Reservation window change for west57, the residence and district.

[Cyberc]

Just got an email today from the club. They are changing the booking windows so non owners can book west 57th 59 days out.

Effective 1/1/2019

Here is the mail:
Reservation Window Updates: West 57th Street, The Residences, and The District

• Home Week Priority window:Remains unchanged — 365 to 276 days in advance of the check-in date.
• Home Resort Priority window (West 57th Street): 276 to 60 days before the check-out date.
• Home Resort Priority window (The Residences and The District): 276 to 75 days before the check-out date.
• By Hilton Club Priority window (The Residences and The District only): 74 to 60 days before the check-out date.
• Club Reservation window: 59 days before the check-out date.
• Open Season Reservation window: 30 days before the check-out date (Owner’s only at the respective property owned).

 

[dayooper]

I wonder if this will be for all bHC resorts?

 

[Cyberc]

I wonder if this will be for all bHC resorts?

I assume it will. They are trying to align them.

 

[dayooper]

I assume it will. They are trying to align them.

That’s actually a little better. I know it’s only two weeks, but that makes it a little better for us regular HGVC members. Makes the Chicago resort better for me if it winds up being bHC (which I still think it will). I wonder what brought the change on? Too many open rooms?

 

[brp]

Saw that email and feel that it is a good thing, overall. We book our W. 57th far out, so it really won't impact us, but increasing the window for others is a positive step.

Cheers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

This starts to make bHC more like a club than individual properties. Also simplifies the program.

It is a plus/minus for Residences and District owners because it puts exchanges 75 days out for inter-bHC exchange which is more reasonable for airfare if you are traveling long distances. However owners at each property have to fight with more people if less than 75 days to check-in. Still doesn't offer bHC inter-exchange lounge access though.

In contrast W57 owners have until 60 days which is 15 days better than Res and District who will compete against other bHC owners 60 - 75 day out.

It is a plus for HGVC because 15 days more. This may be a plus for using other bHC properties too e.g. Charleston, Waikiki with 60 days which makes airfare possible.

Probably not an issue for us because we usually book 5- 7 months out. However, we can now use more of our inexpensive Vegas points for close-in bookings and not have to buy more bHC (!) which stretches our investment in bHC

It will be fun to bring this up at our next presentation when they are trying to convince us to buy more.

 

[Tamaradarann]

This starts to make bHC more like a club than individual properties. Also simplifies the program.

It is a plus/minus for Residences and District owners because it puts exchanges 75 days out for inter-bHC exchange which is more reasonable for airfare if you are traveling long distances. However owners at each property have to fight with more people if less than 75 days to check-in. Still doesn't offer bHC inter-exchange lounge access though.

In contrast W57 owners have until 60 days which is 15 days better than Res and District who will compete against other bHC owners 60 - 75 day out.

It is a plus for HGVC because 15 days more. This may be a plus for using other bHC properties too e.g. Charleston, Waikiki with 60 days which makes airfare possible.

Probably not an issue for us because we usually book 5- 7 months out. However, we can now use more of our inexpensive Vegas points for close-in bookings and not have to buy more bHC (!) which stretches our investment in bHC

It will be fun to bring this up at our next presentation when they are trying to convince us to buy more.

I didn't know that there was a bHC property in Waikiki, are you thinking about the new resort that hasn't even been started yet?

By the way I have concerns about these changes if HGVC cuts into the Club Reservation window for all resorts with a Home Resort Priority Window. If you don't own at that resort you would have to wait until say 2 months out or 6 months out. Therefore, owners at that resort that don't want to use their home week since they would need to book exactly 7 days starting on a certain day of the week in the season they own in the size unit they own would be given preference over other owners. At hard to get into resorts that could decimate the club reservation availability.

 

[PigsDad]

I didn't know that there was a bHC property in Waikiki, are you thinking about the new resort that hasn't even been started yet?

By the way I have concerns about these changes if HGVC cuts into the Club Reservation window for all resorts with a Home Resort Priority Window. If you don't own at that resort you would have to wait until say 2 months out or 6 months out. Therefore, owners at that resort that don't want to use their home week since they would need to book exactly 7 days starting on a certain day of the week in the season they own in the size unit they own would be given preference over other owners. At hard to get into resorts that could decimate the club reservation availability.

