Have you booked through Abound yet?

[timsi]

Has anyone booked through Abound yet? What did you trade?

 

[CPNY]

I’d like to see if something is available before relinquishing a week.

 

[sponger76]

Has anyone booked through Abound yet? What did you trade?

3 nights in a 2-bedroom at Marriott's MountainSide in Park City in June for my daughter's birthday. Elected a Sheraton Flex 25,000 point VOI for 730 Abound points. MF for VOI was $476.40. Club Dues haven't come through yet but assuming will be $230, for a total VOI cost of $606.40. Prorated for 600 of 730 points, works out to about $580.60 for the stay. On the Marriott site, cost for the 2-bedroom for the same nights, including taxes, comes out to $1547.50. No MVC/VSN owner discount showing available for those nights. Even if for some reason I don't use the other 130 points and attribute the entire $606.40 MF+Club Dues to this trip, I feel good about the cost. But I'm sure I will find a night or two somewhere to use the extra points, so at $580.60 I'm spending $193.53 per night. Cheapest in Redweek at MountainSide close to that timeframe is 7 nights in late May at $243/night or 7 nights in mid June at $325/night.

 

[3DH]

I’d like to see if something is available before relinquishing a week.

I agree... don't like the stab in the dark!

 

[jeffm211]

Doesn’t seem like that is possible unless you already have Club Points in your account…via election or purchase. Not good!

 

[ocdb8r]

Even with zero points you can decipher what is available. It will let you search and shows the availability calender based on your search. Then use the "filters" to filter for a specific unit size and/or view and the calendar will update accordingly.

The only thing you can't do is search for just specific dates and have it show you everything available within those dates. The above method is just a bit more work to get the same results (by turning the different filters on and off to see which of each possibility is in inventory).

 

[alwysonvac]

Doesn’t seem like that is possible unless you already have Club Points in your account…via election or purchase. Not good!

Take a look at these two posts

• post #266 (link) for how to get to the MVC site (your week qualifies if you had Vistana Signature Network (VSN) access prior to August 9, 2022 )
• post #268 (link) for how to search for availability

 

[SueDonJ]

The phone reps have always been able to search availability regardless of whether you have points in your account, and if they find something then you'll be allowed to elect points and book the reservation using those points during the same phone call.

I know, it's inconvenient and it would be better if the platform showed all availability even if you have zero points in your account, but it doesn't so it's at least good to know what does suffice as a work-around.

 

[CPNY]

The phone reps have always been able to search availability regardless of whether you have points in your account, and if they find something then you'll be allowed to elect points and book the reservation using those points during the same phone call.

I know, it's inconvenient and it would be better if the platform showed all availability even if you have zero points in your account, but it doesn't so it's at least good to know what does suffice as a work-around.

I tried calling today to change a reservation and book something in abound but Vistana is closed. I wonder, is Marriott vacation club open today? I assume they are being kept separate? So Marriott cannot help vistana owners and vice versa.

 

[SueDonJ]

I tried calling today to change a reservation and book something in abound but Vistana is closed. I wonder, is Marriott vacation club open today? I assume they are being kept separate? So Marriott cannot help vistana owners and vice versa.

Marriott hours of operation are M-F 9AM-8PM, closed Sat and Sun.

The "Chat" feature on owners.marriottvacationclub.com works intermittently when the offices are closed; I just checked my account and it's working now. I know you all are re-directed from your Vistana account when using Abound, but is it to the same platform that Marriott owners use? The pics in these various threads look the same but you would know better than me about your access.

 

[CPNY]

Marriott hours of operation are M-F 9AM-8PM, closed Sat and Sun.

The "Chat" feature on owners.marriottvacationclub.com works intermittently when the offices are closed; I just checked my account and it's working now. I know you all are re-directed from your Vistana account when using Abound, but is it to the same platform that Marriott owners use? The pics in these various threads look the same but you would know better than me about your access.

I’ve never been able to see the access Marriott owners have. But I’d assume it’s the same. It brings us to Marriott vacation club website. Maybe I’ll try the chat feature later. I’d like to know why it’s saying I’m outside of the booking window for the ritz when I should be able to book at 13 months +1 night

 

[jeffm211]

Even with zero points you can decipher what is available. It will let you search and shows the availability calender based on your search. Then use the "filters" to filter for a specific unit size and/or view and the calendar will update accordingly.

The only thing you can't do is search for just specific dates and have it show you everything available within those dates. The above method is just a bit more work to get the same results (by turning the different filters on and off to see which of each possibility is in inventory).

Thanks. I was able to do as you suggested this morning. I don’t think the MVC website has included the filter detail on Vistana properties. For example, at Westin Mission Hills, you cannot see the different point values for the premium 1BR vs the small 1BR. Guessing it is probably the difference between the 2BR & 1BR values. Would be good to know for sure when determining VOI elections to target the right amount of points. Just using this as an example of website functionality…I’d use SOs directly in this instance, not elected Club Points.

 

[vacationtime1]

Thanks. I was able to do as you suggested this morning. I don’t think the MVC website has included the filter detail on Vistana properties. For example, at Westin Mission Hills, you cannot see the different point values for the premium 1BR vs the small 1BR. Guessing it is probably the difference between the 2BR & 1BR values. Would be good to know for sure when determining VOI elections to target the right amount of points. Just using this as an example of website functionality…I’d use SOs directly in this instance, not elected Club Points.

It's not; the whole costs less than the sum of its parts. Marriott makes a profit when splitting a lockout unit.

 

[Troyrissa]

I have also been able to search availability without electing club points. Thanks to those who gave us the tips, it has been very helpful.

 

[ocdb8r]

Thanks. I was able to do as you suggested this morning. I don’t think the MVC website has included the filter detail on Vistana properties. For example, at Westin Mission Hills, you cannot see the different point values for the premium 1BR vs the small 1BR. Guessing it is probably the difference between the 2BR & 1BR values. Would be good to know for sure when determining VOI elections to target the right amount of points. Just using this as an example of website functionality…I’d use SOs directly in this instance, not elected Club Points.

Good catch. This wasn't something I had thought about as I was searching properties with studios and not the two 1-bed sizes. That's kind of a bummer now that you point it out. Something we should message the MVC team to fix in the filters....

 

[jjking42]

I elected 2950 club points in 2024 instead of 81k star options.

I did some searching and was happy with what I could book using 2950 points.

I want less than full weeks in one bedroom units. Can travel off-season and last minute. Will see how it works out .

I still have banked star options good until 2023. Wyndham points in RCI and Hyatt points in II. For full weeks and Star options.

I am already booked at WKORN for March 2023. Will probably use star options to go back to Maui in 2025 but will try the club points in 2024 to go somewhere else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DanCali]

I elected 2950 club points in 2024 instead of 81k star options.

I did some searching and was happy with what I could book using 2950 points.

I want less than full weeks in one bedroom units. Can travel off-season and last minute. Will see how it works out .

I still have banked star options good until 2023. Wyndham points in RCI and Hyatt points in II. For full weeks and Star options.

I am already booked at WKORN for March 2023. Will probably use star options to go back to Maui in 2025 but will try the club points in 2024 to go somewhere else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If you can travel off-season then you will find plenty of great opportunities in Abound. Those weeks are both less costly and easier to book.

 

[sjlola]

Has anyone else tried to see the private homes/villas site and found the link broken as I did?

 

[DanCali]

Has anyone else tried to see the private homes/villas site and found the link broken as I did?

I have not but those types of offers like cruises/villas typically give you a very bad value for points.