II Problem Online - The unit is not available at this time.

[marmite]

I am trying to make an exchange and keep getting the error: The unit is not available at this time.

It is driving me nuts. Is this because someone has it on an 18 minute hold, or are there other reasons it could be happening?

Would you wait it out or call II and pay for them to make the booking. And would they be able to make the booking if it is trading-up (it would be my 1bdr for a 2bdr).

Thanks.

 

[DeniseM]

Is this a Starwood trade? Starwood and II have unique rules and problems, so the Starwood forum is the best place for Starwood questions. Non-Starwood owners on the Exchanging Forum aren't familiar with the Starwood situation, and are likely to provide incorrect info. because of that.

 

[marmite]

Yes, it is Starwood. It has been designated (I have already traded the B side of my 2 bedroom SDO so selected A this time). I did not place an ongoing request.

I can 'see' the 2 bedroom with my 1 bedroom, but it is when I click the exchange button that I get the error. I picked another property and it placed an 18 minute hold so looked like that one would work out.

If I can 'see' the 2 bedroom I should be able to trade for it, correct?

Thanks.

 

[DeniseM]

Not necessarily.

I'm going to move your post to the Starwood forum.

My guess is that you made an easy trade the first time, and now are trying for a more difficult trade.

I don't know if you've had a chance to read it, but this is the recommendation from the II FAQ at the top of the page to avoid this problem. Since you have to pay the exchange fee anyway, there is no reason not to do this:

Trial and error with the new system has shown that best practice is to put in an on-going request with all deposits, even if your intention is to search online. Instant online exchanges seem to go through easier if the deposit you use has an on-going request in place already. If you ONLY want to search online, then put in a "dummy" on-going request (one that will be impossible to fill.) Suggestions for "dummy" requests would be WSJ, Harborside, and WKORV for Christmas or New Years week.

Personally - I hate to call and ask II or Starwood for help. I have no trust that they won't make it worse - so I always try the simple things that I can do myself, first.

 

[ada903]

place an ongoing request with your one bedroom, and try again using that

 

[marmite]

place an ongoing request with your one bedroom, and try again using that

I went to put in an ongoing request for an impossible to fill time - Christmas week 2012. Then after selecting the 3 resorts, Interval wants me to renew my membership for the following year, because the exchange would fall outside of my current membership year. I'm not going to do that.

I am a little hesitant to try Christmas 2011 week on the off chance there is something that gets filled right away. Or is there no chance?

 

[DeniseM]

I went to put in an ongoing request for an impossible to fill time - Christmas week 2012. Then after selecting the 3 resorts, Interval wants me to renew my membership for the following year, because the exchange would fall outside of my current membership year. I'm not going to do that.

I am a little hesitant to try Christmas 2011 week on the off chance there is something that gets filled right away. Or is there no chance?

There is no chance - you can't even trade in with Staroptions - they would never deposit Christmas week in II. If a miracle happened and you got it - you just cancel within 24 hours with no penalty. But that won't happen - if there is extra inventory - Starwood will rent it for themselves!

 

[marmite]

So I went to try to put in a dummy request for this Christmas, but the calendar for December 2011 is all grayed out. I think it won't let you put in a request so close to the date.

 

[DeniseM]

So I went to try to put in a dummy request for this Christmas, but the calendar for December 2011 is all grayed out. I think it won't let you put in a request so close to the date.

Oh that's right - we are within 60 days - flex-change. What is the earliest day you can request? Jan. 4?

 

[marmite]

January 2nd is the first date. I am about to give up and go to bed.

 

[DeniseM]

You should be fine if you put in 3 requests for the first week of Jan. for the shortest time frame they will allow you to use.

1. As soon as you put in the ongoing request, you are going to try for the instant online exchange that you really want, so your ongoing request won't be in place long. If you can't get the instant online exchange after 24 hours of trying, you will probably have to call II - and you can cancel the ongoing request then.

2. The first week of Jan. will be inside flex-change (60 days out) within a few days, and then you will no longer be eligible for a ongoing match. II only is supposed to match ongoing requests if it's more than 60 days out.

3. Even if by some miracle one of the weeks gets deposited in the next few days, there are many ongoing requests ahead of you that have priority over yours, and they would be filled first.

4. If worse come to worse and you get a match - just call up and cancel it with no penalty.

So, if it were me, I'd go ahead and get put in the dummy requests for the first week of Jan. ASAP. Then I'd try for the instant online exchange for about 24 hours. If no luck, then my last resort would be to call II. If you don't get the answer you want the first time you call - call back - they have lots of Reps and some are far more helpful and knowledgeable than others.

 

[marmite]

So my dummy requests are:
Exchange Request
Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas (KAA)
Lahaina, USA
Thursday, 29 December 2011 - Thursday, 05 January 2012


Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort North (KAN)
Lahaina, USA
Thursday, 29 December 2011 - Thursday, 05 January 2012


Westin St. John Resort and Villas (WSJ)
St. John, US VIRGIN ISL.
Saturday, 30 June 2012 - Saturday, 07 July 2012


The system forced me to make at least one of my reservations more than 60 days in the future, so I chose a Summer week over 4th of July weekend at WSJ.

Do those sound like safe bets for NOT being filled?

 

[marmite]

Great job, Denise! Thank you!

After entering my dummy request, I grabbed the 'pending request' week to do the same search and it worked.

The large 1 bed SDO traded for a 2 bed Westin Princeville Ocean Resort, the last week of Summer before the kids go back to school.

So for those 2011 weeks, little SDO pulled this as well as a Summer week for a 1 bed at Marriott Lakeshore Reserve. Happy, happy. Couldn't have done it without you.

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks for reporting back - its good to know that strategy still works!

 

[ada903]

Hahaha Denise, they just did. Week 51 two bedroom at WKORVN - I just put it on hold for 18 minutes. It's not quite Christmas, but most schools have vacation that week (Dec 16-23).

There is no chance - you can't even trade in with Staroptions - they would never deposit Christmas week in II. If a miracle happened and you got it - you just cancel within 24 hours with no penalty. But that won't happen - if there is extra inventory - Starwood will rent it for themselves!

 

[hefleycatz]

wow, that was being at the right place at the right time!! Congrats,

lee

 

[DeniseM]

Hahaha Denise, they just did. Week 51 two bedroom at WKORVN - I just put it on hold for 18 minutes. It's not quite Christmas, but most schools have vacation that week (Dec 16-23).

That's too funny! Wouldn't you know it! WOW! That will be a great trade for someone!

*I figured it out - week 51 is a true fixed week - Starwood didn't deposit it - the owner did. Owners of true fixed weeks can deposit the actual week in II.

Not that I recommend depositing week 51 in II - OUCH!

 

[vaterp37]

Marmite, I've been getting the same message "unit not available..." but only for Harborside. II is just strange.....

 

[DeniseM]

Marmite, I've been getting the same message "unit not available..." but only for Harborside. II is just strange.....

As advised in the other post, you need to:

1) Deposit the week
2) Put an on-going request in place

 

[marmite]

Marmite, I've been getting the same message "unit not available..." but only for Harborside. II is just strange.....

For me, it wasn't just that I was getting the error message for Westin Princeville, it was ONLY for the 2 bedroom units. After the work-around Denise suggested, it did work and I have my final confirmation of the trade.