Can't book home week Lagoon Tower next year 8/18/18-8/25/18

[strgrace1]

Hello,
We have 7000 points this year and 7000 points 2018 to book next years. Last couple days I can't book the week we want, which is 8/18/18 - 8/25/18. At first I thought it was blocked, I called Hilton and have been told in August all booked and only last week of August is available. How can't I book my home week? That is the reason why we purchased Lagoon town to *guarantee* to get in. Any advice for me please? BTW I am using 2018 points not 2017, and can't find any weeks available August next year, except 8/25/18-9/1/18. Thank you

 

[DeniseM]

How can't I book my home week?

Are you talking about the week number on your deed? That number is just for recording purposes - it's not really assigned to you.

When you make a reservation, you are competing with all other owners who want that date, and other owners may have beat you to it.

Did you try to book 8/18 as soon as the reservation window opened?

 

[taffy19]

Yes, you can fix a week but you pay extra for that but the unit isn't fixed. We went on a promotional package in April and did a mandatory tour at the Grand Islander. The condos they showed us were beautiful and even the resort view condos had the same interiors too with lots of Koa wood. The prices of the high oceanfront condos and penthouses were very expensive but they are selling them because condos right around them are selling for several million dollars.

 

[DeniseM]

I see - but if it were a fixed week, she wouldn't have to call and reserve it, would she?

 

[Talent312]

Fixed weeks are typically a special holiday week, like New Year's.
I'm pretty sure it's a typical seasonal week (even if a week # is on the deed).

----------------------------------------
As Denise said, you don't have rights to stay in "your" week.
You have a right to hunt for a "home-week" booking as defined by The Rules.

The Home Week Reservation Window lasts about 90 days from 365 days to 276
days prior to desired check-in date. Within that window, you compete with all
other owners at the resort who want the same week but started before you did.

A Home Week is 7-nights at the resort where you own, in the same season and
unit type owned, checking in on the resort’s weekly or standard check-in day.
The website tries to make it easy by providing a "book home-week" button.

Fail to meet that criteria, and you're stuck with a "club" reservation that starts
276 days from the desired check-out date.

.

 

[GT75]

I think that you are hitting the high demand weeks being reserved by Japanese owners. This is from another thread.

I was able to get my 6200pt 1-bedroom ocean view for Aug 4-11 by going online 365 days ahead. Not to the minute, but that day. There didn't seem to be any problem and I was able to reserve. I don't think there is much inventory difference between the 1-bd and 2-bd "plus" units. I do know that the first two weeks of August are the MOST in demand all year from the Japanese owners.

 

[GT75]

I actually run into the same issue when booking ski weeks. If I am looking for specific weeks, then I now book exactly when the window opens for my home week reservation. Remember that home week reservations are different than club reservations. They are available exactly one year from the starting date of the reservation.

 

[taffy19]

You may be right, Talent 312. However, you can negotiate to buy a fixed week but it will cost you extra and the salesman has to have it approved by Management which they did at both resorts where we did a presentation. We negotiated this at the Nanea in Maui and at the Grand Islander too both for week #11 to tag on to our other four weeks in HI. Neither one were 1 BR fixed week/units on the oceanfront so we decided against it.

This was before we knew what the Hyatt was going to do to us at our resort in Maui right after we came back. I lost all confidence in owning a timeshare at a hotel brand resort unless it is a true fixed week/unit. We now know that the hotel brand resorts can change the CC&Rs and/or reservation system once they have the majority vote or ownership. What you own doesn't really mean much anymore, IMO, with all the changes lately in this industry and the hotels are competing with you too for the same inventory and dates if you decide to use Hilton Points to go somewhere else.

 

[alwysonvac]

Hello,
We have 7000 points this year and 7000 points 2018 to book next years. Last couple days I can't book the week we want, which is 8/18/18 - 8/25/18. At first I thought it was blocked, I called Hilton and have been told in August all booked and only last week of August is available. How can't I book my home week? That is the reason why we purchased Lagoon town to *guarantee* to get in. Any advice for me please? BTW I am using 2018 points not 2017, and can't find any weeks available August next year, except 8/25/18-9/1/18. Thank you

Sorry you weren't able to book your desired week. August 18, 2018 check-in became available online last month on August 17, 2017.

