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’t get 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.
At the end of the blog you will find a list of Mandatory and Voluntary Resorts and their locations.
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 to 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 (formerly the Starwood Preferred Guest Program (SPG StarPoints) 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.
Often asked questions is – 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?
A. 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.
B. Resale purchasers at Voluntary Resort retain the same reservation privileges at their home 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.
Following you will find a list of Mandatory and Voluntary Resorts:
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
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