# [ 2012 ] Former Westgate Planet Hollywood query



## markymark

Since Hilton Elara has taken over the running of Westgate's Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas, I'm slightly confused - who exactly owns the resort?  I mean I can still exchange through Westgate's resorts but I am paying Hilton Elara??  Moreover, in a take-over situation, shouldn't former Westgate owners have the right to exit their contract when a new company, with it's own timeshare packages, terms of use, pricing, exchange systems, etc., etc.  will be running things that could be more favourable than Westgate's system (I'm not familiar with Hilton at all).  I have read here, in other threads, about the likelihood of former PH owners absorbed into the takeover, that there exists a real danger of sidelining in favour of the new Hilton Elara owners buying since the take-over.

Surely this is a conflict of interest and makes resell of older packages even more difficult!  Please correct me if I am wrong!   The Hilton Elara takeover has been very unclearly documented or explained and, as a Westgate owner prior to the takeover and as one who is currently advertising one's timeshare, I can't help but feel seriously disadvantaged.  There is no way I'd want a timeshare run by two companies so how could I possibly market a resale under that banner?

Westgate always said that they wouldn't resale timeshare properties because they considered such as action to be a conflict of interest.  It certainly seems to be that the current management structure is a conflict of interest to the first Westgate owners.  I would hate to think that there would be an 'us and them' culture created by this new arrangement between the Westgate and new Elara owners.  Again, correct me if I am wrong, but surely that is going to be inevitable isn't it?

I just feel strongly that we (old Westgate PH owners) should have been allowed to either exit or upgrade!  The current situation is confusing and arguably unfair to the first owners!


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## Talent312

I noticed that you've already posted in the "All Other Timeshares" forum, which expressly includes Westgate. Frankly, you are likely to get more relevant responses there than in this forum which is populated by HGVC owners.

Yes, Westgate owners at Elara are treated like orphans. You get to use your TS as you like and participate in activities. But that's about it. Otherwise, you ride in the back of the bus or to use a cruise analogy, "steerage." Unless you have a written promise to the contrary, Westgate is legally entitled to dispose of it's propperty... just as you are.


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## alwysonvac

Just in case you missed it, here's the HOA letter that was sent to Westgate owners (see below). 

It was posted in January 2012 and can be found in this long thread regarding the move from Westgate to Hilton - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=159389. This thread might help with some of your questions.

From post #40



Ernie said:


> I finally figured out how to scan the text off the letters. This is the letter from the new HOA.
> 
> 
> LV TOWER 52
> CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.
> (FORMERLY PLANET HOLLYWOOD TOWERS BY WESTGATE
> CONDOMINIUM OWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC.)
> GENERAL NOTIFICATION
> 
> Dear Member,
> 
> On November 21, 2011, LV Tower 52, LLC, an affiliate of Resort Finance America, LLC (“RFA”), a company with significant assets and experience in the timeshare industry, acquired Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate, a Vacation Ownership Resort (the “Resort”).
> 
> Effective November 21, 2011, LV Tower 52 Management Co., LLC, an affiliate of RFA, has taken over management responsibilities for the Resort and the Association. In conjunction with the management change, the 2012 annual maintenance fee billing accompanying this correspondence will reflect new payment instructions. Please take note of these changes prior to making your payment. Also, please note that all payments relating to any outstanding mortgage financing pertaining to your timeshare interest will continue to be made as you have done so in the past. Current owners who purchased from Westgate Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, LLC (“Westgate”) should continue to make reservations for usage of their timeshare interests under the same process they have used in the past until further notice.
> 
> Effective December 15, 2011, the legal name of the Association has been modified from “Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate Condominium Owners Association, Inc.” to “LV Tower 52 Condominium Owners Association, Inc.” This change was required as part of the shift from Westgate to LV Tower 52, LLC and the termination of Westgate’s licensing agreement with Planet Hollywood International, Inc. (“PHIl”). The licensing agreement with PHIl was terminated in conjunction with the execution of a Sales & Marketing Agreement with Hilton Resorts Corporation (“Hilton”), which will be responsible for future sales of timeshare interests in the Resort on LV Tower 52, LLC’s behalf. The Resort will also be rebranded as a Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare resort. Finally, the Association has entered into a new Association Affiliation Agreement with Interval International, Inc. (“Interval”) to ensure that all persons who purchased their timeshare interests in the Resort from Westgate will continue to enjoy their reciprocal exchange privileges at other Interval-affiliated timeshare resorts.
> 
> A Special Meeting of the members of the Association shall be held on January 26, 2012, beginning at 9:00 am at the Resort, located at 80 E. Harmon Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89109. The purpose of the Special Meeting is for the members of the Association to ratify the 2012 proposed budget, a copy of which is enclosed herewith for your review. You may attend the Special Meeting in person and vote at the meeting or you may vote by proxy by submitting the enclosed Proxy Form to the Secretary of the Association (Clifton Dugas) at or before the Special Meeting. Instructions for sending the Proxy Form to the Secretary are included on the Proxy Form. Ratification of the proposed budget will be the only business conducted at the Special Meeting.
> 
> Our collective goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible while continuing to allow you to enjoy the full ownership rights and benefits associated with your original purchase from Westgate. Additional correspondence will be forthcoming to provide owners with periodic updates regarding operations and improvements to the Resort.
> 
> Sincerely,
> William T. Phillips
> President
> LV Tower 52 Condominium Owners Association, Inc.


