Westin St John Master Thread - Part 3 [Dec. 2017 and forward]

[TravelTime]

There will certainly be some indication of the underlying inventory. Just like the MKO penthouse units and even all units booked through Interval International. The key here will be, will they honor that underlying unit when doing villa allocations ahead of checkin?

In my experience, when I book with Club Points, they always honor what I have booked. Then they usually contact me the week before and ask for my preferences. I do not always get what I prefer but it is nice they ask and try. So the question is whether they will have the drop down menu with options for the phases so you know what phase you will be in before you book. If they do not have this feature, I think they would probably be open to adding it since it is just a programming issue.

 

[dioxide45]

In my experience, when I book with Club Points, they always honor what I have booked. Then they usually contact me the week before and ask for my preferences. I do not always get what I prefer but it is nice they ask and try. So the question is whether they will have the drop down menu with options for the phases so you know what phase you will be in before you book. If they do not have this feature, I think they would probably be open to adding it since it is just a programming issue.

I know they have the coding in the reservation system on Vistana.com to know what section or phase of a resort you are booking into. I think the difference here is that there isn't a different points cost to different phases. As a comparison to Ko'Olina, I think owners had to buy a penthouse unit. They are afforded a different point amount both to elect and to reserve. For WSJ, the cost to reserve is the same regardless of the section. I doubt there will be anything we see online when making a reservation that differentiates between them and will only know after the fact when looking at the reservation on Marriott.com

 

[TravelTime]

I know they have the coding in the reservation system on Vistana.com to know what section or phase of a resort you are booking into. I think the difference here is that there isn't a different points cost to different phases. As a comparison to Ko'Olina, I think owners had to buy a penthouse unit. They are afforded a different point amount both to elect and to reserve. For WSJ, the cost to reserve is the same regardless of the section. I doubt there will be anything we see online when making a reservation that differentiates between them and will only know after the fact when looking at the reservation on Marriott.com

Yes, I think you are correct. It would be a nice feature if they would do it. I think WSJ is one of the few locations where there will be a huge difference in what you get when you book a unit. It might be in Marriott’s best interests to have some coding to manage customer expectations.

 

[bice01]

regarding the VGV pool villas, the open market cash rental price far exceeds the unit's staroptions, and likely whatever points Marriott assigns to them. IMO, it will be a very rare occurrence to find a pool villa in the Abound inventory.

 

[Kimberly614]

I guess I am going to have to always be grateful I was able to snag a pool villa in May with star options at the 8 month mark. It was a great vacation with our college aged kids but might never happen again…

 

[alexadeparis]

regarding the VGV pool villas, the open market cash rental price far exceeds the unit's staroptions, and likely whatever points Marriott assigns to them. IMO, it will be a very rare occurrence to find a pool villa in the Abound inventory.

not for hurricane season

 

[cubigbird]

Reports on the Facebook Owners Group page VGV MF up +20%.

 

[ConejoRed]

Saw that posting as well. I just checked my account and don’t see any statement posted yet so not sure where they are seeing it? I did get the proposed budget information sheet, but that is only the proposed amounts and I think they have tended to come in under the proposed amounts in the end (?). Based on past statement history it will not show up until December…unless Marriott has changed the process.

 

[cubigbird]

We own in Sunset Bay and those maintenance fees have been higher than other phases. If a 20% increase is in the cards, that'll put a week just under $5,000. That's quite a jump. It was already close to $4,000 for 2022. A 20% increase seems out of control.

 

[Red elephant]

We own in Sunset Bay and those maintenance fees have been higher than other phases. If a 20% increase is in the cards, that'll put a week just under $5,000. That's quite a jump. It was already close to $4,000 for 2022. A 20% increase seems out of control.

I have Sunset Bay as well. If that happens I am giving that up cause it’s ridiculous .

