You may view the video below or read the transcription which follows the video:
Aloha my name is Syed Sarmad
The information I am about to share with you is about the Westin/Starwood/now Vistana’s Staroption benefits – who gets it, who doesn’t, how you use it.
I would like to explain the difference between StarOptions and StarPoints.
The StarOption benefits entitle you to internally reserve a vacation at any Starwood/Vistana villa resort- these are timeshare resorts, without going through Interval International exchange company.
Starpoints has to do with the SPG program where one can stay at a Starwood and/or Marriott hotel or use the points for airlines tickets, car rentals etc.
In summary, StarOptions has to do with timeshare benefits and StarPoints is related to hotel benefits.
StarOption is a numerical value assigned to the week of your timeshare ownership, which will give you the right to utilize the options at any Starwood vacation villa resort by reserving a vacation for any number of days in any size unit, to 8 months in advance, depending upon the number of StarOptions available in your account.
Each day and unit size is assigned a numerical StarOption value .
Who gets StarOption benefits and who doesn’t:
There are 2 classifications of resorts in the Vistana vacation ownership program- mandatory and voluntary resorts.
Anyone purchasing a timeshare from the developer and anyone who purchases a resale timeshare at any ‘mandatory’ resort will receive star option benefits. Those persons who have purchased a resale in a ‘voluntary’ resort will not receive StarOption benefits.
By the way – StarPoint benefits do not automatically transfer on all Vistana resales.
Here are the Mandatory resorts. StarOipton benefits transfer to a resale buyer.
- Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas
- Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort Villas North
- Westin Kierland
- Sheratons Vistana Villages- Bella and Key West phases
- Virgin Grand Villas- Hilltop phase
- Harborside at Atlantis
Each usage period you can use your timeshare by making a reservation at your home resort by booking 12-8 months in advance.
Less than 8 months in advance the owner can take advantage of the StarOption benefits and reserve at any Vistana Signature resort for a few days at a time, in any size unit available.
Unused StarOption benefits can be banked by July 1 of the calender year for single week owners or if you purchased your timeshare via a resale. There is a $99 roll over fee. 3 and 4 star owners can bank by October 1 for a $79 fee and 5 star elite members can bank by December 31and there is no fee.
Once the StarOptions have been banked they can no longer be used during the rest of that calendar year. Banked options can only be reserved up to 8 months in advance. If you are already a 3 or 4 star or 5 star or Elite and you purchase a resale unit in a mandatory resort- you can bank/rollover your unused StarOptions with the resale week by the same deadline dates your current ownership status will entitle you. Purchasing a resale timeshare will not add to improving your status level.
You can borrow StarOptions equal to the amount you need to complete your reservations, up to 8 months in advance.
Banked options expire on resales.
If an owner has banked StarOptions from prior years and they are selling the unit, the options must either be used before the close of the sale of the timeshare unit or if the seller has another Vistana ownership account where he can park those StarOptions. Banked options do not transfer on resales.
Syed Sarmad, Principal Broker for Advantage Vacation
