Over the past decade, many of the name-brand developers in the timeshare industry are expanding their presence in urban hotspots to entice new buyers and provide more travel options for current owners. Marriott Vacation Club has lead the competition for travelers who wish to vacation in urban locations, placing the “Pulse” moniker on this new class of resorts.
Marriott has successfully attracted a new demographic of timeshare owners that would have previously never considered vacation ownership, but many of our clients want to know more about what makes Marriott’s Pulse program unique, and what to expect when visiting these resorts.
In this article, we will be covering all the various resorts and their locations, which Marriott Vacation Club owners have access to these resorts, what is unique about this class of resort, and why Pulse-branded resorts have changed the timeshare industry forever. Let’s get started!
Marriott Vacation Club Pulse Resorts
Below you’ll find a complete list of the Pulse-branded Marriott Vacation Club Resorts. Whether you’re looking to visit top travel destinations like Manhattan, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Diego, San Francisco, or Miami, there’s a Marriott Vacation Club Pulse resort for you.
You can also find links to learn more about each individual resort, and view points charts that show how many Abound Club Points are required to book them.
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Marriott Pulse at Custom House, Boston
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Boston, MA |
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Marriott Pulse At The Mayflower, Washington D.C.
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Washington, DC |
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Marriott Pulse, New York City
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New York City, NY |
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Marriott Pulse, San Diego
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San Diego, CA |
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Marriott Pulse, San Fransisco
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San Francisco, CA |
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Marriott Pulse, South Beach
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Miami Beach, FL |
What Sets Pulse Resorts Apart From Other Marriott Vacation Club Resorts?
When Marriott began developing this new type of resort, it signaled a departure from the normal formula that was historically used to develop their timeshare resorts. Pulse-branded resorts differ from other Marriott resorts in three key aspects: resort locations, resort amenities, and unit types & sizes.
Many traditional Marriott resorts are located near beaches, mountains, theme parks, or other similar destinations, whereas Pulse locations are all centrally located in densely populated urban areas.
IN THE HEART OF IT ALL
Marriott Vacation Club Pulse proudly offers distinctive guestrooms and suites in vibrant cities. Enjoy being close to major attractions, local points of interest and easy-to-access transportation. You’ll be where the action is, with discovery and adventure around every corner.
Marriott Vacation Club WebsiteThose looking for a quiet beachfront property to sit back and relax will still have those options available to them with Marriott Vacation Club’s vast resort collection, but these resorts are specifically designed to place travelers directly in the action of a bustling city.
Marriott’s Pulse resorts are mostly derived from hotels that have been renovated to match the level of quality Marriott Vacation Club owners have come to expect from their villas. While the resorts’ fit and finishes are luxurious and beautiful, because they were not purposely built to be timeshare resorts originally, you may find that some of the Pulse resorts lack a swimming pool, or some charge extra for parking.
Another interesting difference is that many of the Pulse resorts feature a check-out time of 11am, rather than the normal 10am check-out time found at many other Marriott resorts.
Some of these resorts feature in-suite kitchenettes, or on-site dining & laundry services, but other resorts will rely on their close proximity to world-class dining and services to satisfy their guests’ needs.
Another effect that comes from these resorts being originally built as hotels is that there are fewer unit sizes and types to choose from. While at other Marriott Vacation Club resorts, you’ll be able to choose up to 3 bedroom lock-off configurations, the Pulse resorts will generally offer smaller unit sizes.
Some resorts, like the San Francisco location, offer only guestrooms (smaller studios without a kitchenette), whereas other resorts, like the South Beach location, offer up to 2 bedroom accommodations that do come with a kitchenette.
Select resorts do offer different view types, most notably the New York location which offers stunning views of the Empire State Building, while many of the resorts do not offer the ability to select unique view types.
Pros & Cons Of Staying At A Pulse Resort
- Incredible locations that put you in the heart of the most desirable urban destinations
- Easy access to world-class off-site dining, services, entertainment, & attractions
- Walkable locations can reduce the need for transportation
- Pulse resorts tend to have smaller unit sizes than other Marriott resorts
- Not as many resort amenities when compared to traditional resorts
- Some resort can require a relatively large amount of Abound Club Points to book
How To Access Marriott Vacation Club Pulse Resorts
One of the best things about Marriott Vacation Club is that they have historically been generous with their members when new developments are introduced to the club. While many other developers would hold new features or programs hostage as a way to force owners into making additional purchases, Marriott has a track record of simply granting existing owners access.
We saw this with the Abound program recently, and this is also the case with the Pulse program. No additional purchases are needed, and no additional fees are required for Marriott Vacation Club Points owners.
An Industry Setting A New Course
While Marriott was not the first to add a lineup of urban locations to their vacation club, their entry into this section of the timeshare market has cemented this strategy of resort development into the timeshare industry.
These new locations are also a perfect pairing with the points-based reservation system that Marriott introduced years ago, and recently expanded with the Abound program. Market research has found that many of the stays in these urban locations are for just a few days at a time. By shedding the older model of offering a fixed or floating week, Marriott is able to offer the booking flexibility that many younger travelers are looking for, while also offering a choice of the vacation destinations they desire most.
As these vacation products seek to gain appeal with a new generation of travelers that wish to visit the most popular urban city centers, and have travel patterns that demand flexibility, Marriott has once again proved it has a winning formula with the Pulse program.
Learn More About Marriott Vacation Club
If you have any remaining questions about how Marriott points work, we have a vast back catalog of Marriott articles that cover a wide range of educational topics like advanced usage guides, the latest Marriott news, and expert buying or selling tips.
If you would like to learn more about the process of selling your Marriott timeshare or buying a Marriott resale, please contact us today. Our licensed agents are standing by to answer any questions you have, and offer guidance based on their many years of specializing in Marriott resales.
