• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 30 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 30th Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $21,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $21 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    60,000+ subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

New Starwood Owner

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the boards and have read through the posts and have a couple of questions regarding the vacation ownership we just purchased in Maui- bi annually beacuse of the lower maintenace fees. Hope you can all help.

We just got back yesterday and after reviewing all the information we are not sure we made the right decision about purchasing in Hawaii and still have the time to rescind. We think we may be better of purchasing the Harborside yearly now that we have had a chance to go over everything. The flight from Toronto to Nassau is a lot shorter and the flights would be a little less expensive. Going to Hawaii for one week over the march break with a 12 hour flight/stop over is out of the question. When we called the Harborside resort they informed me that we could purchase a year ownership in the bahamas for march break season and christmas for $52,900 2BLO and $2100 M/F. The M/F would be the same as Hawaii but $3,000 less total cost over Princeville. Now we're torn and would like your advice. The Star Options are the same but we would get 13,900 more starpoints at harborside. Christmas/New years is not included in Princevill but could be purchased for Harborside and we could use them during our break.

We like the Starwood program because it gives us the option to cahnge the star options to star points and use them for stays in Europe during the summer if we decide not to go to the bahams during the winter break.

We're just not sure whether investing in Hawaii or the bahamas now is the right choice? For $3000 more we could own in Hawaii with the same M/F but would most likely be covnerting the points every year and using them for star points-which i'm not sure makes much sense.

Are there any other ownership resorts that offer 148,00 SO with less maintenace fees? Knowing that we would most likely need to travel a week in March or 1 week over christmas/n.y does it make more sense to purchase the platinum weeks at the Bahamas?

If we don't purchase the platinum weeks, how easy will be to get a week in March and a week over the christmas break?

Sorry for the long winded posts and the many typos I'm sure I made (jet-lag) but any information you could send along would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Caroline
 

tomandrobin

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
4,115
Reaction score
120
Points
448
Location
Bel Air, Maryland
First, Welcome to Tug and welcome to the Starwood Forum.

Recind, Recind, Recind.....You already know that Hawaii is not the right ownership for you.

Second, buy resale at Harborside. Its a Mandatory resort, so the staroptions transfer with it. But you lose the ability to exchange for sterpoints. You can buy Harborside 2 bedroom l/o platinum for about $30k. Also, trading into Harborside is unlikely, so if that is when you want to go, buy that time period.

The cheapest 148,100 staroption resort is West Kierland, mf of $1200. The resort is sold out, so resale is the only option.

There are lots of options that you can go here. I would recommend that you read some more here on tug and ask away.
 

calgarygary

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
1,025
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Hi Everyone,

I'm new to the boards and have read through the posts and have a couple of questions regarding the vacation ownership we just purchased in Maui- bi annually beacuse of the lower maintenace fees. Hope you can all help.

We just got back yesterday and after reviewing all the information we are not sure we made the right decision about purchasing in Hawaii and still have the time to rescind. We think we may be better of purchasing the Harborside yearly now that we have had a chance to go over everything. The flight from Toronto to Nassau is a lot shorter and the flights would be a little less expensive. Going to Hawaii for one week over the march break with a 12 hour flight/stop over is out of the question. When we called the Harborside resort they informed me that we could purchase a year ownership in the bahamas for march break season and christmas for $52,900 2BLO and $2100 M/F. The M/F would be the same as Hawaii but $3,000 less total cost over Princeville. Now we're torn and would like your advice. The Star Options are the same but we would get 13,900 more starpoints at harborside. Christmas/New years is not included in Princevill but could be purchased for Harborside and we could use them during our break.

We like the Starwood program because it gives us the option to cahnge the star options to star points and use them for stays in Europe during the summer if we decide not to go to the bahams during the winter break.

We're just not sure whether investing in Hawaii or the bahamas now is the right choice? For $3000 more we could own in Hawaii with the same M/F but would most likely be covnerting the points every year and using them for star points-which i'm not sure makes much sense.

Are there any other ownership resorts that offer 148,00 SO with less maintenace fees? Knowing that we would most likely need to travel a week in March or 1 week over christmas/n.y does it make more sense to purchase the platinum weeks at the Bahamas?

If we don't purchase the platinum weeks, how easy will be to get a week in March and a week over the christmas break?

