[2008] SVN invites for Sheraton Vistana Resort Phases

I purchased a 2 bedroom 2 Bath Fountains phase unit last year and after paying for the reburbishment was invited to join SVN with that week.

Both Fountains and Fountains II was invited to join SVN this past year and earn StarOptions beginning in 2009. They join the Lakes and Cascades phases as the only other phases of the resort that will be part of SVN for 2009.

I have heard rumors that Spas, Palms, Courts, etc. will also be invited to join SVN after the renovations have been completed.

Does anyone know if resale purchasers of Cascades or Lakes will also be invited to join SVN following the completion of these assessments and renovations? (I realize that these were originally Starwood developed phases so they may not be willing to offer the resale purchasers invitation into the network?

I don't follow this as closely as those who are requalifying, but my understanding is that only current owners are being invited to join SVN and people that buy after a certain date (already past) won't be eligible.

Resale Week Invitation into SVN

I've talked with a number of reps in both owner services and in the sales office and I think I can clear up some of the confusion around invitations to join SVN.

1. There was a special invitation given to resale purchase owners of the Sheraton Vistana Fountains and Fountains II phases as well as the Vistana Beach Club to join SVN. The purchase had to be made prior to December 31, 2007 and had to be recorded with Starwood by March 31, 2008. All of these owners were originally given unitl October 31st to join and get StarOptions/ Starpoint value for their resort and the $599 SVN fee would be waived.

2. There was a separate promotion that covered pretty much all of the other "voluntary resorts" (including the Vistana Cascades and Lakes) in which owners who purchased from the developer (not available to resale owners) could join SVN and the $599 fee would be waived. This promotion was also to end as of October 31, 2008 but was later extended to October 13, 2008. Not quite as a big of deal because all of these non re-sale owners were always eligible to join SVN all this promotion did was waive the $599 fee.

3. There have been no other promotions offered to re-sale purchases to join SVN. There is speculation that Courts, Falls, Spas, and Springs resort owners will be offered the opportunity to join SVN sometime in 2009 for 2010 use because of the assessments paid. (Basically, similar to the inviation that was extended to Fountains and Fountains II owners in 2008). Of course, SVO would neither confirm nor deny whether or not owners of Cascades or Lakes (i.e. resale owners) would be given this invitation, especially because Cascades and Lakes were already part of SVN anyway. One can only hold on and see that they might or might not offer to re-sale owners in Vistana that are paying rather large assessments for the refurbishment. Good luck.

If anyone has had actual experience contrary to what I've been told and assimilated from a number of sources please let us know.

Regarding mclay's item 3 (above), in a rare departure from its character, Starwood Management HAS actually informed someone about this, just not US here on TUG and not on the SVO website for owners (www.mystarcentral.com) designed primarily to disseminate information like this.

According to the Redweek report, all VR resale purchasers of all phases except Lakes and Cascades who closed the deal before January 1, 2008 will eventually be allowed to join SVN. Cascades and Lakes resale purchasers (at any time) and anyone who closed on any other VR phase on or after January 1, 2008 are SOL.

-nodge

And guess who is paying those $1500-$1800 special assessments at Spas, Falls, Springs, Courts...?

Yup, owners of 2008 and 2009 weeks! Way to thank the owners, Starwood. Once again showing how much they care about us.

Katherine

I simply can not believe that SVN will keep a 12/31/07 purchase deadline for the other sections at SVR that have yet to be invited into the program. It's my impression that they will say anything to entice prospective buyers to purchase direct, and saying anything to the contrary about the other sections at this time may impact current sales.

Ken555 said:

I simply can not believe that SVN will keep a 12/31/07 purchase deadline for the other sections at SVR that have yet to be invited into the program. It's my impression that they will say anything to entice prospective buyers to purchase direct, and saying anything to the contrary about the other sections at this time may impact current sales.

Click to expand...

Ken - one of our more astute owners has documented this fact with Starwood...

Not that it couldn't change, and change again, and again......

Denise,

do you have more details about that getting the end 2007 cutoff also for the other sections (Springs, Falls, Spas, palms, Courts) documented?

Or is it only the "letter" sent to redweek?

abdibile said:

Denise,

do you have more details about that getting the end 2007 cutoff also for the other sections (Springs, Falls, Spas, palms, Courts) documented?

Or is it only the "letter" sent to redweek?

Click to expand...

What is redweek ?

www.redweek.com - an advertising site

Actually while I had always been eligible to join SVN since 2000 or so, I was never informed by letter or email about the $599 fee being waived back in 2007/2008. I remember back in 2000, it was less than $599 to join, something like $99.

Joining SVN

I have been owner of Vistana Fountains for nearly fifteen years. Bought resale back then. Can I still join SVN at this late date? What would it cost me and what are the benefits, aside from the 77000 or 81000 Star Options

No - those were very limited time offers. Now, you'd have to buy a developer week, to requalify your resale.