Today's email from Vistana Signature corporate office in Orlando

[Quiet Pine]

Received an email this morning regarding my SDO ownership. Anyone know what this is about? My hunch is it's an attempt to get me to buy retail from the developer, and I'm suspicious of what benefits there would be. Maybe SDO would be treated as a Mandatory resort rather than current status as Voluntary? Can anyone clarify what's going on? Thanks.

My name is Reston Grosch and I’m with the Vistana Signature corporate office in Orlando, FL. I have been attempting to contact you by phone but have not been successful. In reference to your ownership with us, we have had some very important changes take place that have created a time-sensitive, unique opportunity for you as a result of the Marriott acquisition.

We can bring your unit into our network which will allow you to travel to all our Sheraton and Westin resorts, not just the property you currently own at. Also, once the Marriott integration is complete, you would be able to make internal reservations for their properties as well. This opportunity is exclusive and extremely time sensitive. Contact me for the details at 407.903.4603.

Thank you,
Reston

Reston Grosch
SALES EXECUTIVE
VISTANA DIRECT SALES

 

[vacationtime1]

Received an email this morning regarding my SDO ownership. Anyone know what this is about? My hunch is it's an attempt to get me to buy retail from the developer, and I'm suspicious of what benefits there would be. Maybe SDO would be treated as a Mandatory resort rather than current status as Voluntary? Can anyone clarify what's going on? Thanks.

My name is Reston Grosch and I’m with the Vistana Signature corporate office in Orlando, FL. I have been attempting to contact you by phone but have not been successful. In reference to your ownership with us, we have had some very important changes take place that have created a time-sensitive, unique opportunity for you as a result of the Marriott acquisition.

We can bring your unit into our network which will allow you to travel to all our Sheraton and Westin resorts, not just the property you currently own at. Also, once the Marriott integration is complete, you would be able to make internal reservations for their properties as well. This opportunity is exclusive and extremely time sensitive. Contact me for the details at 407.903.4603.

Thank you,
Reston

Reston Grosch
SALES EXECUTIVE
VISTANA DIRECT SALES

Of course it is a sale pitch, but there is a twist.

The language I have highlighted would be a game changer.

It does come from a salesperson. But it is in writing: internal reservations; not exchanges.

 

[chaparrusa]

do not even think about it . it is the same old trick to get you to buy more , there is a $9.800 upgrade to convert your unit into Star points , i would assume your unit does not come with it , either you bought long time ago or resale BUT it is not worth it . to be honest the whole timeshare cult is not worth it at all , i do own some units but 2020 was the last year of me paying maintenance on them , ill be using it and letting it go after that . thinking on upgrading under this situation . my wife works for MGM here in las vegas and they are budgeting occupancies below 50% with discounts close to 50% from may 1st to Labor day weekend , and that would speak for the entire industry , so hotel rates are going lower BUT maintenance fees keep going up , if they were not making sense already , think about the future
this whole thing is going down the toilet .

 

[Iggyearl]

The words "exclusive" and "time sensitive" are certainly a call to arms for you. I would consider calling the number, and recording the call. Then asking for written documentation of this "once in a lifetime offer." Maybe it is on a Vistana website. Maybe not. Knowing the cost, benefits, and deadline would be a major help to other owners. This guy is playing the FOMO (fear of missing out) card. Since it would be a phone conversation, you can end it when you want. I would bet he makes only "verbal representations instead of putting it all in writing. With the planet in chaos, this might be a way to fill your day, and create a little bit of humor.

 

[mjm1]

I would call just to hear the details. As others suggested ask for it in writing as well. It doesn’t cost anything to get the information.

Best regards.

Mike

 

[rickandcindy23]

I talked to someone at the Orlando office over the phone about a conversion. This was about six months ago. The referral came from a lady at Vistana who said she thought I could benefit from Options. A man called and offered me a price to convert my weeks at SBP. I was not interested at all. I got an email from the same guy. He made it sound like I should do it now, so that Marriott would have to accept me into their system. I would love that, but not at the price he was talking about.

 

[rickandcindy23]

It was a full year ago:

Cindy,
You have 11 weeks every year usage worth 81,000 star options each

Convert 4 to options, $40,000 plus closing costs

125,000 options would costs you about that 40k

You would have 320,000 retro and 125,000 for a total of 445,000 options, gets you 4 Star Elite. This promotion is only good for May through us, let me know what else you need

I could come up with a scenario for 5 Star Elite, let me know

(name removed at his request)

 

[DannyTS]

If it is the same scheme 10k to enroll one deed and a multiple of 5k for any additional contract I am not interested. If they want any cash from me during these times they should offer to enroll all the resale units for 1-2k and then we will talk. It does not cost them anything, not to mention they are selling exactly ZERO right now.

