# Have you been surprised by HGVC?



## freewill (Feb 20, 2015)

Hi,
So here's a general question I haven't come across in my TUG searching:  

How has HGVC surprised you (positively and/or negatively) over the course of your ownership -- and particularly when compared to your expectations before you bought in?  Whether in terms of the overall program, the HGVC resorts, Open Season, RCI/SFX exchanges, etc. ...

Obviously a very general question to solicit feedback, but I'd be grateful for any responses as I research this gig!

Many thanks


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## mgeez (Feb 20, 2015)

I been in HGVC for 8 years.
 Positive - I realized years ago it was fairly easy to get into the DVC resorts. Used my points on 3 occasions to get into a DVC resort.
 Negative - surprised by the ever increasing nickle / dime fees, but I suppose all vacation club folks see this.
  Happy, but not surprised - to see HGVC is actually expanding to other areas than Vegas, Hawaii, or Orlando.


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## presley (Feb 20, 2015)

I've mostly been surprised by how much they charge for everything.  To me, the fees are ridiculous.  Also surprised by how they push elite status, but elite status doesn't really have any worthwhile benefits (at entry level).


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## GregT (Feb 20, 2015)

I have been very favorably impressed by HGVC.  I like the system itself very much and think the properties are very high quality.  I like the fact that they are continuing to expand and think they have been creative.

Like others, I note the ever increasing fees and I am curious if they will continue at the same trajectory.  I first noticed this type of treatment from Wyndham (and sold my Wyndham) and therefore was sort of sensitized to the treatment.  Additionally, HGVC's fees haven't risen as dramatically as I felt at Wyndham.

So the vast majority of "surprises" have been the pleasant kind, for me at least.

Best,

Greg


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## JSparling (Feb 20, 2015)

Been an owner since 2000. I've always been able to get what I want as far as resort/room type. Sometimes you have to keep checking back and wait for something to open up but it always have. And I'm talking about some pretty prime weeks in Breckenridge and Hawaii. If you plan ahead and are willing to be diligent you'll get what you want. Well, really, if you plan ahead (such as right at the 9-month mark) you virtually ALWAYS get what you want. If you don't plan ahead then you still have a good shot if you are willing to keep checking back. 

I'm also impressed with the extremely high quality resorts. These places are amazing. The MF on the unit we bought back in 2000 is only $800 or so. Time and time again I use those points to stay for a week at places that would cost 5x that if I was paying cash. HGVC continues to add new places in great locations. Right now you've got some east coast beach stuff going up and a new place in Hawaii (Maui I think?). 

The downside I've seen is the awful "Elite" program. The only place it's helped me is with the free 7-night reservations. This allows you to book anything you want early even if you are just "holding" it and not worry about fees. I've done a lot of book, change mind, change reservation......and there are no fees. Besides the lack of good things I also have commented on here about the terrible wait times when you call the Elite desk. I call often and to have a 10+ minute wait is common. 

The Elite benefit of having more/5-star resorts is a nice perk but if you try to book them you'll find that some require a ridiculous, and almost impossible amount of points. I called to inquire about a ResorTime property through the Elite desk and they wanted something like 96,000 points for a week at this beach resort. That's 12 years of points give-or-take.


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## 1Kflyerguy (Feb 20, 2015)

Like many of the others, the number of fees for things really surprised me after i bought.. 

I am very pleased to see the new locations and resorts being built.  That makes me feel like the club will continue to provide me with value for years to come.

I do wish "Elite" status had more value.. While i am not elite, there are only a few benefits that are even interesting to me..


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## SmithOp (Feb 20, 2015)

We purchased in 2001 and didnt have any booking fees at first because we used our home week every year, we liked having eoy odd and even going to HHV and then Waikoloa the next year.  When we started using club bookings it was $39, not bad considering how easy it is to change reservations right up to the day before, we like the flexibility.  

Fees have grown and we try to minimize by using points in advance, live in HGVCs pocket. No fees to borrow in advance and pay maintenance fees later, love it.  I dont know why they punish people for not using their points, charging fees to rescue or deposit into the next year. 


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk


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## itradehilton (Feb 20, 2015)

The best surprise was getting multiple summer weeks with DVC 2 years in a row. 
As others mentioned the increase fee costs.


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## linsj (Feb 20, 2015)

I've been pleased at how often I can go to Hawaii with my [cheaper] Orlando points. 

I'm also surprised at how annoying it is to have to pay a booking fee when we're already charged a club fee. And _really _surprised at how bad booking continues to be since Hilton introduced the Revolution system.


