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Westin St. John [Master Thread]

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I have stayed in both BV and Hillside and definitely prefer Hillside (I love having my car right outside my door).
 
as do we - the ability to come and go quickly is worth the cost of the rental car
 
I'm looking forward to comparing both units. At our kids' ages, we chose BV because they like the big pools at resorts and wanted to be closer. But that 3BR with pool sounds tempting :)
 
ZoZo's

For those who care - ZoZo's is leaving Gallows Point and moving to Caneel Bay (taking over The Sugar Mill). Will be open in November (supposedly).
I hope the sunset view is as great. At least there be better parking, but many may not want to make the drive (short, but...).

http://www.on-stjohn.com/2013/07/09/zozos-heads-to-caneel-bay/
 
Float?

I may have misread or misunderstood, but I thought I saw several times in this thread that only BV was float? I've seen a bunch of ads, like this one, listing hillside float weeks for sale? :shrug:

Hillside 2br annual.81,000 star options. gold plus season. floats weeks 21-42. a+rated bbb accredited. over $10 million in starwood/westin resales and rentals.buy from the leader in westin/starwood resales and rentals. russell kanner, realtor, the timeshare king®. trust a realtor. thomas kay realty, inc. licensed real estate broker. email me today! tsk 1640
Click to expand...

Are these fixed/float weeks? Or are all of these listings just wrong?
 
czar said:
I may have misread or misunderstood, but I thought I saw several times in this thread that only BV was float? I've seen a bunch of ads, like this one, listing hillside float weeks for sale? :shrug:



Are these fixed/float weeks? Or are all of these listings just wrong?
Click to expand...

Not entirely wrong - Hillside villas can float (in theory). For example, I can try and switch my week for another week within my season between 8-10 months out (before SVN period). However, to do so an Owner of a similar villa (that also has a fixed week) during the same season needs to give up their week. So, they do not truly float. It can happen, but there have been no reports (that I recall hearing about) of this actually occurring. It may be possible to do this exchange if you want to move your week to Sept/Oct (for example), but moving to a better time is likely going to be very difficult. Also, there is lack of transparency of inventory. Meaning, if an Owner were to exchange their week as to become available - we have no idea if SVO/WSJ doesn't just grab that villa for their own usage (assumption...) versus put it into a float pool.

Being 4* Elite may help with finding an exchange (from a planning perspective) since a 4* can 'wait-list' while they are searching for another week (between 8-10 months out) which does allow for some flexibility.

I would treat the Hillside villa as Fixed (incl check-in day) because that it what is realistic. WSJ-VG (Hillside) sellers are using the 'float' in order to show flexibility - but this flexibility does not exist in reality. Caveat Emptor. They are not lying - just not being forthcoming.

As to BV villas - they sell them both as float and as fixed. Supposedly so many are held in the pool of villas as float. This gets away from the issue of what is observed on the Hillside where an Owner has a fixed week pre-determined. With BV the opportunity to float is realistic, but have been reports by some that they have been shut out when attempting to reserve a float week.

Hope this helps and makes sense.
 
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DavidnRobin said:
Not entirely wrong - Hillside villas can float (in theory). For example, I can try and switch my week for another week within my season between 8-10 months out (before SVN period). However, to do so an Owner of a similar villa (that also has a fixed week) during the same season needs to give up their week. So, they do not truly float. It can happen, but there have been no reports (that I recall hearing about) of this actually occurring. It may be possible to do this exchange if you want to move your week to Sept/Oct (for example), but moving to a better time is likely going to be very difficult. Also, there is lack of transparency of inventory. Meaning, if an Owner were to exchange their week as to become available - we have no idea if SVO/WSJ doesn't just grab that villa for their own usage (assumption...) versus put it into a float pool.

Being 4* Elite may help with finding an exchange (from a planning perspective) since a 4* can 'wait-list' while they are searching for another week (between 8-10 months out) which does allow for some flexibility.

I would treat the Hillside villa as Fixed (incl check-in day) because that it what is realistic.

As to BV villas - they sell them both as float and as fixed. Supposedly so many are held in the pool of villas as float. This gets away from the issue of what is observed on the Hillside where an Owner has a fixed week pre-determined. With BV the opportunity to float is realistic, but have been reports by some that they have been shut out when attempting to reserve a float week.

Hope this helps and makes sense.
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Very helpful as always. Thank you!
 
Not good! We are staying at Gallow's Point in November. Part of the reason that we chose it was so that we could eat at Zozo's every night without travel. Hopefully Zozo's will at least build a swim up bar at their new location :)

DavidnRobin said:
For those who care - ZoZo's is leaving Gallows Point and moving to Caneel Bay (taking over The Sugar Mill). Will be open in November (supposedly).
I hope the sunset view is as great. At least there be better parking, but many may not want to make the drive (short, but...).

http://www.on-stjohn.com/2013/07/09/zozos-heads-to-caneel-bay/
Click to expand...
 
WSJ-VGV (Hillside): Sign Up Now for Next Edition of Owner Directory

WSJ-VGV (Hillside) Owners - see below: This is the only SVO resort that has a Owner Directory - sign-up...

