# Now at Hyatt Highlands Inn Carmel, CA - any questions?



## dmharris (Mar 23, 2012)

Second time here traded thru II for a week here.  Wonderful resort with a totally different feel than most resorts anywhere.  Very upscale rustic.  Smells like the cedar forests.  Total sensory experience.


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## DeniseM (Mar 23, 2012)

Do you have an ocean view?  
Are there any fees?  
Do the units have washer/dryers?
kitchen?


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## presley (Mar 23, 2012)

Is there much to do in the area around the resort by foot?


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## MaryH (Mar 23, 2012)

If I remember coorectly Pt Lobos is about half a mile up the road..


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## heathpack (Mar 23, 2012)

presley said:


> Is there much to do in the area around the resort by foot?



No, you 100% need a car.

However, there is tons to do within very easy driving distance.

Some people don't like HI, they are expecting a modern-style TS with an activities staff, etc.  HI is a very unique property- on a woodsy hillside, small units but pretty swank.  Daily maid service, fireplaces in the room.  But an older property, think rustic chic.  They do certainly need to upgrade the hot tubs but otherwise we love this resort.

H


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## heathpack (Mar 23, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Do you have an ocean view?
> Are there any fees?
> Do the units have washer/dryers?
> kitchen?



A good percentage of the rooms have an ocean view but not all.  Here is a link which shows which units are OV and which are not.  http://www.bywindkal.com/Hyatt/Highlands/CarmelLayout.pdf

Anyone who exchanges in, either through HVC or II, has no guaranteed view; the only ones who have guaranteed view are owners using their own units.

The units have a full kitchen but no W/D.  The lack of WD is perhaps offset by the wood burning fireplace and housekeeping that sets your fire up for you each day?  And free abundant firewood!

H


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## dmharris (Mar 23, 2012)

Thank you Heath for doing my work!  Our kitchen is tiny.  This year we are in a full ocean view one level, one bedroom unit. (Living room and bedroom floor to ceiling, wall to wall window). I'll take the view over the townhouse any day.  Last time we were in a one bedroom townhouse and the kitchen was a little bigger.  No washer-dryer but they are available on the resort though I've never used them.  

One fun thing they provide are binoculars!  And bathrobes (2)!  And an umbrella for use while here.  I love it here!  It smells like a cedar forest. You could walk the grounds and down the long windy driveway to the road and cross the street to look over the ocean.  It is VERY rocky and rough so no beach strolling here.  You really would need a car to truly experience the area.  The restaurants are good, but expensive so you would need a car for groceries and to get here from the airport.  The Monterey Aquarium is world class, the charming towns of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Pacific Grove have endless dining and shops plus wine tastings right in the town.  Carmel Valley Road has +12 wineries or tasting rooms within a 20 minute drive from the resort.  Big Sur is 20 miles away and all along this part of California there is vista after magnificent vista.  Tuesday 4-7 there is a farmer's market in Monterey that sells amazing fresh produce plus all kinds of interesting vendors.  We bought jams, vinegarettes, nuts, honey, pestos and tapenades, all in varieties we've never seen before.  There were exquisite cashmere scarfs and stoles for $25 or less from England, very fine quality.  I've had a lot of fun every day exploring; today we're headed to Big Sur and the beach with PURPLE sand.  So yeah, there is LOTS to do, much more than say, Hilton Head which is truly an RnR place for us.

P.S. we went on a whale watch Wed. and saw +12 whales, 3 gray mating, yes they mate with 3 together!  Don't ask me!

There are no fees that I'm aware of (there is plenty of golf around but we don't indulge) and we're in unit 421 on the map; I'll try and post photos later.


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## DeniseM (Mar 23, 2012)

Are there any fees?
What does daily maid service include?

This resort is driving distance for us and it's on my bucket list!


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## HatTrick (Mar 23, 2012)

Any luck with your email?


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## heathpack (Mar 23, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Are there any fees?
> What does daily maid service include?
> 
> This resort is driving distance for us and it's on my bucket list!



No fees.

The maid cleans your room, sets a fire in your fireplace, etc.  Standard hotel maid things.

H


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## dmharris (Mar 23, 2012)

No HatTrick and I will say that this is one of the hotels that has stinky servers that won't let me send via Outlook.  But the internet is wireless and free.  The maid service is great, they do dishes as well.  There is a dishwasher.  Now there is one flat screen on a swivel hanging post from the ceiling so that the TV can be viewed from the bedroom or living room.  It's really all one unit with Japanese like sliding wooden doors that block off the rooms if desired.  A large jacuzzi tub in the bathroom as well.  I really like the layout and I will say the living room furniture is more comfortable than Marriotts.  A leather sofa that is yummy.


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## dmharris (Mar 23, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Are there any fees?
> What does daily maid service include?
> 
> This resort is driving distance for us and it's on my bucket list!



Denise, what kind of fees?  

Also there was a free wine tasting on Tuesday which was great!  Lots of people and less crazy like the ones at Grande Ocean.  More refined, glass wine glasses, a drawing for free wine bottles, you could order wine from the vintner (which I did) and cheese and crackers with fig.  Have you tried fig with cheese?  Yummy!  We're off to Big Sur and Nepanthe, I'll check back later!


