New WSJ TSs

[lizap]

Recently had a conversation with a SVO salesman, who indicated that Starwood is going to be converting more of the WSJ hotel into TSs in the future which should expand WSJ TS opportunities. Does anyone have any more info. on this? He also said Starwood was working on some new TS development, but couldn't elaborate.

 

[Ken555]

He also said Starwood was working on some new TS development, but couldn't elaborate.

:hysterical::rofl::hysterical:

 

[alwysonvac]

See this post from last month - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191422

 

[lizap]

Thanks. As noted in the other thread, at a minimum, availability should be a little better for WSJ... He was quite insistent that new development was 'in the works'. So who knows..

 

[DeniseM]

You simply can't believe anything a TS sales person says. They will say whatever it is that they think you want to hear....

 

[lizap]

It appears he was on target with the conversion of some of the hotel rooms at WSJ into TSs, so who knows...

You simply can't believe anything a TS sales person says. They will say whatever it is that they think you want to hear....

 

[Ken555]

It appears he was on target with the conversion of some of the hotel rooms at WSJ into TSs, so who knows...

A good timeshare salesman is going to insert some truth into his story. I am constantly amazed at how optimistic people are about what they were told after meeting these guys. IMHO, if its not built it's not real, no matter how definitive sales is...the same with anything else I'm told by them. It's easy to spin a great story.

The good timeshare sales don't resort to such practices, they look you in the eye and tell you what they have now, how great it is, and the "best" way to use ownership (which usually includes some conversion to points so you can go to all those hotels...), etc. They really don't need to create a fictitious resort that may be built at some point in the undefined future. When sales starts talking about future resorts, unless the building has already started (which indicates financing in place, construction planed and lots of money already spent), it simply calls into suspicion everything else I'm told. It should make you wary, too.

 

[tomandrobin]

You simply can't believe anything a TS sales person says. They will say whatever it is that they think you want to hear....

Except when they say they like to sell you an interest at their resort.

 

[DavidnRobin]

It appears he was on target with the conversion of some of the hotel rooms at WSJ into TSs, so who knows...

This is speculation - it may happen, but will not be part of Bay Vista if it does (supposedly). More likely hotel rooms converted into condo-like hotel unit (essentially converting hotel rooms - maybe...) that is run by Starwood via rentals. BV is (supposedly) 70% sold-out - so get them n.o.w. Saw a couple people signing BV docs - ouch.

I did the Owners Update today - nice folks, but nobody is given up 'solid' info on anything - they are focused on selling BV, and random VG villas (week 23 in 3Bd pool villa - didn't ask price). Plenty of offseason studios for sale. Resale is cheaper anyway - and more available - what is here to gain buying from SVO when it is a M resort? especially with awful SP conversion. They knew I wasn't going to buy/exchange anything - and they made it clear that selling TSs is their livelihood - so I was wasting their time going to an Owners update that is really a sales presentation - big surprise there...
bought some Haitian art with my $125 sand dollars for a pain free hour - for the most part.

 

[LisaRex]

This is speculation - it may happen, but will not be part of Bay Vista if it does (supposedly). More likely hotel rooms converted into condo-like hotel unit (essentially converting hotel rooms - maybe...) that is run by Starwood via rentals. BV is (supposedly) 70% sold-out - so get them n.o.w. Saw a couple people signing BV docs - ouch.

Acc to this thread, they will convert buildings 21-23 into timeshares.

This map shows where buildings 21-23 are. Buildings 24-27 are the current Bay Vista section. The red buildings are hotel rooms. If I have it right, buildings 31-34 are the studio to 3 bdrm units in Virgin Grand section. Buildings 41-44 are the Virgin Grand 3-bdrm private pool villas.

http://www.omvillasstjohn.com/images/westin_map.gif

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191422

 

[LisaRex]

BTW, anyone see this ad on Redweek? Originally I thought it was a typo, but no, someone owns the entire year in unit 3219 and is selling it.

http://www.redweek.com/posting/R397122

I could come up with the $800k purchase price, but the $122k annual MFs are a killer!

 

[Henry M.]

In the linked thread, the Starwood vice chairman and CFO of Starwood Hotels Worldwide said:

"This year, we moved our Westin Resort in St. John to SVO to be converted over time to vacation ownership inventory."

This was during a quarterly earnings call, so he wouldn't say that without truly meaning it, unless he wants to go to jail.

The conversion of all of WSJ to timeshares is beyond speculation, though we don't know the exact structure and timeframe. What I was told when I was there in April is that each section would have its own HOA. That detail, of course, could change. Also, as with anything else, it's not done until it's done, and before it happens plans can be altered, like the building of WKORV-NN that got derailed after the project started.

 

[LisaRex]

I am really looking forward to new inventory at WSJ. I hope they take into mind that million dollar view when refurbishing the new section. With the BV section, they certainly didn't take advantage of it. The window from the master bedroom was so high that you couldn't see out unless you stood on the bed and jumped.

(Cue the scene from "Big" where they're jumping on the trampoline.)

 

[Henry M.]

Lisa,

I think the high windows you describe are only in the 2 BR Loft units. I stayed in a regular 2BR unit and also saw a 3 BR, and the master bedroom has a sliding glass door and low windows. Good view out of those. The Loft unit's floor plans I saw showed small windows in the upstairs bedrooms, but I didn't actually go in one.

 

[LisaRex]

Yes, they were in the lofts. Great space. Puzzled by the complete disregard for that million dollar view!

 

[DeniseM]

Let's remember that "technically" Starwood is working on new developments, because they actually have been working on the 3rd Maui resort for more than 5 years! If you call pushing dirt around "working."

 

[jarta]

^^^ And, let's remember that the salesperson was actually telling the truth about converting hotel rooms to TS weeks at WSJ. Time to give it a rest?

The economy changes. Here, some thing never change. Salty