Week 52-Westin Maui?

[DonnaJ123]

We are new owners of 2 x 2 bdrm at WKORVN OF. We do not own event weeks, but need to book week 52 (check in Dec 29-Jan 5) with a 2 bdrm (or 3 bdrm at Nanea). A couple questions:
I called Vistana and they advised because it would be charged as year 2018 I need the 176000 or 225000 options. I am willing to prepay and borrow from 2019 but can only do this 8 months out. This will be a problem as I believe it will be competitive 8 months out to secure a booking...and to make a call and then secure sounds difficult.

They also advised if I do the borrow and don’t secure the booking then I will lose my star options completely. This sound even riskier.

We don’t have to be at WKORVN, WKORV or Nanea but it would be nice since I have secured a 1 bdrm for week 1 on Jan 5-Jan 12.

We have university sons that have that window off and flights have been booked. Suggestions?

 

[Ken555]

We have university sons that have that window off and flights have been booked. Suggestions?

Rent.


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[dioxide45]

They also advised if I do the borrow and don’t secure the booking then I will lose my star options completely. This sound even riskier.

I am not sure this is true, you borrow at the time of booking. So if you don't secure the reservation, you don't end up borrowing. If you have to cancel a reservation that was made with borrowed points the points go back to the original use year.

Another big handicap with borrowing is that you have to call to make the reservation. Meaning you can't reserve until the phone lines open while others have been reserving since midnight online. Also given that this is an SO reservation for an event week, I would follow Ken's advice. You really don't have many options since your airfare is already booked.

 

[DonnaJ123]

I will call back and confirm that the borrowed points would go back to 2019. If that’s correct I wouldn’t mind at all. Yes, I agree time is of the essence and so I’m sure it would be hard enough to get this week even without borrowing. Renting is definitely something I have considered. I have placed a few wishes in this morning. I did this in January and got a little spooked. I had one reply where someone was offering a 2 bdrm OF for less then what I know what the maintenance fees are. If it’s too good to be true....

 

[tschwa2]

Were event weeks sold at Nanea? If not that is your only shot. The event weeks if any are released and come available as So's would go to elite members who wait listed with SO's ready to go. Per Denise event weeks are not released as SO's but are taken by Vistana to rent out if an event week owner releases. If there aren't event weeks at Nanea then week 52 will be booked by Nanea owners looking to use or rent out those weeks, they won't be available at 8 months for SO's.

If you want those event weeks you will either need to buy those event weeks or rent them out, you have no chance at getting a SO reservation using borrowed points for that week in a 2 BR or 3 BR.

 

[DonnaJ123]

Thank you!, yes I do believe they sold/sell event weeks at Nanea. I didn’t realize that Vistana scooped them up to re-sell. Sounds a little cheeky IMO. Based on your information I would have zero chance of trading into the event week with my own property. Disappointing as it will be much more expensive to rent. Unless someone would like to trade. I guess I would trade my OF for any view weeks 1-50. I better start looking for a trade. Worst case scenario we choose another destination and pay our airline the cancel fee. It’s $150 to cancel...not a huge loss but we really wanted to show our sons our Maui timeshare. Huge learning curve! Perhaps we should have bought an event week!?

 

[controller1]

My understanding is you only want to buy an event week OF if you plan on returning to WKORVN every year during that event week.

UPDATE: If you decide to not use the event week, you have the flexibility of reserving another villa in your view option during the Home Resort option.

 

[DonnaJ123]

Oh, I thought you would have the same flexibility if you didn’t use it that particular week. We would definitely not want to go Week 51 or 52 every year. Too busy...and too many kids on vacation. I know I sound cranky...but part of the joy of retirement is that you get to go when the majority doesn’t!

 

[DonnaJ123]

I just thought...I might be able to rent from Vistana? If they are renting out the units then they could possibly have some now?

 

[vacationhopeful]

Rent from an owner via TUG, Redweek or other venues. Yes, it will COST more than your MFs but sounds like you already have decent airfairs?

Perhaps, you can book using your ownership and RENT those reservations to recover some NYE week costs. Say Easter, Spring Break, Thanksgiving, Jersey Week (first week of November which includes Election Day), etc.

 

[tschwa2]

I just thought...I might be able to rent from Vistana? If they are renting out the units then they could possibly have some now?

I just checked. Nothing available for week 52 but they do have 51 right now for you to compare. The studio section in an ocean view (not ocean front) is $1149-1241 per night including tax but not the resort fee or parking. They do not have any 1 BR units available at all for week 51. I don't think they ever rent them directly as the 2 BR, they always break them up so you would likely be spending $4000+ per night for the 2 BR lock out oceanfront through Starwood hotels.


I think the way it works that if you own an event week you contact Vistana if you want another platinum week. If they have an unreserved platinum week to switch with you from developer owned (usually not for sale) inventory then they will swap with you and they then control your event week and can rent it out for whatever or however they want. If they didn't have any unreserved platinum inventory then they would swap it out for other Vistana owner inventory in which case that week would be available first for other platinum owners to reserve if more than 8 months out or general SO availability if less than 8 months from check in.

