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

[Eric B]

Thanks for the assessment. That’s sad to see. I wonder if it has anything to do with the competition for labor between the two islands. Maybe some of the best staff has already left to go work on STT and you’re seeing the staff that remains. I know last year the maintenance fee statement specificity cited increases for wage due to competition. Feedback might be worth bringing up to the GM if he’ll listen.

Last visit, the management at WSJ discussed the competition due to the opening of the Westin Frenchman's Reef on STT. It's possible that some of the best staff went there - we ate dinner at the Lunamar restaurant and were quite unimpressed with the wait staff until a couple of evening shift bartenders that knew what they were doing showed up. Not sure how the bar or restaurant service was at WSJ before the hurricanes but the wait staff there has been more attentive to us as diners then we experienced at STT so I don't believe it was a competition issue.

 

[ljmiii]

I see from the conversation between @sharr7, @GrayFal, and @wjarcher that Weeks 51 and 52 at the WSJ are not considered event weeks and follow the normal Vistana Home Resort reservation calendar. Did anyone here book Week 53 in 2022 (Dec 31–Jan 7) and if so were you able to use your Platinum Plus Week (or Diamond Home Options)?

 

[Eric B]

In Virgin Grand, all of the weeks were sold as fixed week, fixed units, including weeks 51 and 52. As a result they don't follow Christmas or New Years. I own a week 51 studio and my week is a Sunday check in (VGV has Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), so I had December 17-24. I was not able to book week 53.

What it says about week 53 in the VSN rules is the following from section 3.1:

In those calendar years when Vacation Period 53 occurs (as defined in the Resort Documents for a given Network Resort), Vacation Period 53 may be reserved for use by the person to whom such use is assigned pursuant to the Network Affiliation Agreement or the Resort Documents. It may also be assigned to an External Exchange Company; however, Vacation Period 53 may not be deposited with the Network, no StarOptions will be assigned to Vacation Period 53, and it may not be converted to Loyalty Program Points.

My understanding is that they never sold any rights to book week 53 at WSJ VGV. I have seen those sorts of rights included with ownership of week 52 at other resorts. Based on the paragraph above, I don't think week 53 ever appears as such in the VSN and the inventory of units with availability during week 53 is considered unsold inventory that the developer can use for whatever purpose it wants (e.g., rental). I haven't combed through the resort documents to deeply to verify all of that, though, but there doesn't seem to be a listing of week 53 in any of the weeks for the seasons at any of the resorts on the StarOptions chart.

 

[GrayFal]

I see from the conversation between @sharr7, @GrayFal, and @wjarcher that Weeks 51 and 52 at the WSJ are not considered event weeks and follow the normal Vistana Home Resort reservation calendar. Did anyone here book Week 53 in 2022 (Dec 31–Jan 7) and if so were you able to use your Platinum Plus Week (or Diamond Home Options)?

@mpizza was able to reserve week 52 in Coral Vista using Diamond season HomeOptions. The year she did, she stayed week 52, week 1 using HO from two different years.

 

[ljmiii]

@mpizza was able to reserve week 52 in Coral Vista using Diamond season HomeOptions. The year she did, she stayed week 52, week 1 using HO from two different years.

Thank you!

 

[tborr123]

Does the bus from the St. Thomas airport to the Westin ferry boat accommodate baby car seats? If not is there an alternative transportation that does? TIA

 

[GrayFal]

Does the bus from the St. Thomas airport to the Westin ferry boat accommodate baby car seats? If not is there an alternative transportation that does? TIA

Suggest you reach out to the concierge at the Westin. We have taken the bus (in November) but we can't recall if there are seat belts.

 

[Mcrobot]

Looking for guidance from this group. I own and am trying to book a resale 2BR Bay Vista platinum plus for the first time in Feb 2025. Even at 12am eastern I am getting zero results. And zero results for all of January as well. Is this normal? If so what’s the trick to get a week? When I booked in 2023 for April 2024, there was availability for multiple weeks.

 

[dioxide45]

Looking for guidance from this group. I am trying to book a resale 2BR Bay Vista for the first time in Feb 2025 and even at 12am eastern I am getting zero results. And zero results for all of January as well. Is this normal? If so what’s the trick to get a week? When I booked last year for April of this year, there was availability for multiple weeks.

How can you book at 12 months out if all you own is Nanea?

 

[Mcrobot]

I own resale 2BR bay vista. Clarified my post.

 

[dioxide45]

I own resale 2BR bay vista. Clarified my post.

You may also want to update the Resorts Owned section in your profile. I was looking under your username which led me to think you only owned Nanea.

 

[polly0014]

Good morning! Trying to find updated information for transportation. I called the resort and got current pricing for the Westin Ferry. ($130 RT for owners). It's been years since we took the Westin Ferry. They used to transport you from the airport to the dock by Tickles restaurant. Is this still the case or do they take you to catch the westin ferry by red hook? Thanks for any current insight.

 

[GrayFal]

Good morning! Trying to find updated information for transportation. I called the resort and got current pricing for the Westin Ferry. ($130 RT for owners). It's been years since we took the Westin Ferry. They used to transport you from the airport to the dock by Tickles restaurant. Is this still the case or do they take you to catch the westin ferry by red hook? Thanks for any current insight.

Redhook

 

[okwiater]

Looking for guidance from this group. I own and am trying to book a resale 2BR Bay Vista platinum plus for the first time in Feb 2025. Even at 12am eastern I am getting zero results. And zero results for all of January as well. Is this normal? If so what’s the trick to get a week? When I booked in 2023 for April 2024, there was availability for multiple weeks.

