How to use Staroptions

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

trying to learn Starwood points since we want harborside Bahamas. I can see in ebay many properties in harborside but MF are very high annually so trying to get even or odd year. If I buy somewhere in the USA-resort how many Starwood points I Need to book a week in may in harborside? Do I need II to use the points?

(2) If I buy harborside 2 bed L/O ( even and or odd _year) with 148,100 STAROPTIONS...Instead of use the 2 bedrooms can I deposit all the points to II and then book yearly? or can I use a 1 bed 1 week and depost the othe 1 bed in II? thanks

(3) What is the best way to book a week yearly in may in bahamas? buying in a different Starwood -westin resort

:ponder:

DeniseM · Feb 17, 2016

StarPOINTS = Starwood hotel points

StarOPTIONS = Starwood timeshare points

Neither one can be used with an exchange company. With both RCI and II, you deposit a week. Options and points are only for internal use.

You are unlikely to get the Bahamas with Interval - you will have a much better chance if you use your Staroptions and make a reservation EXACTLY 8 mos. before check-in, online, at midnight Eastern, the night before the phone lines open.

Right now, 8 mos. is Oct. 17th - you can log on to the Starwood timeshare website and use the Villa Finder to see what is available.

Pretty much all inventory before Oct. 17th is gone, but you may find a few cancellations here and there.

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

Thanks Denise!.. if I buy a TS _SOptions and I have 65k SO . How many StarOptions do I need to book a week in Bahamas in May? :ponder:

thanks

I have noticed Westin_starwood has great beach properties..very nice

DeniseM said:
StarPOINTS = Starwood hotel points

StarOPTIONS = Starwood timeshare points

Neither one can be used with an exchange company. With both RCI and II, you deposit a week. Options and points are only for internal use.

You are unlikely to get the Bahamas with Interval - you will have a much better chance if you use your Staroptions and make a reservation EXACTLY 8 mos. before check-in, online, at midnight Eastern, the night before the phone lines open.

Right now, 8 most is Oct. 17th - you can log on to the Starwood timeshare website and use the Villa Finder to see what is available.

Pretty much all inventory before Oct. 17th is gone, but you may find a few cancellations here and there.

DeniseM · Feb 17, 2016

Hi Ellen - the number of Staroptions varies by season and unit size, and you can look it up by using the villa finder or Staroption chart.

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

Got it..thanks so much

Very Important question: If buying resale which resort has good SO and less maintenance? thanks

DeniseM · Feb 17, 2016

One more point: There is fierce demand for the top resorts. You will have to be right on the spot at 8 mos. (at midnight) to get a reservation.

It also helps if you can be flexible about when you go, in case you have to try multiple times.

Also - the Villa Finder gets overwhelmed at midnight on popular check-in days, so expect errors and glitches, and keep trying.

*I was assuming that you already own Starwood, if you do not, you cannot access the Starwood Villa Finder, but you can view the Staroptions chart, linked in Owner Resources at the top of the Starwood forum.

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

Thanks... I am looking at resale now and trying to figure it out was the best resort to get in to get more SO and less maintenance. The starwood point chart seems like I need around 44,000 SO for 1 week may (week18-or 19) I just need to learn which resort gives me more SO for my money. :ponder:

DeniseM · Feb 17, 2016

Only 5 resorts have Staroptions when purchased resale, and there are really only 2 viable options:

* Harborside at Atlantis
* Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West phases only)
* Westin St. John (Virgin Grand - Hillside only)
* Westin Ka'anapali & Westin Ka'anapali-North
* Westin Kierland Villas

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

Denise... how about this? If I buy in a different resort than harborside then I guess in order to use my SO to book harborside I need to buy only in the below 5 resorts?