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## brp (Feb 20, 2015)

Generally positive. We have been able to get whatever we have wanted in NYC (first HCNY, now W. 57th) as well as Bay Club in Waikoloa. Now we bought Flamingo (to use in Hawai'i), but used it for a Vegas stay with no problems.

The nickel and dime fees are annoying (Disney has none of these...bank...free, borrow...free, makr reservations...free...change/cancel...free). The $85 cleaning fee at W. 57th is annoying, but we knew about it going in.

Overall, quite positive.

Cheers.


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## bogey21 (Feb 21, 2015)

I have never owned HGVC but have traded into a number of HGVC Resorts.  Because of age, etc. I have divested most of my TS Weeks.  That being said, if I were buying today and wanted one of the "big boys", it would be HGVC in a heart beat.  Love the Resorts.

George


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## vacationbear (Feb 21, 2015)

JSparling said:


> Time and time again I use those points to stay for a week at places that would cost *5x* that if I was paying cash. HGVC continues to add new places in great locations.



Whoa, you got my attention here!  
5X?  
I know it applies for Lagoon Tower (but not 5X), not KL. Will probably apply for GI and Maui once they are online.
What other properties offer such a (or even 3X) value?


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## PigsDad (Feb 21, 2015)

vacationbear said:


> Whoa, you got my attention here!
> 5X?
> I know it applies for Lagoon Tower (but not 5X), not KL. Will probably apply for GI and Maui once they are online.
> What other properties offer such a (or even 3X) value?


Have you seen what Hilton charges for a 2BR Valdoro unit during prime ski season?  5X is not out of the question.

Kurt


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## bevans (Feb 21, 2015)

One surprise that has occurred to me is open season devaluation in value. The upside of this has been owning two platinum contracts myself (secondary market purchases) makes the argument to buy the highest point number contracts more valuable. I do not think they can change the season charts for points needed so having 7000 platinum units and above are the only way to go. I know people that bought 2400 point contacts to gain access to open season and find that strategy does not work well anymore. Curt


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## vacationbear (Feb 22, 2015)

PigsDad said:


> Have you seen what Hilton charges for a 2BR Valdoro unit during prime ski season?  5X is not out of the question.
> 
> Kurt



Interesting!
So: where else?

The list is forming:

- Valdoro
- Lagoon Tower
- ???


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## itradehilton (Feb 22, 2015)

5x 

-West 57th
-trading into DVC
-club Intrawest Vancouver
- Club Intrawest Whistler
-ski week at Breckenridge
- Hawaii


I have gotten reservations into each with our Vegas timeshare.


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## vacationbear (Feb 22, 2015)

*5X MF benefit*

Its getting better and better!

Hawaii cannot be listed as such, the Big Island resorts wont give you a 5X benefit. The Grand Waikikian is most definitely in this category. Penthouse 2db rooms offered bis HGVC for > $2k per night... Yikes...

So, the resorts are (so far)

- Valdoro
- Lagoon Tower
- Grand Waikikian
- West 57th
- trading into DVC
- Club Intrawest Vancouver
- Club Intrawest Whistler
- Breckenridge

Where else?


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## chriskre (Feb 22, 2015)

I'm disappointed in the devaluing of the Open season benefit so will be using my other ownerships for Orlando visits including my new Polynesian DVC points, but will say that to me HGVC is still a great timeshare for someone who lives in FL.  

All those nice affiliate resorts are still worth the price of admission if you want to travel in the summer where the 2 bed rooms are easily $250 and above per night in the SW Florida area.   One of my favorite resorts Charter Club is right next to the Marriott Crystal Shores.  Same great views and beach 1/20 of the price of admission.  

So although my plan to own only a biennial to use OS isn't panning out as planned, I've managed to make lemonade out of the lemon and just stick within the club.   RCI and II are almost near impossible to get the HGVC affiliates thru exchange although I did get lucky this year, so the club is still almost as sure of a thing I am going to get without buying a unit at the resort.  

For now I'll keep my HGVC and hope for the best going forward.


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## ronandjoan (Feb 23, 2015)

Negatives;  We bought in 2002 and 
1.  Learning the system gave me a headache -- of course, it was our first timeshare so all was new

2.  The additional  fees began to question our usage and decision

3.  We stayed in two HGVC resorts: Marco Island, Eagles Nest - maintenance in the resort was SOOOO poor - and requests for help with a problem in the unit which was necessary to stay  were only honored after two days when I complained to corporate; and 
      South Beach, where we were deeded - our view was the blank wall at the next door resort - from the one window in the unit...WIFI was sooo expensive we didn;t get it, the small pool was on the roof and cold... other items, too -- not worth it

4.  The rise in MF was the final straw:  it was $800 something in 2002 and within 2 years, it was over $1000 -- and rising.  Not for us.

