Bought a timeshare at Westin Lagunamar

[Hindsite]

You are right - a bedroom is good enough for me. Its just me, my wife and our 3 year toddler looking to go trips together and build memories.
I do not want to be tied to one resort and visit it year after year. In fact, far from it. I was hoping to start off with a trip to the Marriott resort in Mallorca next year followed by Carribean in 2026.

The rescind advice stands, as you have stated you don't know that this is a bad deal, because you don't know what a good deal is @echino posted one example there are hundreds, possibly thousands more.

There are ways to buy direct and get a decent deal. There are ways to by resale and get an excellent deal, there's a whole load of TUG content on buying and II trader. You need to do at least 6 months research to understand the difference to be able to know what, if any deal suits your needs.

Look up how many club points you would need to accumulate to go to Son Antem (Mallorca) for the dates that you want to go, they only have 2 or 3-bed units. You have enough club points for 3-nights in low season midweek, which you can buy on marriott.com for around $550 (less than your maint fees). Do similar for your other target destinations and I'm sure you'll find you haven't bought enough, which is exactly what sales are aiming to do. When you go back to the next sales meeting and complain that you don't have enough to do anything decent, guess what they'll say? Miraculously all your problems will go away if you just drop another $18k, which still won't be enough and so the cycle continues..

https://vacationpointexchange.com/pointschart/points_charts_2025.pdf

If you want to "trade" mostly outside of the Vistana system, then you need a completely different solution, that could be a completely different brand, and you'll need to loo in to using II and/or RCI. If you got tolds that you could use club points to go to all the MVCs by using Abound, then remember that, Abound is just an exchange and while it "can" have availability for places like Mallorca, it relies on owners depositing so may not have the dates you want or can afford. Lots of the MVC locations outside of the US have much more and cost effective availability via II.

 

[TravelJoy]

@crazyrider3076 Even if you rescind and later determine this was the best deal you can ALWAYS reclaim with a simple phone call and same gifts, it's not going anywhere....rescind!

 

[Venter]

This is news to me! I asked a million times during the presentation and they said the 44000 options can be used worldwide at any of the Westin, Marriott locations.
For the 88000 options, they told me that those have restrictions and I will be able to use them only at Westin properties and not at MVC's which I thought wasn't a bad compromise.

What I meant is that you cannot use it anywhere else but the three Mexican resorts if you acquire your Aventuras points on the secondary market.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

Thanks for taking the time for the great writeup!
I am very new to this game so I don't understand this game. I went to the "For Sale" posts and there were quite a few things that I did not grasp.
I appreciate all the replies so far and everyone told me to rescind since its a bad deal but I honestly, did not understand why its a bad deal since I don't know what a good deal is!

Why it made sense to buy this deal - I wish to do one trip with my family in a year for 6/7 days and the accommodation costs for me would be in the ballpark of $4000-$5000 assuming $500+ per night at least with current day pricing. 10 years of these trips are going to set me back $40-50k as opposed to the villa cost of $18000 + 10 years of MF + the discounted rates offered by Interval. Is this a wrong way of looking at things in the TF world?
3 or 4 such trips would set me back the cost of the timeshare I just purchased. I like to stay in properties like St Regis or Ritz but they are cost prohibitive for me and so I can definitely "settle" for a resort like Westin.
I can only assume that things will become expensive in the future. I remember staying at the Bellagio in Las Vegas for $66 a night during the 2008 recession - Gone are those days!

You are right - a bedroom is good enough for me. Its just me, my wife and our 3 year toddler looking to go trips together and build memories.
I do not want to be tied to one resort and visit it year after year. In fact, far from it. I was hoping to start off with a trip to the Marriott resort in Mallorca next year followed by Carribean in 2026.

I haven't seen it mentioned but there are also TS rental sites where you can rent most properties e.g. Redweek that you might want to look at to gauge your situation and committing to a purchase vs simply renting where you want and when you want.

 

[Hindsite]

What I meant is that you cannot use it anywhere else but the three Mexican resorts if you acquire your Aventuras points on the secondary market.

Don't they work in II?

 

[rcv82]

What I meant is that you cannot use it anywhere else but the three Mexican resorts if you acquire your Aventuras points on the secondary market.

If you buy it on the secondary market (very cheap), and then want to get the StarOptions to use at other resorts, or to deposit into Abound, then you can get this enrolled back into both by making a $10,000 minimum purchase from the developer like your original contact. If you have more than one resale contract, the additional ones each require an additional $5000 in new purchase at the same time. Doing this you can get way more for your money, assuming you want more. Note they could change the re-enrollment process anytime, but it has been like this for a long time.). Another approach is to buy at a one of the so-called mandatory resorts that come with StarOptions.

