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Whether to buy Westin Nanea

Sb123

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Hi,

Am currently staying at the Sheraton in Maui and was invited to attend a Westin Nanea presentation yesterday. The deal they offered was 95700 options (I think this is their flex package?) for $23447, with signing perks of 140k Marriott Bonvoy points, lifetime Bonvoy gold status. Initial deposit was 15% of the total, less $1750 for being a “loyal” Bonvoy member (I’m currently platinum on the hotel side as I travel a lot for work). Maintenance fee was quoted as $990/y.

This brought our all-in annual payments total to about $4500, until we’d paid off financing (which at 12% interest I’d be doing sooner rather than later!). At the time this seemed a little steep to me, so I declined. I did take the explorer/encore package that they offered of $1890 for 5 nights at Nanea in a 1bed because that’s a cheap holiday to Maui, and I can always say no again during the talk ;)

Since I’ll be going back to Maui on that package, and will have to go through the talk again, I wanted to get the thoughts of this group on this and whether you feel I can make this work for my family.

With that in mind, here’s some info:
- We live in the UK so are interested in international travel and not US only
- I liked the idea of flexibility of using these options to mix and match on the hotel side as sometimes that may work out better for us depending where we are going as I can complement existing hotel points
- Flights are generally something we book on miles ~12 months out so we are used to planning trips well
- I understand that buying from the developer is generally cost ineffective and that these options lose a lot of resell value immediately due to the “ball and chain” of ongoing maintenance fees.

So, some specific questions based on this (also have the newcomers answers below):
1. I see from the intro/newcomers thread that Nanea is a voluntary resort and therefore I could not have options here and also exchange for hotel points if I bought as a resale rather than direct - is my understanding correct?
2. Beyond incentives, the limitation I mention in qu 1, and elite status, is there anything else that I’d lose on a purchasing a resale vs buying direct from developer?
3. This options-based approach feels like it could pose a risk for devaluation; do Vistana guarantee in any way that X points will always equate to Y days for a certain sized rent in a certain location?
4. How easy is it to use Interval to exchange options on international properties? I travel a lot so online/email is always going to work better in a high demand ecosystem over making phone calls for me. Would love to hear of the experiences of this group in doing this.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!


1) Is there a vacation destination you wish to visit most of the time or on a regular basis? if so where?

Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean islands, Asia, (in the future Disney as I have a 7mo old child)

2) Do you want to visit your home resort at least half the time, or do you want to trade more than half the time?

Given our UK base, likely would want to visit a home resort in the US ~ 1 in 3 years

3) What are your 5 top trade destinations?

Hawaii, Mexico, South east Asia (Singapore/Indonesia), Southern Europe, Disney

4) How many people do you usually travel with - total, including yourself?
3

5) Can you travel any time, or are you locked into the school schedule?

Any time for the next ~4y. Locked into school holidays after that.

6) Can you make firm plans 12 or more mos. in advance?

Yes

7) Can you vacation for a full week at a time?

Yes

8) What level of accommodations do you prefer on a scale of 1 to 5 stars?
4-5

9) How much can you afford to spend upfront, without financing?

$10-20k

10) How much can you afford to spend every year for a maintenance fee that will come due right after Christmas, and increase each year?

$2-3k

11) Are you a detail oriented planner?

Yes

12) Do you understand that once you buy a timeshare, it may be very difficult to sell or give away, and you are responsible for all fees, until you do?

Yes
 

vacationtime1

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Don't do it; it's not even a close call. It is wrong on so many levels.

Others will chime in and you can and should do searches on this forum. Others have been disappointed about reservation availability for one bedroom units at Nanea. And because you have a kid, a one bedroom unit will soon be too small.

Is the unit you propose to buy annual or bi-annual? I think the latter based on the maintenance fees.

