Purchasing second-hand prevents status?

[ccomp23]

No that’s not what we were discussing. We were looking at the Harborside Resort, Bahamas, which recently became a Westin instead of generic MVC, and the Westin Cancun. Both of which are ones I can use out MVC portal and my Abound points to book— one of which I have booked before. She specifically told me the reason that I’m not getting these ones easily is because when you’re at owner level, Westin properties are only open 20%, but select gets full access.

This is a different issue. Foreign properties are sold as weeks. The inventory available to book with points is if a weak owner elects to convert its weeks to points. I've booked a week at Westin Lagunamar with points as soon as it became available. So it's not impossible. I think 20% is a guess and not precise.

 

[Pamplemousse]

You go through rofr before you work with a broker? I am confused at how you test

Have a look at this thread- especially post #4. You can submit to rofr yourself.
You can also stipulate that seller pays closing fees in your offer.

Sending info to Marriott ROFR

Just curious, has anyone sent information directly to Marriott ROFR? The Closing Agent we are using is on vacation and pretty backed up, and we are anxious to get the ball rolling. If we could do that part ourselves we thought it might speed up the process, but I have no idea how to reach...

tugbbs.com

 

[davidvel]

You go through rofr before you work with a broker? I am confused at how you test our rofr without one

You can't "test." You have to have an executed deal to buy. Just email the contract to them and they will say pass or fail.

 

[davidvel]

No that’s not what we were discussing. We were looking at the Harborside Resort, Bahamas, which recently became a Westin instead of generic MVC, and the Westin Cancun. Both of which are ones I can use out MVC portal and my Abound points to book— one of which I have booked before. She specifically told me the reason that I’m not getting these ones easily is because when you’re at owner level, Westin properties are only open 20%, but select gets full access.

You keep repeating the same question. The answer is it is a lie. What you were told about 20% is false.

 

[ccomp23]

You keep repeating the same question. The answer is it is a lie. What you were told about 20% is false.

I was responding to the obvious confusion. One issue is that some believe that there’s only one Westin we can book, and the other that is that this is a week-based system. Neither of which are true and are not what I’m asking about. No one has actually confirmed whether or not Westin properties are only allowing 20% capacity for owners versus higher status. I do wonder if this is something addressed in an Abound contract.

 

[ccomp23]

Have a look at this thread- especially post #4. You can submit to rofr yourself.
You can also stipulate that seller pays closing fees in your offer.

Sending info to Marriott ROFR

Just curious, has anyone sent information directly to Marriott ROFR? The Closing Agent we are using is on vacation and pretty backed up, and we are anxious to get the ball rolling. If we could do that part ourselves we thought it might speed up the process, but I have no idea how to reach...

tugbbs.com

Thank you— this is very helpful.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I said the only carribean Westin in Abound was St. John’s because Harborside does not say Westin on the MVC owners/ Abound site and Mexico is not listed under carribean on the site either.

Westin/Sheraton has only recently become available with Abound points and I have no experience with them.

I assumed you were talking about MVC properties since the majority booked with Abound points are.
If you are going to continue to post and chat on this topic I suggest you be really specific because most of us here are experienced with MVC.

Perhaps there’s a better way to book Westin properties- you might want to post in the Westin forum.

 

[claraj]

I started out as an owner in 2023 and now I'm presidential and I see the same properties as I did as an owner. Only difference is I can book a single night at 13 months whereas I could only book a single night 10 months out.

 

[ccomp23]

Respectfully, these are all properties within MVC. And if MVC Select gets you a greater access to them I would think MVC folks on this forum would be able to speak in to this. We’ve been using Westin and Sheratons through MVC for over 2 years now. It would be great to know if MVC status impacts our ability to get these.

I said the only carribean Westin in Abound was St. John’s because Harborside does not say Westin on the MVC site and Mexico is not listed under carribean on the site either.

Westin/Sheraton has only recently become available with Abound points and I have no experience with them.

I assumed you were talking about MVC properties since the majority are.
Perhaps there’s a better way to book Westin properties- you might want to post in the Westin forum.,

 

[claraj]

Can you define "greater access" please?

