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Sheraton Flex

Greatlakeslover

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Has anyone bought into the Sheraton Flex program recently? My husband and I just recently returned from our Owner's Update last week at Sheraton Vistana Villages. Yes, after hearing all the amazing features of this new program we stupidly bought. After returning home, digesting all info, asking numerous questions of our salesperson and finding Tugg, we rescinded within the 10 days. No one has mentioned that buying into Flex will NOT allow you to book at any VSE resorts directly anymore. Any reservations (other than your Sheraton Collection) need to be reserved through II...with an exchange fee. We never travel to the resorts in the Collection so we would basically be trading our Home Options (referred to as points) to II every year. Does this make sense to a former Starwood owner?
 

dioxide45

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That is not correct. HomeOptions through Flex that are bought directly from Vistana can be used to book any other Vistana property at 8 months. However, this is not true for resale Flex. The Flex program is voluntary, meaning you can't use the HomeOptions to book as StarOptions at 8 months if the points are bought resale. The consensus seems to be that Sheraton Flex is not desirable. Congratulations on cancelling as you did. If you are interested in the program and really don't want to travel to the Flex home properties, read up in the Vistana forum here on TUG and look in to buying a mandatory Vistana property.
 

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Thank you for your input. Our major interest in buying Flex was the availability to book Vistana, Marriott , Hyatt, and others at 12 months out. This was stated repeatedly as one of the best reasons to buy Flex. They were even including your own 'travel agent' to help book your points through II.
 

dioxide45

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Thank you for your input. Our major interest in buying Flex was the availability to book Vistana, Marriott , Hyatt, and others at 12 months out. This was stated repeatedly as one of the best reasons to buy Flex. They were even including your own 'travel agent' to help book your points through II.
There will certainly not be any way to book Hyatt or Marriott using Flex at 12 months. Unless you use the points to use for II exchanges.
 

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Yes. Using points to book 12 months out at any resort in the II book....with an exchange fee and after the first year, a membership in Interval. Too confusing for us!!
 

dioxide45

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I would not count on using Flex points to use through II for Marriott and Hyatt exchanges. I am not saying they aren't possible, but at 12 months it may not be as easy as the sales reps would want you to believe.
 

tschwa2

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Your points wouldn't have any advantage over weeks when exchanging through II. The only exception is if you own a low season small unit than having more flex points than the current unit might expand your exchange options.
 

lizap

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I would not count on using Flex points to use through II for Marriott and Hyatt exchanges. I am not saying they aren't possible, but at 12 months it may not be as easy as the sales reps would want you to believe.


I rarely use my Westin in II, but last year used my studio side and got a 2 BR Marriott on the beach in FL. I think Marriotts ( depending on the resort and how flexible you are) may be easier to get than Hyatts using II.
 

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Can anyone explain the trading into II process? We have never used our Vistana to trade. Pros? Cons?
 

GrammyC

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Has anyone bought into the Sheraton Flex program recently? My husband and I just recently returned from our Owner's Update last week at Sheraton Vistana Villages. Yes, after hearing all the amazing features of this new program we stupidly bought. After returning home, digesting all info, asking numerous questions of our salesperson and finding Tugg, we rescinded within the 10 days. No one has mentioned that buying into Flex will NOT allow you to book at any VSE resorts directly anymore. Any reservations (other than your Sheraton Collection) need to be reserved through II...with an exchange fee. We never travel to the resorts in the Collection so we would basically be trading our Home Options (referred to as points) to II every year. Does this make sense to a former Starwood owner?
Has anyone bought into the Sheraton Flex program recently? My husband and I just recently returned from our Owner's Update last week at Sheraton Vistana Villages. Yes, after hearing all the amazing features of this new program we stupidly bought. After returning home, digesting all info, asking numerous questions of our salesperson and finding Tugg, we rescinded within the 10 days. No one has mentioned that buying into Flex will NOT allow you to book at any VSE resorts directly anymore. Any reservations (other than your Sheraton Collection) need to be reserved through II...with an exchange fee. We never travel to the resorts in the Collection so we would basically be trading our Home Options (referred to as points) to II every year. Does this make sense to a former Starwood owner?

We too are rescinding out purchase of the flex program at Vistana. I want to be sure that I do it right. Is writing and signing a letter and sending it certified sufficient? Do you know if they will require the books to be sent back? Thanks for your help.
 

