Westin Rancho Mirage

[GoodWitch]

I'm thinking about buying here, and would love to hear advice from anyone who owns or has stayed here...

1) How well does this trade when you own a summer week? I know the desert in the middle of summer isn't the most popular place, but I would like a summer week because I have school age kids. However, I won't buy if it's a dog to trade.

2) The MFs seem substantially higher than comparable timeshare's like Marriott or Hyatt. Moreover, if paying the higher MFs is it reasonable to expect to see better trade options than if I bought SDO?

3) I consistently see a lot of units available for resale. The MFs are high, but does anyone know another reason why people are getting out?

Thanks loads for your comments.

 

[DeniseM]

This resort is actually called the Westin Mission Hills. If I had kids, I'd buy during the Platinum season which includes weeks 51-52 and Easter week. The summer is too hot and a weaker trader.

There is no real correlation between maintenance fees and exchange value. In general, Starwood resorts just have high maintenance fees. Your main problem with II exchanges is going to be having to travel during the holidays, but with the economy, that may be a little easier.

The nice thing about II exchanges is that all Starwood resorts have a 3 day priority for other Starwood resorts on II. In other words, Starwood owners can see anything that's online for 3 days before non-Starwood members. Over the last 6 mos. Starwood owners have exchanged into the Starwood Hawaii Resorts and Lagunamar, Cancun, just to name a few, using the 3 day priority. There is a whole article about it in the Owner Resources sticky under Exchanging. The same size/season unit at SDO probably has about the same trading power as WMH.

If you plan to use the resort most of the time, then buy where you want to go. If you plan to exchange the resort most of the time, then consider a lower cost resort.

 

[Ken555]

I own a summer week here, and I've had fantastic II trades. Search the forum and you'll find more examples of success from WMH.

 

[Bill4728]

Since you're from NJ and visiting the west, does it matter if you go to Palm Springs or Phoenix? If not, I'd buy a unit at SDO (Sheraton Desert Oasis) There are many which are floating 1-52.

So if you want to use it yourself and must travel in Summer, you can reserve summer, but if you can get away in spring, you'll be able to reserve a spring week without having to trade. Also IMHO, it would trade as well or better than WMH.

 

[James1975NY]

Since you're from NJ and visiting the west, does it matter if you go to Palm Springs or Phoenix? If not, I'd buy a unit at SDO (Sheraton Desert Oasis) There are many which are floating 1-52.

So if you want to use it yourself and must travel in Summer, you can reserve summer, but if you can get away in spring, you'll be able to reserve a spring week without having to trade. Also IMHO, it would trade as well or better than WMH.

Excellent suggestion. I believe your maintenance fees owning at SDO (1-52) would be less than the WMH as well.

 

[skim118]

If you really want to stay in Westin Mission Hills in summer there is no reason to buy that week. Summer weeks(other than July 4th weekend) in WMH and Westin Kierland are easy to obtain as Interval getaways and there is no reason to buy them.

We own 2 SDO units now and it's an easy trade into summer WMH or WKV weeks; but we use Interval getaways since they are even cheaper to use.

 

[Ken555]

WMH and Westin Kierland are easy to obtain as Interval getaways and there is no reason to buy them.

I agree 100% This is why I deposit my week in II! It was great for my first purchase, but I wouldn't buy it unless I planned on going there in the season - or for requal

 

[GoodWitch]

Thanks for all the information. Very helpful.