# Is HRC worth it?



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

New to Hyatt; not new to timeshares. However, it seems HRC is very difficult to use compared to the rest of them. Lots of questions.... and will appreciate it greatly if anyone takes the time to answer some/all. Perhaps others will benefit too though...

1. Basically, it seems we can book 12-months in advance or 4-months after at home resort. But somehow this really seems to be only 6 months in advance due to restrictions???

2. While I'm supposed to be able to book 3-,4- or 7-days, it seems this isn't always the case. I'm reading here that people aren't able to do this reliably. Or is this a option for home resort only?

3. The unit is being sold to me as deeded, but according to Redweek.com, units at the resort are RTU (land use, expiring in 2070/2079).

4. Units are being advertised with a stated OPTIMAL view. However, the site plan maps show the actual unit views aren't as advertised. This is across multiple listings from lots of different people.

5. I am supposed to have a set # of points each year to use if I elect not to stay in the fixed week. However, it seems very difficult to use at all. EEPP/CUP/ETC what the heck? Why so difficult?

6. Most of the timeshares allow you to bank points or pull points forward, so for example, you could stay 2 weeks one year and 0 weeks another year. Which is rather ideal as who can go to the same place at the same time reliably every single year.

7. Hyatt has a relationship with II. I don't understand. Under the system I am used to, I deposit a week and can exchange for any like week. Granted, I typically got robbed because I put in a Hawaii studio worth 3X 90% of the other listings and since two years ago, now have to pay $99 / $199 to upgrade to a larger room (robbery, considering the rental value of Hawaii weeks). So if I have 2500 Hyatt points.... and I put them in II, I can use them 500 points at a time to book 5 studios separately????

8. II has really lousy inventory generally. However, one good thing about exchange my expensive Hawaii week in was that it unlocks supposedly PREMIUM rentals not otherwise available. Is this the case with Hyatt? Also you can't use your points in II to get a Hyatt week?????

9. If I go through with the purchase, it seems the only right I am losing is the right to exchange HRC points with HYATT HOTEL POINTS... my unit has a fixed exchange though of something ridiculous like 60,000 points anyway, so not a loss. but I dont understand this. You are taking a bath on value any time you do this anyway so why withhold it???

10. Are taxes billed annually in January? Or annually on the fixed week? This seems important as if I want to pull points forward, I must pay the next years fees. However, I then can only use the points 60 days before I want to reserve???

11. The whole system seems so difficult and prehistoric. What are the upsides of ownership? We like the location we've selected and think we can go there 3 out of 5 years. Is this enough?

Thanks again!


----------



## echino (Apr 19, 2019)

Yes, it's complicated, but once you understand the system you will see the value.

Which property are you looking at?


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

We've put in an offer, so don't want to say yet... when it closes for sure! But definitely would like to get some answers and more experiences from happy HRC owners who dont necessarily use their unit every year.


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Apr 19, 2019)

We only exchange internally with Hyatt and less but some with interval. We do a lot of 4 day midweek and week stays with an occasional 2 day. I think it is super easy to exchange. We do a lot of stays in Colorado Kaanapali Key West and Siesta Key but have stayed everywhere except Wild Oaks. We see most of our deals 6 months out. There is a learning curve study the stickies but if you check inventory frequency you will be in for some great adventures. We cant say enough good things about Hyatt and are currently waiting for our 3rd week to register. It passed ROFR. Good luck


----------



## PerryKing (Apr 19, 2019)

Where did you buy ?  Which Hyatt.. Most, if not all,   are deeded properties.  Even Hacienda del Mar Puerto Rico is a "Deeded Property"  BUT its built on land that the club has a 100 year lease on .  (Only about 70 years are left on the lease.)

Loss of the Hyatt hotel program is of no consequence to most, or al least me.  But I can use it on any of my Hyatt's.  But I calculate the  general profit that Hyatt makes on the exchange is about 2 nights.  (I.E.  I did a test once:  Gave up 7 nights but cloud only get 5 nights of the same place that i gave the points up at. In the beginning days 1997 or so it was even worse, the new improved program is not quite as bad then ) But for some people they like the option to stay at the Big fancy Hyatt resorts.

II bought Hyatt RC about 2 years ago, buy now Marriott has bought II.  SO who knows where that's going ??  Marriott also bought the Sheraton an Vistana (?) programs also.

Secret of the club:  Points you get from  HRC when you buy a property cost anywhere from X to Z  but when you spend them to reserve a HRC property through Hyatt all points have the same value !

