There are few timeshare options that provide members with as many travel choices as Starwood. There is an incredible number of properties around the globe that are available to members of Starwood, which is likely why so many people choose to purchase in the first place. With tons of places to go and see, it’s exciting to think about all the trips that could be taken with family and friends.
As seems to always be the case with timeshares, however, the negatives start to add up when looking at the experience you’ll have as a Starwood owner. If you find yourself in this position and have decided that owning a Starwood timeshare is no longer right for you, I hope to provide some helpful advice on this page. Let’s get started!
What is a Starwood Timeshare?
As mentioned above, it’s the abundance of options available to Starwood timeshare owners that makes it such an appealing choice for buyers. Many Starwood owners chose to purchase this timeshare over others simply because of the seemingly endless travel options that it presents. With access to Sheraton and Westin resorts, owners can visit more than 80 countries. What’s even more, owners also have access to the beautiful Harborside Resort in Atlantis.
All of that is great, and it certainly can lead to some excellent vacations, but the experience of a timeshare owner continues to be one of potential frustration and expense. What you expect to spend on your timeshare over the years might not wind up matching your experience. Also, you may find that you can’t travel as much as you imagined at first, or that you aren’t able to book the best resorts for the best times because they are already occupied. Whatever the case, it’s common for people to want to leave their timeshares, even when they provide access to world-class travel destinations.
Did You Just Purchase This Timeshare?
It’s easy to identify the best way to get out of a timeshare, but unfortunately, it’s an option that is only available to a small percentage of people. I still need to point it out here, because if it is available, you should absolutely consider jumping on it right away.
The best way to get out of a timeshare is by using the recission period to get out of a deal that you have just signed. The length of the recission period will depend on where you purchased the timeshare, but it’s typically going to range somewhere between five and seven days. If you notify the developer or seller of your wish to cancel the deal before this period is up, they have to honor that request and you’ll be freed from the deal. There is no penalty to cancel so you can get your money back and act like the whole thing never happened.
It should go without saying that if you would like to use this option to get out of your timeshare, you should do so immediately. You don’t want to get any closer to the deadline than you already are, so act quickly and notify the seller of your desire to cancel as soon as possible.
How to Sell a Starwood Timeshare
Selling a timeshare, on the surface, would seem like the ideal solution to the problem of wanting to get out of your ownership experience. If you were to complete a sale, you’d be free and clear of your responsibilities as an owner, and you might even get a little money out of it in the process. What’s not to love?
The issue, as you might already suspect, is that it is hard to find a willing buyer for your timeshare. There aren’t a lot of people who are excited about the opportunity to jump into the responsibilities that you want to unload. And, if you do find such a person after listing your timeshare for sale, it’s unlikely that they will want to offer you very much money to make the purchase.
With all of that said, I still think it is worth the time and effort to go ahead and list the timeshare and see what happens. If you do happen to be able to sell it, that would be a great outcome and you can move forward right away. If not, you are only out a little bit of your time, and you can continue to work toward finding another way out. There isn’t much to lose here, so you might as well give it a shot.
Asking for Help Directly
This is the step that I see countless timeshare owners overlook, and it’s actually a pretty easy one to take. Granted, it’s not particularly likely to be effective, but like trying to sell your timeshare, there is no reason not to give it a go.
In this case, I’m talking about directly contacting the timeshare company to see if they are willing and able to help you cancel. Starwood might have a program in place to take back deeds from timeshare owners who no longer want to be a part of the system. They wouldn’t just be doing that to be nice, of course – they would have financial motivations in mind. If they take back your timeshare, they can sell it to someone else. But that’s of no concern to you, as your only goal is to simply get out of the timeshare and move on without the obligations that you’ve been carrying for years.
If you do work with Starwood to cancel your timeshare, make it a point to get everything in writing along the way. You don’t want to be told over the phone by one person that they will be able to help, only to find out later that another person wasn’t aware of that deal. It’s better to have documentation than to be left out in the cold.
An Exit Company Can Help
While I hope this isn’t the case for you, it’s possible that you’ll go from one option to the next and never run into anything that allows you to successfully cancel your timeshare. If that is the case, your next step might be to contact a proven timeshare exit company to ask them for help. These are companies that specialize in exactly this type of task and they will use a variety of means to seek a way out.
Of course, I can’t ignore the obvious downside here – you’ll have to pay them for their services. That’s an expense that you will need to compare to your timeshare ownership fees to decide if it is worth it or not in your case.
If you do go with a timeshare exit company, be sure to pick one with a great reputation and one that has escrow services in place for clients. You want your money to be held in an escrow account while the exit company works on your case so you can have some recourse if things don’t work out as you hoped. Too many people have been taken advantage of by exit companies who couldn’t deliver results but ran away with the money that they were paid. Don’t put yourself in that boat and make sure your money is protected from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s likely that you’ll need to get direct help to work your way out of this situation. However, you might find some of the frequently asked questions below helpful as you go through the process.
Q: Should I just stop paying on my timeshare if I want to cancel?
A: Probably not. It’s best to keep up with the payments until you have secured a way to get out of the contract properly. If you stop paying, you are likely to incur some credit damage and the account could even be placed into collections.
Q: How long does it take to cancel a Starwood timeshare?
 A: That’s hard to say – it could be completed quickly, or it could easily take a year or longer. No matter what, your best course of action is to start as soon as possible. Q: Do I have to hire an exit company to get out of my timeshare? A: Not necessarily – it’s entirely possible to get out of a timeshare properly on your own. If that doesn’t happen, however, turning to an exit company can be a wise next step.
Take a Moment to Get In Touch
You shouldn’t have to figure out this situation all on your own. Many other Starwood members are in the same situation and are trying to determine how to best proceed. Take a moment today to contact us at 833-416-8796 or by using the live chat feature here on our site. It will be completely up to you to decide how to proceed, but gathering as much information as possible is going to make your life easier. Thanks for stopping by!