# Just purchased Harborside, need advice please!



## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

We just purchased a 1bdrm premium from Harborside in the platinum season.  It was a resale purchase and it sounds like it will take about three months for it to close (assuming there are no problems).  We originally purchased from the developer while at Atlantis but decided to rescind once I found this site!  Thank you to all the TUG members for the knowledge available here!

Our first availabe use is for 2008.  The real estate agent said she (Jodi Lynn Mills from Rii Stroman, who has been great to deal with so far) would submit our request for us while the deal closes.  

We would like to resere a week in May (which is in the Gold season).  Am I correct in thinking that we are not able to reserve in the Gold season yet because it is not 8 months prior?  

Should we reserve a week in the platinum season now?  Can we then change it to a gold week?  Or should we wait until 8 months prior (September?) to book the gold week?  If we do get a gold week what can we do with the left over points?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Dino


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## mariawolf (Jun 19, 2007)

Back to what everyone has said==buy in the season you want to go==I hope you didn't buy Platinum to use at lower season.  
That being said at 8 months you can reserve in another season but again realize you will be competing with all others in the SVO system. I would reserve what you can and then call at 8 months--I may be wrong but I think the worst that will happen is that you will have to pay the $29 change reservation fee which I hear they don't always charge.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks for the reply.  

No we did not buy platinum to use in a lower season.  We will be vacationing in the platinum season most of the time.  Before purchasing the harborside week we had already made plans for a vacation in the beginning 0f 2008 which is why we are looking to book Harborside next year for May or June.

I wasn't sure if we were able to change the week so I will book something now and try and change 8 months prior, thanks!

If I do get a gold week, can I do anything with the extra points?


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## Transit (Jun 19, 2007)

May and June are doable if you call 8 months out.Memorial day is hard and late june is hard.Good luck and congrats.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks Transit.  So do you suggest that I book a week in plaitnum now and then change it 8 months out?


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## mariawolf (Jun 19, 2007)

maybe try for extra days for those extra points but I think you can only do that a few months--maybe even just 30 days in advance--I realize that might cause problems due to plane reservations but you might check that out--or do last minute somewhere else when you can also book less than a week--your agent should be able to give you more details or call Starwood--since you are not on the books yet don't know how helpful they will be.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

mariawolf said:


> maybe try for extra days for those extra points but I think you can only do that a few months--maybe even just 30 days in advance--I realize that might cause problems due to plane reservations but you might check that out--or do last minute somewhere else when you can also book less than a week--your agent should be able to give you more details or call Starwood--since you are not on the books yet don't know how helpful they will be.



Thanks, that's a good suggestion, it's funny I didn't think the loss of starpoints from buying resale would be a factor but I guess this is one instance where it would be helpful.  Hopefully I won't have extra points too often and it won't matter.  From what I've read so far it doesn't sound like it is worth banking into II or is that not even an option because it is not a full week?

I might give Starwood a call to see how receptive they are to soon to be owners.


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## stevens397 (Jun 19, 2007)

I think you're confusing Starpoints with Staroptions.  You will have extra options (the timeshare trade medium) because of renting a lower season.  That would be the same no matter who you bought from.  

This is not a case where Starpoints matters at all.  You can use the balance of the options to book another week at a "cheaper" resort or, as was posted, wait until 30 days before and see if you can grab an extra few days at either end of the vacation.  If you get lucky, then see if you can get the flights changed and what the cost will be.  But really, that's all gravy!  you bought for the long haul and you bought in the season you wanted.  If you have to blow some options this year, so be it.


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## DeniseM (Jun 19, 2007)

dinop said:


> Thanks, that's a good suggestion, it's funny I didn't think the loss of starpoints from buying resale would be a factor but I guess this is one instance where it would be helpful.  Hopefully I won't have extra points too often and it won't matter.  From what I've read so far it doesn't sound like it is worth banking into II or is that not even an option because it is not a full week?
> 
> I might give Starwood a call to see how receptive they are to soon to be owners.



