Thinking about buying…[ Westin Ka'anapali ]

[WahooWah]

Oh that’s good to know! So if we bought there we could still come to Maui if we had enough points?

This is bad advice. If you want to stay in Maui, owning Maui is better with the 12-8 month advance reservation priority. I don't know why people feel the need to keep pushing Kierland on this site when it is not remotely the same product. I also don't understand why people who are envious or maybe had a bad experience need to throw shade on owning resales in Maui. It's an awesome product. I have seven weeks at the Westin properties. I could not possibly do the things I do with my ownership by using loyalty points or by using an off island mandatory property.

 

[Ken555]

Sorry I thought that's what I saw on a Redweek listing but need my eyes testing. Looks like closer to $2k is more the norm but likewise it seems I overquoted WKORVN which are closer to 3.5K so the ratio I stated is roughly accurate

Yeah, but that’s just rationalizing bad info. We should all try to validate our info, especially when it’s something kinda sorta important like MFs which can be objectively verified in a short time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ken555]

BTW, we just got rid of TS contract today. Lesson learned.

Welcome to TUG. Too bad you didn’t participate here before determining how to proceed with your ownership.

I travel often and stay in hotels and timeshares. They each have their place, but certainly staying in Maui or elsewhere for weeks at a time in a hotel is not for me or anyone I know…while we can do that in a timeshare with pleasure. Perspective.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Yeah, but that’s just rationalizing bad info. We should all try to validate our info, especially when it’s something kinda sorta important like MFs which can be objectively verified in a short time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I guess apologizing for making a mistake is not sufficient for you so I'm just off into the garden to nail myself to a cross. I'll be back on Sunday.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I would recommend you do not get involved into TS, even in the resale market. Our family just spent 10 days trip to Hawaii, with 5 night in Hilton ( package deal) and 4 nights with Marriott ( all free with points we collected on Marriott credit card) . We believe just by playing hotel credit cards ( most of them also associated with airlines) , is enough to get what we want, even better than TS. TS involves paying MS constantly and the provider holds the power to increase MS

No need TS, retail market either, except you really looking into rooms with kitchen and laundry. Otherwise, get few hotel credit cards, so you can earn points both through paying hotel and airlines, which enough to give you free nights every year. This is how our family played for past 2 years.

By doing that, you are free to MS, no need to worry about cancel membership. And can adjust your lifestyle with different financial circumstances easily.

BTW, we just got rid of TS contract today. Lesson learned.

Good luck with that strategy. Hotel and credit card points are devaluing like a rock in water. How many points did it take to get this 'free" vacay if I may ask? Also what room size and view? You must not mind hotel rooms without oceanfront views and be very flexible to play the hotel points game. IMHO...I have given up on using Bonvoy points and FNCs for anything other than free night upgrades and airport positioning stays because aspirational domestic hotels are at nosebleed points prices.

Apples and oranges to timeshares where owning will get you the room size and view you paid for.

If you rent, you will pay a hefty premium over MF. There is no free lunch.

 

[Ken555]

I guess apologizing for making a mistake is not sufficient for you so I'm just off into the garden to nail myself to a cross. I'll be back on Sunday.

Good. Then in your next life you’ll do your research first, right?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[easyrider]

I guess apologizing for making a mistake is not sufficient for you so I'm just off into the garden to nail myself to a cross. I'll be back on Sunday.

We were doing the reward card travel too. The Marriott Bonvoy AMEX worked out pretty good. The Hilton AMEX did as well. We made 11 reservations with the Marriott. Two of them were certificates to nicer properties. We used the Marriott Bonvoy Amex points for a couple of road trips. In the distant past we were using a Marriott Visa that gave us Courtyard Certificates and rewards for certain purchases. We ended up with 28 certificates. The Hilton Honors points were used mostly for airport hotel stays going to our timeshares. Absolutely free stays when using the cards to meet the minimum terms.

I must be Roman. I would rather nail than to be nailed, lol. Have a nice Easter !!!

Bill

 

[easyrider]

Good. Then in your next life you’ll do your research first, right?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Knock it off already. Your point was made long ago.