Positives:  they trade well...but they will not let you trade into a "lower-level" (according to them) resort. But we have been happy where we have been, trading into the resorts we do.


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## chriskre (Feb 23, 2015)

ronandjoan said:


> 3.  We stayed in two HGVC resorts: Marco Island, Eagles Nest - maintenance in the resort was SOOOO poor - and requests for help with a problem in the unit which was necessary to stay  were only honored after two days when I complained to corporate



Wow!  What year was this?
I stayed there last year and found it a very nice resort but it seemed like it had been thru a recent refurb as the room was very nice and the grounds beautiful.


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## gnorth16 (Feb 23, 2015)

I think with the rapid expansion and selling of new locations, the resale values are slumping and there is a glut of HGVC TS's on the market, affecting a (my) decent exit plan.  I have also noticed that new locations are higher point structures making it more difficult to use a full week with the lower point structures.  

Great resorts, with really good employees and I have always had clean rooms.  Open season is great, but it is an ever changing beast and who knows where it is going.  Online tools have improved and fees are steady for my Strip property.


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## JudyS (Feb 24, 2015)

I don't own HGVC but I might consider buying there sometime. I appreciate all the information on this thread.  





bevans said:


> One surprise that has occurred to me is open season devaluation in value. The upside of this has been owning two platinum contracts myself (secondary market purchases) makes the argument to buy the highest point number contracts more valuable. I do not think they can change the season charts for points needed so having 7000 platinum units and above are the only way to go. I know people that bought 2400 point contacts to gain access to open season and find that strategy does not work well anymore. Curt


I checked HGVC's site, and it says Open Season allows making cash reservations 30 days or less before check-in, which can only be used by the owner (not by the owner's guests or renters.) So, I think what this post means is that some people bought small HGVC contracts in the past, primarily for the purpose of making these last-minute cash reservations. Is that right? Also, this Open Season benefit has declined in value. Is that due to a lack of last-minute availability, a change in Open Season rules, or both? 

Also, is there a list of the HGVC fees anywhere?


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## Talent312 (Feb 24, 2015)

JudyS said:


> ...ome people bought small HGVC contracts in the past, primarily for the purpose of making these last-minute cash reservations. Is that right? Also, this Open Season benefit has declined in value. Is that due to a lack of last-minute availability, a change in Open Season rules, or both?
> Also, is there a list of the HGVC fees anywhere?




Not many, but we've seen a few here who bought primarily for O/S use.
O/S has declined due to monkeying w/rates. "Nothing stays the same."
Next year, they'll start varying rates to reflect demand, more like hotels.

For an overview, see: http://www.hgvclubprogram.com/
They once had an all-inclusive fee, but it was abused, so now its per use:
See: http://www.hgvclubprogram.com/content/2Fees-ENG-Rev010715.pdf

Positive Surprise: The uniformly high quality of the resorts.
... An occasional hiccup, but impressive interiors, facilites & landscaping.

Negative Surprise: The increasingly poor value of converting points to H-Honors.
... Higher HH-point rates w/o changing conversion rates made a bad idea worse.
... Does that mean there's been a significant drop in conversions? Only they know.
.


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## mgeez (Feb 24, 2015)

chriskre said:


> Wow!  What year was this?
> I stayed there last year and found it a very nice resort but it seemed like it had been thru a recent refurb as the room was very nice and the grounds beautiful.



I second that WOW! We own our week there and stayed at Eagles Nest numerous times. I never could find anything to complain about.


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## peas (Feb 24, 2015)

Our surprises:

Open season change- mentioned above.  Disappointing since this perk is what attracted us to Hilton.

Online system -  I wasn't prepared for how irritated I would be with the system.  It is not very user friendly.  For example:  Since I was not familiar with the resorts, I had to put my cursor over the "2 bedroom" description then item by item compare it by putting my cursor over the other "2 bedroom" description (note: exact same title).  I wish they would only list the differences instead of making you read the verbose description and that you could somehow pull both descriptions up at the same time vs having to put the cursor over one then over the other then back to the first one. I also find it annoying to always have to come to TUG to find out what Plus means.  For those who own Hilton but have not found TUG, I don't know what they do.

However, the biggest surprise to me was:

Studio capacity is 2.  I cannot say if this is true for all the resorts, but for most of the ones I've seen it is true.  It never occurred to me that it wouldn't be studio sleeps 2 privately and capacity to 4.  I mistakenly presumed that in a pinch our family of 4 could do a studio.  I was wrong.  Surprise!