*****
Virgin Grand Villas - Sign Up Now for Next Edition of Owner Directory

Dear DAVID,

We appreciate your patience while work continues to progress on the Owner posting site. In the interim, a revised version of the Virgin Grand Villas-Voluntary Owner Directory will be published and made available in mid-August. If you wish to participate in this revised Directory, click on the link at the bottom of this email to be taken directly to a website especially developed to collect data for the Directory. Instructions on each page will walk you through the steps necessary for successful enrollment. Please be sure to read and carefully follow all instructions.

IMPORTANT: All Owners must submit their information using the link below in order to be included in the Directory.

The FINAL DATE to submit your information is Wednesday, July 31, 2013. Owners participating in the Directory will receive an email shortly thereafter which provides a link to access the Directory.

Click here to sign up for the Virgin Grand Villas - Voluntary Owner Directory.

Stay well,
SVO Management, Inc.
 
I just got the same note ... I only closed on my unit 2 days ago :)

What is the purpose of the directory ... is there any week trading that goes on between owners?
 
carpie99 said:
I just got the same note ... I only closed on my unit 2 days ago :)

What is the purpose of the directory ... is there any week trading that goes on between owners?
Click to expand...

It allows for communication for issues that concern the resort and HOA that is beyond the standard SVO communication. Helps with transparency. I post these these communications on this thread as I am pro-transparency and appreciative that it goes on at WSJ-VG (unlike any other SVO HOA).

I am not sure if it associated with owner-owner exchanges - don't recall. There is/was a site for this - not sure if it is used or not. Someone else may know (?).
 
DavidnRobin said:
It allows for communication for issues that concern the resort and HOA that is beyond the standard SVO communication. Helps with transparency. I post these these communications on this thread as I am pro-transparency and appreciative that it goes on at WSJ-VG (unlike any other SVO HOA).

I am not sure if it associated with owner-owner exchanges - don't recall. There is/was a site for this - not sure if it is used or not. Someone else may know (?).
Click to expand...

David, ... A directory is a directory for making direct contact. It provides unfiltered information. It is not a social media site for fostering discussion of issues by all concerned owners (using TUG-like aliases if they choose to do so). It's a way to advertise you will accept unsolicited information from those you do not know. I'm just not sure there is any direct connection between a list of owners and "transparency." Indirect possible connection, but no direct certain connection.

The WSJ VG directory will be woefully incomplete. Even when proxies for board elections are solicited, less than 15% are returned. Do you expect more when the request is for a release of your personal information (name, address, email address? maybe even phone number?)?

I would join a social media site designed for discussion of resort problems. (We are posting on TUG, aren't we?) I would not allow release of my personal information to any owner who felt a need to contact me about his/her perceived problems at the resort. I already get enough junk snail mail and email.

Do you know to whom Google sells your posting information and how many junk emails you derived from Google's sale? Sorry, a listing in a timeshare directory (semi-private or public) would not be something I'd be interested in.

I'm not telling anyone not to participate in the directory. Just be careful and consider whether a directory and off web site "participation" in information sharing is what you really want. Salty
 
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Confirmation!

Hello everyone,

This morning I lucked out and booked 8 months out to WSJ for March! It will only be a studio but grabbing anything in March at WSJ seems like a miracle and besides you are supposed to be outside anyways!
 
ajb116 said:
Hello everyone,

This morning I lucked out and booked 8 months out to WSJ for March! It will only be a studio but grabbing anything in March at WSJ seems like a miracle and besides you are supposed to be outside anyways!
Click to expand...

Congrats and thanks for the success story - always good to hear - enjoy your stay. Let us know how your vacation went.
 
ajb116 said:
Hello everyone,

This morning I lucked out and booked 8 months out to WSJ for March! It will only be a studio but grabbing anything in March at WSJ seems like a miracle and besides you are supposed to be outside anyways!
Click to expand...

Congrats!

And yes, that's a very hard reservation to make.
 
I just chanced upon the owner resale program posted by David above, which appears to expire tomorrow July 17. Given the shortness of time, can someone tell me if the prices for the 3 br platinum units good deals, even with closing costs? I realize they may already be sold. Thanks in advance.
 
ajb116 said:
Hello everyone,

This morning I lucked out and booked 8 months out to WSJ for March! It will only be a studio but grabbing anything in March at WSJ seems like a miracle and besides you are supposed to be outside anyways!
Click to expand...

Nice. Better luck than I had, that's for sure. I did finally get in just after labor day so will be at WSJ for the first time in less than six weeks. I got a 3Bd BV but would love to luck into a pool villa if by miracle one was open. We can't wait. Had a shot at a Harborside studio during peak 2014 time but passed on it opting to travel later in the spring, late April or May.
 
tborr123 said:
I just chanced upon the owner resale program posted by David above, which appears to expire tomorrow July 17. Given the shortness of time, can someone tell me if the prices for the 3 br platinum units good deals, even with closing costs? I realize they may already be sold. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

You have to be an Owner to buy these. As to 'good deal' - that really depends on multiple factors. Not as good that is seen sometimes by TS Brokers and eBay. When buying these - one really must factor in the week and villa they want because they are essentially fixed (including check-in day). Also, planned usage. Good price? Perhaps... Deal? Depends...
 
tomandrobin said:
Ok.....Where and when do they surf there?
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Wintertime - but relatively infrequent to have good surfing waves. I hear more surfing on Tortola. In June, it is like a lake - which I prefer while there. It would be a drag to have waves at the northside beaches.
Besides - plenty of waves here.
 
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