SVN Elite benefits

Let's say you own two resale weeks -- Week A and Week B. Then, you purchase Week C from the developer and requalify Week A as part of the transaction. The StarOptions from Weeks A and C equal 359,000 and now you are a 4-star Elite member.

The question is: can you utilize the benefits of 4-star Elite when making reservations that pertain to Week B (non-requalified)? For instance, early checkin, convert-to-SPs, hold one reservation while making another, etc.

I'm inclined to think that those benefits would not be available; however, in practice I think this would be very challenging to determine. For instance, if I make an SO reservation using the online tool, who is to say which week I am using for the booking? It seems like it would get extremely complicated to track and manage. Does anyone have any experience with this?

You know it is a good question(s) - when you do not get numerous responses...

For certain... You cannot convert your non-requaled VOI (Week B) to SPs - so the 4* benefits surrounding SP conversions do not apply for Week B.

My (reasonable) guesses for 4*:
Extended SO Banking Period - Yes (but Week B must have SOs)
Reduced Fee for SO Banking - Yes (but Week B must have SOs)
SP Conversion - No for Week B
Travel services - Yes
Friendship Rewards Program - Yes
Signature Escapes - Yes
SP conversion fee waived - No for Week B (can't convert)
Early check-in - Probably for Week B (does this happen? Generally, they are still cleaning - they tried to give me a lesser villa location before when ours was ready - I waited...)
Reservation hold - Likely
10% premium for SP conversion - No for Week B (can't convert)

That makes sense to me. Basically I envision 4-star Elite applying to the member, not to individual ownership weeks. Therefore, I would think that everything on the 4-star Elite chart (https://www.mystarcentral.com/elite/chart.html) would be made available -- as applicable -- to the resale weeks as well. Since conversion to SPs is clearly a developer purchase benefit, having nothing to do with the Elite program, it would make sense that those benefits would not apply to the resale week.

Still, it would be interesting to know how this works in reality.

As an owner who is 5 star elite ( own 4 weeks in maui) , but also owns a resale week (st. John), I can confirm that when I stay in st john, I am not considered 5 star elite. I am considered the owner of a resale week with no status!! No early check in or late check out, no status whatsoever.

ferndale said:

As an owner who is 5 star elite ( own 4 weeks in maui) , but also owns a resale week (st. John), I can confirm that when I stay in st john, I am not considered 5 star elite. I am considered the owner of a resale week with no status!! No early check in or late check out, no status whatsoever.

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Interesting ... What about when you make a star options reservation?

ferndale said:

As an owner who is 5 star elite ( own 4 weeks in maui) , but also owns a resale week (st. John), I can confirm that when I stay in st john, I am not considered 5 star elite. I am considered the owner of a resale week with no status!! No early check in or late check out, no status whatsoever.

Click to expand...

Did the WSJ week come later. How did it never get retroed?

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okwiater said:

Interesting ... What about when you make a star options reservation?

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Have never made a star options reservation until this year. I will know that info after Thanksgiving week this year.

SMHarman said:

Did the WSJ week come later. How did it never get retroed?

Sadly, the WSJ week was the last one purchased. We bought all 4 Maui weeks from Starwood pre-construction in Maui (long before I ever heard of TUG). I have no regrets about doing it that way as we got exactly what we wanted (Oceanfront), and being 5 star, and platinum as well as the perfect oceanfront condos when we go to maui have been wonderful for us. When we decided we wanted WSJ for a new scuba adventure timeshare, I knew I wanted a 3 bed pool villa, and with help from tuggers, even knew exactly which building I wanted. Then I searched and waited! We own a summer week (23) which is prime scuba time, but low SO value, so it will never be worth retroing!

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ferndale said:

As an owner who is 5 star elite ( own 4 weeks in maui) , but also owns a resale week (st. John), I can confirm that when I stay in st john, I am not considered 5 star elite. I am considered the owner of a resale week with no status!! No early check in or late check out, no status whatsoever.

Click to expand...

I have had a different experience. We often use our SOs to travel (WSJ, SVR, and other resorts that we own at but use in different season or when reserving with at less than 8 months out). In these cases, I simply let the resort know (remind them / ask them to look up) that I am 5* Elite and they are glad to honor the early check in and late check out. I have even received special 5* gifts and GM letters when traveling on SOs (although those have been a few years ago). I have no idea what the official policy is but the employees have generally been very good about taking care of my 5* status as long as they are aware of it.

Westin5Star said:

I have had a different experience. We often use our SOs to travel (WSJ, SVR, and other resorts that we own at but use in different season or when reserving with at less than 8 months out). In these cases, I simply let the resort know (remind them / ask them to look up) that I am 5* Elite and they are glad to honor the early check in and late check out. I have even received special 5* gifts and GM letters when traveling on SOs (although those have been a few years ago). I have no idea what the official policy is but the employees have generally been very good about taking care of my 5* status as long as they are aware of it.

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"GM Letters"?

Welcome letters from the resort General Mgr.

ferndale said:

As an owner who is 5 star elite ( own 4 weeks in maui) , but also owns a resale week (st. John), I can confirm that when I stay in st john, I am not considered 5 star elite. I am considered the owner of a resale week with no status!! No early check in or late check out, no status whatsoever.

Click to expand...

When we stayed there, they refused to recognize elite status. They wouldn't even let me talk to the GM.

Just checked in at the Westin St. John today. I got a memento ice bucket with 6 St. John Brewer's beers and a letter from the GM recognizing me for my status. My room was ready early, as we got here shortly after 2:00 PM.

The front desk person said they don't allow late check-outs, but that is not an issue for me. He didn't seem to think that was a 5* perk, just an SPG Platinum perk that is not recognized here because this is mostly a timeshare property. I didn't feel like arguing, since I'll be leaving at the normal check-out time.