I meant SPG points, and just for the vacation this time. We're still trying to decide if we should buy or not, but we REALLY loved St. John and the Westin area. Renting a jeep there let us explore the whole island.
Owning at WSJ can work out very well for folks who plan ahead, not just months ahead, but years ahead. As David said, the first phase of the resort (Virgin Grand aka Hillside), which is probably the only phase where you're going to find a "deal" (on the resale market), only sold fixed weeks/fixed units.
Now, VG does come with StarOptions if you buy on the resale market, so that gives you the option of exchanging back in. However, if you buy gold or silver season, you won't have enough SOs to exchange into a higher season, so you should target a platinum week...which will cost more. Also, if you book outside of the 8-12 month home resort priority period, you'll be treated as any other exchanger. You'll be placed in any phase where there's availability...IF there's availability.
If you happen to find a deal at the BV phase, which would probably work better for you because these units were sold as floating weeks, resale purchases do NOT come with SOs. So you cannot use SVN to exchange back in, or to another Starwood resort, which is a serious drawback. You can book at your home resort any time that there's availability, even outside of the 8-12 month window, but you'll be restricted to the season you bought and the size unit you bought.
jschmeling said:
What I hadn't figured out is how to specify where we wanted to stay (or if there is even a choice). Last time we checked in at the airport and ended up in the hillside studios, bottom floor, all the way at the top but two or three doors down from the community pool.
If you exchange in via SVN or book with Starwood, you won't have a choice. They tell you right on your confirmation that villas/phases are assigned at check-in. There's no way of knowing ahead of time what phase you'll be put in.
The only way to know in advance what unit you'll be assigned is to either buy or rent (from an owner) a fixed week/fixed unit. If you buy or rent from a BV/CV floating week owner, you'll know what phase you'll be in, but not what unit. If you use SOs, it says right on the confirmation that they cannot guarantee phase, and they have, in fact, switched units on owners who were expecting one phase because of the description when they booked. (Two years ago, I was switched from a regular 2 bdrm at VG to a 2 bdrm loft at BV.)
No idea what other options really exist as the websites seem very un-intuitive. Where should I be looking to understand what's available for vacation or to buy? And should I spend time with sales folks there while we are on the island? Or is there a better way to see what's available?
You can certainly chat with the sales staff, but keep in mind that they are salesman. They will try to convince you that their system will work great for you, even if it won't. Just realize ahead of time that WSJ is a very in-demand resort and booking is always subject to availability. If you can't book by 8 months out in low season, or 12 months out in high season, I wouldn't own there.
I saw that there are villas with private pools - very cool. I don't mind the shared pool on the hillside even if it is small or the large pool at the hotel. Both are great. But when thinking about a week or two buying I want a great deal and a great location - of course who doesn't? I tend to come when I have sufficient Delta points, and I travel so much that I could manage twice a year, but likely not more than a week at a time. I also (with my wife) accumulate enough points through SPG to stay essentially at no cost once or twice a year. So maybe no need to buy?
Given your circumstances and travel style, I'd say that booking with SPG is probably still the best fit for you. Or you should target a mandatory resort and exchange in, knowing that it'll be a crap shoot where you're placed.