Greatlakeslover

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The key is to get your notice of cancellation back to them within the 10 day period outlined in the purchase agreement. Make sure you send it to the address and attention to as dictated in the purchase agreement. We used Fed Ex Overnight and made sure we had tracking and an acknowledgement signature that the letter was received. They will call you and email you indicating they have to speak with you before they can process your cancellation. There is no reason to talk with them unless you enjoy the pain of talking in circles with someone who is trained to actively hide information from you. Respond with an email that your decision is final and not open for negotiation and restate your request for immediate cancellation of the agreement and a credit to your charge account (if applicable). We have not sent their books back but will gladly do so if they request them.
 

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We are flex owners, just for the options to be 4 star elite though. I know that most here don't care about that and think its a waste of money but we like it.
 

Sunshine10

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We also recently attended an owners update at SVV (we were on a 4 night promo, including sales presentation). We originally purchased 81,000 options from developer SVV Bella, EOY, 2 bedroom lock off and then purchased another 81,000 options from the Home owners association resale EYO.

The pitch for FLEX was that we would get more FLEX options, lower maintenance fees, and more flexibility.

The offer: 110,000 FLEX options annually (which could convert to 57,200 spg points) for $38,500, less equity of our two EYO ($25,070), for new money of $13,430, plus the usual fees, and a bonus 60,000 spg points.

The benefits of FLEX we were told (we still have the comparison sheet "Old SNV Program" "New Sheraton FLEX") were in addition to receiving more flex options than star options for lower maintenance fees:
- we would have booking priority at any of the 6 home resorts 12 - 8 months, any season, any size, full week or short stay, any day check in, any day check out, 1 to 14 night reservations, as long as we had enough FLEX options.
- Any remaining FLEX options can be converted to spg points (in increments of 20k), or use in Interval or bank in Interval.
- In order to book any of the other resorts in SVN, it had to be through Interval. But we could deposit our Flex options up to 2 years in advance, and then get priority to book at places like Harbourside, etc.
- 1 FLEX option = 1 Interval point. In Interval, use only the amount of points needed to book the reservation (benefit of this is in old system, a week is a week and you maybe using a higher valued week to book a lower valued week, but with FLEX converting to Interval points, you only use the number of points necessary to book the time you want, saving Interval points for other reservations.
- interval points could be taken back into SPG or StarOptions

Basically we were told we were crazy to be paying such high maintenance fees for the low number of Star Options we have, that 83% of owners are switching to FLEX, and that there won't be anything left for us to trade into using Vistana network as so many owners are moving to FLEX. How could it not be a good deal, if so many owners are converting?

I don't have the proper wording here, but the pitch also seemed to be as much about Interval as it was Vistana - that Interval was investing significant amounts into timesharing, including buying Vistana, and that FLEX's relationship with Interval gave FLEX owners an advantage in Interval to gain access to book other Sheraton / Westin timeshares within Interval. That I would have a better chance of getting a reservation at Harbourside by depositing my FLEX options up to two years in advance in Interval, than I would using my 81,000 Star Options in the Vistana network at 8 months.

We were then offered an Explorer package, to be used at SVV, SVR or Sheraton Broadway Plantation, 7 nights, 2 bedroom villa, plus 70,000 SPG points (originally 60,000 spg points, but increased to 70,000 spg points, which could be converted to 210,000 Marriott points) for $2,695, plus $99 processing fee.

we did not buy FLEX or the Explorer pkg.
 

Greatlakeslover

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We also recently attended an owners update at SVV (we were on a 4 night promo, including sales presentation). We originally purchased 81,000 options from developer SVV Bella, EOY, 2 bedroom lock off and then purchased another 81,000 options from the Home owners association resale EYO.

The pitch for FLEX was that we would get more FLEX options, lower maintenance fees, and more flexibility.

The offer: 110,000 FLEX options annually (which could convert to 57,200 spg points) for $38,500, less equity of our two EYO ($25,070), for new money of $13,430, plus the usual fees, and a bonus 60,000 spg points.