Have you book that particular week previous years?

From the Member Guide

Members have a priority reservation period to reserve their Home Week during the “Home Week Priority Reservation Window.”
This window lasts approximately ninety (90) days beginning one (1) year (365 days) prior to the desired check-in date and ending nine (9) months (276 days) in advance of the desired check-in date.​

In the future, if you need a specific week, it's best to book it as soon as it becomes available. There is no *guarantee*. You're simply competing with a smaller subset of owners during the home week window which definitely increases your chances of success. Keep in mind, Lagoon Tower has a long Platinum Season, so most families with school aged children will be competing for the few prime summer weeks when their kids are out of school.

If you need summer, pick another prime summer week that will still work for your family for now and keep checking back every once in a while to see if anything has been released (before Club Season begins). Sometimes owners grab whatever they can at the moment and release due to various reasons (airfare, more desirable date becomes available, can't get the time off, etc).

 

[csodjd]

In the future, if you need a specific week, it's best to book it as soon as it becomes available. There is no *guarantee*. You're simply competing with a smaller subset of owners during the home week window which definitely increases your chances of success. Keep in mind, Lagoon Tower has a long Platinum Season, so most families with school aged children will be competing for the few prime summer weeks when their kids are out of school.

If you need summer, pick another prime summer week that will still work for your family for now and keep checking back every once in a while to see if anything has been released (before Club Season begins). Sometimes owners grab whatever they can at the moment and release due to various reasons (airfare, more desirable date becomes available, can't get the time off, etc).

This has been my experience at Lagoon Tower. Spring Break and August are very busy. I've always gotten my Home Week at both, but I've also been online within hours of the window for reservations opening up.

 

[presley]

As soon as the booking window opens, everyone who owns the similar unit/season there can book their home week. There are people who book exactly at the time it opens (not a couple hours later). You still have a fairly good chance of getting the week. Keep checking every day for cancellations. Once it hits the 9 month booking window, you can book a changeable partial week and then keep adding days as they come available via cancellations.

Next year, make sure you book as soon as the booking window opens.

 

[strgrace1]

Thank you so much for all your inputs and advices, in the past I had no problem to book for July or beginning of August, that's high demands as all kids are out of school. Since my second kid finished high school, I were happy thinking that there was no problem to book in middle to end of August, as most kids are back to school, and airfair is much cheaper than Jun-Jul-beginning of August, and I am wrong...sigh... Now I just learn that it is time Japan celebrate Obon holiday and it explains why it's all reserved most August?

I just booked last week of August 8/25/18 - 9/1/18 by using 2018 points, I am waiting to book club reservation 8/18/18-8/25/18. What is my chance to book this week? Any advice for me as we want to book 2 weeks in August. Last night there are still many weeks available June and July. We try to avoid this timeframe to get lower airfare if we can, should we book July to get better chance? thank you

 

[alwysonvac]

I just booked last week of August 8/25/18 - 9/1/18 by using 2018 points, I am waiting to book club reservation 8/18/18-8/25/18. What is my chance to book this week? Any advice for me as we want to book 2 weeks in August. Last night there are still many weeks available June and July. We try to avoid this timeframe to get lower airfare if we can, should we book July to get better chance? thank you

If your desired week isn't available during the home resort window then your chances to book the same week during the Club Reservation window are slim to none.

As stated earlier, someone who has already reserved that week would have to release it in order for the unit to become available. Additional inventory isn't set aside for the Club Reservation window. The inventory for the Club Reservation window comes from all leftover weeks that didn't get reserved during the Home Resort Window or previously reserved weeks that are released during the Club Reservation window.

If you want two consecutive weeks during the summer I would either:
(1) select two consecutive weeks now from the leftover June and July inventory (yeah pay the higher airfare one more year)
(2) save the week you already booked and constantly check for a last minute cancellation before the Club Reservation windows begin. Worst case scenario, use your 7000 points during the Club Reservation window (as soon as it opens) to book whatever is available that week. If your desired unit isn't available, you could try booking fewer nights at one of the higher point HHV towers or one of the Big Island resorts.