The trick is to keep trying, at midnight, exactly 12 months out. Marriott often fails to load inventory on time so you’ll see no results until some time later, and on other occasions they incorrectly code the Villa finder to hide results from people who in fact have deeded or contracted usage rights. They also seem to gobble up or artificially hold back inventory that owners should have access to. It’s BS but they control all the levers and dials so you have to play by their rules.

 

[Red elephant]

The trick is to keep trying, at midnight, exactly 12 months out. Marriott often fails to load inventory on time so you’ll see no results until some time later, and on other occasions they incorrectly code the Villa finder to hide results from people who in fact have deeded or contracted usage rights. They also seem to gobble up or artificially hold back inventory that owners should have access to. It’s BS but they control all the levers and dials so you have to play by their rules.

I am beginning to think something is very unusual . For the first time I cannot book studio unit in Sunset Bay 12 months out. Only 2 bedrooms are available. I have been going there staying 15 days for some years now and all of a sudden no studios available!!!

 

[Red elephant]

Looking for guidance from this group. I own and am trying to book a resale 2BR Bay Vista platinum plus for the first time in Feb 2025. Even at 12am eastern I am getting zero results. And zero results for all of January as well. Is this normal? If so what’s the trick to get a week? When I booked in 2023 for April 2024, there was availability for multiple weeks.

I am having the same issue trying to book studio for Sunset Bay.

 

[okwiater]

They also seem to have removed the ability to float VGV units within their season between 8-10 months. The villa finder used to support this and I would consistently see results. They broke that a couple years ago and never fixed it.

 

[Eric B]

They also seem to have removed the ability to float VGV units within their season between 8-10 months. The villa finder used to support this and I would consistently see results. They broke that a couple years ago and never fixed it.

I've noticed that as well. Of particular note, though, I've been able to book WSJ weeks at the 12 month point through Abound, including sizes/unit types I don't own. This really seems to devalue actual ownership there, though I do still like having my fixed VGV weeks as a certainty.

 

[cubigbird]

If Sunset Bay owners are unable to book home options 12 months out that’s a major problem and going to lead to trouble. Owners have to be able to book their ownership.

 

[Red elephant]

If Sunset Bay owners are unable to book home options 12 months out that’s a major problem and going to lead to trouble. Owners have to be able to book their ownership.

This is the first time and I am truly disturbed that I cannot book a studio only 2 bedrooms available .we never use the 2 bedroom only studio for 15 days. 14 +1 . I will try again next week.

 

[cubigbird]

We own Sunset Bay and stayed recently. At exactly 12 months out last year we tried booking a 3 bedroom and none ever showed up. Inventory never became available. I was able to book separately a 2 bedroom + a studio at 12 months out and later convince the resort to link them together to essentially manually make up a 3 bedroom. Of course it was 2 reservations so I got to pay the USVI nightly $25 tax x2. I suspect whatever 3 bedroom inventory exists MVC also held back and was not made available for HomeOptions booking.

 

[okwiater]

A positive update on the Caneel Bay lawsuit:

Court Rules: Caneel Bay Resort Belongs to the U.S. Government

Caneel Bay Resort on St. John belongs to the U.S. government, the V.I. District Court has ruled, ending a long-running lawsuit by EHI Acquisitions, the company that had operated the luxury hotel property since 2004 and sought to take title to the land and its improvements.

stthomassource.com

 

[Eric B]

Lately some quite decent availability has been showing up in Abound at WSJ. Right now there's a Coral Vista 2 BR towards the end of April that's available for a week; thee was just a 2 BR Loft there for a week but someone reserved it. I'm kind of happy about it since I'm working both sides but do think it's devaluing my actual ownership there since I can't even float a fixed week between 8 and 10 months there. It does give me access to different unit types at 12 months as a diligent follower of the availability and I'm happy to use my cheaper Abound points to get it.

 

[tborr123]

When I stayed at my Grand Villas unit last year I bought (okay, I was sold) a 5 night (Explorer?) package I am using this year. I was able to have the dates next to my week this year. I am embarrassed to say I don't know who to contact to confirm my stay. It does not appear to be Marriott Bonvoy or Vistana. Does anyone know? TIA

 

[SandyPGravel]

Why can't they fix this. This happens year after year...

Re: Bay Vista Condominium – 2024 USVI Property Tax

Dear Owner,

We understand that the Office of the Tax Assessor of the United States Virgin Islands (“Tax Office”) recently issued the 2024 property tax bills for Bay Vista Condominium. The Tax Office acknowledges that all Bay Vista Condominium property tax bills should be sent to Westin Vacation Management Company, because your owner’s association (“Association”) is the agent for property tax payments. However, errors may be made in billing, and you may receive a bill directly from the Tax Office. Should you receive a 2024 property tax bill for your Bay Vista Vacation Ownership Interest (VOI) directly from the Tax Office, please disregard it and do not make a payment. No further action is required of you.

All VOI property tax payments for Bay Vista Condominium are handled by your Association. Please do not make any payments directly to the Tax Office, even if you receive a bill. You may discard any bills you may receive.

As a Bay Vista VOI Owner, you are billed for property taxes as part of your annual assessment from the Association. The Association remits payment to the Tax Office from the Association’s account on behalf of all Bay Vista VOI Owners. Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely,

Westin Vacation Management Company, Inc.