Maintenance fees , including taxes, and membership fee are billed once a year , generally in NOVEMBER , DECEMBER  range.


JUST DO IT, The 15 or 16 Properties are all just great. ! Some are hard to impossible to trade into, but sometimes also more than possible through the "Wait List System"

So I suggest that you ONLY buy your FIRST Hyatt RC at one that you really like and primarily  want to use frequently.  ( especially for when you cant find something that you want to trade into with in the Hyatt Res system)   Then if you want to expand your horizons and stays, buy another at the lowest cost per point you can find, and use that one mostly to let the points convert into  Club Use or Limited club use points and use those to look for reservations online for other availability. Also TO me , since I have so many points now, to where I can hardly use them,  the Extender Exchange stem through II is just a last resort for me , to stick points in EE at II  and extend them as long as possible until I decide it's  time to go somewhere before I loose those also !  If you use all your points with in the Hyatt system you will never have to or want to deal with the II exchange system.

*SO-  JUST GO FOR IT  - its a great set or properties and generally a good system , except for the new: Portfolio Program. *


----------



## PerryKing (Apr 19, 2019)

*TO: Tucson Adventurer:  WILD OAK RANCH (San Antonio)  is very nice, its the TEXAS version in scope and concept of the  Hyatt Coconut Plantation (Bonita Springs)  Availability is usually always available !  I'm a pre construction purchaser at Coconut Plantation,  as I was also at Beaver Creek  HML , and HMSS at Breckenridge.

  Just FYI.  I have stayed at EVERY Hyatt Club  property (at least once anyway) with my Hyatt membership since 1998.*


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

PerryKing said:


> JUST DO IT, The 15 or 16 Properties are all just great. ! Some are hard to impossible to trade into, but sometimes also more than possible through the "Wait List System"



Thanks for this detailed response, really helpful!  

The information at Redweek was regarding deeded weeks with ground leases that expire:

If you're putting your Hyatt Residence Club unit up for sale, you are selling a timeshare that is a *deeded fixed week*, with the option to convert to points annually for internal trading within Hyatt. A handful of Hyatt resorts have deeds with a "Ground Lease," or expiration date. The resorts with Ground Leases are as follows (with their expiration dates):


Windward Pointe (December 31, 2100)
High Sierra Lodge (December 31, 2075)
Hacienda Del Mar (December 31, 2070)
Highlands Inn (December 31, 2079)
This is 50-60 or so years in the future, but I imagine the ground lease will need to be renewed and these costs will be passed on as Special fees to my heirs.

THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR HELPFUL RESPONSE!


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

Another question, Hacienda Del Mar is closed so you cant use the fixed week, but still have to pay maintenance fees while the resort is being renovated?


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

Tucsonadventurer said:


> We only exchange internally with Hyatt and less but some with interval. We do a lot of 4 day midweek and week stays with an occasional 2 day. I think it is super easy to exchange. We do a lot of stays in Colorado Kaanapali Key West and Siesta Key but have stayed everywhere except Wild Oaks. We see most of our deals 6 months out. There is a learning curve study the stickies but if you check inventory frequency you will be in for some great adventures. We cant say enough good things about Hyatt and are currently waiting for our 3rd week to register. It passed ROFR. Good luck




Thank you for the good advice! I'm really interested in thoughts on Key West. Lots of opportunity there, but I worry about all the storms and resorts possibly getting closed. 

Siesta Key, I think is the newest HRC, but it's mostly condo? From the listings, it's hard to tell which resort in the Keys in the nicest. I think all have something to offer, but the quality level between them?


----------



## Sapper (Apr 19, 2019)

You have received some good advice here. I’ll bite on the questions individually though. 

1. You can use your points 12 months prior to 6 months after your use week. The majority of the inventory opens up six months prior to use, but I have picked up unit weeks 12 months prior to their use. 

2. Most of the time you can do split week bookings. However, if it is a holiday week, like Christmas, then it is only bootable as a solid week until sixty days prior to use. 

3. Some properties are deeded, others are RTU. You have to know which property you are buying. 

4. I think this is more of a seller issue. Either they are unaware of view types, or are trying to make it sound better than it is. This is particularly important when looking at a property like Highlands Inn where an ocean view is worth more than a garden view. Not so important at a location like Wild Oaks where there is no real view at all. 

5. The different use periods are a little frustrating at first, but make sense after you play with it. 

6. No banking, and using points from a future year come with a lot of strings attached. Best to plan your use of points on an annual basis if looking at the Hyatt system. 