The economics are lousy; you can buy for much less. There is a secondary market for timeshares where they trade for a fraction of the cost of purchasing from the developer. For example, you can purchase a two bedroom ocean front unit at the adjacent WKORV or WKORVN properties for $30K - $35K or $25K respectively. Either is a larger unit with a better view (I own WKORV ocean front).

Finally, vacations are a luxury item. If you cannot pay cash, you shouldn't buy at all.
 
Last edited:

echino

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Buy WKORV or WKORVN resale. Perhaps an every other year ownership.
 

Moparman42

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Agree wholeheartedly with the above. I also think they misinformed you about trading into the hotel program. it is NOT point for point. for your week at Nanea, you would be trading into (at best) 3 nights in the same room. Never trade your homeoptions for Bonvoy points unless there is really no other option.

I own at Nanea, and purchased from the developer (my first timeshare, I have since learned). do NOT purchase a 1 bedroom at Nanea, get resale at WKORV instead. if Disney is on your future list, you could probably get an Orlando resort with lower maintenance fees and still be able to trade into Hawaii when you want to.

Financing the purchase will always put you in the hole. if you can't pay it off, then rend from here or redweek and save the dollars. the perks are not valued as high as the interest payments would be.

I hope this helps, you did a good thin finding TUG!!
 

SteelerGal

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I would also look into Marriott since Westin is part of MVC as well as HGVC.
 

DavidnRobin

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Buying Nanea to meet your travel objectives is a poor decision - especially residing in the UK.

Rescind
Research
Resale


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jabberwocky

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jabberwocky

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Is the unit you propose to buy annual or bi-annual? I think the latter based on the maintenance fees.

This has to be a Flex EOY unit based on both the pricing and MF.
 

Sb123

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Finally, vacations are a luxury item. If you cannot pay cash, you shouldn't buy at all.
Yes, was planning to buy cash and not go on a finance deal - by the time I return for this explorer subsidised deal, will be able to do that. Agree that a resale option looks significantly more economically attractive though.

I also think they misinformed you about trading into the hotel program. it is NOT point for point. for your week at Nanea, you would be trading into (at best) 3 nights in the same room. Never trade your homeoptions for Bonvoy points unless there is really no other option.

thanks. I’m aware of the exchange rate not being the same. It looked like ~1.6 Bonvoy points per option, which at somewhere like Nanea (category 7 in Marriott hotel terms) would net me only 3 nights. In this world, I guess it would always make more sense to either exchange to somewhere else I wanted to go or to attempt to rent out my week for a higher $ rate?

I would also look into Marriott since Westin is part of MVC as well as HGVC.

Thanks - will definitely look into this!

Buying Nanea to meet your travel objectives is a poor decision - especially residing in the UK.

Rescind
Research
Resale

Agree, especially now with the GBP/USD exchange being what it is. Luckily I didn’t sign so no need to rescind! :)

This has to be a Flex EOY unit based on both the pricing and MF.

Yes, can confirm it was a flex EOY
 

DeniseM

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First of all, timeshare sales people LIE. They will tell you whatever you want to hear just to get their commission. You simply cannot believe what they tell you - period.

Buying a timeshare to use it for hotel stays will cost you far more than just paying for hotel stays. DON'T DO IT!
 

DeniseM

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I would also look into Marriott since Westin is part of MVC as well as HGVC.

They have the same parent company, but their timeshare systems are completely separate, so buying one for access to the other will not work. And buying a timeshare in one system in the hope that you will get access to another system in the nebulous future, is wild speculation.
 

Sb123

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First of all, timeshare sales people LIE. They will tell you whatever you want to hear just to get their commission. You simply cannot believe what they tell you - period.

Buying a timeshare to use it for hotel stays will cost you far more than just paying for hotel stays. DON'T DO IT!

