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WKORV Check this Out on Flyertalk.......

C

califgal

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I just saw this posted on Flyertalk and it made me very angry at our WKORV management. Sorry, I don't know how to make a link, but you go to flyertalk, and on to Starwood forum and there's a thread called Westin Kaanapli Ocean Resort Villas stay report/rant( should be near the top).See page 3 of the thread.

Someone said that they stayed at the resort with a friend who's SPG plat. and this person was allowed to book a studio with a SPG50 cupon and was upgraded to a 2 bdrm lock off! The person wasn't an SVO owner!:mad: :eek:

I posted my feelings about it on flyertalk, and I'm SURE I'll get ripped by the flyertalk people!
 
califgal said:
I just saw this posted on Flyertalk and it made me very angry at our WKORV management. Sorry, I don't know how to make a link, but you go to flyertalk, and on to Starwood forum and there's a thread called Westin Kaanapli Ocean Resort Villas stay report/rant( should be near the top).See page 3 of the thread.

Someone said that they stayed at the resort with a friend who's SPG plat. and this person was allowed to book a studio with a SPG50 cupon and was upgraded to a 2 bdrm lock off! The person wasn't an SVO owner!:mad: :eek:

I posted my feelings about it on flyertalk, and I'm SURE I'll get ripped by the flyertalk people!
Click to expand...


Sorry to hear your feelings and pocketbook have been hurt. What I have been learning all along about TS's is that there is no equality.

Many of us TS'ers learn to leverage all of the secrets, and nuances here. It is unfortunate but true. Then there are the poor suckers that get ripped by the Sales people at other questionable resorts, and systems. I am not implying that at all about Starwood. I do direct this comment to the Mexican direct sales market.
 
califgal said:
I just saw this posted on Flyertalk and it made me very angry at our WKORV management. Sorry, I don't know how to make a link, but you go to flyertalk, and on to Starwood forum and there's a thread called Westin Kaanapli Ocean Resort Villas stay report/rant( should be near the top).See page 3 of the thread.

Someone said that they stayed at the resort with a friend who's SPG plat. and this person was allowed to book a studio with a SPG50 cupon and was upgraded to a 2 bdrm lock off! The person wasn't an SVO owner!:mad: :eek:

I posted my feelings about it on flyertalk, and I'm SURE I'll get ripped by the flyertalk people!
Click to expand...

If you look at his recent trip report, all the pictures are of a studio, perhaps the upgrade to a 2 bedroom is a "wish of Blissworld"???
 
You are complaining to the wrong folks. Write to Starwood (try suzanne.clark@starwoodvo.com) - state the occurance and displeasure - nicely of course - yet sternly. Make them aware that there are Owners out there who stay aware and care.
 
Thanks David, that's outrageous if it's true! I sent her a "stern" email voicing my displeasure.

I'm getting the hat made tomorrow! :D "Renters Suck!"
 
billymach4 said:
Sorry to hear your feelings and pocketbook have been hurt. What I have been learning all along about TS's is that there is no equality.

Many of us TS'ers learn to leverage all of the secrets, and nuances here. It is unfortunate but true. Then there are the poor suckers that get ripped by the Sales people at other questionable resorts, and systems. I am not implying that at all about Starwood. I do direct this comment to the Mexican direct sales market.
Click to expand...

Are you a Starwood owner? If not, you may not be aware, that if this is true, it violates Starwoods own published rules...
 
pharmgirl said:
If you look at his recent trip report, all the pictures are of a studio, perhaps the upgrade to a 2 bedroom is a "wish of Blissworld"???
Click to expand...

Now he's saying that it was actually his "friend," who got that deal... :rolleyes:
I'm sending my letter anyway!
 
califgal said:
I don't know how to make a link
Click to expand...

When you find a webpage you want to link, just click on your browser box (the internet address) and highlight and copy the address.

Then on TUG, use the paste command to paste the address into your post.
 
You are complaining to the wrong folks. Write to Starwood (try suzanne.clark@starwoodvo.com) - state the occurance and displeasure - nicely of course - yet sternly. Make them aware that there are Owners out there who stay aware and care.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info I'll send a letter. Thought others here might like to know.

And thanks for the info Denise.

And to billymach4 I'm still very happy with my timeshare purchase. Maybe you aren't a SVO owner.;)
 
Before you write your letter, you might want to read the FlyerTalk thread again. I just read it out of curiosity, and the OP of that thread mentioned the 50PRG coupon, not the SPG50 coupon. And, he then confuses the story by not defining when he got it, and that his friend actually got the upgrade, etc.

Basically, the story isn't believable to me. It could have happened, of course - I'm sure there are exceptions all the time at every resort for various reasons (not all of which would be explained in such an unbiased forum as FlyerFiction...).

