Time2Ponder
TUG Member
Well, DH and I (I've been a lurker for over a year) just returned (sniff, sniff) from a wonderful two-week stay at WKORV (arranged through private exchange; first week in OV studio, second week in OV 1BR). During our *spectacular* trip (during which I gained at leats 10 pounds!), we went to two presentations -- the Marriott Lahaina Villas one, and the WKORV-N one.
The Marriott one was okay. The guy, John, seemed friendly enough, and it was very low-pressure. Our one complaint was that he kept dissing the Westin product as opposed to trying to sell the Marriott product.
We were scheduled to attended the WKORV-N one at 11:30 but actually arrived at 11:45. Still, we thought, no problem: Get out by 1:15. grab some lunch, and continue on with the rest of our day and evening (during which we planned to shop and do Warren and Annabelle's). Anyway, this was, hands down, the worst presentation we have ever endured.
Let me first say that we had every intention of buying going in -- we just love the Westin product that much. In fact, when we did our bathroom remodels, we installed Westin Heavenly Showers in them. We were already sold on the product, and made this abundantly clear to our initial presenter, Vaughn Von Bussenius. We simply wanted to know how the Starwood system worked. Exchanges we understand, etc. (We own a purely points-based system now.)
Anyway, Vaughn made absolutely no accomodation for our knowledge level -- he insisted on going through the entirety of his spiel (including property values in Maui, his own exchange experiences from 20 years ago, and the fact that it is *crucial* that you take vacations -- he knows this because his own father, who was a famous engineer, died in his arms when he was only 21 [he mentioned this *four* separate times]). This all took about an hour and a half.
We said we were interested in looking at prices and incentives, whereupon Garrett Hall came in. He basically repeated all the same stuff that Vaughn already had -- despite the fact that we mentioned at least four times that we were hungry and getting grumpy and irritable. When we finally said that we wanted to go eat, he dangled the "sign-up-now" bonuses in front of us. He also said that he *could not* give us any information or brochures to take with us so that we could try to better understand the program. (He also said that we could not participate in SVO if we purchased resale.) He said the only way we could get that stuff was if we signed up. So frustrated were we that we did just that. I threw the credit card on the table and said we'd be back in half an hour -- just have the paperwork ready so that we could sign and go about our day.
So, half an our later, empowered by our caloric intake, we went and signed. But we didn't feel good about it. In fact, as that day and the next wore on, we felt worse and worse about it -- especially the way we were treated. So, the next AM, we sent out our letter of recission to FL. Then, we arranged to speak to the manager about our treatment. The manager, Gordy DeSmet, was very nice and apologetic. He said that we would be sure to receive top-notch treatment if we decided to go ahead and take the plunge -- he would personally assure it.
In the meantime, however, we have had an offer accepted on an OF resale; as far as I can see, the only thing we lose are the Starpoints -- which look like they might be devalued anyway. So, in the end, I think things worked out all right.
I just wish they had been nicer during the presentation -- we would have purchased from them. But we just kept saying, "We just bought a timeshare; we should feel ecstatic, not battered, abused and bruised. Something's wrong with that." We had to honor what our instinct was telling us.
Kim
The Marriott one was okay. The guy, John, seemed friendly enough, and it was very low-pressure. Our one complaint was that he kept dissing the Westin product as opposed to trying to sell the Marriott product.
We were scheduled to attended the WKORV-N one at 11:30 but actually arrived at 11:45. Still, we thought, no problem: Get out by 1:15. grab some lunch, and continue on with the rest of our day and evening (during which we planned to shop and do Warren and Annabelle's). Anyway, this was, hands down, the worst presentation we have ever endured.
Let me first say that we had every intention of buying going in -- we just love the Westin product that much. In fact, when we did our bathroom remodels, we installed Westin Heavenly Showers in them. We were already sold on the product, and made this abundantly clear to our initial presenter, Vaughn Von Bussenius. We simply wanted to know how the Starwood system worked. Exchanges we understand, etc. (We own a purely points-based system now.)
Anyway, Vaughn made absolutely no accomodation for our knowledge level -- he insisted on going through the entirety of his spiel (including property values in Maui, his own exchange experiences from 20 years ago, and the fact that it is *crucial* that you take vacations -- he knows this because his own father, who was a famous engineer, died in his arms when he was only 21 [he mentioned this *four* separate times]). This all took about an hour and a half.
We said we were interested in looking at prices and incentives, whereupon Garrett Hall came in. He basically repeated all the same stuff that Vaughn already had -- despite the fact that we mentioned at least four times that we were hungry and getting grumpy and irritable. When we finally said that we wanted to go eat, he dangled the "sign-up-now" bonuses in front of us. He also said that he *could not* give us any information or brochures to take with us so that we could try to better understand the program. (He also said that we could not participate in SVO if we purchased resale.) He said the only way we could get that stuff was if we signed up. So frustrated were we that we did just that. I threw the credit card on the table and said we'd be back in half an hour -- just have the paperwork ready so that we could sign and go about our day.
So, half an our later, empowered by our caloric intake, we went and signed. But we didn't feel good about it. In fact, as that day and the next wore on, we felt worse and worse about it -- especially the way we were treated. So, the next AM, we sent out our letter of recission to FL. Then, we arranged to speak to the manager about our treatment. The manager, Gordy DeSmet, was very nice and apologetic. He said that we would be sure to receive top-notch treatment if we decided to go ahead and take the plunge -- he would personally assure it.
In the meantime, however, we have had an offer accepted on an OF resale; as far as I can see, the only thing we lose are the Starpoints -- which look like they might be devalued anyway. So, in the end, I think things worked out all right.
I just wish they had been nicer during the presentation -- we would have purchased from them. But we just kept saying, "We just bought a timeshare; we should feel ecstatic, not battered, abused and bruised. Something's wrong with that." We had to honor what our instinct was telling us.
Kim
