Resale week inventory vs point inventory at Marriott Ko Olina

[mebhealthy]

For years we've been considering a purchase of a resale week at Marriott Ko Olina. After sitting through a presentation at the Westin in Kauai today, we realized we have two final questions about purchasing resale. We understand that we would be purchasing a "deeded" week at Ko Olina, with no points. We would not have the option to stay at any other Marriott property using a resale week. We're fine with that. We just want to know...1) would we be able to book 13 months in advance at Ko Olina if we purchase a resale week there? 2) does the resort keep multiple types of inventory groups - one for Marriott points owners, one for traditional "deeded" owners, and one for Marriott hotel sales?

 

[VacationForever]

Multiple buckets. You will be very happy to buy a MKO resale, seriously. If you only one 1 week, you can only book your home resort at 12 months. However, they come from different buckets.

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

For years we've been considering a purchase of a resale week at Marriott Ko Olina. After sitting through a presentation at the Westin in Kauai today, we realized we have two final questions about purchasing resale. We understand that we would be purchasing a "deeded" week at Ko Olina, with no points. We would not have the option to stay at any other Marriott property using a resale week. We're fine with that. We just want to know...1) would we be able to book 13 months in advance at Ko Olina if we purchase a resale week there? 2) does the resort keep multiple types of inventory groups - one for Marriott points owners, one for traditional "deeded" owners, and one for Marriott hotel sales?

Not sure why you think you can't stay at any other Marriott property using a resale week...... I do it all the time using Interval International.





.

 

[echino]

Resale week is the way to go if you want to stay at Ko Olina. Make sure you buy Ocean View if that's what you want. Going resale market rate is about $10k - $12k for annual Ocean View two bedroom week. Maintenance fees are $2,750. Divide purchase price and maintenance fees by 2 if you buy an every-other-year week.

You can book at 12 months if you own one week, or at 13 months if you own two weeks. Points owners, including those who can book at 13 months, do NOT book from the same inventory. You are only competing against other weeks owners.

You can trade your week for a week at other Marriott and non-Marriott resorts via Interval. But it's not a good idea to do that, because you will be trading down in quality and paying additional fees for that.

 

[Mlvnsmly]

It's also important to note that not all weeks inventory is released at 13 months. Up to half is held for the 12 month release.

 

[DRH90277]

It's also important to note that not all weeks inventory is released at 13 months. Up to half is held for the 12 month release.

I think you're writing about points rather than weeks. Weeks become available depending on your status and none are released later.

Excited for you!

 

[jwalk03]

I think you're writing about points rather than weeks. Weeks become available depending on your status and none are released later.

Excited for you!

Status has nothing to do with when weeks inventory is available.

All weeks owners can book at 13-months out if they own 2 or more weeks and are booking consecutive or concurrent weeks. A maximum of 50% of the available inventory is released at the 13-month mark.

At 12-months all of the remaining inventory is available to book for all owners including those booking a single week.

 

[DRH90277]

Status has nothing to do with when weeks inventory is available.

All weeks owners can book at 13-months out if they own 2 or more weeks and are booking consecutive or concurrent weeks. A maximum of 50% of the available inventory is released at the 13-month mark.

At 12-months all of the remaining inventory is available to book for all owners including those booking a single week.

Thank you for countering my error. As a practical matter, I suspect the various levels have nothing to do with the owned weeks. Of course, week ownership predated the entire points program.

 

[Venter]

Status has nothing to do with when weeks inventory is available.

All weeks owners can book at 13-months out if they own 2 or more weeks and are booking consecutive or concurrent weeks. A maximum of 50% of the available inventory is released at the 13-month mark.

At 12-months all of the remaining inventory is available to book for all owners including those booking a single week.

I will have some mistakes too so please correct me if wrong as I am writing this for the sake of being comprehensive.

Weeks
If you own 2 or more weeks you can book consecutively 13 months out. You can even combine different resorts and seasons as long as they can be booked consecutively. Half of the weeks inventory will be released at 13 months to be booked, but you can see that some of that inventory may already be gone as it is gobbled up at 13+ months by owners who book consecutively.
If you own 1 week you can book at 12 months when the other half of weeks inventory is released.

