WOULD YOU DO THIS HOME SWAP?

Is a time share week a valid thing to offer for home exchange? I just had an offer to swap my New York City home for a week at a time share complex in Bermuda.


My only experience with time shares is an aborted week at a run-down time share complex in Italy. The only week my host could book was in September, just before the place closed for the season.


We arrived at 1pm to find a large number of friendly, happy staff members. Unfortunately, they were only friendly to each other. Their happiness stemmed from the fact that they had just settled down for a three hour lunch.


Not a single one of them had any intention of interrupting their meal to check us in. One staff member gruffly told us to go away and come back at 5pm.


The time share resort looked abandoned in a "summer's over" kind of way. It was located in its own rural compound with nothing of interest near-by.


The desolate atmosphere, combined with the thought of relying on the inhospitable staff, fore-shadowed an unpleasant introduction to Italy. We hopped back into the rental car and didn't look back.


Maybe the time-share in Bermuda is charming. I am not going to risk it. Has anyone reading used or offered a time share as a swap property. Does the idea appeal to you more them it does to me?