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We just returned from a promotional stay at the Westin Los Cabos with a sales presentation requirement. I thought I would post a bit about what we were told and the "offer" that was presented.
First off, we did a similar four-night promo package to Westin Los Cabos last February. We did not purchase the bounce-back (I think they're called Explorer packages, is that right?) during last year's sales presentation, so I was a bit surprised when at check out the concierge offered us another four-night package to be used within 18 months. When we began exploring dates this past summer, I noted the fine print said we couldn't take advantage of the offer if we had done a promo stay within 12 months, but the person at the VSE telemarketing call center said that would not be a problem and booked us for a January stay.
Well, as soon as we met the sales rep last week, and he found out we had just been there 11 months ago, he was surprised and agreed it was a mistake. What we and the sales rep concluded was, since we had added a fifth, cash-paid night onto the end of our 2018 promo stay, the concierge must have failed to connect the dots and probably didn't realize that the cash night we were checking out of was connected to a promo stay.
Our sales rep appeared to be a seasoned VSE sales person, and I think he realized very early that we were likely not going to buy. I mentioned TUG and that we had bought most of what we own resale, plus the simple fact we were there 11 months before.
It was interesting that the unit they were showing as part of the presentation was not in the main former hotel building that we were shown last year, but was at the adjoining Baja Point property which affiliated with VSE last year not long after our visit. The unit was VERY nice, with a private hot tub on the balcony. To his credit, though, he did say that Westin inventory in Baja Point was limited, but the likely only way to get in, even as a Westin owner, was to buy into their Aventuras Flex Trust. While he used that to try to pitch the advantages of owing Aventuras, I was impressed he was very up front about the limited inventory and that it wouldn't be that easy to book.
For us, as Marriott Vacation Club owners, the key question I wanted to hear him respond to was how the acquisition of ILG/Vistana by Marriott Vacations Worldwide might someday allow Marriott owners to access Westin inventory in some way. I explained that Marriott sales people were touting the Westin acquisition as a reason to buy Marriott points. His reply was not unexpected - to paraphrase - "I have no idea why Marriott would say something like that. They will stay separate. The only way for Marriott owners to access Westin Vacation Club will be to buy in Westin Vacation Club. The deeds and the way the programs are set up are too different. If they do come up with some sort of exchange system, it will likely be very limited inventory and well in the future."
Later, when the sales manager came in to pitch the pricing/incentives, he offered a little more color on the Marriott merger. He did say corporate staff from Marriott Vacations Worldwide had visited recently and were working on ideas to offer some interchangeability between the programs, but that because of the very different structures of the various programs, they would need to be very careful not to alter or impede the usage rights for existing owners within each system. That would probably dictate that there would be significant limitations on any future linkage, with very little inventory making its way into any exchange system.
Since we made it clear there were only a few places within the VSE system that were not already covered by our Marriott or HGVC ownership, they pitched something we could just use as a "gap filler" when we wanted to go to a VSE location:
-- EOY 81,000 "VillaOptions" package for $17,415 and MF of $689, with the ability to convert to 126,360 "BONVoY" points.
-- Incentives were - 150,000 Bonus BONVoY points and the option to purchase up to four 330,000 BONVoY point packages for $2,275 each.
As soon as that pitch was made and we declined, the sales rep told us he understood it wasn't right for us and saw no reason to keep us any longer and wanted us to get back to our vacation. The "check-out" person then came in and didn't even try to pitch us the standard bounce back (Explorer?) package. We were out in about 75 minutes from when the sales rep first greeted us.
The whole experience left me with a VERY positive impression of VSE. Both the rep and the manager were low/no pressure and I think they shot straight and, overall, it was may be the best, most honestly-delivered, and most professionally-handled timeshare presentation I have ever been to. Both the sales rep and the manager recognized we were educated timeshare consumers and treated us as such.
First off, we did a similar four-night promo package to Westin Los Cabos last February. We did not purchase the bounce-back (I think they're called Explorer packages, is that right?) during last year's sales presentation, so I was a bit surprised when at check out the concierge offered us another four-night package to be used within 18 months. When we began exploring dates this past summer, I noted the fine print said we couldn't take advantage of the offer if we had done a promo stay within 12 months, but the person at the VSE telemarketing call center said that would not be a problem and booked us for a January stay.
Well, as soon as we met the sales rep last week, and he found out we had just been there 11 months ago, he was surprised and agreed it was a mistake. What we and the sales rep concluded was, since we had added a fifth, cash-paid night onto the end of our 2018 promo stay, the concierge must have failed to connect the dots and probably didn't realize that the cash night we were checking out of was connected to a promo stay.
Our sales rep appeared to be a seasoned VSE sales person, and I think he realized very early that we were likely not going to buy. I mentioned TUG and that we had bought most of what we own resale, plus the simple fact we were there 11 months before.
It was interesting that the unit they were showing as part of the presentation was not in the main former hotel building that we were shown last year, but was at the adjoining Baja Point property which affiliated with VSE last year not long after our visit. The unit was VERY nice, with a private hot tub on the balcony. To his credit, though, he did say that Westin inventory in Baja Point was limited, but the likely only way to get in, even as a Westin owner, was to buy into their Aventuras Flex Trust. While he used that to try to pitch the advantages of owing Aventuras, I was impressed he was very up front about the limited inventory and that it wouldn't be that easy to book.
For us, as Marriott Vacation Club owners, the key question I wanted to hear him respond to was how the acquisition of ILG/Vistana by Marriott Vacations Worldwide might someday allow Marriott owners to access Westin inventory in some way. I explained that Marriott sales people were touting the Westin acquisition as a reason to buy Marriott points. His reply was not unexpected - to paraphrase - "I have no idea why Marriott would say something like that. They will stay separate. The only way for Marriott owners to access Westin Vacation Club will be to buy in Westin Vacation Club. The deeds and the way the programs are set up are too different. If they do come up with some sort of exchange system, it will likely be very limited inventory and well in the future."
Later, when the sales manager came in to pitch the pricing/incentives, he offered a little more color on the Marriott merger. He did say corporate staff from Marriott Vacations Worldwide had visited recently and were working on ideas to offer some interchangeability between the programs, but that because of the very different structures of the various programs, they would need to be very careful not to alter or impede the usage rights for existing owners within each system. That would probably dictate that there would be significant limitations on any future linkage, with very little inventory making its way into any exchange system.
Since we made it clear there were only a few places within the VSE system that were not already covered by our Marriott or HGVC ownership, they pitched something we could just use as a "gap filler" when we wanted to go to a VSE location:
-- EOY 81,000 "VillaOptions" package for $17,415 and MF of $689, with the ability to convert to 126,360 "BONVoY" points.
-- Incentives were - 150,000 Bonus BONVoY points and the option to purchase up to four 330,000 BONVoY point packages for $2,275 each.
As soon as that pitch was made and we declined, the sales rep told us he understood it wasn't right for us and saw no reason to keep us any longer and wanted us to get back to our vacation. The "check-out" person then came in and didn't even try to pitch us the standard bounce back (Explorer?) package. We were out in about 75 minutes from when the sales rep first greeted us.
The whole experience left me with a VERY positive impression of VSE. Both the rep and the manager were low/no pressure and I think they shot straight and, overall, it was may be the best, most honestly-delivered, and most professionally-handled timeshare presentation I have ever been to. Both the sales rep and the manager recognized we were educated timeshare consumers and treated us as such.
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