Renter verification of unit

[sjsharkie]

Quick question.

When renting your unit, do you normally have the lessee call the SVO reservations number, or have them call the resort directly to confirm.

Wondering if one way was better than the other.

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[DeniseM]

Definitely have them call Starwood reservations - the front desk sometimes gets confused or gives out incorrect info. I recently had a renter who called the front desk (although instructed to do otherwise) and the front desk told them they needed the owner's SPG number to confirm!

These are the directions I send to my renters with the confirmation:

Here is your confirmation from the resort. Please print it out, and take it with you when you check-in at the resort. You will also need a valid credit card, and your picture ID, to check in.

HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR RESERVATION:

The confirmation number is in the upper right corner of the reservation below (______) - You can call Owner Reservations and confirm your reservation at - 888.986.9637 or 407.903.4635

*Reservations is open from 9 am to 9 pm Eastern on weekdays, and until 6 pm on the weekend.

*Reservations will only confirm the reservation for the person who is listed on the confirmation - in this case: ___________________.

You will hear a prerecorded message - it will take you through 3 menus - choose #1 all 3 times. There will be a musical interlude while you are on hold for a Reservations Rep.

Once you reach Reservations, tell them that you would like to confirm your reservation at [resort], and give them the confirmation number.

 

[sjsharkie]

Denise to the rescue!

Thanks!

-ryan

 

[DavidnRobin]

Denise to the rescue!

Thanks!

-ryan

I give them the SVO/SVN number (they handle the reservations) - and they have reservation confirmation which has this number as well. I tell them to explain that they have a rental from an Owner, and give the confirmation number. I do not know if any have actually called SVN or not.

Do not call the resort as they do not handle reservations until handoff that occurs right before the reservation (if it is through SVO/SVN).

 

[sjsharkie]

I give them the SVO/SVN number (they handle the reservations) - and they have reservation confirmation which has this number as well. I tell them to explain that they have a rental from an Owner, and give the confirmation number. I do not know if any have actually called SVN or not.

Do not call the resort as they do not handle reservations until handoff that occurs right before the reservation (if it is through SVO/SVN).

Thanks, David and/or Robin. Appreciate the info.

-ryan

 

[DeniseM]

Although calling to confirm a reservation seems like a very simple thing to do, I'd say that about 1 out of 10 renters can't follow directions, or get creative and decide to do it a different way. So, you really want to be very, very clear with your directions.

Even with clear directions, some renters will insist on calling a different number - usually the front desk, or the hotel affiliated with the timeshare. (Like trying to call Atlantis to confirm a HRA reservation, or the Westin Kierland HOTEL to confirm WKV.)

When I have a renter that can't figure it out after 2 or 3 tries, I offer to do a conference call with them. Then I have them listen, and I do the talking.

 

[VegasBella]

As a renter, the reason I call to confirm is to make sure the owner isn't just taking my money. So I find the resort front desk number myself (I don't take the owners word on it, they can just give me any number and have a friend answer the phone or something ) and I call and simply ask if there's a reservation in my name. I don't say anything about renting or being the owners guest or anything, just "I'm just calling to confirm my reservation. My name is _ and my reservation number is _. Can you double check to make sure that's right?"

If there's any confusion, then I explain the confusion to the owner and we either break the deal or the owner fixes it.

This whole process Denise described is one that I as a renter would avoid. I understand why it's complicated but it just feels too sketchy to me. Basically, I might rent once but never again.


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[DeniseM]

If there's any confusion, then I explain the confusion to the owner and we either break the deal or the owner fixes it.

This is exactly where you, and a fair number of renters get bogged down: An owner can't "fix" Starwood's reservation process, because Starwood doesn't want you to call the front desk. Starwood wants you to call their big central reservations center that they provide for that very purpose.

Starwood wants their very busy front desks available to deal with the guests that are at the resort - if you aren't at the resort, they want you to call central reservations. If everyone called the front desk - it would be a nightmare at the resorts.

If a renter can't/won't follow instructions, then they will be frustrated and confused - because the front desks aren't designed to help them with future reservations...

 

[SMHarman]

As a renter, the reason I call to confirm is to make sure the owner isn't just taking my money. So I find the resort front desk number myself (I don't take the owners word on it, they can just give me any number and have a friend answer the phone or something ) and I call and simply ask if there's a reservation in my name. I don't say anything about renting or being the owners guest or anything, just "I'm just calling to confirm my reservation. My name is _ and my reservation number is _. Can you double check to make sure that's right?"

If there's any confusion, then I explain the confusion to the owner and we either break the deal or the owner fixes it.

This whole process Denise described is one that I as a renter would avoid. I understand why it's complicated but it just feels too sketchy to me. Basically, I might rent once but never again.


