Starwood Has Won [Unilateral II Changes] [merged]

[Politico]

Does anyone know how well a week 24 at SDO trades? I would think it would be low, low, low. BUMMER! I cannot believe this is happening.

Again, I don't think this will matter unless you are talking about an SVN week.

 

[ArtsieAng]

I just spoke to Starwood, the changes are only to SVN accounts. A supervisor told me that non-SVN accounts will be allowed to deposit online whatever week they reserved. Since I never deposit my SVN week in II, I was relieved to hear that.

However, it's was a little unclear to me what changes are happening to the SVN week deposit process in II. From what I could discern, SVN weeks will only be able to deposit weeks in II within their season (whereas apparently in the past sometimes you would get a week in a different season or a different resort). Also, I think there is some confusion about the deeded week thing. The Starwood supervisor told me that the deeded week will be used for those with SVN weeks who want to search in II without depositing (which has been billed as a big improvement).

This makes much more sense to me, except I can't square the fact that apparently some people with non-SVN accounts are missing weeks? Are you sure you are all looking at the right accounts in II?

:hysterical: This is why we have to wait and see.......Each person calling is being told something different.

The two reps that I spoke with clearly stated that ALL Starwood accounts where being treated in this manor.

I have a feeling that there's more misinformation being given at the moment than facts.

 

[Politico]

Here's what I think has changed for SVN weeks in II (corporate accounts):

If you owned a developer week at SDO that floats weeks 28-35, should you choose to search first in II, Starwood will deposit your deeded fixed week (which should be a week in 28-35) to allow you to search in II. If you fufill a search, SVN will deposit an SDO week 28-35 for you. If you do not fufill a search, you can go back to SVN for free and use the week as you otherwise would. That's some good news.

The catch is if you own an SVN week in a low season, you will only be able to search and exchange for a property with an equivalent trading power (which in my example is low). In the past, Starwood might have given you a better week at the same resort or even at a different resort.

Seems like some people in SVN gain, while those who own low seasons could lose a bit.

 

[DeniseM]

This is appalling!

Starwood - do you know how utterly incompetent [and unethical] this is making your company look?

Get a clue and make a public announcement! :annoyed: :annoyed: :annoyed:

 

[Politico]

This is appalling!

Starwood - do you know how utterly incompetent this is making your company look?

Get a clue and make a public announcement! :annoyed: :annoyed: :annoyed:

I asked the Starwood supervisor the same thing, and sadly, she said the change does not require a public announcement.....

 

[ArtsieAng]

This is appalling!

Starwood - do you know how utterly incompetent this is making your company look?

Get a clue and make a public announcement! :annoyed: :annoyed: :annoyed:

I agree......I'm going to have a difficult time believing anything until I see it in writing.

 

[tomandrobin]

Interesting stuff.....Not sure how this impacts me yet, or if it does at all.

 

[tschwa2]

I just got off a 3 way telephone conversation with II & Starwood. It appears that both II, and Starwood are currently making changes.

This is what I was told.....

1) Starwood is no longer going to be doing bulk banking.....The week on your deed is the week that will be deposited for you. No exceptions.

2) If you want to have it deposited, all you need to do is call, and your deeded will be instantly deposited. You also have the option of depositing your week, yourself, online.

3) If you want to do searches, you call, and again, your deeded week will be deposited for you to do searches with.......They are not actually depositing your week. It is a dummy week, so you have a year in which to retract the week, if you can't find anything that you want to exchange into.

Edited to add......Obviously, I have no way of knowing if any of this is true. I guess we'll wait and see what others are told, and what actually pans out.

The reason this sounds unlikely to me is say I have a deeded week 27 (4th of July) at SBP that floats 9-42 and 47. I forget and don't call and make a reservation. In the meantime someone else (who plans to use and not deposit) calls up and reserves week 27 even though they are deeded at week 12 one year in advance. In March I want to deposit my week 27 with II but its been gone for 8 months but Starwood is magically going to deposit my deeded week without exception.

 

[Joshadelic]

I sent an email asking for an explanation of the recent changes they have made regarding their II deposits. I'll post their response here. For some reason, I don't think I should expect an intelligent response from them.

 

[DeniseM]

Who did you send the email to?

 

[clsmit]

My 2010 week is not showing up in my personal account

I used to have my 2010 SBP (not in network) 2BR LO show up in my personal II account, but I just looked and it's not there.