 

[sharr7]

The proposed budgets have been pretty close or exact to the final billing in recent memory (for VGV at least). Proposed increase is "only" 10% for 3BR pool villas from last year. Is what it is, MF/SO still on lower end for plat+ season. Still love all the options (lower case) I have with 257k SO each year. Looking like not a great Abound trader though so hopefully VSN sticks around in its current status for a long time.

 

[GrayFal]

I Br VGV 95,700 plat plus
2020 $1799 plus $336 replacement reserve = $2135 plus $250 USVI property tax
2021 $1833 plus $358 RR = $2191 plus USVI tax $250ish
2022 $2127 plus $380 RR = $2507 plus USVI tax $250ish
2023 $2377 plus $391 RR = $2783 plus USVI tax - projected

Sunset Bay 148,100 resort season 2BR
2022 $3,349.55

Sunset Bay 67,100 resort season studio
2020 $1380
2021 $1406
2022 $1517

Coral Vista 148,100 resort season 2BR
2021 $2610
2022 $2789

Coral Vista 95,700 resort season 2BR
2020 $1997
2021 $1901
2022 $2017

#grayfal
#maintfee

Just putting here for my own tracking.
Currently all my projected fees are the same as 2022. Sincerely doubt that!

 

[GrayFal]

I also notice Club Dues Posted.
Owner/Select $230
Executive/Presidential $270
Chairman $295
This eliminates a La carte fees such as banking points, reservation cancelation, conversion to Bonvoy, II exchange fees and includes VSN member and II membership

This is replacing VSN Fee of $170/$236 - you can opt out and just keep VSN but you will have to pay separate transaction fees, will not receive additional exchange opportunities and services they MVC exchange company and will be automatically assigned Owner membership level in VSN and will not receive any benefits as a grandfathered elite member such as reservation windows, bonvoy status etc.

 

[Eric B]

I also notice Club Dues Posted.
Owner/Select $230
Executive/Presidential $270
Chairman $295
This eliminates a La carte fees such as banking points, reservation cancelation, conversion to Bonvoy, II exchange fees and includes VSN member and II membership

This is replacing VSN Fee of $170/$236 - you can opt out and just keep VSN but you will have to pay separate transaction fees, will not receive additional exchange opportunities and services they MVC exchange company and will be automatically assigned Owner membership level in VSN and will not receive any benefits as a grandfathered elite member such as reservation windows, bonvoy status etc.

My club dues and MFs haven't posted for any of my ownerships yet and I have a couple of VGV 1 BR weeks. Where did you see these posted?

 

[sponger76]

I also notice Club Dues Posted.
Owner/Select $230
Executive/Presidential $270
Chairman $295
This eliminates a La carte fees such as banking points, reservation cancelation, conversion to Bonvoy, II exchange fees and includes VSN member and II membership

This is replacing VSN Fee of $170/$236 - you can opt out and just keep VSN but you will have to pay separate transaction fees, will not receive additional exchange opportunities and services they MVC exchange company and will be automatically assigned Owner membership level in VSN and will not receive any benefits as a grandfathered elite member such as reservation windows, bonvoy status etc.

My club dues and MFs haven't posted for any of my ownerships yet and I have a couple of VGV 1 BR weeks. Where did you see these posted?

Yeah, when I saw that I got excited and went to check Vistana only to see no club dues as of yet.

 

[GrayFal]

My club dues and MFs haven't posted for any of my ownerships yet and I have a couple of VGV 1 BR weeks. Where did you see these posted?

I should have specified, It was included in the mailing for the annual meeting and is listed on the bottom of the sheet with the proposed maintenance fees

 

[GrayFal]

 

[sponger76]

I should have specified, It was included in the mailing for the annual meeting and is listed on the bottom of the sheet with the proposed maintenance fees

Yeah, the amounts were already listed in the Abound information previously put out by MVC/Vistana. Everyone's just waiting to see when they actually post to our accounts and become due. For me, this is mainly because it means we're that much closer to launch where we can start mucking around in the system and see what the reality is vs all the speculation.

