Westin St. John [Master Thread]

[DavidnRobin]

We own a week in a one bedroom at WSJ and won't be able to go this year. We have considered selling, but I wanted to know how easy it would be to rent and how much could I expect to get? We are paid up for 2009 and I was considering selling, but if I could rent it for my maintenance fees (or close to it) I would just keep it.

I hope this is the correct spot to post this, if not, sorry.

I appreciate your advise.

It is not a good time to sell a TS - I would advise only doing so if you cannot afford to keep it. Renting is possible, but you need to be smart and proactive about it - and be reasonable in your expecations on what you will get for it - it is a niche market.

 

[joeamyaloha]

Thanks for the reply. Feel this is counter to the sale pitch. It was all about
the great "flexibility" of the Starwood family. I am from Chicago and never had intentions to goto HI every year.

Thanks for the pointer into Harborside. Actually will be visiting next week - 2/21 - 2/28.

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks for the reply. Feel this is counter to the sale pitch. It was all about
the great "flexibility" of the Starwood family.

Yeah....you can believe about half of what the told you!

For lots of info. about how Starwood (really) works, check out the FAQ at the top of the board.

 

[tlpnet]

I do think SVN availability has opened up with BV opening - since there seem to be more reports of successful SVN exchanges (e.g. LisaRex getting a SVN exchange).

I think LisaRex and the few others were very very lucky. I can usually be flexible in vacation planning, and decided this would be a good year to go to WSJ twice. Just two days ago, I had a very pleasant 45 minute conversation with a reservation agent while her computer was checking every unit size for availability between now and the 8-month reservation window at WSJ, and there were precisely ZERO units available.

I do believe there was a window of availability when people were able to exchange in, but I think that window closed when they started the renovations and had to use the open weeks to put VG owners in.

-tim

 

[LisaRex]

Tim,

I do consider myself lucky for nabbing a platinum plus week but I found it very odd that my building seemed almost empty when we were there! Now perhaps we simply missed each other, but there was very little evidence of other people -- no sounds coming from adjoining units, no lights in the rooms as we passed, no garbage or luggage sitting outside the rooms, no people looking out their balcony, very few people grilling. We never had difficulty getting a tennis court nor did we have trouble finding 4 lounge chairs together at the pool. There was no wait at the poolside bar. Only once did we meet someone else in the elevator.

So I'm a little puzzled why there were only two units available when I called at 8 months out when it's pretty obvious that it was pretty empty. Do owners pay their MFs and not use them? There was one couple we met who were staying for 2 weeks. Their friend, an investment banker in Boston, owned 3 weeks and could only stay for 1 so he offered up the other 2 weeks for the cost of MFs. So maybe some owners are wealthy enough to just write off the cost of MFs and not be bothered renting...

***

In any event, I'm sure you've already done this, but have you tried Friday or Sunday check-in?

 

[tlpnet]

In any event, I'm sure you've already done this, but have you tried Friday or Sunday check-in?

Actually although they haven't given us online reservations yet, they have enhanced the reservations system that the reservationists use. It used to be that they could only search a few months at a time with limited parameters. They can now make expanded queries which cover the entire bookable period for F/S/S checkin in all unit types. They have learned what queries take forever to run, and break them down to make them run faster. That is why it took 45 minutes to run the queries to search everything available.

You're definitely not the first person to observe lack of people. I haven't ever stayed in BV, but I have noticed that it seems that there are units not occupied in VG when I've been there also. I suspect you may be right - it's always been relatively expensive to purchase there, and many units were sold as fractional (even more expensive). Possibly some of the owners are wealthy enough to just not care.

-tim

 

[DavidnRobin]

This has been exactly my observation - plenty of empty villas for 3 years now. I have even had this discussion with other people while staying there - asking them how they got their units - and few have been Owners (I tell these about TUG) - mostly people renting from Owners - renting from WSJ - and/or upgraded from the Hotel.

