Should I purchase at Westin Lagunamar or voluntary resort? [merged]

[braces43]

This is probably a very silly question but I am new to the Starwood system (long time HGVC member). My wife and I would like to stay at least a week a year at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun to escape the cold with no real desire to stay anywhere else in the Starwood system as we have more annual HGVC points than we can use (the HGVC and RCI system is very week in Cancun for non all-inclusives).

Am I better off purchasing a Lagunamar resale directly or would I be better off purchasing a resale in a mandatory resort in Orlando and use the StarOption points to book into Lagunamar?

With using StarOption points is the availability going to be more of an issue than purchasing directly into Lagunamar? I believe that I read there is an 8 month window using the points if not your "Home" resort. Is it a 12 month window if purchasing directly into Lagunamar?

If purchasing a 2 bedroom lockout Lagunamar resale directly can you get 2 weeks out of it - one week in the one bedroom and one week in the studio? I assume that using points (assumimg 95,000) you can split the points up to potentially get 2 weeks?

Can any unused StarOption points be "banked" for the following year or converted to Starpoints?

Any information, help and insight would be greatly appreciated. I am really just looking for the best and most economical way to get a week or two at the Lagunamar during December-February.

 

[vacationtime1]

December and January (except weeks 51-52) is low season at Lagunamar, so you can get a one bedroom unit for 44000 StarOptions. Given that math, I would buy an 81000 SO unit at SVV and use those SO's to stay in a one bedroom at Lagunamar for 13 days (your stay will have to be Sat - Fri or Sun - Sat).

You are correct on the 8 month / 12 month reservation limits.

Yes, you could split a two bedroom and stay a week in the one bedroom side and then a week in the studio side. But because the way seasons were divided at Lagunamar, you would have to decide between between buying high season (for weeks 51, 52, and February) vs. low season (for the remainder of December and January); you cannot go back and forth because as a resale purchaser you don't get StarOptions.

Yes, you can bank StarOptions (for one year; for a fee -- $99 iirc).

 

[dioxide45]

February is Platinum Plus season at Lagunamar, so if you want that you would be best to buy Platinum Plus week at Lagunamar. If you buy a 2BR you can lock it off and stay back to back. If you are okay going in January, then by all means buy an 81K SO SVV mandatory week and use the StarOptions to stay either a week in a 2BR or even longer in a 1BR or studio.

 

[braces43]

December and January (except weeks 51-52) is low season at Lagunamar, so you can get a one bedroom unit for 44000 StarOptions. Given that math, I would buy an 81000 SO unit at SVV and use those SO's to stay in a one bedroom at Lagunamar for 13 days (your stay will have to be Sat - Fri or Sun - Sat).

You are correct on the 8 month / 12 month reservation limits.

Yes, you could split a two bedroom and stay a week in the one bedroom side and then a week in the studio side.

Yes, you can bank StarOptions (for one year; for a fee -- $99 iirc).

Robert,

Thanks so much for your prompt help. When you answered yes to splitting the two bedroom and stay 2 weeks, were you referring to using StarOption points or would I be able to do so if purchasing a Lagunamar resale?

So you do not feel as if the 8 month vs 12 month window will be a problem getting a reservation except for over Christmas?

So based on your answers it seems like I would be better off purchasing a unit at a mandatory resort and using the points?

Thanks again for your help.
Todd

 

[byeloe]

depending on price I would pick up an SVV for 81000 SO, then you could potentially get 2 weeks in January or 1 week in Feb/Mar in one bedroom or studio

 

[vacationtime1]

In April 2017, I played around with reserving Lagunamar for December 2017 using SO's (i.e. eight months in advance). No problem with availability.

However, we ultimately got an early December reservation with an Interval Getaway -- even cheaper.

 

[byeloe]

Robert,

Thanks so much for your prompt help. When you answered yes to splitting the two bedroom and stay 2 weeks, were you referring to using StarOption points or would I be able to do so if purchasing a Lagunamar resale?

