Considering a Westin Flex Resale - have a few questions

[thor87]

Hi,
this forum has been tremendously helpful in understanding some of the nuances of the program, but there are a few questions that I'm still looking for answers on:

• Seller is offering 148.1K HomeOptions on Flex for $12,500. They paid 2023 maintenance fee, but haven't used yet, so I can use 2023 and have to only pay maintenance starting 2024.
• The resort I'm most interested is Riverfront during ski season. Generally flexible, but would like to spend 1-2 weeks there. Availability seems to be a very mixed bag; was hoping somebody has up-to-date information on this.
  • For WRF, does Flex inventory include only 2BR, or can I also book 1BR / Studios? Ideally I'd get a few more HO (162K) and then book 2 weeks in a 1BR at 81K each if that's possible. It's just 2 of us, so we don't need the 2BR.

Thanks so much! Really appreciate any help.

 

[sponger76]

Hi,
this forum has been tremendously helpful in understanding some of the nuances of the program, but there are a few questions that I'm still looking for answers on:

• Seller is offering 148.1K HomeOptions on Flex for $12,500. They paid 2023 maintenance fee, but haven't used yet, so I can use 2023 and have to only pay maintenance starting 2024.
• The resort I'm most interested is Riverfront during ski season. Generally flexible, but would like to spend 1-2 weeks there. Availability seems to be a very mixed bag; was hoping somebody has up-to-date information on this.
  • For WRF, does Flex inventory include only 2BR, or can I also book 1BR / Studios? Ideally I'd get a few more HO (162K) and then book 2 weeks in a 1BR at 81K each if that's possible. It's just 2 of us, so we don't need the 2BR.

Thanks so much! Really appreciate any help.

Just know that the Westin Flex trust owns little to no ski season inventory at Westin Riverfront (WFR). Most of that is owned by weeks owners. You are therefore dependent upon WRF ski weeks owners electing not to use their owned weeks in order for you to have access to that inventory using points, which means it can be quite difficult. With that being said, due to the flexibility of points, if a 2 bedroom does happen to be available, since they are lock-offs you can also book it as either a 1 bedroom or studio, and then the other part will still be available for someone else to book.

 

[Sicnarf]

That's a very good price if EY! But getting a ski week will be a challenge.

 

[pacman777]

Most prime ski weeks (Pres week, March spring break weeks and December holidays) were sold as Riverfront Platinum Plus deeds and not dropped into the Westin Flex Trust. Vistana probably dumped the remaining mud weeks in there to put lipstick on the pig and be able to claim you can book at Riverfront (and ski in November or April during mud season). Also since it’s voluntary, you don’t get StarOptions to be able to book availability when prime ski weeks do become available from owners electing StarOptions. If you want to ski good weeks at Riverfront then buying resale is the way to go. Platinum Plus season holds their value well and aren’t as abundant on the resale market

 

[kozykritter]

@dioxide45 is a good one to weigh on this since he tracks conveyances to trusts but the common understanding is there is very little WRF inventory in Westin Flex and it is all mud weeks as others have stated. I used to sell ownership at WRF many moons ago and can confirm that prime weeks were sold as event weeks (fixed) meaning they would never end up in the Flex trust as the owner could command such a high premium on the resale market for their individual deed. Since they only built 34 units (2-bed lockoff) instead of the 112 originally envisioned resulting in a sellout in record time, there has always been a challenge getting into the property during ski season unless you own a week or rent from an owner. If you are interested in skiing in Colorado, then buying resale Sheraton Flex might be a better fit as there are three ski properties (Mountain Vista and Lakeside in Avon and Steamboat in Steamboat Springs) that have varying amounts of Flex inventory. The Steamboat property was converted almost entirely into Flex and users here have reported good success in nabbing ski weeks there. You can find Sheraton Flex resale for next to nothing on eBay!

 

[Huskerpaul]

One problem with Sheraton Flex is the high maintenance fees. Likely why they are often priced at almost nothing on Ebay.

 

[kozykritter]

One problem with Sheraton Flex is the high maintenance fees. Likely why they are often priced at almost nothing on Ebay.

True. Westin Flex maintenance fees are even higher. The multi-home resort option comes at a price, regardless of the brand. For me personally the flexibility is worth it.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

What are the MFs for Sheraton Flex and Westin Flex?

 

[sponger76]

What are the MFs for Sheraton Flex and Westin Flex?

2023 Westin Flex MF = $0.02183/point
2023 Sheraton Flex MF = $0.01906/point
2023 Westin Aventuras MF = $0.01623/point

 

[echino]

So for Westin Riverfront ski week in a 2br, maintenance fees:

Weeks owner: $2,357
Westin Flex: $3,233

 

[CalGalTraveler]

And if you trade 148k Westin Flex Points into a 2 bdrm non-OF on Maui it is $3231. Deed MF is about $2500 (south), $2,800 North.

 

[sponger76]

So for Westin Riverfront ski week in a 2br, maintenance fees:

Weeks owner: $2,357
Westin Flex: $3,233

A lot more money for the same week, and that's IF the OP can get the ski week he wants using Westin Flex. He might pay all that extra amount in MFs and not even see a decent ski week available. I like the flexibility of points and am willing to pay the premium in MFs if I am likely to get the kind of stays I want and the premium isn't TOO much. But that's $900/year for a much lower likelihood of getting what he specifically wants on a regular basis.

