Booking ski weeks in CO as a non-home resort

Hope to be pulling trigger by end of week on two units at SVV that will give me 125k SO's.

My question is about reserving non-home resort 8 mos out for any of the 3 avon/vail colorado resorts during ski season. I have read that it is pretty much impossible and you pretty much have to own there. Any success stories?

When I checked beaver creek ski resort they had at least 1 lift open this season on nov 18 and will close april 20. These dates would be in shoulder weeks 16 and 47 and only require Silver SO level to reserve. Obviously snowfall is not reliable year to year but has anyone had good success getting into 1 of the 3 SVN beaver creek ski resorts on a shoulder week at 8 mos out? Steamboat had a much shorter season this year, dec 20 -march 30, so that one looks virtually impossible.

TIA!

Jimzigg said:

My question is about reserving non-home resort 8 mos out for any of the 3 avon/vail colorado resorts during ski season. I have read that it is pretty much impossible and you pretty much have to own there. Any success stories?

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Many people have reported success over the years. They are also often available via II.


Sent from my iPad

Never say never, but in ski season anticipate that.

Impossible - Sheraton Steamboat
Really Really Really hard - Westin Riverfront
Hard - Sheraton Mountain Vista
Easier - Lakeside Terrace (as Ken555 noted some of these were deposited to II this year, including winter break week)

Just looked on the availibilty finder for a checkin on the 19th April.
Lakeside - Yes - 2BR - 37000
SMV - Yes - 2LO - 46500
SMV - Yes 1BP - 25800
SMV - Yes 1BR - 20700
WRV - Tes ST - 20700

There is also availibility at all the above for a 12/4 checkin (and for tomorrow (10th).

All these searches were for 7 nights.

SMV prime winter weeks are deposited into II all of the time. I see them with my SBP and SDO with Starwood preference.

I would love to stay at Westin Riverfront sometime, but so far, I don't think I have seen it on II.

rickandcindy23 said:

I would love to stay at Westin Riverfront sometime, but so far, I don't think I have seen it on II.

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Don't count on it ever showing up, at least not with the current number of units.

I was lucky enough to reserve one via StarOptions the first year it was open but couldn't go due to a conflict, so I was able to transfer the reservation to Kath. I was really bummed about it, and I still haven't been there (maybe next year!).


Sent from my iPad

^ You could see blocks of days, but not full weeks in the SVN Availability finder through the winter.

SMHarman said:

Impossible - Sheraton Steamboat
Really Really Really hard - Westin Riverfront
Hard - Sheraton Mountain Vista
Easier - Lakeside Terrace (as Ken555 noted some of these were deposited to II this year, including winter break week)

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I agree with this. I have never been able to get a week at Steamboat during platinum season. I did get a reservation at WRF a few years ago, but tried like crazy to get one for Jan/Feb of 2014 and couldn't get one. I did end up getting a SMV 2 BD unit via II - I had put in a request last summer and it was confirmed in early fall. That was a great trade because the unit I traded was only worth 67,100 SO and ended up with a unit that would normally require 148,100.

Beaver Creek is almost always closed by April 19, so it's not surprising there would be availability that week. This year the closing date is April 20, but that's unusual and is result of Easter being late this year. It is often closed on the first weekend in April.

Appreciate the feedback. Sounds like I may be able to get something at lakeside terrace, even in prime ski season if chips fall right. Dont want to book shoulder season and have no open Runs. With a 2br and 1br unit at Svv I could always deposit the 2br and see what happens while still using the 1br for something in that year. Not sure exactly yet how it all works yet and if my chances are better on II or booking via svn 8 mos out.

I think Lakeside appeared in II for winter break before the 8 m mark it could be booked in SVN last year!
You should get an ongoing request to snag a week going.

Got it. But doesn't II assign a value to the deposited week somehow? And how confident am I that my 2BR at SVV will pull enough value to see a ski week at Lakeside? If I use SVN my units would be short SO and I will need to bank since the SO req is 129,800. So that should be some indication that my II value will be short?

A 2br AVG ongoing search should pull Lakeside.
A1br will pick it up I'm Starwood preference if it did not get picked in an ongoing search.

In my experience, I've seen more weeks for SMV than LT avaialble. If you plan in advance you should be able to get SMV or LT in Jan no problem. Star Options or II. Just check at least once a day for a dump in II. Should be any day now for Jan/Feb 2015. When I owned at Vistana Resort I always saw those weeks with my Starwood preference in II. You can try StarOptions at 8 months too and probobly get what you want at either place. And if you can't get anything at 8 months out just check daily for something to pop up.

Early Jan is definitely the "off-season" for the skiing in the winter. Right in between Dec holiday season and Pres Day. There is a lot more available everywhere if you can go the first 2 or 3 weeks in Jan.

I'm lucky enough to own at WRV. The weeks I've booked in early Jan as a home resort, I've also been able to get addition rooms during the same time using Star Options. Its nice to be able to check availability on Star Central now...I just checked every day and something would eventually turn up. I've been looking a lot this season (ultimately couldn't talk the wife in to another ski trip), but I saw a lot pop up even in March using Star Options at all 3 Avon resorts this season. Just need to jump on it when its out available!

Sheraton Steamboat is impossible in II or SVN! I did see a 3 bedroom show up for Star Options this ski season a couple times, but it was gone quickly. For WRV, I've only ever seen the most off-season weeks (early Nov) show up in II.

FYI...Beaver Creek doesn't open the Bachelor Gulch or Arrowhead areas until Mid Dec. And they shut them down at the end of Spring Break (it closed April 4th this year). So if you plan on going early or late season, the gondola at WRV won't be running since it drops you off at a lift to Bachelor Gulch. However, the shuttle service from all 3 resorts to Beaver Creek is great. But the gondola is pretty awesome . I thought I would mention since you asked about early and late season...

Brad

Awesome info - I am feeling much better about my chances now. Knowing about the gondola is a HUGE tip so thx a bunch!