Sorry for the long winded posts and the many typos I'm sure I made (jet-lag) but any information you could send along would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Caroline

The statement above that I have highlighted in bold tells me that you are not ready to purchase. A timeshare should never be considered an investment. Rescind now, educate yourselves, the timeshares will still be available when you are better ready to make such a commitment.
 

SDKath

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
3,076
Reaction score
16
Points
273
Agree! First RESCIND (ASAP) and make sure you send a fax as well as a certified letter and follow the instructions EXACTLY as outlined in your contract.

Then do a bit of research to see where is the best place to own and buy. Resale is more than 1/2 price of buying direct from Starwood with most of the benefits of a new ownership, especially if you buy at a mandatory resort where you will get your SOs even on a resale purchase.

If you are interested in Harborside or St John, those are next to impossible to trade into via SOs or II during Spring Break or New Year. So you will definitely want to own AT that resort to have a chance to stay there.

Converting these expensive TSs to SPs (the hotel points) is not going to make sense due to the high MFs and high initial costs.

Take a look at the excellent FAQ on the top of the board that was compiled over a number of years by the TUG "experts" on Starwood.

Also, remember, you can ALWAYS rescind and call Starwood and purchase again. No deal is ever a "one time only" type of deal with them. So even if after all the research you decide to buy directly from Starwood, you will likely get the same exact deal or an even better one! Don't let the sales reps tell you otherwise. :)

Katherine
 

DavidnRobin

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
11,812
Reaction score
2,224
Points
698
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
Resorts Owned
WKORV OFD (Maui)
WPORV (Kauai)
WSJ-VGV (St. John)
WKV (Scottsdale)
As a newbie - simply follow the 3 'R's

Rescind
Research
Resale

Do not delay in the 1st R - RESCIND - before it is too late to do so.

Be glad you found TUG before the rescinding period is over (many do not).

Buying a Timeshare is an investment in Vacation - not Real Estate. Understanding the difference between these is paramount to the enjoyment of your 'investment'.
 
Last edited:

SDKath

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
3,076
Reaction score
16
Points
273
Forgot to add, "investment" is not a term you want to use around TSs right now, especially in Hawaii. Resales in Hawaii have fallen tremendously due to the economy and the 2 airlines that have gone bankrupt in the last 6 months, forcing airline tickets over $1000 per person even 1 year out!

Resale prices are about 30% of "retail" price right now in Hawaii. :eek:

Starwood was also just downgraded by one of the major investment firms to "sell" status thanks to the horrible economy and general downturn in travel, plus their relatively poor management of their TS business (ie increasing most of their prices 10% on July 1 despite the incredibly slow economy).

Katherine
 

Beaglemom3

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,026
Reaction score
92
Points
433
Location
Boston
I just did very well on a resale, but will not get Starpoints and that works for me. I will get Staroptions, though.

Please rescind as there are better units at better prices out there.
 

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Hi Everyone,

And thank you for your quick replies. We have thought about it and rescinding does make the most sense for us now. I wanted to express how we were looking at using the timeshare to see if it make sense. We are frequent travellers, age group (36-43) and traveller 1 week during march, 1 week at christmas and a week or two over the summer. We liked the flexibilty that the starwood ownership offered. We could visit bahams, maui, st johns, scottsdale etc while at the same time converting to starpoints for hotels which would all be locked in to todays prices. I'm gathering from these boards that it is not as easy as the salesperson made it to be to visit the different properties from year to year. It seems that it is all based on an exchange time system. Does buying an ownership to convert to star options every second year make any sense? We really like the flexibility of being able to visit the different villa destinations and all the hotel properties that are available to us? I may have used the investment term incorrectly, we have never looked at this as a true investement but rather an investment in our vacation by locking into todays prices. I also wanted to add that we are Canadian, so the Dollar is very favourable now and we could afford to make a vacation investment now.

Thanks again for all your help.

Caroline
 
Last edited:

SDKath

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
3,076
Reaction score
16
Points
273
You sound just like me. Same age group, same desire to use the Starwood system including the hotels. Keep reading, including the possibility of "retro-ing" a resale purchase by buying a new one -- that gives you access to the Starpoint system ultimately, which is something I too like having, to be honest.