So you do not feel as if the 8 month vs 12 month window will be a problem getting a reservation except for over Christmas?

So based on your answers it seems like I would be better off purchasing a unit at a mandatory resort and using the points?

Thanks again for your help.
Todd

if you purchase a 2bd lockoff resale at Lagunamar, you do not get the SO but you can book a Studio, 1Bed of 2Bed 12 months out.
We ended up doing that last year, we also bought a couple of SVV units. If I could go back and do it over I may have just bought the SVV.
Although the 2BD lockoff does get us 2 weeks in prime season, where the 81000 points only gets 1 week in prime. and of course there is a big difference in upfront cost, plus maintenance fees are higher at Lagunamar

 

[dioxide45]

Robert,

Thanks so much for your prompt help. When you answered yes to splitting the two bedroom and stay 2 weeks, were you referring to using StarOption points or would I be able to do so if purchasing a Lagunamar resale?

So you do not feel as if the 8 month vs 12 month window will be a problem getting a reservation except for over Christmas?

So based on your answers it seems like I would be better off purchasing a unit at a mandatory resort and using the points?

Thanks again for your help.
Todd

If you are getting a 2BR and staying two weeks, this would be using your ownership week at 12-8 months before checkin. All of the units at Lagunamar are 2BR lock off. So you would lock off and stay one week in a studio and one week in a 1BR unit. No StarOptions. If you purchase Lagunamar resale, you don't get StarOptions anyway.

 

[braces43]

February is Platinum Plus season at Lagunamar, so if you want that you would be best to buy Platinum Plus week at Lagunamar. If you buy a 2BR you can lock it off and stay back to back. If you are okay going in January, then by all means buy an 81K SO SVV mandatory week and use the StarOptions to stay either a week in a 2BR or even longer in a 1BR or studio.

So just to clarify...if I purchase a 2 BR lockout resale at Lagunamar I can potentially use it for 2 weeks (a week in a 1 BR and a week in a studio)? If that is correct, what is the advantage of purchasing a SVV unit for the points.

Am I correct in saying that the direct Lagunamar purchase would give me a 12 month reservation window vs 8 month with the SVV, but the points would potentially give me more flexibility in the time of the year that I can book?

If one purchases Platinum Plus unit at Lagunamar can you reserve a unit at anytime or only during "Plus" weeks?

I REALLY appreciate all of the information and help.

Todd

 

[dsmrp]

Here is the Vistana star options chart.
To reserve Lagunamar WLR highest season weeks, e.g. Feb thru April, would cost at least 50% more options, 148.1 K than 95.7K options, than you'd get from a Orlando SVV lockoff unit. The 2017 MF cost for WLR 2 bdrm lockoff was about $1390 (per MF database, links in the stickies). SVV lockoff is around $1300, perhaps. So comparable MFs but fewer options for SVV. As others said, no options for resale WLR owners

SVV mandatory would probably be easier to get out of when you no longer wanted to go to Lagunamar. WLR is I think, an RTU type.
Also I believe WLR weeks 51 & 52 were sold as event weeks.
I had no problems reserving WLR for the end of March, right at the 8 month limit with star options.

btw, banked star options are good for 2 more years, not 1 as in HGVC.

 

[dioxide45]

So just to clarify...if I purchase a 2 BR lockout resale at Lagunamar I can potentially use it for 2 weeks (a week in a 1 BR and a week in a studio)? If that is correct, what is the advantage of purchasing a SVV unit for the points.

That is correct. Purchaseing a mandatory SVV unit with SOs would allow you to spend 13 nights in Dec or Jan (not wk 51 or 52) in a 1BR unit instead of 14 nights in a studio and 1BR.

Am I correct in saying that the direct Lagunamar purchase would give me a 12 month reservation window vs 8 month with the SVV, but the points would potentially give me more flexibility in the time of the year that I can book?

Correct, buying Lagunamar will give you a 12 mont reservation window vs only 8 if you owned SVV. Buying mandatory SVV will give you some more flexibility, but not much since there aren't really enough SOs to go during peak Platinum Plus season for more than a week in a studio or 1BR.

