SPG Keyless Entry Available At Sheraton Vistana Villas, Lake Buena Vista?

[EKKloppers]

Good afternoon,

Is Starwood Preferred Guest [SPG] Keyless Entry available at Sheraton Vistana Villas, Lake Buena Vista? If so, can anyone provide feedback on how the check-in process works? Is it a straight-to-room process wherein you receive a text with room number, and can skip the front desk? Are the entry gates equipped with a keyless entry pad? Can you register more than one mobile device for others in the same party, or is it limited to only the reservation holder, with others needing to obtain actual room keys from the front desk?

As ever: Thank you, in advance!

 

[writerguyfl]

SPG Keyless Entry is currently only available at select Aloft, Element, and W Hotels. For more information, including a list of hotels offering the service, visit this link: https://www.spgpromos.com/keyless/

If you visit the FAQ page on that site, you can read more about it. But, here are answers some of your question.

• The service is only available if you booked through a Starwood reservations channel. (Third party sites like Orbitz are not eligible.)
• Using the service does allow you to skip the Front Desk completely.
• It is not a simple text message. You must download the SPG app and register your device. Push notifications and Bluetooth must be enabled.
• Up to three different mobile devices can be used for the same room.

 

[bankr63]

And the list on the site does not include any of the Vistana timeshare properties (which are no longer owned directly by Sheraton). I know this service is not available at Vistana Resort. Strongly suspect it is not available at Vistana Village either.

 

[EKKloppers]

Thank you, both for your responses! I had no idea that Vistana Villas, Lake Buena Vista were no longer owned directly by Sheraton, and am now very curious to learn more about the [surely-convoluted] corporate "arrangement" which still seems to have them billed as a "Sheraton" establishment, bookable through their website, with all the SPG benefits entailed. My sister is a [very] long-standing RCI timeshare owner there, and when our entire crew travels together and needs additional lodging space, I've always booked through Sheraton. I never quite "got" that contractual arrangement either, but seem to have always been much happier with the Sheraton-booked customer service experience at Vistana than my sister - or we occasional RCI user guests - have been with the RCI customer service experience when doing week swaps, etc.

Thanks, again!

 

[writerguyfl]

Disney World resorts are owned and operated by Disney. But, the vast majority of hotels are franchises. According to the Starwood Development website (http://development.starwoodhotels.com/about/), only 2% of the 1,249 SPG hotels are owned by Starwood. Forty-eight percent are owned by other companies, but managed by Starwood. That leaves 50% of their hotels owned and operated by other companies. Those fully-franchised hotels must adhere to the brand standards so that guests get the same experience world-wide.

Once you start talking about timeshares, it does start to get convoluted. There's a separate corporation (Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc) in charge of that side of the business. I'm far less knowledgeable about timeshare operations. Whoever runs a timeshare development would still be required to meet the Starwood standards. So, even though someplace like Vistana Villas isn't owned or operated by Starwood, they still retain the branding.

(You may have known all of that. I'll gladly concede the conversation to someone else who has more timeshare knowledge.)

 

[EKKloppers]

Disney World resorts are owned and operated by Disney. But, the vast majority of hotels are franchises. According to the Starwood Development website (http://development.starwoodhotels.com/about/), only 2% of the 1,249 SPG hotels are owned by Starwood. Forty-eight percent are owned by other companies, but managed by Starwood. That leaves 50% of their hotels owned and operated by other companies. Those fully-franchised hotels must adhere to the brand standards so that guests get the same experience world-wide.

Once you start talking about timeshares, it does start to get convoluted. There's a separate corporation (Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc) in charge of that side of the business. I'm far less knowledgeable about timeshare operations. Whoever runs a timeshare development would still be required to meet the Starwood standards. So, even though someplace like Vistana Villas isn't owned or operated by Starwood, they still retain the branding.

(You may have known all of that. I'll gladly concede the conversation to someone else who has more timeshare knowledge.)

