# Any Hyatt opinions?



## j4sharks (Jan 20, 2007)

We are about to close on a resale week at WKORV, and now we are turing our attention to Hyatt's TS in Carmel.  We love Carmel and Tahoe, and we would want to use the Hyatt TS to do maybe 4-nights in Tahoe and 3-nights in Carmel each year.  

Any general impressions from Hyatt owners?  Are you pleased with the program?  Also, any advice of buying a Hyatt TS?  I assume buying resale remains best option -- does Hyatt stick it to resale owners in any way??


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## steve1000 (Jan 20, 2007)

The Hyatt program and resorts are terrific. Buy resale - the only thing you give up is the ability to convert your HVC timeshare points into points that can be used for hotel stays but the conversion value is not that favorable and IMHO not worth the difference in price between resale and developer. The Hyatt point system is a bit confusing at first but once you get the hang of it - it works very well. Unless you want a specific week or unit you should look at getting the best deal you can get regardless of which HVC resort you purchase. This is because if you don't use your actual week of ownership and want to use your HVC points to make a reservation it doesn't matter which HVC resort you own - points are points  when booking within the HVC system. Be sure to buy a week that will give you enough HVC points that will allow you to use the resorts you want in the seasons you want and the size of unit you will want to use. The HVC system works well and reservation availablity is generally very good - particularly if you are diligent in reserving in advance.


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## Henry M. (Jan 20, 2007)

Is there an advantage to owning in the place you want to go (like being able to reserve there before owners at other locations) or points are just that and you can go anywhere regardless of where you buy?


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## j4sharks (Jan 20, 2007)

Do you happen to have a points chart?  How many points would we need for a prime week in Summer at Carmel and/or Tahoe?  1 BR is probably big enough, but could you also tell me points required for a 2BR too?


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## steve1000 (Jan 20, 2007)

Here are a couple of links to Tug member Kal's website that has this information handy:
http://www.bywindkal.com/Files/PointValues.pdf
http://www.bywindkal.com/Files/HVCPoints.pdf

One link shows the point values and the other link shows the resorts and their various seasons.

Also, to answer the earlier question - if you do not use the actual week you own at your home resort - points are points when it comes to booking a reservation at an HVC resort and there is not a reservation preference for booking your home resort.


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## Kal (Jan 21, 2007)

Saying it another way, as an owner of a specific unit, you have the unique right to stay in that unit every year, PROVIDED you inform Hyatt at least 6-months prior to the first day of the week you own.  So that means you have first priority on the entire unit or portion thereof.  If you don't stay in the full unit, the points are available to you to use them however you like.

As Steve said, points are points and if you are a bit flexible in staying at locations other than the unit/week you own I recommend you get the best price for the number of points you want to purchase at any HVC resort.

In almost 10 years of Hyatt ownership I have never had a situation where my reservation request (using points) has not been granted to the exact resort and week I requested.  The system works GREAT, provided you plan in advance.


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## Sir Newf (Jan 21, 2007)

Hi Hyatt Owners- a friend recently attended 'other' Hotel timeshare presentations and 1 of them alluded that Hyatt might be getting out of the Timeshare business.  Can anyone confirm or deny??
Thanks- they really are leaning toward Hyatt...


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## Kal (Jan 21, 2007)

Hyatt is changing their timeshare business model where they are developing a number of new properties.  Each of those will be a combination of timeshare, individual condominium ownership and hotel.  One of those will be located in NYC.

As always nothing is for sure but within the next 3-5 years look for up to 5+ new resorts.  Obviously this means lots of movement for current resort managers.

BTW, if you can't believe a competition's timeshare salesperson, who can you believe???


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## Steamboat Bill (Jan 21, 2007)

How many members are there in the Hyatt timeshare program?


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## mesamirage (Jan 21, 2007)

I don't know how many members Hyatt has... (I would guess 20,000+) but it must be small since many of the locations are smaller in terms of the number of units.  As an owner of Hyatt (so maybe 20,001  ) I know I feel like its a vacation club that isn't really understood by the outsider (non-owner) and the everytime I see someone say something about the Hyatt point system they tend to say its difficult to understand or use...  I feel quite the contrary... Hyatt is easy to use, I always seem to get the location/weeks that I want, and I don't have to get up at 5-6am (Westin!!  which we also own) to try and make sure I get a reservation.

Hyatt is misunderstood IMO and I think its the best value/experience for the resale $$$ if you plan to stay within the Hyatt system.  I would never trade out.


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## mesamirage (Jan 21, 2007)

j4sharks said:


> We are about to close on a resale week at WKORV, and now we are turing our attention to Hyatt's TS in Carmel. We love Carmel and Tahoe, and we would want to use the Hyatt TS to do maybe 4-nights in Tahoe and 3-nights in Carmel each year.
> 
> Any general impressions from Hyatt owners? Are you pleased with the program? Also, any advice of buying a Hyatt TS? I assume buying resale remains best option -- does Hyatt stick it to resale owners in any way??


 
One thing to consider is to get the largest point week that you can afford since the MF and taxes are the same for every owner regardless of the number of points you week has. So the 1300 point week owner pays the same MF as the 2200 point week owner. IMO you should make 1880 the min point week to consider.. anything less is going to leave you short points for many of the vacations that you will want to take.

There is no disadvantage to a resale purchase (less the Hotel exchange thing which we feel is worthless)... just be aware that Hyatt has ROFR on all resales... I don't think they exercise it that often but something to consider... the best value on a pure $$$ per point basis is usually Hyatt Beach House, which is the first timeshare we purchase (around 3 years ago) when we got a 1400 point unit.... then sold it on eBay 18 months later (for a profit  ) when we moved up to an 1880 point unit at Tahoe.

