Sheraton Vistana Villages - anyone own timeshare - reviews?

[mtmbyck]

We were just there and did the timeshare presentation and we were very impressed! We are definatley considering it but can't decide whether to make the Villages or the Vistana Resort our home resort. Curious if anyone has pros or cons for these resorts??

 

[Taratink]

We prefer the Villages because it is quiet and small but they are adding more units. The Vistana Resort is great if your in the newer sections. I like them both. Everyone says to check tug and other sites that offer resales of timeshares for a better deal. Good luck!

 

[MiaSRN62]

I like the main Vistana resort , though I haven't seen the Villages so I may biased.
Assuming you'd be buying into the new section at the main Vistana---Cascades ? Not sure they are selling any other sections unless you get a resale.

But we like the fact that there are full serve restaurants on site----in addition to a General Store which also serves food and these all offer room service right to your villa. I like that there are 7 pools. Now, perhaps the Villages are planning to add (or have already) full service restaurants AND room service. If so, then this makes the Villages more appealing. I do know we'd miss not having tennis courts. We use them all the time at Old Key West resort as well as the main Vistana. But this may just be a preference for us.

Not saying the Villages isn't a very pretty resort......I guess I'll have to drive over there one day and really check it out. DOes the Villages have all the ponds and waterways with the gazebos and bridges ? I love that about the ambience of the main Vistana.

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

We own, the resort is very nice, but you should research and buy resale if possible. Resales are a fraction of the cost. Go to tugs site and read up on all the pros and cons as Taratink stated.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I definitely "third" the buy resale. We did....and saved about $7K back in 1994.
But, that being said....if you are interested in trading into the SVN (Starwood Vacation Network), I'm pretty sure you must buy direct from the developer. The advantage here is that you will be able to use your staroptions to trade into. Starpoints are different from staroptions. The options allow you to trade into some of the more elite/desirable destinations listed below and are only available via developer sales.

As Taratink and crazed mentioned, you will save on resale.....but....some things to consider. I own at the main Vistana and bought many years ago before Sheraton/Starwood took over. I cannot do any of those awesome internal trades to their internal "network of resorts" such as :

* Harborside at Atlantis
* Vistana Villages (most sections)
* Westin St. John (most sections)
* Westin Ka'anapali & Westin Ka'anapali-North
* Westin Kierland Villas





Also, I've been a TUG Member for many years. While I cannot link the threads here because it's password and ID protected, I have copied and pasted some helpful info (I hope) :
Copied and pasted from TUG :

there are MANY reasons to buy from the developer:

1) Holiday weeks
2) Developer add ons
3) Exact location in building
4) Exact week in a unit
5) Pre-construction pricing that is equal to resale

Holiday Weeks:
Want a week 51, 52, or 7 at a ski lodge – you might find one resale but for a new resort forget it for 3 to 5 years.

Developer add ons:
Marriott Reward Points for Marriotts and Starwood Options for Starwood owners. Other developers have other programs that can only be accessed via a developer sale.

Exact location in building:
Want a great view of the ocean or ski slopes or amusement park? Well many developers allow you to pay a little more and lock in that view or location forever.

Exact week in unit:
Lock in an anniversary day week with some developers. Again you pay a premium but so is that day of the year.

Pre-construction pricing equaling resale price:
Marriotts are notorious for cheap pre-construction prices that 5 years later can be resold for what you paid for it. Why wait 3 to 5 years to get a hard to get holiday week and then to wind up paying resale for what you could have bought it for pre-construction from the developer.

Marriott used to be famous for offering so many MRPs that when you took them into account their pre-construction price was a fantastic bargain.

Now there are some developers, like Wyndham, where it makes NO sense to even consider a developer sale – they lose 90% of their purchase price as the ink dries on the sales contract. WorldMark is another one here where in the last 4 years they have had a total resale meltdown.


But, its just too easy to regurgitate the phrase “Never buy developer”. There are times when it makes perfect sense (cents?).

Also from TUG (in regards to buying resale vs developer) :

18) Can you summarize the difference between owning a developer unit and owning a resale unit?

a. Resales can't be converted to Starpoints. (Often considered a poor value anyway.)

b. Resales at a Staroption Voluntary Resort can't be exchanged within the SVN - but Resales from Mandatory Resorts can. (See the list above.)

c. You can't combine the Staroptions from different resale weeks to make a Staroption exchange.

d. You should have an edge when you exchange a resale with II, because it is believed that you have the legal right to reserve and deposit a week of your choice. (Since you are not an SVN member, SVN rules regarding deposits should not apply to you.) However, Starwood may attempt to choose the week for you. (People have reported different results when challenging this policy, i.e., some are successful in depositing the week of their choice and some are not.) You would have a separate II Acct. for resale weeks - and resale weeks still have the II priority.

e. You would have a separate mystarcentral.com Acct. for any resale weeks, but besides that, the Acct. would be identical.

