There are two classifications of resorts in the Westin/Starwood/Vistana Signature Network (VSN) system – Mandatory and Voluntary.
Mandatory Resorts – StarOption benefits transfer on resales
Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resorts Villas, Lahaina, Maui
Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resorts Villas North, Lahaina, Maui
Westin Kierland Villas, Scottsdale, Arizona
Westin St. John Villas (Hillside Phase), St. John, US Virgin Islands
Sheraton Vistana Villages (Bella and Key West Phases), Orlando, Florida
Harborside Resort at Atlantis (Phases I and II), Paradise Island, Bahamas
Voluntary Resorts – StarOption benefits do not transfer on resales
Westin Princeville Ocean Resort, Princeville, Kauai
Westin Nanea Ocean Villas, Maui, Hawaii
Westin St. John Villas Bay Vista Villas and the Coral Vista/ Sunset Bay Villas, St. John, USVI
Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa, Cancun, Mexico
Westin Los Cabos Resort Villas and Spa, Los Cabos, Mexico
Westin Desert Willows Villas, Palm Desert, California
Westin Mission Hills Resort & Villas, Rancho Mirage, California
Westin Riverfront Mountain Villas, Avon, Colorado
Sheraton Mountain Vista, Avon, Colorado
Sheraton Steamboat Resort Villas, Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Lakeside Terrace, Avon/Vail, Colorado
Sheraton Desert Oasis, Scottsdale, Arizona
Sheraton PGA Vacation Resort, Port St. Lucie, Florida
Sheraton Vistana Resort, Orlando, Florida
Sheraton Vistana Villages (Amelia and St. Augustine Phases), Orlando, Florida
Sheraton Broadway Plantation, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Villas of Cave Creek, Cave Creek, Arizona
In addition: Sheraton Flex, Westin Flex and Westin Aventuras Flex programs are also a part of the Voluntary Resorts system
Marriott Bonvoy (formerly called Starpoints) benefits do not transfer on any resale
VSN Network Club Fee
Vistana owners pay an annual VSN Network Club fee, following are the current fees:
$155.00 for their first week of ownership
$ 50.00 for their second week
Zero for their third or more weeks of ownership.
Hawaii owners pay a 4.166% General Excise Tax on the annual VSN Club fee. This fee includes the annual subscription fee to Interval International exchange company.
*Mandatory Resort Resale purchasers pay the annual VSN Network Club fee.
*Voluntary Resort Resale buyers do not pay an annual VSN Club fee and will have the option to enroll into Interval International Exchange Company at their own expense.
Status Explanation
Resale purchases will not apply toward an upgrade in Status, such as 3 Star Elite,4 Star Elite or Five Star Elite.
Reservations
All owners (resale and retail) can make reservations at their home resort during the 12-8 month Home Resort Preference period.
Room assignment is prioritized on the date and time stamp on the Reservation confirmation.
All resale purchasers have the same reservation priorities as retail buyers.
StarOptions
Mandatory Resort resale owners will receive the same StarOption banking and borrowing benefits as retail purchasers.
Resale owners can bank/rollover unused StarOptions starting with October 1 of the prior year until July 1 of the use year. If a resale purchaser has a 3 or 4 or 5 Star or Elite Status through retail purchases, they will be able to rollover their unused StarOptions of the resale purchase by the same deadline date as allowed with their Retail purchase.
StarOptions can be used anytime in the next 2 calendar years and reservations can be made up to 8 months in advance in any resort, villa type and season for one night up to 21 nights.
Retro or Requalification
A resale purchase at a Voluntary or Mandatory resort ownership will receive full benefits which include StarOptions, Starpoints ( Marriott Bonvoy), upgrade to a higher Elite Status level, if the owner makes a new purchase directly from the developer.
Syed Sarmad, Principal Broker for Advantage Vacation
