Westin Nanea purchase?

[TravelingMom77]

Hi all! We were looking to do our first timeshare purchase and were interested in the Westin Nanea property. For context, we're a rather large family--my husband and I have 3 kids, I live with my mom, and if my mom didn't come, we'd likely take our in-laws. So, in short, we're hoping to purchase a 3-bedroom property, preferably with an every other year deed.

I know that the Nanea doesn't have Staroptions if you purchase a resale, but my question was whether we'd be better off getting a property that was less expensive and trading in. My sense from reading all of your wisdom is that if we plan to use the Nanea property, then we'd be best off just buying it rather than relying on trades, but I wanted to check.

And last thing: Since the deed is floating, have folks had trouble booking this property for summer months?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[echino]

Nanea is sold as points, rather than weeks. There are a few rare fixed weeks at Nanea, but the underlying ownership is still points. Maintenance fees are charged per point - this means extremely expensive maintenance fees for a three bedroom, since they are all oceanfront and require a lot of points.

If you need a three bedroom in Maui, look at buying at the Marriott - those are true deeded weeks with slightly lower maintenance fees.

 

[Ken555]

I know that the Nanea doesn't have Staroptions if you purchase a resale, but my question was whether we'd be better off getting a property that was less expensive and trading in. My sense from reading all of your wisdom is that if we plan to use the Nanea property, then we'd be best off just buying it rather than relying on trades, but I wanted to check.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a three bedroom at this resort available as an exchange via Interval. It can be occasionally available via StarOptions. Review the numbers carefully. Based on current costs, it may be less expensive to get a two bedroom and a separate studio or a one bedroom at WKORV/N or another resort in the area, especially if trading in via StarOptions.

Availability for summer at all high demand family resorts is difficult, so if you do buy elsewhere with the intent to trade in your odds of obtaining what you desire is much less than buying at the resort itself with a 12 month reservation window.


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[TravelingMom77]

Yeah, there wasn't anything for every other year through Marriott, so I was looking at the Westin instead. Why do you think the fixed week system is better than the points? (I had also looked at the Hyatt, which I know also does the fixed week system.)

 

[vacationtime1]

Contra to @Ken555, I am amazed at how often I see 3bd Nanea units available for StarOption reservations at the eight month mark. If you want to play a bit aggressively in getting to Nanea cheaply, consider buying an annual 2bd Plat+ Kierland unit (148100 StarOptions) and banking your StarOptions alternate years, giving you 296200 SO's to reserve the 257700 SO 3bd Nanea unit.

Part of my motivation is to avoid the (imo) ridiculously high MF's that the 3bd units cost (at Vistana, Marriott, or Hyatt). But if you can travel only in the summer or you have little flexibility as to when you travel, this may not be as good an idea.

Added: I just played with the Vistana villafinder; there is 3bd availability at Nanea for many dates beginning August 26 of this year.

 

[TravelingMom77]

Okay--yeah, we wouldn't be wedded to the summer, but we would be wedded to school holidays, and I imagine they're all a bit limited. I'll look into the Kierland option. Thank you!

 

[Henry M.]

I find as my kids have gotten older and become adults in their own right that having separate units is often desirable, so each group can have their privacy and decide to cook/sleep/do whatever they want and we all get together in a 1BR for meals, drinks and such. In my case, I'd prefer to get two 2BR units at WKORV or WKORVN that I can lock off as needed, depending on who is coming to any given trip. I would also consider a 2BR plus a standalone 1BR available at WKORV (the "south") property. However, I think getting the whole lockout and just using what I need is more flexible. I can even rent out what I don't use and cover a significant part of the maintenance fees.

Also, circumstances change in life, and the separate units provide more flexible use than a single 3BR unit. Of course, with points, you can use them how you want. However, 1BR units can be hard to come by at Nanea because there aren't that many of them.

In my case, I don't like fixed weeks at all. I travel when I feel like it, and a fixed week is too limiting for my use. I liked the Hyatt units in Maui but specifically didn't get any because of the weeks being fixed. I know others like that they don't need to be at the ready to make reservations and just know that they will be in Maui on the same week every year. It seems that it isn't easy to move the reservation to another specific week if I wanted to go at a different time.

 

[ocdb8r]

I think that's a risky proposition if you're wedded to school holidays. I too have seen the 3-beds pop up more often than I would expect, but still mostly in the non-school holiday season.

