? - SVO exchange preference in II

[Pit]

The discussions about Mandatory/Voluntary have me wondering.

If I buy resale at a voluntary resort, can I deposit that into my already existing II acount, or does it have to go in through the Starwood corporate membership? Also, does the Starwood preference period in II only work for deposits made via SVN?

In other words, can I buy resale at a voluntary resort, deposit that into my already exising II account, and take advantange of the Starwood preference in II?

 

[DavidnRobin]

The discussions about Mandatory/Voluntary have me wondering.

If I buy resale at a voluntary resort, can I deposit that into my already existing II acount, or does it have to go in through the Starwood corporate membership? Also, does the Starwood preference period in II only work for deposits made via SVN?

In other words, can I buy resale at a voluntary resort, deposit that into my already exising II account, and take advantange of the Starwood preference in II?

Somebody with more knowledge about II will likely chime in, but II and SVN are two separate entities (if this helps...)

 

[Pit]

Sorry, I was struggling to make my question clear (I don't think I managed that). Let me try this again.


Here's how I understand the rules for making II exchanges with SVO properties - I'm looking for confirmation from SVO owners:

If I own at a mandatory resort, then I do not get to pick the week for an II deposit (Starwood does that for you) via the SVN corporate II account. If I own at a voluntary resort, then I reserve a week and deposit that myself via my own personal II account. In either case, there is an SVO owner preference period of 3-4 days when searching II inventory online.

Do I understand that correctly?

 

[barndweller]

That is my experience. I own Sheraton Desert Oasis & Villas of Cave Creek, both purchased resale. I do not belong to the Starwood Vacation Network. I reserve my units & have sometimes deposited them with II. The exact date I have reserved is what shows up. I am never offered an AC by the way.The VCC seems to have better & more consistant viewing preference than SDI.

 

[Bill4728]

That is my experience. I own Sheraton Desert Oasis & Villas of Cave Creek, .... I am never offered an AC by the way.

WOW never an AC That is a bummer!! :annoyed:

 

[Robert D]

I own a week at the Sheraton Desert Oasis and at Vistana Resort. Bought both on Ebay so I'm not in the SVN either. However, my understanding is that if I deposit a week into II that Starwood determines which week is deposited, not me. Is that only the case if you're in the SVN or is that for all Starwood timeshares? If only for SVN members, that's a huge disadvantage of being in the SVN. I just bought these last year and have not joined II or RCI because I thought that it would be better to rent them than try trading since Starwood determines the week to be deposited.

 

[malex2]

SVO means Starwood Vacation Ownership. All Starwood owners, whether developer or resale, mandatory or voluntary, are members of SVO and get SVO preference within II. SVN means Starwood Vacation Network and is a club within SVO. Only certain SVO owners are members of SVN based on the eligibility of their resort and purchase status.

If you are an SVO only member, Starwood does not choose your week for deposit to II. You get your fixed week or float week and deposit it in your own II personal account. If SVN, they choose and deposit the week.

In both cases, you get the SVO preference (3-4 day priority) over non-SVO traders assuming you are exchanging like for like.

malex2

 

[Transit]

SVO means Starwood Vacation Ownership. All Starwood owners, whether developer or resale, mandatory or voluntary, are members of SVO and get SVO preference within II. SVN means Starwood Vacation Network and is a club within SVO. Only certain SVO owners are members of SVN based on the eligibility of their resort and purchase status.

If you are an SVO only member, Starwood does not choose your week for deposit to II. You get your fixed week or float week and deposit it in your own II personal account. If SVN, they choose and deposit the week.

In both cases, you get the SVO preference (3-4 day priority) over non-SVO traders assuming you are exchanging like for like.

malex2

Questions? Do you need to deposit first to see the SVO preference ?When does this SVO preference actually occur (when can you see it)?

 

[malex2]

Yes, you need to have an SVO deposit in II to go shopping for SVO exchanges.

malex2

 

[gjaques]

Just a clarification. SVN is the internal reservation system for Starwood resorts that allows members to use their star options to reserve at Starwood properties and does not involve II.
Greg

 

[DG001]

Speaking of...

I had a related question?

