Contacting other Westin Whiski Jack owners

Perhaps there's another web site to use for this, but I think it would be good if those of us who own a week or two at the Westin through Whiski Jack at Whistler could be able to contact each other and exchange information about our association. I'm concerned that there don't seem to be any owners who are on the association board, only employees of Whiski Jack Resorts: low or no participation by owners in the overseeing and governance of our owner association. I personally can't afford to take the time off and travel up to Whistler for the annual meetings, but I would hope that SOME of the owners would be able and willing to do that.

When I was in my unit in September, I found that the upholstry of the sofa and chairs was terribly frayed, worn through, and ugly. I had brought this to the attention of the Whiski Jack attorney who was the president of the association a year ago, but nothing had been done. I took photos of the furniture this year and showed them to the Whiski Jack staff in September. One of the staff has informed me that she is working with the Westin management to get our furniture replaced this year. I was told that the hotel replaces its furniture every four years, but I tend to doubt that; they apparently intend to make those replacements throughout the hotel in 2008, but the Whiski Jack staff person says she's working to get our units upgraded sooner than that, because our units are used almost daily throughout the year, whereas the regular hotel units are not used as much. So, I'm hopeful that I won't be seeing the ugly furniture next September when I return.

This is an example of why it would be good if we owners had a way of contacting each other outside of the association. Maybe this Redweek forum is the answer; maybe something like Yahoo or Google Groups is the way to go. I don't know; I don't know how to go about contacting all the owners through the Web.

Hi, I just read your old message, did you get your problem resolved. Now The Westin Whistler is managed by Raintree and the annual fee has triple since I bought it in 2004. Let me know if you know anything else.

Thanks,

Jenny Anderson Whistler Westin week 51 and 52

jennya48 wrote:

Hi, I just read your old message, did you get your problem resolved. Now The Westin Whistler is managed by Raintree and the annual fee has triple since I bought it in 2004. Let me know if you know anything else.

Thanks,

Jenny Anderson Whistler Westin week 51 and 52

Jenny, The furnishings were upgraded during the year after my note. I'm now interested in selling because the annual fee has risen way too far. After the last annual meeting, one of the owners who had attended said that an email group would be set up for us owners to connect with each other about what to do about our high fee, but it has not happened. My messages to the Raintree contact, April Bolden, have not been answered. I'm hoping to sell my unit but don't have much hope that I'll make a sale. Failing that, I'm hoping my refusal to pay the maintenance fee will compel Raintree or the Westin HOA or ? to reclaim my week.

Luckily, I have week 51 and 52 and I have been able to rent them out every year to cover the increased cost. I heard it is very hard to sell our weeks because of the annual cost. april Bolden has not been able to help anything at all. It is too bad that I have paid over canadian $135,000 for the 2 bedroom for week 51 and 52 and the real estate agent who sold it to me told me that the price is about half at this moment. I will keep renting them out then. Glad to chat with you, thanks,

Jenny Anderson Redmond, WA 98052 4254714049

Agree that we need to unite. The tripling of the maintenance fees is extortion. I have tried to rent my units but haven't gotten any "legitimate" or reliable response...how are you able to rent your...albeit, "prime time." Thanks.

johnb1527 wrote:

Agree that we need to unite. The tripling of the maintenance fees is extortion. I have tried to rent my units but haven't gotten any "legitimate" or reliable response...how are you able to rent your...albeit, "prime time." Thanks.

I didn't try to rent. I put my energy into selling my unit. I've set up a Google Group called Whistler Westin Timeshare Owners at whistler-westin-timeshare-units@googlegroups.com, where I've explained how I sold my unit after up to a year of advertising on RedWeek and on the Timeshare User Group websites. So far, I'm the only member of that Google group!

They should be ecstatic. You paid for the unit, paid maintenance fees...essentially, you, and all the rest of us suckers have given them lots and lots of cash and they outright freakin own some incredible units. They can pay any overhead through rents and pocket the profit....Raintree took $25 million from us suckers in Mexico for a beautiful project...then they never built it and used the money elsewhere. Does this not wreak of a Ponzi scam. They are CROOKS!

I am also an owner getting screwed over. Does anyone know what happens if you just stop paying?

johnm2860 wrote:

I am also an owner getting screwed over. Does anyone know what happens if you just stop paying?

I don't actually know, but my purchase contract talks about the timeshare owner corp. being required to take over the property after I think it is six months of nonpayment and possibly splitting the money from the resale after expenses have been paid.

I just found this board. There are about 70 of us that are fed up and trying to communicate together. Please respond to this if you want more information.

I am in the process of buying a Westin Whiski Jack week. Please add me to the communication list.

Thanks, Kevin email: kevinli02 at gmail.com

johnm2922 wrote:

I just found this board. There are about 70 of us that are fed up and trying to communicate together. Please respond to this if you want more information.

I've set up a Google Group called Whistler Westin Timeshare Owners at whistler-westin-timeshare-units@googlegroups.com. If any of the 70 of you think that venue would be more useful for communicating with each other, I'd be happy to assign the ownership of it over to one or more of you. AllanF