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## Talent312 (Feb 24, 2015)

peas said:


> Studio capacity is 2.  I cannot say if this is true for all the resorts, but for most of the ones I've seen it is true.  It never occurred to me that it wouldn't be studio sleeps 2 privately and capacity to 4.  I mistakenly presumed that in a pinch our family of 4 could do a studio.



DW and I checked out a studio in the beginning.  It was clear to
us that stuffing a studio with more than 2 would be a non-starter.

Even using a 1BR for 4 peep can be tight, depending on which 4. :annoyed:

.


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## piyooshj (Feb 24, 2015)

Yay: Some good choices between HGVC and affliliates with quality resorts.
DVC via RCI
Last call via RCI
Nay: Nickel and dime fees for everything (I never booked my home resort yet) after paying club dues.


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## JudyS (Feb 25, 2015)

Talent312 said:


> Not many, but we've seen a few here who bought primarily for O/S use.
> O/S has declined due to monkeying w/rates. "Nothing stays the same."
> Next year, they'll start varying rates to reflect demand, more like hotels.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the information!


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## JSparling (Feb 25, 2015)

Without spending hours trying to "prove" my 5X comment I was able to quickly prove a 4.5X exchange. For example:

We're going out to KL in March for 7 nights. Booking the same room right now via the Hilton Hotels (not HGVC) website would cost us about $3,100. Using my 6,200 points from the Vegas Strip property which cost only $570 in MF only leaves me needing to pull 800 more points from my other Vegas property where I have 7,000 points. That's 11% of those points and 11% of that MF is about $100. Let's round up and call my total cost $700. $700 vs. $3,100 is pretty darn good.

5X definitely was inflated. You caught me, V-Bear. I must have gotten excited! 

Let's not lose site of my point which is once you get past the purchase price and only have the MF to worry about you can get some awesome trips for much, much less than if you were paying cash. And I guess you have to factor in each individual owner. As with my example showing that I can get the week for less than $700, if your 7,000 points cost you $1,300 in MF then your "value" isn't as great as mine. And if someone has 7,000 points for less then their value is better. 

Agreed about Valdoro - those rooms are crazy $$$$ in the ski season. And there are not very many of them so they can take advantage of diminished supply and high demand.


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## 1Kflyerguy (Feb 25, 2015)

JSparling said:


> Without spending hours trying to "prove" my 5X comment I was able to quickly prove a 4.5X exchange. For example:
> 
> We're going out to KL in March for 7 nights. Booking the same room right now via the Hilton Hotels (not HGVC) website would cost us about $3,100. Using my 6,200 points from the Vegas Strip property which cost only $570 in MF only leaves me needing to pull 800 more points from my other Vegas property where I have 7,000 points. That's 11% of those points and 11% of that MF is about $100. Let's round up and call my total cost $700. $700 vs. $3,100 is pretty darn good.
> 
> ...




I do a similar analysis, every time i book a HGVC stay with points, i go over to Hilton.com and capture the cash booking prices as close as I can.  That allows me to compare the cost of booking with TS points vs. cash.


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## Maverick1963 (Feb 28, 2015)

I bought a 2BR Flamingo for $12.5k ten years ago.  It is a rough calculation but  the total estimates of accommodations by HGVC points over the years already exceeded the purchase cost plus annual fees in the same period.  I can stay in 1BR at HHV for a week by paying $1,000/yr and I can get a few thousand dollars back if I sell the interest.  I do not have care about the value of my timeshare.  That's very good.


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## vacationbear (Feb 28, 2015)

JSparling said:


> 5X definitely was inflated.



Nope, 5X (and far more than that!!!) is indeed very real! 
You proofed it!  

Will be interesting to see for how much a room goes at hilton.com for the GI and the new Maui property. 
Those two properties will be far better than 5X.

Cheers


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## alwysonvac (Mar 1, 2015)

freewill said:


> Hi,
> So here's a general question I haven't come across in my TUG searching:
> 
> How has HGVC surprised you (positively and/or negatively) over the course of your ownership -- and particularly when compared to your expectations before you bought in?  Whether in terms of the overall program, the HGVC resorts, Open Season, RCI/SFX exchanges, etc. ...
> ...




We bought our first HGVC timeshare in 2003 via Resale. We bought HGVC for future stays at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) in Oahu. We love the point system flexibility with HGVC which allows owners the ability to reserve a room with a check-in any day of the week, at any resort, and stay for any number of nights (min 3 nts), in any room size depending on our vacation needs.  We also learned how to maximize our usage.

We've had many wonderful trips with family and friends via our timeshares. 
However with that said I never encourage my friends and family members to buy a timeshare. It's simply not for everyone. 

