What should I know about purchasing a timeshare? Can anyone recommend one in Hawwaii?

Timeshare is definitely for people with NO FINANCIAL problems and when doing it for the RIGHT reasons and under the RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES it can be a GOOD THING.

BIG "NO,NOS" IN TIMESHARE:

*If you normally spend less than $100 USD a night for accommodations then timeshare is NOT FOR YOU

*It is not a financial investment

*Don´t buy if you plan to rent it

*Don´t buy if you plan on reselling

*Don´t buy if you plan on exchanging often

*Make sure you can afford to travel at least one week a year

*NEVER BUY FROM THE DEVELOPER

THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCES:

*This system makes vacation home ownership possible for many people who cannot afford a second home or who otherwise would not be able to enjoy such resort facilities. Timeshare is an investment in lifestyle, in future holidays, in family time together, and when viewed that way it can be a good investment indeed.

*Get it in an area the you LOVE and that you would visit every year without a problem

*Get it in a very nice Resort (where normally people would pay at least $200 a night)

*Get it in the resale market (it would cost you less than $1000 USD) so all what you have to spend is the maintenance fee.

Yes, you can purchase a timeshare for very low cost upfront on the resale market. However, be very aware of the backend costs of timeshares. You have annual maintenance fees which do increase over time. There are also special assessments that have reached into the thousands of dollars for some owners due to the economic downturn. But most importantly, the contracts often require that the owners pay these fees regardless of whether they go to the resort or not.

The contract seems like a benefit to owners, yet the stipulation of paying for something that you won't use makes it a detriment.

Rent first...rents are cheap for timeshares. In fact, I'm sure many resorts are having promotions to stay at their resorts for "free" or a significant discount in exchange for attending a presentation.

Beware of timeshare salespeople lurking on the internet trying to hype up the timeshare owner experience.

To actually answer your question...we are Marriot owners and have been pleased. they have a beautiful resort in Honolulu. The one thing I really like w/ Marriot is that we can trade our week in every other year for points. That way if you cant travel for a week somewhere you do have the points to use in hotels at your leisure.

Most ppl will have you believe you have to travel to your resort every year you want to travel, which is not true. You can do exchanges into different cities & the higher demand for your resort you will likely get what u want in your trade.

If you understand the costs and upkeep fees and really enjoy travel, then look further into it! Good luck!