Pros and Cons of Buying Desired Property with Higher Assessment

[Citygal]

Hello. Thank you all in advance for helping me to understand the pros and cons to make the best of a Hilton purchase.
I’m thinking about buying Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Lagoon Tower. Around 2.1K/year for assessment and club due. I’m interested in a platinum 2-bedroom with 9,600 points. I’d use it ever other year to Hawaii (week 33), assuming I pass ROFR on an odd-year Hyatt property I hope to close on soon. What I’m wondering as I try to wrap my head around the pros and cons of buying certain properties with Hilton, is whether I should just buy a Hilton place in Vegas or Florida with super low assessments. If I do that though, while I might be paying less in assessments, I’d be paying more to book the Hawaii property AND, I might not be able to get it the week I want it. Perhaps this comes down to asking about your success with booking the Hilton properties you want, when you want them. Thank you! Also, for those also with Hyatt, I’m thinking that there really isn’t a disadvantage to buying every other year, especially with such an expensive property (buy in and assessments) I would only use every other year. Thoughts?

 

[Citygal]

Also, do tell me if you would recommend a different Hilton timeshare in Hawaii. I was advised to buy in Honolulu because it is easier to trade onto the other islands (my understanding is that Hilton Maui has not been built yet and that it will be some time before units are available resale). Thank you!!!

 

[elaine]

Perhaps this comes down to asking about your success with booking the Hilton properties you want, when you want them.

This is why one buys at a specific location with higher fees. The more flex, the more reason to just buy points anywhere; the less flex, esp. with harder to book places, the more reason to buy where you want to stay.
Thus, the reason I have a SW FL unit vs more points for similar fee elsewhere. Yes, I believe that Big island usually has more availability at 9 months than HNL.

 

[brp]

We own in Vegas and routinely use it for Hawai'i Island, which we far prefer to Oahu. That Island is very easy to get into with the Vegas points. if that is of interest, you can save a good bit.

Cheers.

 

[SHG]

To be clear, Hilton Lagoon tower is likely the highest demand resort in the program. You can have success getting into that resort, but it is VERY difficult. If you are trying to go in high season (platinum) and for a specific week, then your best bet is to purchase that week......

 

[Panina]

Hello. Thank you all in advance for helping me to understand the pros and cons to make the best of a Hilton purchase.
I’m thinking about buying Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Lagoon Tower. Around 2.1K/year for assessment and club due. I’m interested in a platinum 2-bedroom with 9,600 points. I’d use it ever other year to Hawaii (week 33), assuming I pass ROFR on an odd-year Hyatt property I hope to close on soon. What I’m wondering as I try to wrap my head around the pros and cons of buying certain properties with Hilton, is whether I should just buy a Hilton place in Vegas or Florida with super low assessments. If I do that though, while I might be paying less in assessments, I’d be paying more to book the Hawaii property AND, I might not be able to get it the week I want it. Perhaps this comes down to asking about your success with booking the Hilton properties you want, when you want them. Thank you! Also, for those also with Hyatt, I’m thinking that there really isn’t a disadvantage to buying every other year, especially with such an expensive property (buy in and assessments) I would only use every other year. Thoughts?

If I understand correctly, you will be using your purchase at the resort you are buying. My personal belief is buy where you want to go. Trading into high demand Hgvc resorts/weeks, while possible, is hard.

 

[Citygal]

To be clear, Hilton Lagoon tower is likely the highest demand resort in the program. You can have success getting into that resort, but it is VERY difficult. If you are trying to go in high season (platinum) and for a specific week, then your best bet is to purchase that week......

Thank you for the advice. The Hilton Lagoon I am looking at is high season but does not have an assigned week. Is that still what you would recommend? That is, if I do high season I would be able to get the week I want if I request it as soon as it opens, right??? Thanks.

 

[jehb2]

First, Week 33 falls right around the Obon Japanese holiday.

Lagoon Tower is hard to get into particularly during peak season. I own there but never make a home week reservation since since we usually stay 10-15 days. Sometimes I need a 1 bdrm & sometimes I need 2 2bdrms. I can’t buy what I need since what I need changes every vacation. I would love to not have to jump through hoops every year to make a reservation. For Lagoon Tower if you know you’re going to go every other year in Week 33 I would definitely buy at Lagoon Tower.

Japanese travel during Obon like Americans travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas combined. Lagoon Tower gets booked fast during this period.

 

[Citygal]

First, Week 33 falls right around the Obon Japanese holiday.

Lagoon Tower is hard to get into particularly during peak season. I own there but never make a home week reservation since since we usually stay 10-15 days. Sometimes I need a 1 bdrm & sometimes I need 2 2bdrms. I can’t buy what I need since what I need changes every vacation. I would love to not have to jump through hoops every year to make a reservation. For Lagoon Tower if you know you’re going to go every other year in Week 33 I would definitely buy at Lagoon Tower.

Japanese travel during Obon like Americans travel during Thanksgiving and Christmas combined. Lagoon Tower gets booked fast during this period.

Thank you everyone. This is something else I would have never known. I am assuming that I will seen own every other year at the Hyatt on Maui. Hawaii is a 9-hour flight from my home. So, I'm thinking I should buy another week and I'm intrigued by the Hilton program. That is why I'm thinking I should try and get week 32 at a Hilton in Hawaii. And, while I was thinking big island, someone advised to get Honolulu if I might want Honolulu since it is so hard to trade into (she said that it is easy to trade onto the big island). So much to think about . Every other year I would be using my Hilton points for somewhere other than Honolulu even if I buy Honolulu.

