Tips/Experiences for Vistana Owners using Marriott Club Points

[Don Springett]

We have been happy with our Vista ownership (WKORV, WKORVN, WKV) but may want to try some Marriott properties. Any thoughts on good properties to check out, when to bank your weeks, etc. We are interested in Newport Villas, the Spain properties, Hilton Head.

 

[tomvc]

We are interested in Newport Villas, the Spain properties, Hilton Head.

I recommend placing an ongoing search in II which will be much cheaper than using Abound points. There's no II exchange fee to Marriott and Vistana resorts. Depending on time of year, you can use the studio side to grab a 2BR.

For prime season, you do have a better chance using Abound, but will be costly.

 

[KS2beach]

We have been happy with our Vista ownership (WKORV, WKORVN, WKV) but may want to try some Marriott properties. Any thoughts on good properties to check out, when to bank your weeks, etc. We are interested in Newport Villas, the Spain properties, Hilton Head.

We own both programs, I have converted my WKV into club points twice now, easy and feel like its been a great value. We have stayed at Newport villas (beautiful area- Beachcombers beach fabulous) and Hilton head (Grande Ocean- great beach to walk on for miles) both several times. Other Marriott properties recommend- Marco Island, FL , Frenchman Cove St Thomas, Oceanwatch Myrtle beach. I feel the Hawaii Properties in Maui- Vistana by far are the best. (we have enjoyed visiting WKORV-WKORVN- NANEA each several times )

 

[vacationtime1]

OP's units are far too valuable to deposit in Interval without restriction. If OP is going through Interval rather than Abound, I would suggest using Interval's "request first" option so if OP doesn't get an appropriate exchange, the deposit can be cancelled and the unit recovered.

 

[Red elephant]

We have been happy with our Vista ownership (WKORV, WKORVN, WKV) but may want to try some Marriott properties. Any thoughts on good properties to check out, when to bank your weeks, etc. We are interested in Newport Villas, the Spain properties, Hilton Head.

You get close to 8.000 abound points with Maui ownership. That’s a great conversion. I have done sun-thurs stays for 1000 points. You can do Spain, Newport, Hilton Head with those points from one exchange if you plan well and travel shoulder seasons for a week stay.

 

[DeniseM]

I recommend that you rent your expensive properties and use the funds to rent exactly what you want.

 

[VacationForever]

I would convert to Abound and get a boatload of Abound points and book at Newport Coast etc.

 

[Don Springett]

Thanks everyone - great tips. Per Denise’s tip, I have always rented out Kierland and Maui vs exchanged because the Vistana exchange value is not so great. With the Marriott Clubpoints, Marriott makes it more worth it. I have an OF and a XMAS week in Maui and Marriott gives a lot of points for those. I own a 2 BR and a small 1 BR in Kierland. Interesting, the small 1BR is half the points of a 2BR. Maybe I will dip my feet in the water with the Kierland small 1 BR. Is it too late to turn in my 2025 weeks/should I wait until Jan 2025 to turn over our 2026 week?

 

[Red elephant]

Thanks everyone - great tips. Per Denise’s tip, I have always rented out Kierland and Maui vs exchanged because the Vistana exchange value is not so great. With the Marriott Clubpoints, Marriott makes it more worth it. I have an OF and a XMAS week in Maui and Marriott gives a lot of points for those. I own a 2 BR and a small 1 BR in Kierland. Interesting, the small 1BR is half the points of a 2BR. Maybe I will dip my feet in the water with the Kierland small 1 BR. Is it too late to turn in my 2025 weeks/should I wait until Jan 2025 to turn over our 2026 week?

If your chairman I believe you have till 10/31/24 to exchange for points. I still think you can still exchange with other benefit levels . I think it July not sure for the deadline.

 

[vacationaward]

I would suggest booking a good summer week, selling the reservation on RedWeek, and using those funds to just book something else directly anywhere you literally wanna go, or renting a week from somebody else on RedWeek. You'll get a much better exchange rather than turning your VOI into points.

 

[SChiam]

Thanks everyone - great tips. Per Denise’s tip, I have always rented out Kierland and Maui vs exchanged because the Vistana exchange value is not so great. With the Marriott Clubpoints, Marriott makes it more worth it. I have an OF and a XMAS week in Maui and Marriott gives a lot of points for those. I own a 2 BR and a small 1 BR in Kierland. Interesting, the small 1BR is half the points of a 2BR. Maybe I will dip my feet in the water with the Kierland small 1 BR. Is it too late to turn in my 2025 weeks/should I wait until Jan 2025 to turn over our 2026 week?

