Sheraton Flex

[Julian McCarthy]

Currently have a handful of 2B Lockoff resales from Westin Kierland...obtained a few years ago for very good price. We have greatly enjoyed vacay opportunities it has created...and used SOs to go to WK and St John, Beaver Creek, Cancun, Orlando. Considering shifting ownership to Sheraton Flex to get 4-star elite status, conversion rights, point bonus, and other minor benefits. Offer includes 80% buyback which greatly reduces cost..but also reduces my SO annual total by 120,000. Is that worth $35k? Is timing right...will Marriott takeover make it harder for resale owners? Will resale credit for WK mandatory villas go away in near future? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[dioxide45]

Currently have a handful of 2B Lockoff resales from Westin Kierland...obtained a few years ago for very good price. We have greatly enjoyed vacay opportunities it has created...and used SOs to go to WK and St John, Beaver Creek, Cancun, Orlando. Considering shifting ownership to Sheraton Flex to get 4-star elite status, conversion rights, point bonus, and other minor benefits. Offer includes 80% buyback which greatly reduces cost..but also reduces my SO annual total by 120,000. Is that worth $35k? Is timing right...will Marriott takeover make it harder for resale owners? Will resale credit for WK mandatory villas go away in near future? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

What season is your WKV week? The only reason that your annual expenses could go down by buying in to Sheraton Flex is if you own a lower season WKV?

There is certainly and absolutely no reason to sell back mandatory Platinum weeks in favor of Sheraton Flex. Especially when you get fewer SOs and have to fork over $35K. Don't do it. No one can answer your last two questions, but we suspect that if you own mandatory resales right now, that Marriott can't and won't take anything away from your in a combined program. They may add some additional options, or they may not. No one knows for sure and we won't know until they roll something out.

 

[Julian McCarthy]

We have gold season...81,000 SOs per contract.

 

[bizaro86]

I wouldn't do this, but I definitely wouldn't do it now. How would you feel if you drop $35k and then next year you go back and they tell you they're phasing out Sheraton Flex and will start siphoning inventory out of SVN to the DC trust and want you to pay another $30k to upgrade again?

 

[rickandcindy23]

This Flex Option option, is it like a mandatory SO's deal, where they would transfer with resale?

We were asked on a timeshare presentation in Myrtle Beach, and it was not something we felt we should do. They took no for an answer, fortunately.

 

[bizaro86]

This Flex Option option, is it like a mandatory SO's deal, where they would transfer with resale?

We were asked on a timeshare presentation in Myrtle Beach, and it was not something we felt we should do. They took no for an answer, fortunately.

None of the flex are mandatory. The staroptions don't transfer on resale, just the ability to book the home resorts.

 

[KACTravels]

If it were me, I would not do this right now. Conversion rights are NOT worth it, your maintenance fees would likely go up and 4* Elite isn’t that great. We have discovered that 5* Elite has been devalued as well. Think of all the vacations you could supplement with $35K.

 

[CPNY]

I wouldn’t get rid of Kierland for Sheraton flex at all!! Even if MVC has a conversion with Vistana and you aren’t able to take part In it, it’s not that big of a deal. You can always exchange with II. I wouldn’t get rid of a mandatory deed in favor of a voluntary one. As I was told by sales last week, “you shouldn’t buy these for resale” I laughed and said I know because you can buy them in the resale market for pennies in the dollar. My concern is an exit strategy I told him. It’s hard enough giving away mandatory deeds outside of Kierland/VV. I have mandatory deeds and only exchanged once for Marriott in Aruba this year due to priority now. Other than that I use options and book other resorts. Picked up key west at 95,700 options and booked a one bedroom Maui oceanfront two years in a row. Buying another every other year. They will always take those back Don’t give them anything. Call the deed back and see if they will give you cash instead.

 

[needvaca]

I would/will never give up my Platinum WKV for anything Vistana can offer.
Platinum WKV is the best ownership in all of Vistana. It has the lowest Staroption to maintenance fee ratio. Highest resale value to maintenance fee ratio. And it's an awesome resort that we love to stay at, which also makes it highly rentable.

 

[controller1]

If it were me, I would not do this right now. Conversion rights are NOT worth it, your maintenance fees would likely go up and 4* Elite isn’t that great. We have discovered that 5* Elite has been devalued as well. Think of all the vacations you could supplement with $35K.

I agree with your recommendation of not doing this but I have one question. Where have you discovered that 5-Star Elite has been devalued? Just wondering.....

 

[KACTravels]

I agree with your recommendation of not doing this but I have one question. Where have you discovered that 5-Star Elite has been devalued? Just wondering.....

We were looking forward to Platinum for Life (Hotel side), but have found no substantial upgrades (for hotels) since the Marriott merger. We always received great upgrades when it was SPG, but haven't had a good upgrade since. In fact last time we stayed at a Marriott hotel, they gave us 500 Bonvoy points for our "Platinum Gift" HAHA! Wow! Thanks... The other benefits are nice (late banking, no name change charge, late check out etc.) but hardly worth the expense to get to 5* IMNSHO.

 

[controller1]

We were looking forward to Platinum for Life (Hotel side), but have found no substantial upgrades (for hotels) since the Marriott merger. We always received great upgrades when it was SPG, but haven't had a good upgrade since. In fact last time we stayed at a Marriott hotel, they gave us 500 Bonvoy points for our "Platinum Gift" HAHA! Wow! Thanks... The other benefits are nice (late banking, no name change charge, late check out etc.) but hardly worth the expense to get to 5* IMNSHO.

I agree with the change in upgrades which may return to a more normal status if, as has been rumored, 5-Star Elite is moved to Titanium status later this year. That would place 5-Star Elite on par with President and Chairman level of MVC as far as Marriott hotel stays is concerned.