 

[rickandcindy23]

If it is the same scheme 10k to enroll one deed and a multiple of 5k for any additional contract I am not interested. If they want any cash from me during these times they should offer to enroll all the resale units for 1-2k and then we will talk. It does not cost them anything, not to mention they are selling exactly ZERO right now.

Yeah, that would be tempting, but the way they are treating people with the Covid 19, I am not impressed with options. I can cancel my weeks I reserve with SBP the day before and re-book.

 

[Quiet Pine]

This morning I talked to the Vistana Sales Executive. He was informative and low-key, not a hint of pressure. He explained that if I purchase 25,800 Staroptions (40.5c each, total about $10,000), my Sheraton Desert Oasis can be brought into the network and I can then book Sheraton, Westin and eventually Marriott properties when the network is consolidated. It would add 80 or so Marriott properties. I would have Gold level membership. These are not SPG or Bonvoy points.

“As a member in the Vistana Network, your Desert Oasis week has a value in Options of 81,000. If you were to purchase some new Options, they would be combined with your 81,000 and you could make nightly reservations directly on the online Dashboard to stay at all the Sheraton and Westin vacation clubs in any size accommodation, any season, any day check-in with no reservation fee. You still own your week, that doesn’t change, so if you want to use Interval the way you have been doing it you can. You can also convert your Options on a given year into Marriott hotel points (Bonvoy) and have 6 additional years to spend those.”

I said that SDO is a Voluntary, not Mandatory, resort, and never has been able to requalify. He said that now is changed.

I asked what “extremely time-sensitive” meant and he replied: “The nature of it being time sensitive has to do with the amount of New Options that are currently required to be purchased. Marriott Vacation Club can raise that minimum at any time. We don’t know when that will take place. We do know that for their own resale owners, the minimum purchase to bring a week into their network is around $30,000. Marriott has been raising our pricing per Option steadily and consistently since they acquired us back in late 2018.”

 

[CPNY]

This morning I talked to the Vistana Sales Executive. He was informative and low-key, not a hint of pressure. He explained that if I purchase 25,800 Staroptions (40.5c each, total about $10,000), my Sheraton Desert Oasis can be brought into the network and I can then book Sheraton, Westin and eventually Marriott properties when the network is consolidated. It would add 80 or so Marriott properties. I would have Gold level membership. These are not SPG or Bonvoy points.

“As a member in the Vistana Network, your Desert Oasis week has a value in Options of 81,000. If you were to purchase some new Options, they would be combined with your 81,000 and you could make nightly reservations directly on the online Dashboard to stay at all the Sheraton and Westin vacation clubs in any size accommodation, any season, any day check-in with no reservation fee. You still own your week, that doesn’t change, so if you want to use Interval the way you have been doing it you can. You can also convert your Options on a given year into Marriott hotel points (Bonvoy) and have 6 additional years to spend those.”

I said that SDO is a Voluntary, not Mandatory, resort, and never has been able to requalify. He said that now is changed.

I asked what “extremely time-sensitive” meant and he replied: “The nature of it being time sensitive has to do with the amount of New Options that are currently required to be purchased. Marriott Vacation Club can raise that minimum at any time. We don’t know when that will take place. We do know that for their own resale owners, the minimum purchase to bring a week into their network is around $30,000. Marriott has been raising our pricing per Option steadily and consistently since they acquired us back in late 2018.”

That 10K buy In was reduced from 20K and has been for the past year. It’s been “time sensitive” for the past year as well. Also, it’s interesting they put the Marriott direct internal booking in that letter. Brings up the question of will all mandatory resorts have that capability or will only those flagged with a developer purchase in their account to be able to book directly with MVC units. I said a while back, they could easily tell who has developer units by those who have units enrolled in the bonvoy program. Maybe only THOSE star options would be eligible. Leaving resale mandatory units to only book in the current VSN.

 

[pchung6]

That 10K buy In was reduced from 20K and has been for the past year. It’s been “time sensitive” for the past year as well. Also, it’s interesting they put the Marriott direct internal booking in that letter. Brings up the question of will all mandatory resorts have that capability or will only those flagged with a developer purchase in their account to be able to book directly with MVC units. I said a while back, they could easily tell who has developer units by those who have units enrolled in the bonvoy program. Maybe only THOSE star options would be eligible. Leaving resale mandatory units to only book in the current VSN.