Perhaps there are those with too much money (but why would they own a measily studio?).

btw - villas have 1 down week for repairs. Have Owners really been shifted from VG to BV villas? I haven't heard of this - nor have I seen this reported. I would be pissed if when we arrived in June - we were shifted to BV - I do not believe that by contract they are allowed to do this - they can shift us to another 2Bd TH in the VG section - but BV is operated as another resort and the villas are not equilvalent. {not that the villas aren't nice - for us it would be not be able to park in front of our unit and the lack of semi-private pool - this is a big downside of the BV section}

 

[tlpnet]

When they were replacing the carpet, furniture, and painting, the units were down for more than a week at at time. I also own a pool villa, and when I was there in October, they were closing down one building at a time. I spoke to maintenance folks as well as others there, and they told me that owners that showed up and were put in BV were NOT happy. I agree - I'll be really disappointed if when I get there in October, I can't be in my villa. However, if they are replacing kitchens, baths, and roofs, it's certainly going to take longer than a week.

-tim

 

[olivias dad]

I hope the renovations are worth the higher maintenance fees. From what I've heard, more people have been complaining about higher MF's vs. their newly renovated units...

 

[DavidnRobin]

Live Blog from STJ

http://islandgirl.typepad.com/stjohnusvi/

live someone's vacation real (island) time - great photos - gives you a great flavor of visiting this area.
{and helps to answer the question "Would I enjoy STJ?"}

 

[DavidnRobin]

STT-STJ Pubic Ferry cost change

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17634613

 

[DavidnRobin]

American Eagle adding flights to VI

http://www.caribbea.net/index.pl/article_home?id=17634819

 

[olivias dad]

Is it worth taking the Westin Ferry? It seems to be far more expensive than the Red Hook Ferry. Plus we plan on renting a vehicle in Cruzy Bay then just drive to the Westin? I;ve heard they rent vehicles at the Westin as well, any thoughts?

 

[DavidnRobin]

Is it worth taking the Westin Ferry? It seems to be far more expensive than the Red Hook Ferry. Plus we plan on renting a vehicle in Cruzy Bay then just drive to the Westin? I;ve heard they rent vehicles at the Westin as well, any thoughts?

We have done it both ways - we now choose to take the Westin Ferry and rent at O'Connors at the Westin - convenience vs. expense - YMMV

 

[Loriannf]

With kids, highly recommend Westin Ferry

It's less crowded, and you're taken directly to your villa. If you do Red Hook/Charlotte Amalie ferry, you'll leave the airport in a crowded safari taxi, stop several places on the way to the dock, join in the mad rush to buy tickets (price just went up to about $8/person each way), pay to have your bags loaded (charged per bag), ride a crowded ferry, arrive in Cruz Bay, mad rush to get off the ferry and reclaim your bags, stand in line for a taxi or walk over to get your rental (more time), then drive to the Westin, check in, and then head to your villa.

The Westin ferry also allows you to travel back and forth to St Thomas at no additional cost.

We also rent from O'Connor's at the Westin and have been happy with their service and the relatively new fleet of vehicles.

When you add up the cost, it really only saves you about $10/person to take the Red Hook ferry (assuming Westin owner rates) and the Westin one is much nicer and the overall travel time can be quite a bit shorter.

Just our opinion from years of traveling back and forth from WSJ with a now 7 year old.

Lori

 

[islandguy]

Is it worth taking the Westin Ferry? It seems to be far more expensive than the Red Hook Ferry. Plus we plan on renting a vehicle in Cruzy Bay then just drive to the Westin? I;ve heard they rent vehicles at the Westin as well, any thoughts?

I'm a big fan of renting a car or jeep at the aiport and driving to red hook and taking the car ferry. It is much cheeper than the westin ferry or the taxi/ferry or renting on St. John.

I go at least twice a year and I rent at the ariport every time. In fact I'm going in 12 days to the Westin in STJ and I've got my car reserved with Budget.

Plus you can shop at the box stores on St. Thomas prior to going over and save on food.

Just another opinion.

 

[Carolyn]

I'm a big fan of renting a car or jeep at the aiport and driving to red hook and taking the car ferry. It is much cheeper than the westin ferry or the taxi/ferry or renting on St. John.

I go at least twice a year and I rent at the ariport every time. In fact I'm going in 12 days to the Westin in STJ and I've got my car reserved with Budget.