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## timeos2

The Wastegate Las Vegas Planet Hollywood Tower of Terror was from the very start a total nightmare in waiting. Despite at one time being touted as "the greatest timeshare in the world" by some outspoken boosters (who took an incredible bath if what they supposedly bought as a "deal" really occurred and it is largely believed that it did) it is only about 1/3 complete, is a design disaster, cost not only the poor buyers but the whole Wastegate evil empire a close brush with total collapse and now stands as a warning to all that betting on any timeshare vision or promise is at best a temporary thing you never want to rely on.  

It has been stated many times that there are only two types of Wastegate owners. Those that are disgusted and want out and those awaiting their fleecing.  Any satisfaction is fleeting and it is a virtual guarantee that an owner will reach the breaking point and want out at any cost before long. 

Those poor suckers that got taken by this ultimate flim flam now find themselves orphans in an unforgiving wasteland. The few floors of garish units that actually got finished as Wastegate operations will now be regulated to a life of high fees, quickly deteriorating units, high cost trades and negative resale value. Although Hilton took over the majority of this mess they too want nothing to do with the poor souls that paid big and now have less than nothing to show for it. If there was any justice the Wastegate team would be spending all their time in jail and trying to figure out a way to repay those they flim flammed rather than quickly burning through tens of millions more of owners hard earned money for their gaudy and obnoxious "dream home" in Orlando. 

Those who are stuck should be doing anything and everything they can to get out and forget they ever heard of the Tower of Terror. They are to be pitied as the victims of the most conniving and dirtiest of convicted timeshare operators who are incredibly efficient at separating the unsuspecting traveler from tens of thousands of dollars with a greasy weasel grin. Please feel for these people they were taken by the very best in a sleazy business. 

Never, ever have anything to do with a Wastegate and you'll be much happier and never know the nightmare you avoided.


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## Larry

timeos2 said:


> The few floors of garish units that actually got finished as Wastegate operations will now be regulated to a life of high fees, quickly deteriorating units, high cost trades and negative resale value.
> .



Although I agree with most of your posting regarding Westgate, I totally disagree with this statement. First of all have you ever stayed at this property?

If you have you are certainly entitled to your opinion and we all have different tastes. I have stayed here recently and think it is a great property and from what I could tell most of the tower floors were occupied and finished when I was there. The location is fantastic and although I had an exchange into a studio unit it was still much nicer than any hotel unit i have ever stayed at in Las Vegas. 

Views of the strip were fantastic and next time I go I will only stay in a 1BR 
( not that the studio wasn't nice just that I need a real kitchen and dining area) at this property which IMHO is nicer than the 1BR at the Marriott Grand Château with a better location and a way better pool area.


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## markymark

Talent312 said:


> I noticed that you've already posted in the "All Other Timeshares" forum, which expressly includes Westgate. Frankly, you are likely to get more relevant responses there than in this forum...



Ironically not - still no responses which is why I posted that query plus the opt-out query here.  

Just seems unfair because it has made a bad situation worse for owners trying to sell their former PH unit.  Thanks for the updates!


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## timeos2

Larry said:


> Although I agree with most of your posting regarding Westgate, I totally disagree with this statement. First of all have you ever stayed at this property?
> 
> If you have you are certainly entitled to your opinion and we all have different tastes. I have stayed here recently and think it is a great property and from what I could tell most of the tower floors were occupied and finished when I was there. The location is fantastic and although I had an exchange into a studio unit it was still much nicer than any hotel unit i have ever stayed at in Las Vegas.
> 
> Views of the strip were fantastic and next time I go I will only stay in a 1BR
> ( not that the studio wasn't nice just that I need a real kitchen and dining area) at this property which IMHO is nicer than the 1BR at the Marriott Grand Château with a better location and a way better pool area.



