# HGVC Elite benefits



## Mosescan (Feb 22, 2018)

For those that are curios as I am, I have just emailed HGVC to ask them the clarify some of the elite benefits listed on their website as some are just so much mumbo jumbo to me. 

Below is the list of questions that I asked. some of the benefits are self explanatory like the reduced fees for booking and rooms upgrades but several just seemed like mumbo jumbo so I have asked for clarification. I will post the response here when I receive it. 

What is a new member elite kit? I have never received anything other than my new HH card.
What are elite insider communications? I have heard nothing but crickets since attaining elite status.
Where is the enhanced elite section on the club website or is the list of elite benefits it?
What is the discounted upgrade fee on additional vacation ownership purchases as select properties? It is listed at 50% and 100% for elite plus and premiere respectively. If it’s 100% does that mean as an elite premiere member I can upgrade my ownership for free? What exactly am I upgrading?
What is the special pricing on additional vacation ownership purchases all about? Isn’t that sort of the same thing I asked about in question 4?
What are the featured resorts that I am supposed to have an extended advance reservation period for? These are apparently select club resorts.
Cheers


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## Mosescan (Feb 22, 2018)

I received an auto generated response when I sent the email that states that they commit to answering all emails within 5 business days.

Stay tuned!


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## Mosescan (Feb 22, 2018)

Here is the reply I got to the questions I asked.


Each Elite Member received a copy of our 25th anniversary artwork, a 3-in-1 smartphone lens with Universal mount (compatible with smartphones and tablets-I-phone 8,7,6,5,4 Galaxy and HTC), and a pop socket for their phone. These are sent once a month, you should be receiving yours this month or next. Welcome gifts are also given at select resorts upon check in.
Insider communications is when we have specials for Elite Members, this will be communicated by email.
On the website, Select Club Membership, then Elite to see the benefits, early resort access and offers.
The discount to upgrade is 50%  for Plus Members and 100% for Elite Premiere . If it’s 100%  it does mean you can upgrade for free.
I recommend contacting Direct Sales at 800-772-0390 for additional upgrade information.
These resorts are featured under the Elite section on the website under early resort access.

This was my reply  as I still had some questions.

Thank you for your reply. 

With respect to question 4, I’m still not sure exactly what it is that I’m upgrading. 

This is the direct quote from the website and I’m still not really sure what it means. “discounted upgrade fee on additional vacation ownership purchases as select properties? “ 

Does this mean I can trade my 2 BR gold season 5000 point package in for a 2BR platinum 7000 point package for free if I’m elite premiere?

With respect to question 6, they are not listed on the website, that’s why I asked. It simply says “select club resorts” and to call an elite specialist to book them but never mentions which club resorts. 

The ability to book these resorts early and even see and know what they are, I think, would be a good feature to put in the enhanced elite section of your website. Which currently isn’t any more enhanced for me as an elite member than it was when I was a regular member.


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## Mosescan (Feb 24, 2018)

Well I got a response...

I apologize, please let me clarify. The discount referrers to the fee to upgrade, which is approximately $300.00.  The purchase price to upgrade would still apply. 
Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with.


Well, let me jump right on that offer! You'll give me a whole $300 off of a multi thousand dollar deal for being elite? I get more respect than that from a car salesman! As a matter of fact, my Costco membership saved me 5 times that much on my last car!

So other than the no fees for elite premiere and the possible room upgrades and open season discount as previously stated by others, HGVC elite status isn't really worth all that much! But at least now I know what all that mumbo jumbo means!

Cheers,


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## PigsDad (Feb 24, 2018)

Mosescan said:


> Well, let me jump right on that offer! You'll give me a whole $300 off of a multi thousand dollar deal for being elite? I get more respect than that from a car salesman! As a matter of fact, my Costco membership saved me 5 times that much on my last car!
> 
> So other than the no fees for elite premiere and the possible room upgrades and open season discount as previously stated by others, HGVC elite status isn't really worth all that much! But at least now I know what all that mumbo jumbo means!


Now you understand what we have been saying here for years -- buying direct from HGVC just to get Elite is not worth the extra costs.  Some of us got in before they changed the rules w/ resales, but even so, I get maybe $100-200/year worth of benefits from being Elite.  I could never justify buying direct and paying tens of thousands more just to get Elite.