Surprises with Timesharing in General

The one-time Purchase price is just one factor to consider. The ongoing ever increasing fees are just as important to consider (maintenance fees, club dues, reservation fees, banking fees, exchange fees, etc).

Lots of folks enter in timeshares without understanding the PROs and CONs. If you don't own a fixed week at a specific resort, you will most likely compete with lots of other timeshare owners when trying to book your stay. I sometimes compare the process to the children’s game of “musical chairs” where there are only a fixed number of units for any given week and sometimes way too many folks trying to compete for the same limited number of rooms at the same time. 

Most families want to vacation during peak travel periods when the kids are out of school (holiday, spring & summer breaks and XMAS/NYE break) and/or want to visit peak travel destinations like beach resorts during peak summer season and ski resorts during peak winter season.  High Demands areas and/or peak travel periods will be booked up first. So owners that can’t plan ahead in order to reserve a unit as soon as booking window begins, may not find availability during these peak travel times. 

NOTE: Over built areas will have lots of availability such as Orlando and Las Vegas. Beachfront locations will book quicker than non-beachfront location. Centrally located resorts will book quicker than non-centrally located resorts. 

Here's a link on what I learned about RCI over the years via TUG. It's not specific to HGVC. It works the same way regardless of which timeshare I use for a RCI exchange - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1702883&postcount=4


Not so nice HGVC surprises

(1) Increased Point Structure at the same locations (at one time there was one point structure for all resorts - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=216583&postcount=12)
I'm amazed by the number of permutations HGVC has created with the newest Orlando resort (Parc Soleil) when we already had two under the older point structures.

(2) Different reservation windows (at one time the Club Reservation was 9 months before check-out for all resorts). 
Now we have different reservation windows for places such as West57th, Hokulani and the new Grand Islander. These resorts provide a shorted booking window which means a smaller window of opportunity for making travel related arrangements such as taking advantage of airfare sale, car rental deals, etc.

(3) HGVC is always looking for new ways to make more money off existing members. 
As a result, I haven't attended the so called "Owner Update" in years. http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=311186&postcount=7

(4) Ignored HGVC Resort Maintenance Issues
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216787

(5) Disappearing HGVC Benefits (HHonors and Open Season Rental Rates)
The number of HHonors points required for a hotel stay has steadily increased over the years but the HGVC conversion rate has not changed since 2008.
Open Season Rental Rates has also steadily increased over the last few years. Just this past December, Hilton showed their long term intent for Open Season Rental Rates and it doesn’t look good for owners. I’m assuming in the long run, HGVC is hoping members will buy more points. I hope instead that HGVC members wise up and use their money elsewhere (beyond HGVC).
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220231
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=221136

(6) Outrageous Resale Fees 
The fact of the matter is that owners have no control over fees especially when the developer is in control.  Over the last several years, HGVC has introduced new fees for new resale buyers and the fees have steadily increased. 
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206968

(7)  Sad Reservation System.
http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=202535
There was a letter in 2012 that new reservation system was coming but it never came -  http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=199367
HGVC’s new Marketing Slogan “A vacation state of mind” seemed to be their primary focus instead of their 2012 commitment for an improved reservation system - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205363

_Whatever you decide, don't put all of your future vacation dollars into timesharing. This will give you the flexibility in the future to choose the best way to visit your desired destinations. There might not be a timeshare at the location that you want to visit or if there is a timeshare it may be very hard to get an exchange. You may also want to visit a destination in an entirely different way via a cruise, hotel/resort stay, special discounted travel package, tour company, beach house rental, etc._


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## Jason245 (Mar 2, 2015)

alwysonvac said:


> We bought our first HGVC timeshare in 2003 via Resale. We bought HGVC for future stays at the Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) in Oahu. We love the point system flexibility with HGVC which allows owners the ability to reserve a room with a check-in any day of the week, at any resort, and stay for any number of nights (min 3 nts), in any room size depending on our vacation needs.  We also learned how to maximize our usage.
> 
> We've had many wonderful trips with family and friends via our timeshares.
> However with that said I never encourage my friends and family members to buy a timeshare. It's simply not for everyone.
> ...



So in your 12 years of ownership, you have never been pleasently surprised by HGVC or your timeshare?


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## Talent312 (Mar 2, 2015)

I'll always remember my first foray onto to the grounds of a HGVC resort as a guest of a relative. I remember thinking, "This is impressive! It's way better than any dinky hotel room I've been in." -- kind'a like how I felt when seeing Home Depot for the first time.

.


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## alwysonvac (Mar 2, 2015)

Jason245 said:


> So in your 12 years of ownership, you have never been pleasantly surprised by HGVC or your timeshare?