It is basically a mirage. They only finished off about 10 - 12 of the 50 floors - the rest are empty and now will be done as a much more upscale & tasteful Hilton resort. The unfortunate owners of those few "Wastegate legacy" floors will be stuck in a time warp of sorts. These units were designed with a very questionable "taste" of the Wastegate operators and may be flashy but aren't of quality to hold up with tough use. Worse yet Hilton seems to plan only to maintain them as is indefinitely - they will not be done over to Hilton standards for years to come if ever.  These owners an units will be orphaned as the remainder of the building is finished out as best it can be to a much higher standard of design & quality. 

These poor buyers will be assigned these units for trade or use and are limited to super expensive trades within the poor Wastegate group or with II.  Hilton does nothing but manage them for Wastegate. What a terrible spot to be in if you paid big money for what was promised to be a dream resort experience. And there is no resale value - who would pay ten cents to be part of that mess? 

To make it all worse the resort has now taken on a reputation for hard partying and not being at all family appropriate. It is bad behavior even for Vegas standards and further drives away any potential guests. Best to avoid it entirely unless you get in as a Hilton guest / owner with the much better units or as a near freebie just to sleep in on the deteriorating Wastegate floors. There are plenty of far better options all around Vegas and to Wastegate's anywhere.


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## gnorth16

Why wouldn't HGVC offer current Westgate owners a chance to convert to points for $399?  They currently do that with Bay Club and the Florida Affiliates.  Logically it makes sense, unless I am missing something?  When I was in L.V, the sales presentation did not push Elara as a sales tool.  They were very focused on selling Orlando Park Soleil.


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## RX8

timeos2 said:


> Worse yet Hilton seems to plan only to maintain them as is indefinitely - they will not be done over to Hilton standards for years to come if ever





timeos2 said:


> The few floors of garish units that actually got finished as Wastegate operations will now be regulated to a life of high fees, quickly deteriorating units...



If Hilton is managing the Westgate units arent they taking on the responsibility of maintaining the units to the satisfaction of Westgate owners?  How is this any different than if any other management company was hired to manage the property?  I wouldn't think that a major company like Hilton would neglect their responsibility as a management company. 

I am not disagreeing with your comments, I am just curious as to how this will turn out for the Westgate owners.

Wouldnt a good business plan for Hilton be to eventually renovate the Westgate units to match the Hilton motif and quality?  It is not like Hilton will be paying for it anyway - the Westgate owners will.  That way Hilton could look to take the Westgate units in on trade for a HGVC unit (and have the Westgate unit they could then sell as an HGVC unit).


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## timeos2

RX8 said:


> If Hilton is managing the Westgate units arent they taking on the responsibility of maintaining the units to the satisfaction of Westgate owners?  How is this any different than if any other management company was hired to manage the property?  I wouldn't think that a major company like Hilton would neglect their responsibility as a management company.
> 
> I am not disagreeing with your comments, I am just curious as to how this will turn out for the Westgate owners.
> 
> Wouldnt a good business plan for Hilton be to eventually renovate the Westgate units to match the Hilton motif and quality?  It is not like Hilton will be paying for it anyway - the Westgate owners will.  That way Hilton could look to take the Westgate units in on trade for a HGVC unit (and have the Westgate unit they could then sell as an HGVC unit).



Yes, they have a contracted responsibility to operate and maintain those units BUT only as an agent for the Wastegate Group that these poor owners remain tied to.  As they don't take particularly good care of the resorts they actually still control - they spend only when they think it will help sales - now that they have no sales presence in this resort they have no incentive to keep them up or improve them. Hilton has 40+ floors of the existing building as well as the design for the 2/3 that wasn't even started yet (who knows if that will ever be done now) so they have no need to add more inventory to sell - it will take a decade or more to simply sell what they already own.  They also would need the permission of Wastegate to "upgrade" those existing owners (and Wastegate gets the fees so they don't want them to bail) - it just isn't a good situation. 

So Hilton is a twice removed third party operator to the owners / Wastegate Management that has no direct responsibility to the Wastegate owners stuck there - they just point them back to the notoriously unresponsive Wastegate Weasels for answers which will likely never come. 

I really do feel bad for those owners. They paid BIG money for these worthless units.  It does have some small use value and even less trade or rental value but they could have got that for pennies of the purchase dollar through rental or trades with cheaper resorts. They got shafted and have little recourse or ways to get out. Really sad.


