$49 guest reservation fee

[WahooWah]

I guess this fee (allegedly instituted in early 2017) is now Vistana's official policy and they will not budge on it. They may waive it one time but one time only. I was told by a senior rep that this fee is assessed if you attempt to put a guest on any reservation that was made with StarOptions within the 8 month prior to check in reservation time period. This fee is NOT assessed if you are putting a guest on a reservation made during the Home Resort priority period.

The most recent version of the Vistana Signature Network Disclosure Guide I have is from 2015 and there is no mention of such a fee. Does anyone have a copy of a more recent version of this guide that has the Rules and Regulations mentioning this $49 fee?

Unfortunately there is plenty of small print language that gives the VSN the right to change fees at any time for any reason, but this seems over the top for owners who paid so much money upfront and went for years without having to pay such a fee. This is most problematic when an owner wants to sell their deed and the buyer wants to book a reservation prior to completion of transfer.

 

[carpie99]

I thought it was $59

 

[WahooWah]

Maybe it is $49 for Elite members?

 

[wtrjock]

I just paid $59 to change a guest name on a home resort reservation that was made for 3 nights with star options. I was told the fee was put in place to deter owners from renting out Staroption 8mo reservations, which isn't allowed. Unfortunately we have to pay a fee when changing names for friend and family that we are letting stay in our resorts that we have already paid the maintenance fee for. I have just accepted it.

 

[controller1]

The most recent version of the Vistana Signature Network Disclosure Guide I have is from 2015 and there is no mention of such a fee. Does anyone have a copy of a more recent version of this guide that has the Rules and Regulations mentioning this $49 fee?

This document VSN Deadlines & Fees is located on your Vistana Dashboard under Ownership 101

 

[WahooWah]

I just paid $59 to change a guest name on a home resort reservation that was made for 3 nights with star options. I was told the fee was put in place to deter owners from renting out Staroption 8mo reservations, which isn't allowed. Unfortunately we have to pay a fee when changing names for friend and family that we are letting stay in our resorts that we have already paid the maintenance fee for. I have just accepted it.

Having a blanket fee policy like this has several side-effects on owners who are not trying to rent out their StarOptions reservation. It's a silly policy that nickel and dimes the owners who have paid tens of thousands for their ownership.

 

[CPNY]

Having a blanket fee policy like this has several side-effects on owners who are not trying to rent out their StarOptions reservation. It's a silly policy that nickel and dimes the owners who have paid tens of thousands for their ownership.

Not to mention the sales tactic of you can rent your ownership to anyone or book resorts and give it to family members. The fee is sickening. It’s ok though, I’ll just buy more options dirt cheap and rent them all out and make money.

 

[DeniseM]

I was told the fee was put in place to deter owners from renting out Staroption 8mo reservations, which isn't allowed.

Baloney - remember, when they originally rolled this out, Vistana was going to tack a fee on all Guest Confirmations, including Home Resort Reservations. However, the original Starwood T&C's state that home resort Guest Confirmations are free, and Tuggers were instrumental in forcing Vistana to roll this back. Now that owners can once again request guest confirmations online, it's clear that this was just a money grab.

BTW - the fee varies depending on your Elite Status, or lack there of, from $0-$59.

 

[dioxide45]

This is most problematic when an owner wants to sell their deed and the buyer wants to book a reservation prior to completion of transfer.

I thought I posted this already, but don't see it. There is no fee to add a guest certificate to a reservation (StarOption or otherwise) if it is being assigned to someone you sold a VOI. When I go online to change a guest name on a reservation, I see the name of the person I sold my last week to and I can change the reservation to their name for no fee.

 

[WahooWah]

I thought I posted this already, but don't see it. There is no fee to add a guest certificate to a reservation (StarOption or otherwise) if it is being assigned to someone you sold a VOI. When I go online to change a guest name on a reservation, I see the name of the person I sold my last week to and I can change the reservation to their name for no fee.

Thank you. I wish I had read this sooner. Now that transfer is complete, Vistana is telling the new owners that the reservation is still in the sellers name and that the sellers have to call and change the reservation and pay the fees for doing so. The contracts clearly state that first year of use is 2019 and buyer reimbursed seller for the fees. Vistana is telling the buyers that first year of use is 2021. Outrageous.

 

[dioxide45]

Thank you. I wish I had read this sooner. Now that transfer is complete, Vistana is telling the new owners that the reservation is still in the sellers name and that the sellers have to call and change the reservation and pay the fees for doing so. The contracts clearly state that first year of use is 2019 and buyer reimbursed seller for the fees. Vistana is telling the buyers that first year of use is 2021. Outrageous.

