[2019] Is Westin now called Marriott or what is the relationship?

[TJALB]

i know Marriott purchased Westin awhile back. Is Westin now known as Mariott? I’m thinking about purchasing a TS from a Westin owner. All their paperwork is from Westin dated 2007. I don’t know where to start in terms of educating myself regarding a possible purchase.
I’m currently a DRI owner but know nothing about Westin/Marriott. I’m sure my fellow TUG friends can help me.
Thank you!

 

[pianodinosaur]

Westin hotels and Marriott Hotels are currently under Bonvoy. Westin and Sheraton timeshares are still under the Vistana umbrella as far as I can tell. I have seen no merger of the timeshare networks announced. However, if you go to the Bonvoy website or the Bonvoy app, it is possible to book rooms at Westin and Sheraton timeshares with cash or Bonvoy points. Prior to the Bonvoy merger I had been a member of both Marriott and Starwood. The Starwood and Marriott websites have been merged.

I strongly suggest you visit www.marriott.com for further information. This will come up as Marriott Bonvoy.

 

[JohnPaul]

Actually Marriott Vacations (already spun off from the hotels) bought Vistana. However programs remain separate.

If you want to buy Westin you need to still learn about that - not Marriott (unless your crystal ball is clearer than most and you think you know what someday integration of the systems will look like).

 

[JIMinNC]

Just to add some clarification and detail to what others have replied. There were actually TWO mergers...

Several years ago, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE ticker: MAR) purchased Starwood, bringing the Westin, Sheraton, St Regis, and many other hotel brands under the Marriott International umbrella. Marriott International now owns and operates 30 hotel brands. Here is a list https://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands.mi Last fall, Marriott International completed their integration of all 30 brands into their new loyalty program, called Bonvoy. The Bonvoy program replaced Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). At about the same time, they consolidated all of the old Starwood brands into the Marriott.com reservation system, so now Marriott, Westin, Sheraton and all of the other brands in the linked list above can be booked on Marriott.com. It's one basically seamless system with 30 different hotel brands. The important thing is this is primarily hotels, NOT timeshares.

The timeshare side is different...Marriott and Vistana/Westin/Sheraton timeshare owners do get to participate in the Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, and developer-controlled timeshare inventory is rented on Marriott.com, but that's the extent of the overlap between hotel and timeshare.

Both Marriott International and Starwood had previously sold/spun off their timeshare business into two totally separate, independent companies. Marriott Vacation Club has been operated since 2011 by a new company called Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE ticker: VAC). Starwood also sold off their timeshare operation several years ago, selling it to Interval Leisure Group (ticker: ILG), the same company that operated Interval International and Hyatt Residence Clubs. In 2018, an activist investor group that owned a large stock interest in ILG pressured ILG management to sell the company to Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC). In September 2018, that deal was consummated, so now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide manages Marriott Vacation Club, the Vistana/Westin/Sheraton vacation clubs, Hyatt Residence Club, and Interval International (as well as some smaller operations like VRI, Trading Places, and Aqua/Aston).

But as of right now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide operates each timeshare system separately - Marriott Vacation Club, Vistana/Westin/Sheraton, and Hyatt Residence Club are still three separate and distinct programs. There is no meaningful integration from an owner perspective at this time. The executive management of Marriott Vacations Worldwide has told investors that some sort of integrated program is being developed for possible 2020 implementation, but they have yet to provide details. They are conducting an investor presentation at the New York Stock Exchange next Friday, Oct 4, and have promised a few more details on what the combined program might entail during that presentation.

So as JohnPaul said, if you are buying Westin, at least for now, you only need to be concerned with the rules and and procedures used by Westin Vacation Club.

 

[pianodinosaur]

@JIMinNC Thank you for the excellent history lesson.

 

[TXTortoise]

I'd suggest that paragraph for the FAQ for easy reference, but not sure where it would go. (highly beneficial needing a reference link when surfing the various FB pages of repetitive/newbie questions.)