 

[strgrace1]

If your desired week isn't available during the home resort window then your chances to book the same week during the Club Reservation window are slim to none.

As stated earlier, someone who has already reserved that week would have to release it in order for the unit to become available. Additional inventory isn't set aside for the Club Reservation window. The inventory for the Club Reservation window comes from all leftover weeks that didn't get reserved during the Home Resort Window or previously reserved weeks that are released during the Club Reservation window.

If you want two consecutive weeks during the summer I would either:
(1) select two consecutive weeks now from the leftover June and July inventory (yeah pay the higher airfare one more year)
(2) save the week you already booked and constantly check for a last minute cancellation before the Club Reservation windows begin. Worst case scenario, use your 7000 points during the Club Reservation window (as soon as it opens) to book whatever is available that week. If your desired unit isn't available, you could try booking fewer nights at one of the higher point HHV towers or one of the Big Island resorts.

Thank you, you always have great advice, I may have to go with option 1 and pay higher airfare one more year

 

[alwysonvac]

Hello,
We have 7000 points this year and 7000 points 2018 to book next years...

Are you trying to book consecutive weeks in the Lagoon Tower using 2017 and 2018 points?

I just noticed your original post stated "we have 7000 points this year".
Only 2018 points can be used during the 2018 home resort reservation window.

If you're trying to use 2017 points for a 2018 reservation
You can't use your 2017 point during the Home Resort Window. You first have to pay a fee before the end of 2017 to SAVE your 2017 points for use in 2018. Saved points can only be used to book HGVC resorts during the Club Reservation Window.

 

[hockeybrain]

Unbelievable but true that for 2018 if I did not book what looks like exactly one year out for August home week I am shut out at Lagoon. I called to see if the website had misfiring issues but website was correct. June, July, first week of September all wide open for home reservations. Really, odd this year but advice going forward is that if you want August in Lagoon with your home week you better book one year in advance / as soon as possible even with your home week!

 

[jehb2]

You are trying to reserve during the Obon Holiday in Japan. During Obon it is tradition for Japanese to return to their homes to honor their ancestors. And of course a lot of Japanese go on vacation. When Lagoon Tower first opened they weren't aware of Obon in Japan and a lot of Japanese wanted to buy a fixed week that would allow them to vacation at HHV during Obon. But Obon is like Easter, the actual date varies each year. To make it so that Japanese members could be guaranteed a reservation during Obon they offered/sold them 3 week fixed packages.

However, I still don't understand why you can't get a week during Obon. For years we vacationed at Lagoon Tower during this period. Partly because it is our anniversary but also so we could interact with Japanese visitors. We use to live in Japan. It was always pretty easy getting a reservation in August. However, it's been at least 7 years since we vacationed in August. Maybe things have changed.

 

[alwysonvac]

... To make it so that Japanese members could be guaranteed a reservation during Obon they offered/sold them 3 week fixed packages.

Interesting...Thanks for sharing

... It was always pretty easy getting a reservation in August. However, it's been at least 7 years since we vacationed in August. Maybe things have changed.

In the past did you book your August week exactly at the 12 month mark? It sounds like the OP tried days (correction - months) later.

 

[strgrace1]

Are you trying to book consecutive weeks in the Lagoon Tower using 2017 and 2018 points?

I just noticed your original post stated "we have 7000 points this year".
Only 2018 points can be used during the 2018 home resort reservation window.

If you're trying to use 2017 points for a 2018 reservation
You can't use your 2017 point during the Home Resort Window. You first have to pay a fee before the end of 2017 to SAVE your 2017 points for use in 2018. Saved points can only be used to book HGVC resorts during the Club Reservation Window.

Hello, really? I am planning to use 2017 points to book next August using Club Reservation. I thought as long as I book before the end of this year, I don't need to SAVE point, am I right?

 

[SmithOp]

Hello, really? I am planning to use 2017 points to book next August using Club Reservation. I thought as long as I book before the end of this year, I don't need to SAVE point, am I right?