LOL, I did stated in my post above that "_We love the point system flexibility with HGVC which allows owners the ability to reserve a room with a check-in any day of the week, at any resort, and stay for any number of nights (min 3 nts), in any room size depending on our vacation needs. We also learned how to maximize our usage. We've had many wonderful trips with family and friends via our timeshares._ "

I guess it depends on your definition of "surprised".
I just had a conversation with my husband to get his thoughts on the topic of being "surprised by HGVC". We both agree that "surprised by HGVC" in our minds means that HGVC exceeded our expectations vs simply meeting our expectations.

Keep in mind, most of our HGVC points were used for stays at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. We've also stayed at HHV as hotel guests prior to joining HGVC. In fact, we went to our first HGVC timeshare presentation while on vacation at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. I found TUG and did my research before buying resale three years later. So I knew what to buy and what to expect from HGVC.

In the past twelve years, I can say for the most part that HGVC "met our expectations" otherwise we would have sold years ago. As indicated in my prior post, there have been times when they "fell below expectations". Sadly our most recent experience pushed us over the edge and we're currently trying to cutback on our HGVC ownership (from three deeded weeks to one deeded week by the end of the year). 

We all have different reasons for owning a timeshare and different levels of tolerance. Remember one size doesn't fit all 

I hope this helps


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## dsmrp (Mar 2, 2015)

Thank you for your comments and insight, alwysonvac.

I think HGVC and Starwood are becoming quite similar in terms of fees, benefits etc.  One has some pluses the other doesn't and vice versa.

As far as HHV goes, OMG, that Lagoon tower and its 'twin' has been there as long as I can remember, way back to when I was a little kid 
They are old...too bad if they haven't kept up the maintenance


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## freewill (Mar 3, 2015)

As the OP, just a quick thank you to everyone for their thoughts on this thread.  I very much appreciate your responses and have much to think about.

Cheers


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## Tamaradarann (Mar 3, 2015)

*Lagoon Tower Twin?*



dsmrp said:


> Thank you for your comments and insight, alwysonvac.
> 
> I think HGVC and Starwood are becoming quite similar in terms of fees, benefits etc.  One has some pluses the other doesn't and vice versa.
> 
> ...



Could someone let me know where the Lagoon Tower "Twin" is, I'd like to stay there?


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## 1Kflyerguy (Mar 3, 2015)

alwysonvac said:


> I guess it depends on your definition of "surprised".
> I just had a conversation with my husband to get his thoughts on the topic of being "surprised by HGVC". We both agree that "surprised by HGVC" in our minds means that HGVC exceeded our expectations vs simply meeting our expectations.



I agree with your definition, though as a practical matter its probably more likely to be surprised in bad way than good, at least surprised enough to remember it later... 

I can say that i am surprised how much i am enjoying my timeshare vacations, as it did change the way we travel.. With the Timeshare it has worked better to go to a single resort and stay for longer periods of time.. verses hotels where we often visited several cities only staying in each for a day or two..   The longer stays are definitely more relaxing.. 

However, when i think back to the "surprises" with HGVC, i tend to go with the negative items, such as how clunky and limited the on-line reservation system is.  Coupled with the various fees associated with transactions such as making a reservation.


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## GregT (Mar 3, 2015)

Tamaradarann said:


> Could someone let me know where the Lagoon Tower "Twin" is, I'd like to stay there?



I don't follow the reference either, what's the Twin?  Thx!


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## alwysonvac (Mar 3, 2015)

I believe the Lagoon Tower twin reference is the Rainbow Tower based on the reference "_its 'twin' has been there as long as I can remember, way back to when I was a little kid_"

HHV History - http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/about-the-resort/resort-history


> From http://clubtraveler.hgvclub.com/where-go/walk-through-history-hilton-hawaiian-village
> 
> *1968:* Rainbow Tower® opens. It has the world’s largest ceramic-tile mosaic, with more than 16,000 tiles spanning 286 feet high by 26 feet wide on each end of the tower


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## alwysonvac (Mar 3, 2015)

1Kflyerguy said:


> I agree with your definition, though as a practical matter its probably more likely to be surprised in bad way than good, at least surprised enough to remember it later...



I agree 

*I do recall that we were pleasantly surprised *when we first walked into a  Lagoon Tower two bedroom penthouse unit and a three bedroom penthouse unit. The spacious living / dining room, long extended balconies and fantastic views were very impressive.