And one more informative post from TUG (if you're not interested in trading via the elite/desirable resorts I mentioned here, then resale should be just fine for you. You will be able to do external trades via II) :

Quote:
Originally Posted by Father Ted
I've read the FAQ but I need a little clarification....

- Staroptions are used to trade with the Starwood network, are there any other uses?

None - they can only be used for SVN exchanges. You can't buy them. sell them, rent them, or deposit them.

Quote:
- For resale, you can only get staroptions if you buy a mandatory resort, reight?

Correct

Quote:
- If I bought a resale voluntary resort, my only way I can trade is though RCI?

1) You can also exchange with any independent exchange company - there are lots of them and YOU pick the week that is deposited.

2) You can do a private exchange with another owner.

3) You can rent your week and use the money to rent the exact week you want elsewhere.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Link to TUG message boards :

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index.php

Do lots of research before you commit. Good luck on your potential purchase.

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

Great info given, just research it and think through how you will be vacationing. We regret not buying DVC 10 yrs ago and went with Sheraton without really researching and thinking we would go to all these other resorts. Well, of course been to Disney almost every year and like to stay on property. Have tried to get Atlantis and St. John with no luck and we own a 2bdr, peak season. I am going to try Hawaii for this summer, if not next. You really have to know how to work within the system. We have used points to stay at the Dolphin and will use them maybe for Hawaii or Europe(given to us from Sheraton with purchase)

Keep researching and talking to people, I'm still learning and we've owned for 5 yrs. Vistana Villages was enjoyable when we did stay there. I do wish we had bought a resale as it is a mandatory resort.

Mia-thanks for providing all the detailed info.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I'm still learning and we've owned for 5 yrs. Vistana Villages was enjoyable when we did stay there. I do wish we had bought a resale as it is a mandatory resort.

Mia-thanks for providing all the detailed info.

You're welcome Crazed.....and I'm still learning as well even after 14 years of owning. I'm still not 100% sure what a "mandatory" resort. Are the Cascades section of Vistana mandatory ? A friend of mine owns there (bought developer), and I know she can do internal trades. She loves Harborside. I know my week at Vistana won't get me that trade, but I thought Cascades and Lakes at the main resort were in the SVN ? They can use their "options" to do internal trading ? So even I don't know it all. TUG helps tremendously. Well worth the $10 renewal fee every year.

 

[crazed'boutmaryP]

I don't know much about Vistana, so not sure about options there. Vistana Villages can definetely use staroptions for internal trade. Harborside is extremely difficult to get. I am thinking of joining TUG, I do use their boards as a guest, tons of info.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I don't know much about Vistana, so not sure about options there. Vistana Villages can definetely use staroptions for internal trade. Harborside is extremely difficult to get.

Being that I own in an older section of Vistana (pre Starwood/SHeraton days), I do not get options. I do have a friend that owns the Cascades, and she does have the staroptions and was able to secure an internal trade to Harborside in May 2005. So I know for sure many Cascades owners do have the options and I thought some Lakes owners did as well.
I've read on TUG that Harborside has to be reserved no more than 8 months out (tough for getting airfare sometimes), and also it's very tough to get during holidays and school breaks (i.e.summer). Someone said there was full availability for all size units during Sept. So you have to be really flexible.

 

[bankr63]

From a resort comparison viewpoint, I have stayed at both SVV and SVR, we prefer the Resort and now own there. But the main reason I like SVR is that it has the older sections that provide the same level of luxury but are much less densely packed together, providing a more laid back vibe. And there are a lot more amenities. Loud teenagers at the pool? Just mosey over to one of the other 6.

From a resale perspective, Vistana Villages Key West and Bella sections only are SO Mandatory. That means that the StarOptions go with the resale. As a result they resale for a much higher price than non-mandatory resorts/sections. There are no Mandatory sections at SVR.

Think hard about how you want to use your ownership however. If you plan to trade inside of Starwood, then the options certainly make sense. When trading, we are usually trading outside of Starwood into other properties through RCI, so SO's aren't so important to us. If I had SO's maybe I'd stay at *Wood most often, but for the most part *Wood doesn't have a lot of properties where I want to vacation.

And remember that timeshare ownership is a huge obligation; those maintenance fees MUST be paid every year and the do GO UP almost every year. Often the most sensible thing to do is to rent timeshares and leave the big financial obligation to someone else.

As others have said spend a few weeks reading up on TUG before you sign on any bottom lines. The owners there can truly be lifesavers, (well finance savers anyway), and can educate on a myriad of ways to use an ownership that you probably never would have thought of!