Getaways vs Open Season

[mega3000]

I recently purchased a getaway passport membership in II which will let me rent 4 weeks of getaways over the next 2 years. So far these rentals have proven to be less expensive than booking hotels. As was the marketing plan - this has gotten me started into timesharing. As a side note I got this passport membership along with the purchase of one week of rental at any Westgate property. So I really must thank the folks at Westgate for getting me started timesharing -even though I am not interested in dealing with them any further.

After significant research on TUG, I've come to the conclusion that HGVC is a good fit for us and am in the process of purchasing a resale unit at the Karen Ave property. (By the way there seems to be a lot less confusion and dissatisfaction on this board versus the other timeshare systems associated with hotel chains - a big part of my choice!)

We really like the getaway vacations. It appears that the Open Season in the HGVC guide offers the same benefits thru the hilton properties and rci but with a 30 day window.

If someone has experience with this could you please comment on:
1)Can I see and book RCI resorts using the Open Season
2)Do these deals offer a good bargain
3)Is there some workaround to the 30 day window to make it larger?
4)Any other comments and recommendations on this "getaway" concept

Thanks

 

[jestme]

The "open season" is what sold me on HGVC. And, I am still extremely happy with it, even though I bought directly through Hilton. Unfortunatly, you cannot really use open season outside of HGVC, and affiliates. RCI is not an option within the HGVC 30 day open season, as you really don't have an RCI account. I use my home resort, with "open season" reservations to make super vacations for our family, and extend our ownership options with the last minute stuff.
I used to work for an airline, and am used to last minute travelling for cheap. Yes, you gamble, and sometimes you lose, but it it is still worth it. The $60 - 100 night for "open season" makes HGVC worthwhile.

 

[Bill4728]

4)Any other comments and recommendations on this "getaway" concept

Thanks

Both RCI & II rent to the general public on www.Wyndham-vacations.com (RCI) & www.Condodirect.com (II) You can often find almost as good of deals there as you can on the member sites like II "get-a-ways".

Hope that helps

 

[oneohana]

Purchase for Open Season Use

I looking into buying a resale to for the open season option. It will mostly be used at Maribisa and LV, with an occasional HHV visit EOY (points usage).

I've been looking at a 7000 pt. package at Valdoro but was thinking a lesser pt. package be better somewhere else. FIL has Hilton TS, but I feel bad for using his points.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[anneww]

We've used open season through Hilton once, and it was great. We own
our Hilton timeshare on Marco Island, FL, but used open season for Las Vegas.
When I booked through open season, I had to pay for the eight nights in full
over the phone (then got travel insurance). It was a great deal to stay
at a beautiful resort for 80.00/night on the weeknights and 100.00/night on the weekend......very happy with Hilton!

 

[Zac495]

I never looked at the Open Season before. HUH! If one looked in June, would one be likely to find July in Orlando?

 

[jestme]

No problem. Orlando is fairly simple to get, in some place, except if there is a major show at the convention center, or the Daytona 500 is on.

 

[ricoba]

No problem. Orlando is fairly simple to get, in some place, except if there is a major show at the convention center, or the Daytona 500 is on.

I would agree that it should be simple enough.

 

[applegirl]

I own Marriott vacation club and can purchase getaways at II many months aghead of time, although I find that at 3 months out I have the best selection and prices. Are you guys saying that with HGVC you can only purchase these getaways 30 days out? That would seem to be quite a disadvantage.

I was recently able to buy 4 two-bedroom units at DSV II in Palm Desert for December back in late September. This is nice to have it wrapped up so early so everyone can make their travel plans.

Janna

 

[UWSurfer]

Yes Janna,

Open Season is their fire sale of unused inventory in the HGVC booking system. For low fixed rates, you get to book 30 days or less out.

We've used it a couple of times for last minute bookings, including my last April convention where I wasn't planning on going and had made no reservations. Literally 36 hours before the start of an industry meeting, one of my guys who I honored with going instead of me informed me he wasn't going. I was able to get a 1 bdrm at the prized Karen property (closest to the LV Convention Center) for the 4 nights I needed using open season; saving the day for me and $$ for my employer to boot.

While you won't book RCI get aways with HGVC, you can use HGVC points to book RCI inventory, but you have to do it through an RCI specialist internal to the HGVC call center. Searches don't always come through but we've managed to get a couple of well placed stays doing that.

Ironically, I have a separate points account for another week (not HGVC) and was able to book this April's trade show again at Karen using RCI points. After fee's and figuring what those points are worth, it worked out to cost me open season rates in real dollars.

Re: Karen property...of the three in Vegas it's smaller and less glitzy than the new strip or even Flamingo, especially when Flamingo finish their upgrades. The best thing it has going is it's proximity to LV Hilton and the monorail station. Both are close enough to be convient, yet Karen is removed just enough to be quiet when compared with the other properties. It's also highly desired by us given the proximity to the convention center.

 

[Talent312]

There's plenty of "open season" availability in Orlando.

The low rates and the ease of booking makes it one of HGVC's best attributes; however, the old reservation page is far more informative and user-friendly for this specifc purpose than the new one.