Timeshare Owner Newbie - VERY CONFUSED

Now that I found this site I am realizing just how ripped off we have gotten at the timeshare presentation in Vegas this past Jan. I am even more confused now reading all these tips than I was before. We went on the presentation without any interest in buying. We just wanted to go to VEGAS. Therefore, we didnt do any research. Well we were sold on their crap sales pitch and I am having total buyers remorse. We finally after months booked a trip to Cancun leaving on Sat. It was nearly impossible to find something that was available and within our points range. so we settled. Now I am already thinking about what we will do next year. I was up till 2am reading this forum and now thinking that converting our bonus points and club points to stay at a Hilton Hotel is not worth it, just going by what everyone has said. So where do we go, the lack of HGVC is pathetic. Where does everyone go? I am certainly not going to stay my home week in vegas...UUGGHH I live in SC and HGVC is only in MB and FL...

3400 pts
Platinum week 37 at Elara
Stuido Plus

Can anyone please shed some light into this CAVE? I cant sleep, I wish I could go back and not get sold this timeshare!!!

Elara & TS Newbie

It's worth it to convert your bonus points if you would otherwise not use them for a vacation before they expire.

3400 points will get you one week in a one bedroom in RCI. Sounds like you need to learn how to use RCI/exchange companies.

3400 points will not go far in HGVC, but you can borrow from the next year and use those points together for a total of 6800 points.

Stop feeling crappy about your purchase. It won't help you enjoy your vacations. Just focus on learning how to get the most out of the system. True, you don't have many points to work with, but HGVC is actually one of the most consumer friendly timeshares.

Should you ever decide to add on to get more points, remember to buy on the resale market.

Most of US here on TUG were sold a developer or 2 TSs.

First, stop kicking yourself. Learn HOW to make something out of the spilled milk. And it could be worse.

HGVC is a small system. Ain't going to change that unless you buy more points (resale of course) or figure out how to use the system to the fullest.

I am NOT a HGVC owner - but you found the right place to learn from the HGVC masters.

Well sorry about your buyers remorse, but make the best of it.

3400 points will get you a 1br for an off season week in a lot of resorts, the trick is to book right at the 9 month mark when all the inventory opens up to anyone with points. If you are flex, weekdays 3 day stays are 50% less points, so you could get more nights staying that way.

Study the resort guide, make note of the bronze, silver, and gold seasons and plan 9 months out to catch off peak seasons.

You are correct 3400 will not get you much during summer peak season.

Take heart, there are 3400 point 1br weeks in Hawaii during May and October, you can book one and trade if for something closer to home if you cant travel that far. It trades well in SFX, I've got two 2br bonus weeks so far and still have the deposit week.

Thank you for the encouraging words. I was impressed what we did not knowing a dang thing about this system. We are staying 7 days in a 1 bedroom in Fiesta Americana Villas 6/15-6/22. I had 1100 pts left over! So I booked a studio for 5 days in the Anderson in MB, i borrowed 20 pts from the next year (whew i did someting right)...

However our issue is that we didnt plan on taking 2 vacations in one year. So next year we want to go on a BIG DADDY trip. We have been against HI because of the plane ride from East Coast being way to long and we have two small children.

I wasnt sure if the RCI Exchange was worth it. I didnt see anything that has impressed me, a lot of the stuff in SC (family trip) looked like 1980s. Sorry to sound snobby but we really love the Hilton style!

so with this being said, we have looked long and hard about the all inclusive resort in Costa Rica but it seemed so expensive pts wise. Is it worth it anyone know? Also i really wanted to go to Bora Bora but I dont think we will ever be able to do that since we would have to convert to HH which you all say is terrible? So how does one get to stay there using club points? RCI?

With 2 small kids look at MarBrisa, from there you can do Legoland, Disney, Knotts, Wild Animal Park, etc etc. it's easy to book at 9 months, I have 4 days coming up the first week of Aug. My 6yr old grand nephew, first Lego visit. SoCal beaches in summer, nothing like it, I just spent Monday afternoon at Surf City pier.

Hah, Bora Bora is not done on the cheap with Hilton points, time to wake up from the salesmanship kool-aid!

SmithOp said:

With 2 small kids look at MarBrisa, from there you can do Legoland, Disney, Knotts, Wild Animal Park, etc etc. it's easy to book at 9 months, I have 4 days coming up the first week of Aug. My 6yr old grand nephew, first Lego visit.

Hah, Bora Bora is not done on the cheap with Hilton points, time to wake up from the salesmanship kool-aid!

Click to expand...

Besides the regular cost for food and drink. I had read recently to expect to budget between $300-$500 per person, per day, just for food and drink in Bora Bora.

haha yep the salesperson said we almost had enough points to do Bora Bora, What a LIE!

