Current happy HGVC owner... looking to add another property for our timeshare stable

[GT75]

Each year spending about $2.5k for 13-14 days for lower quality condos.

This to me looks like a great price for renting and continuing to rent certainly would be a great option.

 

[JoeAdkins]

This to me looks like a great price for renting and continuing to rent certainly would be a great option.

The problem is that it's 2.5k x 2 (including second two week trip). Using points it's approx. 2.5k in MF. Plus when we first went to Maui, we spent $1.6k... renting has gone up 50% in 7 years for the same place.

As with most folks, the older we get, the more time we want to spend on vacation and not at work. TS just makes sense for us.

 

[4TimeAway]

The problem is that it's 2.5k x 2 (including second two week trip). Using points it's approx. 2.5k in MF. Plus when we first went to Maui, we spent $1.6k... renting has gone up 50% in 7 years for the same place.

As with most folks, the older we get, the more time we want to spend on vacation and not at work. TS just makes sense for us.

We do both on vacation.

We bring a secure router and tap into the ethernet creating our cloud. Phone, laptops, for a couple of hours that we can't be walking arround and we feel like we aren't falling behind. Mostly its work 2x for a week to resolve most things in advance and pray things hold fast while we travel, but that NEVER happens. Also ,this allows for Apple TV, etc. just like at home.

If we could do a month at a time, we would and maybe in our 50's.

 

[jp10558]

I'm a credit card incentive guy, but hadn't looked at this card as I didn't think MF qualified for the $400 back in Hilton resort credits. That with the free clear membership pays for the $550 fee.... Plus as you said, it includes free nights, etc on top.

I like this option, though I still think we need another property.

You have to check on the resort. I know Seaworld where I own works for the MF credit (though I have to pay half in December and the rest in January to get the 2 $200 credits on Aspire. This is the one place IDK if Craig would credit the resort credit for MFs - But you'd just pay your Vegas MFs with the card to get the credit I expect.

And the more of the thread I read, the better Craig sounds to me for you FWIW. You get more points for most years, and if there's a year you really want to go somewhere else you can exchange via DEX instead of using the points (or you could buy II and deposit there). Just realize that for II if you deposit, all points from that Craig deed "go there" rather than a certain point value like RCI (and I think DEX).

 

[jp10558]

We do both on vacation.

We bring a secure router and tap into the ethernet creating our cloud. Phone, laptops, for a couple of hours that we can't be walking arround and we feel like we aren't falling behind. Mostly its work 2x for a week to resolve most things in advance and pray things hold fast while we travel, but that NEVER happens. Also ,this allows for Apple TV, etc. just like at home.

If we could do a month at a time, we would and maybe in our 50's.

Oofff. Wifi has been my curse at many locations since I've started working remote from the resorts. I really need to remember to put wifi reviews in my videos - I believe I do put it in my TUG reviews. It seems unlike Hilton hotels, the Wifi is barely there almost all the time. I don't really understand why it's so bad in 2024. Even for vacations people want good Wifi!

 

[4TimeAway]

We haven't been to Kingsland, but stayed midlevel 2-Bedroom at Kohala last week. Didn't use the pools, or shuttle, but enjoyed the free parking. There's something for everyone to love.

The 1-bedroom aspect to stretch points seems the hardest for us as we tend to invite others when we can.

I'd keep an eye for RCI exchanges for HGCV points pay the fee to extend your points without increasing your holdings. We are doing that in december with Cabo Azul and getting 2 two bedrooms.

 

[JoeAdkins]

We do both on vacation.

We bring a secure router and tap into the ethernet creating our cloud. Phone, laptops, for a couple of hours that we can't be walking arround and we feel like we aren't falling behind. Mostly its work 2x for a week to resolve most things in advance and pray things hold fast while we travel, but that NEVER happens. Also ,this allows for Apple TV, etc. just like at home.

If we could do a month at a time, we would and maybe in our 50's.

I wish I could remote work.... Doesn't work for my career. I too bring a travel router for my Google tv.... Once you get hooked with connectivity, it's hard to stop.

 

[4TimeAway]

Oofff. Wifi has been my curse at many locations since I've started working remote from the resorts. I really need to remember to put wifi reviews in my videos - I believe I do put it in my TUG reviews. It seems unlike Hilton hotels, the Wifi is barely there almost all the time. I don't really understand why it's so bad in 2024. Even for vacations people want good Wifi!

Doesn't always work (say 70% of the time), but usually there's some port somewhere. Some places the hotspot is just not that good and definitely not secure. YMMV

 

[mountainboy]

Sounds like you're thinking of paying for an option you really won't use much, which will cost you every year, just as owning an expiring stock option loses value every day. It'd make sense to diversify if you thought your trips would be near 50/50 Hilton vs another brand, but if not, it may be diworsification. More costs. More juggling.
Whenever these come up, the questions "Will you use it EVERY YEAR?" and "What is wrong with renting?" come to my mind.
If you are at the life-stage where 2 wks/yr could soon grow to 4 or 5 wks/yr, go for it. Otherwise, it may just be a shiny-new-thing beckoning.

Maui? Where do you stay recently? HGVC's Maui is neither here nor there to me, and over-priced. Is Maui the main attraction of a Marriott/Vistana?

Diworsification!
This!

 

[kanerf]

You might want to look at DVC which has some very nice resorts, though most of them are at WDW. The advantage of DVC is that it is very easy to rent out if you are not going to use your points. It trades through II, so that would give you another trading system outside of RCI. The resales can be a good bargain.

