Buy Vistana get lifetime Gold Marriott?

[turkel]

Ok so I was reading a thread from the Buying forum...poster stated the sales weasel touted Lifetime Marriott Gold status by buying a Vistana timeshare.

My immediate reaction was very negative. I am currently Gold but not anywhere near lifetime Gold. We own 2.5 Marriott weeks, 1 of which is a legacy week (2005).

Does this bother anyone else?

 

[dioxide45]

You buy MVC with Select Ownership status and you get lifetime gold in Marriott Rewards and SPG. No real difference. Those of us that got in with resale legacy weeks that we were able to enroll were very lucky.

 

[DeniseM]

Right now you get Gold SPG - the two programs hasn't merged, yet. Gold SPG is no big deal, because it's pretty easy to get - like buying any Vistana timeshare from the developer, or charging $30K per year on the SPG credit card.

The highest level with SPG is Platinum - gold is entry level.

 

[dioxide45]

Right now you get Gold SPG - the two programs hasn't merged, yet. Gold SPG is no big deal, because it's pretty easy to get - like buying any Vistana timeshare from the developer, or charging $30K per year on the SPG credit card.

The highest level with SPG is Platinum - gold is entry level.

But by linking your SPG account to your MR account, you get reciprocal benefit of gold in MR.

 

[DeniseM]

Ah - OK.

 

[tschwa2]

but it isn't gold for life. It renews as gold each year and who knows how long the spg account will be around and if the two programs merge if owning a Vistana resort will get gold directly with Marriott.

 

[turkel]

So I get how anyone on the receiving end of this Gold status is happy BUT what about Marriott owners?

The Marriott rewards card only gets you Silver no matter what you spend. Although you get 15 nights credit a year to help you achieve gold or platinum and 1 night for each 3k in spend. Gold requires 50 nights a year platinum 75. To achieve lifetime Gold it will take me at least another 7 years

We loved having access to the concierge level on our honeymoon, it was a huge perk. Neither of us travel for work so each night is earned on our dime.

Vistana is not connected to Marriott in any way. My understanding is Westin had to divest itself of the timeshare product prior to merging with Marriott. So why is Vistana getting Marriott lifetime Gold? While Marriott owners don't???

 

[VacationForever]

So I get how anyone on the receiving end of this Gold status is happy BUT what about Marriott owners?

The Marriott rewards card only gets you Silver no matter what you spend. Although you get 15 nights credit a year to help you achieve gold or platinum and 1 night for each 3k in spend. Gold requires 50 nights a year platinum 75. To achieve lifetime Gold it will take me at least another 7 years

We loved having access to the concierge level on our honeymoon, it was a huge perk. Neither of us travel for work so each night is earned on our dime.

Vistana is not connected to Marriott in any way. My understanding is Westin had to divest itself of the timeshare product prior to merging with Marriott. So why is Vistana getting Marriott lifetime Gold? While Marriott owners don't???

Marriott owners can get Gold by:
- Getting a SPG Amex card and spending 30K per year, getting Gold SPG and Gold Marriott for that year
- Using Marriott Visa (15 nights credit), in combination with Marriott timeshare stays - exchange or home resort stays, hotel stays, and spending on the card ($3K per night) to achieve 50 nights for that year
- Buying Marriott timeshare/points to get to Select level which aint hard, it only requires 4,000 points combined. Outlay is about $28K if you buy a hybrid package or lower if you buy resale points + junk fees. Since you already own a legacy week, you only need to acquire the points difference between 4000 points and what your week converts to.

Note: Vistana pays huge licensing $ to Marriott (which owns Starwood now) to use Westin/Sheraton brand affiliation after it was spun off from Starwood (hotel).

Look at it on the opposite side, we really wanted to get to Marriott and SPG Platinum level and we bought enough Marriott timeshare/points to get us to Presidential level. That not only got us to Marriott Platinum but also SPG Platinum.

 

[dioxide45]

Vistana is not connected to Marriott in any way. My understanding is Westin had to divest itself of the timeshare product prior to merging with Marriott. So why is Vistana getting Marriott lifetime Gold? While Marriott owners don't???