The seller should be able to do it online. The problem may be that they don't have an account anymore to log in to. So they would have to call and the reps simply don't know better that there shouldn't be a fee (or that there is no fee if you can do it online).

 

[cubigbird]

It appears they want the fee online now too. I tried to add guest names to a reservation upcoming at my home resort and it wanted the fee. I’ll just wait until check in and have the front desk add it. It’s my owner week. I’m not going to pay it....

 

[pchung6]

It appears they want the fee online now too. I tried to add guest names to a reservation upcoming at my home resort and it wanted the fee. I’ll just wait until check in and have the front desk add it. It’s my owner week. I’m not going to pay it....

Should be no fee if it is your home resort reservation. See below:

Third-party guest fee:
Vistana Signature Network (VSN) members who make reservations during the Home Resort Reservation Period (12-8 months prior to arrival) and wish to transfer their reservation to a third-party guest will not be charged a fee. The fee only applies to a third-party guest reservation booked within the VSN Float Period or the VSN Priority Period starting at eight(8) months prior to arrival.

 

[dioxide45]

Should be no fee if it is your home resort reservation. See below:

Third-party guest fee:
Vistana Signature Network (VSN) members who make reservations during the Home Resort Reservation Period (12-8 months prior to arrival) and wish to transfer their reservation to a third-party guest will not be charged a fee. The fee only applies to a third-party guest reservation booked within the VSN Float Period or the VSN Priority Period starting at eight(8) months prior to arrival.

But is it Home Resort or a StarOption reservation that just happens to be at a resort they own? I think if it is the latter, then they would need to call to add the guest cert at no charge?

 

[pchung6]

But is it Home Resort or a StarOption reservation that just happens to be at a resort they own? I think if it is the latter, then they would need to call to add the guest cert at no charge?

I would assume only these home resort reservations booked between 12-8 months will be free. Perhaps we can call and fight for no charge for home resort reservation < 8 months, but i never tried before.

 

[DeniseM]

It appears they want the fee online now too. I tried to add guest names to a reservation upcoming at my home resort and it wanted the fee. I’ll just wait until check in and have the front desk add it. It’s my owner week. I’m not going to pay it....

That doesn't sound right, is this a Staroption reservation made at your home resort? Staroption reservations made at your home resort are charged a fee.

 

[cubigbird]

Now that I look back it is a SO reservation at my home resort. We are traveling in a different season. That aside, I’m still using my HOME RESORT, not at a property elsewhere in the network booked with SO. This should be the exception to the fee, not the norm.

 

[DeniseM]

Maybe there should be, but there ain't.

 

[controller1]

Maybe there should be, but there ain't.

And hence the question "is this a Staroption reservation made at your home resort"?

 

[dioxide45]

Now that I look back it is a SO reservation at my home resort. We are traveling in a different season. That aside, I’m still using my HOME RESORT, not at a property elsewhere in the network booked with SO. This should be the exception to the fee, not the norm.

Truly you are not booking your home resort reservation. Your reservation shows as a StarOption exchnage. So the fee applies. Should there or shouldn't there be a fee in this situation is another debate.

 

[okwiater]

Remember, if you weren’t a member of SVN, you wouldn’t be able to book outside your season at all, even at your home resort. So this is a case where charging the guest fee actually does make sense.

If this were a StarOption reservation for a full week during your home season, and the only reason it was made using SOs is because it was made within 8 months of arrival, then maybe I could see a waiver of the fee making sense.

 

[jjking42]

wow going to have to pay the online fee to change the first name for my adult son. We have the same last name and same middle name. I knew I should have given him my first name also.

 

[DeniseM]

Recently several owners have shared with me that when they split a home reservation into 2 separate confirmations (studio/1 Bdm), Vistana wants to charge them a fee for the guest confirmation. For example, when the owner wants to use one side and rent one side. So if that happens to you, ask for a supervisor to waive the fee. (Which of course means you can't request the guest confirmation online but that's not worth $49/$59.)

9/5 Update: If you split a home resort reservation 0-8 months before check-in, Vistana is now insisting that the Staroption Guest Confirmation rule applies, instead of the Home Resort Guest Confirmation rule.

In other words - they are going to charge you the standard fee for any guest confirmations you request after the split, as if it was a Staroption reservation.

Since you can now request your own guest confirmations online without human assistance, this is a pure money grab.