Try to search for exchanges in places with many hotel rooms, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, St. Maarten, Aruba, etc. you'll get the hang of it after searching. Also, many people search during working hours ( at their desk) and you'll have better luck early mornings, and late at night. The vacations are out there, just keep your head above water and keep looking.

never mind figured it out

A Platinum Studio Plus is 3,500 HGVC Points. 3,400 is a Gold 1br.

Study this well: http://www.2013clubprogram.com

elaraowner said:

Ok now I am very confused how do I search that? Just going onto the RCI Exchange Website??? I cant find this MarBrisa so I am doing something VERY wrong.

Click to expand...

From the club website, assuming you have your account set up for online access:

After you log in, look on the left side of the screen.
Click My Club
Click Resort Collection
You'll find Marbrisa in there mixed with all the other resorts.

For RCI
Click My Club
Click RCI affiliated resorts
Click Reservations
a couple more clicks will take you to the RCI site to exchange your points, put in a request, etc.

elaraowner said:

never mind figured it out

Click to expand...

Open season avail.

Hilton Grand Vacations Club at MarBrisa, Carlsbad, California
Unit Type Dates Available
1 Bedroom 06/16-06/17
2 Bedroom 06/19-06/20
Grand Pacific Palisades Resort, Carlsbad, California
Unit Type Dates Available
1 Bedroom 06/18-06/19

caribe diver said:

Try to search for exchanges in places with many hotel rooms, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, St. Maarten, Aruba, etc. you'll get the hang of it after searching. Also, many people search during working hours ( at their desk) and you'll have better luck early mornings, and late at night. The vacations are out there, just keep your head above water and keep looking.

Click to expand...

Remy said:

A Platinum Studio Plus is 3,500 HGVC Points. 3,400 is a Gold 1br.

Study this well: http://www.2013clubprogram.com

Click to expand...

oops we do have 3500 then, we are def platinum...that is how lost i am! ha

It's not a terrible ownership. Reasonable MF for a studio unit. It is only limiting in that there aren't as many units to choose from at resorts. I wouldn't be concerned that the sky is falling. And it has some resale value when you go to unload it down the road.

Hilton Hawaiian Village has 2200 point studios available. Valdoro Mountain Lodge has 3,500 point Studios available. Keep an eye on inventory 9 months our from the date you want and go to town at HGVClub.com.

RCI is also a great option when you want a week and you want a larger unit. As said here before, 3,400 and a copay of a couple hundred will get you a week in a one bedroom. I was able to spend Christmas to New Years in Cabo at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach for 3,400 points. Loved it.

You can also supplement your ownership with Endless Vacation Rentals deals and ResortCerts on the cheap.

It may not have been awesome to buy direct from HGVC, but it really is a great system once you figure it out. There's a lot of value in it. Not in exchanging for low-value HH points, but in using the resort options available to you in HGVC and RCI.

In addition to trading on RCI, you can try to trade here and there is another trading company I like called San Francisco Exchange (SFX) that you can use.

The trading itself is kind of a game that is fun if you let it be.

I thought I would never go to Orlando, but I love the International Drive location in Orlando, so now I go there. I wouldn't have ever thought to go to Aruba, but SFX got me Aruba for Christmas so, new adventure.

I am not certain, but most people who find TUG, find it after they buy a timeshare. So, you are not alone.

As others have stated with their good advice, learn the system and learn how to use your points to the max. HGVC is a very good system and it's easy to use and understand, even though you may seem a bit confused now.

As others have said, enjoy what you have now. I've spent over $80k buying from the developer. As of now, I've received over $48k in "retail value" for all of my stays in about 7 years time. But by reading TUG I am now vacationing smarter and maximizing my vacations.

Your still receiving value from your TS, just at a slower rate compared to those that bought resale.

Another way to look at it is that you are paying the maintenance fees for a studio, but can book 1 bedrooms - which have a higher MF - with one years points, so this was actually smart. :whoopie:

Don't rule out Hawaii. We first took our older daughter when she was 18 mos, and our youngest first went went when she was 7 mos. 3400 will get you a very large and beautiful 1bdrm unit at the Bay Club on the Big Island via an RCI exchange. -or- you can stay at HHV during gold season for 3400 points if your kids aren't in school yet.

Carlesbad is also a great option. There's the San Diego zoo, beach is like 8 min drive and the kids absolutely love Legoland. Most importantly Costco is down the hill.

elaraowner said:

so with this being said, we have looked long and hard about the all inclusive resort in Costa Rica but it seemed so expensive pts wise. Is it worth it anyone know? Also i really wanted to go to Bora Bora but I dont think we will ever be able to do that since we would have to convert to HH which you all say is terrible? So how does one get to stay there using club points? RCI?

Click to expand...

I took a second look at your post. I think you guys would really enjoy Hawaii. Costco makes Hawaii very affordable.