Vistana is connected to Marriott International and SPG through the Westin and Sheraton brands. Westin and Sheraton are still under the Marriott International umbrella. So they are still connected to Marriott.

A Marriott owner can also get gold status if they are Select Ownership level in the DC program. What is that, 3500 points?

 

[tschwa2]

So I get how anyone on the receiving end of this Gold status is happy BUT what about Marriott owners?
So why is Vistana getting Marriott lifetime Gold? While Marriott owners don't???

Again they are not getting Marriott lifetime gold. They are getting SPG gold on a year by year basis and when there is no SPG they are likely not going to get Marriott gold on a year by year basis. 5 star elite get SPG for life. This is similar to owning 4 or more direct annual Vistana purchases. Even in the best of times years ago, you would be looking at spending a minimum of $40,000-$50,000 in direct purchases if you worked it and requalified resales. To purchase direct these days you are looking at $80,000-$100,000 in direct purchases to get gold for life in SPG.

 

[VacationForever]

Again they are not getting Marriott lifetime gold. They are getting SPG gold on a year by year basis and when there is no SPG they are likely not going to get Marriott gold on a year by year basis. 5 star elite get SPG for life. This is similar to owning 4 or more direct annual Vistana purchases. Even in the best of times years ago, you would be looking at spending a minimum of $40,000-$50,000 in direct purchases if you worked it and requalified resales. To purchase direct these days you are looking at $80,000-$100,000 in direct purchases to get gold for life in SPG.

A correction here. Any Vistana developer purchase gets SPG Gold (For Life... as long as you continue to own them). 5 Star Elite gets SPG Platinum (For Life... as long as you continue to own them).

 

[turkel]

My husband and I have been discussing acquiring another Marriott timeshare prior to his retirement in 11/2019. Buying from Marriott or resale points is not gonna happen.

We own lock offs, always trade, always upgrade to at least a 1 bed even though we have to now pay for the privilege. I rarely put in a request with II and have gotten awesome trades on visible inventory.

I did just enroll my legacy week for free but the 2300 points I get won't get me what lockoffs and trading has for the cost. When my hubby retires we will be even more flexible with our travels. I can't imagine spending 10k let alone 30-50k as suggested above. I get to travel 5-6 weeks a year now because my cost is about $150 a night.

Guess I'll have to keep plugging away at lifetime Gold with the Marriott rewards card....

 

[turkel]

I just realized I did spend 10 k on my Marriott timeshares. The first one was a great price back in 2005 for 7k. I would probably have to give away that one now if I wanted out. No regrets though. I love my Marriott timeshares!!!

 

[JIMinNC]

Vistana is not connected to Marriott in any way. My understanding is Westin had to divest itself of the timeshare product prior to merging with Marriott. So why is Vistana getting Marriott lifetime Gold? While Marriott owners don't???

Just to summarize in one post the clarifications that others have noted in a few separate posts...

Marriott owners DO get Gold status, just as Vistana owners do by virtue of their SPG Gold status (which automatically gives them Marriott Rewards Gold due to reciprocity). Select and Executive level MVC owners get Marriott Rewards Gold, and Presidential and Chairman's level get Marriott Rewards Platinum. Marriott Vacation Club added this benefit a year or so ago to bring Marriott owners in line with what Vistana owners received with the reciprocity between SPG and Marriott Rewards after Marriott International bought Starwood. Marriott owners who only own unenrolled resale weeks or who have less than 4000 enrolled or Trust points don't get this benefit, of course, but neither do resale Vistana owners. So the two programs are really in pretty good alignment.