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## ricoba

timeos2 said:


> It is basically a mirage. They only finished off about 10 - 12 of the 50 floors - the rest are empty and now will be done as a much more upscale & tasteful Hilton resort. ....



Really?  Do you have some info to back this up?  I am not saying you are wrong, but I just wasn't aware that the tower for the most part is empty.


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## timeos2

ricoba said:


> Really?  Do you have some info to back this up?  I am not saying you are wrong, but I just wasn't aware that the tower for the most part is empty.



Well I don't have photos but this has been widely reported (that the vast majority of the tower is empty and will will require build out to complete). Interestingly there are a few shots of the unfinished floors in the recent movie about the fall of the Siegel "empire" - but of course they do not total how much was ever completed and how much stands unfinished. 

At one time I heard they had mostly finished about 12 floors but where I saw/heard that I'm not certain. If that is so that leaves 40 floors for Hilton to finish & market before they even have to consider what to do with the few sold Wastegate floors.


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## markymark

timeos2 said:


> They also would need the permission of Wastegate to "upgrade" those existing owners (and Wastegate gets the fees so they don't want them to bail) - it just isn't a good situation.



I can't say for sure about mortgages but Hilton Elara is getting the maintenance fee - not Westgate!  Westgate only retain the owners' rights to exchange their week/s within the Westgate resorts.  That's as far as my relationship with WG goes nowadays.  I even need to sign up to create an online account with Elara if I want to be able to access my unit info online without having to speak to a customer service agent!  My WG account number is only valid now for internal exchanges within Westgate.


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## tschwa2

Hilton collects the fees on behalf of the HOA.  Presumably the HOA is Westgate employees who make the decisions about how the money is spent.  Your best bet would be to try to get involved in the HOA so as an owner you can have a voice.  Don't know if they will allow it as Westgate may own enough of the units to keep control of the board.  

On the bright side you can still sell to those who are already in the Westgate system and want to add to what they have.

On the other hand you might be able to sell to someone who sees the Hilton name on the resort and thinks they are buying into a Hilton affiliate.

I think the two things that are the most against you and the value of your resort is the Westgate name and reputation (but there are some who like them and you need to seek them out when/if you sell).  The other thing is Westgate's policies to write contracts that substantially punish resale owners by restricting there reservation windows and restricting there ability to trade within the Westgate internal system.

There are several resorts that are managed by a group other than the developer and or have several types of owners under the same roof.  There is a bluegreen property in Atlantic City.  There are a few DRI and Wyndham resorts like this too.


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## timeos2

Wastegate employees ARE the HOA/Boards at most of the Wastegate Resorts. They have thumbed their noses for years at the mere laws that require OWNERS to be on the Boards & have control. They don't even make an attempt to hide it they just populate the Boards as they see fit. End of story. This is not an operation anyone wants to get involved with.  The worst of a bad industry.


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## vegasVIP

I recently rented "The Queen of Versailles" movie through DirectTv.  It was amusing and I really wanted to see what happened to the tower of terror.  I'm telling you right now, if I was a Westgate Elar owner and saw David or his son in person, I woul kick their ass.  If you own Westgate or want to see what happened to a greedy old man, his dumb trophy wife and the thievery of poor vacationers $, rent it.


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## Larry

timeos2 said:


> Well I don't have photos but this has been widely reported (that the vast majority of the tower is empty and will will require build out to complete). Interestingly there are a few shots of the unfinished floors in the recent movie about the fall of the Siegel "empire" - but of course they do not total how much was ever completed and how much stands unfinished.
> 
> At one time I heard they had mostly finished about 12 floors but where I saw/heard that I'm not certain. If that is so that leaves 40 floors for Hilton to finish & market before they even have to consider what to do with the few sold Wastegate floors.



So it appears that your information is at best second hand and may be outdated. I was there first week of September and they had two banks of elevators running all week. I was staying on the higher floors and they had way more than 11 floors and stopped at at least 20 or more floors to drop off or pick up passengers during the week that I was there. I don't know how many floors they stopped at during the week for the lower floors but again there were way more than 11 floors and peeple were waiting for the elevator bank the entire week that I was there for the lower floors. So currently I can say for sure there are way more than 11 floors that were occupied. 

The week we were there included labor day week end and from the amount of people at the pool they appeared to be packed with just a few lounge chairs available by 11:00 AM.


