# SVO "Own Resort" Preference other than 12 mos window?



## RLG (Mar 30, 2007)

I'my trying to understand what kind of preference SVO resorts give to those who own at a particular resort versus those trading in using staroptions.

My understanding is that the *only* advantage provided to owners is that during the 12-8 month period, only owners can book their own size unit for their own season.  Is this correct?

Some specifics:

Does an owner who wants to book,  at his own resort, a different season or unit than he owns, have to wait until the 8 month date and use his staroptions in competition with owners of other SVO resorts?

Do owners of non-requalified resales at voluntary resorts have flexibility to book different seasons or unit types at their own resort, or is this treated the same as using staroptions at other resorts and therefore not allowed?

Is there an owner preference in assigning units at checkin?  Is it different if the reservation was made using the owner's staroptions versus booking the exact unit owned.

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 30, 2007)

RLG said:


> I'my trying to understand what kind of preference SVO resorts give to those who own at a particular resort versus those trading in using staroptions.
> 
> My understanding is that the *only* advantage provided to owners is that during the 12-8 month period, only owners can book their own size unit for their own season.  Is this correct?


There are actually three variables... Season, view and room type.
Yes, the *only* advantage of owning at the resort is the 12-8 month window, but that's a HUGE advantage.

During this window, you may only book YOUR season, YOUR view and whatever size room(s) YOU own.  If you have 2BR LO, you could book the studio, the one bedroom or the whole thing... but only in the season and view you own.



RLG said:


> Some specifics:
> 
> Does an owner who wants to book,  at his own resort, a different season or unit than he owns, have to wait until the 8 month date and use his staroptions in competition with owners of other SVO resorts?


Yes.



RLG said:


> Do owners of non-requalified resales at voluntary resorts have flexibility to book different seasons or unit types at their own resort, or is this treated the same as using staroptions at other resorts and therefore not allowed?


There are no booking penalties at your home resort just because it wasn't purchased from Starwood.  The booking windows are the same for you.



RLG said:


> Is there an owner preference in assigning units at checkin?  Is it different if the reservation was made using the owner's staroptions versus booking the exact unit owned.


Time stamp is EVERYTHING!  The timestamp on your reservation dictates the pecking order for room location.  Even 5 Star Elite doesn't trump time stamp.

If you wait until after the 12-8 month window, not only do you risk no availability (high demand weeks tend to book solid way before 8 months), your timestamp will be behind all the owners that booked already.


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## BradC (Mar 30, 2007)

RLG said:


> Does an owner who wants to book,  at his own resort, a different season or unit than he owns, have to wait until the 8 month date and use his staroptions in competition with owners of other SVO resorts?


Yes, you would use StarOptions for a different unit or season at your home resort.  You're competing with other owners (including owners at other resorts) when using StarOptions at the 8 month period.



RLG said:


> Do owners of non-requalified resales at voluntary resorts have flexibility to book different seasons or unit types at their own resort, or is this treated the same as using staroptions at other resorts and therefore not allowed?


My understanding is it's not allowed.



RLG said:


> Is there an owner preference in assigning units at checkin?  Is it different if the reservation was made using the owner's staroptions versus booking the exact unit owned.


Supposedly, it's all about the timestamp of the reservation, so owner's who book in that 12-8 month advance period would have priority for their special requests.  That said, it sounds to me like WKORV is the only current resort where people seem to _really_ care about the unit location.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 30, 2007)

Ha-ha!     Beat you by two minutes!


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## DavidnRobin (Mar 30, 2007)

BradC said:


> That said, it sounds to me like WKORV is the only current resort where people seem to _really_ care about the unit location.



Probably because there are so many bad unit locations.

If you are up against a Platinum WKORV owner - who do you think will get the highest floor request (regardless of timestamp...)?


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## KOR5Star (Mar 30, 2007)

DavidnRobin said:


> Probably because there are so many bad unit locations.
> 
> If you are up against a Platinum WKORV owner - who do you think will get the highest floor request (regardless of timestamp...)?


I know! I know! Pick me!  

I had a talk with the manager in charge of inventory at WKORV when I was buying and becoming a 5 Star.  It didn't sound right that I would be pushed ahead of all the non-5 Star owners, regardless of timestamp, so we asked if the inventory manager was available.  He was more than happy to sit down and discuss the way things work.

Sure enough, 5 Star *does not* trump timestamp.  You can call Maui right now and ask them.  It's still the business day on Maui.

I happen to think that's exactly as it should be.  I'd hate it if someone were able to so easily displace me on the food chain.

Time stamp rules... regardless if you own 1 week or 10 weeks.

BTW, you'll get a different story, depending on the day, from Orlando.  They simply don't know.  Nobody in Orlando has anything to do with placing you in a particular room. You need to call the person in control of inventory at the actual resort.