Bill

 

[AnneJe]

Good luck with that strategy. Hotel and credit card points are devaluing like a rock in water. How many points did it take to get this 'free" vacay if I may ask? Also what room size and view? You must not mind hotel rooms without oceanfront views and be very flexible to play the hotel points game. IMHO...I have given up on using Bonvoy points and FNCs for anything other than free night upgrades and airport positioning stays because aspirational domestic hotels are at nosebleed points prices.

Apples and oranges to timeshares where owning will get you the room size and view you paid for.

If you rent, you will pay a hefty premium over MF. There is no free lunch.

Guess you are very successful in your life! No loans to pay every month, have savings to prepare bad situations in the life. TS is a luxury product, not suitable for everyone.

 

[tstiv1996]

My husband and I just sat through the Westin Ocean Villas Kaanapali presentation. We are interested in getting a timeshare but I know we can get better deals on the resale market. When I look at postings for this resort on the resale market it seems like the system works a little differently than how they explained it to us. Starpoints vs. club points vs. bonvoy points. If we buy a resale for this resort will we have the ability to exchange points to use at different hotels or resorts? I just don’t want to be locked into one resort every year. Do we lose benefits by not buying from Westin?

As someone who went through this same decision 3 years ago, I figured id toss in my two cents and maybe test my knowledge on how things have changed since, so I welcome feedback...

If you buy Resale Mandatory (WKORV south and north, SVV Bella and Key West, WKV for example) You will get Staroptions only. As I understand it, you are no longer eligible for Abound via mandatory resales, therefore no club points, and you never were eligible for Bonvoy Points. Having staroptions mean you can rent your home resort and room 12 Months out, and you can reserve any other VISTANA resort 8 months out.

If you you buy direct from Westin/Abound Direct, you get all the perks above. This is over simplifying, but to me, it's what was important.

If you want to guarantee Maui, in the same room, with a nice view, every year... buy Maui as others have said. If you want to go to other resorts more often than Maui, I would not buy maui, this is the most expensive way to do so.

If you are flexible, want to bounce around Vistana, save little money and care a little less about room type and view, buy WKV or SVV. I have SVV-Bella, and I have only ever used it to book Maui. If you book your reservation right at 8 months at midnight, you'll most likely get at least the room type you want in maui (unless its xmas week or something) but the view is anything but guaranteed.you could have island view, ocean view, parking lot, but again, you'll likely get the Room type between the 3 resorts that are there (2br, 1br, stu)

In summary, I think it's key to understand the risks, and weigh that with what you're paying for (like anything else). I chose to save money and take the risk of not getting exactly everything perfect in maui. Cash value, Im up quite a bit on how much I've paid up front + maintenance fees versus what I would have paid for 14 nights in Maui and it's only been 2 years. It's worked for me so far, it may not work for everyone. Do what's best for you. Happy Traveling!

 

[Ken555]

If you book your reservation right at 8 months at midnight, you'll most likely get at least the room type you want in maui (unless its xmas week or something) but the view is anything but guaranteed.you could have island view, ocean view, parking lot, but again, you'll likely get the Room type between the 3 resorts that are there (2br, 1br, stu)

You will now see if you are booking OV, OF, or IV during the reservation process so it’s no longer a question about what view you will have upon arrival.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[rickandcindy23]

This is a I would recommend you do not get involved into TS, even in the resale market. Our family just spent 10 days trip to Hawaii, with 5 night in Hilton ( package deal) and 4 nights with Marriott ( all free with points we collected on Marriott credit card) . We believe just by playing hotel credit cards ( most of them also associated with airlines) , is enough to get what we want, even better than TS. TS involves paying MS constantly and the provider holds the power to increase MS

No need TS, retail market either, except you really looking into rooms with kitchen and laundry. Otherwise, get few hotel credit cards, so you can earn points both through paying hotel and airlines, which enough to give you free nights every year. This is how our family played for past 2 years.

By doing that, you are free to MS, no need to worry about cancel membership. And can adjust your lifestyle with different financial circumstances easily.

BTW, we just got rid of TS contract today. Lesson learned.

This is a BBS devoted to timeshares. We stayed on Maui for nearly six weeks. How many points would that take for a hotel room? We need a kitchen. We love our Westin OFC units.

