Westin St John availability

[craigc]

We have 7 nights booked at Frenchmans late Jan. Since it takes a full day coming and going, 7 nights becomes 5 so we are looking at adding 5 more at Westin St John. I tried for either a studio or 1 bedroom at 9 am eastern 12 mos out and have tried daily since then with no luck. When I was unable to book 12 mos out, I called and was able to get waitlisted.

Today studios become available on Bonvoy @ $590/night if I prepay or $714 without prepaying. They will not accept the 2VC or AAA discount codes.....pricey!

I know Feb at WSJ is peak time so I am looking for feedback on whether I should look for alternatives or if I should be patient and see if the waitlist comes through.

 

[ljmiii]

I know Feb at WSJ is peak time so I am looking for feedback on whether I should look for alternatives or if I should be patient and see if the waitlist comes through.

I've never tried to waitlist the WSJ but the general lack of Jan and Feb availability exchanging in using Abound Points (and StarOptions for that matter) is why I bought Platinum Plus weeks at the resort. You should certainly make alternative, cancellable plans.

 

[DanCali]

I have never booked WSJ with Abound. But even as an internal exchange with Staroptions at 8 months out, the Platinum season has always been extremely hard to get. Summer has become somewhat easier over the years (with Staroptions), especially for those flexible on the exact week they can go during summer.

For that inventory to get into Abound you need an owner to not use their week, and forego the option to trade internally in Vistana, where they have more trading power (albeit to fewer available resorts). I suspect that most owners still just mainly do those two things.

Marriott treated WSJ like any other Caribbean resort, meaning that owners who trade to Abound points will not be able to get a like for like exchange into a Hawaii resort for example. Depending on where and when they'd want to go, those owners are often better off leaving their units in Vistana and trading internally within that system.

We own at Harborside (another Caribbean resort) so I have more familiarity with that one. Here's an example - a Platinum 2BR lockoff at HRA get 4525 points in Abound - not enough for a week in a 2BR at MOC in the worst view category at any time of the year. That same unit can get a 2BR Ocean View at the Westins on Maui or Princeville for any week of the year using Staroptions (subject to availability at 8 months). If you were an owner there, paying $4500+ in MFs, would you choose Abound points often at > $1/pt? And that's best case - Gold (summer) owners are a lot worse off in Abound due to even substantially fewer points for the same MFs.

 

[craigc]

I've never tried to waitlist the WSJ but the general lack of Jan and Feb availability exchanging in using Abound Points (and StarOptions for that matter) is why I bought Platinum Plus weeks at the resort. You should certainly make alternative, cancellable plans.

I just added 5 nights at the Marriott (hotel) in St Croix but it gets mixed reviews. Also booked 5 at the Miami Pulse so we are covered if St John does not materialize.

 

[ljmiii]

I just added 5 nights at the Marriott (hotel) in St Croix but it gets mixed reviews....

We stayed at the Carambola last month after our stay at the WSJ and loved, *loved*, LOVED it. It is in no way a RC but really quite wonderful in it's own way.

Pros:
Gorgeous villa-like rooms with large balconies w/comfy seating. If you can find availability I strongly recommend getting an Oceanfront suite so you can enjoy the views and the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below (and rate OF higher than Beachfront).
Beautiful resort in general w/lots of dark woods, white fabric, and tan marble/tile. The lounge/library/billiard room was a great place to hang out as well.
Wonderful ocean and beach. When we were there the waves were a perfect (for us) 1.5-3 ft w/no breakers.
Plenty of chairs by the beach and a reasonable number by the pool.
Great food, drinks, and service at the high end restaurant, Saman. I recommend getting reservations in advance for the Open Air Terrace tables.
Great WiFi. I had read reviews that the WiFi was iffy but they apparently fixed this as I had great service from one end of the resort to the other.
AMA Cane Bay is a short drive away and a truly spectacular dining experience. I strongly recommend reserving the Oceanside Grotto Seating.

Eh:
Pool is nothing to write home about but perfectly fine.
Flamboyant is the casual restaurant w/good drinks, reasonable food, nice views, but spotty service. Particularly on Tue/Wed when they are the only game in town.