 

[GrayFal]

Yeah, the amounts were already listed in the Abound information previously put out by MVC/Vistana. Everyone's just waiting to see when they actually post to our accounts and become due. For me, this is mainly because it means we're that much closer to launch where we can start mucking around in the system and see what the reality is vs all the speculation.

I am also a Marriott owner and Club dues are billed end of November due 12/10 each year. I am waiting to see what ownership mine will be attached to. I believe last year as select level it was $210 but would have to check. I have two Marriott enrolled weeks and one post 2010 resale.

 

[bobpark56]

Snorkelers Beware...Haulover Beach North is no longer worth visiting. 6 years ago (before Irma) snorkeling there was like snorkeling in a coral garden. Most of the hard coral is now dead, covered or sprinkled with sand. Some fan coral and other uprights remain, but not to the extent they used to have. So don't wast your time here. Did see one eel, though.

 

[marriottdude]

Quick WSJ question for Tuggers in this thread. Has anyone rented a dingy from WSJ? Do you know how far you can go with it? Specifically, can you visit the beaches on the north shore if it has the range? Thanks

 

[DavidnRobin]

Quick WSJ question for Tuggers in this thread. Has anyone rented a dingy from WSJ? Do you know how far you can go with it? Specifically, can you visit the beaches on the north shore if it has the range? Thanks

Not sure about WSJ, but friends rented from Low Key Watersports (Cruz Bay) in July and went all the way to WaterLemon.
I would assume same for WSJ rental (CruzBay Watersports?)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bobpark56]

Snorkelers Beware...Haulover Beach North is no longer worth visiting. 6 years ago (before Irma) snorkeling there was like snorkeling in a coral garden. Most of the hard coral is now dead, covered or sprinkled with sand. Some fan coral and other uprights remain, but not to the extent they used to have. So don't wast your time here. Did see one eel, though.

Update: My granddaughter reports that Maho Bay is much better than Haulover North for snorkeling this year. They saw 6 turtles, a barracuda, a shark, an eel and numerous other fishes.

 

[GrayFal]

Update: My granddaughter reports that Maho Bay is much better than Haulover North for snorkeling this year. They saw 6 turtles, a barracuda, a shark, an eel and numerous other fishes.

We did well there last October Very nice beach and snorkeling

 

[GrayFal]