 

[cowboy]

Just to add some clarification and detail to what others have replied. There were actually TWO mergers...

Several years ago, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE ticker: MAR) purchased Starwood, bringing the Westin, Sheraton, St Regis, and many other hotel brands under the Marriott International umbrella. Marriott International now owns and operates 30 hotel brands. Here is a list https://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands.mi Last fall, Marriott International completed their integration of all 30 brands into their new loyalty program, called Bonvoy. The Bonvoy program replaced Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). At about the same time, they consolidated all of the old Starwood brands into the Marriott.com reservation system, so now Marriott, Westin, Sheraton and all of the other brands in the linked list above can be booked on Marriott.com. It's one basically seamless system with 30 different hotel brands. The important thing is this is primarily hotels, NOT timeshares.

The timeshare side is different...Marriott and Vistana/Westin/Sheraton timeshare owners do get to participate in the Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, and developer-controlled timeshare inventory is rented on Marriott.com, but that's the extent of the overlap between hotel and timeshare.

Both Marriott International and Starwood had previously sold/spun off their timeshare business into two totally separate, independent companies. Marriott Vacation Club has been operated since 2011 by a new company called Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE ticker: VAC). Starwood also sold off their timeshare operation several years ago, selling it to Interval Leisure Group (ticker: ILG), the same company that operated Interval International and Hyatt Residence Clubs. In 2018, an activist investor group that owned a large stock interest in ILG pressured ILG management to sell the company to Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC). In September 2018, that deal was consummated, so now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide manages Marriott Vacation Club, the Vistana/Westin/Sheraton vacation clubs, Hyatt Residence Club, and Interval International (as well as some smaller operations like VRI, Trading Places, and Aqua/Aston).

But as of right now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide operates each timeshare system separately - Marriott Vacation Club, Vistana/Westin/Sheraton, and Hyatt Residence Club are still three separate and distinct programs. There is no meaningful integration from an owner perspective at this time. The executive management of Marriott Vacations Worldwide has told investors that some sort of integrated program is being developed for possible 2020 implementation, but they have yet to provide details. They are conducting an investor presentation at the New York Stock Exchange next Friday, Oct 4, and have promised a few more details on what the combined program might entail during that presentation.

So as JohnPaul said, if you are buying Westin, at least for now, you only need to be concerned with the rules and and procedures used by Westin Vacation Club.

Very informative in easy to understand language

 

[DeniseM]

Since this is a Vistana resort, you should start by posting on the Vistana Forum and telling us exactly what you are going to buy. Some Vistana resorts have no resale value, or negative resale value, so you should ask some questions FIRST.

I don’t know where to start in terms of educating myself regarding a possible purchase.

 

[ste104]

Based on the above regarding the two programs,as a marriott owner do I get marriott bonvoy night credits for stays at sheraton,vistana and hyatt timeshares? thanks

 

[HenryT]

Just to add some clarification and detail to what others have replied. There were actually TWO mergers...

Several years ago, Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE ticker: MAR) purchased Starwood, bringing the Westin, Sheraton, St Regis, and many other hotel brands under the Marriott International umbrella. Marriott International now owns and operates 30 hotel brands. Here is a list https://www.marriott.com/marriott-brands.mi Last fall, Marriott International completed their integration of all 30 brands into their new loyalty program, called Bonvoy. The Bonvoy program replaced Marriott Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG). At about the same time, they consolidated all of the old Starwood brands into the Marriott.com reservation system, so now Marriott, Westin, Sheraton and all of the other brands in the linked list above can be booked on Marriott.com. It's one basically seamless system with 30 different hotel brands. The important thing is this is primarily hotels, NOT timeshares.

The timeshare side is different...Marriott and Vistana/Westin/Sheraton timeshare owners do get to participate in the Bonvoy hotel loyalty program, and developer-controlled timeshare inventory is rented on Marriott.com, but that's the extent of the overlap between hotel and timeshare.