I think Ken's suggestion is one you should look into - see about getting a 2-bedroom and a studio deed for one of the other two properties. That would guarantee you enough space and reservations at the 12-month window for the resort you purchase at, would give you flexibility to rent the studio when mom doesn't tag along, and (if your bought an Ocean Front unit) would give you enough StarOptions to trade into Nanea when a 3-bed there happens to be available for the week you want (all 3-beds at Nanea are Ocean Front, so you need that many StarOptions). I think you'd likely still end up ahead from a annual maintenance fee perspective.

 

[Henry M.]

There are no studio weeks for sale at any of the Westins. You can get 1BR and 2BR deeds at WKORV. They only have 2BR at WKORVN.

 

[Ken555]

Contra to @Ken555, I am amazed at how often I see 3bd Nanea units available for StarOption reservations at the eight month mark. If you want to play a bit aggressively in getting to Nanea cheaply, consider buying an annual 2bd Plat+ Kierland unit (148100 StarOptions) and banking your StarOptions alternate years, giving you 296200 SO's to reserve the 257700 SO 3bd Nanea unit.

Part of my motivation is to avoid the (imo) ridiculously high MF's that the 3bd units cost (at Vistana, Marriott, or Hyatt). But if you can travel only in the summer or you have little flexibility as to when you travel, this may not be as good an idea.

Added: I just played with the Vistana villafinder; there is 3bd availability at Nanea for many dates beginning August 26 of this year.

Good to know. I rarely look for them, and tend to search based on SO price so don’t scroll that far down.


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[Ken555]

There are no studio weeks for sale at any of the Westins. You can get 1BR and 2BR deeds at WKORV. They only have 2BR at WKORVN.

The OP mentioned trading in, and you can buy studio weeks at other resorts like WKV.


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[VacationForever]

The OP mentioned trading in, and you can buy studio weeks at other resorts like WKV.


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I think they call it 1BR Deluxe at WKV because it is really a 1BR on the small side of WKV.

 

[alwysonvac]

Not sure about summer availability but I also see the Westin Nanea three bedrooms for StarOptions from time to time.
I'm assuming they're not as popular because the three bedroom only has two bathrooms. I rather book a two bedroom + one bedroom.

Opinions about Westin Nanea 3 bedroom OF vs WKORV South 2 bedroom OFD

If Staroptions are not an issue and both villas are available, which would you recommend for four adults (sleeping in three beds)? I've compared square footage: Nanea 3 bedroom, 1470 vs WKORV South OFD, 1800 Having three beds is a plus so that we wouldn't need to make up a living room sofa...

tugbbs.com

 

[LeslieDet]

Hi all! We were looking to do our first timeshare purchase and were interested in the Westin Nanea property. For context, we're a rather large family--my husband and I have 3 kids, I live with my mom, and if my mom didn't come, we'd likely take our in-laws. So, in short, we're hoping to purchase a 3-bedroom property, preferably with an every other year deed.

I know that the Nanea doesn't have Staroptions if you purchase a resale, but my question was whether we'd be better off getting a property that was less expensive and trading in. My sense from reading all of your wisdom is that if we plan to use the Nanea property, then we'd be best off just buying it rather than relying on trades, but I wanted to check.

And last thing: Since the deed is floating, have folks had trouble booking this property for summer months?

Many thanks in advance!

Just FYI - I'm fairly certain that the 3B at Nanea are all Oceanfront units. Have you looked on Redweek? If all are Oceanfront, you'll be paying a premium for those weeks. I can't speak to getting into Nanea on StarOptions, as I own a 1B there. Note, I've not had any issue of booking at 12 months for summertime. But IDK if it is different with a 3B.

 

[Ken555]

I think they call it 1BR Deluxe at WKV because it is really a 1BR on the small side of WKV.

Yes, you’re correct…it’s the same SO value as WKORV studios.


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[EnglishmanAbroad]

Unless you are set on Nanea and OF I'd concur with the suggestion to buy 2x2BR at WKORV/N if you want to guarantee getting Maui when you want it. Avoid IV at WKORV but on Redweek you can pick up 2 EOY IV at WKORVN for under $10K total and if you want to spend another $5K total more then you can get 2 EOY OV at either resort. MFs at WKV would be cheaper but I think those are selling for more at the moment and don't come with the Maui guarantee.