II Vacation Counselor that knows about the Starwood 3 day preference

[Carolyn]

I am needing to speak to a II VC who knows about the Starwood 3 Day Preference. Does anyone have someone they like and deal with? When I used to own a Marriott I know that you could request a particular VC. Thought maybe this was true with Starwood also.
You can also PM me through TUG. Thanks!

Carolyn

 

[DeniseM]

I don't know the answer, but I'm terribly curious as to what you want to ask them? Is it something we can help with? Honestly, I don't think you will find anyone at II who has the collective knowledge you will find here.

If you are just trying to make a deposit you call Starwood Owner Services.

 

[Carolyn]

I am needing to speak to a II VC who knows about the Starwood 3 Day Preference. Does anyone have someone they like and deal with? When I used to own a Marriott I know that you could request a particular VC. Thought maybe this was true with Starwood also.
You can also PM me through TUG. Thanks!

Carolyn

Denise,
Sure. but hope you can follow the scenario. When there were quite a few sightings last week for Sept, 2009 WKORV-N (during the Starwood Preference period) I was able to see a 2 BR with my 1 BR "undeposited" 2009 SDO, putting in a dummy date (week 1). I also had an "undeposited" 2008 week in my account that we were going to use and had week 52 reserved at SDO. The transaction went through with II for the 2009 dummy week, knowing I had some time to get a week deposited and hoping II would accept this. When I went to bed there were still lots of these units to be seen (using the undeposited 2008 week). The next morning I called II, explaining what I was going to do and they encouraged it and said to call them back when the week was deposited. I decided to deposit the 2008 week since we had decided against this trip. Starwood said they would deposit the week and even have a supervisor do this right away AND said they could "probably" deposit the Week 52. As I talked to them online I refreshed my II acct. and saw that they deposited a Week 49 instead. I explained to them what I was trying to do and they said since the exchange was made during the Starwood Preference, it should be OK. So I called II back and they say they searched with the 2008 deposited Week 49 SDO and nada...NO units showing up...not even a Studio for next Sept. I tried to explain that the 3 day Starwood Preference probably expired at midnight but it was OBVIOUSLY THERE when I confirmed this exchange. The VC had no idea what I was talking about. All I wanted them to do was use the 2008 deposited week against the exchange and just release the 2009 week since it wasn't deposited anyway. The VC said this would eventually be released when the 2009 couldn't be verified and I would not be charged. I received a generic postcard from II which stated I had 10 days to verify that this week could be exchanged and they would "hold" it until then. It is still in my II account as "pending". I just thought I would give it one more try with a VC who understands the 3 day Starwood Preference to see if they will make the switch. I know that I did this "backasswards" but I am a new owner there and have never owned a floating week before. I have been an II member for 10 years and have never asked for any exceptions but thought I would try one more time.

 

[DeniseM]

It's sure worth a try! I'd email Tugger GrayFal (Pat) who is an expert on Starwood and II - if anyone knows, Pat will.

Good luck! If you get connected with someone good at II, please let us know!

 

[Cathyb]

Welcome to Starwood screw you membership

 

[CeeWoo]

Wow-someone sounds bitter

While not perfect, if I felt this strongly, I'd sell

 

[Cathyb]

Tried but the value is half

 

[DeniseM]

Tried but the value is half

Cathy, while I understand your displeasure with the whole mandatory/voluntary thing, you have to remember that the price of the newer mandatory resorts has fallen dramatically too. We bought from the developer at WKORV, which is clearly mandatory, and paid $45K, and the resale value has dropped to nearly half of what we paid. Our economy is bad now and it's just the nature of the beast to get far less when you try to resale. In this economy no one is reselling their TS at their original developer price. So even if WMH was made mandatory today, you would still get no where near what you paid the developer. We're all in the same boat with you!

 

[James1975NY]

Cathy, while I understand you displeasure with the whole mandatory/voluntary thing, you have to remember that the price of the newer mandatory resorts has fallen dramatically too. We bought from the developer at WKORV, which is clearly mandatory, and paid $45K, and the resale value has dropped to nearly half of what we paid. Our economy is bad now and it's just the nature of the beast to get far less when you try to resale. In this economy no one is reselling their TS at their original developer price. So even if WMH was made mandatory today, you would still get no where near what you paid the developer. We're all in the same boat with you!

