# HGVC Questions



## jh928 (Jul 15, 2007)

Hi,
I am interested in finding a HGVC resale (Platinum). Here are my questions:

1. Which property has the lowest MF's? 

2. Do internal exchanges cost anything?

3. I live in Las Vegas. If I bought at the Flamingo, would we get day use privileges of the pool?

4. We have used my in-law's HGVC membership in the past to stay at the Bay Club on our honeymoon. We were very disappointed when we could not use the Hilton Waikoloa pool. Has this changed? I know when we were there in 2002, there were many other HGVC owners who were upset about this.

5. Overall, what is the most cost effective, strategic way to get into HGVC keeping initial cost and MFs in mind? 

6. Do all HGVC resorts trade the same in RCI or is there a higher value on some of the resorts than others?

Thanks in advance for your help! I've been a TUG member before but haven't made the leap into HGVC ownership yet. I am trying to find the best deal out there! Also, I want to understand the little details, like if there's advantages over one resort or the other.


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## UWSurfer (Jul 15, 2007)

jh928 said:


> Hi,
> I am interested in finding a HGVC resale (Platinum). Here are my questions:
> 
> 1. Which property has the lowest MF's?
> ...


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## ricoba (Jul 15, 2007)

Surfer did a good job of answering your questions  

From my understanding the Vegas clubs have the lowest of maintenance fees, and then Orlando, which isn't much more.

I have never heard of Hilton granting pool "day use" as a selling point, so you may want to check on that.

If you are at the Bay Club you can use the HGVC Waikoloa pools but as stated you have to buy a day pass to use the Hilton hotel pools.  My understanding that this too will eventually be phased out, once HGVC gets their phases built out at Waikoloa.


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## jh928 (Jul 15, 2007)

*Follow-up HGVC Questions*

Thanks for the great answers! I'll call Flamingo to ask about day use. I'm not holding much hope over it but I thought I'd ask. It would be a great perk!

So if LV MFs are the lowest, what price range is the best to buy platinum points? What is the "bargain" price range? 

And, most importantly, does LV Flamingo have ROFR? I thought I read somewhere on here that they don't. 

Thanks again!


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## Bill4728 (Jul 15, 2007)

HGVC Flamingo does not have ROFR. (The other LV resorts do have ROFR.)

A average price for a 2 bd platinum (7000) pts would be just under $14K  so a good price would be in the $10K-$12K range.


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## jh928 (Jul 15, 2007)

Thanks Bill! Isn't the fact that there is no ROFR at Flamingo a great advantage? Or is there some tradeoff I don't know about?

Thanks!


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## ricoba (Jul 15, 2007)

I'd be curious to hear about the "day use" issue.  

So if you don't mind, when you find out can you let us know what HGVC told you?  Thanks


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## PigsDad (Jul 15, 2007)

I don't know about the Flamingo location, but owners at Valdoro (an HGVC affiliate) get day-use privileges.  It would be interesting to know what other locations have that perk.

Kurt


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## dvc_john (Jul 15, 2007)

I would really be surprised if the HGVC Flamingo granted day pool privileges. Remember, the HGVC Flamingo resort has only a small quiet pool of their own. Then they have privileges at the Flamingo hotel pool, which can get very crowded already without non-guests using it also.

As I understand, the Bay Club doesn't have (and never had??) pool privileges at the HWV pools. But the HGVC resort at Waikoloa does.


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## ricoba (Jul 15, 2007)

dvc_john said:


> I would really be surprised if the HGVC Flamingo granted day pool privileges. Remember, the HGVC Flamingo resort has only a small quiet pool of their own. Then they have privileges at the Flamingo hotel pool, which can get very crowded already without non-guests using it also..



I would imagine you are probably correct, since the issue is really the Flamingo Hotel pool.  Folks get it confused because the Flamingo was a Hilton hotel for awhile, but it hasn't been for a long time now.  

So I would surprised if they offered pool passes for day use, but one never knows, that's why I encouraged the OP to contact HGVC & ask the question.


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## jh928 (Jul 16, 2007)

The Flamingo hotel is not a Hilton property anymore? I thought it was. Do guests of the HGVC Flamingo get to use the Hilton hotel pool? 

I'll call tomorrow to ask and then I'll post an update on what I learn.


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## ricoba (Jul 16, 2007)

jh928 said:


> The Flamingo hotel is not a Hilton property anymore? I thought it was. Do guests of the HGVC Flamingo get to use the Hilton hotel pool?
> 
> I'll call tomorrow to ask and then I'll post an update on what I learn.



It hasn't been a Hilton for a long time.

It has evolved over the years, first at part of Park Place Entertainment, which was Hilton's original gaming company, now it's part of Harrah's.

HGVC guest get to use the pool, at least for now.  But I don't know if this will be a forever agreement.


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## Blues (Jul 16, 2007)

Hint #1: The last couple of times I was there, the guards at the entrance to the Flamingo pool only check to see if you have a card key (either Flamingo or HGVC).  They have no way to tell if it's a currently valid card key.

Hint #2: Many people forget to turn in their card key when checking out.  I seem to have a couple of them myself.  Of course, they're no longer valid (see hint #1)...


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## jh928 (Jul 16, 2007)

Cool! I love it! Thanks Blues!!