Also, consider calling the Starwood central sales group. A number of less expensive options exist now for purchase (such as buying in Orlando where MFs are only $800 per month) and converting those units to SPs or SOs.

Feel free to PM me for more info. You can't go wrong by pulling out of this deal right now before you lose $40,000 or so. Then you can always repurchase at any time. :)

Katherine
 

tomandrobin

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
4,115
Reaction score
120
Points
448
Location
Bel Air, Maryland
Caroline

We are in a similar situation as you. We are in your age bracket, travel once a season, sometimes twice. We bought our first unit, pre tug. We were lucky and bought Kierland for $30k.

There are alot of strategies you can do to get the unit you want and still get the staroptions for less money then your one Hawaii purchase. Hawaii is getting easier and easier to trade into right now. The more they build, the more opportunity you will have.

We found a 2 bedroom l/o gold season, phase 2 at Harborside for our friends to buy. They have negotiated the price down to $17,500. The developer is selling that unit for $46k.

Tom
 

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
You sound just like me. Same age group, same desire to use the Starwood system including the hotels. Keep reading, including the possibility of "retro-ing" a resale purchase by buying a new one -- that gives you access to the Starpoint system ultimately, which is something I too like having, to be honest.

Also, consider calling the Starwood central sales group. A number of less expensive options exist now for purchase (such as buying in Orlando where MFs are only $800 per month) and converting those units to SPs or SOs.

Feel free to PM me for more info. You can't go wrong by pulling out of this deal right now before you lose $40,000 or so. Then you can always repurchase at any time. :)

Katherine

Did you mean $800 per year? Princevill is $2100 per year.

Thanks!

Caroline
 

vacationtime1

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
5,159
Reaction score
2,750
Points
649
Location
San Francisco
Resorts Owned
WKORV-OF (Maui)
WKV x2 (Scottsdale)
We could visit bahams, maui, st johns, scottsdale etc while at the same time converting to starpoints for hotels which would all be locked in to todays prices.

I originally purchased Princeville from the developer, found TUG in time, rescinded, and then bought resale. My thoughts:

1. Don't purchase with the intent to exchange. Although exchanges are certainly possible, they are not automatic, they require flexibility in travel plans and times, and they are not why you propose to spend $50,000+ for an ultra-high end developer purchase.

2. All StarOptions are created equal, at least for exchange purposes. To the extent you may exchange, the 148,100 StarOptions you receive in connection with a Westin Kierland (Scottsdale) purchased resale for $20,000-$23,000 will do exactly the same thing as the 148,100 StarOptions received in connection with a Hawaii property (and as others have stated, the MF's are 40% less). And to the extent you do visit Scottsdale, you will enjoy staying there even more knowing you paid Arizona prices rather than Hawaii prices.

3. Consider purchasing an alternate year for your Hawaii trips if you truly intend to visit Hawaii half the time; resale, of course.

4. StarPoints will not lock you into today's hotel prices. Starwood devalues the StarPoint by re-classifying hotels into higher categories. For example, two summers ago, we stayed at the Princeville Hotel for 13,500 StarPoints per night. Next year, it will be a St. Regis and cost 25,000 points per night.

5. Rescind, research, and then buy resale. Take your time; your Canadian dollars will be just as strong in a few months.
 
Last edited:

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Caroline

We are in a similar situation as you. We are in your age bracket, travel once a season, sometimes twice. We bought our first unit, pre tug. We were lucky and bought Kierland for $30k.

There are alot of strategies you can do to get the unit you want and still get the staroptions for less money then your one Hawaii purchase. Hawaii is getting easier and easier to trade into right now. The more they build, the more opportunity you will have.

We found a 2 bedroom l/o gold season, phase 2 at Harborside for our friends to buy. They have negotiated the price down to $17,500. The developer is selling that unit for $46k.

Tom

That's a great price. Is gold season March Break Break and Christmas? We won't be able to convert to starpoints though. That is something we really liked about the program. I'm gathering from this board though that converting SO to SP isn't in your best interest.

Thanks for the response.

Caroline
 

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Cancelling

The Mutual Right of Cancellation states that " to cancel this transcation, mail or deliver a signed and dated copy of this cancellation notice or any other written notice or send a telegram to: SVO Pacific Inc. "

It doesn't have a fax number so a registered mailed copy not using the originals should do? i also read in the sticky notes that I should copy and send the first page of the agreement.