 

[EnglishmanAbroad]

And if you trade 148k Westin Flex Points into a 2 bdrm non-OF on Maui it is $3231. Deed MF is about $2500 (south), $2,800 North.

Are those 2022 figures? I think North MFs were more like $3,050 for 2023.

 

[daviator]

And if you trade 148k Westin Flex Points into a 2 bdrm non-OF on Maui it is $3231. Deed MF is about $2500 (south), $2,800 North.

Those might be old numbers.

Deeded week MF for South (ocean view) 2 br lockoff was most recently $2767, and North (ocean view) was $3064.

Both of those exclude the club dues (which vary depending on ownership level, mine were $307.)

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Possibly old.

Wow. These are getting pricey for a week. I remember when south was $2400/week and that was not long ago! They may be pricing owners out of the market if this continues.

 

[daviator]

Possibly old.

Wow. These are getting pricey for a week. I remember when south was $2400/week and that was not long ago! They may be pricing owners out of the market if this continues.

Yeah, they've gone up a lot lately. As I recall there are two main drivers of the increases, the first is labor costs (when they brought back all the housekeeping and other staff they had to pay a lot more to get people) and the other is property taxes, they've been fighting the county on those for years. Other increases like energy costs too but labor and property taxes were the big ones I think.

When I bought at WKORV (pre-opening), the maintenance fees were around $1400 which included whatever they were charging for the SVO (later VSN) membership. So they've doubled over almost 20 years, but so have lots of other things.

 

[thor87]

Thanks all - this has been very helpful and affirmed some of my concerns around ski season availability at WRF via Flex. Might have to think about this a bit or look into WRF week resales, though those tend to be quite pricey ($40-50K+ asking).

 

[CPNY]

Thanks all - this has been very helpful and affirmed some of my concerns around ski season availability at WRF via Flex. Might have to think about this a bit or look into WRF week resales, though those tend to be quite pricey ($40-50K+ asking).

I would not buy Westin Flex if your main goal is a ski week at WRF. It will be most likely impossible to reserve two weeks. You can look to buy a resale ski week at the resort or just book Sheraton mountain vista with star options and save a ton of money.

 

[thor87]

I would not buy Westin Flex if your main goal is a ski week at WRF. It will be most likely impossible to reserve two weeks. You can look to buy a resale ski week at the resort or just book Sheraton mountain vista with star options and save a ton of money.

Does the Sheraton have good availability via SO? If going that route, would it be best to buy a mandatory Westin resale unit (maybe Hawaii)?

 

[CPNY]

Does the Sheraton have good availability via SO? If going that route, would it be best to buy a mandatory Westin resale unit (maybe Hawaii)?

At 8 months I have seen availability with my Star Options at SMV.

 

[dioxide45]

SMV is also available via Sheraton Flex and I beleive people who own Sheraton Flex have been able to get ski week reservations with it. You can buy Sheraton Flex for $0 on resale.

 

[Ken555]

As many of you know, this is when I typically chime in and ask the question… why would anyone buy flex when they can buy a resale WKV 148k week for about the same, if not less, and pay substantially less MF every year? I know there is a possibility of reserving flex weeks earlier than eight months, but given the general consensus WRF doesn’t have many available, wouldn’t WKV be a better choice?

For the OP I would suggest the other Colorado resorts and be flexible. It may be possible to put together a two week trip at two resorts. But I agree with the others - ski weeks via StarOptions is extremely difficult to reserve. You may easily have years where you can’t book them. And, even if you can find them during the season, you certainly wouldn’t have much flexibility on timing.


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[Ken555]

FWIW, I just checked and there is availability at SMV during the season today as others indicated at eight months in a one bedroom. There’s also the “hotel room” at Steamboat and other options, but no other resort with a one bedroom. I checked one and two week reservations. Frankly, I was surprised the one bedroom was there. Still, I wouldn’t buy Flex for the chance of reserving a ski week at the high MF, but that’s me.

Ask yourself if you’d be happy going to a different region during the year as well, or if a ski week is the only destination you want. If it is, then any StarOption reservation is definitely not the way to go and you should buy a deed at a ski resort you would have a much greater chance of reserving during the time you want. Anything else is a gamble.


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[sponger76]

ski weeks via StarOptions is extremely difficult to reserve. You may easily have years where you can’t book them. And, even if you can find them during the season, you certainly wouldn’t have much flexibility on timing.

This is only MOSTLY true. For Westin Riverfront, absolutely true, and also for the most part at Sheraton Mountain Vista and Sheraton Lakeside Terrace. Sheraton Steamboat is the exception, as the vast majority of the inventory, including ski weeks, is owned by the Sheraton Flex trust. So while there might not be much left by the time the 8 month StarOptions window rolls around, if you use Sheraton Flex Home Options, not only do you have a good chance, it's the best way to get the prime ski week inventory there. You can't even find Sheraton Steamboat weeks on the resale market because they practically don't exist outside of the Sheraton Flex trust.

 

[vacationtime1]

You also need to coordinate which season pass product you purchase with where you may end up skiing.