Opinion Wanted - worth buying WKV?

[dvcforus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvcforus]

After a few years in Seattle we really enjoy our trips to sunny AZ and are contempating buying at WKV where we have stayed. My father just stayed at Sheraton Desert Oasis and loved it as well. I am not well versed in Starwood and have only started reading, but it seems WKV is a mandatory resort meaning it has staroptions that transfer with a resale purchase.

My general questions are:
1. Is it worth buying at WKV for the Staroptions?
2. How hard is it to trade into Maui where we also love and frequently go?
3. Given the problems at Westins in Maui with maintenance fees, it is a risk generally to go with Westin?

TIA!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

After a few years in Seattle we really enjoy our trips to sunny AZ and are contemplating buying at WKV where we have stayed. My father just stayed at Sheraton Desert Oasis and loved it as well. I am not well versed in Starwood and have only started reading, but it seems WKV is a mandatory resort meaning it has StarOptions that transfer with a resale purchase.

My general questions are:
1. Is it worth buying at WKV for the StarOptions?
2. How hard is it to trade into Maui where we also love and frequently go?
3. Given the problems at Westins in Maui with maintenance fees, it is a risk generally to go with Westin?

TIA!

Hi DVC,
I have been the owner of 3 Starwood weeks and am now down to one = the reason I got rid of my ownerships was because Starwood took away the right of the owners to deposit their reserved week in II and RCI and instead make "generic deposits" that are not as valuable in these companies when trading outside of Starwood depending on where and when u own.

Example - Sheraton Broadway Plantation July 4th deposit in RCI gets 47-49 TPUs - the new "generic deposit" gets 23-25 TPUs....big difference.

BUT, this does not affect your Starwood to Starwood trading power in II - so a 1BR WKV would trade for a 2BR in Hawaii or Cancun or Atlantis or Myrtle Beach....this is why I kept one week as a Starwood to Starwood trader in II.

Getting back to Westin Kierland(sp) - yes, it is mandatory, so instead of paying $500-1,000 for a resale at SDO or SBP you might have to pay $7,000-10,000.
The tradeoff is you will be able to make direct reservations thru the SVN at all the SVN resorts - WKV gets a good number of StarOptions for the maint fee.
Twice when I was at Westin St John, I met Starwood owners who had reserved summer and fall units thru SVN - and u will certainly be able to reserve in Hawaii and even Atlantis if dates are flexible at 8 months.

So how can u decide?

Look at our II sightings board and do an advanced search for that board only and put in the name of the Hawaii resort u want to go to.
You will be able to see how often and what time of year the units are available for exchange....I think u will see LOTS of availability thru II.

Buying/finding a 2BR lock/off at SDO/SBP which have the better maint fees will not be hard....just do your research first. A 2BR lock-off will give you 2 2BR units per year when u exchange thru II - with Starwood there is no unit size restrictions with trades.

On another front, in the 4 years I have owned a 1BR unit at SBP, the Maint fee has gone from $385,395,495ish to $550 this year.

And remember that everything I have said can change at the drop of a hat just like it has done in the past 18 months with Starwood, Marriott, Wyndham.....

[dvcforus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvcforus]

Ok, thank you for that very detailed explanation. I think the question I have now is, when I trade in II I would get the Starwood preference. How does trading power play into that? For example, if I had a silver WKV 1BR could that pull Westin Maui? Am I better off picking a different Starwood resort like SBP and just trading into WKV when we wanted to? Are Staroptions not very valuable? Thank you!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Ok, thank you for that very detailed explanation. I think the question I have now is, when I trade in II I would get the Starwood preference. How does trading power play into that? For example, if I had a silver WKV 1BR could that pull Westin Maui? Am I better off picking a different Starwood resort like SBP and just trading into WKV when we wanted to? Are Staroptions not very valuable? Thank you!

I would not suggest buying a silver WKV 56,000 StarOptions because the amount of StarOptions you get will not allow u to trade into Hawaii thru the SVN and you pay the same Maint Fee for a silver 56,000 StarOptions as a Platinum 148,000 StarOptions.


edit - with 56,000 SO you can reserve 2 nights in Hawaii - Hawaii is Platinum all year - take a look at the internal trading point chart to get a better idea....

If you want to trade/reserve using SO, buy a Platinum 2BR L/O WKV to get the most bang for your purchase price/maint fee buck - if you want to exchange into other Starwood properties thru II, buy SDO - you said your family liked the resort so why not own there - and then when u want to trae thru II, u would have that option, too.

There are free to $1,000 SDO 2BR L/O weeks available just about everywhere....you can also buy the smaller side of the two BR lock-off for the lowest fee but if u also want to reserve and use your unit at the resort, buy the larger side 1BR or the 2BR lock-off. There is no benefit currently in the Starwood system to own a 2BR non-lock-off as size doesn't matter with II SVN exchanges.