Points are only good for reservations in the year they are issued, so you will need to Save them before booking. Save now in Sep, there is a $10 discount on the fee.


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[jehb2]

In the past did you book your August week exactly at the 12 month mark? It sounds like the OP tried days later.

No. Because we always stayed for more than a week we always had to make a Club Reservation (9 months out.) as opposed to a Home Week Reservation (12 months out).

Mind you this was before we had kids or before our kids started school. Also most of these reservations occurred before the "9 months prior to checkout" rule. Before this rule you could book your entire stay as soon as the first day you wanted was available for booking (9 months prior to check in). But as I mentioned we haven't vacation in August for about the past 8 years or so. Once we had kids and they started school we were bound to the school vacation schedule.

 

[seagila]

You are trying to reserve during the Obon Holiday in Japan. During Obon it is tradition for Japanese to return to their homes to honor their ancestors. And of course a lot of Japanese go on vacation. When Lagoon Tower first opened they weren't aware of Obon in Japan and a lot of Japanese wanted to buy a fixed week that would allow them to vacation at HHV during Obon. But Obon is like Easter, the actual date varies each year. To make it so that Japanese members could be guaranteed a reservation during Obon they offered/sold them 3 week fixed packages.

This is indeed an interesting fact. Over the course of this past August, I noticed that booking my home week in Lagoon Tower for August 2018 was unavailable online, until availability showed up again for 09/02/18 - 09/09/18.

I wanted to book my Lagoon Tower home week for 08/04/18 - 08/11/18. I was online at 12 am EDT on 08/04/17 to make the reservation, but saw that I could only book through the week of 07/28/18 - 08/04/18. I too thought it was another website bug. I called Member Services instead to book the August 2018 home week at 8 am EDT on 08/04/17 and I got the reservation.

I'm curious if HGVC is withholding August inventory at Lagoon Tower (and perhaps the other timeshare buildings in HHV), similar to weeks 51 and 52, where Platinum owners need to call in to book their home week during these specific weeks. After all, Japanese owners constitute a significant percentage of HGVC's retail buyers. It would make sense for HGVC to try and keep this constituency of owners happy by controlling availability during this peak Japanese vacation period.

 

[alwysonvac]

I am planning to use 2017 points to book next August using Club Reservation

Don't wait for August unless you're ok with not getting a two bedroom in the Lagoon Tower.

I just took a look at the online reservation system. August dates are currently grayed out but I can still see availability. There are only studios and one bedrooms left between Saturday 7/28 through Saturday 9/01 EXCEPT for a single two bedroom type (2LR) between 7/28 to 8/11 (see screen capture below)

Determine the earliest time you can go for two weeks and try those weeks first. Book the first three nights online via the Club Reservation (midnight eastern is the earliest). Once you've created your changeable reservation then add a night each day (A glitch has been reported so you might have to call in every day to add your subsequent nights).

Just take a look online now and you can see that folks have already started the crawl for summer weeks (see screen capture below). You'll be competing with the masses so don't delay. Some folks do the crawl every year and are masters at the game. They will crawl for days to try to get the summer dates that they want so keep checking (availability constantly changes as dates get released).

The Club Reservation window is currently up until a June 11 checkout. A three night minimum would be a 6/8 checkin with a 6/11 checkout.
Reminder: Club Reservations begin 276 days before checkout (Date Calculator)

 

[alwysonvac]

I'm curious if HGVC is withholding August inventory at Lagoon Tower (and perhaps the other timeshare buildings in HHV), similar to weeks 51 and 52, where Platinum owners need to call in to book their home week during these specific weeks. After all, Japanese owners constitute a significant percentage of HGVC's retail buyers. It would make sense for HGVC to try and keep this constituency of owners happy by controlling availability during this peak Japanese vacation period.

Fixed/Event weeks are automatically booked. Owners would have to release them.
Home Resort Reservation (including Fixed/Event weeks) have to be cancelled by 31 days or more prior to check-in to avoid the cancellation penalty.

 

[strgrace1]

Points are only good for reservations in the year they are issued, so you will need to Save them before booking. Save now in Sep, there is a $10 discount on the fee.


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Thank you, will do.