 

[Pamplemousse]

Respectfully, these are all properties within MVC. And if MVC Select gets you a greater access to them I would think MVC folks on this forum would be able to speak in to this. We’ve been using Westin and Sheratons through MVC for over 2 years now. It would be great to know if MVC status impacts our ability to

Wow- not feeling the respect.
Good luck finding out if the sales person was lying to you about Westin, they were certainly lying to you about status.

 

[ccomp23]

Absolutely — that’s what I think we are all unclear on. I was told by a sales associate that Owner level has limited access to Westin properties — only 20% capacity is going to be availability. However, if you become Select or higher, you will have full access/capacity to the available properties. She explained that’s why at 12 months I could not find availability as an owner at any Westins, but stated that at Select or higher I would be able to book the Westins at 12 months. In fact, she showed me on her personal MVC account how the Harbourside was available to her 1 year from yesterday, but when I looked on my account it was not available. It was either a trick they use with a fake system, or this is truly a legit difference. This is one of the main reasons we want to move up to Select, and is the reason why my original post asked about whether buying resale get you the MVC status.

Can you define "greater access" please?

 

[tschwa2]

Respectfully, these are all properties within MVC. And if MVC Select gets you a greater access to them I would think MVC folks on this forum would be able to speak in to this. We’ve been using Westin and Sheratons through MVC for over 2 years now. It would be great to know if MVC status impacts our ability to get these.

What specifically are you trying to book that you currently can't, which resort, which month, how many days for the booking and how far in advance? Give an example of one or two that you would like go book but are currently having no luck.

 

[ccomp23]

Wow- not feeling the respect.
Good luck finding out if the sales person was lying to you about Westin, they were certainly lying to you about status.

I apologize if you feel disrespected. I also felt so when told I should go to the Westin forum instead of asking here. I do think other MVC members can help me, here, on this chain. Which is why I respectfully disagreed.

 

[ccomp23]

What specifically are you trying to book that you currently can't, which resort, which month, how many days for the booking and how far in advance? Give an example of one or two that you would like go book but are currently having no luck.

Harborside Resort Atlantis, Bahamas— exactly a year from yesterday. 7 days.

 

[Pamplemousse]

I apologize if you feel disrespected. I also felt so when told I should go to the Westin forum instead of asking here. I do think other MVC members can help me, here, on this chain. Which is why I respectfully disagreed.

Some members here may be able to help you, just not me. Just depends on our experience.
But to claraj’s point I don’t know how anyone would know our access level to Westin unless it was in the T& C or someone told us.
And for what it’s worth I can book a week May 3, 2026 at Westin Langunamar, Cancun as an owner, so at least that resort isn’t blocked. Owner level I can only book 7 nights or more at 12 months and I can’t see full week availability for May at the others.

I didn’t tell you to go to Westin or say not to post here I said “Perhaps there’s a better way to book Westin properties- you might want to post in the Westin forum”- suggesting you might find better way than buying more Abounds.

 

[Pamplemousse]

Harborside Resort Atlantis, Bahamas— exactly a year from yesterday. 7 days.

Have you looked at the when can I book calculator?
Looks like to book 5/6/26 you can book on 5/13/25 for Westin.

Calculator doesn’t mention benefit level for that catagory, it does note level in some other cases like waitlist date- which makes me think if level mattered it would say so.

 

[ccomp23]

Have you looked at the when can I

That is part of why it feels like her account she pulled up on the screen was fake. That would make sense. But she said it was because she was a higher status was MVC.

 

[Pamplemousse]

That is part of why it feels like her account she pulled up on the screen was fake. That would make sense. But she said it was because she was a higher status was MVC.

And she said resale points don’t count for status.
So your only option is to hand her your money.

PS- I noticed there is info specifically on Westin/Sheraton booking in the Faq on the owners site under resources.

 

[DanCali]

No that’s not what we were discussing. We were looking at the Harborside Resort, Bahamas, which recently became a Westin instead of generic MVC, and the Westin Cancun. Both of which are ones I can use out MVC portal and my Abound points to book— one of which I have booked before. She specifically told me the reason that I’m not getting these ones easily is because when you’re at owner level, Westin properties are only open 20%, but select gets full access.