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## Larry

timeos2 said:


> It is basically a mirage. They only finished off about 10 - 12 of the 50 floors - the rest are empty and now will be done as a much more upscale & tasteful Hilton resort. The unfortunate owners of those few "Wastegate legacy" floors will be stuck in a time warp of sorts. These units were designed with a very questionable "taste" of the Wastegate operators and may be flashy but aren't of quality to hold up with tough use. Worse yet Hilton seems to plan only to maintain them as is indefinitely - they will not be done over to Hilton standards for years to come if ever.  These owners an units will be orphaned as the remainder of the building is finished out as best it can be to a much higher standard of design & quality.
> 
> These poor buyers will be assigned these units for trade or use and are limited to super expensive trades within the poor Wastegate group or with II.  Hilton does nothing but manage them for Wastegate. What a terrible spot to be in if you paid big money for what was promised to be a dream resort experience. And there is no resale value - who would pay ten cents to be part of that mess?
> 
> To make it all worse the resort has now taken on a reputation for hard partying and not being at all family appropriate. It is bad behavior even for Vegas standards and further drives away any potential guests. Best to avoid it entirely unless you get in as a Hilton guest / owner with the much better units or as a near freebie just to sleep in on the deteriorating Wastegate floors. There are plenty of far better options all around Vegas and to Wastegate's anywhere.



Again I agree with most of your comments regarding Westgate but disagree about your comments of hard partying and not being family appropriate for at least the week that I was there (Which included labor day weekend). I also disagree with your comments about 10-12 floors completed, which was probably true at some time but see my post regarding floors that were open when we were there. 

You still comment on how the rooms are not upscale but it appears that by not answering my direct question you have actually never stayed in a room there. If I am wrong by my assumption please correct it. 

I also stand by my opinion that the rooms are at least as nice as the rooms at the Marriott Grand Château per my previous post. #5 above


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## timeos2

I have visited the units but never stayed in one.  "Cheesey" is the look that comes to mind if one wants to be relatively kind. Grotesque if the truth be known fits the best.  As for the floors finished I have verified with II sources that Wastegate completed 11 floors entirely and another 4 partially (notably the top Penthouse units that were sold as timeshares as well as those sold as full ownerships).  Now Hilton has worked their magic on at least most of 10-12 additional floors that are up to Hilton grade, but those are not open to owners of the Wastegate units. So it appears that about 1/2 of the 52 stories have a least part of the units complete meaning there are hundreds left for Hilton to build out before they would even consider taking in the orphaned Wastegaters.  It is actually the largest Hilton timeshare in potential unit count now and if they ever followed through on the original plans and built tower two and the many missing amenities that would more than double it again!  Talk about unneeded quantity (but in line with the standard Wastegate approach that they never sop building new while basically ignoring what came before it). 

Going forward my guess is Hilton owners will be very happy to enjoy what can be a decent resort with quality units in a very good location. The fact that Hilton is a points club and owners get to pick & choose with each trip makes it a high value way to own any timeshare in that system. Hilton wins as they get to sell what they got on the cheap for their regular prices and sell it as "buy here - go to Hawaii / Orlando / Gulf Coast / where ever they have resorts and the buyers can actually do that at a reasonable cost. Plus they get to make money off managing the Wastegate units at no expense to them. They came out a winner. 

The Wastegate owners, as expected, didn't do so well. The few units that did sell tended to be the grossly over-hyped & overpriced penthouse weeks or tiny regular units that have little use or trade value.  They are stuck with the bad design, less than stellar quality and limited choices of units that Wastegate managed to complete with no future planned changes in sight. They still have to deal with Wastegate / II and now Hilton and we can see here by the questions posted it leaves them in a no mans land where nothing is clear (Que Barry Manilow "I'm back in te city where nothing is clear").  Despite the high retail prices they paid it now has virtually no resale value whatsoever.  Wastegate was and is always a bad choice to purchase (Hey, I KNOW! I had one for 15+ years!) and this Tower of Terror was perhaps the worst of many bad choices.  Hopefully over time owners can glean out some use and eventually dump the albatross to move on.  But it has to hurt to have been sold such a line of bull by those snakes. 

With the huge signs now gone and the Hilton name on the door they have made the best they can out of a bad situation. The former Aladdin property has been jinxed from the get go it seems and the Planet Hollywood/Wastegate debacles only added to the aleady poor and shady history.  It was widely predicted that this was one to be avoided and unfortunately for those that got hooked that turned out to be the case. Time to close the book and let it slink into the night with it's trashy tail between it's legs.  It won't be missed except as a very easy target of derision.