Plus you can shop at the box stores on St. Thomas prior to going over and save on food.

Just another opinion.

Just be aware not all STT car rental companies let you take the car to St. John. Also you are on your own if the STT rental vehicke breaks down on St. John

Carolyn

 

[islandguy]

Friday I'm off to STJ for a week and then STT for a week. We have a studio at STJ and I called Starwood to see if they had a 1 bdr or 2 bdr I could upgrade to -- no such luck--even if I paid the upgrade points. They said that once a person converts their week to hotel points it comes out of the timeshare inventory and becomes rental or hotel use. So I guess that is why so many empty units all the time.

Flight gets in at 1PM so I will drive to a few stores on STT and get the food, wine, and rum. Then its off for the 15 min ferry ride to STJ and a week of water days and sand gravity.

The second week we will be on STT near the Ritz (Elysian) so it is a total of two weeks of relaxing on a great set of islands. Going to enjoy Roberts the beach restaurant and bar on STT. Carnival is going on so I will do a couple of days watching the locals enjoy their music and dance. Fireworks on STT the 2nd of May.

If anyone wants info on STJ I attempt to get the answer. Let me know.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Lucky you. ~6 more weeks for us...

I doubt WSJ VG are converting their VOI SOs to SPs - I say this because ours is worth 22K SPs - that's right - not a typo - a 81K 2bd/3Ba WSJ TH (Gold Plus) is only worth 22,000 SPs (no thanks) - and MFs for the next 3 years are going to run at ~$2500 and taxes will be around $280/yr (once billed) - talk about a lousy conversion (hard to find a worse SO-SP conversion) - luckly they increased the SOs in 2009.

you have to really love STJ to put up with this (we do) - luckily we have another couple tavelling with us to offset the costs. Non-Westin villa rentals are now much cheaper than renting at WSJ..

 

[DavidnRobin]

USVI Photo Contest

http://www.sharemyusvi.com/en/home/home

some nice photos (by locals) of the USVI

 

[applekor]

Lucky you. ~6 more weeks for us...

I doubt WSJ VG are converting their VOI SOs to SPs - I say this because ours is worth 22K SPs - that's right - not a typo - a 81K 2bd/3Ba WSJ TH (Gold Plus) is only worth 22,000 SPs (no thanks) - and MFs for the next 3 years are going to run at ~$2500 and taxes will be around $280/yr (once billed) - talk about a lousy conversion (hard to find a worse SO-SP conversion) - luckly they increased the SOs in 2009.

you have to really love STJ to put up with this (we do) - luckily we have another couple tavelling with us to offset the costs. Non-Westin villa rentals are now much cheaper than renting at WSJ..

I'm with you David, We get a whopping 25,000 sp for our 3 bd pool villa in bld 44. We can actually stay one night at the St Regis in NY with that! Oh sorry , no we cant. I guess we will just have to use it for seven nights in St John.

 

[DavidnRobin]

Recent (4/22/09) Thread on WSJ/STJ

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?p=708963#post708963

 

[DavidnRobin]

AA is requesting arriving at STT 6 hours before boarding

{oops - I meant 4 hours - DeniseM - can you change this?}

No joke.

I got this tidbit from "News of STJ" which I follow on Twitter.

http://www.newsofstjohn.com/

Amazing - and goes for another reason as to why I will not fly AA to/from STT if i can avoid it.

The reason... the inept AA workers and AA check-in system at STT.

 

[DavidnRobin]

STJ trip report with photos.
http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=998249&an=0&page=0#Post998249

 

[tomandrobin]

{oops - I meant 4 hours - DeniseM - can you change this?}

No joke.

I got this tidbit from "News of STJ" which I follow on Twitter.

http://www.newsofstjohn.com/

Amazing - and goes for another reason as to why I will not fly AA to/from STT if i can avoid it.

The reason... the inept AA workers and AA check-in system at STT.

Wow....That is crazy.

We had a major problem with our scheduled flights for our June trip, flying with Continental. We booked our airfare in the fall and in Feb they rescheduled our Friday flight to a Saturday flight. Luckly, we caught the change in schedule and was able to switch airlines and airports (which is another story).