Points
You can book @ 13 months out but there are different scenarios depending on your level of ownership. Owner level can only book 7+days with 20% points surcharge at MVC. Select can book 7+ nights at MVC. Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ nights at MVC resorts. Half of the trust inventory is released at 13 months for points owners to book.
At 12 months the other half of trust inventory is released. Owner and Select level can book 7+ nights and Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ night at MVC.
10 months out all benefit levels can book 1+ nights.

The variability reported probably lies in the fact that some resorts are mainly weeks owners and other resorts mainly owned by the trust. The fact that owners can elect their week for points also may play a role.
There has been reports of little trust inventory being available at 13 months but then more than expected at 12 months when trying to book with points. This may be due to owners electing their weeks for points during the 13 and 12 month period opening up more trust inventory. If a resort have more weeks owners who do not elect for points there may be less inventory for point reservations at 13 or 12 months. Equally so if a resort is mainly owned by the trust there may be more inventory for point reservations at 12 or 13 months.
Now I have also seen reports of weeks owners who cannot find consecutive inventory at 14+ months when looking for specific check in days. I think this may be due to the fact that we can elect weeks for points up to 2 years in advance. Giving MVC the benefit of the doubt I guess these weeks are assigned randomly (maybe there is a formula) across the available season for inventory release taking them out of the weeks inventory that can be reserved.

I suspect weeks owners are less likely to find something down the line if something was not available at 12 months although there may have been a cancellation. Trust owners who want to reserve should continue to look as owners may wait till the last minute, depending on their ownership, to elect their week for points when it will then seed the trust with inventory. There may also be cancellations of trust reservations.

To complicate matters even more weeks and trust owners can take inventory out of both systems by depositing into II which would deplete the ability to reserve in either system even more.

Ritz Carlton resort reservations have their different rules.

Does this make some sense? Everything was just so much simpler when there was only weeks ownership.

 

[Fasttr]

I will have some mistakes too so please correct me if wrong as I am writing this for the sake of being comprehensive.

Weeks
If you own 2 or more weeks you can book consecutively 13 months out. You can even combine different resorts and seasons as long as they can be booked consecutively. Half of the weeks inventory will be released at 13 months to be booked, but you can see that some of that inventory may already be gone as it is gobbled up at 13+ months by owners who book consecutively.
If you own 1 week you can book at 12 months when the other half of weeks inventory is released.

Points
You can book @ 13 months out but there are different scenarios depending on your level of ownership. Owner level can only book 7+days with 20% points surcharge at MVC. Select can book 7+ nights at MVC. Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ nights at MVC resorts. Half of the trust inventory is released at 13 months for points owners to book.
At 12 months the other half of trust inventory is released. Owner and Select level can book 7+ nights and Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ night at MVC.
10 months out all benefit levels can book 1+ nights.

The variability reported probably lies in the fact that some resorts are mainly weeks owners and other resorts mainly owned by the trust. The fact that owners can elect their week for points also may play a role.
There has been reports of little trust inventory being available at 13 months but then more than expected at 12 months when trying to book with points. This may be due to owners electing their weeks for points during the 13 and 12 month period opening up more trust inventory. If a resort have more weeks owners who do not elect for points there may be less inventory for point reservations at 13 or 12 months. Equally so if a resort is mainly owned by the trust there may be more inventory for point reservations at 12 or 13 months.
Now I have also seen reports of weeks owners who cannot find consecutive inventory at 14+ months when looking for specific check in days. I think this may be due to the fact that we can elect weeks for points up to 2 years in advance. Giving MVC the benefit of the doubt I guess these weeks are assigned randomly (maybe there is a formula) across the available season for inventory release taking them out of the weeks inventory that can be reserved.

I suspect weeks owners are less likely to find something down the line if something was not available at 12 months although there may have been a cancellation. Trust owners who want to reserve should continue to look as owners may wait till the last minute, depending on their ownership, to elect their week for points when it will then seed the trust with inventory. There may also be cancellations of trust reservations.

