Maui Availability

[Sicnarf]

Isn't it strange that there is NOT a single day available in WKORV or WKORV-N between now through March 2016? Is Starwood grabbing every available days? I've never seen it like this ever!

 

[SMHarman]

They can only grab at 60 day's out.

 

[Sicnarf]

That's what I thought. Even so doesn't the inventory stays until they booked it?

 

[LisaRex]

Mid-Jan/Feb/Mar are always popular for warm weather destinations as mainlanders escape the cold. And it's also whale season on Maui, so it's especially difficult to book during these times. A few years back, I tried to book my home resort (WKORV-N) in February and was squeezed out.

Since Starwood coded the entire year (except the last 2 event weeks) as platinum, that means that every float owner has the opportunity to book those high season weeks, which makes competition especially fierce. Fixed week owners can take up to 25% (?) of the inventory and that will never be available to book. Multi-week owners can daisy chain several weeks together. And, of course, Starwood owns inventory itself and can presumably pre-book these popular weeks. (We don't know this for a fact, but it was theorized after all inventory was booked for President's Day week even for owners who tried at the earliest possible moment.)

With exchangers now able to bank SOs, the competition for any high season weeks that happen to hit SVN will be grabbed immediately. So you need to be persistent and lucky if you want to get a high season week as an owner and very persistent and very lucky to get in as an exchanger.

FYI, I believe that Marriott owners on Maui and Hilton owners on Oahu have experienced this situation for years.

IMO, the only thing that might swing things around at this point are airfares skyrocketing and/or the economy failing. But I certainly don't want either of those things to happen.

 

[pchung6]

I've been watching this for a while. Any availability opens up at 8 months mark, it just go disappear in a day or two. I suspect Starwood is holding these for special offering like $699 Costco package or something similar. They did not deposit much in II either.

 

[GregT]

FYI, I believe that Marriott owners on Maui and Hilton owners on Oahu have experienced this situation for years.

This is correct, I couldn't book my floating weeks at Maui Ocean Club (home resort) for next March when released -- at 6:00:01am. And summer 2016 was tough too, but ultimately worked.

Hilton Hawaiian Village access is very difficult 9 months out (similar to our 8 months out in Starwood), but it is easy to book for home resort reservations (12 months out), which is interesting.

Sorry to see such tight availability at WKORV...

Best,

Greg

 

[DeniseM]

Isn't it strange that there is NOT a single day available in WKORV or WKORV-N between now through March 2016? Is Starwood grabbing every available days? I've never seen it like this ever!

Pretty normal - the Staroption reservation window for March opened July 1, so it's been available to anyone with Staroptions for more than a month.

 

[DeniseM]

I've been watching this for a while. Any availability opens up at 8 months mark, it just go disappear in a day or two. I suspect Starwood is holding these for special offering like $699 Costco package or something similar. They did not deposit much in II either.

Starwood only controls TS inventory that owners have deposited with II, or converted to Starpoints, etc.

They can't remove inventory from the owner's reservation pool until 60 days before check-in.

 

[jnsywg]

So where do the rooms come from that they sell via spg.com and other sites?

Starwood only controls TS inventory that owners have deposited with II, or converted to Starpoints, etc.

They can't remove inventory from the owner's reservation pool until 60 days before check-in.

 

[DeniseM]

So where do the rooms come from that they sell via spg.com and other sites?

For the most part, from inventory that they own, and from owners who turn their timeshares in for SPG points (Starpoints).

 

[Sicnarf]

I understand what everyone has posted re high season. But no inventory for September, October, November or early December? I've been monitoring inventory pretty regularly over the past 10 years and I've never observed it like this ever!

 

[DeniseM]

I understand what everyone has posted re high season. But no inventory for September, October, November or early December? I've been monitoring inventory pretty regularly over the past 10 years and I've never observed it like this ever!

It's pretty much been like this since Starwood started allowing owners to bank Staroptions a couple of years ago. In the past, people with small Staroption pkgs. never had enough Staroptions for the big resorts like Maui - not even a studio.

But now, for the first time, they can save their Staroptions up, and have enough to get into these resorts - and that is exactly what is happening.

 

[Sicnarf]

I forgot to mention that there are lots of availability in SPG.COM. This does not make sense since both resorts are pretty much sold out and I don't think lots of Maui owners have converted their SOs to SPs.