My general distrust of salespeople feels well founded here :) I’m not averse to changing my travel habits; hotel rooms have worked well in the past for my wife and I, but with the little one I can foresee us opting more of an apartment type stay with a hotel being the exception rather than the norm.
 

mjm1

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My general distrust of salespeople feels well founded here :) I’m not averse to changing my travel habits; hotel rooms have worked well in the past for my wife and I, but with the little one I can foresee us opting more of an apartment type stay with a hotel being the exception rather than the norm.

That was a major reason why we bought timeshares. When our first child was born and we travelled we got tired of having to sit in the bathroom to read while she tried to get to sleep. It is much more convenient to have the space and separate rooms that a timeshare provides.

Best regards.

Mike
 

capjak

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The encore package at $1890 is probably "fair" but you can do better than that by renting from an owner on redweek.com for WKORV-North or WKORV.
 
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Don't do it for hotel points and as mentioned use resale for purchase of a mandatory property. We're on the West Coast of the US and considering moving back to the UK (if only you could sort out Brexit?). I'm not allowed to solicit on here but we have a 2BR at WKORVN that will be readily available for rent/sale in future years at favourable rates to fellow countrymen/women :)
 

dagger1

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The encore package at $1890 is probably "fair" but you can do better than that by renting from an owner on redweek.com for WKORV-North or WKORV.
We were offered an Encore package yesterday (currently at WKORV) for 5 nights (1BR) and 100,000 Bonvoy points for $1895.
We are really enjoying WKORV (start our 7 night stay at the Hyatt Residence Ka’anapali tomorrow) and would like to add 5-7 nights at WKORV on our next trip over in October 2021. Are you saying we could rent at WKORV then for approximately the same price as the Encore package we were offered? We have until tomorrow to decide.
 

rickandcindy23

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We were offered an Encore package yesterday (currently at WKORV) for 5 nights (1BR) and 100,000 Bonvoy points for $1895.
We are really enjoying WKORV (start our 7 night stay at the Hyatt Residence Ka’anapali tomorrow) and would like to add 5-7 nights at WKORV on our next trip over in October 2021. Are you saying we could rent at WKORV then for approximately the same price as the Encore package we were offered? We have until tomorrow to decide.
Yes, if you are getting a studio, you can absolutely rent a full week in a studio for about that price. Check Redweek.com and TUG ads.
 

rickandcindy23

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Wouldn't that be an EOY unit for that price? We recently attended a timeshare presentation and the price was double this quote. I don't know what they are selling for that price. But for about that price and even less, you can buy something resale with Mandatory Staroptions.

And I have to add that Marriott Bonvoy points are a terrible value. I am not happy with the value we get from those. Just had to add how really worthless those points would be to me.
 
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DavidnRobin

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First of all, timeshare sales people LIE.

jarta (RIP) wanted to interject here and say it is more like purposeful misinformation than lies.

LOL - Hi Denise!




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DeniseM

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Hi Dave :hi:

RIP? Has he gone to that big timeshare resort in the sky?
 

dagger1

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Wouldn't that be an EOY unit for that price? We recently attended a timeshare presentation and the price was double this quote. I don't know what they are selling for that price. But for about that price and even less, you can buy something resale with Mandatory Staroptions.

And I have to add that Marriott Bonvoy points are a terrible value. I am not happy with the value we get from those. Just had to add how really worthless those points would be to me.
The Encore package we were offered was for 5 nights in a 1BR and 100,000 Bonvoy points. It was just for a 5 night stay, not a sale. If they had offered a 2BR for the $1895 I would have jumped at it. It would require another 90 minute “tour”, but the one we did yesterday only lasted 1 hour. When I showed them the six (EOYO) weeks in Hawaii we already have, they realized we were not going to buy another week.
 

Henry M.

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You should be able to find a 1BR rental for 7 days for something like $2100-$2300. Less per day that the Encore package, but doesn't include Bonvoy points. The value of the Bonvoy points depends on where you use them. I'd value them at 2/3 of a cent for the places I go to. I may get more out of them, but that is a figure to gauge what they are worth to me.
 
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