Love WPORV, but...

[PamMo]

WPORV is a beautiful resort, but I can't get over Starwood's decision to make it voluntary in the SVN system? If you buy a Princeville week from the developer, it's in SVN with 148,100 StarOptions (convertible to StarPoints), but if you decide to sell your unit - your week is worth next to nothing. I was sorely tempted to buy a WPORV unit on eBay last night, but didn't want the high fees without the flexibility of StarOptions, so didn't bid. I'm very aware that low resale prices are typical for most timeshares, but not for a newer high-end, hotel-group timeshare. Marriott's Waiohai (Poipu) resales are worth at least 3X what WPORV sells for, and Marriott's older Kauai Beach Club (Lihue) is 2X.

It seems to me, when Starwood decides new resorts will NOT be mandatory in SVN, it slams the resale value, enabling ROFR to be exercised at rock bottom prices. This gives Starwood great flexibility to obtain inventory while they're actively selling at the resorts. Otherwise, what was the purpose of opening up SVN to sections of Vistana Resort but leaving out WPORV, Lagunamar, Mission Hills...?

If a Tugger won the eBay auction last night, please let us know if it passes ROFR.

 

[DeniseM]

I love WPORV & Kauai too, but it is a super easy II trade, so I'd never buy there.

I agree that Starwood made a major mistake making this a voluntary resort.

 

[PamMo]

WKORV North and South have been available as II trades, too, but I love owning(X3) there. It's worth a lot to us to book a year out and get the units/weeks we want - something that would be nice to do at WPORV. I just don't want to deposit a high MF resort into II. If WPORV had StarOptions, it would make it more valuable to me.

 

[DeniseM]

WPORV is a far easier II trade than WKORV/N - AND there are no designated views at WPORV. Kauai just has far less demand than Maui - I think you can trade into WPORV virtually any time of year. You don't even need to make a Staroption trade.

 

[pathways25]

WPORV is a beautiful resort, but I can't get over Starwood's decision to make it voluntary in the SVN system? If you buy a Princeville week from the developer, it's in SVN with 148,100 StarOptions (convertible to StarPoints), but if you decide to sell your unit - your week is worth next to nothing. I was sorely tempted to buy a WPORV unit on eBay last night, but didn't want the high fees without the flexibility of StarOptions, so didn't bid. I'm very aware that low resale prices are typical for most timeshares, but not for a newer high-end, hotel-group timeshare. Marriott's Waiohai (Poipu) resales are worth at least 3X what WPORV sells for, and Marriott's older Kauai Beach Club (Lihue) is 2X.

It seems to me, when Starwood decides new resorts will NOT be mandatory in SVN, it slams the resale value, enabling ROFR to be exercised at rock bottom prices. This gives Starwood great flexibility to obtain inventory while they're actively selling at the resorts. Otherwise, what was the purpose of opening up SVN to sections of Vistana Resort but leaving out WPORV, Lagunamar, Mission Hills...?

If a Tugger won the eBay auction last night, please let us know if it passes ROFR.

I totally agree! We just sold back our WPORV and upgraded to a WKORVN. WPORV was my first ever timeshare purchase (from the developer, before I knew about TUG...) and I've regretted it ever since. Super high MF's and in the two times we've gone there, we didn't book until within 8 months when SO's from anywhere could have gotten the same thing. I'm actually relieved to be rid of my WPORV. If MF's go any higher, the value of those units will quickly plunge down to $1 (or less) and I might not even be able to give it away!

Didn't Starwood announce a few years ago that they wouldn't be building any more SVN mandatory resorts? Even if the planned WKORVNN resort gets built, it may well be voluntary.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We exchanged into Westin Princeville cheaply a few years back. Beautiful resort, very luxurious, and it is odd that it's a voluntary resort.

However, I kept looking across the golf course and gully from the Westin lanai, and there sat Wyndham's Shearwater with its ocean views. I wished I was there instead. It's no contest for me, and Shearwater is also a fairly easy trade. We are going for two weeks in August.

I recommend Shearwater to anyone who wants a great unit and incredible ocean views. The two August weeks were a total of 45 TPU's through RCI + the $179 exchange fee for each.

 

[LisaRex]

I'm a bit mystified why Starwood made WKORV mandatory and not WPORV. There must be a reason (Maui laws, Starwood wanting to make WKORV its flagship property?) but I agree that it's silly to devalue their own product.

If they want to command top dollar in terms of MFs, and keep the owner base stable, then you really should offer some incentive to own.

 

[esk444]

I'm a bit mystified why Starwood made WKORV mandatory and not WPORV.

I don't think the answer is more complicated than Starwood management thinking that mandatory resales cannibalizes developer sales. WPORV is a newer resort that started sales after the change in strategy.