JerseyGirl, what are you seeing in your account? You'd know better than most what changed when!

 

[Fredm]

wait a minute!

Please forgive the observation that NONE of this makes any sense.
Something is being lost in the translation.

In a floating reservation system, no one knows what weeks will be available. What if all week 7 ,for example, are requested and reserved by other than week 7 deeded owners (12 months in advance)?
At 11 months, a deeded week 7 owner wants to make a deposit to I.I.

So, that cannot be the complete story.

As far as Starwood not bulk-banking is concerned, that is great news, if true.
However, I find this even less plausible than force banking the deeded week.
The entire premise of SVN is based on it.
The only thing non-SVN owners want is the latitude to bank the week reserved.

I find it beyond belief that Starwood would dismantle its entire system, to no purpose.
Yet, that is precisely what would happen if the stories as related here were factual.

Something is wrong with the information as reported.
Until the facts are known, everyone should take a deep breath and relax.

The known instances of use-weeks disappearing is a different matter.
No doubt something is wrong in the implementation of some system change.

Linking it to this scheme only compounds the confusion being spread.

Although we like to think we are the "informed" 1% of the owner population, sometimes I wonder if a little info is carried too far.

 

[Denise L]

Maybe it's not even true! I hesitated before I posted what I was told because I had doubts that it would turn out to be factual. I decided to post it, but I wouldn't take it to heart, not yet, anyway.

I suggest that we wait and see if this even comes to fruition. You know how every time you speak to a rep they tell you something different. Well, ........

I know, these are only rumors, so I am glad you posted, because you never know which rumor (if any) will be the truth later on.

All I know is that my units that I PAID II to have in their exchange system are not showing up for the time being. All I see are my three deposits, but none of my undeposited weeks, which include a 2009 2 bedroom week. Also, my current deposits are arranged differently than previously. I definitely know that what I am looking at is different.

 

[SDKath]

Guys and gals,

How about just taking a deep breath and WAITING till they sort this all out. Clearly everyone is getting a different story every time they call! And clearly II is not working properly right now for us Starwood owners (weeks disappearing, etc). I think instead of speculating all over the place, let's just give them a week or so and see what happens!

In the meantime, as Pat and other wise TUGgers advised me at the beginning, ALWAYS get a good deeded week. Whether you are buying from Starwood directly or from a resaler, make sure you have the best possible deeded week for that given resort put on the contract. Don't let people tell you that it makes no difference since it "floats". In the end, your deeded week is what will ultimately be the ONLY thing in writing come 10 or 20 years from now. No matter what BS changes Starwood makes in the future, whatever is in writing counts and nothing else....

Katherine

 

[DeniseM]

Now Kath, do you have to be so darn REASONABLE!

You are right, of course, but do you really think we can stop discussing it for a week??? :hysterical:

 

[D2-S3]

deposit first

I am a new SDO owner, so I can't compare to how it worked before except for what I read here. I reserved a March week early on and tried to deposit first. I don't always know when I am going to want to travel, and I wanted to deposit early to maximize my trade strength later. Being a newbie, I called II to make sure that the reserved week would be deposited. Well, I was told by II that I can't deposit first. I am only allowed to do request first and complete the trade if it comes through. That is a problem, because late summer and fall weeks won't become available until I am in the sixty day window and have lost all trade power. However, on the plus side, they told me that I could use my reserved March week to make a request first trade. I guess moving forward that it makes more sense to reserve week 51 or 52, despite the lower trading power compared to spring training, because they give you more flexibility to trade. Has anyone else heard differing stories from II about deposit first?

 

[DeniseM]

Hi - Right now one knows what is going on, but even before the current changes, calling II for help with your deposit was the kiss of death.

Who knows if this will still work, but this was the best practice for depositing a non-SVN week, up until now: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=672349&postcount=2

Well, I was told by II that I can't deposit first. I am only allowed to do request first and complete the trade if it comes through. That is a problem, because late summer and fall weeks won't become available until I am in the sixty day window and have lost all trade power.

I am not quite sure what you mean by this. There is no advantage to depositing a summer/fall week - especially now. If you can still get one, and use the method above to deposit first, try for week 51, week 52, or Thanksgiving. What week is on your deed?