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But on the same basis you can Google SVO central reservation phone number and do the same verification.

My last rental was an SVO owner. I just sent a jpeg of the reservation screen up from to show the booking existed and then changes it when she paid.

Following that there is a Starwood email you can forward as well.

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[DavidnRobin]

I have had zero issues with Renters - there has never been a confusion. Although I have only rented about 20 times.
I am not even sure what the Front Desk is going to say months in advance - they are not connected to the SVO/SVN reservation system - waste of everyone's time...

btw - SVO Owner Services requires the renter's name, address, phone number, and email to transfer a reservation. I have OS send the reservation confirmation (in their name) to them. It would be an quite a scam to rip someone off, that also includes an ad on RW, and a clear rental agreement as part of the PayPal invoice - with me as a verified PayPay user. As well as references, plus presence on TUG, and they have my contact info. If they are Still thinking this is a elaborate scam, and want to bust my balls that they called they also contacted the Front Desk and could not confirm, then I have no desire to have them as Renters.

Again - has never happened.

 

[sjsharkie]

Thanks, Denise. I gave my renter the explicit directions and he was able to confirm the rental -- quick and easy,

Much appreciated.

-ryan

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks, Denise. I gave my renter the explicit directions and he was able to confirm the rental -- quick and easy,

Much appreciated.

-ryan

I'm so glad it worked for you!

 

[VegasBella]

If they are Still thinking this is a elaborate scam, and want to bust my balls that they called they also contacted the Front Desk and could not confirm, then I have no desire to have them as Renters.

So, since Starwood has an unusual reservation process that might seem sketchy to any first-time Starwood renter, you'd rather blame the renter than Starwood. That's interesting.

Also, need I point out that one doesn't have to involve an "elaborate scam" in order to lack faith in a landlord or rental contract? All it requires is a belief in the landlord's incompetence/ disorganization/ laziness/ etc. or a worry about the resort's staff/ management company.

 

[SMHarman]

So, since Starwood has an unusual reservation process that might seem sketchy to any first-time Starwood renter, you'd rather blame the renter than Starwood. That's interesting.

Also, need I point out that one doesn't have to involve an "elaborate scam" in order to lack faith in a landlord or rental contract? All it requires is a belief in the landlord's incompetence/ disorganization/ laziness/ etc. or a worry about the resort's staff/ management company.

Starwood, Hilton, Marriott. I think calling the front desk of any of those hotel chains to confirm a timeshare booking will get blank / confused responses.

There are two different inventory pools for the same building. The hotel inventory pool and the timeshare pool. The brand can migrate inventory between pools (e.g. when someone swaps their SVO week for StarPOINTS) but the hotel front desk is seeing hotel inventory.

 

[DavidnRobin]

It is not sketchy what-so-ever - I clearly lay out all details (at all steps) - and they are easily verified.

I have never had a problem, and if I were to get hassled from someone that called the Front Desk of the resort after it was clear to them to contact Owner Services (and actually the reservation confirmation comes to them from OS) - then I would gladly drop them. I rent for a very fair price - and have had minimal issues - it is not worth my time or effort to get hassled by someone that is obviously clueless. My rental agreement is clear about the process up-front before any money is exchanged.

In fact - my biggest issue is someone sending me money even before I had a chance to send the PayPal invoice that clearly lays out the T&Cs. I think if anything people are more reluctant giving their info up to a stranger - this is why I share mine with them - and they can easily get hold of me. Transparency is key.

If any potential renter is so worried after all is done to make it clear and on the up-n-up - they are better off renting from the hotel - where they can spend 2x more.

now - hopefully tangent ends - as the OP asked a question about calling the front desk to confirm a SVO and got a clear answers why it is OS that has this responsibility.

 

[DeniseM]

Starwood does not have an unusual reservation situation - it's the norm for the big resort systems - they don't handle reservations at the resorts - they have central reservation services. As a newbie I understand that you probably are unaware of this.


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[VegasBella]

The front desk checks people in. At some point they have the reservations. If they didn't get the reservations, they could not check people in.

I've rented about 5 times from TUG and RedWeek "landlords" and I've never had this issue with any timeshare. I have always been able to call the front desk, give them my name, and verify the reservation.

What I hear you all saying is that Starwood customer service is terrible, so terrible that the Starwood front desks not only don't have a moment's free time to check a reservation but they can't even forward phone calls to the "central reservations center." And I hear you saying that you think this is all fine and good, that anyone who is put off by that is a noob whose money isn't good enough for you.

Thus I've decided is that I will not be renting at any Starwood properties in the near future.

 

[SMHarman]

^
If that is what you are hearing then you are not listening.
A front Desk checks people in and out.
A central reservations team make reservations.
Would you prefer to get to a front Desk and call the central check in team?

