Welcome gift

[SandyPGravel]

Is a "welcome gift" a Westin thing or is it supposed to be a Starwood thing? I have owned at SVV since 2008 and have stayed several times yet have never received a welcome gift. Nor have I ever been able to stay in the section I own. I asked about that once and was told I had to book the week I actually own, when I pointed out that my ownership is floating she said it didn't matter I still own a specific week & unit. So I have never stayed in St. Aug or experienced the pirate pool!

I guess I started a tangent in my own thread...:rofl: Feel free to wander off topic

 

[silentg]

Is a "welcome gift" a Westin thing or is it supposed to be a Starwood thing? I have owned at SVV since 2008 and have stayed several times yet have never received a welcome gift. Nor have I ever been able to stay in the section I own. I asked about that once and was told I had to book the week I actually own, when I pointed out that my ownership is floating she said it didn't matter I still own a specific week & unit. So I have never stayed in St. Aug or experienced the pirate pool!

I guess I started a tangent in my own thread...:rofl: Feel free to wonder off topic

I stayed at Mizner in Weston a few months ago, was supposed to get a welcome gift, never did, went over to VV in weston, for BarB Q was greeted warmly, talked to an owner there showed me her welcome gift, said I never got mine, she called the activities director over, she was very nice, went out back and brought me a very nice bag full of welcome gifts, not a paper bag, one of those knapsacks full of things VV. Very nice, I told her I want even staying there and she said Mizner should have given you these at check in.
Very nice !
Silentg

 

[sachia007]

Is a "welcome gift" a Westin thing or is it supposed to be a Starwood thing? I have owned at SVV since 2008 and have stayed several times yet have never received a welcome gift. Nor have I ever been able to stay in the section I own. I asked about that once and was told I had to book the week I actually own, when I pointed out that my ownership is floating she said it didn't matter I still own a specific week & unit. So I have never stayed in St. Aug or experienced the pirate pool!

I guess I started a tangent in my own thread...:rofl: Feel free to wonder off topic

So, did you end up getting your welcome gift at the most recent resort you stayed at? What resort was it?

 

[gnipgnop]

I believe the OP is talking about the WESTIN resort chain and not WESTEN, FL. But to answer your question ~ yes, the Welcome Gift is given by Westin not Starwood. Every Westin we stayed at we received a very nice welcome gift from the Resort. Every time it was something different than the last but always a very nice gift.

 

[SandyPGravel]

I believe the OP is talking about the WESTIN resort chain and not WESTEN, FL. But to answer your question ~ yes, the Welcome Gift is given by Westin not Starwood. Every Westin we stayed at we received a very nice welcome gift from the Resort. Every time it was something different than the last but always a very nice gift.

I have stayed at WSJ in the past, I owned at SVV at the time. Have not received a welcome gift. Now we bought WSJ on the resale market and I was curious if I might be getting a welcome gift. But, I noticed others stating that as a resale owner I would not receive a welcome gift. I have not received a welcome gift at SVV which is why I thought it might be a Westin thing, not a Sheraton thing. I said Starwood, because if it was a Starwood thing that would cover the Sheraton properties.

So, I am not expecting anything at WSJ, but will be pleasantly surprised if it does happen. But, if it is beer I don't drink beer, hubby does though. Time will tell...

 

[LisaRex]

WKORV-N used to give out welcome gifts that you had to pick up from the concierge...who used that opportunity to try and book you for an Owner's Update. I still use the burlap bag that they gave me.

 

[SMHarman]

WKORV-N used to give out welcome gifts that you had to pick up from the concierge...who used that opportunity to try and book you for an Owner's Update. I still use the burlap bag that they gave me.

Same at WLR. The 2015 bag is noticeably thinner then the 2013 one.

 

[YYJMSP]

We've usually had something in the room (some kind of basket or small local gift, quite often lots of different things to nibble on) and then you get the bag and stuff when you go see the concierge.

The last place we went, I think ignore: argh, the holidays are starting to merge together in my mind!) was WSJ where it was a bucket of beers.

 

[silentg]

I believe the OP is talking about the WESTIN resort chain and not WESTEN, FL. But to answer your question ~ yes, the Welcome Gift is given by Westin not Starwood. Every Westin we stayed at we received a very nice welcome gift from the Resort. Every time it was something different than the last but always a very nice gift.

