# Did you see this on the exchange board for Westin Maui owners depositing in II (m)



## ciscogizmo1 (May 4, 2006)

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=164463&posted=1#post164463

I had no idea they could do this.  Wow...


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## rocky (May 4, 2006)

They can totally do it.  It's in their agreement.  And they do it all the time.  That's why many of us don't or won't use II for exchanging outside SVO locations.  Direct exchanges or SFX are the way to go, and the only way you are going to get a vaguely "like for like" exchange.


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## seenett (May 4, 2006)

IMHO, I think this is a good policy.  If an owner wants to exchange his/her "high demand" Starwood property with II, I would rather see that week go to another SVN member (via StarOptions) than into general II inventory.

As someone posted on the other thread, it is (almost) never a good idea to trade the "big three" Starwood properties through II.  You will never get an equal trade - you will always end up trading down.  It is much better to do a direct trade, use SFX, or rent your unit for cash.


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## ciscogizmo1 (May 4, 2006)

Well, I did know they could use a different week for you II exchange but I didn't know they could use a different resort.  I don't think that is fair but oh well.  I haven't traded my unit yet and probably never would.  So I'm glad to hear about others experiences and I'll definitely use SFX if I do plan to exchange.   Also, I don't think Maui & Palm Desert trade the same.  That is just wrong.


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## gmarine (May 5, 2006)

What amazes me is the amount of Starwood owners who dont know this, especially considering the high cost of some of the Westin properties. Owners need to better understand the terms of purchase when they buy.

I dont own Starwood yet found this out during a sales presentation when I asked specific questions about trading.

As far as using SFX, I dont think it matters what trading company you use, Starwood can still deposit a different resort than the one you own.


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## rocky (May 5, 2006)

gmarine said:
			
		

> As far as using SFX, I dont think it matters what trading company you use, Starwood can still deposit a different resort than the one you own.



Actually, I think in the case of SFX that is not true, you do actually trade with a unit from the Starwood resort you own at.  DeniseM is our expert on that scenario, because she has successfully used SFX to trade her WKORV unit.  She has explained how it works in prior threads, but I think those threads are long gone now.  Hopefully she will see this post and chime in!


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## skim118 (May 5, 2006)

*Re: Did you see this on the exchange board for Westin Maui owners depositing in II (m*



			
				seenett said:
			
		

> IMHO, I think this is a good policy.  If an owner wants to exchange his/her "high demand" Starwood property with II, I would rather see that week go to another SVN member (via StarOptions) than into general II inventory.



I will agree it is good policy if this July week goes to an actual SVN member.  How do we know that actually happens ? What if Starwood is actually renting these rooms out instead ?  

Last August we met quite a few Westin Maui Hotel guests that were "upgraded" to the villas(mostly the studio side).  These guests were SPG Platinum members and they even received vouchers to eat the overpriced breakfast in the Villas for free.  It is possible they were using the developer's rooms or units that were converted for Starpoints, but how does one know for sure ?


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## DeniseM (May 5, 2006)

*Re: Did you see this on the exchange board for Westin Maui owners depositing in II (m*



			
				skim118 said:
			
		

> I will agree it is good policy if this July week goes to an actual SVN member.  How do we know that actually happens ? What if Starwood is actually renting these rooms out instead ?
> 
> Last August we met quite a few Westin Maui Hotel guests that were "upgraded" to the villas(mostly the studio side).  These guests were SPG Platinum members and they even received vouchers to eat the overpriced breakfast in the Villas for free.  It is possible they were using the developer's rooms or units that were converted for Starpoints, but how does one know for sure ?



Starwood rents weeks that are owned by developer (unsold) and weeks that have been converted to StarPOINTS.  If they rented rooms that were converted to StarOPTIONS they wouldn't have rooms for owners to use.  

Were they there on Preview Pkgs.?  Some people are upgraded to the Villas on the preview Pkgs.


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## ciscogizmo1 (May 5, 2006)

gmarine said:
			
		

> What amazes me is the amount of Starwood owners who dont know this, especially considering the high cost of some of the Westin properties. Owners need to better understand the terms of purchase when they buy.



hmmmm.... I guess that is amazing.  Actually when I bought the unit I could careless about exchanging.  For one I never plan to exchanging outside of the internal system.  I'm sure I read it but it probably just didn't register.  So anyways, I'm really wondering if this happens when you try to deposit the unit late.  Personally, I'd never use II for Westin exchange.  But that's just my opinion, someone else might find that II works perfect for them.  Everyone has a different situation or life.  I'd do what works for you


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## ciscogizmo1 (May 5, 2006)

gmarine said:
			
		

> I dont own Starwood yet found this out during a sales presentation when I asked specific questions about trading.



Wow, I'm shocked that a salesperson would even know how the II system works


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## skim118 (May 5, 2006)

*Re: Did you see this on the exchange board for Westin Maui owners depositing in II (m*



			
				DeniseM said:
			
		

> Were they there on Preview Pkgs.?  Some people are upgraded to the Villas on the preview Pkgs.



They were just typical Platinum SPG hotel guests on points stay that asked for suite upgrades and were sent to WKORV + free breakfast vouchers.


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## skim118 (May 5, 2006)

*Re: Did you see this on the exchange board for Westin Maui owners depositing in II (m*

II trading seems predatory; everybody's goal is to obtain a much better timeshare than the one that they are providing.  

Clearly there is no protection for high-end resorts like Four Seasons, Westin's ,.. and they can exchanged into(other than peak season)  by using far cheaper timeshares(both in cost & maintenance fees).    I am not thrilled by the availability on SFX either but it is better than II(especially during 1 + 2 bonus weeks for each week deposited, that they are currently offering).

So I will never deposit our WKORV weeks into our Starwood II account;  on the other hand I love II from the other side of the fence.  

We have another II account(non-starwood) into which we deposit lower cost timeshares and are able to exchange into many Starwood properties(spring break '07, summer 06).  

Hypocritical maybe, but we are playing by the rules as they exist now.


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## chemteach (May 6, 2006)

I have deposited easter week units with SFX for Westin Rancho Mirage two years in a row.  I don't believe Westin paperwork precludes depositing outside of II, or they would not have allowed me to deposit last year or the year before.  The Westin units do qualify for the three for one bonus week offer.  When I search with my Rancho Mirage unit in II, I don't even see other Westin units.  I'm always surprised at what a poor trader my Rancho Mirage week is.  (I use a generic search, not a deposited week.)  I would always use SFX for depositing this particular week.


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