There are ways to stay free in your owned timeshares without collecting credit card points (like rent the studio for the MF's and stay in the one bedroom side of the lockoff).

 

[pspercy]

Slightly OT but I don't want to start another thread,

Curious what is the difference between WKORVs and Nanea ?

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

This is a BBS devoted to timeshares. We stayed on Maui for nearly six weeks. How many points would that take for a hotel room? We need a kitchen. We love our Westin OFC units.

There are ways to stay free in your owned timeshares without collecting credit card points (like rent the studio for the MF's and stay in the one bedroom side of the lockoff).

We use hotel points often to add on to our timeshare weeks and to add units when bringing multiple families with us. You can use hotel points at most of the timeshares so it works out well. Usually though it's difficult to find 2 bedrooms with hotel points. I like the flexibility of both. We typically stay in Maui for 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Slightly OT but I don't want to start another thread,

Curious what is the difference between WKORVs and Nanea ?

The main ones I can think of are that WKORV/N are Mandatory Resorts but Nanea is Voluntary and the 2BR villas at WKORV/N are "lock offs" whilst the 2BR and 3BR at Nanea are not.

For a definition of Mandatory v Voluntary see https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/s...-to-timesharing-or-starwood-start-here.63224/

 

[Hindsite]

You can use hotel points at most of the timeshares so it works out well.

Not so easy in Europe. Its easier to get Club points bookings than Bonvoy bookings most of the time, which tells you have difficult Bonvoy booking is

 

[daviator]

The main ones I can think of are that WKORV/N are Mandatory Resorts but Nanea is Voluntary and the 2BR villas at WKORV/N are "lock offs" whilst the 2BR and 3BR at Nanea are not.

For a definition of Mandatory v Voluntary see https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/s...-to-timesharing-or-starwood-start-here.63224/

Also, WKORV and WKORVN are essentially operated as one property, and guests at one have full use of facilities at the other. Nanea is fully separate and, at least officially, the facilities of WKORV/WKORVN are not available to Nanea guests and vice versa.

Maui no longer allows lockoff properties to be built which is why Nanea does not have lockoff units.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I love Nanea for exchanging in. I see a time when it will become difficult to get those units via exchange. I wouldn't count on it for much longer, but it's been pretty easy up to now. I have noticed a drop in trading power.

The south units are bigger, by far, than the north units. I was surprised to see the size of the one bedroom when compared to our south one bedroom. Funny that we have stayed many times at north via exchange, but south is definitely bigger. I see the size in the master bedroom closet and the living/ dining areas. I do like the shower at south better because it has a bench, while north did not.

 

[Red elephant]

Slightly OT but I don't want to start another thread,

Curious what is the difference between WKORVs and Nanea ?

Another difference as an owner at Nanea is that you use homeoptions to book therefore when it’s just the 2 of us which is most of the time I book a one bedroom for 2 weeks. BTW there is not as many 1 bedrooms but I have not have any issues booking it. With the other 2 resorts you book a studio and one bedroom as they are lock-offs .

 

[pspercy]

Another difference as an owner at Nanea is that you use homeoptions to book therefore when it’s just the 2 of us which is most of the time I book a one bedroom for 2 weeks. BTW there is not as many 1 bedrooms but I have not have any issues booking it. With the other 2 resorts you book a studio and one bedroom as they are lock-offs .

Thanks all for the info on WKORVs and Nanea. I should have mentioned I was asking as an outsider to that system, looking to stay using Marriott DC points.
So, I just booked our MOC OV ok then added a Nanea week, the only option being “Resort view”. Both WKORVs were full.
Thanks again.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Thanks all for the info on WKORVs and Nanea. I should have mentioned I was asking as an outsider to that system, looking to stay using Marriott DC points.
So, I just booked our MOC OV ok then added a Nanea week, the only option being “Resort view”. Both WKORVs were full.
Thanks again.

Just FYI, there are some Resort Views (~15%) at Nanea that are actually facing the multi-story parking structure. Hopefully you won't get one of those.

 

[pspercy]

Well, thanks for that (I think) !
Just have to see what I get, hopefully my Marriott status (?) will at least avoid that, who knows.