You can trade a resale through II without this, you just have to pay for your own II account.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ski-Dad]

I am at Westin Lagunamar now. I traded in via II very easily with a much lower MF than you will pay, and I paid $200 for my unit.

As the much smarter folks above have already advised, RESCIND.

 

[daviator]

Unless you’re able to return the black Diamond which you picked up, you may not be able to rescind. Presumably that was a part of the deal and by picking it up, you’ve now received a piece of what you bought' and it isn’t something that MVC can just cancel. Look at your contract and see what it says, but I’ll bet you need to un-pickup the diamond, which may not be easy to do.

 

[CPNY]

This is news to me! I asked a million times during the presentation and they said the 44000 options can be used worldwide at any of the Westin, Marriott locations.
For the 88000 options, they told me that those have restrictions and I will be able to use them only at Westin properties and not at MVC's which I thought wasn't a bad compromise.

Yes the 44K options can be used at the Westin and Sheraton locations in the VSN at 8 months and your home resort at 12 months. They can also be converted to club points in the Abound program because you were buying them directly from Marriott. If you buy the Aventuras options on the resale market, the ability to book in the VSN at 8 months and the ability to convert to club points is not applicable because Aventuras is a voluntary ownership.

If you buy resale at a mandatory ownership like Westin Kierland that was recommended to you earlier or Sheraton vistana villages (Key West/Bella phases), the ability to book at 8 months in the VSN (all Westin and Sheraton properties) will transfer over to you via the use of Star Options. However, the ability to convert to Abound Club Points will not transfer. Basically you will be able to own at a lower cost ownership and still have the ability to book Westin Lagunamar in the season you want at 8 months via the VSN. Rescind your purchase and research Vistana Voluntary/Mandatory resale ownerships.

 

[celica7101]

Yes the 44K options can be used at the Westin and Sheraton locations in the VSN at 8 months and your home resort at 12 months. They can also be converted to club points in the Abound program because you were buying them directly from Marriott. If you buy the Aventuras options on the resale market, the ability to book in the VSN at 8 months and the ability to convert to club points is not applicable because Aventuras is a voluntary ownership.

If you buy resale at a mandatory ownership like Westin Kierland that was recommended to you earlier or Sheraton vistana villages (Key West/Bella phases), the ability to book at 8 months in the VSN (all Westin and Sheraton properties) will transfer over to you via the use of Star Options. However, the ability to convert to Abound Club Points will not transfer. Basically you will be able to own at a lower cost ownership and still have the ability to book Westin Lagunamar in the season you want at 8 months via the VSN. Rescind your purchase and research Vistana Voluntary/Mandatory resale ownerships.

I think the salesperson was not talking about VSN but rather that you could convert SO/HO to Bonvoy points and redeem at marriott hotels. This is only the case with developer / retro purchases.

 

[echino]

I think the salesperson was not talking about VSN but rather that you could convert SO/HO to Bonvoy points and redeem at marriott hotels. This is only the case with developer / retro purchases.

Converting to Bonvoy points is an exceptionally bad deal which can only make sense when your StarOptions would otherwise expire so you could salvage a small portion of their value.

 

[celica7101]

Converting to Bonvoy points is an exceptionally bad deal which can only make sense when your StarOptions would otherwise expire so you could salvage a small portion of their value.

Sure. I don’t think anyone was saying that it was a good idea. Considering that “worldwide” hinted at intl locations other Aventuras sites, this was the charitable interpretation of what the OP salesperson was suggesting.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[celica7101]

Hi All,

Long story short, we got an invite in mail for Westin Lagunamar for $299 for 4 nights. We paid $300 extra and upgraded to the 1 bedroom villa. The stay was good without being over the top luxurious and during the presentation, ended up buying a timeshare here.

• 44000 Options for roughly $18000 + 995 (VOI type Annual)
• $873 annual HOA + $240 exhange company dues
• Got a bonus of 88000 Options to be used in next two years
• I already had a paid up "Encore experience" for Maui and the amount that I had already paid ($1495) was reduced from the initial price.
• They also reduced the price of this trip ($598) from the initial price
• Threw in a "black diamond" for the wife, which we picked up from the jewelry store at JW Marriott down the road.

I was told that 44000 options translate to roughly 1500 MVC points
Salesman mentioned that I am not tied to any particular resort and can book Gold and Platinum days at any resort in the program

Having said that, did we get a good deal or should we rescind? I understand that this won't appreciate in value but is it worth it if we keep visiting different resorts every year?

Thanks in advance!

So OP did you end up rescinding?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[4TimeAway]

If you kept it. I'm sure you'll figure out how to make it work. You'll have to.