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## STEVIE

Hi,
 We traded our Starwood Sheraton Vistana Villages unit for Elara next summer through II.  Does anyone know or guess if we will be assigned a newer Hilton room or one of the older Westgate units? Also, we are a family of 4, with 2 teenage sons. The comments of the pool area being a heavy party area makes me concerned and frankly a little nervous. Any advise?Thank you, Sue


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## Talent312

susgar said:


> We traded our Starwood Sheraton Vistana Villages unit for Elara next summer through II.  Does anyone know or guess if we will be assigned a newer Hilton room or one of the older Westgate units?



Sorry, but you'll get a Westgate unit.
HGVC trades exclusively with RCI. Westgate owners trade thru II.
.


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## pianodinosaur

I was considering an exchange into The Elara via HGVC.  Is there really any substantial difference between the WestGate units and the HGVC units?  I happen to like the food at Planet Hollywood and think the location is great.  However, there is no question in my mind that the pools at HGVC on the Strip are far superior.  I really miss The Las Vegas Hilton.  Whenever we stayed at the Karen Ave. property, we had complimentary access to all The Las Vegas Hilton facilities.


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## rjp123

Staying at HGVC Elara second week of January. Will report back.


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## SmithOp

I stayed there 3 weeks ago, booked through Hilton dot com, it was a Westgate room.  I don't think there are HGVC rooms yet, they are just starting to convert the lobby.  I posted a pic of the new design from a poster in the lobby.

http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183746


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## TheWizz

Talent312 said:


> Sorry, but you'll get a Westgate unit.
> HGVC trades exclusively with RCI. Westgate owners trade thru II.
> .



What's confusing is that it is called "Elara, A Hilton Grand Vacations Club" in II now:
http://www.intervalworld.com/web/cs?a=1503&resortCode=PHW&parentResortCode=PHW

Which would make one assume one is renting a "Hilton" unit.

And there is no RCI equivalent resort at this time...  Which is interesting since you can book RCI two years out I thought.


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## timeos2

If you are going through II you are getting a Wastegate unit regardless of any Hilton name on the listing.  Hilton may not have placed any inventory with RCI yet as there are very few actual Hilton units ready there yet (with PLENTY on tap).


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## rjp123

I just returned from a 6 night stay in Las Vegas (3 in Flamingo via Open Season, 3 in Elara via Hilton.com reservations).  This was my first time staying in HGVC properties in LV (see my Flamingo review in another thread).

Despite the conjecture in this thread:  I -REALLY- like Elara.  Elara is the a real hotel-like experience within the HGVC system (different from HHV, Flamingo and SoBe - which feel as purpose-build timeshares).  I hope Hilton doesn't change this.

As a HHGold - they gave me my room preference as a high-floor far from elevator.  The check-in staff mentioned there was construction on higher floors, so I was given 28th floor (the building skips the 40's as 4 is an unlucky number for some Asian peoples).  My floor was South facing, which meant I looked down towards MGM and the airport and had stunning, sprawling views of the LV valley South of the strip. 

I had a 1-BD suite room, which had a kitchen, living room, bedroom, Jacuzzi tub and bathroom with shower and private toilette stall.  I am guessing the room was probably 600 sq F or so, with floor to ceiling windows (with automatic blinds at the touch of a switch) and TVs in every room (including the bathroom).  The room was pretty much brand new, everything was perfect -chrome kitchen appliances, plush carpet, leather L-cove couch, trendy lighting and art.

Some people in this thread have commented that they think the styling is cheesy/odd - for me it felt like having a big room at a W Hotel - which is pretty darn nice if I say so.  Maybe it is because I am an under-35 owner and like more hip/trendy styling than I saw at HHV or Flamingo which feel like more traditional timeshare suites (SoBe has good art-deco styling in the rooms IMO which makes it very nice as well).

Elara has a cool factor - big sweeping lobby, high ceilings, funky décor.  I saw a foto of how they plan to re-do the lobby, and I hope they don't kill it's Vegas-appropriate styling and feel.

The tower is huge - I told my friends who were staying elsewhere that I was at the "Hilton Grand Vacations" due to the prominent signage on the building which made it easy for them to find me (unlike the Flamingo - where everybody was "huh?, where?").  Being close to Planet Hollywood and Aria/Cosmo made it an ideal location (albeit I like the Flamingo location slightly better as it was RIGHT ON the monorail and I like to play craps at cheaper $5 tables at Bills, Harrahs and Casino Royale).  

