# HGVC--Using points for hotel stays



## loosefeet (Mar 16, 2007)

We continue to look at Hilton to purchase (haven't done it yet).  One other question I have is the cost of using your points to book hotel stays--and how this is done.  We like to use Embassy Suites b/c we are a family of 5, and the kids love the breakfast...so, would like to use points to book hotel stays, especially for those areas where it's expensive, eg. Washington DC ($339/night) and Tahoe (also $339/night).  Has anyone figured out a formula to the costs?  Something like MFs + conversion fees (what are they) = purchasing amount = pirce/hotel night.  Also, how easy is it to get a reservation?  Are there fewer reservations available than to the open market (like using frequent flier tickets)?
Please give advice.


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## Steve (Mar 16, 2007)

Yes, there are fewer reservations available for HHonors point stays than for regular paying customers.  You can make reservations on line which is very nice, but the peak locations and peak hotels sell out of HHonors reservations long before all the actual rooms are gone.

The conversion rate from HGVC points to HHonors points is really bad.  A 2 bedroom platinum week will get you 161,000 points and a 2 bedroom gold week will get you 115,000 points.  

My favorite Hilton brand hotel is Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort in Santa Barbara, CA.  It costs 40,000 HHonors points for a free night there.  So, I have bought and paid for my gold week Marco Island.  I then pay my maintenance fees of $750, plus my HGVC yearly membership fee of $90, plus my HHonors conversion fee of $69.

And what do I get in return for my week in a 2 bedroom condo + all of the above mentioned fees?  Almost...but not quite...enough points for 3 nights in a hotel room.  Ouch.

Steve


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## Bxian (Mar 16, 2007)

You may want to check out the Hilton American Express card-no fee and can help you rack up the points pretty quickly.  We use it for EVERYTHING-groceries, our cable and cell phone bills, eating out, college tuition for our 2 kids (in fact, with 2 kids in college at the same time, earning points has been the only affordable way for us to vacation).  We just bought an HGVC affiliate timeshare resale and were able to put part of the purchase price on the AMEX, too.  We have gone to the Big Island of Hawaii, Los Cabos, Paris ( plus overnights in NYC) and stayed for free using points earned via the credit card.  If you spend $20,000 or more in a year on the card, you get a Gold membership with Hilton Honors, which means you will get reservations on most dates except for extraordinary demand dates (like New Year's Eve in some areas).  Also, if you have the AMEX, you are eligible for the AXON award, which means that you can stay anywhere for 4 nights for 125,000 Hilton Honors points  (most of the high-end properties and those in resort locations normally are 40,000 per night)  If you find ways to maximize your points, it can be wonderful and a nice addition to a timeshare ownership.


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## StuckinChicago (Mar 19, 2007)

I second the Hilton AmEx as a better way to earn points. We got ours back in October of 2006 and already we have earned just over 125,000 points. We charge everything - and I do mean EVERYTHING. Even if I run through the McDonald's drive-thru, I'll charge it. You get 5 points per dollar on gas, groceries and restaurants, and 3 points per dollar on everything else. It adds up FAST! Needless to say, we became Gold members after just 5 months or so.....

And just the other day, I booked my DH and I at the Category 6 Hilton Palacio Del Rio in San Antonio over Cinco de Mayo weekend. We used the AXON reward (which you have to ask for when you make reservations) and got the 4 nights free. Then we used FF miles to get free airfare! :whoopie: 

I LOVE the Hilton AmEx!!


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## Sooby (Mar 19, 2007)

*AXON?*

I am an American X gold but I don't understand this AXON?  I also charge everything and points add up fast. What is AXON and how does it work?
                                                                Thanks, Sooby


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## Bxian (Mar 20, 2007)

The AXON is a special award category available only to Hilton AMEX cardholders.  Normally, when you book 4 nights at at Category 6 hotel, it would cost 160,000 Hilton Honors points.  With the AXON award, you only need to use 125,00 points for that 4 night stay.  I'm not sure if it is available on-line-I usually book my award stays on the phone through the Hilton Honors reservation number.  Sometimes you have to educate the Hilton Honors people about the existence of this code.  I just made a reservation at the new Fort Lauderdale Hilton using an AXON award for a 4 night stay and had to explain to the phone rep what it was-after searching a bit, she found it in her system.


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## Sooby (Mar 20, 2007)

*AXON*

So, when I call to book a 4 day reward do I just ask for an AXON?  Are you able to get discounts on any other level like 4 or 5?  Thanks, Sooby


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## CaliDave (Mar 20, 2007)

I just booked 2 rooms.. superbowl weekend in Phoenix at Hampton Inn .. 20,000 per night.. 3 nights .. cash rate was $549/night.

Seemed like a great deal to me

If you use it for very expensive rooms, I think its a good deal.


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## Bxian (Mar 21, 2007)

Sooby-Yes-when you call Hilton (use the reservation number on the back of your Hilton card, tell them you want to use an AXON award).
The only other points "discount" that I am aware of is 175,000 for a 6 night GLON award.  Normally, for a category 6 hotel, you would be using 240,000 points (40,000 per night times 6).
I second CaliDave's recommendation.  Hoard your points for use at the more expensive resorts or at times when rates are high because of a special event (such as the Super Bowl or something like a college graduation).
Also, if you become a Hilton Honors Gold member, you sometimes (but not always) gain access to the Executive Lounge.  If you become a Diamond Hilton Honors member, you are even more likely to get Executive Lounge access. Properties without a lounge will sometimes give you breakast coupons for a free breakfast.
In Hawaii, our family of 4  saved quite a bit on food by using the Exec. Lounge each day-they had a nice continental breakfast with pastries and fresh fruit/cereal, free cookies and soda in the afternoon, and appetizers (which were ample enough to serve as dinner one night).  In Paris, the lounges had amazing brekafast offerings and free beverages (including those with alcohol) in the early evening.


