We are getting ready to stay on an offer Westin Vacations mailed us: 4 nights for $319 plus 5000 points. We are exactly one week out and I have not heard form anyone at the property. According to what I have read they usually reach out to your about transportation to and from airport and sometimes offer you the chance to pay up for a better room but we have not heard from them. I am sure this won't be the best room. Thoughts on paying for upgrade and what they offer view or size wise? It will just be my wife and I.

Should i be worried? We do not have transportation arranged.

Can't speak as to upgrades, but as far as transportation there are plenty of official taxi and shuttle companies at the airport more than glad to take your money to get you to the Resort.

I agree--there's no need to book transportation. Just take a taxi from the airport.

I would guess the offer you're staying on is for a studio unit. That should be more than sufficient for two people. I would just see if you can get a high floor unit for a good view.

Would you care to report back on this? I got an offer for 5 nights for $359 and am tempted. Do the nights count for status? Is the timeshare presentation painful?

These deals generally don't earn any night/stay credits. I've been to several SVO sales presentations as a current owner and prior to purchasing. They vary in terms of pressure, but the ones at Lagunamar have been particularly low pressure and painless.

We are here now and it is lovely property. We did have some issues with our room and language can be a barrier if it is anything slightly out of the ordinary. I will detail more later as we are here now.

It is my understanding the promo we are staying on does not count as night stayed toward status (which sounds just like your except it was 319 for 4 nights). It is still a great deal-they also gave us the option of a $75 food credit or 5000 points. We took the points. You are not required to attend a for this but if you want to you can and they give you another 7000 points. I would hop on the deal if i were you especially if you can get a cheap flight :)

Had to change dates on an existing reservation made prior to the category change previously booked at 46,000 points for 5 nights (10k/night plus 1500/night upgrade). Moving dates caused a reprice now pricing out at 58,000 for 5 nights (12k/night plus 2500/night upgrade)

Readysetgo and sandyjb- I think you'll find the upgrade is SO worth it!! This is a great resort- one of my world favorites- and I think you'll love it. If you haven't heard from them, DO check into it b/c they normally send out a mountain of emails. Being as you're likely going through the Vacation Center and not the hotel, it's possible they missed you. But as long as you have your confirmation numbers and info, I'd guess it's all good. And again, the upgrade to the 1 bedroom suite is fantastic.

I wish I'd received THAT offer for this property! We got Orlando instead, through Sheraton Vacations. I'm headed to Westin Lagunamar this weekend, but as a paying guest so I'll earn my stay/nights. I need about 10 more nights to reach Lifetime Platinum so I'm counting on this to help.

We got the Orlando deal- 4 nights 5 days (how do they work THAT out, I wonder, when check-out is noon?) and we are taking our 5 year old. But we'd have MUCH rather have received a deal for Lagunamar. I am there 2-3 times a year most years and I LOVE it!

This time, I've got a 200 dollar food/beverage credit and as it is just me and I don't drink alcohol, I can get everything from room service to pool service to charging food at the market on that $200. Last time I did it I only used half of the credit, which was SO dumb of me! With 1 person it averages to $50/day- perfect for me.

I'm curious as to how we qualify for the offers we actually WANT, such as Cancun. I mean, we'll have fun seeing Universal and my son will adore Orlando, but he'd love the ocean much more. I've never brought him as I'm usually working and he has no passport yet. But if we got a Cancun deal at Westin Lagunamar, I'd get him one ASAP!

WL is great b/c of the 1 bedroom suites. The tub with jets is perfection, the kitchen is stocked from strainer to toaster, and you can wash your own towels and get points for not using housekeeping. I've seen the villas and I now will ONLY book the 1 bedrooms. While the other villa has same stuff, the 1 bedroom is worth the little bit extra it costs. And the ceiling fans! I LOVE being able to keep myself cool.

The only things I'd change about Westin Lagunamar are the check-in and check-out times (you're wasting a day waiting until 4pm for check in, then rushing out at 10am) the small balconies (but not much they can do about that) and lack of Platinum amenities. You DO get a call and emails from the concierge there and get to check in at a different desk/building, but they say no upgrades (yet, in the beginning I WAS upgraded twice) and they're not big on late check-outs or any Plat amenities. But as I now always book the suite I want, I only find failings off/on with the check-in times. And the rate you got is fantastic, much like our Orlando rate. But we won't earn a stay or nights with the Vacation Deal in Orlando, just 5K points in my account. Good Luck! If you're there on points and not a "deal" with their vacations or time shares, you should get your points/stays.

My last trip was perfection, and I'm hoping this week's is, too!
I can't wait to get back there! :cool:

For what it's worth when we went to the Lagunamar we had actually received an offer for Palm Springs. When they telephoned to see if we were interested we said we had been to PS recently and weren't interested. He asked where we would like to go and we suggested the Lagunamar and lo and behold we had an offer over the phone which we accepted on the spot.

Just a single data point I know but it is worthwhile asking perhaps. In addition we were recently offered the Westin Princeville as well but have our vacations fully scheduled until after the offer would have expired. Again, however, we were asked if there was anywhere we'd like to go instead.

Terrible platinum recognition here. Checked in last night at 10pm, and they clearly had 1 bedroom villas available. Refused to upgrade me to anything except a nice 7th floor view facing the pools and beach.

Get to the room to find a view of the parking lot, the pool of the motel next door, and a glimpse of the edge of the beach.

Front desk manager Alejandro refused to upgrade citing suites are available for sale but he can't give me one because they are all dirty. Kept changing his story.

All of Starwood's villa properties - ie the timeshares - have limited participation in SPG ... providing only minimal Gold and Plat amenities. I've stayed at a few, and in my experience they've been up front in communicating it. (Nevertheless, the ones that I've been at are all great resort properties.)

It's stated in the T&Cs on the website for each of those properties, and I've also seen it spelled out in the confirmation emails.

Specially, none of these properties offer late check out or room upgrade benefits based on SPG status.

(Even if these were standard "hotel" properties with full participation in SPG, it's pretty unlikely that the '1 BR villa with kitchen' that you saw available would have been upgrade-eligible anyway... it's essentially a full 1 bedroom condo.)

Which sections/rooms are recently renovated? Would like to know in advance. Thanks!

Just a side note here-a while back I posted a review of this property on TA. It was a mixed review with both good and bad points. They responded to it on TA and asked me to email them as they would like to further discuss my stay. I did email and said I responding to their request on a follow up from TA. That was over a month ago and I never did get a reply. Don't ask me to email you if you have no plans of really wanting to hear from me. Fail!

Hi 1readyset2go,

Can you please email us with more details and your stay info for us to follow up with the hotel?

[email protected]

Chua Chie Ling | Social Media Specialist
Starwood Customer Contact Centre (AP) Pte Ltd

Was given an offer for a Ownership presentation for $100 voucher for F&B or 7,000 SPG points. During the pitch, was given an offer of 80,000 SPG points if I signed up. Turned it down.

Then during the "customer feedback" session, I was offered an opportunity to come back to Lagunamar for 7 days/6 nights for ~$2700 anytime in the next 2 years. For coming back, I'd receive 70,000 SPG points (with no commitment other than sitting through another presentation). However, I'd have to prepay the $2700. If on that second trip, we signed up, the $2700 I paid would be deducted from the purchase and I'd still get the 80,000 additional SPG points.

Not for me, but perhaps someone else.