To complicate matters even more weeks and trust owners can take inventory out of both systems by depositing into II which would deplete the ability to reserve in either system even more.

Ritz Carlton resort reservations have their different rules.

Does this make some sense? Everything was just so much simpler when there was only weeks ownership.

That's the basic gist of it.

Weeks owners can also book concurrent (2 villas during same week) ressies at 13 months.

For points inventory, I believe MVC has given themselves the authority to estimate the number of folks who are likely to exchange their week for points, and make those weeks available to be booked with points. Adding to the complexity of what you have laid out above....and also adding to the conspiracy theories of how exactly MVC allocates inventory.

 

[Red elephant]

I will have some mistakes too so please correct me if wrong as I am writing this for the sake of being comprehensive.

Weeks
If you own 2 or more weeks you can book consecutively 13 months out. You can even combine different resorts and seasons as long as they can be booked consecutively. Half of the weeks inventory will be released at 13 months to be booked, but you can see that some of that inventory may already be gone as it is gobbled up at 13+ months by owners who book consecutively.
If you own 1 week you can book at 12 months when the other half of weeks inventory is released.

Points
You can book @ 13 months out but there are different scenarios depending on your level of ownership. Owner level can only book 7+days with 20% points surcharge at MVC. Select can book 7+ nights at MVC. Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ nights at MVC resorts. Half of the trust inventory is released at 13 months for points owners to book.
At 12 months the other half of trust inventory is released. Owner and Select level can book 7+ nights and Executive, Presidential, and Chairman can book 1+ night at MVC.
10 months out all benefit levels can book 1+ nights.

The variability reported probably lies in the fact that some resorts are mainly weeks owners and other resorts mainly owned by the trust. The fact that owners can elect their week for points also may play a role.
There has been reports of little trust inventory being available at 13 months but then more than expected at 12 months when trying to book with points. This may be due to owners electing their weeks for points during the 13 and 12 month period opening up more trust inventory. If a resort have more weeks owners who do not elect for points there may be less inventory for point reservations at 13 or 12 months. Equally so if a resort is mainly owned by the trust there may be more inventory for point reservations at 12 or 13 months.
Now I have also seen reports of weeks owners who cannot find consecutive inventory at 14+ months when looking for specific check in days. I think this may be due to the fact that we can elect weeks for points up to 2 years in advance. Giving MVC the benefit of the doubt I guess these weeks are assigned randomly (maybe there is a formula) across the available season for inventory release taking them out of the weeks inventory that can be reserved.

I suspect weeks owners are less likely to find something down the line if something was not available at 12 months although there may have been a cancellation. Trust owners who want to reserve should continue to look as owners may wait till the last minute, depending on their ownership, to elect their week for points when it will then seed the trust with inventory. There may also be cancellations of trust reservations.

To complicate matters even more weeks and trust owners can take inventory out of both systems by depositing into II which would deplete the ability to reserve in either system even more.

Ritz Carlton resort reservations have their different rules.

Does this make some sense? Everything was just so much simpler when there was only weeks ownership.

This is very helpful. Thank you. How do you know which resorts are primarily weeks vs trust?

 

[Venter]

This is very helpful. Thank you. How do you know which resorts are primarily weeks vs trust?

That is a whole discussion on it's own.

@dioxide45 has been following trust seeding that came from left over inventory and other activities such as ROFR, deed backs etc. by monitoring recording documents.

Mostly we can surmise that resorts built and sold before 2010 will mainly be in the weeks category except probably Crystal Shores, Lakeshore Reserve and Beach Club. There may be others but I do not follow this extensively. It mostly comes up when people ask about their chances booking either way.
Resorts built after 2010 will be wholly or mainly in the trust for example Waikiki will be all trust inventory including the Pulse properties.
And to throw another spanner in the turning wheel to complicate things, non US resorts are all weeks based such as Aruba, Spain and so forth. But then Asia is a mix because Phuket is weeks based but Bali is points based withing the Asia Pacific trust.