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## loosefeet (Mar 21, 2007)

Thank-you.  How do you become gold or diamond qualified??  I already have a Hilton express--but was wondering about the feasibility of using the timeshare for points in areas they don't have a hilton resort.


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## StuckinChicago (Mar 21, 2007)

lyoder said:


> Thank-you.  How do you become gold or diamond qualified??  I already have a Hilton express--but was wondering about the feasibility of using the timeshare for points in areas they don't have a hilton resort.



With the HIlton AmEx, all you have to do is charge 20K within any 12 months. It used to be that you had to charge 20K between January and December of the current year, but they just recently changed it to just any 12-month period.


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## Bxian (Mar 21, 2007)

That $20,000 in spending on the Hilton Honors AMEX is for Gold Hilton Honors status.  There are occasional rumors of Diamond for higher $$ spending, but not sure what that level is.  Otherwise, you need to get Gold or Diamond by racking up lots of hotel stays or by spending a lot at Hilton hotels.  I do not think that HGVC reservations get counted for Hlton Honors status unless you rent a timeshare from Hilton.


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## Sooby (Mar 21, 2007)

Thanks for the information, Bxian.  We will be in Hawaii in May and spending a night at the Waikoloa Hilton on an award.  I am AX Gold. Is that where you got the exec level with breakfast?  Can I get that with an award stay & do I have to ask for that?       Sooby


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## CaliDave (Mar 22, 2007)

I got Diamond from spending..  I don't know the limit.. but we did some remodeling and I bought too many timeshares.. I spent a little over $50K for the year.


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## Bxian (Mar 22, 2007)

Sooby-I have Diamond status.  We stayed 6 nights (2 rooms-both award stays  at the Hilton Waikoloa Village and were upgraded to the Executive Lounge and also to two adjoining ocean front rooms with an amazing view.  Last summer, my sister (Gold status) also had a 6 night award stay at HWV and was upgraded to the Executive Lounge (but not as nice a view).  I believe that Diamonds and Golds are put in different towers (which have different Exec Lounges) at HWV. I think my sister was placed in the middle tower-a bit farther back from the ocean, but the plus is that it is more centrally located (HWV is BIG)  I recommend e-mailing the front desk ahead of time (I do not have the front desk manager's e-mail address, but if you call them you may be able to get it) and asking if upgrade for Exec Lounge and ocean view would be possible.
CaliDave-I also got the Diamond status via spending (college tuition payments using a monthly payment plan that could be paid via credit card).  I had it for 2 years-was told that getting Diamond via spending was a "one time promotion" and was dropped to Gold-that got rebumped to Diamond about 4 months later after my next Hilton hotel stay.  How long have you had Diamond status?


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## CaliDave (Mar 22, 2007)

I got Diamond around Dec of 05.. and its good until April of 08, but thats mainly due to booking LOTS of rooms for work.

I have switched to Starwood Amex.. I have a million honors points.. but nothing in the way of airlines mileage.. So thats why I switched.


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## na2006 (May 11, 2007)

Bxian said:


> The only other points "discount" that I am aware of is 175,000 for a 6 night GLON award.  Normally, for a category 6 hotel, you would be using 240,000 points (40,000 per night times 6).



Do you have to use these 6 nights at one time or its just an award to get Hilton points? and You can use the Hilton points later the way you want.

I just reveiced fax of new seasons from a HGVC resort but its not a clear print. Anyone has 2007 seasons chart?

Does anyone who has  HGVC guide book for 2007 can post HGVC points rules? like how to convert them to HHonors or bank them to next years, etc?

NA


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## WORLD TRAVELER (May 13, 2007)

*Hotel Option great with Hilton*

I have to agree that the hotel option is great when you use it for expensive rooms.  For example, we've stayed at the Zurich Hilton on an award stay 2 years ago and it was $550 per night versus 25000 hhonors points per night.  The cost per night is even higher than that now with the now lower exhange rate of the dollar versus Swiss Franc.  What's nice about Hilton is the ability to trade for hotel points every year versus other timeshares ability to trade only every other year.


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## Shamrock (May 13, 2007)

Can anyone tell me where you can view hhonors points required per hotel stay on the website, I have checked everywhere on the site and can't find anything


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## AzMin (May 13, 2007)

DTM07 said:


> Can anyone tell me where you can view hhonors points required per hotel stay on the website, I have checked everywhere on the site and can't find anything



The Hhonors points required per hotel night isn't on the HGVClub website; it's found at the respective Hilton hotel site. Choose the Hilton hotel you want and on the opening page, the category level is listed for the hotel along with the required Honors points required per night. 

If you're asking how many *HGVC Club points * are required for Hilton hotel stays, it's on page 34 of the interactive guide on the HGVClub website.


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## Shamrock (May 14, 2007)

Thanks AzMin


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## na2006 (May 17, 2007)

I just applied for HHonors Platinum. 

50000 HHonors offer.

https://www201.americanexpress.com/cards/Applyfservlet?csi=4/15887/b/224

NA


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## na2006 (May 20, 2007)

AzMin said:


> The Hhonors points required per hotel night isn't on the HGVClub website; it's found at the respective Hilton hotel site. Choose the Hilton hotel you want and on the opening page, the category level is listed for the hotel along with the required Honors points required per night.
> 
> If you're asking how many *HGVC Club points * are required for Hilton hotel stays, it's on page 34 of the interactive guide on the HGVClub website.



Actually find the site - http://www.hgvc.com/mg/

Thanks

NA


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