Owners of Multiple Weeks

[tmoscola]

I have been reading these boards for a few weeks now trying to learn all the ins and outs of the system. I noticed most of the loyal posters own multiple weeks in the SVO network. Are most of these weeks bought through resale and ebay auctions to keep the costs low? Is the only benefit of owning multiple weeks to obtain elite status?
I am thinking about buying something resale from one of the mandatory resorts to allow for the staroptions trades since I am felxible with travel dates.

 

[pointsjunkie]

i own multiple weeks, first 3 bought from the developer (before TUG) and then i bought 4 resale and then purchased 2 developer to requalify 2 of the resales to get to 5* elite.
we use the hotels alot and i wanted to be platinum.

do you want to buy resale to requalify or just own starwood? it is a great system. have been very happy with the resorts. It truly changed the way we travel and how often we travel. and it gave me a new hobby.

 

[tmoscola]

I am looking to buy resale for the lower costs. I know that buying from the developer costs way too much money. Like I mentioned earlier, for the next few years I have the ability to travel during any season. So I was thinking about buying a cheaper mandatory resort with a lot of staroptions just to get into the system.

I thought you had to buy a resale week and then a developer week to requalify. Am I correct or mixing up the process? If I buy mandatory resale weeks, can I add up the number of staroptions and stay in a larger/smaller unit or travel during different seasons to use the total amount of options? For lower costs I was looking at Kierland and Vistana Villages.

I was originally looking at Harborside, but I feel the costs are too expensive to own at when I know I could go in the off season.

 

[LisaRex]

Some owners buy multiple units in order to secure the view/season that they want at the resort they plan to visit. Others buy multiple weeks because they want to convert to StarPoints and/or combine their StarOptions (two things you can only do if you buy at least half of your units from the developer) to stay at other Starwood hotels/timeshares. And still others buy multiple weeks because it seems they've gotten addicted to owning timeshares.

I'd say most loyal posters here are folks who bought from the developer at some point or other. I'm one of the few exceptions as I found TUG before I bought. (Thanks for all your advice, Tuggers.) I own exactly one resale in Maui and really have no intention of buying another Starwood property for many reasons, the main two being that there just aren't that many places in the Starwood system that interest me and I find the system to be confining.

After reading a lot of personal testimonies here, I think the happiest owners are 1) those who own at the location/view/season they want to visit most often; and 2) those who really know how to use the Starwood network to its fullest potential. That means buying at a mandatory resort resale with the best "$ spent:StarOption" ratio and being willing to travel off season.

 

[pointsjunkie]

I am looking to buy resale for the lower costs. I know that buying from the developer costs way too much money. Like I mentioned earlier, for the next few years I have the ability to travel during any season. So I was thinking about buying a cheaper mandatory resort with a lot of staroptions just to get into the system.

I thought you had to buy a resale week and then a developer week to requalify. Am I correct or mixing up the process? If I buy mandatory resale weeks, can I add up the number of staroptions and stay in a larger/smaller unit or travel during different seasons to use the total amount of options? For lower costs I was looking at Kierland and Vistana Villages.

I was originally looking at Harborside, but I feel the costs are too expensive to own at when I know I could go in the off season.

if you buy 2 resale weeks you cannot add them together to book a larger unit.buy 148100 staroptions at keirland and you will be able to go anywhere starwood owns and you will get the most bang for your buck.

 

[Henry M.]

I own multiple weeks because I like to use them. I either use them myself or take friends and family with me. When I retire I hope to spend a lot of time in my current weeks. I also expect my kids to be using them since they really love Maui.

The Elite perks and exchanging capabilities are nice to have but not the main reason to own. I'm happy because I own in a place I really like to visit often. It is better than having a second home as I probably couldn't afford one where I want it and I also don't have that much time to spend there. With my timeshares I could stay 8 weeks there, which is about as long as I would ever want to be there. I also have the flexibility to go to other places I like from time to time.

 

[Sir Newf]

Hi T- We really love our Westin-Kierland, 1-bdrm Platnium (resale purchase thru Transaction), and have traded for Westin Mission Hills and Orlando with no problems...We travel off-season....Definately purchase a mandatory like Kierland, you'll find the resale value holds up stronger...Rather than purchase a 2nd Starwood- we deceided to add a Hilton-HGVC, and are extremely pleased. The variety of systems gives us broader internal systems trades and with HGVC (even at resale purchase- thru Seth), you can convert to hotel points, which is taking us to Rome-Hilton this year.. Both Starwood and HGVC allows you to split TS weeks based on your points, we have found that very useful for 4 and 5 day get aways..I would recommend, you to examine your personal travel plans and read each Hotel system in "Advice section", you'll be able to custom tailor your purchase(s)to meet your personal dreams...Also, some locations carry larger maint. fees than others- so check those out too if that's very important...enjoy...