 

[brp]

The resales can be a good bargain.

Not the same level of bargain as HGVC, however, as DVC hold value well. Also, the do exercise ROFR, so hard to get a really good price. Finally, DVC resales come with restrictions, so worth researching more fully before buying there. But, yes, a very solid set of properties.

Cheers.

 

[brial05]

We current own a resale Flamingo 11,200 2BR platinum deed and thus far, it has been very good for us. We just got back last month from a 12day stint at HGVC Kingsland and had an absolute blast. Add that to a week last fall in Orlando and we still had a few points leftover from this years points. For the cost it was an absolute deal. We're now thinking we want to add another property to have another long vacation every year. My first thought was to buy another Flaming 2BR as it doesn't have a ROFR and has very low maintenance fees. HGVC properties also are pretty inexpensive as far as transfer fees, etc. too for seller to buyer transfers.

With that said, we'd potentially be open to buying another brand of timeshare. Understanding it comes down to where we want to spend our vacations and how often. We tend to stay most of our vacation days in Hawaii (Maui/Big island), but also spend a week or two each year in Vegas or Orlando. In the future, I honestly don't think things are going to change a lot...

As is HGVC checks those boxes.... anyone have thoughts on me buying the equiv. of what I have now just via another company? (HGVC 11,200 points):

Marriot? - Years ago I thought I read it was very expensive to transfer ownership via resales?

Wyndam - Not sure if this one is expensive to buy/transfer via resale or not?

HVC - Understanding that Diamond required ownership in the Hawaiian collection to stay there with no RCI/Interval transfer.... is this still a thing with Hilton ownership/transfer?

Other timeshares companies?

As I said, I'm very happy with HGVC ownership and I'd save a bit on RCI/HGVC annuals fees if I had multiple properties with Hilton, but am absolutely open to owning another brand if it treated me with the same value/flexibility that HGVC has...

Stay HGVC and get the same amount of points in my dream unit; Elara 1 BDR Grand 11,200 points.
MFs will be based on a one bedroom.
I hope to buy one of these units soon.
One on EBay just sold for ~4k.

 

[JoeAdkins]

I ended up buying more HGVC points via Craig resale. Worked out very well.

 

[Chris-ATX]

I like Marbrisa with GPX

Have you been able to book much through GPX?

We probably aren’t using correctly, but when we look we don’t see availability in the other locations than Marbrisa (which we own)

 

[mountainboy]

Have you been able to book much through GPX?

We probably aren’t using correctly, but when we look we don’t see availability in the other locations than Marbrisa (which we own)

GPX is for Grand Pacific owners.
GPP (a GP property) & HGV affiliate is in DEX Tier 6, but availability is different in DEX & HGV than GPX...
I did see a summer week 1 BR at AFVC for 900 cash (which is cheaper than the MF for GPP)....

 

[rickandcindy23]

I wouldn't consider Wyndham, unless you love Princeville, but the only resort worthy of using points is Shearwater. Shearwater has gorgeous units, but to get a penthouse 2 bedroom, it's 500K points, or around $3,000-3,500 to stay a week, depending on the cost of your maintenance fees on the points. Shearwater has a very small pool. It's really about ocean views.

I don't like Bali Hai (we own there and are not fans of the cramped buildings). You already have Hilton for Waikiki. Hilton has Maui, Wyndham has nothing on Maui. Hilton is adding a lot of buildings to what they already built. The resort is going to be massive.

Big Island is covered well by Hilton. We own Wyndham and still stay at Kings'Land and the other Hilton resorts. I love the Hilton experience over Wyndham. The one time we stayed at Wyndham's Kona Hawaiian Village, or whatever it's called, we had a huge issue with roaches. Big turnoff.

We own Westin Ka'anapali, and it's not cheap, but it's worth it. We can lockoff our unit into two sides and use each side for back-to-back weeks. The reservation system at exactly midnight to book what we own for dates we need is a nightmare. Marriott hasn't improved it at all. There are so many people who are trying to reserve, and it takes forever.

As @CalGalTraveler stated, learning multiple systems can be very confusing. I know all about it. Add in the exchange company rules and it gets ridiculous.

For our kids, we are able to trade into Westins to get island view units through Interval International. The kids like to stay at Westin but don't care about views. We are there at the same time, so they visit our unit for some meals and views, and of course the pools are fantastic. But if you want a guarantee of view and availability, buying is important. Island view units are not that expensive to buy.

You could buy a good trader with Marriott, a platinum week that can be locked off into two units and try exchanging. I enjoy it as a game to try to get accommodations. I occasionally see something online that I hadn't considered.

What part of Colorado do you live? We live in Thornton.

 

[4TimeAway]

Have you been able to book much through GPX?

We probably aren’t using correctly, but when we look we don’t see availability in the other locations than Marbrisa (which we own)

We booked Cabo Azul one of the discount cash weeks. I think this a no brainer, something like $100/night but you must be flexible on the timing of when they have them and watch out for the hurricane season. The trick with non-all-inclusive is you have to cook a bit, but we love that. The studio unit makes it hard, but with a egg cooker, some food and beverages from La Comer you can make a go of San Jose del Cabo. Not to mention all the food options.

We just got back from a 2-bedroom (RCI Trade) week stay and rented a car this time. The resort fee includes parking, so it was no big deal.

We haven't traded GPX.