St. Kitts booking

[daviator]

So I just realized that I elected one of my Maui ownerships to Abound points for this year, I did it right at the deadline in October and had forgotten I'd done so. So I was looking around at what might be available with club points this year. I came across a week in late September at the MVC in St. Kitts, so I nabbed it – only 2125 points for a 2 bedroom, it's "garden view" but I suppose I can watch and see if a better view comes available.

We have never been, but it sounds like it might be a great trip. Looking for any comments or advice on whether I should stick with this or keep looking. I've still got over 4000 points to use so I'll have to keep looking or maybe try to rent them.

We are on the west coast so it's a long trek to the Caribbean but it sounds like it could be fun.

 

[ljmiii]

St Kitts is quite nice. It’s relaxed with a welcoming vibe - if I had to pick a Hawaiian island to compare it to I would choose Kauai.

The resort itself has nice villas, pools and beach. There are a bunch of good restaurants nearby (somewhere between a short and longish walk depending) and a pair of walkable small groceries.

 

[echino]

September is a peak hurricane season at St.Kitts I believe.

 

[Fasttr]

We enjoyed St Kitts. Here is a trip summary I posted in a thread after our trip…..

Questions About Marriott's St. Kitts Beach Club in October including not Guaranteed room and travel insurance and things to do

Hello, Due to one of my friends not realizing that his son's birthday was during the time we booked our trip to St Thomas, we rescheduled the trip to October4th and moved it to Marriott's St. Kitts Beach Club. We were able to get a 3 bedroom which I am pretty excited about. Wish flights were...

tugbbs.com

 

[RookWDW]

Make sure to check airflights. We have a two bed at St Kitts reserved and are thinking of switching it due to the long cumbersome and expensive flights with two long layovers.

 

[daviator]

Thanks for all the info. I’m aware that it’s hurricane season at that time… in the past, hurricane season has been the only time I’ve been able to find availability at places like WSJ so we’ve rolled the dice on that before and always had relatively nice weather. But I realize there is some risk.

That risk is less than in the past since all the airline tickets can be cancelled without penalty (so long as you don’t mind airline credit, which I don’t.) So the main risk is that an approaching huge storm might force cancellation of the resort booking at the last minute. Then I guess I’d use the points for travel insurance, lol.

Flying from the west coast (SFO, LAX, SEA) requires either a red-eye flight to Miami or an overnight in Miami. There's no way around it. I am ok, potentially, with either; not ideal but doable. From SF the trip can be done with only one layover (Miami) but from smaller places you might have to change planes twice.

 

[Red elephant]

So I just realized that I elected one of my Maui ownerships to Abound points for this year, I did it right at the deadline in October and had forgotten I'd done so. So I was looking around at what might be available with club points this year. I came across a week in late September at the MVC in St. Kitts, so I nabbed it – only 2125 points for a 2 bedroom, it's "garden view" but I suppose I can watch and see if a better view comes available.

We have never been, but it sounds like it might be a great trip. Looking for any comments or advice on whether I should stick with this or keep looking. I've still got over 4000 points to use so I'll have to keep looking or maybe try to rent them.

We are on the west coast so it's a long trek to the Caribbean but it sounds like it could be fun.

I am going to St Kitt’s in March and I have heard lots of good things about the island. However September is hurricane season and as you say it’s a long trek from the west coast. Maybe consider a different time.

 

[Eric B]

September is a time when I would expect very good availability in St Kitts through II. If I were rolling the dice on the weather, which I’ve done on occasion, I’d keep an eye on that and consider just swapping an II exchange for a points reservation to lower the cost.

 

[daviator]

September is a time when I would expect very good availability in St Kitts through II. If I were rolling the dice on the weather, which I’ve done on occasion, I’d keep an eye on that and consider just swapping an II exchange for a points reservation to lower the cost.

I checked the weather that week for the past five years, it was fine every year without a drop of rain. I realize there is always a chance of a hurricane during that time, but I think it’s a reasonable roll of the dice.

The only available view when I booked was garden view, but I called and put in a waitlist request for ocean view, and it only took a view days for that to clear and so now I have an OV points booking. I also put in an II request for that week, but I assume an II exchange would get the worst view, so now that I have an OV reservation I’ll be conflicted if the II request comes through.

 

[Hindsite]

I also put in an II request for that week, but I assume an II exchange would get the worst view, so now that I have an OV reservation I’ll be conflicted if the II request comes through.

If you are going in lower season and for this specific resort given its relatively high availability, II isn't much of a risk. You could see what view type comes up in the II match and then decide from there. You'd probably get a decent unit placement just by putting in a request.
When we went in January, I got what I requested, a quiet ground floor unit, straight out onto the lawn in front of the sea wall via an II exchange. There is no way that was the worst view on the resort. It is far enough away from the pool and bar to be quiet, but close enough to the beach access to be easy. It is a long trek from there to the front of the resort to get your car, cab or walk to restaurants or the supermarket
I have heard that seaweed can be a problem in the low season, but the clear the beach and/or run a shuttle bus the short distance to other side of the Island to where it is clear.

 

[daviator]

If you are going in lower season and for this specific resort given its relatively high availability, II isn't much of a risk. You could see what view type comes up in the II match and then decide from there. You'd probably get a decent unit placement just by putting in a request.
When we went in January, I got what I requested, a quiet ground floor unit, straight out onto the lawn in front of the sea wall via an II exchange. There is no way that was the worst view on the resort. It is far enough away from the pool and bar to be quiet, but close enough to the beach access to be easy. It is a long trek from there to the front of the resort to get your car, cab or walk to restaurants or the supermarket
I have heard that seaweed can be a problem in the low season, but the clear the beach and/or run a shuttle bus the short distance to other side of the Island to where it is clear.


View attachment 104282 View attachment 104283

My sister and her family stayed there several years ago and the seaweed was a problem, the beach was full of trucks and equipment they were using to remove it. I’m hoping that isn’t the norm and they just lucked into a bad week.

Glad to know that II exchanges don’t always get the worst views – although I was under the impression that the view category specified on an II confirmation was meaningless, is that not the case? I’ve used II a handful of times over the years but never anyplace where I was concerned about the view so my own experience doesn’t help.

 

[Hindsite]

although I was under the impression that the view category specified on an II confirmation was meaningless, is that not the case?

It varies a lot by resort and time of year. I got an oceanside view type with that II exchange and can't remember the difference between OV and OS, but think the ones along the wall like we had are OS. At the end of the day I got exactly what I wanted, irrespective of the II unit code so that's what mattered to me.
For this resort in low season I'd go with an II reservation over points if I could use >30% less ownership for the booking. Then again, I use II a lot so am somewhat bias and view type isn't a big deal for us. I'd even set alerts on the II app to see if a getaway came up, as that would probably be less than $1,000 for the week.
Other resorts either have their own approach to unit allocation or go with the allocated view type or are known not to go with view type. IIRC one of the 2 in Aruba does honour view type in II the other doesn't. A few resorts don't have view types, just unit sizes. Several Hilton head resorts seem to run their own room allocation systems.

 

[ljmiii]

It varies a lot by resort and time of year. I got an oceanside view type with that II exchange and can't remember the difference between OV and OS, but think the ones along the wall like we had are OS...

They are. We booked OS exterior and you were in either the same villa or the OS interior villa next to it. Great location.

 

[Hindsite]

. Great location.

Thanks for the confirmation, yes, for where and when we travel we enjoy getting the "worst" unit locations that people always say happens with II