When people hear about buying a suite in a seaside hotel, many react straight away: “Oh, a timeshare.” It is not. The two formats only look alike on the surface: in substance, what you buy, how much you can use it and how you sell it on are all different. Here is the comparison, without beating about the bush.
What a timeshare is
The timeshare took off in holiday resorts in the 1960s and 1970s. It usually works like this:
- you buy the right to use a property for a fixed period each year, for example the second week of August;
- the same property is also sold to other people, each with their own week;
- you pay management and maintenance charges every year, even if you do not go;
- in many cases you do not own a whole property, but a share or a right of use.
Over the years timeshare has earned a poor reputation: high-pressure sales, rising annual charges and real difficulty selling on. That is why, in the EU, timeshare contracts are covered by consumer-protection rules that include a cooling-off period after signing.
What a condo hotel is
A condo hotel, often called an Apart-Hotel in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, is a hotel divided into suites sold to different owners. Each owner:
- buys a specific suite, with a deed, registered in their own name;
- entrusts it to a single hotel operator, who lets it to guests;
- receives what the management contract provides for;
- can use it themselves during the periods set out in the contract.
We explain it in detail in the guide Condo hotel: what it is and how it differs from an apartment.
The comparison, point by point
| Timeshare | Condo hotel / Apart-Hotel | |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | a period of use or a share | a whole suite, registered to you |
| Is the property shared with other owners? | yes, in turns | no, the suite is yours alone |
| Personal use | your fixed period | the periods set out in the contract |
| When you are not there | the property belongs to another owner | the suite is let to guests |
| Income for you | usually none | a return or a share of the takings, as per the contract |
| Annual charges | yes, even if you do not go | depends on the contract: ask for it in writing |
| Resale | often difficult | you sell a property, like a home |
| Inheritance | depends on the contract | the suite passes to your heirs |
In a nutshell: with a timeshare you buy time, with a condo hotel you buy property.
Why they get confused
- Both are found in holiday destinations and in managed properties run like hotels.
- In both, personal use is regulated: you cannot come and go as you please.
- Some sellers give old products new names.
The marketing name is not enough. Always ask: what does the deed say? If the deed refers to a specific suite registered in your name, it is ownership. If it talks about weeks, points or shares, it is something else. Find out more in the guide Registered ownership or a share.
An example on Boa Vista: White Hotel and The View
The group works with the Apart-Hotel format, not with timeshare:
- at the White Hotel in Sal Rei, 4-star, the 69 suites were sold one by one to individual owners, all allocated; today only resales remain;
- at The View, on the beach at Praia Cabral, each owner buys one of the 65 suites, from €90,000, registered in their own name. The expected return is 5% with 4 weeks’ use of the suite a year, 6% without, guaranteed by contract and bank guarantee.
The 4 weeks of use are in your own suite, not just any suite: how they are booked is explained in the guide Personal use of your suite.
Frequently asked questions
With a condo hotel, do I pay charges even if I do not go?
It depends on the management contract. Before signing, ask for a written list of the costs that remain with the owner and those covered by the management, and have it checked by a professional.
Would you like to talk it through with a person?
Book a video call or message us on WhatsApp: we will answer your questions about Boa Vista and The View.
