Westin Nanea 1 BR Availability

[just4stef]

Hello,
We are new owners at Nanea. We have the 81,000 StarOptions. This is our first timeshare so will have many questions I'm sure.

I am trying to book next summer but so far 12 months out, I am not getting any availability for a 1BR unit.

Is anyone else having the same issue? Any tips on booking the reservation online to assist in getting the unit I want?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

 

[DeniseM]

Others have reported that it's hard to reserve the one bedrooms. Unfortunately, only 14% of this resort is 1 bedrooms, so there is limited availability and you are trying for July which has the highest demand of the year.

Just to be sure you know, you can reserve your unit at midnight eastern (adjusted for your time zone) the night BEFORE the phone lines open.

For example: tonight at midnight you can try to reserve July 14, 2018, using the Villa Finder on the Vistana website. If you haven't done this before, you will want to practice with some earlier dates first. If you accidentally make a reservation, you can instantly cancel it online.

If you wait and call tomorrow, you are unlikely to get a reservation. Saturday has the most demand, so I would also try for Fridays and Sundays and be flexible about when you go.

 

[just4stef]

Thanks Denise...this is helpful.

The Villa Finder on the Vistana website, are you referring to "Online Reservations" area? If I plug in July 14, 2018 and mark that my check in date is flexible, will that research the Sunday and following days as well?

 

[lizap]

Given the relative small number of units there, my guess is that's it's going to be challenging even for owners to get a 1 BR there. Would have been nice of the salesperson to mention that. Of course, not gonna happen.

 

[DeniseM]

The Villa Finder on the Vistana website, are you referring to "Online Reservations" area? If I plug in July 14, 2018 and mark that my check in date is flexible, will that research the Sunday and following days as well?

Yes, the tool is called the "Villa Finder" - https://villafinder.vistana.com/search

But, the Villa Finder will not show you availability until the reservation window is open - at midnight. So tonight at midnight, you can see July 14, 2018, but nothing after that. You have to keep checking as the calendar moves forward.

In other words, tomorrow night at midnight eastern, you can check for Sunday, July 15, 2018.

Then on July 19th at midnight, you can can check for Friday, July 20, 2018.

Then on July 20th at midnight, you can can check for Saturday, July 21, 2018.

Clarification: In theory, all dates after July 14th should be available, because no one can reserve them yet. But what is happening is that there are so few one bedrooms, that you are getting beat out at the very moment the reservation window open. In other words, you have to place your reservation the second the reservation window opens at midnight with no hesitation, or someone will beat you to it.

If you are new to the process and that makes you slow, you won't get it. That is why you should practice in advance, so you can do it quickly. Also, if you have slow internet, that can slow you down so much that you can't get it either.

One more hint - if you "practice" right before midnight, log out, and then log back in to clear your previous searches - that will make you faster. And don't do any more practicing after that - just get set up for midnight.

I set my phone for midnight eastern and get all set up, and hit the search button the second my phone goes off.

 

[just4stef]

Given the relative small number of units there, my guess is that's it's going to be challenging even for owners to get a 1 BR there. Would have been nice of the salesperson to mention that. Of course, not gonna happen.

Right?! At the time, we didn't know all of the questions to ask either but it sure would have been nice for them to disclose the possible issue with reservations.

 

[just4stef]

Denise, thank you so much!!

So my plan is to plug all the info into the box "Find Your Vacation" then at midnight EST, hit "Find and Reserve". I am hoping this works tonight

 

[DeniseM]

Yes, except you can't put the 14th in until midnight - it won't accept it, but you can get the rest all set up.

 

[just4stef]

Thanks again Denise! Wish me luck

 

[DeniseM]

 

[bizaro86]

The other thing, is Nanea has flexible check in. So you can also try for a Monday, Tuesday etc check in. (Which you should still do at midnight). If that works, you could always add a few nights either Nanea or elsewhere on Maui using star points.

 

[DeniseM]

Good point - I forgot about that. Sometimes midweek airfare is cheaper too.

 

[just4stef]

Thanks for all the tips. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get anything tonight but will keep trying.

If anyone has any more tips on how to quickly get that reservation in once the window opens, please let me know

 

[DeniseM]

I would just keep trying every night going forward at midnight.

 

[just4stef]

Will do Denise...fingers crossed!

 

[farsighted99]

Will do Denise...fingers crossed!

Good luck with that; I gave up and banked my points for this year and am going with a 2-bedroom next year. Available often. I am quite annoyed with Vistana for not disclosing the fact that the unit I was buying would not be readily available to book.

Turns out that the Nanea Resort, which opened this year, is only 50% completed; and many of the 1 bedroom units are not finished, as they are the ones in back (or so I've read).

The other problem is this resort wasn't allowed to have one-bedroom lock-offs, because of parking issues (from what I've read), so that is why there aren't too many of them.

However, Westin seems to have a fairly good availability on their hotel website. I put in a request for "my unit" at Nanea for 7/13/18 for a week's stay. Available. Only $689 per night plus taxes. https://flic.kr/p/WJoyD4. Cheap, eh? Go figure.

Seems like they may be making more money on the one-bedrooms via their website than selling them as timeshares. And they have way too many 2 and 3 bedrooms. There seems to be availability for those most of the time.


If I had it to do it over again, I'd never have bought this unit. However, looks like I'm stuck with it (and so are you); so just keep in mind that the one bedroom unit at the Westin resorts next door (KORV and North) have more availability.

