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Credit Card Merchant Code for HGVC

anderik1

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Does anyone have personal experience with respect to what merchant code is used when paying maintenance fees with a credit card to the resort?

This would be at Craigendarroch, but I'm guessing that other hgvc properties may use the same coding. The reason that I'm asking is I have a couple of cards to choose from and want to optimize the rewards (both options have no foreign transaction fee).

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Talent312

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I can't say what Craigendarroch does, but MF's coded as Travel at two HGVC's with my Chase Sapphire Reserve card earlier this year. In previous years, I used my HHonors AmEx, but frankly, I'd rather earn U/R points than HH-points.
 
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anderik1

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I can't say how Craigendarroch, but my two coded as Travel when using my Chase Sapphire Reserve card earlier this year. In previous years, I used my HHonors AmEx, but frankly, would rather earn U/R points than HH-points.
Thanks @Talent312! I'm hoping for the hotel / travel category as well. When I find out, I'll post back to share with everyone else as well.

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GT75

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Paying MFs for Craigendarrock (at least Craigendarrock Lodges) is done differently that most other HGVC MFs. I am not sure of the code itself but it will show as being through Craigendarrock Owners Club. I am currently in the process of purchasing a 3-Bd lodge unit now and asked the same question to the HGVC sales rep. I was also trying to determine which card to use. I now know not to use the Hilton card. We have several TUG users who own at Craigendarrock. (@Blues, @DannyTS, @Mosescan, @ConejoRed). I thought there was a thread which stated that you need to call to pay your MFs for Craigendarrock, but I couldn't find it (but then again, my memory ain't so good). I like you will know the answer in January.
 
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anderik1

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Paying MFs for Craigendarrock (at least Craigendarrock Lodges) is done differently that most other HGVC MFs. I am not sure of the code itself but it will show as being through Craigendarrock Owners Club. I am currently in the process of purchasing a 3-Bd lodge unit now and asked the same question to the HGVC sales rep. I was also trying to determine which card to use. I now know not to use the Hilton card. We have several TUG users who own at Craigendarrock. (@Blues, @DannyTS, @Mosescan, @ConejoRed). I thought there was a thread which stated that you need to call to pay your MFs for Craigendarrock, but I couldn't find it (but then again, my memory ain't so good). I like you will know the answer in January.

When I was talking to John at Craigendarrock he did mention calling as well, so that likely is the required protocol.
 

ConejoRed

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It was recommended here on Tug to call to pay vs. using the online payment process so it processes as HGVC. I paid online last year on the old Hilton card and did not get credit for it. Since the exchange rate is favorable at the moment I will probably call next week and pre-pay some of it if they can’t give me an exact number to pay yet (have not received the maintenance bill yet). I have the new Amex Aspire card and will report back the results.
 

anderik1

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It was recommended here on Tug to call to pay vs. using the online payment process so it processes as HGVC. I paid online last year on the old Hilton card and did not get credit for it. Since the exchange rate is favorable at the moment I will probably call next week and pre-pay some of it if they can’t give me an exact number to pay yet (have not received the maintenance bill yet). I have the new Amex Aspire card and will report back the results.
Truth be told, I haven't purchased yet so I have both the acquisition cost and maintenance fees, so really would love for them to count the right way.

If you get a merchant code @ConejoRed, I'd love to hear what it is.

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ConejoRed

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I just called in to pay 2019 since the exchange rate is down to 1.27 today. Was told that the 2019 maintenance fee for our 2-Bedroom Lodge unit was 620.67 GBP which will exchange to around USD 788.00. I will post how it comes though on my Amex card as soon as it shows up as a pending charge (they said it went though o.k. but don't see it pending yet). Decided to call this week as the UK is only 7 hours behind the West Coast of the US this week so it makes it easier to contact them before 4:00 UK time.
 

GT75

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Looks like the MF increase around ~2.4% for Craigendarroch Lodges.
 

ConejoRed

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Got my foreign transaction warning email just came and the exact total came to $784.80 so the exchange rate appears to have been 1.264. Have not seen the actual pending transaction hit my online account history yet and will post what the merchant code as soon as I see it come though. The title of the charge was "Craigendarroch Time Ownership" Ballatar, GBR.
 

ConejoRed

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O.k. the Amex transaction for the payment of the maintenance fee came through and I can confirm it was charged with a category of "Travel-Lodging". l will post how it many points it assigns and if I get the Hilton bonus points. Also, final charge ended up at 797.93 USD. Note: this was done via calling into the UK Finance office.
 
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anderik1

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O.k. the Amex transaction for the payment of the maintenance fee can confirm it charged with a category of "Travel-Lodging". l will post how it many points it assigns and if I get the Hilton bonus points.
Thanks for sharing! I'll post mine in roughly the next week. Still waiting for the paperwork to go through.

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ConejoRed

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Another update: I just received a $225 "resort credit" on my Hilton Aspire card in conjunction with this charge as well. Between this and the $250 airline credit, I have now more than covered the annual $450 fee associated with the card and this is not even counting some of the other benefits that I have used from the card benefits, including Diamond level, increased reward points for stays and free Priority lounge access.
 

anderik1

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Another update: I just received a $225 "resort credit" on my Hilton Aspire card in conjunction with this charge as well. Between this and the $250 airline credit, I have now more than covered the annual $450 fee associated with the card and this is not even counting some of the other benefits that I have used from the card benefits, including Diamond level, increased reward points for stays and free Priority lounge access.
@ConejoRed Do you know why it was a $225 resort credit vs the whole $250? Thinking of applying for this to use to pay for the purchase amount.
 
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anderik1

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As an update and a bit of answer to my own question, here's what I discovered:

Visa Merchant Codes for Purchases at Craigendarroch (this is a different department than the one that collects maintenance fees): "HILTON HOTELS (US Bank Altitude Reserve) or Lodging - Hilton (Citi Costco). Both qualified for the 3% travel categories there. US Bank did allow that to be used as part of the travel credit.

[Note: When this charge was showing as a pending charge it was showing up as "DIRECT MARKETING-CATALOG MERCHANTS" but this did charge when the charge actually posted]

Amex Hilton Aspire Card for Purchases at Craigendarroch:
It shows up as "HILTON GRAND VACTIONS" as the merchant and code of "32904437328 LODGING" which did qualify for the 14x Hilton points on the purchase, but does not look like it triggered the $250 credit for purchases at Hilton resorts. My guess based on what ConejoRed stated above, the lack of credit is because the purchase department and finance department are two different locations within the property.
 

ConejoRed

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@ConejoRed Do you know why it was a $225 resort credit vs the whole $250? Thinking of applying for this to use to pay for the purchase amount.

It was only $225 because I had already used $25 of the credit for a parking fee at a Hilton property in Dana point.
 
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