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[DeniseM]

Thus I've decided is that I will not be renting at any Starwood properties in the near future.

I'm sure their stock will crash tomorrow....

 

[VegasBella]

Ironically I just booked a few nights at a Westin yesterday. I forgot that I do that every other year. This thread reminded me to book my reservation. lol. Anyway, I made the reservation by calling a central reservation number and then I called the hotel front desk to verify. Why? Because in the past they've lost my reservation. They were very polite and helpful at the time and they found how the error occurred, but they were not able to fix it. This time I had to call twice to verify the reservation (they didn't find it the first time) but eventually it was all worked out.

Verifying a reservation is simply a database query. It's the kind of thing that anyone should be able to do if they have the proper authorization, computer skills, and the hotel/resort system has a good strong shared database.

At some point after the reservation is made but before checkin, the front desk receives access. At some places they get literal and complete access to the database. At others they'll get access to a copy of the database (perhaps it just lists reservations for their local hotel/resort). And at other, less sophisticated hotels/resorts they get a paper print out of the reservations. Regardless of how they get it, they get it.

Some get it months in advance, others get it only days or weeks in advance. But they all get it at some point. If a renter called the day before checkin to verify a reservation, he or she should be able to do that by calling the front desk, not some central reservations number. It's only an issue if they're calling far in advance and the database is not shared.

To me, personally, lack of access to a shared database (or database copy) is a sign of an inefficient and outdated system and thus I am unlikely to trust it. Just a personal opinion. Obviously, it's not going to affect Starwood stock.

 

[LisaRex]

To me, personally, lack of access to a shared database (or database copy) is a sign of an inefficient and outdated system and thus I am unlikely to trust it.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but just know that even if a hotel/timeshare offered the most sophisticated and transparent reservation system, it would do absolutely nothing to prevent an owner from cashing your check and subsequently canceling your reservation.

Just sayin'.

 

[okwiater]

To me, personally, lack of access to a shared database (or database copy) is a sign of an inefficient and outdated system and thus I am unlikely to trust it. Just a personal opinion. Obviously, it's not going to affect Starwood stock.

If you had a flight reservation scheduled to depart 9 months from now, would you call the central reservations center or the gate agent to confirm it?

 

[DavidnRobin]

You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but just know that even if a hotel/timeshare offered the most sophisticated and transparent reservation system, it would do absolutely nothing to prevent an owner from cashing your check and subsequently canceling your reservation.

This is an excellent point - as the Owner I can put reservation in their name, get paid, and then put reservation back in my name, or scam another person.

My control of the reservation is a benefit to me in case someone tries to scam me (good luck with that...) - which has been reported on TUG

Calling SVO OS or the Front Desk will do nothing to preventing getting scammed on your rental. One could try renting with an Escrow service (like on RedWeek) - but I am not going to pay for it, nor am I going to wait to be paid.

I find more and more people aware of the nuances of renting from SVO Owners as most are familiar with the resorts the processes. The enormous of rentals on RW clearly show this (most of my rentals have been through RW), and are likely to become more common as people get more comfortable renting from Owners.

This is why I have references, tell them of my presence on TUG, have clear T&Cs (with processes) in my rental agreement, use PayPal as a verified User, have open and quick communications, give them my info (incl work - as my profession references cannot be faked), and they can Google me. For those who cannot figure out if they are getting scammed out of their money should rent from the Resort.

 

[SMHarman]

If you had a flight reservation scheduled to depart 9 months from now, would you call the central reservations center or the gate agent to confirm it?

LOL!!! Or maybe even the travel agent that booked it or look on the website you booked it on!!!!

 

[SMHarman]

Ironically I just booked a few nights at a Westin yesterday. I forgot that I do that every other year. This thread reminded me to book my reservation. lol. Anyway, I made the reservation by calling a central reservation number and then I called the hotel front desk to verify. Why? Because in the past they've lost my reservation. They were very polite and helpful at the time and they found how the error occurred, but they were not able to fix it. This time I had to call twice to verify the reservation (they didn't find it the first time) but eventually it was all worked out.

Verifying a reservation is simply a database query. It's the kind of thing that anyone should be able to do if they have the proper authorization, computer skills, and the hotel/resort system has a good strong shared database.

But could central reservations find the reservation?
Could you find the reservationi online.
Just because you want the reservation to be found by the front desk, while i tap my fingers on the desk wondering why they are taking phone calls and not dealing with the person standing in front of them and getting annoyed at the fact that the desk is understaffed when it might be properly staffed but dealing with the wrong things.

What would happen if front desk just redirected your call to central reservations or asked you to call 1800STARWOOD and check with them?