Still angry. If things don't improve by 2019, may try a different approach.

 

[just4stef]

Good luck with that; I gave up and banked my points for this year and am going with a 2-bedroom next year. Available often. I am quite annoyed with Vistana for not disclosing the fact that the unit I was buying would not be readily available.

Turns out that the Nanea Resort, which opened this year, is only 50% completed; and many of the 1 bedroom units are not finished, as they are the ones in back (or so I've read).

The other problem is this resort wasn't allowed to have one-bedroom lock-offs, because of parking issues (from what I've read), so that is why there aren't too many of them.

However, Westin seems to have a fairly good availability on their websites. I put in a request for "my unit" at Nanea for 7/13/18 for a week's stay. Available. Only $689 per night plus taxes. https://flic.kr/p/WJoyD4. Cheap, eh? Go figure.

Seems like they may be making more money on the one-bedrooms via their website than selling them as timeshares.


If I had it to do it over again, I'd never have bought this unit. However, looks like I'm stuck with it (and so are you); so just keep in mind that the resorts next door (KORV and North) have more availability.

Still angry. If things don't improve by 2019, may try a different approach.

I hear that it's a beautiful resort. Our friends were just there last month. They loved it so much they "traded" their 2 BR unit here in Palm Desert, California. Sounds like they upgraded/paid the difference to get StarOptions enough for a 2BR unit at Nanea...now making Nanea their Home Resort. Good move on their part with getting the 2BR unit. I did call Vistana and the rep told me that there were only (5) 1BR units completed and there will be a total of 48 1BR units when the resort is completed. So I am hoping that the issue we are facing now is only temporary and will improve as more units become available. Still, the 2 and 3 BR units will obviously be more readily available due to how many there are at this resort compared to the 1BR units. Agree, really wish that all of this was disclosed during our presentation!

 

[lizap]

Good luck with that; I gave up and banked my points for this year and am going with a 2-bedroom next year. Available often. I am quite annoyed with Vistana for not disclosing the fact that the unit I was buying would not be readily available to book.

Turns out that the Nanea Resort, which opened this year, is only 50% completed; and many of the 1 bedroom units are not finished, as they are the ones in back (or so I've read).

The other problem is this resort wasn't allowed to have one-bedroom lock-offs, because of parking issues (from what I've read), so that is why there aren't too many of them.

However, Westin seems to have a fairly good availability on their hotel website. I put in a request for "my unit" at Nanea for 7/13/18 for a week's stay. Available. Only $689 per night plus taxes. https://flic.kr/p/WJoyD4. Cheap, eh? Go figure.

Seems like they may be making more money on the one-bedrooms via their website than selling them as timeshares. And they have way too many 2 and 3 bedrooms. There seems to be availability for those most of the time.


If I had it to do it over again, I'd never have bought this unit. However, looks like I'm stuck with it (and so are you); so just keep in mind that the one bedroom unit at the Westin resorts next door (KORV and North) have more availability.

Still angry. If things don't improve by 2019, may try a different approach.

Unfortunately, I think it is always going to be very challenging to get a 1BR here. I would suggest using your SOs to book at one of the other Maui resorts. If something opens at your home resort, you can always cancel and book there.

 

[farsighted99]

I hear that it's a beautiful resort. Our friends were just there last month. They loved it so much they "traded" their 2 BR unit here in Palm Desert, California. Sounds like they upgraded/paid the difference to get StarOptions enough for a 2BR unit at Nanea...now making Nanea their Home Resort. Good move on their part with getting the 2BR unit. I did call Vistana and the rep told me that there were only (5) 1BR units completed and there will be a total of 48 1BR units when the resort is completed. So I am hoping that the issue we are facing now is only temporary and will improve as more units become available. Still, the 2 and 3 BR units will obviously be more readily available due to how many there are at this resort compared to the 1BR units. Agree, really wish that all of this was disclosed during our presentation!

Well, I hope there are 48 Units, but at the moment I'm pretty discouraged.

The other thing is we weren't told it was a "Voluntary" resort either. So when you sell the unit, the buyer can't take advantage of the StarOptions. Which makes resell of the unit almost impossible.

Yes, it's a beautiful resort, but for all the limitations I'd rather have bought somewhere else.

 

[just4stef]

Is there anything else that you can tell me about a "Voluntary" resort?

 

[farsighted99]

Unfortunately, I think it is always going to be very challenging to get a 1BR here. I would suggest using your SOs to book at one of the other Maui resorts. If something opens at your home resort, you can always cancel and book there.

I want to stay at "my" resort, not the place next door. I like the ability to stay in other places, but not every time. LOL!

 

[farsighted99]

Is there anything else that you can tell me about a "Voluntary" resort?

You don't want to know...

 

[just4stef]

You don't want to know...

Uh oh!! I'm new to Timeshares and obviously have a lot to learn.

 

[farsighted99]

Uh oh!! I'm new to Timeshares and obviously have a lot to learn.

Go to #9

http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?...-to-timesharing-or-starwood-start-here.63224/

 

[lizap]

I want to stay at "my" resort, not the place next door. I like the ability to stay in other places, but not every time. LOL!

Completely understand. If you want to go next year and you can't get a 1 BR, then your choice is to stay at another resort OR
bank points and reserve a 2 BR for the following year OR borrow points (which requires paying next years MFs) and reserve a 2 BR.