Bad upgrade? Vistana Kaanapali Maui (296K StarOptions or 480K points) -> Sheraton Flex (261K StarOptions or 407K points) for $14K

[mchinsomboon]

We just did this yesterday and after getting home, thinking it's a bad deal - since we're now getting fewer StarOptions and fewer Bonvoy points. They are saying it's because the Sheraton Flex is better in that is has lower fees, fees wont go up as much as they are shared amongst many more properties and fewer are oceanside (versus the Vistana Kaanapali which is oceanside with more probability of higher fees), and that the Sheraton Flex can be exchanged natively via Interval International with more weeks as those StarOptions are worth more - but aren't all StarOptions the same, regardless of which is the home resort. They are saying that we could instead trade them annually for 2 weeks at a premium like Atlantis Bahamas and then even rent them out on sites like Redweek, for a profit. Also we get access to a new section of the Interval site that allows much lower cash bookings of resorts (unfilled rooms) that is being rolled out now and only to new owners of these Flex units. The question that keeps bothering us is why are we paying $14K to "upgrade" and get fewer StarOptions/Bonvoy points, even with the greater flex options. We're also thinking this new system should eventually be rolled out to all owners, no? Are we wrong? Thinking about rescinding.

Caveat, there is a sort of "benefit" in that $14K is what we would have paid over 3 years anyway in maintenance fees ($5500 annually before), as they would be pushed out to 2025 for the next payment - though our timeshare usage would be pushed out to 2024 to be used (or turned into Bonvoy points), but we would get immediate use of the discounted cash booking system though.

Normally, we just convert the StarOptions to Bonvoy points as we never make use of the timeshare weeks and prefer to stay at the hotels with the far many more options and flexibility and we have over 4M Bonvoy points already always (so we wont miss them for the next few years).

Would love some opinions on this, thank you!

 

[Ken555]

Gads, rescind ASAP.


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[tschwa2]

Probably wouldn't make a difference but what view type do you have at Kaanapali? It would likely be best to rescind anyway but if you own ocean front, it would be a horrible deal, ocean view very bad deal and for island view still not a great deal. What is the current MF's on 261k sheraton flex points.

Is there anything in the contract detailing the "new" section of II only for flex owners? The only difference is that flex owners exchange based on a size and season grid vs depositing the whole unit or the lock off portion.

 

[DeniseM]

You traded something with high value, for something with low value, and paid for the honor. Definitely rescind.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Definitely rescind. Is this Flexoptions or Mandatory Staroptions?

 

[CPNY]

We just did this yesterday and after getting home, thinking it's a bad deal - since we're now getting fewer StarOptions and fewer Bonvoy points. They are saying it's because the Sheraton Flex is better in that is has lower fees, fees wont go up as much as they are shared amongst many more properties and fewer are oceanside (versus the Vistana Kaanapali which is oceanside with more probability of higher fees), and that the Sheraton Flex can be exchanged natively via Interval International with more weeks as those StarOptions are worth more - but aren't all StarOptions the same, regardless of which is the home resort. They are saying that we could instead trade them annually for 2 weeks at a premium like Atlantis Bahamas and then even rent them out on sites like Redweek, for a profit. Also we get access to a new section of the Interval site that allows much lower cash bookings of resorts (unfilled rooms) that is being rolled out now and only to new owners of these Flex units. The question that keeps bothering us is why are we paying $14K to "upgrade" and get fewer StarOptions/Bonvoy points, even with the greater flex options. We're also thinking this new system should eventually be rolled out to all owners, no? Are we wrong? Thinking about rescinding.

Caveat, there is a sort of "benefit" in that $14K is what we would have paid over 3 years anyway in maintenance fees ($5500 annually before), as they would be pushed out to 2025 for the next payment - though our timeshare usage would be pushed out to 2024 to be used (or turned into Bonvoy points), but we would get immediate use of the discounted cash booking system though.

Normally, we just convert the StarOptions to Bonvoy points as we never make use of the timeshare weeks and prefer to stay at the hotels with the far many more options and flexibility and we have over 4M Bonvoy points already always (so we wont miss them for the next few years).

Would love some opinions on this, thank you!

So you gave them a deeded week at a Westin then paid 14K more for Sheraton flex?! It’s such a shame what they are doing to owners. Marriott sales people are the absolute worst. You went from being able to book Maui at 12 months to being able to book WKOV at 8 months with the rest of us who don’t own there? Rescind…. No doubt about it.

 

[Bill4728]

OMG What were you thinking?

You traded in a mandatory resort with significant resale value for something with no resale value.

RESCIND!!

 

[rickandcindy23]

So glad you found TUG!

 

[echino]

Hey Mac, you wrote to me via Airbnb. Of course rescind ASAP, as everyone above agrees. I didn't realize you traded in Westin Kaanapali, you got even worse deal then. Westin Kaanapali has some resale value, could be $10,000 - $30,000 depending on deeded view. Sheraton Flex had zero resale value.

 

[mchinsomboon]

Thank you all! Yes i've requested the paperwork yesterday and still awaiting - will stay on top to be sure we get the refund. Thank you all!

 

[dioxide45]

Thank you all! Yes i've requested the paperwork yesterday and still awaiting - will stay on top to be sure we get the refund. Thank you all!

What paperwork are you requesting? You don't need to request paperwork. You can't do this over the phone or email. You need to send a rescission letter to Vistana (most likely to Orlando) via USPS mail. Don't talk to the sales people, they will just string you along long enough that you will then be outside the rescission period and then you are stuck with what you "bought".

 

[LannyPC]

Yes i've requested the paperwork yesterday and still awaiting - will stay on top to be sure we get the refund.

As Dioxide 45 said above, you do not need to wait for paperwork from the resort.

https://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/cancel_timeshare_purchase.html

 

[mchinsomboon]

got it, will create this and mail today, thank you!

 

[PcflEZFlng]

What an egregious case of sales weasel deception this is. This could be a top candidate for the TUG chronicles.

 

[rickandcindy23]

got it, will create this and mail today, thank you!

Send it to get a receipt back too. So you have proof you rescinded. This should be illegal for Vistana to downgrade an owner from something valuable to something almost worthless. How do they get by with this legally?

 

[oneohana]

Send it to get a receipt back too. So you have proof you rescinded. This should be illegal for Vistana to downgrade an owner from something valuable to something almost worthless. How do they get by with this legally?

Almost worthless? I pick up Sheraton Flex for free.

 

[CPNY]

got it, will create this and mail today, thank you!

Make sure you send it to the correct address