The Westin properties (including Harborside and Sheratons) are really not a good barometer for availability in MVC/Abound because they have their own internal trading system in Vistana as a default. For example, I own at 2BR at Westin Kierland Villas (WKV) and if I wanted to go to Hawaii or St John, I would never elect my WKV for Abound points because I can trade internally with the Staroptions currency and get a "like-for-like" 2BR OV in Hawaii subject to availability at 8 months. The 4050 Abound points they'd give me don't do that for me (I'd need 7050 points for that 2BR oceanview).

Conversely, the Westin Hawaii 2BR OV owners do get a nice chunk of Abound points (6200) if they elect Abound points. That is what would then make that inventory available in Abound. But it's hard to say how many actually do that vs using their week, trading internally in Vistana, or renting their week for cash. I suspect that the "skim" (where the Abound points awarded are not enough to book a week at the home resort during busy times) is a major turnoff for a lot of owners, even though it probably shouldn't be. The internal trading system within Vistana resorts is not subject to "skim".

 

[DanCali]

That is 100% false.

First, only a % of inventory is released at 13 week [months] (I believe it’s up to 1/2?).
Second, any level can book at 13 months, you just have to pay a point premium to do so at owner.

I corrected weeks to months in your comment.

However, I'm not sure that is true for the Abound points inventory.

The (up to) 50% at 13 months and the rest at 12 months was/is a thing for the weeks inventory.

The Abound inventory is a separate bucket and I am not sure that policy applies there (based on observing inventory, I don't think it does)

 

[Pamplemousse]

I corrected weeks to months in your comment.

However, I'm not sure that is true for the Abound points inventory.

The (up to) 50% at 13 months and the rest at 12 months was/is a thing for the weeks inventory.

The Abound inventory is a separate bucket and I am not sure that policy applies there (based on observing inventory, I don't think it does)

Thank you for the correction. I will do it in my post.

I know at least some new inventory comes out at 12 months the times I have booked at release.

 

[claraj]

I performed a search with MVC points and what's interesting is that the initial search result says there is availability for a 1BR when I search for 1 night. But when I continue, the calendars says all of May 2026 is outside my booking window. If there is availability, it might be available to Westin/Vistana owners (I remember there was a difference between what I was able to see with Abound points versus what Westin/Vistana owners were able to see for a Westin Lagunamar property.)

I also performed the search with more than 1 night up to 7 nights and the calendar remained the same.

Conclusion: I don't believe Select owners (or other higher owners) will have greater access, but Westin/Vistana owners may.

Here are the screenshots

 

[Dean]

Respectfully, these are all properties within MVC. And if MVC Select gets you a greater access to them I would think MVC folks on this forum would be able to speak in to this. We’ve been using Westin and Sheratons through MVC for over 2 years now. It would be great to know if MVC status impacts our ability to get these.

I can say that MVC status and Bonvoy status does not affect the ability to book or unit assignments. Bonvoy status may affect the cost of booking before 12 months out if one owns under 4000 points but the points premium goes away once one reaches SELECT status.

 

[ccomp23]

I performed a search with MVC points and what's interesting is that the initial search result says there is availability for a 1BR when I search for 1 night. But when I continue, the calendars says all of May 2026 is outside my booking window. If there is availability, it might be available to Westin/Vistana owners (I remember there was a difference between what I was able to see with Abound points versus what Westin/Vistana owners were able to see for a Westin Lagunamar property.)

I also performed the search with more than 1 night up to 7 nights and the calendar remained the same.

Conclusion: I don't believe Select owners (or other higher owners) will have greater access, but Westin/Vistana owners may.

Here are the screenshots
View attachment 110153View attachment 110154

This is fascinating! Thanks for doing this. It would make sense the salesperson is also an owner with Westin and was able to book when MVC can’t. But yes— it doesn’t seem to make a difference that you have a higher level MVC status. I appreciate your help