StarOption chart HERE

EVERYTHING U need to know Starwood Owner Resources

[dvcforus Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dvcforus]

thank you so very much! I am going to do a lot of research now like with my other timeshares and your help has been invaluable!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

thank you so very much! I am going to do a lot of research now like with my other timeshares and your help has been invaluable!

You are welcome

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

So would a 2 bedroom floating lock-off in Say Orlando at SVR, deposited to II as two units give you preference to book in St. John/Atlantis?

Do you have to pay a lock off fee to deposit to II like Marriott?

And if you don't get staroptions do you not have to pay extra fees to Sheraton?

Do you get an AC for your weeks with Starwood?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

So would a 2 bedroom floating lock-off in Say Orlando at SVR, deposited to II as two units give you preference to book in St. John/Atlantis?
YES - BUT DO NOT COUNT ON ST JOHN THRU II - REALLY

Do you have to pay a lock off fee to deposit to II like Marriott?

NO

And if you don't get StarOptions do you not have to pay extra fees to Sheraton?

YES - ONLY THE MAINT FEE - NOT THE svn FEE

Do you get an AC for your weeks with Starwood?

NO - NEVER WERE GIVEN ACs EVEN WHEN U COULD DEPOSIT AN ACTUAL WEEK INTO II.

U DON'T GET TO DEPOSIT YOUR ACTUAL WEEK IN II ANYMORE - FOLLOW THE LINK ABOVE AND READ MY POST REGARDING THIS.

SFX WILL GIVE U A BONUS WEEK FOR QUALIFIED DEPOSITS BUT OF COURSE THERE IS NO STARWOOD PREFERENCE

Starwood has been increasing their fees like crazy Chris - but I have kept my one week ownership to trade into Atlantis in the fall and someday maybe Hawaii.

All the other Starwood properties are not too difficult to trade into using other lower costs weeks - REALLY!

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

NO - NEVER WERE GIVEN ACs EVEN WHEN U COULD DEPOSIT AN ACTUAL WEEK INTO II.

U DON'T GET TO DEPOSIT YOUR ACTUAL WEEK IN II ANYMORE - FOLLOW THE LINK ABOVE AND READ MY POST REGARDING THIS.

SFX WILL GIVE U A BONUS WEEK FOR QUALIFIED DEPOSITS BUT OF COURSE THERE IS NO STARWOOD PREFERENCE

Starwood has been increasing their fees like crazy Chris - but I have kept my one week ownership to trade into Atlantis in the fall and someday maybe Hawaii.

All the other Starwood properties are not too difficult to trade into using other lower costs weeks - REALLY!

Thanks Pat.
I was reading the links you provided and it said that II was allowing you to deposit your week that you reserved but I guess that's dated material.

I guess you're right. Not a good idea for me. Thanks for un-enabling me.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Thanks Pat.
I was reading the links you provided and it said that II was allowing you to deposit your week that you reserved but I guess that's dated material.
I guess you're right. Not a good idea for me. Thanks for un-enabling me.

I am surprised Denise has not updated the info, she is usually very good about that....

Chris, I "know" you - if u have your heart set on going to Harborside every year off season (which I know u do not mind) then it can be good - but in 2010 Starwood did not do the big deposit of Harborside in II.

Nothing is guarenteed.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I am surprised Denise has not updated the info, she is usually very good about that....

Chris, I "know" you - if u have your heart set on going to Harborside every year off season (which I know u do not mind) then it can be good - but in 2010 Starwood did not do the big deposit of Harborside in II.

Nothing is guarenteed.

But they did it this year and I'm green with envy.

I'd be willing to work a little for Atlantis and St. John even if every few years.

[TomandRobin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TomandRobin]

But they did it this year and I'm green with envy.

I'd be willing to work a little for Atlantis and St. John even if every few years.

Hey....You have Starwood questions....I have Starwood answers. Send me a pm or you can even call me. We own 5 properties-Keirland Cancun, St John and Harborside. We trade, exchange and use SVN often.

Tom

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Hey....You have Starwood questions....I have Starwood answers. Send me a pm or you can even call me. We own 5 properties-Keirland Cancun, St John and Harborside. We trade, exchange and use SVN often.

Tom

Hey Tom, nice to see you over here - and thanks for offering your assistance.

[TomandRobin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TomandRobin]

Hey Tom, nice to see you over here - and thanks for offering your assistance.

I use to come here, but its been a long time. Chris posted a link on another forum that brought me here.

I actually don't post a lot on any time share forum, except Disney stuff. I like the happy people that tend to go to Disney.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I use to come here, but its been a long time. Chris posted a link on another forum that brought me here.

I actually don't post a lot on any time share forum, except Disney stuff. I like the happy people that tend to go to Disney.

Were you reading my trip report?