Who wouldn’t want to take a luxurious vacation every year? Getting to travel to exciting new locations while enjoying top-notch perks is a great deal, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with a vacation club! A vacation club membership comes with numerous benefits, but are vacation clubs really worth it? We’ll be covering everything you need to know to help you determine if these clubs are truly right for you.
- What is a Vacation Club?
- Vacation Clubs vs Travel Clubs: What's the Difference?
- Weeks-Based Timeshare Ownership
- Vacation Club Points and Whether They Make a Vacation Club Worth It
- Can Vacation Exchange Make a Vacation Club Worth It?
- What Types of Coverage Are Included in Travel Insurance for Vacation Club Members?
- Are Vacation Clubs Worth It vs Staying at Hotels?
- How to Save Money While Joining a Vacation Club?
- What If I No Longer Want My Timeshare Ownership?
What is a Vacation Club?
A vacation club is a travel membership that gives you access to a selection of luxurious resorts. While some of these vacation clubs offer unique benefits, they all allow you to book a stay at a resort from one of the most luxurious resort brands. Timeshare owners will have to own a timeshare with a vacation club and pay membership fees in order to become part of a vacation club. Here are just a few of the top vacation clubs.
- Disney Vacation Club
- Marriott Vacation Club
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations
- Wyndham Destinations
- Hyatt Vacation Club
- Hilton Grand Vacations
If you become a member of any of these vacation clubs, you’ll have access to their list of resorts, but there’s a bit more that goes into booking that makes vacation clubs worth it.
How Vacation Clubs Work
At their core, vacation clubs often operate on the same fundamental principles as traditional timeshares—just with a more modern, flexible twist. When you join a vacation club, you become a member. This gives you access to a portfolio of accommodations, including resorts, condos, and hotel rooms. Most clubs let you book a week (or more) per year, and many use a points-based system. Your points determine not just where and when you can travel, but also the size and luxury level of your accommodations.
Vacation clubs also typically allow members to trade their usual destination for another location or time of year. However, this depends on availability and the number of points you have. This flexibility is one of the main draws for travelers who want more variety and control over their vacations.
Membership Details
As a member, you’ll pay annual maintenance fees to keep your membership active and the properties in top condition. Memberships can be for a set term, but some clubs do offer permanent memberships. Should you ever decide to part ways, you often have the option to sell your ownership. Some high-end programs even offer partial buybacks.
In essence, vacation clubs blend the structure of timeshares with greater flexibility. This makes them an attractive option for those who value luxury, choice, and convenience in their travel experiences.
What Are the Main Categories of Vacation Clubs?
Vacation clubs don’t all follow the same formula. There are actually different types, each catering to slightly different travel dreams and lifestyles.
- Resort Chain Vacation Clubs: These are operated directly by well-known hospitality brands. Members gain access to a portfolio of resorts or hotels owned by the brand. Options can range from family-friendly destinations to more upscale retreats. Think of places like Disney Vacation Club, Hilton Grand Vacations, or Marriott Vacation Club. If you join one of these, your vacations revolve around the company’s properties. This means you’ll have a consistent standard and style wherever you travel.
- Independent Resort Clubs: Some clubs focus on standalone resorts or smaller resort groups, not tied to major hotel names. These clubs might feature more unique, boutique experiences or locations and occasionally include special perks like cruises. Membership usually grants access to a curated collection of villas, condos, and niche getaways, often in popular travel regions.
No matter which category you’re drawn to, vacation clubs are all about making your yearly getaway something to look forward to, with perks and predictability along the way.
Vacation Clubs vs Travel Clubs: What’s the Difference?
You might also be wondering how vacation clubs differ from travel clubs. While they sound similar, the experiences and benefits you’ll get from each are actually quite distinct.
Vacation clubs primarily focus on giving you access to timeshare resorts from a specific group of luxury brands—think Disney Vacation Club, Marriott Vacation Club, Wyndham Destinations, and more. When you join a vacation club, you gain access to stay at their affiliated resorts, often with added perks like exclusive amenities, priority booking windows, and curated experiences. The emphasis is on the quality and familiarity of accommodations, which tend to be high-end and consistent.
Travel clubs, on the other hand, are much broader in scope. Instead of offering ownership or usage rights to specific resorts, travel clubs typically provide a suite of benefits that might include deals. This could be on hotels, airfare, car rentals, cruises, activities, and even ticket discounts for local attractions. Travel clubs are more about flexibility. They help you save money and access a variety of travel-related perks, sometimes without committing to one brand or destination.
If you’re someone who thrives on exploring new places every year and likes hunting for the best travel deals, a travel club may be your ticket. But if you want the comfort of a luxurious, reliably high-quality resort experience (and maybe a few members-only bonuses along the way), a vacation club is likely more worth it for you.
Weeks-Based Timeshare Ownership
There is also a form of timeshare ownership called timeshare weeks. Let’s see if they’re worth it for you. There are two types of timeshare week ownership: floating and fixed week ownership. With fixed week timeshares, you’ll get to stay at the same resort at the same time each year. This is great if you’d prefer not to have to worry too much about planning where you’ll stay and value a more predictable vacation experience. However, that same predictability means you won’t be going anywhere else with your ownership. On the other hand, floating week timeshares offer members a bit more versatility in that you can visit your home resort during a certain range of weeks. If you’re looking for a bit more freedom, this next form of timeshare ownership might make vacation clubs worth it for you.
Learn more: What is a Timeshare and How Does It Work?