Thanks,

Caroline
 

grgs

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
2,254
Reaction score
165
Points
423
Location
Oceanside, CA
Resorts Owned
WKV, SDO, WLR, So Cal Beach Club
Did you mean $800 per year? Princevill is $2100 per year.

Thanks!

Caroline

You might be able to get 81,000 SOs in Orlando for $800 (but it's probably around $950 when you add in property taxes).

The least expensive mf for 148,100 SOs at is Westin Kierland at just over $1200.

Glorian
 

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
4. StarPoints will not lock you into today's hotel prices. Starwood devalues the StarPoint by re-classifying hotels into higher categories. For example, two summers ago, we stayed at the Princeville Hotel for 13,500 StarPoints per night. Next year, it will be a St. Regis and cost 25,000 points per night.

So i guess it will be more expesnive to stay. I think I'm getting the hang of this :) If you plan on vacationing in Princeville/Hawaii yearly then buying a timeshare would make sense. But if you travel anywhere and eveywhere then maybe its doesn't make the best sense for you. Exchanging your weeks during peak periods is difficult and converting to starpoints isnt the right reason for buying a time share. But on the other side, if you could rent that place out yearly for a couple of years wouldn't that pay for your vacation investment.

Caroline
 

Transit

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
2,146
Reaction score
0
Points
396
Location
Coral Springs, FL
if you could rent that place out yearly for a couple of years wouldn't that pay for your vacation investment.

Caroline

Your on the right track but keep reading.( There is a ton of Starwood Info to digest here) Renting is not as easy as it seems especially in tough times and for someone new to the game.
 

BradC

Guest
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Messages
292
Reaction score
2
Points
328
Location
CA, USA
One more piece of advice: if you like having Starpoints for hotel stays (most of us here do), get the Starwood co-branded credit card. The Canadian version is from MBNA that gives you one Starpoint for every $2 you spend, with no annual fee.

We use our Starwood credit card for nearly everything, and the points really add up.
 

tomandrobin

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
4,115
Reaction score
120
Points
448
Location
Bel Air, Maryland
4. StarPoints will not lock you into today's hotel prices. Starwood devalues the StarPoint by re-classifying hotels into higher categories. For example, two summers ago, we stayed at the Princeville Hotel for 13,500 StarPoints per night. Next year, it will be a St. Regis and cost 25,000 points per night.

So i guess it will be more expesnive to stay. I think I'm getting the hang of this :) If you plan on vacationing in Princeville/Hawaii yearly then buying a timeshare would make sense. But if you travel anywhere and eveywhere then maybe its doesn't make the best sense for you. Exchanging your weeks during peak periods is difficult and converting to starpoints isnt the right reason for buying a time share. But on the other side, if you could rent that place out yearly for a couple of years wouldn't that pay for your vacation investment.

Caroline

Caroline

Have you looked at EOY purchases? We bought EOY units at some of the places we like, but don't plan on going every year.

I would not discount Starpoint use entirely. Buying Harborside for SP use, is not good because of the high purchase cost and high maintenance fees. You can get a Kierland resale for about $20k. Buy a EOY from the developer, requalify the Kierland to have the ability to use either its staroptions or convert to Starpoints for Europe.

Tom
 

123traveller

newbie
Joined
Jul 14, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Caroline

Have you looked at EOY purchases? We bought EOY units at some of the places we like, but don't plan on going every year.

I would not discount Starpoint use entirely. Buying Harborside for SP use, is not good because of the high purchase cost and high maintenance fees. You can get a Kierland resale for about $20k. Buy a EOY from the developer, requalify the Kierland to have the ability to use either its staroptions or convert to Starpoints for Europe.

Tom

I have no idea what an EOY is and what does requalifying mean??? :):)
Caroline
 

tomandrobin

TUG Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2006
Messages
4,115
Reaction score
120
Points
448
Location
Bel Air, Maryland
Sorry

EOY - Every Other Year. Requalify - Means that you can buy a developer unit and requalify a resale unit. A requalified unit has the same use as a developer unit, full use of staroptions and starpoints.

The threads at the top of the page talks about the process.
 
Top