Starwood vacation network

My wife and I went to a presentation in Myrtle Beach, the salesman talked so fast and bounced around it was impossible to follow him. He kept saying our owners get the resorts they want they do not get turned down, they are told the day they ask they have accomadations, he also said our owners are in hawaii for nothing meaning they didnt pay anything, or you can go to cayman fly for free vacation for free. But when we left we still had no idea how this was possible. Yes the program sounded great, no we did not buy. Has anybody on here bought from starwood and if so did you get what they said the resorts you wanted to go to and did you go for nothing? Would you buy again if you had it to do over? Thanks

Hi, I do own 1 week in Myrtle and bought another in harborside.I love the starwood program but you NEED to know how it works. I will tell you the good and the bad.The bad is you have to remember if it is your home resort to call 12 months ahead to the day 9:00 in the morning especially if it is a popular holiday week like 4th of July Myrtle beach you will pretty much be gauranteed this way.If you want outside your home resort you can all at the 8 month mark 9:00 am.The good i have been able to trade my Myrtle for harborside(bahamas) and orlando, hawaii.The bad is St. Johns is next to impossible to still get into unless you have no kids and are extremely flexible when you can take a vacation. The good is when i am staying in bahamas and watching everyone else go broke because( they are staying in the atlantis hotels) and are paying 5 dollars for 1 bowl of cereal. The prices are ridiculous in the bahamas but bringing your own food from home, getting to use all the same ammenities as everyone else in the resort and paying next to nothing when you check out is the most gratifying feeling .That's when you know you made the right choice in buying. Over the long haul you will save a mint. But you need to know the program first! If you are able to plan well in advance starwood is great. When you buy make sure you have the starwood card with you , you will get double points on your purchase.Also they will negotiate on starpoints, they usually will not lower the price of the timeshare but you can negotiate with extra star points.That is where the free vacations come from. I have a slew of starpoints from buying with starwood and have stayed over 5 times for 1 full week at the swan and dolphin in orlando(deluxe hotel) owned by starwood yet on disney property ! Every time you pay your maintenance every year double points with the starwood amex. Know the program and in the long run you will ot go wrong , good luck!