Kurt


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## Mosescan (Feb 24, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> Now you understand what we have been saying here for years -- buying direct from HGVC just to get Elite is not worth the extra costs.  Some of us got in before they changed the rules w/ resales, but even so, I get maybe $100-200/year worth of benefits from being Elite.  I could never justify buying direct and paying tens of thousands more just to get Elite.
> 
> Kurt


Oh, I already understood that. I didn’t pay developers prices for my elite status. I was just trying to clarify some of the HGVC mumbo jumbo on the website. Some of it was worded pretty vaguely. More for my own education but I thought I’d share what I found in case others had the same questions.


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## Roamer (Feb 24, 2018)

I've found the thread useful as I'm still swithering over buying into the Hilton timeshares and if I do, should I leave the option open of going for Elite status at some point. Being based in Scotland the Craigendarroch resales would be the obvious entry point. However, like most I'm wondering if Elite is worth the extra expense even with the official resale route being nearby. We are now tied to school holiday time breaks, but there is some arbitrage available with that, so if I do purchase I'd begin with one week and go from there. 

In case it helps anyone else I'll add some numbers to flesh this out. The arbitrage I mentioned is that the school holiday time in October in Scotland would match with the gold season in Florida, so a three bed lodge in platinum season at Craigendarroch would give 8,400 points (one lodge gives 9,600 points but none of those are available at the moment due to a recent buying spree ). So, one 8,400 week would give me two weeks in a one bed in central Florida with 1,600 points left over for a cheeky week on a bender in Vegas on my own, or one one bed week and one two bed week in Florida if the brother and sister in law wanted to join us.

The elite paths (and I'm using 1.4 as the currency conversion in this):

1 x 9,600 + 3 x 8,400 point weeks, 34,800 points total would cost £27,735 with maintenance fees of £2,999, equivalent to - purchase US$38,829, MF US$4,198
5 x 7,000 point weeks, 35,000 points in total would cost £26,375, MF £3,031, equivalent to - purchase US$36,925, MF US$4,243

Per point that works out as:
Option 1 (34,800 points) - cost £0.80, MF £0.09. cost US$1.12, MF US$0.121
Option 2 (35,000 points) - cost £0.75, MF £0.09. cost US$1.06, MF US$0.121

Note, this doesn't take account of legal and activation fees of £195 and £277 respectively per week.

I can buy normal resale cheaper, probably about half the cost with the same maintenance fees but I think I'd make some of that value back and have an easier resale in the future if I bought through the official Hilton route. It puts things in perspective and a smile of my face when I think of our one and only presentation, which was at West 57th, where they wanted US$83,300 for 10,000 points with US$3,185 closing costs.

Quick shout out to Mosescan as it was the contact he provided that I've been in dialogue with for the numbers above. Other points to note the same sales contact has said he is not aware of official resales being stopped at Craigendarroch, in fact they had just appointed a marketing manager to market the resales of all three Scottish resorts and were considering doing the same for the suites at Craigendarroch.


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## Arimaas (Feb 24, 2018)

Roamer said:


> I'd make some of that value back and have an easier resale in the future if I bought through the official Hilton route.



Just curious as to why would It make resale easier for you in the future? I assume you mean that Hilton may help broker the resale of the Scottish units, making it easier for you to resell? Any idea what they charge to resell units?


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## Mosescan (Feb 24, 2018)

Arimaas said:


> Just curious as to why would It make resale easier for you in the future? I assume you mean that Hilton may help broker the resale of the Scottish units, making it easier for you to resell? Any idea what they charge to resell units?


John, my salesman, told me that since I purchased from them they’ll do the resale for 10% commission when I want to sell. Although 20 years from now when I’m ready to sell that may have changed. John is already 70 so it’s doubtful he’ll be there when I’m reselling.


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## Mosescan (Feb 24, 2018)

Roamer said:


> I've found the thread useful as I'm still swithering over buying into the Hilton timeshares and if I do, should I leave the option open of going for Elite status at some point. Being based in Scotland the Craigendarroch resales would be the obvious entry point. However, like most I'm wondering if Elite is worth the extra expense even with the official resale route being nearby. We are now tied to school holiday time breaks, but there is some arbitrage available with that, so if I do purchase I'd begin with one week and go from there.
> 
> In case it helps anyone else I'll add some numbers to flesh this out. The arbitrage I mentioned is that the school holiday time in October in Scotland would match with the gold season in Florida, so a three bed lodge in platinum season at Craigendarroch would give 8,400 points (one lodge gives 9,600 points but none of those are available at the moment due to a recent buying spree ). So, one 8,400 week would give me two weeks in a one bed in central Florida with 1,600 points left over for a cheeky week on a bender in Vegas on my own, or one one bed week and one two bed week in Florida if the brother and sister in law wanted to join us.
> 
> ...


