CLUB REGINA, WESTIN CABO and Westin questions

[herindoors911]

I'm thinking about buying in at Club Regina at the Westin in Cabo.

I have seen the property, from the road, but know nothing about this TS.

Is it part of the Westin Starwood group?

What is a one bedroom lockoff?
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I want to be able to go to the Westin Mission Hills each year.... If I bought at the Kierland, what would I need to do to trade into the WMH? Always a learning cureve, isn't there!

How does one trade within the Westin group,

Do they still give you Starwood points if you buy resale.

Many thanks,
p.

 

[tomandrobin]

I'm thinking about buying in at Club Regina at the Westin in Cabo.

I have seen the property, from the road, but know nothing about this TS.

Is it part of the Westin Starwood group?

What is a one bedroom lockoff?
*****************************************
I want to be able to go to the Westin Mission Hills each year.... If I bought at the Kierland, what would I need to do to trade into the WMH? Always a learning cureve, isn't there!

How does one trade within the Westin group,

Do they still give you Starwood points if you buy resale.

Many thanks,
p.

Run, Run, Run from this property!

It is Not part of the Starwood Vacation Network!

Just buy Mission Hills...resales are cheap enough.

 

[DeniseM]

It is very inexpensive to buy Westin Mission Hills on the resale market, and it's a strong II trader, and gets the Starwood priority in II, but a resale from WMH will not have Staroptions or Starpoints.

For a good intro. to the Starwood system, start with the FAQ at the top of the page and then let us know what questions you have.

 

[lily28]

you can check out discussion of this ts on the mexico forum. there is mention of special assessment in the june 25 thread

 

[SDKath]

NO!!!

Avoid this property. They are entangled in a HUGE lawsuit right now with previous owners. It has nothing to do with Starwood (at least not the timeshares -- the hotel is Starwood's but that's not what you would buy into).

At one point, Starwood was going to take over the TSs but it never happened. Now everyone who bought is upset and out of a LOT of money!

Katherine

 

[stevens397]

I believe there is some misunderstanding here. As you stand in front of the hotel, Club Regina is on the left and the Grand Regina is on the left. Club Regina, to my knowledge, is fine and dandy and free of problems. Grand Regina, a much more expensive fractional, is dead in the water and many people, including my business partner, lost tens of thousands of dollars.

Club Regina is NOT part of the SVN but is a lovely and interesting timeshare that is available at a great price for those who want to travel there ongoingly. We had a lovely time there a few years ago. My business partner is taking a week there as part of the compromise to settle the issue.

 

[James1975NY]

I believe there is some misunderstanding here. As you stand in front of the hotel, Club Regina is on the left and the Grand Regina is on the left. Club Regina, to my knowledge, is fine and dandy and free of problems. Grand Regina, a much more expensive fractional, is dead in the water and many people, including my business partner, lost tens of thousands of dollars.

Club Regina is NOT part of the SVN but is a lovely and interesting timeshare that is available at a great price for those who want to travel there ongoingly. We had a lovely time there a few years ago. My business partner is taking a week there as part of the compromise to settle the issue.

Correct. The Club Regina as it is does not have any relationship with Westin other than the fact that the hotel portion of the property is managed Starwood with the Westin flag. The Club Regina Los Cabos is part of the Raintree club of resorts and is actually a nice product.

What the other posters are talking about is the project that Starwood started which came to a hault after many had already purchased into the fractional interests of the Starwood program that were supposed to be converted hotel units.

Two different topics.

 

[herindoors911]

Thanks to all of you. I'm more interested in Westin exchanges than going to Mexico... the only reason I wanted the Cabo property was to trade. I hoped it would trade into a Westin, but realize a Westin prop. would be the best trader in comparison. I'll look at the FAQ section and make some decisions.

Thanks for pointing out the assessment. I did notice it on a sale being handled by a resale agent. It is about $700 for a one bedroom.

 

[bobfred48]

Correct. The Club Regina as it is does not have any relationship with Westin other than the fact that the hotel portion of the property is managed Starwood with the Westin flag. The Club Regina Los Cabos is part of the Raintree club of resorts and is actually a nice product.

What the other posters are talking about is the project that Starwood started which came to a hault after many had already purchased into the fractional interests of the Starwood program that were supposed to be converted hotel units.

Two different topics.