Whatever, all I know is I got a welcome bag from VV in Weston! I liked it!

 

[grgs]

We've usually had something in the room (some kind of basket or small local gift, quite often lots of different things to nibble on

That's likely an "Elite" gift.

and then you get the bag and stuff when you go see the concierge.

I believe everyone gets the bag from concierge.

 

[Chrispee]

Is a gift really a gift if you're the one paying for it?

 

[okwiater]

Is a gift really a gift if you're the one paying for it?

You mean like the birthday presents DW gives me?

 

[Chrispee]

You mean like the birthday presents DW gives me?

Haha, precisely!

 

[SandyPGravel]

I never thought of the elite factor. I am definitely not elite, and probably never will be. So no free beer in my future.

I haven't even gotten a tote bag the last few visits. Nothing from my only visit to WKORV(N) not sure which one I was in. WSJ or HRA the last couple times I was at either one.

 

[vistana101]

I have received some small welcome gifts at SVV over the years, usually tied to an owner's update.

Also, regarding your phase, if you book btw. 8-12 months out in the home resort period, then you are guaranteed to get St. Augustine-similar as to how you are have a guaranteed view at WKORV when booking in the home resort period. Make the front desk aware of this and make sure they put you there if you would like!

 

[Helios]

Haha, precisely!

:hysterical:

 

[Helios]

I never thought of the elite factor. I am definitely not elite, and probably never will be. So no free beer in my future.

I haven't even gotten a tote bag the last few visits. Nothing from my only visit to WKORV(N) not sure which one I was in. WSJ or HRA the last couple times I was at either one.

I posted about this specifically in the WSJ thread. I got a bottle of champagne as an exchanger at WSJ as a 3* Elite, this is my only gift. I did not receive gifts anywhere else after this stay as 4* Elite and had several stays with this status level. I just upgraded to 5* Elite and have not stayed anywhere yet.

As shown in the WSJ thread, David who owns 2 consecutive weeks has not received a gift at WSJ and he is 3* Elite.

At the end of the day, the gift is not significant to really count for much.

 

[Helios]

On a related note, I have being assigned excellent units. Which, IMHO, is more valuable than bubbly, beers, or snacks. I think the most remarkable "upgrade" was getting and OF unit at WKORN with a two weeks timestamp using an exchange reservation.

 

[DavidnRobin]

I think this thread is confusing the different types of 'gifts'.

1) shows up in villa when you arrive (e.g. bottle of wine)
2) as Owner by the 'concierge' (e.g. bag with resort name)
3) Owner update beyond the cash-SP award (e.g. towel)

We get #2 always, and sometimes #3 - we leave the bags nowadays as Robin still uses the nice canvas one that we got in 2006 from WKORV (and they have gotten cheaper over the years).
We got nice stitched pool towels from WPORV as a #3 gift in Sept.

 

[Helios]

I think this thread is confusing the different types of 'gifts'.

1) shows up in villa when you arrive (e.g. bottle of wine)
2) as Owner by the 'concierge' (e.g. bag with resort name)
3) Owner update beyond the cash-SP award (e.g. towel)

True.

BTW - I was talking about 1)

 

[Helios]

I think this thread is confusing the different types of 'gifts'.

1) shows up in villa when you arrive (e.g. bottle of wine)
2) as Owner by the 'concierge' (e.g. bag with resort name)
3) Owner update beyond the cash-SP award (e.g. towel)

2) and 3) are more like bribes or "incentives", IMHO. Still, they are being confused in the thread.

 

[DavidnRobin]

True.

BTW - I was talking about 1)

...and 4) infamous luggage tags mailed out to Owners

 

[Helios]

Never gotten one of those tags, that's sad...:hysterical:

 

[DeniseM]

The luggage tags were the worst! David, please correct me if I don't have the story right:

Not too long after the Maui resorts opened, Starwood sent out leather and metal luggage tags (to WKORV-N/S owners?) with the company's logo.

Or maybe to Elite owners?

However, they were simply an advertisement for Starwood - there was no place on them to put your info. to ID your luggage.

They were just small Ads to hang on your luggage!

 

[cubigbird]

Is the point of the welcome gift just to get you to visit the concierge so that they can sign you up for a presentation?