 

[LisaRex]

I don't think the answer is more complicated than Starwood management thinking that mandatory resales cannibalizes developer sales. WPORV is a newer resort that started sales after the change in strategy.

But wasn't WKORVN built around the same time as the last phases of HRA and WSJ?

 

[oneohana]

WPORV is a far easier II trade than WKORV/N - AND there are no designated views at WPORV. Kauai just has far less demand than Maui - I think you can trade into WPORV virtually any time of year. You don't even need to make a Staroption trade.

I have a request for WPORV for next summer that has not been filled yet. We have a rerservation with *options as a back-up.

 

[jerseygirl]

But wasn't WKORVN built around the same time as the last phases of HRA and WSJ?

If I had to guess, HRA Phase Two was quite far along before Starwood decided to make all new resorts voluntary .... and WSJ BV is voluntary so that fits wiuth the timeframe.

I've always questioned why they made WMH voluntary .... that was an early resort ....

 

[PamMo]

I have a request for WPORV for next summer that has not been filled yet. We have a reservation with *options as a back-up.

Does your II deposit have Starwood priority? I've traded into WPORV through II, but always in the fall. With Starwood priority, can you usually get a unit (not during flexchange) in the Feb-Aug timeframe?

 

[DeniseM]

I have a request for WPORV for next summer that has not been filled yet. We have a rerservation with *options as a back-up.

When did you put in the request?

Are you using a Starwood trader?

Are you requesting a 2 bdm.?

 

[oneohana]

I put in the request about 6 months ago.

Using a SDO 2 bed 1-52 for a 2bed.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Not mentioned, but a small benefit of owning WPORV is that you are much more likely to get one of the top villa locations. While not important to some - it is very important to us. We have had excellent villas with full on ocean and sunrise views during both our visits in teh hammerhead section of B7 (we own EOY). We loved our last villa location so much that I almost bought it (fixed villa - fixed week) - and if they came down $15K in price I probably would have.

A saleperson will tell you that you get 84K SPs instead of 80K SPs for SO conversion - and then using fuzzy math will tell you that WPORV pays for itself using SO-SP conversion alone :hysterical:

I have no idea why they choose to make WPORV a V resort - hard to believe that it makes sense, but I am sure some SVO dweeb made a convincing argument using a fancy powerpoint presentation and spreadsheet while wearing blinders...

btw - we love WPORV... but love WKORV even more.

 

[PamMo]

Not mentioned, but a small benefit of owning WPORV is that you are much more likely to get one of the top villa locations. While not important to some - it is very important to us. We have had excellent villas with full on ocean and sunrise views during both our visits in teh hammerhead section of B7 (we own EOY)...

That, and the ability to book a prime week to coordinate with our stay at WKORV a year out is EXACTLY why we were considering buying there.

 

[glypnirsgirl]

We exchanged into Westin Princeville cheaply a few years back. Beautiful resort, very luxurious, and it is odd that it's a voluntary resort.

However, I kept looking across the golf course and gully from the Westin lanai, and there sat Wyndham's Shearwater with its ocean views. I wished I was there instead. It's no contest for me, and Shearwater is also a fairly easy trade. We are going for two weeks in August.

I recommend Shearwater to anyone who wants a great unit and incredible ocean views. The two August weeks were a total of 45 TPU's through RCI + the $179 exchange fee for each.

Cindy, when we checked in at WPORV, and looked out our window --- directly into the corresponing unit on the other side of the path --- all I could think of was your and Anita's pictures from Shearwater.

I bought WPORV while staying at WKORV-N. One of the things that sold me was "all units are oceanfront." Well that is so far from true that it hurts. I was really glad when we checked into our unit and looked out the window that I was staying there with my $1 SBP purchase rather than staying as an owner of WPORV. I really prefer Kauai over Maui, but WKORV and the beach access is better for us.

I probably would not have rescinded if WPORV had been a mandatory resort --- and that would have been a mistake.

elaine

 

[rickandcindy23]

Elaine, this past year Shearwater units received new furniture, flatscreens, carpet, and bedding. Next year, the renovation includes new cabinets and granite countertops. We are very excited about our next trip to Shearwater. It's on a cliff, which is great for views, but beach access is a hike down. I don't do hikes, but Rick loves to go down to that beach and sit a bit.

You need to take an exchange into Shearwater and compare to any resort; although, I must admit I have been tempted to buy oceanfront at Pahio Kauai Villas, like Denise and BMWGuy. I love the location of those units.

We did buy Pono Kai, but had we known Shearwater would remain a cheap and easy exchange, we wouldn't have.

 

[Sloane S]

We did buy Pono Kai, but had we known Shearwater would remain a cheap and easy exchange, we wouldn't have.

Just curious what you use to exchange in to Shearwater and how much availability there is, since it's pretty pricey in the Wyn system points-wise?