Additional Units at Westin St. John

[kristencostello]

I was just talking to someone at Starwood (trying to make my reservation this year) and she mentioned that Starwood is adding 94 units to the Westin St. John property. She said the units will be 2 and 3 bedrooms (I'm not sure about the private pools with the 3 bedroom units). I don't know when they are going to be available but I thought this was exciting news!

 

[saluki]

Sounds good.

Were you able to get the reservation that you wanted for this year?

 

[kristencostello]

Ugh, no, not yet. When I called back in November, I was able to get us on the waiting list for a 2 bedroom unit at Harborside for July 1 -8. The bad news is that we're still waiting and I'm getting ansty so I've been calling Starwood frequently to see what's available that week either at Harborside or at other Starwood properties. So either I take my chances and wait and get in (good news) or we don't get in and I'll have to scramble to make another reservation (bad news) or I just forget about going to the Bahamas and reserve somewhere else. Do you or anyone else have experience with the wait list at Harborside? The waiting is the hardest part!

 

[saluki]

I'm a newbie (just bought @ Kierland) & have no experience with the reservation process yet. Obviously the 4th of July week is making it tough for you. Just out of curiosity, do you know if other summer weeks are open @ WSJ as of now?

 

[stevens397]

Was anything said about a timeframe for the new units at St. John?

 

[melclark1]

We almost bought one of the new units...

We were there in January and they are technically not ready because they have not been renovated to the Westin standards, but the buildings are there. After going through the manager, they were going to allow us to buy in one of those units. We actually had the contract ready and everything, but decided not to do it (it would have been our second week in St. John and figured we could buy cheaper somewhere else for a second week). The views are really great from these units and once they are renovated should be pretty nice. I can't remember the hotel chain that owned them previously. Anyway, the salesman told us that they were starting renovaton and by early 2007 the first phase would be finished (he got into trouble for giving us this info!)

I am hoping this will make it easier to switch weeks if we ever have to do this in the future. I just tried switching to a one bedroom from a two bedroom and they told me they were completely booked for Jan-April.

 

[kristencostello]

I believe she said next year (2007?) but I haven't seen any formal announcements from Starwood so I would be a lot leary of that time frame.

I am open to making reservations either at Harborside or St. John any time during the summer months and nothing is ever available when I call. I was lucky to get wait-listed at Harborside when I called six months ago!

 

[dlpearson]

I believe she said next year (2007?) but I haven't seen any formal announcements from Starwood so I would be a lot leary of that time frame.

I am open to making reservations either at Harborside or St. John any time during the summer months and nothing is ever available when I call. I was lucky to get wait-listed at Harborside when I called six months ago!

I called at the crack of dawn at the 8 month mark to try and get the WSJ the first week of June (I figured with a lot of schools not out by then my chances might actually be decent). Nothing available, got put on the waitlist (we already had ff tickets booked at 11 months out). After waiting for 6 months on the waitlist, we gave up and have rented a private villa instead.

Where are these buildings owned by a previous hotel, and being renovated to Westin standards located?? I don't recall any other pre-existing buildings on the resort grounds.......

 

[melclark1]

They are right up the hill from the existing villas. They were all once part of the same resort, but they didn't renovate all of them. I assume since they are almost sold out on the existing villas that they are now finally able to start renovations.

 

[stevens397]

What prices were you given?

 

[mariawolf]

WAiting on the wait list is hard but it is my understanding that they only put you on the wait list based on past history showing a pretty viable chance to get what you are on the list for. I was wait listed for Thanksgiving at Harborside and got it about 60-90 days before. So unless you get something else I would hang in there and try calling periodically. It will be worth the wait if you get it!!

 

[duke]

Price List

Anyone know what the prices are for WSJ???

 

[melclark1]

I can't remember the ranges exactly, but I can give you an idea of what we looked at.

For a 2bdrm Platinum Plus it goes from about $60K to $75K depending on the week you choose.

For a 2bdrm Platinum it starts at about $30K and goes up from there.

Sorry I can't give you more info. They did say that the prices would go up again by June. They may have even gone up by now. There wasn't much left to choose from when we were there in February.

 

[kcgriffin]

I'm skeptical, unless thay are renovating existing HOTEL rooms, there are no more villas on the property. This use to be the Hyatt Virgin Grand before Westin took over after a hurricane in 1998.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I will check it out in June... can hardly wait... 9 weeks to go

 

[mariawolf]

Leaving in about 10 days--this is our 4th trip and I also agree that what is above the current villas is a housing development that is now mostly lots being sold which does not connect to the Westin property but will see what we can find out while there--

 

[melclark1]

I'm sorry if I did not make my post clear. I thought I mentioned they were all part of the same resort just not yet renovated. They are renovating the exisitng villas located directly above the last group of "Westin" villas. It is all the same resort except they were not previously for sale as Westin VO and have not yet been renovated. I assume by now they are going to try selling those units since they have probably started renovations.

 

[Loriannf]

If they're talking about the ones up the hill, they will be at most 2brs. I was under the impression that they were already part of the resort; the renovations may just be updating. We'll be there April 22 -30 and will attend the owners update; I'll post prices, availablity, etc when I get back.

Lori