Very well put Denise. It is a tough economy. While there are buyers out there, sales agents are obligated to present all offers to anyone that is selling. The offers that are coming in are usually folks that already own timeshare. Don't feel frustrated that you purchased resale....my sister did the same with Disney....as long as you use it, there is value....learn how to use your ownership and this is a great place to do it.

 

[GrayFal]

Denise,
Sure. but hope you can follow the scenario. When there were quite a few sightings last week for Sept, 2009 WKORV-N (during the Starwood Preference period) I was able to see a 2 BR with my 1 BR "undeposited" 2009 SDO, putting in a dummy date (week 1). I also had an "undeposited" 2008 week in my account that we were going to use and had week 52 reserved at SDO. The transaction went through with II for the 2009 dummy week, knowing I had some time to get a week deposited and hoping II would accept this. When I went to bed there were still lots of these units to be seen (using the undeposited 2008 week). The next morning I called II, explaining what I was going to do and they encouraged it and said to call them back when the week was deposited. I decided to deposit the 2008 week since we had decided against this trip. Starwood said they would deposit the week and even have a supervisor do this right away AND said they could "probably" deposit the Week 52. As I talked to them online I refreshed my II acct. and saw that they deposited a Week 49 instead. I explained to them what I was trying to do and they said since the exchange was made during the Starwood Preference, it should be OK. So I called II back and they say they searched with the 2008 deposited Week 49 SDO and nada...NO units showing up...not even a Studio for next Sept. I tried to explain that the 3 day Starwood Preference probably expired at midnight but it was OBVIOUSLY THERE when I confirmed this exchange. The VC had no idea what I was talking about. All I wanted them to do was use the 2008 deposited week against the exchange and just release the 2009 week since it wasn't deposited anyway. The VC said this would eventually be released when the 2009 couldn't be verified and I would not be charged. I received a generic postcard from II which stated I had 10 days to verify that this week could be exchanged and they would "hold" it until then. It is still in my II account as "pending". I just thought I would give it one more try with a VC who understands the 3 day Starwood Preference to see if they will make the switch. I know that I did this "backasswards" but I am a new owner there and have never owned a floating week before. I have been an II member for 10 years and have never asked for any exceptions but thought I would try one more time.

Carolyn,
please check this thread and Kath's and my replies. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=599522&posted=1#post599522

At this point of the transaction, you should have given II the Starwood reservation number for the week you wanted to use. However it appears u did not HAVE a reservation for 2009.....so here lies the problem.
While it IS possible to do what u did, I just wouldn't chance it for a REAL exchange.

Once you decided to use the 2008 week, you should have called II back and given them your reservation number for the 2008 week and told them to deposit it and use that for the exchange. You did NOT need to get Starwood involved at that point as u had a REAL reservation that II would accept and then confirm with Starwood - the exact same thing they would do with a Marriott or any float/fixed week ownership - the exchange would show in your account as pending until it is confirmed.


Unfortunately, you found out the hard way that this is not true. Do NOT accept this as an answer the next time. Nicely explain that when u do searches with your week on II, November weeks see far less then your Jan-March searches. Politely request again that u want your reserved week deposited - you KNOW they can do it and you will wait on hold while they confirm this with a supervisor.

Were u talking to a Starwood VC - make sure they start the conversation with "Starwood Desk"
Also, with your 'dog' week 49 - u will not see even within the Starwood preference the same u will see with a GOOD week.

I hope u did call back, it seems you DID get the exchange using the 'dog' 49???? but want to switch the week used.....I have never tried this so long after the transaction but you don't want to wait until the deposit is 'rejected' by Starwood to II as the exchange week would be released and probably snapped up by someone else quickly.

Let us know how u made out.

 

[Cathyb]

denisem: I understand our present economic situation has caused the decrease across the board. However, our price went half when they announced WMH was Mandatory (as you may know it was not disclosed to us when we purchased it before the construction began)-- all the new buyers backed away from that property like it had a disease.

I have nothing against the property itself -- but I do detest the SVN Management and their customer service and changing the Rules constantly. Live and learn.

 

[GrayFal]

DeniseM: I understand our present economic situation has caused the decrease across the board. However, our price went half when they announced WMH was Mandatory (as you may know it was not disclosed to us when we purchased it before the construction began)-- all the new buyers backed away from that property like it had a disease.

