Debating adding to our portfolio..

[mintee]

Hi all,
We are owners of a resale week with Marriott Manor Club sequel as of Aug
I am glad we have interval trading options but there is not much that comes up when we search
I am wondering how a mandatory resort like Vistana Villages Bella/Key West section trades within Vistana network?
I'm thinking of adding to get some internal trading privileges for Lagunamar, Atlantis and Hawaii.. Is this possible with this as an internal trade at 81,000 points? I have studied the charts and I know it can work.. But will they be available to us with this unit?
Thanks for the advice

 

[DavidnRobin]

81K StarOptions is the sweet spot for entry.
Don’t forget the VSN fee that goes with VSN Mandatory.

I am a believer in buying where you wouldn’t mind going within reasonable travel distances.

We own 2 resale 1Bd WKV. I am okay with the higher purchase price because I plan to hold, and can rent for >>Maintenance Fees.
Mine have paid for themselves.
YMMV

I hear SVV Mandatory resale is also good. We prefer the Westin Vacation Club as an ownership - but these need higher purchase costs.





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[mintee]

Thanks for your response- Are you finding that you are often able to get what you want when you do trade within the Vistana network? I am trying to get an idea if trading within Vistana is better than Interval? I have 3 nights that I am trying to book with Interval now and NONE of my destinations are showing up as options now
Thanks

 

[Ken555]

Thanks for your response- Are you finding that you are often able to get what you want when you do trade within the Vistana network? I am trying to get an idea if trading within Vistana is better than Interval? I have 3 nights that I am trying to book with Interval now and NONE of my destinations are showing up as options now
Thanks

For myself, I book eight months in advance (as soon as it opens) for StarOption reservations and only rarely have issues obtaining what I want. I also book with Interval (I trade my SDO weeks) and find that much less reliable, but I only book a week at a time with II (I’ve looked at, but never done, a short stay reservation).


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[vacationtime1]

Hi all,
We are owners of a resale week with Marriott Manor Club sequel as of Aug
I am glad we have interval trading options but there is not much that comes up when we search
I am wondering how a mandatory resort like Vistana Villages Bella/Key West section trades within Vistana network?
I'm thinking of adding to get some internal trading privileges for Lagunamar, Atlantis and Hawaii.. Is this possible with this as an internal trade at 81,000 points? I have studied the charts and I know it can work.. But will they be available to us with this unit?
Thanks for the advice

Lagunamar will generally be available for StarOption reservations at the eight month mark for non-holiday weeks.

Hawaii will generally be available for StarOption reservations at the eight month mark for non-summer and non-holiday weeks.

I don't know about Atlantis.

This doesn't mean that you will never get a summer or holiday reservation using StarOptions, but it means you cannot count on it.

Trading using StarOptions is far easier and far more predictable than Interval trades. Plus, because you can confirm your StarOption reservation at the eight month mark, you can shop around for airfares well in advance.

 

[mintee]

Do you think there is a big difference internally with Vistana and trading power? I am also looking into Westin Kierland Villas vs Vistana Villages Key west- I feel like I need to pick more wisely to ensure I get the trades I want within the system

 

[vacationtime1]

Do you think there is a big difference internally with Vistana and trading power? I am also looking into Westin Kierland Villas vs Vistana Villages Key west- I feel like I need to pick more wisely to ensure I get the trades I want within the system

Kierland and Vistana Villages (Key West) are both mandatory, so internal Vistana "trades" from those properties are really just reservations using StarOptions.

All StarOptions are created equal, so it doesn't matter from what source the StarOptions come.

It may make a difference for external trades (through Interval).

 

[lprstn]

I have a resale Sheraton Vistana and have been able to trade into the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort without a problem every year. So as long as you are flexible, you should be okay with most the resorts in the system.

 

[DavidnRobin]

- 81K SOs minimum
- Resale
- Annual Cost = MF plus VSN Fee (variable, depending on #VOIs and location) plus PropTax (if applied)
- Reserve exactly at 8 months (or 12 months for HomeResort) for best results
- Timestamp rules for villa location

- Consider ability to rent (location), future resale value, and future increase in costs (Increase in MF, VSN fee, Taxes AND potential for Special Assessments)

SO exchanges are great way to vacation at VSE resorts if you are flexible (realistic expectations) and villa location at resort is not of importance.

High likelihood for future ability to exchange into Marriott resorts (and visa versa) - so that makes II even less valuable (for those that use II - I do not).

...and, of course - try and exchange upward (which everyone strives for) unless you need that particular resort.

IMO




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[mjm1]

We own both Marriott and Vistana (Kierland Villas Premium 1BR worth 81k SO’s) and love both systems. The quality is very comparable. Higher buy in cost, but we prefer that location for our own use.

With regard to using SO’s for internal trades, we have been very happy with our results. We have traded into Lagunamar, Maui, St John, Harborside at Atlantis, and Desert Willow. All very nice resorts. We usually travel in April/May, October and early January, so not so much in peak seasons or holidays. We always make reservations at 8 months out.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[mintee]

Thanks all! This really clears it up-
I was torn between the lower buy in with Vistana Villages and Kierland- but it seems based on what I am hearing- it does not matter which property I chose as long as I get enough points?
Have you seen a huge difference with Interval between properties? I am seeing almost nothing desirable with my Manor Club in Interval- it is almost comical the locations I can choose from- mostly just AI resorts or parts of the US that we would have no desire to travel to on vacation

 

[Ken555]

Thanks all! This really clears it up-
I was torn between the lower buy in with Vistana Villages and Kierland- but it seems based on what I am hearing- it does not matter which property I chose as long as I get enough points?
Have you seen a huge difference with Interval between properties? I am seeing almost nothing desirable with my Manor Club in Interval- it is almost comical the locations I can choose from- mostly just AI resorts or parts of the US that we would have no desire to travel to on vacation

This is the benefit of a points system. The only material difference between (the mandatory sections of...) SVV and WKV is the purchase price, the MF, and the possible concern of not having access to the club network at some point and then only using II (or another exchange), or just using the resort itself. Remember that you only own the deed, and some of us think there are still many changes left to come with Marriott/II in regards to the Vistana resorts.

As for II, I’ve been quite pleased with the results I’ve had trading my SDO weeks (especially for other Vistana resorts). I would not recommend trading either SVV or WKV in II due to their high MF and ability to trade within the club network to other Vistana resorts (naturally, that’s up to you). If you want a trader there are less expensive options.


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[blondietink]

We are owners at SVV and Lagunamar, both bought direct. We have been able to get reservations through our StarOptions at any other resort we tried at the the 8 month mark, including Kaui Princeville (1x), Maui Kaanapali North (2x's), Lagunamar any time we tried, SVV and SVR even on short notice, Harborside (2 x's). Next up we are going to try one of the Arizona resorts but haven't decided which one yet. You just have to be willing to plan ahead and get that reservation in right at the 8 month mark for the harder to reserve resorts. I had the Harborside reservation for April broken down into 2 different ones to stay more than a week and when I checked out the airfare for those dates, it was outrageous, so I called owners services to see if I could modify the reservation and they were happy to do it. Also turned out that she was able to see in the system that I could just have one reservation instead of 2 so I would not have to move during the stay.

 

[Ken555]

Next up we are going to try one of the Arizona resorts but haven't decided which one yet.

WKV is much nicer.



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[mjm1]

Next up we are going to try one of the Arizona resorts but haven't decided which one yet.

WKV is much nicer.
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I agree with Ken that WKV is a much nicer resort. Not only the resort, but the location being next to the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, including the golf course, and near Kierland Commons for restaurants and shopping.

Best regards.

Mike