Oh, I almost forgot. Now we need to think about the resorts from Vistana as well.............

 

[Venter]

 

[Phillie]

Just came back last week from Ko Olina and loved it! We traded a Marriott Grande Ocean (MGO) week via Interval International. We added two days using Bonvoy points to get cheaper airfare; it is a long way from Philly to go for just a week. We did a "tour" the first in a very long time and by the end of the presentation, the sales rep became very nasty and told us we can go. He made many untrue claims that have been said enough here that I won't mention them. The one that got me was the claim that MGO is now almost all Trust owners and we are one of the last few weeks' owners. I said I was surprised by that but did not challenge it as I just wanted $150 to use as Roy's the following evening.

 

[vpplayer]

Previous responders have been spot-on.

We are deeded owners at Ko Olina (2br OV). We bought to use, not to trade. We have never (knock on wood) missed out on getting the villa we wanted (date, inventory, floor, choice of tower) even at the 9-10 month point. Though I usually reserve pretty much right when inventory opens but not always.

So far we haven’t been affected by the inventory allocations between deed weeks and points. I suspect many deeded weeks owners have remained so.

 

[mebhealthy]

Thanks to everyone for the input! I feel much better now. We plan to purchase so we can stay at Ko Olina, no trading. Ocean view only. And we have 3 teens who continue to ask to return specifically to this resort (we have rented from owners 3 or 4 times), and it seems like a great resort for both families as well as couples so it could fit just about any trip. I did not realize there was an extra benefit of owning 2 weeks vs 1 week (the 13 month booking window vs the 12 month booking window), so we'll keep that in consideration. We've debated about this for so long - I just wish we could've purchased during covid with the lower prices! Hopefully by the end of the year we can start the purchase process!

 

[jwalk03]

Thanks to everyone for the input! I feel much better now. We plan to purchase so we can stay at Ko Olina, no trading. Ocean view only. And we have 3 teens who continue to ask to return specifically to this resort (we have rented from owners 3 or 4 times), and it seems like a great resort for both families as well as couples so it could fit just about any trip. I did not realize there was an extra benefit of owning 2 weeks vs 1 week (the 13 month booking window vs the 12 month booking window), so we'll keep that in consideration. We've debated about this for so long - I just wish we could've purchased during covid with the lower prices! Hopefully by the end of the year we can start the purchase process!

Wait for the next recession (which is very likely coming soon.). The prices will almost certainly drop then.

 

[RoxDee]

Since you are talking about Ko Olina weeks, can someone tell me if I purchase a 2bdrm annual week and it doesn't say lockoff/lockout in the contract? Can I still reserve a lockoff/lockout? I appreciate any clarification. Thanks!

 

[mjm1]

Since you are talking about Ko Olina weeks, can someone tell me if I purchase a 2bdrm annual week and it doesn't say lockoff/lockout in the contract? Can I still reserve a lockoff/lockout? I appreciate any clarification. Thanks!

I believe the answer is “yes.” We own a lock off 2BR unit and we can reserve a non- lock off 2BR. So it should work the other way as well.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[jwalk03]

Since you are talking about Ko Olina weeks, can someone tell me if I purchase a 2bdrm annual week and it doesn't say lockoff/lockout in the contract? Can I still reserve a lockoff/lockout? I appreciate any clarification. Thanks!

Yes- any 2BR ownership can book as a lockoff based on availability

 

[Dean]

Since you are talking about Ko Olina weeks, can someone tell me if I purchase a 2bdrm annual week and it doesn't say lockoff/lockout in the contract? Can I still reserve a lockoff/lockout? I appreciate any clarification. Thanks!

As noted, yes. Anyone can book a 2 BR in season or a lock off if the resort has both, subject to availability. The related question is whether owning one or the other gives any guarantees of availability of that unit type and the answer is no for 2 BR vs L/O. The answer is somewhat different if there are different parameters such as different view type, penthouse, deluxe unit and the like.

 

[RoxDee]

Thanks everyone for your responses. It has been very helpful!