Buying resale week with Star Options what happens

[curtheavyc]

Hi Fellow TUG members!,

Need some advice please..

I am seriously considering buying Westin Kierland floating week with 148,000 star options included.
My question is how would I use the Star Options? Would they be converted to Marriott Points? or Would they be used just within the Westin Resort groups as they were before Marriott bought Westin out?

I have relatives close to Kierland and would use it. We also have a resale week at Westin Desert Willow without any Star Options or points.

We have been told before after the Buyout by Marriott that they could transfer our week into points with a purchase of a EOY or EY points/week purchase.

Thanks
Curt

 

[rickandcindy23]

They would be within the Westin/ Vistana options only. Anything purchased after August of 2022 didn't end up in Abound.

We squeaked by with a week or two to spare with our resale purchase and made it to Chairman's level in Abound, not that it matters all that much to us personally. I keep hoping Marriott will suddenly open the floodgates for us to get into Abound with our Marriott weeks. Then I would find those valuable enough to keep.

Until then, I am selling most everything in Marriott that I use to exchange because I don't need so many weeks in Marriott. I would love to be able to enroll without paying through the nose for it.

I considered Kierland for a long time. I am trying to curtail my timeshare expenditures for now. Rick is grateful.

 

[sponger76]

Hi Fellow TUG members!,

Need some advice please..

I am seriously considering buying Westin Kierland floating week with 148,000 star options included.
My question is how would I use the Star Options? Would they be converted to Marriott Points? or Would they be used just within the Westin Resort groups as they were before Marriott bought Westin out?

I have relatives close to Kierland and would use it. We also have a resale week at Westin Desert Willow without any Star Options or points.

We have been told before after the Buyout by Marriott that they could transfer our week into points with a purchase of a EOY or EY points/week purchase.

Thanks
Curt

They won't have the ability to convert to Abound (Marriott Vacation Club) points unless you make a retail purchase (currently $10k minimum of Sheraton Flex, Westin Aventuras or possibly Westin Flex) to give them full enrollment. If you don't do that, you can only use them as StarOptions within 8 months of check-in via Vistana. But you will have access to more than just Westin resorts. Vistana resorts that can be booked with StarOptions include Sheraton resorts and also Harborside Resort at Atlantis in the Bahamas.

 

[sponger76]

I keep hoping Marriott will suddenly open the floodgates for us to get into Abound with our Marriott weeks. Then I would find those valuable enough to keep.

Until then, I am selling most everything in Marriott that I use to exchange because I don't need so many weeks in Marriott. I would love to be able to enroll without paying through the nose for it.

It would be nice, but I don't see it happening. The current system has apparently worked well with them since they introduced the points system over 13 years ago. If it weren't they would have already opened those floodgates a while back. I don't think amnesty for all the unenrolled weeks would help out MVC's bottom line in any way at this point, so there is no motivation on their part to grant it. There would have to be some large indicators that not allowing blanket enrollment of resale weeks is somehow hindering their retail sales or causing masses of owners to stop paying their MFs. Neither appears to be the case at the moment.