[2/10/17 UPDATE] VSE charging for 3rd party reservation changes! [+Contact Info. for complaints]

[YYJMSP]

I actually think it has to do with Vistana being now under ILG. Let's see how to rake in more money....mmm...

In the spinoff/merger, didn't VSE end up with controlling interest in ILG? not that it really matters, as the controllers would be corps/funds owning the shares, not necessarily the actual decision makers...

 

[dioxide45]

In the spinoff/merger, didn't VSE end up with controlling interest in ILG? not that it really matters, as the controllers would be corps/funds owning the shares, not necessarily the actual decision makers...

In the spinoff and acquisition, Starwood shareholders owned about 60% of ILG where existing ILG shareholders owned 40%. As you say, that really all means nothing since those Starwood shareholders are mainly big institutional investors.

This is just a fee to increase the bottom line for those shareholders.

 

[PamMo]

Vistana wants to charge Owners $59 to use their own VOI. We bought deeded weeks, not membership or points in a vacation club. It is my understanding (please correct me if I'm wrong) that SVN (now Vistana) is an overlay on our ownership. Who is occupying an Owner's VOI shouldn't matter to Vistana, nor should they be able to restrict/amend an Owner's usage to their deeded week.

It obviously never bothered them that people were renting out StarOption exchanges against the rules. Now they apparently want in on it, and see a profit in charging for name changes on reservations.

 

[chemteach]

Even diamond resorts (one of the worst companies out there) gives their version of elite owners 5 free guest reservations a year. I guess Westin/Vistana now is going the way of the sleazier systems...

 

[okwiater]

Although annoying, I don't have a big problem with a fee to add a guest name to StarOption reservations. The VSN is a vacation exchange network, separate from the deeded ownership and usage rights of the underlying property.

However, I see a major problem with this fee when it comes to deeded weeks. Real estate that is personally owned should be able to be used by any guest the owner designates without any such ridiculous fee. The costs to process a name change should be borne by the homeowners association.

This time, I agree with DeniseM and everyone else. This is a blatant money grab and will certainly affect my decision to buy additional weeks in the future.

 

[tschwa2]

While I am not happy about this, HGVC charges the fee as well...I guess this is where the industry is going.

I always thought that HGVC didn't charge a guest fee if you were sending a guest on a Home week reservation only a club reservation but I could be mistaken about that one.

 

[VacationForever]

In the spinoff/merger, didn't VSE end up with controlling interest in ILG? not that it really matters, as the controllers would be corps/funds owning the shares, not necessarily the actual decision makers...

But this brings Vistana into the same family as Interval International and as such, they learn from each other how to charge more and higher fees....

 

[SMHarman]

Although annoying, I don't have a big problem with a fee to add a guest name to StarOption reservations. The VSN is a vacation exchange network, separate from the deeded ownership and usage rights of the underlying property.

However, I see a major problem with this fee when it comes to deeded weeks. Real estate that is personally owned should be able to be used by any guest the owner designates without any such ridiculous fee. The costs to process a name change should be borne by the homeowners association.

This time, I agree with DeniseM and everyone else. This is a blatant money grab and will certainly affect my decision to buy additional weeks in the future.

Except the SO ressie should only be for an owner

So with your overlay to the twisted pretzel of logic there are none they can charge for

I concur.

 

[canesfan]

This is ridiculous and unreasonable. If I'm traveling with guests or even my adult children and they arrive before me, why should I have to pay $ for them to check in before I arrive. This is a total money grab.


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[tschwa2]

Except the SO ressie should only be for an owner

So with your overlay to the twisted pretzel of logic there are none they can charge for

I concur.

No you can't rent out an SO reservation. You can gift it to a friend or family and certainly let them check in if they arrive first and you authorize it. Vistana would still have fees to collect even if they only do so for SO reservations.

 

[okwiater]

Except the SO ressie should only be for an owner

So with your overlay to the twisted pretzel of logic there are none they can charge for

I concur.