7. Hyatt has a unique agreement with II. Yes, under the current system, if you have 2500 points, and find 5 - 500 point studios you want, then they are yours. 

8. A) Hyatt should see the best available units (though I think Marriott owners get a lead time on Marriott units). B) You cannot use your points to book back into a Hyatt unit. 

9. Outside of Hawaii, Hyatt is no longer selling weeks. So, it does not really matter. However, as resale, you cannot trade your owned unit for World of Hyatt points (or whatever they are calling their devalued hotel point system now). With Marriott owning Hyatt now, this feature might go away anyway. Either way, no big loss. 

10. Maintenance fees and taxes are all billed together in November, due on the first of January. 

11. The system seems complicated at first, but after using it, it makes sense. The upsides are great properties in great locations with fair costs. I could not afford to travel with my family at the same comfort level to these locations at a lower cost. 

Where are you looking at buying?


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Apr 19, 2019)

PerryKing said:


> TO: Tucson Adventurer:  WILD OAK RANCH (San Antonio)  is very nice, its the TEXAS version in scope and concept of the  Hyatt Coconut Plantation (Bonita Springs)  Availability is usually always available !  I have stayed at EVERY Hyatt property (at least once anyway) with my Hyatt membership since 1998.


Thanks it is on our list for sure and a great resort for th


NotNew said:


> Thank you for the good advice! I'm really interested in thoughts on Key West. Lots of opportunity there, but I worry about all the storms and resorts possibly getting closed.
> 
> Siesta Key, I think is the newest HRC, but it's mostly condo? From the listings, it's hard to tell which resort in the Keys in the nicest. I think all have something to offer, but the quality level between them?


For the Keys it is such an individual preference. Most folks like Sunset Harbor as it is close to all the bars and entertainment but it is noisier and  if you are doing a family trip some prefer Beach House or Winward Pointe. Winward has nicer units and Beach House is more rustic. Winward is next to the airport which some don't like. I personally would stay at any of them and be happy but if it's just me and my husband I'd chose Sunset. If my grandkids came then Beach House. With any Florida Hawaii Caribean or Mexican resort there is a possibility of hurricane. Siesta Key only has a handful of Hyatt units but they range from 1880 ft upward and are the most high end of the resorts with Park Hyatt and Aspen close but not as spectacular. Maybe others can add to the Keys question


----------



## Caligirlfrtx (Apr 19, 2019)

PerryKing said:


> TO: Tucson Adventurer:  WILD OAK RANCH (San Antonio)  is very nice, its the TEXAS version in scope and concept of the  Hyatt Coconut Plantation (Bonita Springs)  Availability is usually always available !  I have stayed at EVERY Hyatt property (at least once anyway) with my Hyatt membership since 1998.


Thats good to know, we own @ CP but family is in Tx so would love to enjoy WOR too. Glad to know its comparable


----------



## Caligirlfrtx (Apr 19, 2019)

Sapper said:


> You have received some good advice here. I’ll bite on the questions individually though.
> 
> 1. You can use your points 12 months prior to 6 months after your use week. The majority of the inventory opens up six months prior to use, but I have picked up unit weeks 12 months prior to their use.
> 
> ...


Im a fairly new owner and Im still confused on when booking starts. My use week is beginning of Aug. sometime. MF's don't get  paid till Jan. so when do I book?


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

Sapper said:


> 1. You can use your points 12 months prior to 6 months after your use week. The majority of the inventory opens up six months prior to use, but I have picked up unit weeks 12 months prior to their use.
> 
> 2. Most of the time you can do split week bookings. However, if it is a holiday week, like Christmas, then it is only bootable as a solid week until sixty days prior to use.
> 
> ...



All excellent tips/advice. Thank you! So are maintenance fees and taxes different? So when a resale says maintenance fees are X, should I then have also asked how much are taxes?


----------



## NotNew (Apr 19, 2019)

Tucsonadventurer said:


> personally would stay at any of them and be happy but if it's just me and my husband I'd chose Sunset. If my grandkids came then Beach House. With any Florida Hawaii Caribean or Mexican resort there is a possibility of hurricane. Siesta Key only has a handful of Hyatt units but they range from 1880 ft upward and are the most high end of the resorts with Park Hyatt and Aspen close but not as spectacular. Maybe others can add to the Keys question



Good to know. Thanks again. We prefer quiet and away from the hustle n bustle. No parties, bars for us.