 

[DeniseM]

I forgot to mention that there are lots of availability in SPG.COM. This does not make sense since both resorts are pretty much sold out and I don't think lots of Maui owners have converted their SOs to SPs.

That is where they comes from - you'd be amazed at how many people just convert to SPG points because they don't want to use their timeshare, and it's the easiest option. Obviously, they are not Tuggers - but there are many owners out there who have no idea how to get the best usage out of their timeshare.

And of course, within the 60 day mark, Starwood can and does, confiscate anything that isn't reserved, rent it, and put it in their pocket - quite a scam, huh?

 

[okwiater]

And of course, within the 60 day mark, Starwood can and does, confiscate anything that isn't reserved, rent it, and put it in their pocket - quite a scam, huh?

I don't think they confiscate everything that isn't reserved. I am often able to find and reserve high demand resorts within the 60-day mark.

 

[DeniseM]

I don't think they confiscate everything that isn't reserved. I am often able to find and reserve high demand resorts within the 60-day mark.

The point is, that they CAN….

 

[pchung6]

If you look at Kauai, it is the same. nothing is available until April using staroptions. I remember it was not like this last year. I check Costco travel or SPG.com, both Maui and Kauai are available to reserve.

 

[Sicnarf]

I was able to find / reserve high demand weeks within the 60 days window before just like okwiater. As I said this situation is just a recent observation. I'm going to ask SVN to see if this is truly the case as I've experience several cases already were inventory would disappear only to appear again the next day or a few days later. I've always been told that the system is still in Beta so it is always better to call

 

[DeniseM]

No need to ask - the 60 day thing is published in the Starwood terms and conditions. It is a known fact.

 

[pathways25]

It's also important to remember that Starwood is vacuuming up weeks left and right at KOR and KORN for their Westin Flex project. The people who are selling those weeks probably weren't using them much and now that Starwood owns the weeks, then can block more space for rental through their other distribution channels.

 

[DavidnRobin]

It's also important to remember that Starwood is vacuuming up weeks left and right at KOR and KORN for their Westin Flex project. The people who are selling those weeks probably weren't using them much and now that Starwood owns the weeks, then can block more space for rental through their other distribution channels.

"Vacuuming up weeks left and right"
Is this based on fact, or speculation?
Yes, SVO is using their ROFR - but only so far in price point...
I know someone trying to sell their WKORV - and playing ROFR game with 'buyer/broker' (who backs out of sale after ROFR) - and SVO did not exercise ROFR.

 

[pchung6]

I strongly believe something is wrong there. Just checked again for both Maui and Kauai. For Maui, it shows nothing until April and only low avail till August 2016. For Kauai, nothing is available till August 2016.

So it leads me to believe SVN system is wrong, I will call tomorrow to clarify since I'm looking to reserve in late April. Did SVN just upgrade their system? April should be low season, I will be very disappointed if it is not going to be available.

 

[DeniseM]

It's not wrong - the Maui resorts have been booking solid right at the 8 mo. mark for most of 2016.

You can still get an April reservation, just be sure you are online at 12 midnight Eastern, the night before the phone lines open, at exactly 8 mos. before check-in. For instance, tomorrow is August 6th, so at midnight Eastern, you can reserve April 7th.

If you haven't booked online before, you should practice in advance.

 

[pchung6]

It's not wrong - the Maui resorts have been booking solid right at the 8 mo. mark for most of 2016.

You can still get an April reservation, just be sure you are online at 12 midnight Eastern, the night before the phone lines open, at exactly 8 mos. before check-in. For instance, tomorrow is August 6th, so at midnight Eastern, you can reserve April 7th.

If you haven't booked online before, you should practice in advance.

OK, I will try Maui reservation. I give SVN benefits of doubt.

But for Kauai, it has to be something wrong. How can everything are gone from today to August 2016?

I booked on SVN once 3 months ago. Going to Harborside in Oct, can't wait

 

[DeniseM]

OK, I will try Maui reservation. I give SVN benefits of doubt.

But for Kauai, it has to be something wrong. How can everything are gone from today to August 2016?

I just checked WPORV, for every week from Jan. 1 - Apr. 6 and there are only 3 weeks that are not available.