If I had to stay in Vegas again, I'd probably pick Elara over Flamingo.  The styling is young and vibrant, it feels more luxurious than Flamingo (which feels nice, but well-used) and the location is good for South-end strip activities.  This assumption is based on the open-season rates for Elara being the same/similar as they are for Flamingo (who knows what they will be when they open it up).

ONE CAVEAT:  The Flamingo pool was closed when I was there due to it being cold (32 deg!!!).  Being a part of the younger-end of the ownership age range – I am really looking forward to going back to Vegas to have fun during the daytime pool parties.  This could sway my preference over Elara.  Elara has a GREAT pool area – VERY nice, but I hear the Flamingo pool parties are epic, which would make staying at Flamingo worth it for that alone (versus paying $50-$100 to get into the Flamingo pool).

PS:  Parking:  The one plus for Flamingo is that you can leave your car at the Flamingo valet fro the cost of tips ($5) whereas at Elara it is $15 per day.


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## Talent312

TheWizz said:


> What's confusing is that it is called "Elara, A Hilton Grand Vacations Club" in II now... Which would make one assume one is renting a "Hilton" unit.



They may get away with it since HGVC manages the whole property.
But it's misleading since no II exchange will score a HGVC unit.
It'll be a while b4 HGVC units show up in either RCI or Hilton Hotels.
.


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## TheWizz

*Elara is now on RCI.COM*

Just a quick update...  I did a search on RCI this morning and Elara is now listed on II and RCI.  The RCI Resort Code = D400.


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## chalced

Hi - newbie to the site here.
We have a floating 1 week 1BR EOY with Westgates at the now Hilton Elara.
We are using this week in April and was wondering if it was worth visiting the Hilton sales centre there to see if Hilton would be willing to buy the Westgates timeshare?
Has anyone else tried doing this?
We are happy with the timeshare, but also own at Marriott (which we prefer), so are looking to sell off this one.
Thanks


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## Blues

We (DW and I) just got back from a weekend at HGVC Elara, too.  We're in a different demographic than rjp123, being a bit older.  My initial comment when we got there was that it was great for the younger demographic, which is what I'm sure it was built for.

My first impression was a bit sour, as I went in large circles around the entrance and parking structure for 20 minutes while trying to find registration parking.  There is no such thing, though when I asked the valets just pointed vaguely at the parking structure and told me to go to the 2nd floor (Wrong!  there is no parking on the 2nd floor.  The entrance to Elara is on the 3rd floor of the parking structure).  If you don't want to pay $17/day (not $15) for valet, you'll need to figure this out beforehand.  BTW, later I was in a conversation with one of the greeters, who asked me my impressions of Elara vs our home resort of Flamingo, and I mentioned this hassle and said that they badly needed some signage.

After this bad first impression, though, I came to appreciate that this would be a great location for the young crowd.  And not too bad for us dinosaurs.  We had a studio on the 56th floor (top floor other than penthouse), with dynamite views looking north, past Paris and Venetian.  It seemed like you could almost reach out and touch as far as the Stratosphere.  That was probably the best point of this unit.

I also liked the diversity of food available in the Miracle Mile shops, and the proximity to City Center / Aria as rjp123 says.  That said, the vibe was too frenetic for my taste, access too difficult, and the area a bit crowded.  I still prefer Flamingo, though I could see us staying here again if Flamingo was booked.

-Bob


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## RX8

chalced said:


> was wondering if it was worth visiting the Hilton sales centre there to see if Hilton would be willing to buy the Westgates timeshare?



Doesn't hurt to ask the question.  However, Hilton already has plenty of units to sell in Vegas between all their resorts.  I would put the odds of that happening at 1,000,000 to 1.  You'll get slightly better odds if you are willing to spend $40K to $50K for a new HGVC TS. 

For your sake I would love Hilton to prove me wrong.  Please come back and let us know what they say.


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## cardinal93

*Just got back from Elara...Fantastic*

Hi y'all,

Just got back from the Elara today after a 3 night stay...Fabulous.

My family loved the 2 bedroom suite...the check-in lady kept saying "this is a very nice room". I had booked the cheapest 2 bedroom suite (points wise), so I wasn't expecting much. Turns out, they put me on the 34th floor in room 34 (3434) which is the end of the hallway room that is part of a 4 bedroom suite lockoff. My room has the red/pink glass protrusion that sticks out from the side of the Elara if you are on Harmon St across from Marriott's Grande Chateau.

The room was HUGE...in fact, the largest 2 bedroom suite that I have ever stayed in.

I had a paroramic view of the city, from the Las Vegas Hilton on the right to whatever those 3 gold towers are behind MGM Grand....awesome! 

