Elara, a Hilton Club

[Jez2Go]

This portfolio brief by this architectural, engineering and design firm seems to describe the renovations for two Hilton Club floors at the Elara. The brief also includes some pictures of the rooms.

Portfolio | Explore Our Portfolio Today — LEO A DALY | Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design

Discover LEO A DALY's diverse architecture, engineering, and interior design projects, showcasing innovative solutions across various markets and sectors.

leoadaly.com

 

[Smclaugh99]

This portfolio brief by this architectural, engineering and design firm seems to describe the renovations for two Hilton Club floors at the Elara. The brief also includes some pictures of the rooms.

Portfolio | Explore Our Portfolio Today — LEO A DALY | Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design

Discover LEO A DALY's diverse architecture, engineering, and interior design projects, showcasing innovative solutions across various markets and sectors.

leoadaly.com

I was just there earlier this month in a 1BR Grand Premier room on the top floor (5622). It was definitely updated compared to my prior stays with the softer color scheme and updated tile in the bathrooms. But it certainly was not the opulent elegance of those pictures in that portfolio. Not sure what block of rooms account for the by Hilton Club separation.

Sean

https://imgur.com/a/6R2Hwn3

 

[PigsDad]

I was just there earlier this month in a 1BR Grand Premier room on the top floor (5622). It was definitely updated compared to my prior stays with the softer color scheme and updated tile in the bathrooms. But it certainly was not the opulent elegance of those pictures in that portfolio. Not sure what block of rooms account for the by Hilton Club separation.

The new HC rooms are on floors that have never been finished, as I understand it. The 56th floor is not the top floor of the building, just the top floor of the currently finished rooms, so the HC floors will be above that. They are not taking existing rooms and upgrading them to the HC rooms.

Kurt

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I was just there earlier this month in a 1BR Grand Premier room on the top floor (5622). It was definitely updated compared to my prior stays with the softer color scheme and updated tile in the bathrooms. But it certainly was not the opulent elegance of those pictures in that portfolio. Not sure what block of rooms account for the by Hilton Club separation.

Sean

https://imgur.com/a/6R2Hwn3

The images are beautiful. The kitchen shown here looks the same as the Plus unit on the 50 - 55 floor. IMHO...the waterfall countertop with the broken edge looks like they were cutting corners on materials to me. I much prefer the full waterfall shown by the architectural firm but have never stayed in a premier unit to see it.

 

[Sandy VDH]

There were 4 or 5 floors above 56 that were were meant to be sold as actual apartments and not just timeshares. I did find the old architecture drawings of the building and remember seeing those spaces. Didn't keep a link the renderings but I did find them on the internet.

 

[Janann]

I have proof that the work is in process! Yesterday I saw an outhouse being lifted to the rooftop.

 

[Sandy VDH]

@Janann that is a pretty shitty view, pun intended. LOL

 

[ghgecko]

When we were there in December they were lifting up a lot of construction materials. The crane was in view from our windows.

 

[hgvcowner88]

Has anyone noticed that they've added them to the list now of properties? They're just not available for booking at all. They have the room types and descriptions but no pictures.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Has anyone noticed that they've added them to the list now of properties? They're just not available for booking at all. They have the room types and descriptions but no pictures.

Yep. Elara, a Hilton Club and Elara, a HGV Club are formally listed as two separate properties on the HGV website.

None of the units are available for booking yet as far as I know, anticipated completion date is ~January 2024. When we did a walkthrough of a completed 1 Bed Premier unit on the 58th floor earlier this year, some units were completed but the entire floor was still very much under construction.

The amenities of the unit we toured were very posh, unlike anything else in other Elara rooms. I recall them being more on the level of Liberty Place, but even nicer in some of the finishes.

Not sure if they'll hit the Jan 2024 target, but I think Q1 is definitely doable. Theyre planning on it at least, the 2024 Elara bHC operating budget already has money budgeted for all of the operating expenses, including the bHC owners lounge.

 

[pacman777]

Assuming this will be like the NYC properties where only owners at Elara bHC (and their guests) will get access for the owners lounge? And not just anyone who traded in

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Assuming this will be like the NYC properties where only owners at Elara bHC (and their guests) will get access for the owners lounge? And not just anyone who traded in

Correct, bHC owners lounges are open only to deeded bHC owners of that specific club.

So for Elara a Hilton Club, only deeded owners of units on floors 58+ (and presumably their guests) are eligible for Elara owners lounge access.

I'm curious if an owner of a bHC deed can still access the owners lounge even if they book and stay at a HGV room on a lower floor that costs fewer points.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Good question! Since it is not open yet, who knows what lies a sales rep would spin?

AFAIK this is the first HGVC mixed ownership resort of its kind. DC and NYC midtown bHCs are mixed with hotels not HGVC units and I don't think you can use the lounge when you stay in the hotels (but not sure since we own in a 100% bHC building).