Also, Vistana has a HUGE connection to Marriott International. Vistana is one of two companies licensed by Marriott International to use Marriott-owned brands in the timeshare business. Vistana now licenses the Westin and Sheraton brands from Marriott for purposes of running their timeshare program, and they will also have the right for their Westin/Sheraton timeshares to participate in the new combined Marriott Rewards/SPG program that will be rolled out later this year or early 2019. The other timeshare company that is licensed by Marriott International is, of course, Marriott Vacations Worldwide who licenses the Marriott Vacation Club brand from Marriott International and who will also have the right for their Marriott Vacation Club timeshares to participate in the new combined Marriott Rewards/SPG program. Remember Marriott International, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, and ILG/Vistana are all three totally separate stockholder-owned companies. So, Vistana and Marriott Vacations Worldwide have very similar connections to Marriott International.

 

[ann824]

Is the Marriott status for weeks and points owners or just for destination points owners?

 

[tahoe]

Can qualify as an enrolled weeks owner. I'm not sure if you can qualify w/o enrolling.

 

[Steve Fatula]

Can qualify as an enrolled weeks owner. I'm not sure if you can qualify w/o enrolling.

This chart tells you most all of the benefits:

https://www.marriottvacationsworldwide.com/common/cms/mvc/pdfs/owners/Owner-Benefit-Level.pdf

As you can see, it's based on points.

 

[tschwa2]

Is the Marriott status for weeks and points owners or just for destination points owners?

Non enrolled weeks owners do not get status. You can qualify for status based on the number of points you get using enrolled weeks only.

 

[Oscar923]

Non enrolled weeks owners do not get status. You can qualify for status based on the number of points you get using enrolled weeks only.

I am an owner of 1 non-enrolled week, and I have been given Gold status since the merger (used to be Silver).

 

[Steve Fatula]

I am an owner of 1 non-enrolled week, and I have been given Gold status since the merger (used to be Silver).

Yes, since you have < 4000 points, you have owner level which = Gold now.

 

[dioxide45]

Yes, since you have < 4000 points, you have owner level which = Gold now.

They have 0 points and are not even in the DC program. Does Marriott still consider them "Owerer" in the DC program being unenrolled? Could they perhaps have got the status from night stays alone? Gold only takes 25 nights.

 

[tschwa2]

They have 0 points and are not even in the DC program. Does Marriott still consider them "Owerer" in the DC program being unenrolled? Could they perhaps have got the status from night stays alone? Gold only takes 25 nights.

You can also get gold with the CC. The basic $sub 100 one only gets you silver and 15 nights- you only need 10 more to get gold. Some of the higher priced ones may get you gold automatically but no additional nights. I think starting in 2019 regardless of how many different MR cards you can't get more than 15 nights total through 1 or more credit cards.

 

[Steve Fatula]

They have 0 points and are not even in the DC program. Does Marriott still consider them "Owerer" in the DC program being unenrolled? Could they perhaps have got the status from night stays alone? Gold only takes 25 nights.

Not sure. I know the discount applies to those unenrolled as I know someone with 0 points who uses it. That's on the benefit chart for select members, but maybe that's the only part that applies. 0 points fits as <4000 of course, the chart doesn't say members only. One part of the chart says applies to mvcd owners only (footnote 3), which is odd if nothing else applies to non mvcd owners. Maybe the chart is misleading?

 

[bazzap]

Not sure. I know the discount applies to those unenrolled as I know someone with 0 points who uses it. That's on the benefit chart for select members, but maybe that's the only part that applies. 0 points fits as <4000 of course, the chart doesn't say members only. One part of the chart says applies to mvcd owners only (footnote 3), which is odd if nothing else applies to non mvcd owners. Maybe the chart is misleading?

I have yet to see anything that suggests weeks owners who are not enrolled and do not also own points are eligible for these discounts. I guess we will see though.

 

[Steve Fatula]

I have yet to see anything that suggests weeks owners who are not enrolled and do not also own points are eligible for these discounts. I guess we will see though.

See FAQ:

https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/faq-marriott-vacation-club-weeks-system.391/

Under Owners Discounts, copied and pasted here:

Owners' discount - Weeks Owners who are not Destination Club Members* are eligible for a 25% discount on cash stays at Marriott timeshares and, frequently, at non-US Marriott hotels/resorts. The discount is capacity-controlled and based on availability.