FYI: 2 bedroom Westin St. John available w/StarOptions June 8-15 2012

[dlpearson]

also a 3 bedroom in August (can't remember the exact date). Just got off the phone w/owner services.

-David

 

[Sea Six]

Something funny about this place (WSJ). SVO tells you there aren't any weeks available, or there aren't any days available to extend your week. I was even told there weren't any rooms in the hotel to extend my 2BR vista week. Yet, now that I am here, I swear there are MANY empty units here, even though I was told I could not extend a few days. The place seems empty to me. Plenty of poolside chairs available at 2 in the afternoon when it is sunny and 85 outside? Very few people on the beach? Restaurants are empty. It just looks like a conspiracy to me. There is NO WAY this place is full.

 

[Sea Six]

Considering the view we have from our room in building 26, I'm sure if the place was full we would have a view of trees - nothing like this! I think we have the best view in the place!

Nice sunset, too:

 

[woodyd70]

Some reasons for empty units

Empty Units DO NOT necessarily mean units are available. Why, you might ask? There are many "kinds" or "types" of inventory in the system. For example: Developer inventory that has not been sold (not normally made available to SVN owners), owned inventory that maintenance fees are not current on (not necessarily available for usage), owners who have converted their staroptions to starpoints (this inventory becomes tied to SPG, not necessarily SVN), as well as the complex situation that occurs when owners deposit with I.I., who really knows what happens with that inventory (at WSJ in particular, I'm sure very little of the deposited inventory goes unused, but it certainly can happen due to late deposits, exchange cancellations, etc.....

 

[LisaRex]

I had the same observation when I visited WSJ, which I brought up on this board. My best guess is that people own these units, pay the MFs, and then don't show up.

 

[Sea Six]

Well, something sure is strange here, and certainly unusual compared to any other resort I've been to. I can't believe so many people are wasting their investment, or that Westin can't get more people in here. I walk the grounds and see only a handful of people. I have yet to see or hear anyone on our floor.

 

[Sea Six]

Empty Units DO NOT necessarily mean units are available. Why, you might ask? There are many "kinds" or "types" of inventory in the system. For example: Developer inventory that has not been sold (not normally made available to SVN owners), owned inventory that maintenance fees are not current on (not necessarily available for usage), owners who have converted their staroptions to starpoints (this inventory becomes tied to SPG, not necessarily SVN), as well as the complex situation that occurs when owners deposit with I.I., who really knows what happens with that inventory (at WSJ in particular, I'm sure very little of the deposited inventory goes unused, but it certainly can happen due to late deposits, exchange cancellations, etc.....

This has nothing to do with why I was told I couldn't use StarPoints at the Hotel, when there are obviously MANY empty rooms. All I wanted to do was add a few days to my week, either here at a Villa using Options, or in the hotel if necessary using Points. I think they are holding out for cash paying (non-members) customers that don't exist, creating the illusion of exclusivity, thereby keeping the prices up. You hear it all the time at the Owner's Updates - "You know it's almost impossible to trade in here". Yeah, but WHY?

 

[LisaRex]

From our experience talking to a dozen or so people at the hot tub, pool, etc, a lot of owners are wealthy East Coasters (Boston, NYC), who've owned their fixed week villas for years. One couple were friends with an owner who couldn't use it, so he offered it up to friends for free. They were the only ones who responded to his email, and they lamented that they could only get off work for one week because the second week was going to sit empty.

Perhaps when you're used to paying what they pay to live in these high-rent cities, a few thousand in wasted MFs isn't a huge deal.

 

[alexadeparis]

I was able to book a hotel unit using starpoints and cash yesterday to extend my trip in April 2012 by one day. So they are available, but WSJ probably only alows so much inventory per day to be booked that way.