 

[frank808]

At the District you can use owners lounge as long as you are staying in a District room. Trade into or booked with bHC points or HGVC points. Staying at the Embassy suites will not get you access.

If bHC Elara will have a separate checkin from regular HGVC, my money is those only staying in bHC rooms will have access to owners lounge.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[ernststarhemberg]

If I had to guess, I'd agree with that - only folks staying in bHC rooms have access to the lounge.

 

[PigsDad]

If bHC Elara will have a separate checkin from regular HGVC, my money is those only staying in bHC rooms will have access to owners lounge.

As I recall, Elara's elevators require you to use your room key to activate. If you are staying in a regular room, you probably won't have access to any of the bHC floors where the owner's lounge is located.

Kurt

 

[GT75]

At the District you can use owners lpunge as long as you are staying in a District room.

I don't think that is true for the NYC bHC properties. It is one of the big selling points by salepeople.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

I'm curious how the elevator situation is going to work. At present the only way to access floors 57+ is by going to the 56th floor, then hopping off, going down the hall, and entering the separate elevator bank for the top floors. Curious if they are going to modify the current main elevators that service up to floor 56 and allow them to service floors 58+, as well.

 

[frank808]

I don't think that is true for the NYC bHC properties. It is one of the big selling points by salepeople.

You will have to include my next sentence for lounge access. I was not saying everyone staying at The District will have access.

An owner (at said property) and are staying at NYC properties with bHC points, HGVC points or trade in via RCI would not have access?

There are a few posts by others that refute that.



Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Eric B]

Good question! Since it is not open yet, who knows what lies a sales rep would spin?

AFAIK this is the first HGVC mixed ownership resort of its kind. DC and NYC midtown bHCs are mixed with hotels not HGVC units and I don't think you can use the lounge when you stay in the hotels (but not sure since we own in a 100% bHC building).

It’s not quite the same thing, but they split The Quin into two resorts by name, The Quin and Penthouses at The Quin. It’s all under the same HOA and timeshare public offering statement. I don’t know how they’re differentiating between the Elara portions, but I would bet that the POS would help out in understanding how it works.

IMHO, if the non-bHC portion and the bHC portion are under separate owners associations, there would be no access across them to the bHC lounge because there is no occupancy of a bHC unit for which the bHC association would budget lounge access. It’s different if you exchange into The District as an owner because you’re actually in a unit there and they can budget for that. Otherwise, they might as well just treat it like day use, which probably isn’t workable.

 

[pacman777]

On a separate note, I just noticed there's a new Las Vegas resort that shows up: Cancun Las Vegas, a Hilton Vacation Club. It looks like its a Diamond Resort. I only own resale and not in MAX but it seems I could book it if I want (not that I would as it looks like it way south of the Strip and the pics look are not impressive).

 

[Lampshade]

On a separate note, I just noticed there's a new Las Vegas resort that shows up: Cancun Las Vegas, a Hilton Vacation Club. It looks like its a Diamond Resort. I only own resale and not in MAX but it seems I could book it if I want (not that I would as it looks like it way south of the Strip and the pics look are not impressive).

I just noticed this too while booking a room in Vegas. The few pictures Hilton has of the rooms on the booking site look pretty sad, so you know the "real" pictures must be even worse (separately, why do so many HGVC resorts not have pictures available on the booking website still??).

Curious about what the resort was really like, I looked up recent reviews on TripAdvisor and they are truly awful. I recommend you take a look for yourself (Trip Advisor). I know this is an old Diamond resort, but it says Hilton on the front now. It sounds like they renovated the pool and outdoor areas, but none of the rooms. If this is what Hilton considers being up to "the Hilton standard," I think they made a strategic business mistake in buying Diamond. People will associate this type of resort with Hilton (Grand) Vacation Club, and It's going to drag down the Hilton name. Anyway, I think I will stay away from any of these "Hilton Vacation Club" locations.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Agreed that biting off on Diamond was a heavy lift for HGV, as most of the Diamond locations I've seen did need a lot of updating to be up to HGV standards. It's going to take a while. There is an old Diamond location in the mountains near me, in desperate need of updating. Hilton is going through and updating all of those rooms, so there is movement, it's just going to take a while.

 

[brp]

As I recall, Elara's elevators require you to use your room key to activate. If you are staying in a regular room, you probably won't have access to any of the bHC floors where the owner's lounge is located.

Kurt

I don't think that's correct, but not 100% sure. They do have a key check before getting to the elevator bank, and I don't think I had to use my key once in the elevator. Then again, it is Vegas, so I may not recall correctly

Cheers.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Can confirm - Elara keycheck is when entering the elevator bank. Once inside the elevator bank you can go anywhere.

Currently to access floors 57+, you have to take the elevator to floor 56, get off, walk down the hallway, round the corner, and access a separate bank of elevators on the south side of the building. I'm curious if they're going to keep it that way to access the bHC rooms.