What do Mandatory and Voluntary mean?

a. If a resort is Staroption "Mandatory," it means that when the week is sold to a new owner (resale) the Staroption value of the week transfers to the new owner, and the new owner has the right to exchange his timeshare in the Starwood Vacation Network. These resorts are Staroption Mandatory:

* Harborside at Atlantis
* Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West phases only)
* Westin St. John (Virgin Grand - Hillside only)
* Westin Ka'anapali & Westin Ka'anapali-North
* Westin Kierland Villas

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

I think I got the idea of the Starwood timeshare and you have been very helpful and easy to understand... but what do you mean by "only 2 viable options"? thanks :ponder:

DeniseM said:
Only 5 resorts have Staroptions when purchased resale, and there are really only 2 viable options:

* Harborside at Atlantis
* Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West phases only)
* Westin St. John (Virgin Grand - Hillside only)
* Westin Ka'anapali & Westin Ka'anapali-North
* Westin Kierland Villas

DeniseM · Feb 17, 2016

By viable options - I mean inexpensive Staroptions. It is expensive to buy at Harborside (high transfer fees) and the maintenance fees are high.

But if you want to go to Harborside EVERY year - that would be a good option for you, because you could guarantee a reservation, by buying a fixed week.

elleny76 · Feb 17, 2016

Perfect...thanks

so much

DavidnRobin · Feb 17, 2016

elleny76 said:
Perfect...thanks so much

I would read up as much as possible - as this topic has been discussed for years and is ever changing. And it is not a one-size-fits-all decision, and always depends on disposable income.

Many here recommend that if you want a place like HRA or WSJ, and plan to use every year - then you should buy that resort (resale). If you are looking to buy a Mandatory resort for both staying at the resort and to use SOs, then make sure you are not planning to use these SOs with the expectation of getting a high demand week.

With regards to WSJ - it is not entirely correct that the SO cost is too much (viable). This is true except for the 3Bd pool villas at VGV in Plat+ season. The maintenance fees/taxes per SO (MF~$3000 for 257K SOs) is actually quite reasonable now they increased the SO allocations. Problem is finding an inexpensive 3Bd VGV Plat+.

Overall - I would recommend getting a resale week at a SVN Mandatory resort worth at least 81K SOs - that amount of SOs gives best flexibility for SVN exchanges (and gets a 1Bd in HI). You should target the most SOs with the least MFs.

elleny76 · Feb 18, 2016

Thanks David!... We are a family of 3 We can always rent studio or 1 bedroom. Since our child is under 6 we can travel off season (gold or silver) My main concern is how often I can book months like mid april -mid may in harborsise if I buy in Florida resort? those are the months we would like to go to Bahamas. thanks

DavidnRobin said:
I would read up as much as possible - as this topic has been discussed for years and is ever changing. And it is not a one-size-fits-all decision, and always depends on disposable income.

Many here recommend that if you want a place like HRA or WSJ, and plan to use every year - then you should buy that resort (resale). If you are looking to buy a Mandatory resort for both staying at the resort and to use SOs, then make sure you are not planning to use these SOs with the expectation of getting a high demand week.

With regards to WSJ - it is not entirely correct that the SO cost is too much (viable). This is true except for the 3Bd pool villas at VGV in Plat+ season. The maintenance fees/taxes per SO (MF~$3000 for 257K SOs) is actually quite reasonable now they increased the SO allocations. Problem is finding an inexpensive 3Bd VGV Plat+.

Overall - I would recommend getting a resale week at a SVN Mandatory resort worth at least 81K SOs - that amount of SOs gives best flexibility for SVN exchanges (and gets a 1Bd in HI). You should target the most SOs with the least MFs.

DeniseM · Feb 18, 2016

If you are flexible, and will take a small one bedroom, you shouldn't have any problem in April or May, except for Easter week when it falls in April.

That being said, we don't know how things will change when the new management takes over in a month or so. If it were me, I'd wait and see how things go, before I buy.

elleny76 · Feb 19, 2016

OMG..New management?.. thanks Denise. I guess I should wait. Who is the new management?

DeniseM said:
If you are flexible, and will take a small one bedroom, you shouldn't have any problem in April or May, except for Easter week when it falls in April.

That being said, we don't know how things will change when the new management takes over in a month or so. If it were me, I'd wait and see how things go, before I buy.