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## DeniseM (Mar 23, 2012)

Taxes, resort fees, internet fees, etc.


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## dmharris (Mar 23, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Taxes, resort fees, internet fees, etc.



I'll let you know when we check out, but so far none.


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## MaryH (Mar 24, 2012)

I think on the hyatt website on the hotel side mention the resort fee.  I been there before but a couple of years back on the hotel side and it was not charged then.

Checked with another owner from the timeshare side and there is no fees for HVC owners but not sure about exchanger.

Dmharris do you mind if I ask how long ago did you get the exchange and what you used to trade into it?  Actually the reason I bought HVC is due to what I thought was the difficulty in exchanging into Sunset Harbor in KW and Highlands Inn in Carmel but it seems possible with II these days.  Took me several tries to get a reservation April 14-17 at Highlands Inn which I liked for part of the Pebble Beach food and Wine Festival but now I might not be able to use it due to work


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## dmharris (Mar 25, 2012)

MaryH said:


> Dmharris do you mind if I ask how long ago did you get the exchange and what you used to trade into it?  Actually the reason I bought HVC is due to what I thought was the difficulty in exchanging into Sunset Harbor in KW and Highlands Inn in Carmel but it seems possible with II these days.  Took me several tries to get a reservation April 14-17 at Highlands Inn which I liked for part of the Pebble Beach food and Wine Festival but now I might not be able to use it due to work



I used a 1 bedroom Marriott Grande Vista Gold season and I put in the request probably early Sept 2011 and it came through September 29, 2011.  I requested a wide berth of weeks from Jan 19 - March 22.  So it was about six months prior to check in that it came through.  This is my second time trading in here.  We love it!


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## MaryH (Mar 25, 2012)

uhmm considering the m/F for Carmel highlands Inn is about $1250 for the week for the 1bdrm premier and points wise is 1880 for the minimum Gold season and 2000 points for the platinum season you are in for this week, it is a very good trade with an Orlando week.

I had heard that the sales team is very actively trying to sell Highlands Inn and they are one of the few with active sales right now.  I wonder how much developer inventory they still have and if you got a developer week or an owner deposit week.


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## Bill4728 (Mar 25, 2012)

We also got a trade into HVC in Carmel this past January.  The weather was 70 each day !!  

Wonderful room and a great view as well. 

Two restaurants on site one for brk & lunch and another with unbelievable views for dinner. The also have a small store but we drove the 1 mile  back toward Carmel by the sea for a big shopping center with a 24hr Safeway. 


You really shouldn't walk along the hwy to the state park 3/4 mile away but there is a "backway" thru the highlands to get pretty close to the park (but twice the distance). 

Our one complaint was the people under us kept their TV on all night long and the noise was difficult to sleep thru. 

Great place and looking forward to ever getting to trade into there again ( we used Marriott points thru the DC)


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## dmharris (Mar 26, 2012)

MaryH said:


> uhmm considering the m/F for Carmel highlands Inn is about $1250 for the week for the 1bdrm premier and points wise is 1880 for the minimum Gold season and 2000 points for the platinum season you are in for this week, it is a very good trade with an Orlando week.
> 
> I had heard that the sales team is very actively trying to sell Highlands Inn and they are one of the few with active sales right now.  I wonder how much developer inventory they still have and if you got a developer week or an owner deposit week.



With regards to the trade, it's about supply and demand.  I talked to a maintenance supervisor as we left and he said they were 75% full in the time share side.  

And there were active sales people on the lobby floor and asking us to do a preview whereas two years ago there were no evidence of sales.  So yes they are actively selling probably economy related.


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## dmharris (Mar 26, 2012)

DeniseM said:


> Are there any fees?
> What does daily maid service include?
> 
> This resort is driving distance for us and it's on my bucket list!




We checked out and no fees.  Maid service is much better than what you would expect from Marriott.  

So things I liked better about Hyatt than Marriott:

bathrobes provided
huge, long, like new bath towels
fireplace with wood, etc. (at least at this resort)
room service available at the fire pit
softer, more comfortable sofa and chair
Please don't tell Bill Marriott I said so.


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## presley (Mar 26, 2012)

It sounds amazing.


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## DAman (Mar 26, 2012)

*2 Bedroom Units*

I was lucky to get four nights in August in a 2 bedroom unit at HI. Does anyone have any information on how big those units are?

Point Lobos is an awesome place to walk and take in the coast.

Although I haven't been there in a few years, the restaurant Passionfish in PG is a great restaurant with a great wine list that is also fairly priced.

I can't wait to get to HI this summer.

DAman


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## shagnut (Mar 27, 2012)

Sounds like my kind of place!!! I don't exchange thru II tho. 

I can just image me and my camera!! 

shaggy


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## MaryH (Mar 29, 2012)

DAman said:


> I was lucky to get four nights in August in a 2 bedroom unit at HI. Does anyone have any information on how big those units are?
> 
> Point Lobos is an awesome place to walk and take in the coast.
> 
> ...



Hi DAman,

Are you a Hyatt owner?  If so which resort? 3-4 day bookings are usually only available to HVC owners.


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