They have the comforts of home, kitchen facilities and places for people to relax at the end of the day and have a glass of wine, rather than sitting on a bed and looking at one another.”
"Add to the convenience of a timeshare the fact that many resorts do have availability throughout the winter, which the general public might not be aware of.” This means vacation shoppers who browse the ResorTime listings have their pick of snowbird locales near golf, gambling, fishing and entertainment.
Numerous timeshare resorts are affiliated with spas and with beautiful beaches.
Timeshares also are increasingly used for family reunions, as Sherri found with her uncle’s 75th birthday bash. She took the family to a timeshare near Phoenix. “It was stress-free because everybody had their own space” rather than being “cramped into mom’s house.” Everyone did what they wanted during the day, and then came together for a family dinner in the evening.
Grace Lichtenstein - I prefer "seasoned" to "senior" but whatever term you use, I have been an outdoor adventurer for most of my adult years. I am a cycling ...