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## Transit (Mar 30, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> .
> 
> BTW, you'll get a different story, depending on the day, from Orlando.  They simply don't know.  Nobody in Orlando has anything to do with placing you in a particular room. You need to call the person in control of inventory at the actual resort.



Orlando is different in that there are really no bad veiws just personal preferance.


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## RLG (Mar 30, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> Sure enough, 5 Star *does not* trump timestamp.



If 5 star doesn't trump time stamp, what does 5 star do for you?  How could there ever be a timestamp tie?

Is this just an illusory benefit?


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## Denise L (Mar 30, 2007)

RLG said:


> If 5 star doesn't trump time stamp, what does 5 star do for you?  How could there ever be a timestamp tie?
> 
> Is this just an illusory benefit?



5 star gives you other benefits: waitlist, upgrades, waiving of certain fees, hotel benefits, etc.  There is a list somewhere...


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## RLG (Mar 30, 2007)

RLG said:


> If 5 star doesn't trump time stamp, what does 5 star do for you?  How could there ever be a timestamp tie?
> 
> Is this just an illusory benefit?
> 
> ...



Sorry, I should have been clearer.  

I've read the description of the "elite" benefits.  One of these is "villa upgrades".  People in this thread are claiming "good" units are given out solely based on reservation timestamp.  If that's the case, how does being "elite" provide any advantage?


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## KOR5Star (Mar 30, 2007)

Transit said:


> Orlando is different in that there are really no bad veiws just personal preferance.


I didn't mean Vistana.  I meant the corporate office... SVN central phones.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 30, 2007)

RLG said:


> If 5 star doesn't trump time stamp, what does 5 star do for you?  How could there ever be a timestamp tie?
> 
> Is this just an illusory benefit?


I was there a few weeks ago and got upgraded from a Studio to a 1BR.  That was fun.  The 1BR was in building 2, 2nd floor, facing WKORVN, and in the half of the building closest to the ocean.  We had a decent view of the ocean through the trees.

If someone bought 5 Star because they thought they were going to trump everyone and get the best views all the time, they're gonna be very dissappointed.

Other benefits are we don't pay the $130-something fee (per unit) everyone pays for SVN.  We don't pay the $99 for conversion to Starpoints.  My wife gets to be Platinum in SPG (I'm already Platinum through biz travel).  We can convert to Starpoints every year.  We can waitlist and hold reservations at the same time.
Etc...


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## DeniseM (Mar 31, 2007)

RLG said:


> Sorry, I should have been clearer.
> 
> I've read the description of the "elite" benefits.  One of these is "villa upgrades".  People in this thread are claiming "good" units are given out solely based on reservation timestamp.  If that's the case, how does being "elite" provide any advantage?



An owner is only entitled to the size unit they own and the view they own.  However, all the ocean view units are not created equal, so if I am the first caller at 12 mos. out, I will probably get a higher floor, and closer to the beach, than the owner who makes their Resv. at 9 mos. out.  But I'm unlikely to be upgraded to ocean front, or a bigger unit, because those are elite perks.

However, a 5 Star Elite gets automatic upgrades to a better unit, if available, so an elite owner may get upgraded from a studio to a one bdm. or from ocean view to ocean front.  That's the advantage.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 31, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> An owner is only entitled to the size unit they own and the view they own.  However, all the ocean view units are not created equal, so if I am the first caller at 12 mos. out, I will probably get a higher floor, and closer to the beach, than the owner who makes their Resv. at 9 mos. out.  But I'm unlikely to be upgraded to ocean front, or a bigger unit, because those are elite perks.
> 
> However, a 5 Star Elite gets automatic upgrades to a better unit, if available, so an elite owner may get upgraded from a studio to a one bdm. or from ocean view to ocean front.  That's the advantage.


All true, but that upgrade doesn't automatically happen at time of reservation.  It supposedly happens at 60 days prior to the arrival date for 5 Stars, so if the place is completely booked, there is no upgrade.  Getting an upgrade during a high demand week is nearly impossible, if not downright impossible.

BTW, 4 Stars also get upgrades 60 days before arrival.  3 Stars get them 30 days before arrival.  If a 4 Star makes their reservation after a 3 Star already got their upgrade, the 3 Star gets bumped.  And a 5 Star will bump a 4 Star.  That's why it's difficult to confirm you got an upgrade before you show up.


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## Cathyb (Mar 31, 2007)

Wow, reading this thread makes me so happy I own at The Whaler down the road from WKORV where you own outright the white water view unit and July 4 week -- no hassle, no elite status needed, no getting up at 6AM to reserve next year.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 31, 2007)

Cathyb said:


> Wow, reading this thread makes me so happy I own at The Whaler down the road from WKORV where you own outright the white water view unit and July 4 week -- no hassle, no elite status needed, no getting up at 6AM to reserve next year.