If you are Chairman level, you get 30% off using Abound point within 60 days reservation [25% off 30 days for Executive level). WKORV and WKORVN get a lot more Abound points than Kierland. Personally, i like to convert my WKORN Oceanfront to 8325 Abound points and use it for Newport, KoOlina, San Deigo Pulse, Waiohai and Westin Princeville. If I were you, I would not convert Kierland to Abound point, instead use it as star options (8months) to try get into WKORV, WKORVN and Nanea (same star option value as Kierland platinum). Abound points are very flexible and easy to book, availbility is good at 12 months (better than 13 months in my experience) for Hawaii TS. As for Newport and SD, I usually wait for <60 days to book with discount, and I prefer cooler months (Jan-May, Oct-Dec) for California. Once you convert to Abound points, you can borrow or bank (a year or two years depends on your level), studio, 1bedroom, 2bedroom, making it very flexible.

That is if you do not want to go through the work of renting out.

 

[Hindsite]

Set up getaway alerts on the II App as Newport and the Spain resorts come up with relative ease other than July and August and the cost is usually a third of the cost of maint fees. If you are wanting to go to Europe Nov-March then don't waste a deposit in II for that, there's plenty of getaway inventory.

 

[alwysonvac]

It really depends on when you plan to travel.
If you're looking for high demand summer weeks, you might be better off renting your Maui week and using cash to rent.

Unlike Hawaii with year round demand, some destinations have very low demand weeks.
As stated above, take a look at II's cash rental getaway rates if you're willing to travel off season (November through March) in Marriott's locations in Spain, France and South Carolina.

April and May is also doable via II trade for Spain, South Carolina and Newport Beach maybe using you Kierland week if you're flexible with your travel plans.

Abound is another option but take a close look at their point charts (attached) and visit their website to get an idea of availability at various points during the year. Again, if you can travel outside high demand times, you can book several lower season stays (based on availability) using a single Maui week deposit. The following tips are from the FAQs (link).
NOTE: Also make sure you understand the banking/borrowing rules before you make a deposit.

 

[tperez]

We also own KOR, KORN, and Kierland, all three of which have a very high exchange value for us in the new abound system. We don't know why, but surprisingly the Abound points per maintenance fee $ is actually highest for our Kierland ownership. We have converted Kierland and KORN and then because this merger put us up at Chairman's level and we have the flexibility (retired), just waited until 60 days before arrival to book Newport Coast and San Diego to get the 30% discount without any issue. That discount is huge.

 

[Don Springett]

We a Chairman’s club as well. Some of the 5 star elite benefits like free upgrades to a larger room and early/late check in got eliminated so was not feeling the love. The Chairman benefits seem quite good and now that we are retired, am looking forward to trying all of these tips! Thank you all!

 

[curitiba_tapley]

As a MVC owner, I highly recommend the Hilton Head properties - Grande Ocean, Barony Beach, Surf Watch; Myrtle Beach property. Our family really like Marriott Crystal Shores (Marco Island, FL) - which majority of the rooms there are all Abound Points. We hit Playa Andaluza in Spain last year, and loved it for both the property, and the great things you can do using it as a "base camp." However, I have heard that Marabella is a better resort overall (for the beach and being closer to the city).

 

[Henry M.]

Do you have a favorite among the Hilton Head properties? There are almost too many options there!

I'm thinking about turning one of my Vistana weeks into Club Points next year. I am wondering how difficult it is to reserve properties like Newport Coast, and both Marbella and Playa Andaluza.

I was just watching some YouTube videos of the two Spanish properties last night. The architecture looks very similar at both resorts. I thought the beach at Playa Andaluza looked nicer, but don't have any direct knowledge. Both properties are nice, though it looks like they've been around a while. The style inside reminded me of the Pine Cliffs Resort in the Algarve region of Portugal.

 

[curitiba_tapley]

I reserved Spain for a week in July about 12 months out - and I think most of those properties are deeded, so the amount of inventory available for points is limited. You have to be watching closely to the days when inventory is released. A three-bedroom is needed for 8 people - which was important to us.

The beach at Playa Andaluza isn’t very good - very rocky and eroded. I’m pretty sure Mirabella is the better beach.

 

[Henry M.]

Thanks for the tips. I'll research when the release dates are. I have no experience with Marriott. All I own is Vistana in Maui and and St. John.

 

[Hindsite]

@Henry M. If you don't see the Spain resorts on the release dates don't be surprised. Inventory goes in and out for those all the time. Waitlisting is worth it to catch what you want.
There will be a pulse of Abound inventory go in around the end Sept and end Oct election deadlines and Jan/Feb as European owners plan their vacations.

 

[Henry M.]

I appreciate the tip!