Vacation Internationale has been in business for over 35 years, and was one of the first timeshare companies to offer a points-based system. You can go to anywhere you’d like among their network of resorts, you just pay out the points and choose where you want to go. If you always have trouble finding where you’d like to go for a vacation and you don’t like to return to the same resort year after year, VI can be a great choice for you.
Points-based systems, like Vacation International’s, can be a blessing and a curse. You purchase how many points you would like to have, and then you spend them where you would like to go. It’s great if you want to be able to move between different resorts, but the more popular resorts with all the amenities will cost more of those points. But, if you don’t see the points as a drawback, Vacational Internationale is a good choice.
When you buy into VI’s timeshares, you can choose between Right To Use and deeded. While you’ll save some money with the right to use, up to several thousand a year assuming you financed, you don’t own the property and when the contract ends, you can’t sell it off to get some money back. On the other hand, we all know how difficult it can be to sell a timeshare and since they are never worth that much on the resale market, the Right to Use option may really be your best bet. If you think your beneficiaries won’t want to be saddled with a timeshare after you die, just buy a Right to Use timeshare and eventually you won’t have to worry about the hassle of selling or inheriting.
The Pines at Sun River, Oregon
Vacational Internationale offers some nicer resorts, but none of them are particularly fancy or upscale (at least as far as I’ve seen). If you plan on staying in one of their more popular resorts in Hawaii or Mexico, the points cost can be steeper. A one week stay will run 105 points, which is not too bad, but if you’re looking at a couple trips, than you’ll have to go to one of the less common destinations like the Oregon coast or the Northeast.
Even with how big VI is, their resorts are nice and clean. The Mexico destinations are safe and clean, which is a huge plus if you’re travelling alone or with younger members of your family. All the places were kept pretty secure, as well.
If you want to buy a Vacation Internationale membership, Ebay is a great place to start. The resale market for VI Resorts has dropped considerably and you can get amazing deals if you wait patiently for just the right timeshare auction on Ebay. It is mostly the Right to Use contracts that become available, but as I mentioned previously, this may be just the right way to go for you. Many of the sales are well below $1000 for closing bids. But just remember your total cost may include closing and transfer fees.
Keep in mind that some of the contracts are offered for every two years, also known as EOY (for Every other year). Meaning you get your full allotment of points every other year. This can be a good way to save money if you travel less frequently, but you will want to keep it in mind when you look at resale options, so you know exactly what you are getting.