1. The decor was still the red/black hollywood style...loved it! The bellman guy told me that Hilton is halting the redecorating as hilton guests have expressed their liking the current style decor...who knows if this is true or not, but it's cheezy hollywood and we love it!

2. Sofa bed was not as good as Flamingo sofabed...

3. No real oven in the suite...there is a combo microwave/convection oven thingy.

4. Sink has no disposal unit.

5. Couldn't figure where the trash chute was (didn't try looking very hard), so just handed stuff over to the cleaning ladies.

6. Bought expensive water from convenience store at Elara (7 dollars for 2 bottles of 1 liter Aquafina...ouch). Discovered a gigantic Walgreen's just right outside the Planet Hollywood on the corner...you can find everything here, and a 1 gallon of "Nice" brand water was 1.59. Just bring a little kids stroller or whatever and knock yourself out with cheap water.

7. Very nice starbucks at the entrance of Elara.

8. Valet parking for 15 bucks...i just went ahead and paid 45 dollars for the 3 days for the convenience.

9. Ignored the "Vacation Experience" sales call .

10. The pool was super nice...from the outside. I saw nobody in the pool area, except a life guard who was all bundled up sitting watching the pool.

11. Oh, we also went to a ski area...who knew! There is a decent ski slope area about an hour drive from Vegas (near Mt Saint Charleston). There is also a gigantic snow slide area for kids to play for free on the way to the ski area. Who knew! Bring yer sleds, coats and what not. Now that I know this is here, I'll come back during the summer and cool off during the day at Mt Saint Charleston elevation around 7000-8000 ft.

We really enjoyed our stay, and the Elara's location was super convenient.

Walking distance to almost everything that we wanted to go.

Cheers!

Cardinal93


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## dougp26364

RX8 said:


> Doesn't hurt to ask the question.  However, Hilton already has plenty of units to sell in Vegas between all their resorts.  I would put the odds of that happening at 1,000,000 to 1.  You'll get slightly better odds if you are willing to spend $40K to $50K for a new HGVC TS.
> 
> For your sake I would love Hilton to prove me wrong.  Please come back and let us know what they say.



Actually, they don't have as much as you might think. When we took the update they were trying to sell us units in Carlsbad, not Vegas. The sales guy told us (his lips were moving) that they were essentially sold out at the LV Strip location. The Flamingo and Karen Ave locations are old enough it would surprise me if they were sold out. Hilton needed Elera and Trump to continue selling Vegas without having to build out the LV Strip location. It's cheaper to acquire then to build in this market.


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## chalced

Well, as was thought - Hilton have no interest in our Westgates timeshare. We did however get $120 worth of dining credit for going along and asking them about it, so not a complete waste of time.


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## gdlipp

*RecentWestgate Planet Hollywood Timeshare Resale Purchase*

I have an opportunity to acquire a timeshare resale at Planet Hollywood with the following specs.  Basically a 2-bedroom lock-off.

Usage: Annual Float Weeks 1-52
Units: Studio Standard And One Bedroom Grand
Deeded To Building # 14
Deeded As Unit # 13, Week # 3 - Studio Standard Unit 
Unit # 15, Week # 3 - One Bedroom Grand Unit 

HGVC acquired this property in 2013? and now manages it.  Original Westgate owners are still required to go through the Westgate system for reservations.  Is anyone aware if HGVC has a points conversion program for Westgate owners to bring their legacy timeshare property into the HGVC system?


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## Talent312

gdlipp said:


> Is anyone aware if HGVC has a points conversion program for Westgate owners to bring their legacy timeshare property into the HGVC system?



As was said b4, there is not... For now, you are on your own.
It seems HGVC has no interest in rescuing Westgate orphans.


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## Jason245

gdlipp said:


> I have an opportunity to acquire a timeshare resale at Planet Hollywood with the following specs.  Basically a 2-bedroom lock-off.
> 
> Usage: Annual Float Weeks 1-52
> Units: Studio Standard And One Bedroom Grand
> Deeded To Building # 14
> Deeded As Unit # 13, Week # 3 - Studio Standard Unit
> Unit # 15, Week # 3 - One Bedroom Grand Unit
> 
> HGVC acquired this property in 2013? and now manages it.  Original Westgate owners are still required to go through the Westgate system for reservations.  Is anyone aware if HGVC has a points conversion program for Westgate owners to bring their legacy timeshare property into the HGVC system?



I would call the resort and/or talk to the Board of Directors during the next meeting. For money, generally, anything is possible... lol.


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