Two bedroom oceanview penthouse (2009) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=750506&postcount=11
Three bedroom oceanfront penthouse (2012) - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1263900&postcount=1


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## dsmrp (Mar 3, 2015)

alwysonvac said:


> I believe the Lagoon Tower twin reference is the Rainbow Tower based on the reference "_its 'twin' has been there as long as I can remember, way back to when I was a little kid_"
> 
> HHV History - http://www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com/about-the-resort/resort-history



Hi yes, sorry to mislead anyone ...I just couldn't remember the name of the other tower.  The Rainbow and Lagoon towers are the two which I always remember seeing from Ala Moana beach park, right at the end of the beach curve by Magic Island.  Just saw them in December....I always go to that beach when I'm in town... nothing special about the beach, just a place my friends and family usually went to.  The towers & Ilikai hotel/condo are a straight shot as the crow flies from that beach end, but a lot farther by car


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## Winnie26 (Mar 6, 2015)

*Difficult to book international resorts?*

Thanks for everyone's comments on this post, they're very insightful. My husband and I bought into HGV a few days ago and now we're having second thoughts. We feel comfortable around the value of the points over the years, but our main concern is the ability to actually use your points where you want/when you want. 

I've read many comments online of people saying they have a hard time booking the popular resorts. Is this due to people only having specific weeks they can travel due to school schedules? For those able to travel on off seasons, have you had trouble booking the resort you want? We were very interested in the international properties. Has anyone had experience with how easy or difficult it is to book in the international properties?


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## Jason245 (Mar 6, 2015)

Winnie26 said:


> Thanks for everyone's comments on this post, they're very insightful. My husband and I bought into HGV a few days ago and now we're having second thoughts. We feel comfortable around the value of the points over the years, but our main concern is the ability to actually use your points where you want/when you want.
> 
> I've read many comments online of people saying they have a hard time booking the popular resorts. Is this due to people only having specific weeks they can travel due to school schedules? For those able to travel on off seasons, have you had trouble booking the resort you want? We were very interested in the international properties. Has anyone had experience with how easy or difficult it is to book in the international properties?



First, did you buy from developer or did you by resale? If from developer, RECIND immediately and save thousands of dollars by looking at the resale market AFTER you have done enough research to answer all your questions. 

Second: Generally you can book most things at about 9 months out (and there is probably going to be availability) but if you own at the resort you can book your home week 12 months out. Peek travel times are the hardest to get (Think Xmas, national holidays, dates when kids are out of school etc..) Affiliated resorts will have more restricted availability and as such you can expect it to be harder to get those.


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## alwysonvac (Mar 6, 2015)

*You only have one opportunity to RESCIND (time period vary by state)*



Winnie26 said:


> Thanks for everyone's comments on this post, they're very insightful. My husband and *I bought into HGV a few days ago* and now we're having second thoughts. We feel comfortable around the value of the points over the years, but our main concern is the ability to actually use your points where you want/when you want.
> 
> I've read many comments online of people saying they have a hard time booking the popular resorts. Is this due to people only having specific weeks they can travel due to school schedules? For those able to travel on off seasons, have you had trouble booking the resort you want? We were very interested in the international properties. Has anyone had experience with how easy or difficult it is to book in the international properties?



Hi and Welcome to TUG 

If you just bought from the developer a few days ago you might still have the  ability to backout of your developer purchase (RESCIND) and save yourself thousands of dollars by buying your week on the resale market. You only have a specific number of days to rescind. The length of time varies by state ranging from 3 days to 15 days.

The only thing you lose by buying resale is the ability to earn HGVC Elite Status however this requires a minimum purchase of 14,000 HGVC points. Most Elite members will tell you the benefits are not worth it.

I suggest you look into RESCINDING first and give yourself some time to research on TUG to learn about HGVC and timesharing in general.

READ THIS TUG ARTICLE - "How do I Cancel my Timeshare Purchase?"
http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/cancel_timeshare_purchase.html

I'm glad you found us


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## Talent312 (Mar 6, 2015)

Winnie26 said:


> ...My husband and I bought into HGV a few days ago and now we're having second thoughts.



(1) I hope you did not buy directly from HGVC and pay "full freight."
Many of did, but can tell you that, if you did and are still within the rescission period (stated in your contract), you should _Rescind Now_, before it's too late, and look into buying "resale" instead. HGVC is a flexible, consumer-friendly system, and resale buyers get eggsactly the same perks as retail buyers (only pts don't count for elite status), but pay ~30% of the retail price.

(2) If trying to make a club-reservation (276 days - 1 day out)...
High-demand resorts like Hawaii & NYC, require that you book close to start of your reservation window. Vegas & Orlando are easy to get into and do not require much advance planning ('cept for holidays). With foreign TS's, forget August - that's when Euros empty their cities. Otherwise, it pays to be flexible.

BTW, you should start a new topic when raising issues unrelated to the original post.


