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Author
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Topic: Getting to Starwood Elite
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sfbenning
TUG MemberPosts: 106
From: San Francisco, CA USA. Own : Westin Ka'anapali, Sea Ranch CA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 10-18-2004 10:13
   
Ok.... so pretend I'm crazy and I want to be Starwood Elite because I love the idea of being able to covert to Starpoints annually if I want. (I know there is a debate about what that is really worth, but for a variety of reasons, for our family, they are valuable.)What is the cheapest way in? I already have a developer purchased 2br/lock off at Ka'anapali. So I need like 11k or so more Staroptions to qualify. And to make it more difficult, I am biased towards owned at SVN mandatory resorts only. Am I looking for a Vistana resale? Or what would be the cheapest developer purchase? At the Kierland I was told "points are points, but when it comes to the Orlando property.... not really". So has anyone given this some thought? Any strategies out there? And is it true that as an Elite, you have an "Elite Program" contact that you deal with to make reservations, etc. Not the usual customer service people? Cheers,
Shelley IP: Logged |
soccer321
TUG MemberPosts: 51
From: nj,usa
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 10-18-2004 11:43
Buying SVN mandatory Sheraton Vistana Villages ( not the same as Sheraton Vistana) on the resale market is the best way that I found to get to the Starwood Elite status.
Whether buying resale or from the developer you should always calculate the number of Staroptions received per dollar spent.
For a Starwood mandatory resort, I would not pay more than 50% to 60% of the present developer cost. As soon as I see one, I buy it. They do not seem to be all that common but they do pop up every now and then, and when they do I buy them ( I now own 3) and give/rent (for the cost of that weeks maintenence fees) them to my friends or family members. You can see that it is still a bargain for the renter and also for me.
I have about 215,000 Staroptions and it is amazing how many studio weeks in Westin St. John you can get for your kids, nieces and nephews. I can cover all my maintenence fees very easily and still get to go somewhere nice with my wife. I have booked into Hawaii, Harborside and St. John (as well as my home resort of Vistana Villagese twice). I will probably buy more. This is how you can get into the Elite program at a very considerable cost savings.
I just received my Elite package last Friday and am really looking forward to using the upgrades and seeing how well the Elite staff treats the Elite members.
Email me if you have any questions.IP: Logged |
Cathyb
TUG MemberPosts: 1445
From: Carlsbad, CA, USA Carlsbad Inn, Trendwest , Marriott DSV & Newp, Westin MissionHills, Whaler/Maui & PonoKai/Kauai
Registered: Dec 2000
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posted 10-20-2004 04:20
soccer: how are you able to get these hot Starwood properties to exchange into when others can't? Is it because you are asking only for the studios or are you going in off seasons?IP: Logged |
arlene22
TUG MemberPosts: 485
From: N.J., Owner: Harborside @ Atlantis
Registered: Mar 2004
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posted 10-20-2004 05:38
If your objective is really to trade for Starpoints annually, then I would think a two bedroom lockoff would be the cheapest way. Without being Elite, you can convert one side a year. Otherwise, while buying resale may be cheaper, I'm not sure that will accomplish your goal of being able to convert points each year: my understanding of the program is that you will only be able to convert the developer bought week for points. So, I would guess that buying a developer week at Westin Keirland from the direct sales people in Florida would probably be your best option (you should get the most incentive Starpoints from them). Good luck.------------------
~Arlene IP: Logged |
soccer321
TUG MemberPosts: 51
From: nj,usa
Registered: Oct 2002
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posted 10-20-2004 05:54
I teach high school so all my trips so far have been during the summer months. I have had no problems getting the resorts, but I have always scheduled as far in advance as the Starwood rules allow.
I had a 2 br in St. John , a 1 br premium in Hawaii, a 1 br premium at Atlantis in and 2 two br units at Vistana Villages this past summer ( a big family trip with my 92 yr old mother and all her grandchildren).
At this time I am passing around the Starwood resorts book to my family members to see if they would like to go somewhere during the 2005 year and as they are also summer travelers (have kids) I will try to schedule them in.
I bought from developer in 2001, a resale in 2003, and another resale in 2004, so I just now qualified for the Elite program starting with my 2005 Staroption usage. My only regret is that I did not buy ALL my SVN mandatory Vistana Villages on the resale market. They are not all that common but when they appear on the market I buy them. IP: Logged | |
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