I guess moving forward that it makes more sense to reserve week 51 or 52, despite the lower trading power compared to spring training, because they give you more flexibility to trade.

Let's say you deposit your March 2010 week - you have from now, until March 2012 to use that exchange. If you deposit a Dec. 2010 week, that gives you 8 more mos. to use the deposit, but since you've already got 2 years and 8 mos. to use it, do you really need 8 more mos? If that's not what you are asking, please clarify.

 

[D2-S3]

deposit first problems

Thanks Denise for addressing my questions.

I don't know what week I am deeded, will look it up, but I have March reserved. I want to deposit March and travel somewhere else in late summer or fall. They will not let me do that as a deposit first. They tell me I have to request first. Since I understand that most weeks don't become available until six months out, I would already be in the sixty day window by the time that those could be found.

You only get the extra two years if you can deposit first. However, if you can't deposit first, then you have to use it by your reservation date! No opportunity to access the extra two years...

 

[DeniseM]

I think you have been given incorrect information (join the crowd!)

I would hold off a bit and see how the dust settles before I do anything. Actually, I'd see if I can reserve a good week for 2009, now, and be prepared to deposit it.

Since I understand that most weeks don't become available until six months out, I would already be in the sixty day window by the time that those could be found.

If they told you that, that's not true either. We see deposits even more than a year out.

 

[D2-S3]

deposit first

I already have a great week for 2010. I have every other year ownership. But I can't see anything in 2010 available now. When I tried to look on the computer there was nothing available. Worse, it is showing that I have a gold plus week, probably related to me deeded week. Maybe that's why I am not seeing anything.

It looks like it's a good thing I like vacationing in Phoenix!!

 

[DeniseM]

What resorts are you looking for/when?

In the past Starwood would deposit large blocks of weeks all at once, they'd get snapped up, and then later more large blocks would be deposited. They don't trickle in, and they don't last long, so it's not surprising that you aren't seeing anything right at the moment. Have you looked at the TUG Sightings board below the TUG Lounge? You could do a Sightings Request there, as well.

 

[D2-S3]

I don't mean nothing good showed when I looked online. I mean nothing showed, period. Check that, I found Branson availability. I could travel March 13-20 or 20-27, June, July, or October first two weeks. In the past I easily traded my Hyatt timeshare into Marriott's or other Hyatt's. For example, I am staying at NCV in October and Canyon Villas in Phoenix in December via II trades. I was hoping to do more of the same or get a Westin property. We like traveling around California (Tahoe late spring-summer-early fall only), but also like Arizona and would also consider Nevada in non-summer months. Given the travel demand index for a March week I didn't think that these would be outlandish expectations, but it seems that I don't have the luxury of trading with that week but rather a gold week...

 

[DeniseM]

If I was you, I would come up with a specific Sightings Request and post it to see what others can see, so you can compare you trading power. Like - California-Tahoe/Sept.-Oct. However, you probably won't see any holiday weeks or summer week deposits from Starwood and California is a fairly hard trade for the summer, in general.

Some non-deposited weeks just can't see much - that's the case with my non-deposited (and never to be deposited) WKORV week. I can't see squat with it!

 

[Twinkstarr]

Now Kath, do you have to be so darn REASONABLE!

You are right, of course, but do you really think we can stop discussing it for a week??? :hysterical:

Well, I think it's going better than the "Marriott Internal Trade System Saga." That at times, has taken tones of the us vs. them, and I'm not referring to Marriott vs. owners, but direct vs. resale buyers.

 

[ArtsieAng]

Frdm

Linking it to this scheme only compounds the confusion being spread.

Although we like to think we are the "informed" 1% of the owner population, sometimes I wonder if a little info is carried too far.

Perhaps....But, that is what happens when II/Starwood make changes to their systems without notifying their members/owners.

I first noticed that my weeks were missing from II on 8/17. It is now 8/26, and still no official word. Not good policy, IMO.

Also, what is being repeated here is what is actually being told to us by representatives of both II, and Starwood. We are not guessing at what's taking place, we are informing others of what we are being told. It is not just curiosity, we have a right to know! We are owners of Starwood weeks, and paid members of II.

Is it true?.....Obviously it can't all be true because much of it is conflicting.

The real problem isn't what's being posted here, but the lack of transparency by II, and Starwood. That's my opinion, at any rate.