From my perspective, the bottom line is that WKORV has excessive and unanticipated vacancies, regardless of what Starwood is publicly saying. If a Platinum walks in the door and they do have excess inventory during their stay, I wouldn't mind them from giving an exception to the "no upgrade" rule for them - it would be good business for them to do so. And, with inexpensive rentals around (as mentioned here and on FlyerTalk studios are now only $194/night - "tax inclusive"!). What does this tell me? If I was Platinum I would *ask* for an upgrade - why not? And, I'd also ask for late checkout. I wouldn't get it, but I'd ask. If they have as many vacancies as it seems, they might even offer it.

I'm still a relatively new t/s owner (2005) but WKORV is among the best overall hotel/condo facilities I've been at, with the only exception being private residences. I have every intention to visiting WKORV again and again, as long as I can make the reservation... :)
 
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califgal: It has been proven over and over that Starwood does not care about the timeshare owner after they fork out the money and buy. They have one goal in mind -- sell, sell, sell :(
 
Starwood treats its owners with such contempt that it sickens me. They keep the reservation system top secret because they hope we won't realize that they're manipulating it to their advantage. It should come as no surprise that they're using WKORV and WPORV to keep their SPG members happy because it scores them a lot of good PR costs them NOTHING!!! SPG doesn't pay SVO one red cent for that 2 bdrm villa. We owners pay for it! Since the SPG member is staying at WkORV vs. one of their resorts, they can turn around and sell that OF room (that the SPG member should have been upgraded to) for $700/night. SPG = 2; SVO = 0!

All owners should band together and put pressure on SVO to put OWNERS as their top priority. If anyone should get a complimentary upgrade, it should be SVO owners. If anyone should get a complimentary larger room, it's SVO owners. And we need to do something about the truly unfair agreement that SPG pays nothing for renting/giving out our villas. It's patently unfair to have us absorb all the liabilities associated with owning and none of the benefits.
 
Ken555 said:
Before you write your letter, you might want to read the FlyerTalk thread again. I just read it out of curiosity, and the OP of that thread mentioned the 50PRG coupon, not the SPG50 coupon. And, he then confuses the story by not defining when he got it, and that his friend actually got the upgrade, etc.

Basically, the story isn't believable to me. It could have happened, of course - I'm sure there are exceptions all the time at every resort for various reasons (not all of which would be explained in such an unbiased forum as FlyerFiction...).

From my perspective, the bottom line is that WKORV has excessive and unanticipated vacancies, regardless of what Starwood is publicly saying. If a Platinum walks in the door and they do have excess inventory during their stay, I wouldn't mind them from giving an exception to the "no upgrade" rule for them - it would be good business for them to do so. And, with inexpensive rentals around (as mentioned here and on FlyerTalk studios are now only $194/night - "tax inclusive"!). What does this tell me? If I was Platinum I would *ask* for an upgrade - why not? And, I'd also ask for late checkout. I wouldn't get it, but I'd ask. If they have as many vacancies as it seems, they might even offer it.

I'm still a relatively new t/s owner (2005) but WKORV is among the best overall hotel/condo facilities I've been at, with the only exception being private residences. I have every intention to visiting WKORV again and again, as long as I can make the reservation... :)
Click to expand...

I agree the story seems unbelievable to me.If a Plat gets bumped up more power to them but this one sounds unlikely even in a slow season
 
Every public company focuses on new sales - they have no choice. This doesn't mean they shouldn't provide satisfactory services to existing customers.

Keep in mind that Starwood wrote the HOA agreement and the Board validated it. Does anyone know when the current management agreement with Starwood expires, for WKORV?
 
I got an answer from Suzanne Clark

via email today:

Denise,

The SPG 50 / 50 was a one time special promotion with SPG for Platinum owners in Hawaii. We are not offering SPG use across our SVO resorts.

Suzanne Clark
Vice President Owner Services
Click to expand...


So, yeah....it really happened! :annoyed:
 
Last edited:
DeniseM said:
via email today:

Denise,

The SPG 50 / 50 was a one time special promotion with SPG for Platinum owners in Hawaii. We are not offering SPG use across our SVO resorts.

Suzanne Clark
Vice President Owner Services

So, yeah....it really happened! :annoyed:
Click to expand...

I read about these before on flyertalk plats disscuss them often the unbelievable part is the jump from a studio to a 2 bed OF and the poster didn't really get iit a friend got it ??? The whole thing sounds like a fabricated story.
 
Note that Susan's email says

We are not offering SPG use across our SVO resorts.
Click to expand...

Which is true, so far. But... it seems we can reserve Maui, Princeville, Orlando, and one or more others with points. If there's availability, I think it's great that they offer these option. However, I agree with others that Starwood should compensate the resort when they rent the units in this manner. It makes no sense for them to benefit and the resort get nothing.
 
Second response from Clark:

Me - Did they also get a free upgrade to a 2 bdm. unit?

Denise,

I can not confirm as I do not have any detail on guest, dates, name etc. If they were upgraded it was as a Platinum benefit for this special one time offer.

Suzanne Clark
Vice President Owner Services
Click to expand...
 
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