Cons:
While the staff is friendly and do their best, they are flummoxed by service requests that fall outside their purview. Our first full day we needed pool/beach towels and found to our surprise that there is no obvious place to get them. After a round of "How do we get pool towels...The tall guy by the pool hands them out" with a waitress at the pool bar, then another one with the front desk, I had one with the bartender and followed up with "There *is* no tall guy by the pool." He sighed, took pity on us, and sent a waitress off to find some towels for us (goodness knows where).

Saman is closed Tue and Wed (and AMA Cane Bay is closed Sun and Mon). Which wouldn't matter so much except that the lack of an onsite store, no kitchenette, and the isolation of the resort make for an unfortunate combination.

Carambola *is* smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Aside from the nearby Waves Cane Bay resort that holds AMA and the Sunset Bar it's a long bumpy ride to civilization. And the city of the west side of St Croix, Frederiksted, is something of a mixed blessing. We were warned to avoid visiting the town when there are cruise ships in port...but a lot of the shops and restaurants close when one isn't in port. Still charming though.

 

[craigc]

We stayed at the Carambola last month after our stay at the WSJ and loved, *loved*, LOVED it. It is in no way a RC but really quite wonderful in it's own way.

Pros:
Gorgeous villa-like rooms with large balconies w/comfy seating. If you can find availability I strongly recommend getting an Oceanfront suite so you can enjoy the views and the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below (and rate OF higher than Beachfront).
Beautiful resort in general w/lots of dark woods, white fabric, and tan marble/tile. The lounge/library/billiard room was a great place to hang out as well.
Wonderful ocean and beach. When we were there the waves were a perfect (for us) 1.5-3 ft w/no breakers.
Plenty of chairs by the beach and a reasonable number by the pool.
Great food, drinks, and service at the high end restaurant, Saman. I recommend getting reservations in advance for the Open Air Terrace tables.
Great WiFi. I had read reviews that the WiFi was iffy but they apparently fixed this as I had great service from one end of the resort to the other.
AMA Cane Bay is a short drive away and a truly spectacular dining experience. I strongly recommend reserving the Oceanside Grotto Seating.

Eh:
Pool is nothing to write home about but perfectly fine.
Flamboyant is the casual restaurant w/good drinks, reasonable food, nice views, but spotty service. Particularly on Tue/Wed when they are the only game in town.

Cons:
While the staff is friendly and do their best, they are flummoxed by service requests that fall outside their purview. Our first full day we needed pool/beach towels and found to our surprise that there is no obvious place to get them. After a round of "How do we get pool towels...The tall guy by the pool hands them out" with a waitress at the pool bar, then another one with the front desk, I had one with the bartender and followed up with "There *is* no tall guy by the pool." He sighed, took pity on us, and sent a waitress off to find some for us (goodness knows where).

Saman is closed Tue and Wed (and AMA Cane Bay is closed Sun and Mon). Which wouldn't matter so much except that the lack of an onsite store, no kitchenette, and the isolation of the resort make for an unfortunate combination.

Carambola *is* smack dab in the middle of nowhere. Aside from the nearby Waves Cane Bay resort that holds AMA and the Sunset Bar it's a long bumpy ride to civilization. And the city of the west side of St Croix, Frederiksted, is something of a mixed blessing. We were warned to avoid visiting the town when there are cruise ships in port...but a lot of the shops and restaurants close when one isn't in port. Still charming though.

Thank you so much for this review, makes me feel much better keeping that as a back up to St John. I am Lifetime Titanium from years of weekly work travel so I usually get a suite upgrade and if not I can use my room upgrade certs.

 

[ljmiii]

Thank you so much for this review, makes me feel much better keeping that as a back up to St John. I am Lifetime Titanium from years of weekly work travel so I usually get a suite upgrade and if not I can use my room upgrade certs.

I should have mentioned that the full buffet breakfast at Raman is complimentary for two people for those Platinum and above.

But I doubt that in Jan or Feb there will be any Oceanfront or Beachfront suites available into which to upgrade. But you never know.

 

[ljmiii]

I realized I should add some pics of Carambola...

...balcony, beach, view from terrace dining table, resort