I think at this time you should steer clear of Raintree (their Mexico resorts are falling to pieces and members are being doubled billed for this year's assessments). The Grand Regina was built and $25 million in sales made, but no further building has been done, leaving buyers out several thousand dollars and Raintree CEO Doub Bech says they only have around $5 million of that money left. Lawsuits are being prepared against both Club Regina and Grand Regina. Starwood, I have been told, is in dire financial straits at this time also. Buyers beware!

 

[SDKath]

Everyone is in dire financial straits. In the TS industry, in the car industry, in the healthcare industry, research and development, retail and sales, entertainment...

Now is the time to buy. Remember the old adage, "buy low and sell high." Sounds so insultingly obvious but it's the panic that this recession created that has kept people from doing just that.

If you want to get into TSing, and like the Starwood brand (and there is a LOT to like!), this is exactly the time to find a nice property and buy it!

Katherine

 

[James1975NY]

I think at this time you should steer clear of Raintree (their Mexico resorts are falling to pieces and members are being doubled billed for this year's assessments). The Grand Regina was built and $25 million in sales made, but no further building has been done, leaving buyers out several thousand dollars and Raintree CEO Doub Bech says they only have around $5 million of that money left. Lawsuits are being prepared against both Club Regina and Grand Regina. Starwood, I have been told, is in dire financial straits at this time also. Buyers beware!

Thanks for the feedback Bob. As an owner at the Club Regina, can you share more about what the lawsuit is about? I am familiar with what is going on with the Starwood project.

 

[LisaRex]

I would be very hesitant to buy a timeshare now, even at rock bottom prices. HOAs have very little recourse against owner who simply walk away from their properties, which leaves the remaining owners to foot the bill. There's good reasons why developers are not exercising their ROFR.

In lieu of buying, I'd take advantage of the great rental opportunities that are out there and not tie myself down to paying increasing MFs year after year.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

I would be very hesitant to buy a timeshare now, even at rock bottom prices. HOAs have very little recourse against owner who simply walk away from their properties, which leaves the remaining owners to foot the bill. There's good reasons why developers are not exercising their ROFR.

In lieu of buying, I'd take advantage of the great rental opportunities that are out there and not tie myself down to paying increasing MFs year after year.

I disagree!

 

[Twinkstarr]

I would be very hesitant to buy a timeshare now, even at rock bottom prices. HOAs have very little recourse against owner who simply walk away from their properties, which leaves the remaining owners to foot the bill. There's good reasons why developers are not exercising their ROFR.

In lieu of buying, I'd take advantage of the great rental opportunities that are out there and not tie myself down to paying increasing MFs year after year.

I agree with you Lisa. We've been running the numbers on a couple of Platinum weeks from Starwood and Marriott, resale of course. Yes, the purchase prices I have are amazing, but also so are the rate of increase in MF's we all saw this past Dec/Jan. The Starwood % of increase on my Lakeside week in CO was the highest in my portfolio, and that includes my DVC points at Vero Beach, which you can't get more oceanfront than that resort.

Personally I think prices will be going down farther, just wait until bill time this year. Maybe I'll look again in about 6 months.

 

[James1975NY]

I would be very hesitant to buy a timeshare now, even at rock bottom prices. HOAs have very little recourse against owner who simply walk away from their properties, which leaves the remaining owners to foot the bill. There's good reasons why developers are not exercising their ROFR.

In lieu of buying, I'd take advantage of the great rental opportunities that are out there and not tie myself down to paying increasing MFs year after year.

If you are renting, make sure that you have proof from the owner that the maintenance fees are current. There is nothing like checking in only to find out that the reservation was cancelled due to past due maintenance fees.

 

[herindoors911]

Thanks for all the information. I am luckily not new to time-sharing. I loved the exchanges at the WMH, thus the thought to buy in.



Can anyone elaborate on Starwood and why it is doing so badly right now?

I am in agreement with not holding onto $$ in these economic times. I have been spending more and tipping more graciously than usual. The only way the economy will be stimulated is by people who can go forward and spend. I have heard there are no pockets in silk shrouds.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

If you are renting, make sure that you have proof from the owner that the maintenance fees are current. There is nothing like checking in only to find out that the reservation was cancelled due to past due maintenance fees.

This makes no sense. What if the owner provides proof of "paid" maintenance fees and then cancel the reservation few days prior to the arrival of the guest. What good that paid maintenance fee proof will do now? It is better to check the references, talk to the owner on the phone, get a rental contract, and learn to trust people.

 

[Jaydin]

Starwoods, Grand regina Los Cabo

Any news on this mess. I haven't heard anythging in over a year?