----------



## Sapper (Apr 19, 2019)

NotNew said:


> All excellent tips/advice. Thank you! So are maintenance fees and taxes different? So when a resale says maintenance fees are X, should I then have also asked how much are taxes?



Welcome. 

Most people just state the combined cost. You can double check against the maintenance fees posted at the top of the Hyatt forum:
https://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/2019-hyatt-maintenance-fees.280681/


----------



## PerryKing (Apr 19, 2019)

Caligirlfrtx said:


> Im a fairly new owner and Im still confused on when booking starts. My use week is beginning of Aug. sometime. MF's don't get  paid till Jan. so when do I book?


You can make your Home Resort  Preference Reservation as soon as your new year points are posted to your Hyatt account.  Which happens  the same week as your owned week. i.e. That's basically one year in advance.  Then you have 6 months to exercise your Home resort Preference. 

 After six months pass and you have not made  a HRP reservation , then your points move in to what is call the "Club Use" (CUP)  Points period,  (Book any Club availability anywhere at any of the  the Hyatt Club properties). Points stay in CUP  status  for another 6 Months , before they then move to the "limited Club"  (LCUP) period. (Book any club availability anywhere at Hyatt club properties but only with in 60 days of arrival)   At the end of the Limited Club Use  Period all unused points expire !

The Hyatt system sends an  email warning you about  30 days before  these upcoming  and  pending dates of possible expiration of points. They also send an email out to you on the  dates after the point status changes. *You need to be on top of your KEY dates and never ignore an email about your account status and points balances from Hyatt.*

  Then  later in the year when you get  (actually on the day the Club property  sends it in the mail to you, and in some clubs even before they mail it)  the actual billing for the next years maintenance fee, they will lock you account until you pay it.  Your reservation stays, but you can not  make any more reservations for anywhere with any points you have (even from another property) until you pay your billed  maintenance fees.  ( I.e. even if you own 5 properties , as soon as one of the club's maintenance fee becomes due, even  on just one of them , your  ability to make a reservation anywhere with any of your  points from other properties  is suspended until the maintenance fee is paid) .  FYI.

If you don't pay , they will eventually cancel your reservation (s)  your home resort preference reservation for the upcoming year (especially at high demand properties) . Since most all fees seem to come due toward the end of the year, multiple property owners usually only have one choice, and that is to pay all the fees at once, for all properties, and get it over with , so as to unsuspend your account so you can make reservations. 

  You can, or have to pay your estimated maintenance fee in advance to get on a wait list far out, such as for the next year.


----------



## mdurette (Apr 20, 2019)

Caligirlfrtx said:


> Thats good to know, we own @ CP but family is in Tx so would love to enjoy WOR too. Glad to know its comparable



Been to WOR and CP.   I would even venture to say I like WOR just a tad bit more.


----------



## AJCts411 (Apr 20, 2019)

NotNew said:


> Thank you for the good advice! I'm really interested in thoughts on Key West. Lots of opportunity there, but I worry about all the storms and resorts possibly getting closed.
> 
> Siesta Key, I think is the newest HRC, but it's mostly condo? From the listings, it's hard to tell which resort in the Keys in the nicest. I think all have something to offer, but the quality level between them?



We bought Sunset because of the "type" of vacation we wanted.  in one or two blocks from "relaxing" Sunset is the Duval party scene.  If you are into a hang around do nothing vacation,  or more family oriented, windward or beach house.  

The storms, over rated concerns.  Been there for 2 hurricanes, that were further north, key west a little windy but sunny.  Irma, the last one that hit the Keys, Sunset merely brought forward planned maintenance, added about 100 to the fees.  We were in Key West 3 days after the reopening of the airport, lots of clean up still underway, main roads cleaned, service industry begging for more customers.  Still a good time. 

Hyatt as a system, quality.  We rent if we have a unused week, always at a profit.  Trading/II...never used the system, but we see the value of the Hyatt points.


----------



## NotNew (Apr 20, 2019)

Thanks everyone for responses! Lots to learn!

Where do you rent? Here on TUG? Seems harder than say Redweek, but I dont see many rentals going from Redweek.


----------



## NotNew (Apr 20, 2019)

PerryKing said:


> clubs even before they mail it) the actual billing for the next years maintenance fee, they will lock you account until you pay it. Your reservation stays, but you can not make any more reservations for anywhere with any points you have (even from another property) until you pay your billed maintenance fees. ( I.e. even if you own 5 properties , as soon as one of the club's maintenance fee becomes due, even on just one of them , your ability to make a reservation anywhere with any of your points from other properties is suspended until the maintenance fee is paid) . FYI.




thank you, everything you said is very helpful, especially this!