Vacation Club Points and Whether They Make a Vacation Club Worth It
Vacation Club points are a currency given to you by your vacation club that allows you to book a timeshare at a specific vacation property. Vacation Clubs provide timeshare owners with an allotment of points based on their home resort. So, if you own a timeshare in more desirable locations, you’ll be given more vacation club points, making them worth it if you like having a lot of travel options. You can spend one year visiting Myrtle Beach, and then take your next vacation in California. This also means you should make your initial purchase wisely, as it can lead to you having far more choices on where to go. While vacation club points add plenty of value to a vacation club membership, there’s another way to use that membership to get more options.
Learn more: Timeshare Weeks vs Points: Which is Right for You?
Can Vacation Exchange Make a Vacation Club Worth It?
A vacation club membership will typically make you eligible to join a vacation exchange program. Vacation exchange allows you to exchange your stay at your home resort to visit one of thousands of other resorts around the world. So, if you want to visit vacation destinations your vacation club ownership typically wouldn’t give you access to, a vacation exchange network might be able to make it happen. The two biggest vacation exchange programs are RCI and Interval International. Here are just a few of the vacation clubs tied to each of these vacation exchange programs.
RCI
Interval International
Want to learn more about vacation exchange networks? Then check out our video “RCI vs Interval International: Vacation Exchange Showdown.”
What Types of Coverage Are Included in Travel Insurance for Vacation Club Members?
Travel insurance is a wise companion for your vacation club adventures, ensuring peace of mind no matter where your escape takes you. Most travel insurance plans come packed with coverage options that address the twists and turns of any trip. Here are some common protections you can expect:
- Trip Cancellation & Trip Interruption: If the unexpected happens—think illness, family emergency, or even bad weather. Insurance can reimburse you for prepaid costs and any unused reservations.
- Travel Delays: Whether your flight gets pushed back or your resort check-in is delayed, travel insurance can help cover the cost of meals, accommodations, and other essential expenses while you wait.
- Emergency Medical Coverage: Should you encounter an accident or sudden illness away from home, your plan helps take care of medical bills, doctor visits, and hospital stays.
- Medical Evacuation: If you need urgent transportation to a hospital or back home, this benefit ensures it won’t devastate your vacation budget.
- Baggage Protection: Lost luggage, delayed bags, or damaged possessions? Travel insurance can offer reimbursement so you’re not left empty-handed during your getaway.
With these coverage options, you can focus on enjoying every sun-soaked moment of your vacation club trip—leaving the “what ifs” to your insurance.
Are Vacation Clubs Worth It vs Staying at Hotels?
Sure, Vacation Clubs have a lot to offer, but are they worth it compared to just staying at hotels? Let’s take a look at what each form of vacation has to offer. With hotel bookings, you don’t have to worry about annual maintenance fees and can just enjoy simple, one-time vacations.
On the other hand, the resorts you can visit as a vacation club member have a lot to offer to make the experience once you get to your destination much more memorable. Vacation club resorts have amenities you won’t find at your average hotel. Movie theaters, water parks, and plenty of on-site restaurants are just a few of the great amenities you can enjoy at some timeshare resorts. Not to mention, these resorts are often conveniently located near popular vacation destinations. Want to visit Disney World? No problem! How about sitting right next to the ocean at Myrtle Beach? These resorts can make it happen! Plus, these resorts have spacious accommodations. In fact, they’re about three times the size of the average hotel room!
Learn more: Timeshare vs Hotel: Which is Right for Your Family?
Some Considerations Before Joining
While they come with plenty of perks, it’s essential to keep these factors in mind when deciding whether vacation clubs are worth it:
- Buy-in Costs: Regardless of what vacation clubs may claim, it’s generally not possible to recover your initial buy-in cost if you want to sell or exit later.
- Availability Issues: Sometimes, it can be tricky to find available accommodations that match your preferences, especially during peak seasons.
- Maintenance Fee Increases: Operators may increase annual maintenance fees or other costs without advance notice, which can surprise owners.
How to Save Money While Joining a Vacation Club?
If you want to join a vacation club but want to save some money on the initial purchase price, there is a solution: the timeshare resale market. Buying resale lets you save money on that initial price, while still getting to enjoy the fantastic vacation properties that vacation clubs offer. It’s important to keep in mind that most vacation clubs have restrictions on your ability to access certain perks if you buy timeshares on the resale market. Resale owners also still have to pay maintenance fees, but if you want a vacation club membership without breaking the bank, buying resale may be worth it for you.
If you’d like to know more about timeshare resales, take a look at our video “Buying Timeshare Resale vs Direct: What to Know.”
Where to Buy a Timeshare Resale?
If you want to buy a timeshare resale, a great place to do it is Fidelity Real Estate. Our marketplace lets you find timeshare resorts from top developers like Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton Grand Vacations that offer all the comfort of your own home! No need to attend an in-person timeshare presentation, just make a few clicks to enjoy timeshare accommodations for a lower initial purchase price. Fidelity is a proud member of the American Resort Development Association, or ARDA, which means that when you work with us, you can rest assured that you’ll be working with one of the most reliable groups in the timeshare industry. If you think vacation clubs are worth it, then buy one at our marketplace today!
What If I No Longer Want My Timeshare Ownership?
On the other hand, if you’ve decided a vacation club isn’t worth it for you, we can help you too! At Fidelity Real Estate, we’ve been helping former vacation club members sell their timeshares. If you’re ready to say goodbye to your maintenance fees, fill out the form below. Still have questions? Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-410-8326 or email us at [email protected]. Our licensed agents are always happy to help!