No you can't rent out an SO reservation. You can gift it to a friend or family and certainly let them check in if they arrive first and you authorize it. Vistana would still have fees to collect even if they only do so for SO reservations.

tschwa2 is right. I often book reservations for friends and family to use my properties, and do not rent them. Although annoying, I understand a modest guest fee for StarOptions bookings like these.

Charging the fee for use of a deeded home resort week is unconscionable.

 

[r1lee]

This is ridiculous and unreasonable. If I'm traveling with guests or even my adult children and they arrive before me, why should I have to pay $ for them to check in before I arrive. This is a total money grab.


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This is happening to me right now. My inlaws and getting there a day before. I would have booked everything under my name. My mother and father in law aren't going to mind, but My sister only needed 1 more day's worth of pts cause she didn't have enough to complete a week and is now going to have to pay $59.

 

[SMHarman]

tschwa2 is right. I often book reservations for friends and family to use my properties, and do not rent them. Although annoying, I understand a modest guest fee for StarOptions bookings like these.

Charging the fee for use of a deeded home resort week is unconscionable.

Charging to add $59 to add 20 characters of someone's name to a reservation that they (well actually you) could do for free when making a reservation. Last month.

That's what you call a modest fee.

 

[eClass]

I actually think it has to do with Vistana being now under ILG. Let's see how to rake in more money....mmm...

Of course it is, but when the tie up was announced the following was posted on the VSE website under News:

How does this affect Owners?

Vistana will continue to be the exclusive provider of vacation ownership for the renowned Westin® and Sheraton® brands, while providing all of the features and benefits of ownership Owners have come to expect. Owners will continue enjoying their timeshare resorts as they always have, as well as retaining continued access to the industry-leading SPG program. Current reservation guidelines and fees, exchange rules, reservation rights, and exchange privileges through Starwood Vacation NetworkSM, Interval International and other current exchange options will all remain the same.

(https://www.vistana.com/news/vistana-signature-experiences)

The parts I have underlined seem to contradict the current announcement about the third party reservation fee.

 

[RLS50]

Of course the justification for this $59 charge is bogus since the effort involved in making this change online would take seconds and does not impact the individual resorts in the least, as they don't care who the guest is as long as they know who it will be checking in. There is no question this is to benefit corporate profits and shareholders, and has nothing to do with adding value for owners.

It appears that this new strategy to generate additional profits is to go after any owners that might be renting, and making the new policy so rigid that there is no way some renter can falsely claim a guest is just "arriving early" or he is my "cousin" just using my week. In the meantime, owners that allow legitimate family members to use their weeks get caught up in this and pay the price as well.

 

[Helios]

I always thought that HGVC didn't charge a guest fee if you were sending a guest on a Home week reservation only a club reservation but I could be mistaken about that one.

Clarification - You are correct. I should have expanded...

HGVC charges $49 for Home Resort, By Hilton Priority, and Club Reservations (equivalent to SO reservation). Home Week Guest Certs are complimentary. I believe a Guest Cert at a Home Resort is complimentary if the owner is travelling as well. I'll call to confirm.

I believe the fee started in 2011 and, as expected, HGVC owners were not happy...but the fee remained...That predates my HGVC days.

 

[AnnMahon]

So disappointing. I am writing this email. Than k for posting her email.

Suzanne,


I am an owner at two Vistana properties, and cannot express my displeasure enough, or civilly, at the latest charges for timeshare owners. To require a fee to book a third party use of the timeshare is contemptible. We purchased our units on the basis that we could share the experiences with friends, and you are now making it even more expensive. Your email was also incomplete, and did not fully describe the nature of said fees, so one is only left to assume that it applies to all name changes period. I am able to change the name myself online, so why should I be charged???


Since you are the owner experiences VP, I will also take this time to say that I haven’t found the owner experiences and assistance team to be helpful at all. I have called to understand how to book a different destination, and have not been able to do so. I have called to better understand the Interval relationship, and received no help, yet this organization touted it’s benefits…. While all I see online are disgusting properties that I would never stay at.


Having read blogs online, I can only see that your experiences at subpar timeshare companies like Wyndham are the “knowledge” you brought with you, and I would like to tell you that is unwelcome. Owner Services under your guidance is subpar, and evidently not promising to get any better.