I think the Vegas platinum units all sell for around $1/point so I don’t see Craigendarroch as that much more expensive. I think the maintenance fees are some of the best you’ll get at $0.12/point. If you do buy units during yours or England’s school breaks you can likely rent for twice your maintenance fees. Rent half your units, pay all your maintenance fees and use the points from the other half.


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## Roamer (Feb 25, 2018)

Arimaas said:


> Just curious as to why would It make resale easier for you in the future? I assume you mean that Hilton may help broker the resale of the Scottish units, making it easier for you to resell? Any idea what they charge to resell units?



Yes, easier in the sense I could let them do it and I'd assumed the commission would be less than the premium I'd paid via the official resale route. I hadn't known the commission figure was 10%, so good to find that out and it seems very reasonable.

Renting two weeks to pay the maintenance fees for all four is another option I hadn't considered. And if it didn't rent I could go up and use them myself, it'd only be a couple of hours drive.


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## Mosescan (Feb 25, 2018)

Roamer said:


> Yes, easier in the sense I could let them do it and I'd assumed the commission would be less than the premium I'd paid via the official resale route. I hadn't known the commission figure was 10%, so good to find that out and it seems very reasonable.
> 
> Renting two weeks to pay the maintenance fees for all four is another option I hadn't considered. And if it didn't rent I could go up and use them myself, it'd only be a couple of hours drive.


Yes. My in laws live in Kent so we had a considerably longer drive but I can’t wait to go back and spend some time there in the summer. Either before or after the Edinburgh tattoo would be best.


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## WildCat45 (Feb 27, 2018)

Thanks for the post. Any idea if the Coylumbridge units would rent well in September? I have zero perspective of how people holiday in the UK.


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## Mosescan (Feb 27, 2018)

Roamer said:


> I've found the thread useful as I'm still swithering over buying into the Hilton timeshares and if I do, should I leave the option open of going for Elite status at some point. Being based in Scotland the Craigendarroch resales would be the obvious entry point. However, like most I'm wondering if Elite is worth the extra expense even with the official resale route being nearby. We are now tied to school holiday time breaks, but there is some arbitrage available with that, so if I do purchase I'd begin with one week and go from there.
> 
> In case it helps anyone else I'll add some numbers to flesh this out. The arbitrage I mentioned is that the school holiday time in October in Scotland would match with the gold season in Florida, so a three bed lodge in platinum season at Craigendarroch would give 8,400 points (one lodge gives 9,600 points but none of those are available at the moment due to a recent buying spree ). So, one 8,400 week would give me two weeks in a one bed in central Florida with 1,600 points left over for a cheeky week on a bender in Vegas on my own, or one one bed week and one two bed week in Florida if the brother and sister in law wanted to join us.
> 
> ...


My purchases worked out to about $1.16/point in US dollars so I don't think it's really that much more than buying resale for any of the US resorts unless you want to buy Vegas gold weeks. They are dirt cheap but then your maint fee/point ratio is much higher. My Vegas gold is $0.17/point, whereas my Craigendarroch are around $0.125/point. Vegas platinums are around $1/point to buy so I don't think you are too far off buying at Craigendarroch and I still think you'll have lower maintenance fees, plus they should be way easier to rent than Vegas if you want to supplement your maintenance fees.


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## Roamer (Feb 27, 2018)

WildCat45 said:


> Thanks for the post. Any idea if the Coylumbridge units would rent well in September? I have zero perspective of how people holiday in the UK.



The school holidays are at slightly different times in Scotland and England, with Scotland usually starting and finishing earlier. Scotland schools go back this year on 22nd August and the English schools go back 6th September. The private schools can also have a bit of variation in there. 

So, September would be quieter from a demand perspective, but equally might be good for folks who want a holiday without kids around. They may wish for a smaller unit size though.

This link https://rentals.higvc.co.uk/default.aspx should take you to the official rental page for the Scottish locations. Doesn't seem to be a lot of availability for Coylumbridge in September and the prices are down on October despite it still being platinum season.


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## Roamer (Feb 27, 2018)

This is a cleaner link as you can see the full year, albeit the prices are from 2017: http://www.higvc.co.uk/rental/holidays-in-scotland/coylumbridge

You can also view the other Scottish resort rental prices by selecting the links near the top left of the page.


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