I agree that adding a Home Resort reservation window would be a bad thing for making Club reservations at the resorts, but I think the chance of that happening is very low. With this announcement they are just aligning the bHC properties, as they had a Home Resort reservation window to start with and they have been differentiating these properties from the HGVC properties from day 1. I think most of the owners would be up in arms if they tried to dramatically change the reservation process for the existing HGVC properties. JMO.

Kurt

 

[Cyberc]

Even though they are aligning the windows I feel they are devaluing my home resort priority window at West57.

 

[brp]

Even though they are aligning the windows I feel they are devaluing my home resort priority window at West57.

True, but only by a month. I'm OK with this, but I do see your point. As @CalGalTraveler points out, though, it can even work to our advantage by allowing us to use HGVC points further out, when availability might be more (or might not with added competition - but this is equal footing for cheap points, and further our is usually better).

Cheers.

 

[Cyberc]

True, but only by a month. I'm OK with this, but I do see your point. As @CalGalTraveler points out, though, it can even work to our advantage by allowing us to use HGVC points further out, when availability might be more (or might not with added competition - but this is equal footing for cheap points, and further our is usually better).

Cheers.

True but I’m already working the system by making two reservations for each date and do a cancel and rebook 44 days out to use my cheaper points. I can ofc continue to do that as long as I make my original reservations 6-9 months out.

I’m only seeing this change as an advantage for regular HGVC members not for the bHC owners.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I didn't know that there was a bHC property in Waikiki, are you thinking about the new resort that hasn't even been started yet?

The press release for new Waikiki resort to be built at Kings Village described the resort as the first Hilton Club location in Hawaii.

 

[escanoe]

I’m only seeing this change as an advantage for regular HGVC members not for the bHC owners.

I think you’re right that the changes are a modest net benefit to HGVC at the expense of bHC. The one up side I see for bHC owners is it gives you an earlier advantage to book at other bHC properties if that is something you want to do. Of, course it comes at the expense of having more competition from others earlier on at your home resort. I’d still like to own some bHC points (access to W 57th owner lounge would be nice), but it probably reduces the number of points I would like to purchase or pay premium MFs on.

 

[GT75]

True but I’m already working the system by making two reservations for each date and do a cancel and rebook 44 days out to use my cheaper points. I can ofc continue to do that as long as I make my original reservations 6-9 months out.

I was wondering if this was a possible work-around.

 

[GT75]

Even though they are aligning the windows I feel they are devaluing my home resort priority window at West57.

If I had purchased a bHC property, I think that I would feel the same. After all, this was the rules when you purchased.

 

[Panina]

If I had purchased a bHC property, I think that I would feel the same. After all, this was the rules when you purchased.

Agree it devalues those who purchased under the old rules. Just shows rules can change anytime.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I agree that adding a Home Resort reservation window would be a bad thing for making Club reservations at the resorts, but I think the chance of that happening is very low. With this announcement they are just aligning the bHC properties, as they had a Home Resort reservation window to start with and they have been differentiating these properties from the HGVC properties from day 1. I think most of the owners would be up in arms if they tried to dramatically change the reservation process for the existing HGVC properties. JMO.

Kurt

While I hope your thinking is correct, but bHC owners that are negatively effected by the change in rules are complaining but are helpless. As far as your comment that "they are just aligning the bHC properties", if there is a change in HGVC rules to align the HGVC properties would these make all HGVC properties home week reservation period 9 months, or 6 months. While I would not like 6 months, as long as there is no HOME RESORT Reservation period stuck in between I can live with that.

 

[ljmiii]

It has been interesting to see the different ways MVCI and HGVC have approached short term stay urban properties. Both companies are expanding their portfolio - MVCI created the Pulse brand and HGVC the 'bHC' subset of properties. MVCI is using the short term nature of Pulse stays to push members into higher ownership tiers thus driving overall sales - since I am at a higher tier of MVCI ownership I can book short term stays effectively and regularly do so...the Pulse properties have become one of my favorite ways to use points.

But 'hHC' - unlike HGVC - is really only for people who want to stay at one particular property. If the windows were different - say 365-276 Home Week, 275-186 Home Resort, 185-45 'bHC', and 44-0 HGVC - I would be a probably be a buyer of hHC. But a 59 day window is more or less useless to me.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@Lmiii Very helpful perspective. I observed in prior posts that bHC wasn't much of a club but access to specific properties. Perhaps they are trying to make it more like MVC.

What is interesting is that they didn't touch HCNY.