Thanks, writerguyfl, for this great information and additional reference! Not being in the hospitality industry, it's surprising and enlightening to learn these details understand precisely how little one knows and/or takes for granted about behind-the-scenes items when doing something as "simple" as making a reservation. We've come a LONG way since the old days of roadside Howard Johnsons' when I was a kid, because - obviously - I must have imagined that Howard Johnson was both checking us in, and making our Sundaes in the restaurants!

I've also been on the Disney Resorts Poly thread to determine whether or not the "studio" rooms I'd booked for November would have a balcony or patio, and it's been interesting to see responses concerning related DVC nuances. Fun stuff! Some might wonder why I'd really care to know. Just curious, I guess...and once you go down that rabbit hole, there's always something else...

Really appreciate your feedback!

 

[EKKloppers]

Disney World resorts are owned and operated by Disney. But, the vast majority of hotels are franchises. According to the Starwood Development website (http://development.starwoodhotels.com/about/), only 2% of the 1,249 SPG hotels are owned by Starwood. Forty-eight percent are owned by other companies, but managed by Starwood. That leaves 50% of their hotels owned and operated by other companies. Those fully-franchised hotels must adhere to the brand standards so that guests get the same experience world-wide.

Once you start talking about timeshares, it does start to get convoluted. There's a separate corporation (Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc) in charge of that side of the business. I'm far less knowledgeable about timeshare operations. Whoever runs a timeshare development would still be required to meet the Starwood standards. So, even though someplace like Vistana Villas isn't owned or operated by Starwood, they still retain the branding.

(You may have known all of that. I'll gladly concede the conversation to someone else who has more timeshare knowledge.)

Thanks, writerguyfl, for this great information and additional reference! Not being in the hospitality industry, it's surprising and enlightening to learn these details understand precisely how little one knows and/or takes for granted about behind-the-scenes items when doing something as "simple" as making a reservation. We've come a LONG way since the old days of roadside Howard Johnsons' when I was a kid, because - obviously - I must have imagined that Howard Johnson was both checking us in, and making our Sundaes in the restaurants!

I've also been on the Disney Resorts Poly thread to determine whether or not the "studio" rooms I'd booked for November would have a balcony or patio, and it's been interesting to see responses concerning related DVC nuances. Fun stuff! Some might wonder why I'd really care to know. Just curious, I guess...and once you go down that rabbit hole, there's always something else...

Really appreciate your feedback!

 

[bankr63]

Actually, the old Sheraton, or new Vistana, does not own the resort at all. Most resorts are owned by the timeshare owners who have an owners' association that hires a management company to run the resort. In this case Vistana. However, Vistana does still own enough developer units that it would be near impossible to kick them out. Very different from the Disney model which is a "Right to Use" model where your membership has an expiry, and Disney retains complete control of the facilities. A resort can change management companies if enough owners agree, but Vistana has a pretty good lockhold on the Villas Resort.

These spin offs of the timeshare divisions have been going on a lot over the last few years with the major players. The terms of each are unique, but the Sheraton divestiture of it's division seems on paper to be more complete than say Marriott's and a few others I have heard of. From the information available it seems that they plan to stop using the Sheraton name completely, and we are seeing some cracks in the SPG connection. Not sure where this will all end up, and it is hard to say if the units will still be available through Sheraton reservations in the long run.

 

[EKKloppers]

Many thanks, bankr63, for more great information! Fascinating [to me] to learn more about how this stuff works, and I'll, definitely, be following along to see how it all does pan out in the long run. As an SPG member, and oft twice-annual booker of Vistana units, via Sheraton, I'd hate to see the related Perqs and rewards go.

As an aside: I recently submitted two Diamond Lane check-in requests, and received acknowledgement

 

[EKKloppers]

[...Ugh...Sorry! Another premature post!]

...received Diamond Lane email acknowledgements of my requests from, "Sheraton Vistana Resort Diamond Lane", via www.starwoodvo.com...Just more layers!

Sheraton, which no longer owns any part of Vistana, books Vistana unts on the Sheraton site, and allows Starwood Diamond Lane express check-in requests, with designated Diamond Lane check-in posts at the check-in center...

Oye! ...Who's on first? And should it really matter?

Thank you, again!