This is the highly possible scenario that only developer units can enroll to new program. Leaving resale mandatory to book at current VSN. However, I am suspecting MVC will provide enrollment window for all resale units to enroll for a price, let's say $3000 for the first unit and $1000 for 2nd and after. If that is the case, I will be listened and talk to the sales. With current price of $10000 to requal, I have no interest at all.

 

[SandyPGravel]

That 10K buy In was reduced from 20K and has been for the past year. It’s been “time sensitive” for the past year as well. Also, it’s interesting they put the Marriott direct internal booking in that letter. Brings up the question of will all mandatory resorts have that capability or will only those flagged with a developer purchase in their account to be able to book directly with MVC units. I said a while back, they could easily tell who has developer units by those who have units enrolled in the bonvoy program. Maybe only THOSE star options would be eligible. Leaving resale mandatory units to only book in the current VSN.

This is what I was told at my owner update in early March. Granted...sales person...lips moving. (Which I told him, you're a sales person, can't believe it just because you say it's so.) Also said that a minimum SO value of 148,000 was what would be needed to have any value in the Marriott program.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Or you could buy Westin Kierland Villas, mandatory, and keep buying those, which would be much less expensive. That is what Rick and I decided way back when. The problem is I have to give away a bunch of units at SBP to afford the MF's. Those are a dime a dozen. Marriott's acquisition won't do anything to help me.

 

[CPNY]

This is what I was told at my owner update in early March. Granted...sales person...lips moving. (Which I told him, you're a sales person, can't believe it just because you say it's so.) Also said that a minimum SO value of 148,000 was what would be needed to have any value in the Marriott program.

That makes sense to me. Of course I floated that out there 6 mo ago and was vilified for it. I think I noted “if someone had an ownership enrolled in the bonvoy program” that would mean it’s a developer purchase or fully retro back into the network. I no longer have developer purchases as I sold them off and I just have mandatory resales, again works for me since I have no desire for MVC resorts with the exception of Aruba. In that case I’ll opt for whatever I can get in interval for those.

 

[DannyTS]

When we had the owners update in March at Lagunamar I had the impression that the "closer" confirmed to me that mandatory resale will participate in the common exchange. We were talking about my SVV Bella 81k annual SOs and I said that we will continue to exchange in VSN and we will probably have access to MVC in the future. He did not say " you will be able to do that" but he said that what we have will not change and then he moved the topic to our voluntary resorts. Maybe I was reading to much into this but I saw it as a strong indication that he knew or at least he thought it would happen.

 

[SandyPGravel]

vilified for it

Yeah I hear ya. There is one particular user on the Westin St John thread that vilifies me and anyone else. I try to ignore it but it's annoying.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I would be very dishonest for a Vistana salesperson to promise Marriott properties, if it was not the case. And you have it in writing.

Still very expensive. I wouldn't do anything with Vistana sales.

 

[dioxide45]

I said that SDO is a Voluntary, not Mandatory, resort, and never has been able to requalify. He said that now is changed.

I thought people coveted the true platinum SDO weeks for requalifying? SO it seems that they have been eligible in the past.

 

[tarahsu]

I haven't received anything about this and I own 2 SDO units. I would be interested to see if this drops. I did hear the same sales pitch while staying at Westin Ko Olina in December saying that Marriott is offering these buy-ins to voluntary resorts. I think the prices will go lower.

 

[YYJMSP]

I would be very dishonest for a Vistana salesperson to promise Marriott properties, if it was not the case. And you have it in writing.

Still very expensive. I wouldn't do anything with Vistana sales.

You have a salesperson putting whatever they want informally in an email. it means nothing unless it's in your contract package.

we had a similar offer a month ago, but they confirmed nothing concrete about expanded internal trading would be in any sales documents, so they are really just selling Flex packages still...

 

[Quiet Pine]

I have no interest in following up on this. I posted only to see if others got the same email, and then to provide information. I'm happy keeping things as they are.

 

[RoverJohn]

I always wonder - if an upgrade is made, does the upgrade transfer when the ownership is transferred or sold in the future. I don't think so. The value of the upgrade is lost.

 

[dioxide45]

I always wonder - if an upgrade is made, does the upgrade transfer when the ownership is transferred or sold in the future. I don't think so. The value of the upgrade is lost.

If a voluntary week is requalified and you later sell it, it loses its SOs. The new buyer just owns a voluntary week.

 

[Danjos]

If a voluntary week is requalified and you later sell it, it loses its SOs. The new buyer just owns a voluntary week.

I received a similar email i own two SDO platinum units and the guy wanted me to spend money to get into option points being that my units are resales he suggests i can convert to the option points if i purchase a small amount.
My question is there any advantage if so when is Marriott going to allow exchanges for option points?