• If you really want to ensure last minute NYC availability, HCNY is the property to buy.
• If you want to trade around in city locations (within 60 - 75 day limits), then bHC.
• If you plan your trip more than 75 days out for your specific bHC property, none of this matters. Pick whichever has the lowest MF for your needs (e.g. W57 has lowest if NYC is your desired location, then stretch your ownership during the 60 day window.)

I understand that they are trying to simplify to 60 days for club, however they should have also added bHC reciprocal lounge privileges for all bHC club members to make it more of a "Club."

This change is a small devaluation to W57, Residences, and District and an increase in the value of HCNY (if last minute NYC is important)

 

[brp]

As far as your comment that "they are just aligning the bHC properties", if there is a change in HGVC rules to align the HGVC properties would these make all HGVC properties home week reservation period 9 months, or 6 months.

Again, this is a change in rules to align bHC properties, and not HGVC properties. There is simply no way that the could bring bHC properties in line with HGVC without major revolt and likely lawsuits. While I agree with others that even this change is something of a devaluation for W. 57th owners, it just doesn't impact the way we book things, so I can't get too up-in-arms about it. However, if they ever tried to harmonize bHC with HGVC, that simply would not work.

Cheers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I agree with @brp. This is an alignment tweek to streamline the program. Although I am not happy about the change, I am happy that I can now stretch my club points for 15 more days for close-in bookings. With this change I will not need to upgrade my studio for more bHC points but can add cheaper HGV points elsewhere to augment 60 day reservations and use elsewhere such as Crane. Ownership in bHC still has value because we can still get better (e.g. Central Park View) and bigger units that one wouldn't be able to reserve using HGVC Club points, plus lounge access.

Changing to 9 months to parity with Club will never happen because the Resort Reservation window is baked into the deeds and they would have lawsuits. That would constitute bait and switch.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Again, this is a change in rules to align bHC properties, and not HGVC properties. There is simply no way that the could bring bHC properties in line with HGVC without major revolt and likely lawsuits. While I agree with others that even this change is something of a devaluation for W. 57th owners, it just doesn't impact the way we book things, so I can't get too up-in-arms about it. However, if they ever tried to harmonize bHC with HGVC, that simply would not work.

CalGal quote: Changing to 9 months to parity with Club will never happen because the Resort Reservation window is baked into the deeds and they would have lawsuits. That would constitute bait and switch.

I wasn't suggesting that they would align bHC with HGVC or vice a versa. I was suggesting that they would change the rules for HGVC resorts to provide a RESORT RESERVATION preference window for HGVC resorts. While HGVC club owners in general would be hurt by this, the owners of each resort would be given an extra benefit so no revolt or lawsuit would be coming from them.

 

[brp]

I wasn't suggesting that they would align bHC with HGVC or vice a versa. I was suggesting that they would change the rules for HGVC resorts to provide a RESORT RESERVATION preference window for HGVC resorts. While HGVC club owners in general would be hurt by this, the owners of each resort would be given an extra benefit so no revolt or lawsuit would be coming from them.

Ah, I see what you're suggesting. A window that allowed a Home Resort preference for duration/unit less than Home Week. DVC has that (they have no Home Week concept and are all points, all the time with no min/max/ Home preference is from 11-7 months.

I can see an argument for that although I don't want it because:

We own at Flamingo, and it's easy enough to get that, so don't need the Home Reservation window. Other places I book could be harder, so having no Home Resort window helps me.

Cheers.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Ah, I see what you're suggesting. A window that allowed a Home Resort preference for duration/unit less than Home Week. DVC has that (they have no Home Week concept and are all points, all the time with no min/max/ Home preference is from 11-7 months.

I can see an argument for that although I don't want it because:

We own at Flamingo, and it's easy enough to get that, so don't need the Home Reservation window. Other places I book could be harder, so having no Home Resort window helps me.

Cheers.

I don't want it either. While the change in the rules for bHC made some owners angry I don't think that any said they were selling what they own. If HGVC installed a HOME RESORT preference and it significantly effected the way I use my ownership, which is to go to resorts that I don't own, I would be selling. Furthermore, current owners who know the system and buy more points at resorts with low maintenance to use to go to other resorts would not be buying at those resorts anymore whether they buy resale or from HGVC. I believe that some resorts in Las Vegas and Orlando, which are 2 of the main areas where HGVC has lot of resorts, would be hurting for owners.

 

[escanoe]

The wee hours of New Year's day should be a good time to reserve inventory from the newly expanded club season for bHC. I expect there will be more availability that morning than any time since I joined HGVC.