The benefits of FLEX we were told (we still have the comparison sheet "Old SNV Program" "New Sheraton FLEX") were in addition to receiving more flex options than star options for lower maintenance fees:
- we would have booking priority at any of the 6 home resorts 12 - 8 months, any season, any size, full week or short stay, any day check in, any day check out, 1 to 14 night reservations, as long as we had enough FLEX options.
- Any remaining FLEX options can be converted to spg points (in increments of 20k), or use in Interval or bank in Interval.
- In order to book any of the other resorts in SVN, it had to be through Interval. But we could deposit our Flex options up to 2 years in advance, and then get priority to book at places like Harbourside, etc.
- 1 FLEX option = 1 Interval point. In Interval, use only the amount of points needed to book the reservation (benefit of this is in old system, a week is a week and you maybe using a higher valued week to book a lower valued week, but with FLEX converting to Interval points, you only use the number of points necessary to book the time you want, saving Interval points for other reservations.
- interval points could be taken back into SPG or StarOptions

Basically we were told we were crazy to be paying such high maintenance fees for the low number of Star Options we have, that 83% of owners are switching to FLEX, and that there won't be anything left for us to trade into using Vistana network as so many owners are moving to FLEX. How could it not be a good deal, if so many owners are converting?

I don't have the proper wording here, but the pitch also seemed to be as much about Interval as it was Vistana - that Interval was investing significant amounts into timesharing, including buying Vistana, and that FLEX's relationship with Interval gave FLEX owners an advantage in Interval to gain access to book other Sheraton / Westin timeshares within Interval. That I would have a better chance of getting a reservation at Harbourside by depositing my FLEX options up to two years in advance in Interval, than I would using my 81,000 Star Options in the Vistana network at 8 months.

We were then offered an Explorer package, to be used at SVV, SVR or Sheraton Broadway Plantation, 7 nights, 2 bedroom villa, plus 70,000 SPG points (originally 60,000 spg points, but increased to 70,000 spg points, which could be converted to 210,000 Marriott points) for $2,695, plus $99 processing fee.

we did not buy FLEX or the Explorer pkg.
 

Greatlakeslover

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Thank you. You explained the Flex program very well. Felt like I was giving up my ownership with Vistana and downgraded to II. It may be a good deal but we will wait and see what happens. Again, best explanation I've seen on Tugg about Flex!
 

Sunshine10

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Thx for your reply. Just to be clear, I don't know enough about FLEX to support it. I was merely sharing my experience at an owners update and their spin.

I'm sticking with what I have, as it is at a mandatory resort, and with following the advice here on TUG, I have been able to get the weeks I want.

More experienced members here on TUG have expressed great concerns about FLEX. And you can not trust / believe everything the salespeople are telling you about Vistana or Interval.
 

cubigbird

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Does anyone have any experience and success with booking a high demand week such as Sheraton Steamboat ski week at 12 months out during the home resort period?? Since there is no underlying week technically, I'm afraid that even owning the points it would still be impossible to book a high demand week since everything is subject to availability.
 

lizap

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Clear that TS companies are trying to invent new ways to make money off a mature product.. Unfortunately many will be suckered in...
 

cubigbird

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Clear that TS companies are trying to invent new ways to make money off a mature product.. Unfortunately many will be suckered in...

Not sure if this is a reply to my previous question or not. I find it's nearly impossible to book ski weeks at 8 mos out using SOs from mandatory weeks and I rarely see Sheraton Steamboat and Westin Riverfront weeks on the resale market.
 

lizap

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Not sure if this is a reply to my previous question or not. I find it's nearly impossible to book ski weeks at 8 mos out using SOs from mandatory weeks and I rarely see Sheraton Steamboat and Westin Riverfront weeks on the resale market.

sorry - just a general comment..
 

dioxide45

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Does anyone have any experience and success with booking a high demand week such as Sheraton Steamboat ski week at 12 months out during the home resort period?? Since there is no underlying week technically, I'm afraid that even owning the points it would still be impossible to book a high demand week since everything is subject to availability.
While the Flex owner doesn't have an underlying week, it doesn't mean that there aren't ski week in the Sheraton Flex trust, so if there is, then a Flex owner could technically reserve it. Of course, I suspect those weeks are rare in the trust, and the few they own probably book up fast.
 

DeniseM

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Does anyone have any experience and success with booking a high demand week such as Sheraton Steamboat ski week at 12 months out during the home resort period?? Since there is no underlying week technically, I'm afraid that even owning the points it would still be impossible to book a high demand week since everything is subject to availability.

This is really the only "prize" in the whole Flex Option system, and I am afraid that a lot of people bought in based on the promise that they could book a ski week....
 

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Lots of speculation in this thread, but none of it matches reality at the current time. I am a Flex owner and have seen plenty of availability in the Flex trust for Steamboat ski weeks. Will that remain the case over time? Nobody knows. But for now, it's been easy.
 

DeniseM

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I'm plesantly surprised, but not sure why someone with a ski week would trade it in for Flex Options. Maybe older owners who no longer ski? Or maybe Vistana is priming the pump with weeks that they have acquired.
 
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