October 2022 Dear Fellow Owners, The Board of Managers of the Coral Vista Vacation Owners and Coral Vista Condominium Associations met on September 14th to review resort operations and address the 2023 draft budget. Here is a recap of the board meeting, the budget workshop, and an opportunity to share information with you about what is happening at the resort. Budget Workshop Every year the boards meet with management to discuss the finances of the resort and the associations. We give input on the budget throughout September and October, with a target date of finalizing the budget by the end of October. Maintenance fee statements are sent out in early December, and 2023 maintenance fees are due in early January. There are a number of challenges with this year’s budget. As we review the budget proposal, our goal is to provide you with the same level of services as you have known at The Westin St. John Resort Villas in years past. Understaffing challenges in key operational areas and retention of current staff is our primary concern. Anticipated hotel openings in St. Thomas will put additional pressure on the pool of available workers and on wage increases. Our resort runs at a very high occupancy rate. The Management Company, therefore, has needed to add additional staff. St. John is at a disadvantage as there is a significant shortage of affordable housing on the island. As a result of the 2017 hurricanes, many former long-term rental sites have converted to short-term, higher priced rentals. This puts pressure on where our associates can afford to live and has impacted the entire service industry in St. John. Many of our associates live on St. Thomas and commute to the resort and home each day by ferry service. Insurance costs continue to increase year over year. As a result, we expect double-digit premium increases again this year, putting additional pressure on our operating budget. Accounts receivable are also a challenge. Even a small percentage increase in delinquent maintenance fee accounts has a negative impact on resort revenues of tens of thousands of dollars. Please make every effort to pay your maintenance fees on time. Utility costs are another driver of increases. Electricity costs in the Virgin Islands are extremely high. You can help all of us by closing your villa doors while the air conditioning is running. Don’t let air-conditioned air escape. This helps reduce usage and lower the cost of operations. Pool towels are a significant expense item as well. Towels do wear out from normal usage. However, we experience a significant volume of towel loss each month. Please return towels that you take to a beach, on boat excursions, and transport in rental cars or taxis. This is an area, like electric costs, where we can all be part of the solution to help to control costs. The Board and Management team are working hard to keep maintenance fee increases to a reasonable level in consideration of the significant challenges we will continue to face in 2023. Overall, we are facing an anticipated increase of approximately 9.8% for 2023. This is the average increase and will vary depending on the points package you own. We are living through a time of high inflation and island life is more impacted than life at home. We appreciate your understanding of the context in which the budgets and maintenance fees are set. Resort Operations COVID-19 Update – It is nice to write that COVID-19 is not currently the predominant issue facing the U.S. Virgin Islands. Travel restrictions have lessened. Cases are at very low levels. But this can change at any time, so please check for updates from the USVI as your travel dates approach. The resort is no longer seeking an external food service vendor for Lemongrass. Staff shortage challenges impact our ability to move from buffet service to ala carte menus. Lemongrass is open daily for buffet breakfast. It offers themed buffet dinners two nights each week and is planning to expand its offerings in the fall. Snorkels will continue to be open for lunch and dinner every day. As more staff becomes available, the menu will expand there as well. The Mango Deli continues to offer its variety of food throughout the day. We are happy to report that the Lemongrass bar will be reopening soon. The spa is scheduled to reopen this fall. The workout facility is fully open. The Westin® Family Kids Club has also reopened. Guest satisfaction survey results continue to show a high level of owner satisfaction. Room readiness is a continuing area of improvement. Our management team understands the frustration of arriving after a long day of travel and not having your room ready. They appreciate your patience. Staffing challenges continue to impact room readiness, as mentioned above. Please check out on time so that the housekeeping team can get into the villas and start the cleaning process as early as possible. Midweek tidies have returned. Recycling has come to St. John! There are new recycling bins that have been available for use since April. The program started at the pool area and the Main Lobby area and will expand to outside the villa areas in the future. More containers are on order. Please take advantage of this opportunity to help lower costs and do good for St. John and our planet. Supply chain issues continue to make it difficult, and management seems to have a good handle on dealing with these issues. As was previously communicated to all owners, two board seats for Coral Vista Vacation Owners Association and one for Coral Vista Condominium Association are up for election at the next Annual Meeting. The nominating committee will review applications and interview candidates who may then be placed on the ballot for the annual meeting next March. Please review the application communication for details if you are interested in applying. Coral Vista Vacation Owners Association, LLC and Coral Vista Condominium Association, LLC, will hold their next meeting in late October and we will report to you again after that session. Other Items We have asked management to look into the ferry service and the possibilities of more service in the middle of the day to St. Thomas to reduce wait times at the airport. Also, the management team is exploring using a port location closer to the airport to reduce the ground transportation time to transfer to the ferry. We will let you know what we learn. We have also asked management to look into adding more umbrellas around the pool deck. There is concern over the amount of sand that is getting into the pool. Please use the showers between the beach and the pool to rinse off both yourselves and beach toys. We, your owner-elected Board of Managers of Coral Vista Vacation Owners Association, LLC and Coral Vista Condominium Association, LLC, are honored to serve you and happy to answer your questions and concerns. Sincerely, Sharon Brumley Sharon.coralvista@gmail.com Mark Schultz Mark.coralvista@gmail.com Jim Miller jimmiller@virginc.net Nancy Gerding Nancy.coralvista@gmail.com David Futransky David.coralvista@gmail.com You have received this message as part of your vacation ownership. Please do not reply directly to this system-generated email. Contact Vistana Management, Inc. online or at 9002 San Marco Court, Orlando, Florida 32819. ©2022 Marriott Vacation Club International. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement | Terms & Conditions | 10586 | 20A | 22-403-1864000