Starwood Staroptions Points tranferable in resale

[cgr1976]

Are points transferable if you buy a resale property from a starwood property. Let's say I buy at Sheraton Vistana Villages as a resale. AM I stuck just going to that location or can I use the 81K staroption points and allowing them to build up over time and use them to go to other locations. Customer service rep just told me that the Staroptions aren't transferable. I can't see that being possible. How is that even possible and how could they keep track of that. If I own at a Starwood property shouldn't I have all their perks no matter who I purchase it from or is this just how they get you to pay outrageous prices to the developers. Has anyone bought a resale and used their points to go to another property and was this lady just misunderstood and I got bad info?

 

[DeniseM]

It depends on the resort.

At some resorts (5 at this time) Staroptions do transfer with the deed. Sheraton Vistana Villages is one of them [except Amelia phase & St. Augustine phase.]

But at most Starwood resorts, they do not transfer.

You cannot roll Staroptions over to the next year - they expire at the end of the calendar year.

Every time a timeshare is sold, the deed must be recorded under the new owner's name - it's easy for Starwood to tell if they sold it or if it was a resale.

Note -
StarPOINTS = Starwood Hotel Points (no resales can be converted to Starpoints)
StarOPTIONS = The trade value of a Starwood timeshare in the Starwood Vacation Network - 5 resorts have Staroptions on resale.

For all the details about how Starwood works, see the FAQ at the top of the forum.

 

[DavidnRobin]

As DeniseM mentions - there is often confusion about the terms StarOptions (SO = Timeshares, called StarOption Points by SVO/SVN) and StarPoints (SP = hotel, called StarPoints by SPG)

SPs are never transferrable upon resale. The resale week can be brought into SVN by a requal/retro upon buying a Developer week from SVO (prearranged upon agreement of the Developer/SVO purchase) - and then the week could be converted to SPs for SPG (Hotel usage).

What they are confusing is SOs vs. SPs.

With Mandatory SVO resorts (limited) - SOs do transfer upon resale (to use within SVN for SO exchanges).

SVV is a Mandatory resort - except the Amelia Phase & St. Augustine phase (careful there...).

It is easier to think of the resorts that do have StarOptions that transfer upon resale (Mandatory SVN):
Harborside
Westin St John (VG phase only)
SVV (except Amelia phase & St. Augustine phase)
Westin Kierland Villas
Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas (both South and North resorts)

They are called Mandatory because the new owner must join SVN (Starwood Vacation Network) at a fee of ~$114 for the week and ~$33 for the 2nd week (3+ weeks have no additional charge) - no choice in this whether you want it or not (therefore mandatory).

The other resorts are Voluntary because you can choose to join SVN if you buy from SVO (Developer) - or as stated - you requal/retro the weeks with a SVO purchase, or SVO decides to allow owners into SVN if they choose. So... generally, SPs do not come with resale.

Caution: SVV is not SVR - SVR resorts are not Mandatory and SOs do not transfer upon resale.

confused...? you are not alone - but you came to the right place.

 

[grgs]

SVV is a Mandatory resort - except the Amelia Phase & St. Augustine phase (careful there...).

It is easier to think of the resorts that do have StarOptions that transfer upon resale (Mandatory SVN):
Harborside
Westin St John (VG phase only)
SVV (except Amelia phase & St. Augustine phase)
Westin Kierland Villas
Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas (both South and North resorts)

I added the info on St. Augustine phase at SVV. Yes, it is confusing!

Glorian

 

[DavidnRobin]

I added the info on St. Augustine phase at SVV. Yes, it's is confusing!

Glorian

Good catch Glorian - I hadn't realized that - I corrected.

 

[nodge]

I added the info on St. Augustine phase at SVV. Yes, it's is confusing!

Yessiree, the newest phases of Vistana Villages (Amelia and St. Augustine) and Westin St. John (Bay Vista) are indeed voluntary, where the older phases of those developments are mandatory.

SVO has a web page for owners and another web page for potential customers where it could provide this type of information if it wanted to. To date, it hasn't wanted to. So here is how us Tuggers had to figure that out.

No wonder this is so confusing.

-nodge

 

[kenie]

When I went to mystarcentral to set up our account for our SDO resale, it says I have 37,000 staroptions. It is a bienniel 1 bdr week 26, fixed/float. These come with the unit every 2nd year??

Or how confused am I on Staroptions.

 

[DavidnRobin]

MSC can state these StarOptions for your SDO resale (in your "What I Own') - but that doesn't mean you can use them for SVN exchanges.

 

[ekinggill]

Just an FYI. I wouldn't sweat the no starpoints on a resale.

It is generally a terrible financial deal to convert your week of resort use into SPG points. If you compare what you pay in maintenance for your week and to the cash price of the free nights at a Starwood property you get in exchange, the value just is not there.

If you are not going to stay in your unit, you can always swap here on TUG, rent you unit, or exchange it for something else using II.

 

[DavidnRobin]

before the roaring from 5* elites comes... there are plenty of cases where SO-SP conversion work (not WSJ for sure) - but some here find the conversion very beneficial - especially if you are 5* Elite (and have tons of vacation and/or crave 1st class seats) - not us...

