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SVV Exchange in II to Lagunamar for Feb 2017?

Sunshine10

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Hi,

We are looking for some advice on how best to use our 81,000 SOs for 2017 (can we stretch them further using II, or would it be best to book through Starwood).

We own SVV bella, 2 bdrm lockoff, floating, gold plus. We are currently at Westin Lagunamar, love it, and would like to come back again next year. We used our 2016 SOs to book our week in a 1 bedroom, right at the 8 month mark.

If we are flexible in our timing to come here in February 2017 (i.e., not around the presidents day / family day long weekend), and trading starwood to starwood, would we have a chance to exchange into Lagunamar via II? I'm wondering if we deposited each side of our lock off separately, would we be able to use the SVV 1 bedroom premium to exchange into a 1 bedroom at Lagunamar, and use the smaller SVV studio for a different exchange? Or is that asking too much?

If the exchange is possible, when should we contact Starwood to request our lock off to be deposited into II? I understand that we'd have to pay the 2017 maintenance fees in advance. And then in II, we would set up an ongoing request?

We have not used II yet for exchanges. In general, is it easier to get a match using the default Thursday check in? or call II and ask for Fri or Sat check in when we set up our ongoing request?

I also understand that past experience may not reflect future experience, in general, but as well, with Interval's acquisition of Starwood's timeshares (when the transaction eventually closes).

Any advice / suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 

MommaBear

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You are much better off splitting your SVV into two units and trading through II if you want more than one week. Your 81,000 SO will only get you a one bedroom r one week at Lagunamr, where you would be able to get two weeks (or two units for the same week) through II. The default search date that II will use is the Thursday before, even though Lagunamar only checks in Fri, Sat or Sunday. Our experience is that we generally end up with a Sunday check in.
 

GrayFal

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Thanks for the advice!

You are a TUG member

Go to the sightings board and look to see if there have been sightings of February deposits in II.
February-March would be the time of highest demand for this resort and I really don't know if Starwood would deposit weeks in II. I think not. But check the sightings board to see if others have seen this in the past.
 

Sunshine10

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Thanks Pat. I will check for last year.
 
Last edited:

blondietink

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Just an FYI regarding assignment of units at Lagunamar (and some other resorts such as WKORVN). Traders using II are usually assigned villas last, meaning that Lagunamar Owners get the best assignments based what they own at the resort, StarOption traders get the next best villa assignments and II traders get the least desirable units. This is what we have been told on several occasions while at the resort. You also have to pay a fee to dump your SVV into II, but you are right that you will get more bang for your buck through II deposits as far as length of stay. On the other hand, there really aren't many bad villas at Lagunamar other than a few first floor rooms on the inner corner. I have no idea how people who just reserve off the website are assigned units.

We found this out the first time when we were at WKORVN when talking with people at the pool. They were owners at one of the California resorts, had dumped their StarOptions into II, then exchanged to Ka'anapali. They were assigned a first floor room in the corner where all they could see was a palm tree. They were very unhappy, the resort was not full and they were refused a move. Using our StarOptions, we had a nice 4th floor unit with a view of both the pool and ocean.

Lastly, as others have noted, February is a busy time at Lagunamar. You might have more luck if you look at exchanging into the fall season.
 

dsmrp

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I'm in a similar situation as the OP. Starwood told me I'd need to wait until the start of my week's season before I could deposit into II. But I took a brief look at sightings a couple of weeks ago, and saw mainly studios and 1 bdrms sizes at Lagunamar for last year. I was kinda hoping for a 2 bdrm for a 2 bdrm size trade. Also looking at the SVN star options chart, I saw I could in theory get a 2 bdrm for 81K options in non-platinum periods. I have star options, so there's little sense to trade my 2 bdrm week for a 1 bdrm in II.

Assuming ILG doesn't change star options usage for 2017, I think for now will keep my week in options.
 
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