Timeshares can work at retail pricing for many people as you state. The TUG community asks, "compared to what?" On that score resale is almost always a much better value.

Personally, I'd buy a resale unit with low MFs and try to get one that gives access to II and RCI.

Most retail buyers have no idea of what they truely need, want or how they will evolve over time.

 

[daviator]

If you kept it. I'm sure you'll figure out how to make it work. You'll have to.

Timeshares can work at retail pricing for many people as you state. The TUG community asks, "compared to what?" On that score resale is almost always a much better value.

Personally, I'd buy a resale unit with low MFs and try to get one that gives access to II and RCI.

Most retail buyers have no idea of what they truely need, want or how they will evolve over time.

Very much agree. I wouldn’t go back and undo my retail purchases as I have gotten great value from them. But I also recognize that I could have gotten much of the same value with a lot lower capital outlay by buying resale. Live and learn, I’m smarter now but don’t regret what I bought.

And hey, those retail purchases gave me LOTS of hotel points for charging the purchase to the right credit card, which paid for some memorable trips. Yes, to some extent I’m justifying a less-than-perfect decision, but as they say, the perfect is the enemy of the good.

 

[EvanChevalierJordan]

I am looking to buy a 1 bedroom resale at Westin Lagunamar. Where would I look to buy?

 

[DeniseM]

TUG Marketplace, Redweek, eBay, among others.

 

[TUGBrian]

Best Timeshare Resale Prices

How do I Find the Best Prices on Timeshare Resales From Owners?

tug2.net

I am looking to buy a 1 bedroom resale at Westin Lagunamar. Where would I look to buy?

 

[andremike]

If you buy a Vistana Westin Lagunamar on the secondary market... I know in resale you can only use it at that resort(Its not a mandatory resort) so do you get options only good for Lagunamar? Do you always have to book a 2 bedroom if you buy a 2 bedroom? what are the other tradeoffs and things to look for..

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

Rescind and buy resale.

Although resales aren't mandatory resorts so you can't exchange internally with other Vistana resorts. We bought resale at a mandatory resort and can exchange into Lagunamar or Maui. Just another option

 

[andremike]

Although resales aren't mandatory resorts so you can't exchange internally with other Vistana resorts. We bought resale at a mandatory resort and can exchange into Lagunamar or Maui. Just another option

I was looking at "mandatory resorts" so i have that flexibility. But I also found a resale at Lagunamar for pretty cheap.. and I was wondering how that works when it comes time to booking there? Are you locked into a 2 bedroom or can you decide to go for a 1 bedroom or studio for a longer period of time? do they give you options but only good there?

 

[Ken555]

I was looking at "mandatory resorts" so i have that flexibility. But I also found a resale at Lagunamar for pretty cheap.. and I was wondering how that works when it comes time to booking there? Are you locked into a 2 bedroom or can you decide to go for a 1 bedroom or studio for a longer period of time? do they give you options but only good there?

For all Vistana 2-bed lockoff units, you may use each side separately. So, in this case, you may have a week in a 1-bed and another week in a studio. You may also deposit your ownership, as either a single 2-bed or two separate units (1-bed and studio) into Interval International and use those to exchange elsewhere.

 

[andremike]

For all Vistana 2-bed lockoff units, you may use each side separately. So, in this case, you may have a week in a 1-bed and another week in a studio. You may also deposit your ownership, as either a single 2-bed or two separate units (1-bed and studio) into Interval International and use those to exchange elsewhere.

thank you. its nice to know you have options to go into a studio or 1 bedroom.. can you do 2 studios if thats all thats available? so are there any other stipulations to watch out for? I'd prefer a unit that is annual and can be used any week of the year.. but then i read about "gold" and "platinum" ... is booking like a points based systems but only at 1 resort? Can you still borrow and bank points?

 

[Ken555]

thank you. its nice to know you have options to go into a studio or 1 bedroom.. can you do 2 studios if thats all thats available? so are there any other stipulations to watch out for? I'd prefer a unit that is annual and can be used any week of the year.. but then i read about "gold" and "platinum" ... is booking like a points based systems but only at 1 resort? Can you still borrow and bank points?

It’s a deed for one week of ownership, which has no points. You may only stay during the season in which you own and in the exact same unit size.

 

[andremike]

It’s a deed for one week of ownership, which has no points. You may only stay during the season in which you own and in the exact same unit size.

I thought you just said I can stay 1 week in a 1 bedroom and another week in a studio? is that not the case? how do the seasons work if you buy a flex with 1-52 and in Platinum? When shopping resale I want the most flexibility? what am I looking for?