 

[ekinggill]

True DavidnRobin. If you have the resources to own 5 SVN timeshares, the last of which you buy from Starwood, and have the time to dedicate to a lot of travel, points could work out.

 

[cgr1976]

Wish i found this site years ago. This is extremely helpful. Thanks so far. The last 2 posts are getting to more of the idea I was having with this. I was going to buy 5 timeshares, potentially at different resorts and become a platinum member. My idea was going to be banking the 81K points for the units for several years and then take those amazing trips as anniversary trips with my wife and I. But it seems the conversion rate doesn't make sense to do that.

Part of what i was looking at is I own 13 weeks in the poconos where the maintenance fees are 455 but the fees are 3x that at Sheraton Vistana. From what I was told as long as I owned 2 or more Units I could then trade my 13 weeks in the Poconos into Vistana(my home Resort) and advertise them as such. SO my thinking was if I bought 2 at Vistana on resale wouldn't it work the same way and then couldn't I do the same thing and own 2 more at another resort and have a 2nd home resort to advertise the 13 weeks to. Has anyone else been able to trade weeks at another timeshare into their Starwood Resort and have such priority that it's not an issue to do so. I just don't want to add 5 more weeks of timeshare for no reason.

 

[jarta]

cgr, ... "Has anyone else been able to trade weeks at another timeshare into their Starwood Resort and have such priority that it's not an issue to do so. I just don't want to add 5 more weeks of timeshare for no reason."

No. And why would you even be in the market for more timeshares if you are concerned about $1,300 MFs per Starwood timeshare (many are much more per week) and if you already own 13 other weeks of timeshares?

If you truly have the resources and vacation time to try to become a Starwood 5 Star Elite, see the Elite Membership section of this thread known as Starwood Owner Resources:

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73314

And, GLTY. ... eom

 

[vacationhopeful]

I own 13 weeks in the poconos .... From what I was told as long as I owned 2 or more Units I could then trade my 13 weeks in the Poconos into Vistana(my home Resort) and advertise them as such. SO my thinking was if I bought 2 at Vistana on resale wouldn't it work the same way and then couldn't I do the same thing and own 2 more at another resort and have a 2nd home resort to advertise the 13 weeks to. Has anyone else been able to trade weeks at another timeshare into their Starwood Resort and have such priority that it's not an issue to do so. I just don't want to add 5 more weeks of timeshare for no reason.

Okay, was a timeshare salesman telling you this? If his lips were moving, you should have learned 12 timeshare ago, that may not true (mostly likely totally false).

Are these 13 weeks of units you wish to rent either RCI or II Exchanges? If so, you can NOT LEGALLY rent them. But the salesman and Starwood would LEGALLY get their commissions, maintenance fees, and developer loan monies from you.

 

[DeniseM]

You have received a lot of misinformation about Starwood.

RCI and II strictly forbid the rental of exchanges.

Staroptions cannot be saved up or rolled over from year to year - they must be used within the calendar year.

Quite honestly, I would never buy timeshares to rent for a profit, in this economy. The rental market is absolutely flooded with cheap rentals right now.

 

[cgr1976]

I agree. It didn't make sense to me on how I would use the 13 weeks in the poconos either. SO I am going back and asking them. I guess I could even use it that way now without buying. I could market Vistana Resorts and just book the week in RCI through the 13 weeks I have for each person that wants to book. My big thing was figuring out a way to market my pocono weeks better than how I am doing it now. I don't use all my banked weeks in RCI so I lose them. Thanks for the advice. I still might buy into the Starwood system since I like the idea and some of the benefits outside of RCI. I'll update you after I speak to this guy and see how much BS he throws around.

Also, I love all the lingo on this site. It's so confusing right now to keep track.

 

[vacationhopeful]

..... SO I am going back and asking them.... I still might buy into the Starwood system ... I'll update you after I speak to this guy and see how much BS he throws around.

Also, I love all the lingo on this site. It's so confusing right now to keep track.

And you having been TAKEN TO THE CLEANERS by timeshare sales persons want to ask him WHAT?

We here in several short notes from you know how easy it is to part you from your hard earned dollars. And we aren't asking you to buy anything! And you think this TS sales man is your FRIEND? Going to answer your questions? :hysterical:

The only thing he is going to do is get your money - by whatever means he can.

 

[Fredm]

I guess I could even use it that way now without buying. I could market Vistana Resorts and just book the week in RCI through the 13 weeks I have for each person that wants to book.

 

[DeniseM]

I guess I could even use it that way now without buying. I could market Vistana Resorts and just book the week in RCI through the 13 weeks I have for each person that wants to book.

You cannot do this - period. You cannot rent the weeks you have in RCI.

 

[Captron]

If caught they will cancel the exchange. (net one VERY unhappy customer- and you would be out at least the refund and maybe the cost of replacement accommodations -at full retail no doubt)

They will also freeze your account and likely ban you from ever using the exchange company again. Then all your plans go up in smoke. I would NOT risk it.