Of the voluntary Starwood properties that are currently available in the resale market (so not including the new Maui and Kuai/Mexico properties), what has the best trading power?

I am guessing its not Orlando... which leaves (from the previous post):

LST - Sheraton Lakeside Terrace
PGA – Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort
SMV – Sheraton Mountain Vista
SDO – Sheraton Desert Oasis
SBP – Sheraton Broadway Plantation

Thanks! DG

 

[DavidnRobin]

Just a clarification. SVN is the internal reservation system for Starwood resorts that allows members to use their star options to reserve at Starwood properties and does not involve II.
Greg

That' what I was getting at - SVN and II are 2 separate entities.

Another thing worth knowing - that the 'Club' that is being referenced in some SVO Owners Manual (e.g. WKORV and WKV) is not SVN. It was set-up as a method to exchange between resorts, but SVN took over these types of exchanges.

 

[mesamirage]

I own a week at the Sheraton Desert Oasis and at Vistana Resort. Bought both on Ebay so I'm not in the SVN either. However, my understanding is that if I deposit a week into II that Starwood determines which week is deposited, not me. Is that only the case if you're in the SVN or is that for all Starwood timeshares? If only for SVN members, that's a huge disadvantage of being in the SVN. I just bought these last year and have not joined II or RCI because I thought that it would be better to rent them than try trading since Starwood determines the week to be deposited.

I own 2 SDO weeks (non SVN) and 1 Westin Kierland week (SVN) and it actually worked to my advantage that when I deposited my recently purchased resale SDO weeks in Dec (one the last week of Dec) that Starwood decided what week to deposit with II. There was no avail time left at the resort the remaining weeks left in Dec but I ended up getting an April and a May week for my deposits with II.

Do we have the option to reserve a week during peak demand weeks Jan thru Easter and then deposit the week with II? I live in Phoenix so we only purchased the SDO weeks to trade with II or rent for Spring Training, so other than occasionally letting family use the unit when they come to town to visit we would likely never stay there (Lets not forget SuperBowl Rental!! )

I had a related question?

Of the voluntary Starwood properties that are currently available in the resale market (so not including the new Maui and Kuai/Mexico properties), what has the best trading power?

I am guessing its not Orlando... which leaves (from the previous post):

LST - Sheraton Lakeside Terrace
PGA – Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort
SMV – Sheraton Mountain Vista
SDO – Sheraton Desert Oasis
SBP – Sheraton Broadway Plantation

Thanks! DG

I can't speak to the others but my cheap SDO weeks seem to pull really good trades with II, even the SMALL lockoff pulls very nice SVO Premium 1 bedrooms at Kierland, Palm Springs, Orlando etc... Maybe that is common for all the Starwood II deposits?

Steve

 

[Pit]

Just when I thought I understood this ...

I own 2 SDO weeks (non SVN) and 1 Westin Kierland week (SVN) and it actually worked to my advantage that when I deposited my recently purchased resale SDO weeks in Dec (one the last week of Dec) that Starwood decided what week to deposit with II. There was no avail time left at the resort the remaining weeks left in Dec but I ended up getting an April and a May week for my deposits with II.

Was this a one-time courtesy because no weeks at SDO were left, or will they always do this because you have another week which is SVN?

 

[mesamirage]

Just when I thought I understood this ...



Was this a one-time courtesy because no weeks at SDO were left, or will they always do this because you have another week which is SVN?

It was just Starwood following policy... your allowed to deposit your week with RCI or II anytime during the year, I just happened to get these finally in my name and into Starwoods system in Dec, so when I called them to verify that my new SDO weeks were in the system, they informed me that I could still deposit the week/s with II, which I had to scramble to get an individual account (already have a corp Hyatt account and corp Starwood acct with II), takes like 4-5 days for initial II setup. Just to make it more difficult, Starwood initially deposited my non-SVN SDO week in my Starwood Corp II account (what a mess to fix in a limited time!) and confused the heck out of II (II didn't want to setup an individual acct stating I had NO weeks to deposit!) but when all the confusion was fixed I ended up with 2 weeks within II to find exchanges... I have since booked both weeks and ended up with good trades (1 bed prem at both Westin Kierland and Westin Palm Springs at decent times of the year)

Just a side note... (see earlier post) Starwood actually deposit the wrong 1 bdrm.. a studio when it should have been a larger 1 bdrm... when I called to fix it they ended up deposit another week and NEVER took back the incorrect deposit... so after 3 months of it sitting in my Interval acct I finally booked that week also!!