I have nothing against the property itself -- but I do detest the SVN Management and their customer service and changing the Rules constantly. Live and learn.

Cathy, we are ALL aware of your situation as u repeatedly discuss it here.

The smart owner chooses to learn as much as they can about their ownership and use it for their own enjoyment or profit.
If this strategy doesn't make you happy - sell your ownership, take your loss and move on.

Please start a thread title "I hate Starwood" or "Starwood tricked me" rather then high jack so many others to complain about your issue with Starwood and attack people who are trying to help others by providing unbiased information. It makes it difficult for others to get the info they seek.

 

[philyphan]

If there was a thread like this, it would be the only one necessary, since it seems like everyone here is unhappy about pretty much everything. Most of the things people are upset with are because everyone is trying to get the deal of a lifetime, and then realize they actually have to pay for something. Of course there are good resale deals but there are also alot of people that have gotten ripped off on the resale market. Vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, this site makes it seems harder than going to work. You folks need to chill out. If you owned Starwood Stock would you like the company to cut the prices in half to compete with the resale market? And when the post about a 29% decrease in sales is quoted, it must include the fact that it is partly due to the fact that there is less inventory available to sell to tell the whole story. Sure things are bad all over, but you are all still flying to Hawaii and Bahamas and St Johns so it can't be that bad.

 

[DeniseM]

Philyphan - do you OWN a Starwood timeshare? I don't really understand where you are coming from here....if I didn't know that Starwood employees are forbidden to post on TUG, I'd almost think that you were one of 'em!

Let me get this straight - we are Starwood owners who've seen the value of our timeshares fall 50% or more and you want us to sympathize with Starwood stockholders? So you are saying that it is more important to Starwood for stockholders to make a profit than for owners to break even?

I don't expect you to honestly answer this, because it would blow your cover, one way or the other...

 

[Ken555]

Of course there are good resale deals but there are also alot of people that have gotten ripped off on the resale market.

Huh? Compared to *ANY* developer purchase, a resale buy is a great deal. Can you justify this comment with some examples?

 

[philyphan]

Philyphan - do you OWN a Starwood timeshare? I don't really understand where you are coming from here....if I didn't know that Starwood employees are forbidden to post on TUG, I'd almost think that you were one of 'em!

Let me get this straight - we are Starwood owners who've seen the value of our timeshares fall 50% or more and you want us to sympathize with Starwood stockholders? So you are saying that it is more important to Starwood for stockholders to make a profit than for owners to break even?

I don't expect you to honestly answer this, because it would blow your cover, one way or the other...

My house lost 40% of its value, my car lost 15% of its value the day i bought it and every dollar i have ever spent on dinner or a movie is 100% loss. Pretty much every company's timeshare value goes down 50% or more after you buy it, if you are using timeshare to try to turn profits, you are in the wrong business. I do not own starwood, but I have several friends that do. Some like it some don't, but none of them have sat down and done spreadsheets on profit loss. They bought it to travel and thats what they have done. I do not work for starwood, i am in residential real estate. As far as Starwood's intent, I can't speak for them but just like a KB Homes or Toll Brothers they don't care if you break even on reselling your home after they sold it to you. As far as Ken's question, I am not going to list specific instances but I am sure we all know someone that bought a resale that ended up being the wrong week or unit because an add was misleading. I bought my rinky dink timeshare for $1 and I have had some good trips with it. Where I am coming from is this, times are rough in the world right now, just more objective information and less b**ching would make it more pleasant to read the posts. Last week someone got chastised for not being a member of tug after he thanked everyone for being helpful.

 

[DeniseM]

just more objective information and less b**ching would make it more pleasant to read the posts.

This is the deal - we aren't here to post pleasant things for you to read. We post here to provide information to other owners - whether it's good or bad. This board has more "objective info." available than any board on TUG - have you seen the resources posted at the top of the board? The problems we have with Starwood go far beyond the resale value of our timeshares - there are issues with the right to deposit the units we own with II, with Starwood constantly changing the rules, and with the devaluation of Starpoints. It never ends. Since you aren't a Starwood owner, I can understand why you aren't concerned, but we have real issues that we discuss here whether they are pleasant or not.