Is this normal?

[Riki Jones]

I own a 2-bedroom lockoff in the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resorts on Maui (a 5-Star property). This past year, I tried to do an exchange through II. I wanted to go to anywhere in the Carribean, including Belize, Eastern Mexico, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, even Costa Rica (which is Pacific side). I made my request, putting about 40 resorts on my list. I also periodically called II to see what was avaiable anywhere in the Carribean during February 06. It took me 8 months to get a 1-bedroom in Nuevo Vallarta, which is a far cry from the Caribbean as well as Maui.

When I bought my timeshare on Maui, I felt I was buying into the top of the food chain for exchange value. Why did it take so long to exchange into a lesser location? Is this what I should expect?

Input appreciated.

 

[seenett]

You ARE at the top of the trading food chain, but there are several other things to consider:

1. How far in advance did you make your request? Most people do it a year (or more) in advance. You will still have to stand in line with other owners of top trading resorts who made requests earlier than you.

2. A February week in the Caribbean is VERY popular. Many owners of these resorts don't deposit them at all, and II can't give you what it doesn't have.

3. What exactly were you using to trade with? Even though you own Ka'anapali, Starwood has the right to give you ANY Starwood week to trade with. It is entirely possible that they gave you a much "lesser" week, such as a summer Mission Hills week. Check your II online account to see what the actual week they are using to search with. If it is not a Ka'anapali week, then a call to Owner Services is in order. While they may not be able to give you a Ka'anapali week to search with, they should be able to give you a better week than what you probably got. Don't buy the standard line that "all the weeks are red weeks". Insist on being given a better trader.

Personally, if I owned a Westin Ka'anapali week, I WOULD NEVER do an exchange via II. You know how much you paid for the week and what the annual m/fs are - chances are that you would never get a week in trade that is comparable. You would be better off renting your week to someone else (you could get at least $2000 for a summer week), and renting the exact resort and week you want from someone else. Or, you could set up a "direct trade" with another owner here on TUG.

Good Luck!

 

[JBRES1]

Maui for Mexico

I am not sure why your trade took so long, or why you didn't get a better trade.
Few questions.
What week did you deposit ?
How far in advance of check in was the week deposited ?
You would think that your week should pull all of the areas you requested, but only II knows why it didn't.
Jim Breslin

 

[jazzfan]

I own a 2-bedroom lockoff in the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resorts on Maui (a 5-Star property). This past year, I tried to do an exchange through II. I wanted to go to anywhere in the Carribean, including Belize, Eastern Mexico, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, even Costa Rica (which is Pacific side). I made my request, putting about 40 resorts on my list. I also periodically called II to see what was avaiable anywhere in the Carribean during February 06. It took me 8 months to get a 1-bedroom in Nuevo Vallarta, which is a far cry from the Caribbean as well as Maui.

When I bought my timeshare on Maui, I felt I was buying into the top of the food chain for exchange value. Why did it take so long to exchange into a lesser location? Is this what I should expect?

Input appreciated.

I ran into the same problem that you did with II. I deposited a Marriott Ko Olina week with II in 2004 and requested some top resorts in exchange and got nothing. I am now going to Florida this summer just so the week does not expire.

The good news is that I joined TUG in January and put my name and resorts wanted in the exchange database. It is only February and I now have an exchange for Four Seasons Scottsdale this year during the kids spring break, an agreement with another owner to exchange for Harborside in 2007 and another in 2008 for the Marriott Marbella resort (everything I wanted). By making arrangements with other owners over a year in advance, both of you can reserve the weeks desired and everyone comes out ahead. This is the best way to arrange for exchanges in my opinion.

 

[debraxh]

You mention owning a 2BR lockoff, but what size unit did you deposit? It's not that easy to trade up in size within II, could that be the problem?

 

[wbtimesharer]

I just picked up a Royal Mayan week 19 for my week 18

Christmas Mountain Village cottage which is a blue week and I got an AC to boot. Second one I have received and this time I put it to good use booking a 2bedroom in Northern Wisconsin over Thanksgiving.

I made my desposit early last week and after seeing only Efficiencies(not happy as they have no kitchens) we exchanged into one at the Royal Islander on Sat. After having second thoughts, we cancelled on Sunday morning leaving our ongoing search active. My wife was stressed out that we wouldn't find another and she went shopping. Four hours later, our search disappeared and I called II.

They said they had a match and I was like "Oh great another Effiiciency". Her reply surprised me when she had a 2 bedroom in the Royal Mayan. She indicated that they were contacting the resort to verify that no issues existed. We didn't get a true confirmation until the next day when I check the website and saw it in exchange history.

I was even more surprised to get a the AC notification that day in my email. We decided to use it for drivable getaway in the fall.

 

[gmarine]

I own a 2-bedroom lockoff in the Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resorts on Maui (a 5-Star property). This past year, I tried to do an exchange through II. I wanted to go to anywhere in the Carribean, including Belize, Eastern Mexico, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands, even Costa Rica (which is Pacific side). I made my request, putting about 40 resorts on my list. I also periodically called II to see what was avaiable anywhere in the Carribean during February 06. It took me 8 months to get a 1-bedroom in Nuevo Vallarta, which is a far cry from the Caribbean as well as Maui.

When I bought my timeshare on Maui, I felt I was buying into the top of the food chain for exchange value. Why did it take so long to exchange into a lesser location? Is this what I should expect?

Input appreciated.

This shouldnt be the norm but there could be some reasons why you didnt get anything better. As another poster said, you should check to see what Starwood deposited with II.

Also did you deposit the entire unit? If you deposited part of it your trading power will be lessened.

Did you request only a two bedroom? If you did this it makes it much more difficult. Many owners of lock offs dont deposit the whole unit and some resorts dont have two bedroom units.

Also February is a very busy month for the caribbean and very hard to trade into at that time. Even though you have an excellant trading week, if you deposited it close to the check in date of your unit, your trade power will be lessened.