 

[mesamirage]

100th Post

Yeehaw!! My 100th Post! I joined the Century Club... if there is one!:whoopie: TUG is awesome!

 

[Transit]

Starwood has a unique model of TS.The relationship of exchange with II differs from most TS's. Being in SVN i'LL probably only use staroptions and trade in network. With II"s request first I have seen some good trades and this may also be a option.AS far as the Starwood owner preferance can this be seen with request first? I have seen most Starwood properties on request first but not the big 3.IF someone does deposit a unit from Harborside,Maui or St John that unit mostlikely will never make it past SVO to get to II'S general membership if this is so then why would II consider any of the big 3 a high valued deposit........unless those deposits are being rented out by II......but thats another thread.

 

[Pit]

It was just Starwood following policy...

Of course. That makes perfect sense. I was thinking too hard about it.

Thanks for the clarification. Nice you got a bonus week out of it too.

 

[DeniseM]

Yes, you need to have an SVO deposit in II to go shopping for SVO exchanges.

malex2

I have never deposited my WKORV week with II, or made an exchange, but I can still search with my 2007 week, even though it is already reserved and Starwood has sent a confirmation to my guest. If you have a Starwood II Acct. (automatic with a developer purchase) I think the week is always available for "search first."

 

[Transit]

I have never deposited my WKORV week with II, or made an exchange, but I can still search with my 2007 week, even though it is already reserved and Starwood has sent a confirmation to my guest. If you have a Starwood II Acct. (automatic with a developer purchase) I think the week is always available for "search first."

Denise, With your WKORV week are you seeing units/week that are normaly difficult to get?

 

[tomandrobin]

I had a related question?

Of the voluntary Starwood properties that are currently available in the resale market (so not including the new Maui and Kuai/Mexico properties), what has the best trading power?

I am guessing its not Orlando... which leaves (from the previous post):

LST - Sheraton Lakeside Terrace
PGA – Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort
SMV – Sheraton Mountain Vista
SDO – Sheraton Desert Oasis
SBP – Sheraton Broadway Plantation

Thanks! DG

Mission Hills is missing from the above list.

 

[DeniseM]

Denise, With your WKORV week are you seeing units/week that are normaly difficult to get?

I hardly ever look, so I can't really say. I just happened to look the other day when the 3 bdm. WSJ week was briefly available.

 

[Dani]

If you are an SVO only member, Starwood does not choose your week for deposit to II. You get your fixed week or float week and deposit it in your own II personal account. If SVN, they choose and deposit the week.

malex2

I'm confused. I own at SDO which I purchased resale. I presume that makes me a SVO member, correct? I am not a member of the SVN. If so, even though Starwood allowed me to deposit select whatever week I wanted for my personal use, when I tried to deposit that same week, they gave me a week of their chosing. I could not use the week I had reserved for exchange.

 

[malex2]

I'm getting confused, too. First, let me state that I own an SVO week (Vistana) and an SVO/SVN week (Mission Hills). The first week is a fixed week and regularly gets deposited in my private II account for the fixed week that it is. IN other words, SVO doesn't change the deposit. I use or trade the second week entirely through SVN without going near II.

When you request a specific float week within your season, don't you get a confirmation number? Don't/can't you deposit your assigned week directly yourself using this number? Or, do you deposit to II through Starwood? Does Starwood change the deposit for float week owners only?

If that's the case, why would anyone buy a platinum resale SVO float week if SVO lets you request a specific week then changes it if you attempt to deposit it to your PRIVATE II account?

malex2

 

[Dani]

Now I understand why you made the statement you did. As an owner of a fixed week, you are entitled to that week each and every year to either use or exchange. However, if you own a flolating week, many resorts will allow you to book any week during your float season if it is available, but they will not deposit the week of your choice with the exchange companies. The thinking is that they would rather save the best weeks for the personal use of their owners. Of course, that often leaves the exchanger with a weak trading week.