Latest info from encore presentation at Westin

[SGould]

A stunning admission of the truth from sales!

Of course they did recommend we buy today before prices increase!

 

[Mowogo]

Of course they did recommend we buy today before prices increase!

Of course, but then we are in a time where prices are legitimately increasing due to inflation so that might actually become truth.

 

[CanadianLawyer]

Went to a total *bleep* show of a presentation at SVV this morning. When I checked in, I was told that as a specially selected VIP owner (home resort Nanea, 313K SOs), I was promised all sorts of new and exclusive details about the just-finalized Vistana-MVC merger, new details about making all our banked SOs easier to use, blah, blah. Instead the sales rep left after less than a minute when I said there was no way I was ever paying them another cent, regardless of what great new benefits they have. 10 minutes later a manager came in to escort me out. When I protested that I was supposed to be getting lots of new info, he "confirmed" that there would be a SO conversion option if you didn't buy into the MVC system. Sounds like it's similar to converting SO to Bonvoy points, probably at around 32 to 1. Otherwise he didn't know much and they shooed me out the door with my $175 Visa card. A very weird experience all round.

 

[dioxide45]

That sounds like the kind of presentation that I like! In and out with as little time investment as possible!

 

[YYJMSP]

That sounds like the kind of presentation that I like! In and out with as little time investment as possible!

But half the fun is watching the salesweasal suffer when your teenager obviously knows more than they do...

 

[samcar1]

I had an update this morning at Steamboat. They basically told me not to do anything now until the Marriott announcement is written in stone. You all have contracts and Marriott has to abide by contracts. My guy heard that the 32:1 ratio would probably be for Sheraton flex and the ratio for Westin would be lower. He did not believe there was going to be any charge for playing in the Marriott bucket. Maybe a very small service fee if anything. The great news is, we are still going to be able to convert 100% of our options to bonvoy points, where Marriott owners can only convert 65%. In my eyes this is a win.
I’m a 4* owner and do believe the whole Marriott conversion will be better for elite owners. They are offering some good deals now. I wouldn’t wait to upgrade once the merger is done.
also I bought the encore for Westin riverfront. I can never get in. They told me I have a 99% chance of being able to ski there next year. (To this I say, we’ll see). There are only like 35 rooms there.

 

[steve1000]

I attended a Marriott sales presentation recently and was told about the 32:1 conversion. At this point we don't know anything for sure or have any certainty but personally I do believe that is accurate. There was no mention of the different 28:1 conversion rate applicable to Westin flex but that makes logical sense to me and I tend to believe that is accurate as well. I was told that the new program will be rolled out at the end of March. The general terms of the rollout discussed in the first post also make a lot of sense to me and are pretty similar to how Marriott rolled out the points program at its inception. I expect we will find out sometime pretty soon and in my opinion certainly in 2022.

 

[dioxide45]

The only thing for certain, is that some type of change is coming. What time will prove is that some of the specific details being speculated will be right and other details will be wrong.

 

[CanadianLawyer]

The only thing for certain, is that some type of change is coming. What time will prove is that some of the specific details being speculated will be right and other details will be wrong.

Exactly right. Probably the best result that can be hoped for is that things won't get any worse for existing ownership, and maybe there will be some marginal benefit from the ability to transfer to MVC. But I'm not holding my breath on the latter part....

 

[Ken555]

Exactly right. Probably the best result that can be hoped for is that things won't get any worse for existing ownership, and maybe there will be some marginal benefit from the ability to transfer to MVC. But I'm not holding my breath on the latter part....

Eh, we're going to be told it's an improvement, whatever it is, but the reality will be yet another devaluation. *Every* change is a devaluation.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We used Bonvoy points to book riverfront to ski. We also have a multi-site encore package purchased pre Covid and it always seemed booked. May use elsewhere.

 

[The Colorado Kid]

We used Bonvoy points to book riverfront to ski. We also have a multi-site encore package purchased pre Covid and it always seemed booked. May use elsewhere.

@CalGalTraveler WRF our home resort...love it. That must have been a large bucket-o-bonvoy-points just sayin'!

 

[DanCali]

The great news is, we are still going to be able to convert 100% of our options to bonvoy points, where Marriott owners can only convert 65%. In my eyes this is a win.

The 65% Bonvoy Point conversion limit you refer to applies only to owners of DC Club Points (analogous to Westin Flex). And it is actually 50% for anyone less than Executive and 75% for Chairman. But Marriott weeks owners can still convert their weeks to points just as they always could - no changes there

Given that Marriott DC points can actually be rented out I find it hard to believe many would ever find this a selling point, at least in the Marriott world. 1000 DC point rental value is about $650-$700. At the 1:40 Bonvoy conversion ratio you get 40,000 Bonoy Points which are worth maybe $280-$320?

Flex points can't be rented out as points but is the ability to convert Flex points to Bonvoy points even a "win" in the Vistana world?

This option always seemed to me like a last resort if using, renting, and exchanging are not an option - maybe like when a global pandemic breaks out!

 

[rcv82]

Flex points can't be rented out as points but is the ability to convert Flex points to Bonvoy points even a "win" in the Vistana world?

This option always seemed to me like a last resort if using, renting, and exchanging are not an option - maybe like when a global pandemic breaks out!

Pre Marriott, and especially pre circa 2010, when most nights ranged 2000 to 7000 SPG points, the conversion was not a bad deal. (Multiply by 3 to get the Bonvoy equivalent). Now it really is pretty much last resort with few rooms below 20k and many much higher. One would think Marriott might want to up the Bonvoy points given for an owner week since they can rent many of these out for big bucks as hotel rooms.


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[EnglishmanAbroad]

Pre Marriott, and especially pre circa 2010, when most nights ranged 2000 to 7000 SPG points, the conversion was not a bad deal. (Multiply by 3 to get the Bonvoy equivalent). Now it really is pretty much last resort with few rooms below 20k and many much higher. One would think Marriott might want to up the Bonvoy points given for an owner week since they can rent many of these out for big bucks as hotel rooms.


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Yes. If devaluation carries on at this rate, conversion to Resort Credit will soon be worth more than conversion to Bonvoy points