 

[DonnaJ123]

I called Starwood and they do have 2bdrms for week 52. The best they could do was 1241 + tax at WKORVN and 996.55 + tax at Nanea. With our Canadian exchange and the taxes it would be about $1500 per night. Yikes...this is why I own a timeshare! With MF’s of $2700 I’m paying under $400 per night. Just not for that week. I will wait and book privately with TUGG or Redweek. Resale/rerent is always a better deal!

 

[tschwa2]

I called Starwood and they do have 2bdrms for week 52. The best they could do was 1241 + tax at WKORVN and 996.55 + tax at Nanea. With our Canadian exchange and the taxes it would be about $1500 per night. Yikes...this is why I own a timeshare! With MF’s of $2700 I’m paying under $400 per night. Just not for that week. I will wait and book privately with TUGG or Redweek. Resale/rerent is always a better deal!

Those numbers quoted seem really low for direct rentals for a 2 BR. They are more inline with a one bedroom direct.

For week 52 even from an owner, you should expect to pay $5000 or more USD for a 2 BR ocean view.

 

[Passepartout]

I called Starwood and they do have 2bdrms for week 52. The best they could do was 1241 + tax at WKORVN and 996.55 + tax at Nanea. With our Canadian exchange and the taxes it would be about $1500 per night. Yikes...this is why I own a timeshare! With MF’s of $2700 I’m paying under $400 per night. Just not for that week. I will wait and book privately with TUGG or Redweek. Resale/rerent is always a better deal!

Per NIGHT! WOW! Just WOW!

 

[DonnaJ123]

Those numbers quoted seem really low for direct rentals for a 2 BR. They are more inline with a one bedroom direct.

For week 52 even from an owner, you should expect to pay $5000 or more USD for a 2 BR ocean view.

Those numbers quoted seem really low for direct rentals for a 2 BR. They are more inline with a one bedroom direct.

For week 52 even from an owner, you should expect to pay $5000 or more USD for a 2 BR ocean view.

That’s a nightly rate not weekly. $1500 x 7 is $10500

 

[tschwa2]

That’s a nightly rate not weekly. $1500 x 7 is $10500

I know but online I looked and studios for week 51 ocean view were $1100 per night. I can't imagine getting a 2 Bedroom through Starwood for $1500 a night for that week. $1500 for a 2 BR is starwood's non holiday. A late August Nanea 2 BR with resort view goes for $881 per night. Maybe that $10,000 per week rate was for an island view week 52 but it certainly wasn't ocean front or even ocean view in a 2 BR.

 

[okwiater]

You can't get those weeks using SOs. Check the SO chart. Platinum Plus season only covers weeks 1-50. I agree with others; you will need to rent.

 

[DeniseM]

If any Event week owner opts to not use their event week, Vistana gets the week. I know a 5 Star Elite owner who tried to waitlist for an event week and that is what owner services told her.


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[DonnaJ123]

You can't get those weeks using SOs. Check the SO chart. Platinum Plus season only covers weeks 1-50. I agree with others; you will need to rent.

Yes, if you go back to my original post, I was clear I didn’t own an event week otherwise this wouldn’t be an issue. Week 51 and 52 are event weeks. I never discussed view with Starwood. Most likely it was a resort view. I won’t pay that amount for a Resort or an ocean view. We will rent through Redweek, where you can get a ocean view for well under $900 per night. They are posted now. I’ll wait a few months in hopes of a Ocean Front. I have one secured for week 1 and I would prefer not to have to move.

 

[okwiater]

Yes, if you go back to my original post, I was clear I didn’t own an event week otherwise this wouldn’t be an issue.

Sorry if I misunderstood you, but your original post also mentioned StarOptions. I was pointing out that there is zero chance of obtaining an event week reservation using StarOptions, because [removed inaccurate info].

 

[controller1]

Sorry if I misunderstood you, but your original post also mentioned StarOptions. I was pointing out that there is zero chance of obtaining an event week reservation using StarOptions, because those weeks are not on the SO chart and are therefore not available within VSN.

I just checked the StarOptions Chart and Weeks 51 & 52 are on the charts.

 

[okwiater]

I just checked the StarOptions Chart and Weeks 51 & 52 are on the charts.

Thanks for the correction. I seem to recall that wasn’t always the case but I could be mistaken.

 

[DeniseM]

Donna - We usually advise against using your personal email address as your TUG user name, because it is visible every time you post. To change it to something more anonymous, scroll down and click on CONTACT US, and send a message with the name you want to change it to.

 

[DonnaJ123]

Donna - We usually advise against using your personal email address as your TUG user name, because it is visible every time you post. To change it to something more anonymous, scroll down and click on CONTACT US, and send a message with the name you want to change it to.

Thank you Denise! Greatly appreciated!

 

[Ken555]

Thanks for the correction. I seem to recall that wasn’t always the case but I could be mistaken.

I always thought weeks 51/52 are on the charts purely as a sales tactic. “Oh, look what I can get!” etc...


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