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## alwysonvac (Mar 8, 2015)

Winnie26 said:


> Thanks for everyone's comments on this post, they're very insightful. My husband and I bought into HGV a few days ago and now we're having second thoughts. We feel comfortable around the value of the points over the years, but our main concern is the ability to actually use your points where you want/when you want.
> 
> I've read many comments online of people saying they have a hard time booking the popular resorts. Is this due to people only having specific weeks they can travel due to school schedules? For those able to travel on off seasons, have you had trouble booking the resort you want? We were very interested in the international properties. Has anyone had experience with how easy or difficult it is to book in the international properties?



Hi Winnie26,

If you're past the rescind period, please come back and open a new thread as Talent312 suggested above.
We can help you understand the HGVC system so you can get the best usage out of your timeshare. There are lots of folks who bought from the developer. We just try to save others from making the same mistake. Most folks discover that they can buy a resale week with twice as many points and still save thousands over a developer purchase.

Here's a July 2014 poll that asked - "*Did you buy your first timeshare from the developer or resale*?"  
It was basicaly a tie as of today (see below) http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214613
- Developer	101	(50.50%)
- Resale	99	(49.50%)

There are times when a developer purchase is the only option (for example a Fixed High Demand Week) but most folks are not allowed enough time to understand their options and make an informed decision. This is why we recommend rescinding first and learning which options are best for your specific situation. 

Sadly some folks are mislead by the timeshare sales folks and we have to explain after it's too late. Here are some examples:
"HGVC point Conversion for Dynamic Travel" - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=219510
"Timeshare Owner Newbie - VERY CONFUSE" - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=193784

Here's one of many threads on TUG regarding tips on how to maximize your timeshare usage - 
"*Tips for maximizing HGVC - soliciting feedback*" - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=195654

There's also a HGVC Overview article on the TUG advice board -  http://tug2.net/timeshare_advice/hilton-grand-vacation-club-timeshare-information.html

 I hope you come back and join us on TUG


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## eacoy (Apr 1, 2015)

Thank you for Eagle's Nest information (post #19).  I have considered it for a family gathering in summer but worried as it is RCI-managed.  I have had some pretty sub-par customer service in the past with RCI, once having to cut losses and shorten vacation by two days.  Will look for other beachfront.


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## Jason245 (Apr 1, 2015)

eacoy said:


> Thank you for Eagle's Nest information.  I have considered it for a family gathering in summer but worried as it is RCI-managed.  I have had some pretty sub-par customer service in the past with RCI, once having to cut losses and shorten vacation by two days.  Will look for other beachfront.




RCI Managed?  I didn't know that RCI managed resorts. 

Or are you talking about resorts on RCI network? All HGVC resorts are on RCI as well as DVC resorts. I think almost everyone feels that DVC resorts are among the best you can get on RCI (with HGVC probably comming in at a close second or equal in some ways).


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## eacoy (Apr 1, 2015)

Wrong terms.  I am HGVC so my points get converted to RCI for those properties.  Sometimes (i.e., Eagle's Nest) HGVC can be used directly but once booked all questions and problem-solving is under RCI.  HGVC may interface but it basically turning me over to a HGVC desk for RCI.  

Why do I care?

In my limited experience I get really good support at HGVC properties and spotty to unsatisfactory support at RCI properties.  I feel like a rat pushing a level when I book RCI:  maybe I will get my expected treat (relaxing vacation) or maybe I will get a shock (disappointment or surprise in vacation).

Maybe it is just me, but that has been my experience so it is my frame of reference.


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## Jason245 (Apr 2, 2015)

eacoy said:


> Wrong terms.  I am HGVC so my points get converted to RCI for those properties.  Sometimes (i.e., Eagle's Nest) HGVC can be used directly but once booked all questions and problem-solving is under RCI.  HGVC may interface but it basically turning me over to a HGVC desk for RCI.
> 
> Why do I care?
> 
> ...



That doesnt make sense. I made an eagles nest reservation, and didn't go through RCI, didn't pay RCI fees and only dealt with the HGVC desk on the phone.


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## eacoy (Apr 2, 2015)

You have the experience.  I defer to it.

As an aside, how did you like Eagle's Nest relative to other HGVC properties?


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## Jason245 (Apr 2, 2015)

eacoy said:


> You have the experience.  I defer to it.
> 
> As an aside, how did you like Eagle's Nest relative to other HGVC properties?



I have a booking for later this year. I will let you know then, but it is several months from now. 

That being said, I have called multiple times about getting the reservation changed, and have never been routed to RCI.

That being said, there are a number of resort reviews in the TUG website. It is the best $15 you can spend as it has helped me identified which RCI resorts I would consider going to (and/or avoid) in the future.


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