Both Marriott International and Starwood had previously sold/spun off their timeshare business into two totally separate, independent companies. Marriott Vacation Club has been operated since 2011 by a new company called Marriott Vacations Worldwide (NYSE ticker: VAC). Starwood also sold off their timeshare operation several years ago, selling it to Interval Leisure Group (ticker: ILG), the same company that operated Interval International and Hyatt Residence Clubs. In 2018, an activist investor group that owned a large stock interest in ILG pressured ILG management to sell the company to Marriott Vacations Worldwide (VAC). In September 2018, that deal was consummated, so now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide manages Marriott Vacation Club, the Vistana/Westin/Sheraton vacation clubs, Hyatt Residence Club, and Interval International (as well as some smaller operations like VRI, Trading Places, and Aqua/Aston).

But as of right now, Marriott Vacations Worldwide operates each timeshare system separately - Marriott Vacation Club, Vistana/Westin/Sheraton, and Hyatt Residence Club are still three separate and distinct programs. There is no meaningful integration from an owner perspective at this time. The executive management of Marriott Vacations Worldwide has told investors that some sort of integrated program is being developed for possible 2020 implementation, but they have yet to provide details. They are conducting an investor presentation at the New York Stock Exchange next Friday, Oct 4, and have promised a few more details on what the combined program might entail during that presentation.

So as JohnPaul said, if you are buying Westin, at least for now, you only need to be concerned with the rules and and procedures used by Westin Vacation Club.

I sort of knew all of this vaguely but it is really beneficial to have it concisely written down.
Thank you!

 

[VacationForever]

Based on the above regarding the two programs,as a marriott owner do I get marriott bonvoy night credits for stays at sheraton,vistana and hyatt timeshares? thanks

You get Bonvoy nights credit for Vistana resort stays but not Hyatt stay. Hyatt hotel and loyalty system is separate from Marriott's.

 

[Bill4728]

Since this is a Vistana resort, you should start by posting on the Vistana Forum and telling us exactly what you are going to buy. Some Vistana resorts have no resale value, or negative resale value, so you should ask some questions FIRST.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

Some Westin TS are worth a lot of money & Some are worth almost nothing before buying you need to know which is which.

Good Luck

 

[beachdora]

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT

Some Westin TS are worth a lot of money & Some are worth almost nothing before buying you need to know which is which.

Good Luck

How do you find out which is which? Thinking of buying a Westin TS

 

[vacationtime1]

How do you find out which is which? Thinking of buying a Westin TS

Start by looking at resale ads at www.redweek.com When you see a range of asking prices for the same unit, the value is at the low end of asking (or below). But you need to make sure that the units are identical to what you propose to buy; otherwise it is not an apples to apples comparison.

 

[kozykritter]

The two points programs (Flex) have ROFR but no Staroptions/access to other properties outside the specific trust after resale so while ROFR possibly forces up the price, they are unattractive to most purchasers and therefore hard to sell.

Weeks with potential resale value in Vistana generally track three things: ROFR, mandatory transfer of Staroptions and holiday/ski weeks.

Here are the Vistana resorts with ROFR:

• The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas
• The Westin Ka‘anapali Ocean Resort Villas North
• The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas
• The Westin Nanea
• The Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas

In the case of the last three on this list, since they aren't mandatory (see below), Staroptions don't transfer at resale so they may have a similar fate to the Flex program points

Here are the mandatory resorts meaning Staroptions transfer to the new owner at resale (otherwise they don't), making them the most coveted:

• The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas
• The Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort Villas North
• The Westin Kierland Villas
• Harborside Resort at Atlantis (Phase 1 and 2)
• The Westin St. John Resort Villas (Hillside and Bay Vista)
• Sheraton Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West phases)

Beyond those properties, holiday/event weeks and in-season ski weeks generally have resale value. I'm sure others will chime in with more information about specific properties.

There are many threads in the Vistana forum here from people looking to buy into the system and asking questions so you can find out a lot more details there. Happy hunting!