Star points = hotel points (if you buy from the developer you can convert your week to Starpoints)

Star options = the exchange value of your resort in the SVN system only

As a resale buyer, you won't be eligible to convert your week to Starpoints.  You can only deposit your whole week with II - not just a portion of it.  StarOptions cannot be deposited with II.  

However, this is a very popular resort and I would never deposit it with II or any other exchange company - you can get far more value out of renting it.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

stevens397 said:


> I think you're confusing Starpoints with Staroptions.  You will have extra options (the timeshare trade medium) because of renting a lower season.  That would be the same no matter who you bought from.
> 
> This is not a case where Starpoints matters at all.  You can use the balance of the options to book another week at a "cheaper" resort or, as was posted, wait until 30 days before and see if you can grab an extra few days at either end of the vacation.  If you get lucky, then see if you can get the flights changed and what the cost will be.  But really, that's all gravy!  you bought for the long haul and you bought in the season you wanted.  If you have to blow some options this year, so be it.



Thanks!  I didn't think I was confusing points with options but confused about which and how many can be converted or banked or  but I think I have it straight (maybe semi straight  ) now.

Regarding it being gravy, I agree.  Just getting my feet wet with the process.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> Star points = hotel points (if you buy from the developer you can convert your week to Starpoints)
> 
> Star options = the exchange value of your resort in the SVN system only
> 
> ...



Thanks Denise that is good to know.

Last question, can extra options only be used for extra days added to your week and a full week at another resort or can you do partial weeks at either the home resort or elsewhere.  In other words can you book for less than a week anywhere?


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## DeniseM (Jun 19, 2007)

dinop said:


> Thanks Denise that is good to know.
> 
> Last question, can extra options only be used for extra days added to your week and a full week at another resort or can you do partial weeks at either the home resort or elsewhere.  In other words can you book for less than a week anywhere?



Yes - but not at 8 mos. or 12 mos.  You can only reserve less than a week at 3 mos. out.

I'm thinking there is also a way to add extra days to a reserved week, at an earlier date, but I haven't done it before.  I'm sure someone else knows.


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## DeniseM (Jun 19, 2007)

stevens397 said:


> IYou can use the balance of the options to book another week at a "cheaper" resort or, as was posted, wait until 30 days before and see if you can grab an extra few days at either end of the vacation.  If you get lucky, then see if you can get the flights changed and what the cost will be.  But really, that's all gravy!  you bought for the long haul and you bought in the season you wanted.  If you have to blow some options this year, so be it.



I could be confused, but isn't it 3 mos. out?  (That's what I see in the big book of TUG, anyway.)

*3 mos - Make reservations using StarOptions for weekly or daily stays in any season and any unit type.

*


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> Yes - but not at 8 mos. or 12 mos.  You can only reserve less than a week at 3 mos. out.



Thanks for all the info.


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## dinop (Jun 19, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> I could be confused, but isn't it 3 mos. out?  (That's what I see in the big book of TUG, anyway.)
> 
> *3 mos - Make reservations using StarOptions for weekly or daily stays in any season and any unit type.
> 
> *



I just called Starwood mainly to see if they would give any info without being in the system as an owner.  She didn't seem to have a problem with providing info but did say she couldn't talk specifics. 

I asked when partial weeks or additional days to the reserved week can be reserved and she confirmed that it is 3 months or less.


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## KITKAT1 (Jun 20, 2007)

When we purchased a resale at Harborside (August) we had the sellers book our reservation in our name for the dates we wanted.  When the sale was completed (March), then we could add the crib.  Starwood would not give direct info until all the their paperwork was completed.


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## iluvwdw (Jun 29, 2007)

dinop said:


> I just called Starwood mainly to see if they would give any info without being in the system as an owner.  She didn't seem to have a problem with providing info but did say she couldn't talk specifics.
> 
> I asked when partial weeks or additional days to the reserved week can be reserved and she confirmed that it is 3 months or less.



At 8 months, you can make reservations for 7 nights or longer.  Each trip I have taken to Atlantis, I have stayed 8 or 9 nights and I booked it at 8 months.  I DID NOT have to wait until 90 days prior to add those additional days.  If you book LESS than 7 nights, then you will have to wait until 90 days before check in to book.


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