 

[Citygal]

soon own. not seen.

 

[Citygal]

Regarding Resort Fees. Am I correct that if you own at the resort you are staying at, you do NOT pay resort fees. However, if you own at another property and are using points, then you do need to pay resort fees?

 

[brp]

Regarding Resort Fees. Am I correct that if you own at the resort you are staying at, you do NOT pay resort fees. However, if you own at another property and are using points, then you do need to pay resort fees?

Nope. Using HGVC points at other HGVC locations does not have resort fees. Trading in with services like RCI, though, does have the relevant fees. There are a few cases that have fees even for owners (parking at Hilton Waikoloa Village HGVC resort whose name I forgot comes to mind), so everyone pays.

Cheers.

 

[dayooper]

Regarding Resort Fees. Am I correct that if you own at the resort you are staying at, you do NOT pay resort fees. However, if you own at another property and are using points, then you do need to pay resort fees?

If you make a club booking using your points within the HGVC system, you do not pay a resort fee.

 

[GT75]

Regarding Resort Fees. Am I correct that if you own at the resort you are staying at, you do NOT pay resort fees. However, if you own at another property and are using points, then you do need to pay resort fees?

There is also a Hawaii Occupancy Tax for all timeshares and hotels in Hawaii. I think that the LT 2Bd is around $17/day.

 

[Mongoose]

I think it really comes down to your personal situation and likes. There is huge value in buying something with HGVC with low MF's, but your window for reservations is cut to 9 months. If you buy in HI you certainly pain more but have Home Access and a jump on everyone else. So if you are retired you might want to go with Vegas HGVC. If you have a job where you are limited on vacation times you might want to pay more for HI and worry less about your weeks. Also, you can probably rent your HI week out for more than you could anywhere else.

 

[Citygal]

You are all so very helpful. Thank you.

 

[brp]

You are all so very helpful. Thank you.

Indeed. Feel free to become a member, support TUG and stick around for a while

Chees.

 

[frank808]

Nope. Using HGVC points at other HGVC locations does not have resort fees. Trading in with services like RCI, though, does have the relevant fees. There are a few cases that have fees even for owners (parking at Hilton Waikoloa Village HGVC resort whose name I forgot comes to mind), so everyone pays.

Cheers.

Hilton Hawaiian Village and The District are two places where owners pay for parking like everyone else.

 

[HGVC Lover]

We own in Vegas and routinely use it for Hawai'i Island, which we far prefer to Oahu. That Island is very easy to get into with the Vegas points. if that is of interest, you can save a good bit.

Cheers.

All of our 30,000 points are owned at the Flamingo in Las Vegas and we never have a problem booking any resort in HGVC that allows booking at 9 months out......even in Europe....

 

[elaine]

we never have a problem booking any resort in HGVC that allows booking at 9 months out.

That's very encouraging, esp. for Europe. However, SW FL regularly has low/no availability Jan-April. It likely depends where/when you want to travel.

 

[Sandy VDH]

That's very encouraging, esp. for Europe. However, SW FL regularly has low/no availability Jan-April. It likely depends where/when you want to travel.

SW FL has more to do with those owners NOT actually being HGVC members. They either use or rent there weeks and never joined HGVC in the first place. That is the primary reason for low/no inventory there.

 

[GT75]

I’m interested in a platinum 2-bedroom with 9,600 points. I’d use it ever other year to Hawaii (week 33), ... What I’m wondering as I try to wrap my head around the pros and cons of buying certain properties with Hilton, is whether I should just buy a Hilton place in Vegas or Florida with super low assessments.

Well, it depends on specifics. As others have stated, they book HI using cheap LV points. I would agree, but you will need to "work" to ensure you get the specific dates/room you are needing. It also depends on how much flexibility that you have to room type/dates/resort. The good news is that Oahu has several different resorts to pick from, but LT has overall the lowest number of required points. That means that LT will book first usually exactly when the club season booking window (276 days) opens. Members will also probably be "walking reservations" to get their desired dates. It would be much easier to buy exactly the season/room/resort and use the "home week window" (1 year) but there will be no flexibility (1 week with a specific resort check-in date for the specific room type which you own).

I use to think that LT was the toughest resort to book during "club season" but I now believe that Ocean Oak (almost anytime of year) and ski weeks at Valdoro and Park City are tougher, IMO. All, however, can be booked during club season if you are willing to "work" at it. But, my opinions are really limited to those resorts which I am booking too.

 

[ljmiii]

I’m thinking about buying Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Lagoon Tower. Around 2.1K/year for assessment and club due. I’m interested in a platinum 2-bedroom with 9,600 points. I’d use it ever other year to Hawaii (week 33)... Also, I’m thinking that there really isn’t a disadvantage to buying every other year, especially with such an expensive property (buy in and assessments) I would only use every other year.

I own that very same EOY week...originally to stay EOY on President's Week. The Lagoon tower OF villas are spectacular as is the location on the HHV property.

That said (and as others have written), if you want to stay EOY in an OF 2BR on week 33 in the Lagoon Tower it is exceedingly unlikely you would ever see it with points. I don't really know how competitive Lagoon is deep into summer for a week booking - the latest I've booked is July 4th week. I've heard that the week of Japan's Marine Day (the 3rd Monday in July) is tough but have no experience myself.

Your other option would be to buy somewhere where the initial price and MFs are low and plan on booking into the Grand Waikikian. Because of the GW's high point cost it is nowhere near as competitive as Lagoon. But again no real experience and I've never run the numbers to see how the price would compare.