# Vacation Introduction Program (VIP)



## seema (Nov 25, 2007)

I have signed on to this program by HGVC. What do you think of this program?
I plan to go to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, and at the Waikoloa Hotel.


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## IngridN (Nov 25, 2007)

I think it depends on if you plan on using the eligible timeshares or the Waikoloa hotel. We purchased the plan and had the option of two weeks timesharing or a 1 week stay at the Waikoloa hotel.  The program only offered 5 days at the Waikoloa for the $1,500, but we had them modify the contract to give us the 7 days.  What they forgot to tell us was that we had to pay an additional $79 or so to extend it beyond the timeframe allowed. 

We made reservations to go off season in May and based on the rack rate at that time, would have broken even...so for us, no cost savings and, as it turned out, could have cost us dearly...

I dislocated my kneecap putting the luggage into the car the night before our flight to Hawaii.  Needless to say, we had to cancel the trip.  Hilton made and exception and allowed us to extend the timeframe for travel for another 4 months with my doctor's note and ~$69  .  We rescheduled for July and at the rack rates in effect for that time, saved about $500 or so.

At the time we purchased, only the Waikiki timeshares were eligible; the Waikoloa timeshare was not.

Unless they offer different types of VIP packages, based on my experience, I would only purchase again if I were timesharing or staying at the Waikoloa hotel during peak season.  

Edit to add info:   Our main reason for purchasing the VIP package was the (supposed) ability to explore RCI membership and what it had to offer.  Owning 4 Marriotts, I'm quite familiar with timesharing and had a lot of questions about RCI that the salesperson could not answer.  What she did not tell us was that there is no such thing as "RCI membership" with Hilton.  What we learned after we purchased the VIP package and couldn't figure out how to access RCI, was that the Hilton RCI membership was not a true RCI membership.  

Ingrid


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## Bill4728 (Nov 26, 2007)

If it is like the one we bought several years ago, it is not a good deal. It isn't that bad either. for $1500 you get 5000 pts which you can use over the next year or so. 

If you look at this as you pre paid for the rental of a very nice HGVC resort, you likely could have rented this from a HGVC owner for less but you didn't get taken too bad.  

The one thing that really pissed-off my DW, was HGVC said you must attend another TS presentation as a condition of using the VIP points. But by the time when we traveled, we figured out that we would only buy HGVC resale. So, sitting thru another presentation was painfull.


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## dougp26364 (Nov 26, 2007)

If you can cancel I'd cancel. I believe you'd be better off just renting a few nights in either Vegas or Orlando to try out the program. All they're doing is keeping you on the hook to try to continue to sell you a timeshare at developer prices. There are plenty of resales out there for thousands less than the developer will sell you and you'll get the same unit. You never buy a "new" unit. All timeshare units are used after the first week the resort is open. Why pay $35,000 when you could buy the exact same thing for $15,000? Trust me when I say Hilton's Elite program isn't worht the price if you're thinking about buying enough points to reach that level.


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## seema (Nov 26, 2007)

This time they gave us 5000 points for under $1700. I believe, that if I can get summer months, I will break even for the Waikoloa or Honululu hotels.

One can use the 5000 for 7 nights at one of the 2 hotels, or split it with a split being 4/3. One can use the HGVCs in Las Vegas or Orlando, or the Manhattan Hilton Hotle (5000 points for 4 nights).

You must use the points within 15 months of purchase of the points.

They say that one you stay there, the money spent for the points can be deducted from the purchase price of the HGVC unit. As long as you buy within the 15 months, the HGVC will be charged at the price which was effective on the day one purchased the points.


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## Bill4728 (Nov 26, 2007)

seema said:


> This time they gave us 5000 points for under $1700. I believe, that if I can get summer months, I will break even for the Waikoloa or Honululu hotels.
> 
> One can use the 5000 for 7 nights at one of the 2 hotels, or split it with a split being 4/3. One can use the HGVCs in Las Vegas or Orlando, or the Manhattan Hilton Hotle (5000 points for 4 nights).
> 
> ...



Yes that is their VIP program. 

BUT if you have no reason to buy direct from HGVC, then their promise to reduce the developer price by the $1700 you spent on VIP doesn't make it a good deal. 

Rescind if you can. If not enjoy your vacation and just look at the $1700 as a expensive TS rental. 

Good luck


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## IngridN (Nov 26, 2007)

IMHO, if you're going to break even, I'd cancel if that option exists.  Why be locked into travel w/o significant savings to you?  Based on other posters, the Elite program is not worth buying at developers prices, so the fact that your prices are locked in at today's cost is immaterial unless you plan to buy from the developer.  Then you'll need to consider the cost of $...all in all, I'd cancel.

I bought for the ability to play with RCI membership which didn't exist and the fact that we were planning to go to the Big Island within the next couple of years and the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel is a great resort.  I have to give Hilton credit for making an exception and allowing us to extend the time we were able to use the program.  They didn't have to do that and the fact that they did says a lot about the type of company they are.

Ingrid


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## linsj (Nov 26, 2007)

Several years ago I bought a 5000-point VIP package after attending a timeshare presentation. I bought it because I knew it was a good deal for me and I wanted to experience firsthand how the Hilton program worked. I got three weeks out of those points: one in Orlando and two in Honolulu, all in a studio, which is all I needed, both places I wanted to go. I could not have stayed in a hotel or rented a timeshare/condo (which I didn't know about) for $500 a week. 

Do I regret it? Nope. I had great vacations for a lot less than I could have gotten any other way.


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