 

[SMHarman]

So disappointing. I am writing this email. Than k for posting her email.

Suzanne,


I am an owner at two Vistana properties, and cannot express my displeasure enough, or civilly, at the latest charges for timeshare owners. To require a fee to book a third party use of the timeshare is contemptible. We purchased our units on the basis that we could share the experiences with friends, and you are now making it even more expensive. Your email was also incomplete, and did not fully describe the nature of said fees, so one is only left to assume that it applies to all name changes period. I am able to change the name myself online, so why should I be charged???


Since you are the owner experiences VP, I will also take this time to say that I haven’t found the owner experiences and assistance team to be helpful at all. I have called to understand how to book a different destination, and have not been able to do so. I have called to better understand the Interval relationship, and received no help, yet this organization touted it’s benefits…. While all I see online are disgusting properties that I would never stay at.


Having read blogs online, I can only see that your experiences at subpar timeshare companies like Wyndham are the “knowledge” you brought with you, and I would like to tell you that is unwelcome. Owner Services under your guidance is subpar, and evidently not promising to get any better.

It gets a little ad hominem.

My problem with the usury nature of these fees is that there is no opportunity cost lost to anyone.

The owner pool is not the hotel room pool so Stanwood can't rent the room you are renting.

The owner cost and benefit of renting actually diminishes closer to arrival. While airline name change fees are / were partly to offset a early cheap booking being name changed not cancelled and replaced with a high cost last minute. This is not the same impact.

So what could be done for free now costs $59 just because.

 

[bizaro86]

I think less attacks on Ms Clarks past and more how this will negatively affect starwood would be better.

I think something like.

"I feel this is a breech of trust as I was told my deeded week was owned real estate. I will therefore never be able to purchase a VOI from Vistana again, as I can't rely on your promises"

That one would be for folks who have previously purchased a developer week. Since I only have resale SDO, that would be an obviously empty threat for me. I'm planning to go with something like.

"I use my VOI both personally and via guest, and feel this new fee is a breach of trust between the deeded owners and the management. I will therefore make it my personal mission every time I am at one of your resort's to convince one person to rescind a contract for every guest fee I pay."

 

[dsmrp]

Of course the justification for this $59 charge is bogus since the effort involved in making this change online would take seconds and does not impact the individual resorts in the least, as they don't care who the guest is as long as they know who it will be checking in. There is no question this is to benefit corporate profits and shareholders, and has nothing to do with adding value for owners.

It appears that this new strategy to generate additional profits is to go after any owners that might be renting, and making the new policy so rigid that there is no way some renter can falsely claim a guest is just "arriving early" or he is my "cousin" just using my week. In the meantime, owners that allow legitimate family members to use their weeks get caught up in this and pay the price as well.

This^^^
I don't rent my units, but owners renting their home resort weeks usually undercut what Vistana would charge renters. So this is another way to discourage owners from renting out.

I think the point to fight this is on the infringement of owners' rights to use their home resort units as they wish. Vistana should have a way to let owners specify their family members able to check in early or use the week.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We have guests who stay in our SBP weeks, and we don't really urge people to avoid sales presentations; however, this could be good reason to add into my signature something like, "If you choose to go on a tour of the property with a salesperson, keep in mind that our fees have gone up substantially, and there is nothing to stop management from charging additional fees for services. For example, Vistana added a fee this year of $59 to add your name to our owned week for this year."

 

[DeniseM]

I am able to change the name myself online, so why should I be charged???

- they eliminated this a few weeks ago.

I have been told that this function will come back, but I suspect it won't be free.

 

[r1lee]

so will the $59 be paid during the name change? or when we get to the resort?
my reservations already have the name changed done a while back.

 

[DeniseM]

so will the $59 be paid during the name change? or when we get to the resort?
my reservations already have the name changed done a while back.

The fee is paid at the time of the name change - it is not retroactive.

 

[Markus]

Has anyone been able to confirm Suzanne Clark's email address?
Thanks,

Markus