In this blog, you will find a description of the two types of vacation ownership interest programs available within the Vistana Signature Network (VSN) program. In addition, the difference between buying a Vistana timeshare from the developer versus buying a timeshare resale (and what you don’tget when purchasing a Vistana timeshare resale) will also be explained.
There are two types of Vacation Ownership Interest programs within the Vistana Signature Network (VSN) program – Weeks based and Homeoptions.
Weeks:
We’ll begin with an explanation of the weeks program which is a seven night vacation at your home resort. As an owner you have priority in making reservations 12 to 8 months in advance, in the season of your ownership in the size and type of unit you own at your home resort. Check-in days are Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is called the Home Resort Preference Period (HRPP).
The timeshare has a numerical value called Staroptions, which gives the Owner the right to reserve at any VSN resort from 8 months in advance of the arrival date in any VSN Resort, in any villa type, in any season from one night up to twenty-one consecutive nights.
Staroptions can be rolled over or borrowed within Vistana Signature Network and Vistana owners have the option of banking their week with Interval International.
In addition, owners have the option to convert their week into Marriott Bonvoy Points for staying in hotels, they can use them for car rentals or for airlines and cruise travels.
Homeoptions
Homeoptions is a points based program where the vacation ownership interest can be in a specific resort (or a groups of resorts) and owners have priority in making reservations during the HRPP period. Owners have the right to check in and out any day of the week and can reserve from 1 night up to 14 night consecutive nights, from 12- 8 months in advance in the view category owned, if applicable.
Starting 8 months in advance the Homeoptions become Staroptions and can be used at any VSN Resort as described above. Staroptions can be banked or borrowed within the Vistana Signature Network
Vistana owners also have the option to convert into Marriott Bonvoy Points for staying in hotels, used for car rentals, airlines and even cruise travels.
In addition, Vistana owners have the additional option of banking their week with Interval International.
Some often asked questions are – what is the difference between buying a Westin timeshare, Sheraton timeshare or Vistana timeshare from the developer versus buying a timeshare resale and what don’t I get when I buy a timeshare resale?
- Home Resort Preference Period (HRPP), StarOption privileges and Interval International memberships transfer to a timeshare resale purchaser in a Mandatory Resort. The option to convert the week into Marriott Bonvoy points does not.
- Home Resort Preference Period benefits transfer to a timeshare resale purchaser in a Voluntary Resort. StarOption benefits and the right to convert into Marriott Bonvoy points do not transfer. However, the resale purchaser does have the option to enroll into Interval International at their own expense.
Syed Sarmad, Principal Broker for Advantage Vacation