If one purchases Platinum Plus unit at Lagunamar can you reserve a unit at anytime or only during "Plus" weeks?

You can only reserve in the season you own.

I REALLY appreciate all of the information and help.

Todd

 

[braces43]

If you are getting a 2BR and staying two weeks, this would be using your ownership week at 12-8 months before checkin. All of the units at Lagunamar are 2BR lock off. So you would lock off and stay one week in a studio and one week in a 1BR unit. No StarOptions. If you purchase Lagunamar resale, you don't get StarOptions anyway.

Thanks everyone for all of the information. With the following scenerio and desiring only to stay at Lagunamar what would y'all do:

-2 BR lockout Premium Plus week at WLR or a week at SVV worth 95,000 points with both having similar purchase costs and maintenance fees? I realize that I would have more flexibility with the SVV as far as resale and other resort options but just looking at staying at WLR as I have a lot of other options with HGVC.

 

[byeloe]

Thanks everyone for all of the information. With the following scenerio and desiring only to stay at Lagunamar what would y'all do:

-2 BR lockout Premium Plus week at WLR or a week at SVV worth 95,000 points with both having similar purchase costs and maintenance fees? I realize that I would have more flexibility with the SVV as far as resale and other resort options but just looking at staying at WLR as I have a lot of other options with HGVC.

If similar purchase costs, then either the SVV is over priced or it is a great deal on WLR. Not sure of the costs now but when we bought our WLR it was about $7000 for 2Bd lockoff PlatPlus vs only $500 for 2BD at SVV

 

[VacationForever]

It depends on when you want to stay. In Platinum Plus season, you need 148K SO to book you 1BR and 1 Studio. SVV will not get you enough to stay 2 weeks during PP season. You need to look at the SO chart to better understand and translate when you want to stay. You can buy either Platinum Plus or Gold Plus 2BR week, again to correspond with when you want to go.

 

[dioxide45]

If similar purchase costs, then either the SVV is over priced or it is a great deal on WLR. Not sure of the costs now but when we bought our WLR it was about $7000 for 2Bd lockoff PlatPlus vs only $500 for 2BD at SVV

81K High Season SVV weeks have been selling higher lately. I would peg that number closer to $1500. One can still sometimes score cheaper, but they are selling higher than they were a couple years ago.

 

[dsmrp]

If purchase costs are not too much more, I'd buy WLR Plat Plus if you only want to go there every year. The MFs are same for 2 bdrm in any season. And plat plus would be more desirable to buyers when you want to sell it.

My DH really liked Lagunamar, said he'd want to go back there; and he rarely says that about any timeshares we've been to.

 

[Panina]

I would buy where and when you want to go. This way you never have to worry if the system changes, if availability changes.

 

[hunkyleebo]

I agree with Panina, and since you’re asking about WLR, I recommend an Oceanside unit. You can find them for resale if you look, they don’t cost that much extra, and I think the MF are the same.

 

[okwiater]

Another recommendation for buying WLR Oceanside. The ocean views are phenomenal and maintenance fees are the same.

 

[r1lee]

The problem I have with buying wlr resale is definitely the no staroptions. But it’s not difficult to trade into wlr through vsn.

 

[bizaro86]

The problem I have with buying wlr resale is definitely the no staroptions. But it’s not difficult to trade into wlr through vsn.

Misread, sorry.

 

[VacationForever]

I agree with the above posts where you should buy where you want to go plus look for one with Oceanside. Best view, EVER!

 

[Renzo]

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[DavidnRobin]

Best view ever? apparently never been in WKORV OFD villa, or WSJ Hillside VGV...

+1 for buy where you want to go.

 

[dioxide45]

Best view ever? apparently never been in WKORV OFD villa, or Hillside VGV...

The thing about the Ocean Side units at Lagunamar is that they literally sit on top of the beach. Neither can be said for WKORVN or VGV. Though I haven't been to either of the two, so I can't speak to the view.