----------



## Sapper (Apr 20, 2019)

Caligirlfrtx said:


> Im a fairly new owner and Im still confused on when booking starts. My use week is beginning of Aug. sometime. MF's don't get  paid till Jan. so when do I book?



Sorry I missed this question. 

If you intend to use your unit for example in August 2020, you can book from August 2019 to Feburary 2020. After six months prior to your use week, if you have not booked, your unit is released so anyone can book. You still have the points your unit is valued at. The six months prior to your deeded use week is known as the club use period, or CUP. 

If you intend to use the points associated with your unit as opposed to using your unit/week, 12 months prior to use (say August 2019) you can use the points to book anything that is available, and your unit is then released so others can book it. 

If you fail to book anything by your use week (say AUG 2020), then you have six months to use your points. However, the points now have a restriction that the use you book must be with in sixty days of the booking. This period is known as the limited club use period, or LCUP. 

Your booking period is not tied in any way to when you pay your maintenance fees.  However, you may not book anything between when your maintenance fees are billed and when you pay them.


----------



## NotNew (Apr 20, 2019)

Interesting, if difficult system to understand.


----------



## bdh (Apr 21, 2019)

NotNew said:


> Interesting, if difficult system to understand.



The morale of the Hyatt story is: "Tell me what there rules are so I know how to play the game".


----------



## jjking42 (Apr 21, 2019)

A few more questions

Are the two bedroom units at piñon point lock offs. I under stand that during the HRPR period I have three online options
Reserve 2 bedroom
Reserve 1 bedroom
Reserve Studio

If I call hyatt I can reserve both sides with separate reservations with a fee if I want to rent.

What if only want one bedroom for 5 nights ? Can I do that 12 months out during HRPR and drop-the rest of the points in CUP ? Or do I have to put all the pints in cup first and the try to reserve my 5 nights ?

Waitlist / season question
If I own a fall week at my home resort but want to get on the waitlist for a February week at another resort am I at a disadvantage because people whose use week is February can get on that list before I can


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## jjking42 (Apr 21, 2019)

Also if a am dropping random cup points into II every year do they automatically combine and if so what does that do to the use period 



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Caligirlfrtx (Apr 21, 2019)

Thanks. It’s clear now I only have 210 points left


----------



## echino (Apr 21, 2019)

You cannot reserve five nights in HRC. You can only do 7,4,3,2, and on fixed check-in days of the week only, depending on each resort.

You will occasionally see different number of nights available, such as one night, but it's under HPP, not HRC. There are additional fees for reserving under HPP.


----------



## jjking42 (Apr 21, 2019)

echino said:


> You cannot reserve five nights in HRC. You can only do 7,4,3,2, and on fixed check-in days of the week only, depending on each resort.
> 
> You will occasionally see different number of nights available, such as one night, but it's under HPP, not HRC. There are additional fees for reserving under HPP.


you cant combine and 3 and 2  to make 5


----------



## bdh (Apr 21, 2019)

jjking42 said:


> you cant combine and 3 and 2  to make 5



You can combine 3 + 2 to get 5 night stay.  However most people don't elect to do that as the 3 night reservation is a weekend stay that is more costly point value wise than a 4 night stay.  And it's also cost more money as its 2 reservation fees - and 2 split week fees at the resort upon departure.


----------



## Sapper (Apr 21, 2019)

jjking42 said:


> you cant combine and 3 and 2  to make 5



You can if there is availability and you will have to pay two reservation fees and two split week fees if that specific property charges them. You cannot do five days on one booking because they break the days down to 2,3,4, and 7 day periods.


----------



## Sapper (Apr 21, 2019)

Haha, bdh, we responded in the same moment.


----------



## Pathways (Apr 21, 2019)

jjking42 said:


> you cant combine and 3 and 2 to make 5



And don't forget a 3 and 2 may require a move


----------



## Tucsonadventurer (Apr 21, 2019)

We met a lady in the hot tub( which as an aside is the next best place besides TUG to learn info). She reserves all 4 day reservations during a given month at her favorite resorts staying in nearby hotels on weekends to stretch her points out. It sounds like a lot of work to me but if your goal is to get the most stays for your points it is a good strategy.


----------



## bdh (Apr 22, 2019)

Sapper said:


> Haha, bdh, we responded in the same moment.



Great minds think alike - lol


----------

