Best time for rental

[Bxian]

We are using most of our 2008 points for a combined trip to South Beach and Orlando this fall (thanks to a very helpful suggestion from an HGVC counselor, we were able to fly PHL-MIA and then Orlando-PHL for only $150 round trip!)

We have some points left over-enough for 3 nights M-Th in a studio. Unfortunately I don't think we will be able to use them. I was thinking of making a reservation in either Orlando or Las Vegas and then seeing if I could rent out the studio. There is decent availability at both locations for studios midweek during most of the fall (although not around holidays, of course).

Does anyone have any idea of whether Orlando or Las vegas would be easier to rent out midweek?

Are there particular weeks that might be more of interest to travelers than others (for example, I suspect that the September hurricane season would be a low demand time in Orlando)?

 

[DEROS]

Insight

This is just my opinion. I don't have any experience or statistic to back it up.

Nether of the resorts would be any good midweek. I think Hilton knows this. That is why the points are lower M-TH vs Fri - Sun.

Most people work midweek and kids will be in school. Unless the midweek falls on a school holiday, where the parents are willing to take time off to go to Orlando or Las Vegas. Even if there is no kids involved, burning 3 days of vacation time just to gamble or go to an amusement park would not make an sense (at least to me). Also because it is so short, the people wanting to rent this from you will need to be close by (driving distance). With plane ticket cost so high, it would not make any sense to spend 3 nights at one place. Before you can unpack, relax and look around, it is time to pack up and fly home. Flying alone is aggravating enough.

I notice you wrote Studio. That would mean a Max Occupancy of 2. So kids are definitely out.

So, if you must really use the points, I would choose Las Vegas because of the unit size. The most likely people wanting to rent the unit are couples with no kids. Since fall is connected to Xmas holidays, most people start worrying about money and buying gifts. So, the natural tendency is figuring out a way to get rich or get money quickly. This would lead to them wanting to go to Las Vegas to press their luck.

If you are wondering why not to many people are responding to this message, it could be (I read this on this BBS somewhere) because most TS owners don't really like people who reserve rooms just to rent out. It takes away inventory from people who really want to use the room for their own enjoyment versus making money.

For example, say you took the last vacant studio room at the Hilton Las Vegas resort during X date. X date happens to be my anniversary and I wanted to celebrate it in Hilton Las Vegas. I can't do this because all the studio rooms are taken. However I can rent the room from you. But what do I do with my points? I paid for those points, but can't use it to pay you. I can reserve a room with my points on another date or resort and then rent it out. However, there is no guarantee that I will be able to get a renter. In the end (if I rented the studio from you), I paid for a studio and paid MF for my points that I didn't use. I am at a lose-lose situation.

However, I could be wrong about my above statement. Myself I don't care if people do this. But that is another story / debate.

 

[PigsDad]

I think the only chance of success for a mid-week studio rental would be in Vegas during a popular convention. But given that most convention goers would be on the company tab, you have to ask yourself how many companies would deal with an individual for renting a room vs. a hotel.

Why can't you just use the rescue feature and roll your extra points to next year? Or you could upgrade one of your existing reservations to a larger sized unit to use more of your points.

Kurt

 

[Bxian]

The points that I have left are rescued points.

 

[Talent312]

I'd reserve a time+place that I could pros'bly go myself, in case I the rental-thing didn't work out, so that I could still go myself.