TRAVEL THERE: SAYING NO AND MEANING IT
Our extraordinary bargain came with a caveat. We had to give them a couple of hours for a vacation club introduction. It was the first time for a “vacation club.” Other similar experiences were offered as a time share. We’ve been through some elbow twisting in our travel adventures and we hoped we weren’t in for another.
Starting at Mickey D’s
To fuel up before the sales pitch ordeal, we opted for McDonald’s. It was just around the corner and we grabbed several meals/snacks from there.
On this particular morning I had the obstacle of 10K runners and the policemen directing traffic had no sympathy for an out-of-towner. While I’m trying to negotiate the runners, police, roads and parking lots, I had Bill frantically texting me to be sure I got pepper to go with his order. I may have cussed a couple of times.
Checking Things Out
After breakfast we had a little time before our vacation club appointment. We headed over to the pool and entertainment 
areas to see what they offered. We’re not really resort people. Flying across the world to hang out by a pool, play golf and enjoy the spa is really not our kind of vacation. We understand why people with kids would do it, because Lord knows they need a break, but we go to an area to see it and one resort looks pretty much like another. Besides, while a lot is included, it’s not all-inclusive. A golf game here, a spa appointment there and a few drinks by the pool and you can be spending some serious dough.
As resorts go, the Westin is a nice one. We checked out all the pools, the golf course and various entertainment venues where games and classes are offered. When we reported for our appointment, we were anxious to get it behind us. In fact, we were early. They sent us to some lounge area with a fireplace to wait our turn. Anxiety was building.
The Dreaded Appointment
All in all, it wasn’t so bad. They introduced us to our guy and took us to his office. He chatted us up a bit to get our measure and then took us to view the available floor plans. They have something they call the Two-Bedroom Lockoff Villa, which is really two One-Bedroom Villas, which can be used separately or in tandem. Our room for the stay was a One-Bedroom Villa with a kitchenette, about 530 square feet. Were we to actually invest in the property, we would want the One-Bedroom Premium Villa with a full kitchen and about 870 square feet.
Then there was the pitch, which we softly but firmly tossed back. We explained I was a devoted cruiser and that the timing wasn’t right for us to invest (not that it would ever be the right time), even if we were interested. Our guy happily turned us over to the closer. She was ready to wheel and deal, but Bill said if we were to buy-in, it would be with cash, not financing. That took the wind out of her sails and her sales. They wanted to sell it to us like a car – so many dollars a month for the rest of our lives.
Then we were released. We’d lived through yet another timeshare vacation club sales pitch without signing on the dotted line. I must say this. Were we actually good candidates for this product, a two career family with four kids, three dogs, two cats and some extended family, I would think this was a deal. They showed us some magic we could pull off with my Marriott credit cards points, but we don’t do points, we go for the 2% rebate on another card. They knew as well as we did that we weren’t going to buy, so they saved us and them a lot of effort.
Oh look! It’s time to go golf. We ran to a Chipotle for lunch and then drove to the golf course. Come back next week for a round of golf at Dave Valley Ranch.
jane sadek 