I think you're making an error in your assumptions.  

Many of us own vacation homes which we use in the Summer... at places where there are no options for timeshare or great resorts.  Mine is in East Hampton Village... with guest house for our company.  We also own timeshare on Maui.  In fact, I use my timeshare as another vacation home, but with ultimate flexibility.  I can go to Maui for several months and relax in a place with all the amenities of a 5 star resort with on-site spa , or I can have as many friends and family visit me as I desire.  Family and close friends come as my guest.  Others... I make them rent.   The important part is they are with me in rooms I neither furnish nor clean. :whoopie:

Owning real estate in West Maui is not owning just happy vacation time in Maui.  It's an investment and a liability for you.  Unless you're local, you are required to have a property manager, which probably takes about a third of your earnings.  In the end, he's making more money off your investment than you are.  

You have the responsibility of furnishing and the liability of renting.  If you're priced right, you're probably occupied about two thirds of the year... more if your rent is too cheap, less if your rent is too expensive.  But you're probably using it during the good renting season, otherwise you are compromising on when you visit Maui.  

You've got the stress of being concerned if it rents or not.  You've got the liability of someone getting hurt in your condo and suing you.  You've also got the maintanence fees PLUS the need to completely renovate your own place when it's time.

For me, Maui represents a hassle free, concern free existance.  Because I own so many weeks, it's also very easy to make reservations.  I call up at 9AM one day and say I want to book, say.... six weeks.  I only make the one phone call.  The rest of weeks are automagically booked by the internal elite service when it comes time... guarenteeing me great timestamps.  I have never yet been moved from my unit and the inventory manager claims that is considered the ultimate no-no.  They'll only move people that change room types during their stay.

So, I'm glad to see you're happy with your condo, but you can keep all the baggage that goes with it.  I'm too stressed out from the rest of my life to confuse my vacation spots with my investments.


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## DeniseM (Mar 31, 2007)

Cathyb said:


> Wow, reading this thread makes me so happy I own at The Whaler down the road from WKORV where you own outright the white water view unit and July 4 week -- no hassle, no elite status needed, no getting up at 6AM to reserve next year.



Cathy - You own a timeshare here, not outright condo ownership, right?


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## KOR5Star (Mar 31, 2007)

I didn't realize The Whaler had turned to timeshare.  Back in 2003, before we purchased our weeks of timeshare, we had looked at owning a condo, but it just didn't make sense for us, due to my reasons already outlined.  We looked at the Whaler.  I was fee simple condos at that time... full year ownership... normal real estate investment.  Hence my answer above.  I'd be surprised if it converted to timeshare.

Or perhaps there are two "Whalers".  I'm talking about "The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach".  Just checked on-line.  Listings for fee simple condo (all year, normal real estate) purchases currently range from $600K to $4M.


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## DeniseM (Mar 31, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> I didn't realize The Whaler had turned to timeshare.  Back in 2003, before we purchased our weeks of timeshare, we had looked at owning a condo, but it just didn't make sense for us, due to my reasons already outlined.  We looked at the Whaler.  I was fee simple condos at that time... full year ownership... normal real estate investment.  Hence my answer above.  I'd be surprised if it converted to timeshare.



I think you're making an error in your assumptions.  

It has BOTH privately owned condos and timeshare units -
TUG Reviews Whaler


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## BradC (Mar 31, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> Ha-ha!     Beat you by two minutes!


No biggy.  I'm usually much more than two minutes too late.


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## KOR5Star (Mar 31, 2007)

DeniseM said:


> I think you're making an error in your assumptions.
> 
> It has BOTH privately owned condos and timeshare units -
> TUG Reviews Whaler


Well I'll be... it's a candy *AND* a gum!   

I've never ever heard of that.

In the immortal words of Gilda Radner as Roseanne Roseannadanna, "Never mind". 

I completely misinterpreted Cathb's post.  So sorry.


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## DeniseM (Mar 31, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> Well I'll be... it's a candy *AND* a gum!
> 
> I've never ever heard of that.
> 
> ...



Actually, it's real common to have resorts that are part condo - part timeshare, and sometimes several different management companies involved.  It can be confusing.


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## Ken555 (Mar 31, 2007)

KOR5Star said:


> Other benefits are we don't pay the $130-something fee (per unit) everyone pays for SVN.



I believe it's $99 for the first unit, $30 for the second, and no charge for any additional. So, you're saving a total of $130 per year, no more. That's nice, but not much of a perk considering how much $$$ you had to spend to get that!


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