Happy Hunting... You should be able to find a 1880 point unit at Tahoe in the $12k-13.5k range... maybe with a bank week of points or something as well. You might even find something for a bit less than that.


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## Kal (Jan 21, 2007)

I have a number of friends who own Hyatt units plus units in other top tier Hotel timeshare programs.  One of them constantly complains about how bad the Mariott program is compared to Hyatt.  He says it's really miserable and regrets that purchase.  Having 6-months to decide if you want to use the unit you own is such a treat.

The points program is really an added benefit.  You just treat them as a bank account.  If you plan ahead it's a piece of cake and the only uncertainty is the specific unit you will get at the resort you request.


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## Bill4728 (Jan 22, 2007)

Having toured the Hyatt in Sedonda this fall, I would agree that the Hyatt sytem is very good.

 Most of the resort are on the small side (if not all) so there are no mega resorts like the HGVC & Marriott Orlando resorts. Some people may not like that but it is a big positive to us.  Also the resort locations are in areas which many people find exotic. No LV or Orlando resorts. Again to some a negitive to us a positive since we can get into the other locations so easily. 

I didn't know about the "Having 6-months to decide, if you want to use the unit you own " but again a big positive.


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## Floridaski (Jan 22, 2007)

Everyone gets stuck on the 6 month unit usage clause.  It really is not a big deal - lets say I give up my unit and 3 months later decide I want to go to my home resort.  I will guarantee you that Hyatt will bend over back wards to insure that my request gets filled.  So in reality the 6 month clause is really not an issue.  It does NOT mean that you cannot change your mind and go to your home resort.  Hyatt customer service is top notch in the business.  We had a request in for a holiday week using Limited Club use point period.  I had a Hyatt agent CALL me at 9AM on the first day that I could reserve the unit.  I really think he had put the unit on hold prior to the 60 day window so that I would not lose any of my points.  Hyatt will insure that their customers are happy!


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## Henry M. (Jan 22, 2007)

Isn't the 6 moth clause equivalent to the home resort period in other [programs? For example, I own Starwood. 12-8 months out I can make a reservation at my home resort before anybody that owns elsewhere does. My week is floating. However at the Westin St. John, owners get to decide if they will use their week 12-10 months out. 10-8 months out other owners at the resort can try to float or exchange their week within the resort, and from 8 months in owners elsewhere can exchange in. Owners can still try to get a unit, but at the most popular resorts there might not be availability. 

If I understand Hyatt, they are actually better than other programs because your unit is guaranteed up to 6 months out. After that you take your chances, but you can still go. Thus, you have longer than in other programs to decide. Is this correct?


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## Kal (Jan 23, 2007)

You're correct.  The emphasis is on YOUR UNIT.  With Hyatt you stay in the exact unit you own.  There is no Floating concept where with those resorts if you get a reservation you get pot-luck as to where on the property you'll be situated. You could end up next to the elevator.  With Hyatt there is no doubt or having to be the first in line with the phone center to place your request.


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## Bootser (Jan 24, 2007)

*Can you trade your points for Hyatt hotel points*

If you do not want to use your points in a timeshare resort, can you trade the points into the hotel rewards program for stays in the hotels.
If so, what is the coversion and how does it compare to other hotel based timeshares?


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## Kal (Jan 24, 2007)

You can deposit you Hyatt Vacation Club points into the Hyatt Hotel program if you prefer.  Those points do not expire so you can supplement your balance in subsequent years if you desire.  The number of points depends on the specific hotel and category of room.

I don't know how Hyatt's hotel program compares to other hotel programs, you would need to also compare the quality of the hotel properties.


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## armlem2 (Jan 24, 2007)

ok I understand the home resort 6mth deal.  How about using your points for another resort.  As emuyshondt stated at starwood you book at 8 mths out for other resorts.  When do/can  you book at another Hyatt, not home resort.

Thanks


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## JLB (Jan 24, 2007)

I noticed the question about size, how many owners are there?

That prompted me to do a google search to see if anyone has listed the size of the different timeshare companies, by number of owners.  Amazingly, there is a void of that information.  Lots of claims, but little facts.

As an example, I poured through various Westgate (Central Florida Investments) links and saw lots of claims (Largest privately-held timeshare company, third largest timeshare company, largest privately-held company in Central Florida, etc.)

I finally found this:

_Ability to provide customer service to over 150,000 owners _

and this, from OLCC's own site:

_More than 100,000 owners have chosen Orange Lake as their home away from home. _
But I didn't find any figures, or even claims, for HVC.

I wonder why these numbers are so hard to find.  They all obviously know how many owners they have.


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## Kal (Jan 24, 2007)

Once you make your request for a unit other than the unit/week you own, those requests are almost always filled 6 months prior to the first day of the week of your requested stay.   It is a function of when an owner relinquishes the unit (s)he owns.  If it is relinquished in advance of the 6-month date it becomes available to the HVC "pool" as soon as the owner passes on using it.


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## Kal (Jan 24, 2007)

Number of Hyatt owners can be estimated as follows:

Hyatt VC resorts = 12
Average number of units per resort = 70
Weeks per year = 51
All the units are owned by somone (either individuals or Hyatt) 

12 x 70 x 51 = ~42,800 units

If 70% of the units have been purchased, then there are 30,000 individual owners.


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## duke (Jan 27, 2007)

Can anyone who knows Hyatt FOR SALE post some currently available good deals they find?


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