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## ricoba (Jul 16, 2007)

Blues said:


> Hint #1: The last couple of times I was there, the guards at the entrance to the Flamingo pool only check to see if you have a card key (either Flamingo or HGVC).  They have no way to tell if it's a currently valid card key.
> 
> Hint #2: Many people forget to turn in their card key when checking out.  I seem to have a couple of them myself.  Of course, they're no longer valid (see hint #1)...



While that may work, many of the keys are "decommissioned" or "demagnatized" when the party checks out.  

I have a nice little collection of old magnetic keys, I have either kept on purpose (for a momento) or forgotten to turn in.  I would be very surprised if they worked.  I would also be angry that the hotel was not properly protecting its guests, by decommissioning keys once the previous guest left.


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## Seth Nock (Jul 17, 2007)

jh928 said:


> Thanks Bill! Isn't the fact that there is no ROFR at Flamingo a great advantage? Or is there some tradeoff I don't know about?
> 
> Thanks!



Flamingo sells at a premium to HGVC Sea World and HGVC Las Vegas due to its location.  The lack of right of first refusal any has little value, as I typically cannot get a Flamingo for any less than a HGVC Sea World or Las Vegas.  Currently, the HGVC Flamingo Platinum (7,000 points) sells for about the same as 2 gold weeks (10,000 points) or about $1000 more than HGVC Sea World or HGVC Las Vegas.


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## jh928 (Jul 17, 2007)

Seth,
Are you suggesting that it's better to buy 2 gold weeks to have 10,000 points rather than the 7,000 platinum ones? A point is a point, right? If I want to stay some place where the requirement is 8400 points (making this up; I don't know the points needed per resort), and the week I want is a platinum week, can I still get it? Would I be restricted in any way? If not, I like this new strategy! I would have points left over to use for shorter stays or to roll to the next year, right? Oh, but I'd have two maintenance fees right? Hmmm... now I'm not so sure which way to go.

Thanks in advance. I know you're the HGVC expert!


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## PigsDad (Jul 17, 2007)

jh928 said:


> Seth,
> Are you suggesting that it's better to buy 2 gold weeks to have 10,000 points rather than the 7,000 platinum ones? A point is a point, right? If I want to stay some place where the requirement is 8400 points (making this up; I don't know the points needed per resort), and the week I want is a platinum week, can I still get it? Would I be restricted in any way? If not, I like this new strategy! I would have points left over to use for shorter stays or to roll to the next year, right? Oh, but I'd have two maintenance fees right? Hmmm... now I'm not so sure which way to go.
> 
> Thanks in advance. I know you're the HGVC expert!



In HGVC, yes-- a point is a point.  With 10,000 gold points you can make a reservation at any resort in any season, as long as you have the number of points needed.  Also, you can bank and borrow points, so you can still make a 8400 point reservation even if you only own 7000 points (for example).  You just need to plan out your usage of the points.

Now if you went w/ the 2 gold weeks for 10,000 points, you would be paying double maintenance fees _for as long as you owned them_.  MFs are based on size of the unit, not on number of points.  For example, if the MF was $800/yr. for the 2BR unit, you would pay $1,600/yr. for your 10,000 gold points, vs. $800/yr. for your 7000 platinum points.

In the end, you need to decide if paying a higher purchase price in exchange for lower MF per point is worth it.  That would depend on how long you plan to own, etc.

Good luck on your hunt!  HGVC is a very good and flexible system.

Kurt


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## RLG (Aug 1, 2008)

jh928 said:


> Thanks for the great answers! I'll call Flamingo to ask about day use. I'm not holding much hope over it but I thought I'd ask. It would be a great perk!



Unfortunately, the OP never reported back on the answer.  Does anyone know the official policy?


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## UWSurfer (Aug 1, 2008)

RLG said:


> Unfortunately, the OP never reported back on the answer.  Does anyone know the official policy?



I was fairly sure I knew the answer, but I went ahead and just called and asked.   You have to be staying at the HGVC Flamingo to have use of the facility.  There are no day use privaleges like you might find at other resorts.

Now as a reality check, just about anyone can come in and use the indoor quite lounge & public spaces inside...no one would hassle you...but you aren't likely going to be able to use the pool or the bigger flamingo hotel pool.


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## Talent312 (Aug 1, 2008)

UWSurfer said:


> ... Now as a reality check, just about anyone can come in and use the indoor quiet lounge & public spaces inside...no one would hassle you...but you aren't likely going to be able to use the pool or the bigger flamingo hotel pool.



"Blues" implied in his post of over one year ago, that if you obtain a key-card and then "forget" to return it, the pool-guards will likely not know if its current or decommissioned, and admit you.

However, if they recognize you as a frequent pool-goer over the course of several months and become suspicisious, there may be untold consequences.  Hence, the need for a series of disguises.  Just make sure that your toupe or mustache does not fall off in the pool.


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## jehb2 (Aug 2, 2008)

jh928 said:


> Thanks Bill! Isn't the fact that there is no ROFR at Flamingo a great advantage? Or is there some tradeoff I don't know about?
> 
> Thanks!



It's only becomes an issue of you are the buyer and buying a Flamingo resales.  If you get a really good deal you don't have to worry about Hilton buying it out from under you.  There has been word on the TUG board of the new Hilton people (Blackstone?) exercising this right.


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