Have you been surprised by HGVC?

[freewill]

Hi,
So here's a general question I haven't come across in my TUG searching:

How has HGVC surprised you (positively and/or negatively) over the course of your ownership -- and particularly when compared to your expectations before you bought in? Whether in terms of the overall program, the HGVC resorts, Open Season, RCI/SFX exchanges, etc. ...

Obviously a very general question to solicit feedback, but I'd be grateful for any responses as I research this gig!

Many thanks

 

[mgeez]

I been in HGVC for 8 years.
Positive - I realized years ago it was fairly easy to get into the DVC resorts. Used my points on 3 occasions to get into a DVC resort.
Negative - surprised by the ever increasing nickle / dime fees, but I suppose all vacation club folks see this.
Happy, but not surprised - to see HGVC is actually expanding to other areas than Vegas, Hawaii, or Orlando.

 

[presley]

I've mostly been surprised by how much they charge for everything. To me, the fees are ridiculous. Also surprised by how they push elite status, but elite status doesn't really have any worthwhile benefits (at entry level).

 

[GregT]

I have been very favorably impressed by HGVC. I like the system itself very much and think the properties are very high quality. I like the fact that they are continuing to expand and think they have been creative.

Like others, I note the ever increasing fees and I am curious if they will continue at the same trajectory. I first noticed this type of treatment from Wyndham (and sold my Wyndham) and therefore was sort of sensitized to the treatment. Additionally, HGVC's fees haven't risen as dramatically as I felt at Wyndham.

So the vast majority of "surprises" have been the pleasant kind, for me at least.

Best,

Greg

 

[JSparling]

Been an owner since 2000. I've always been able to get what I want as far as resort/room type. Sometimes you have to keep checking back and wait for something to open up but it always have. And I'm talking about some pretty prime weeks in Breckenridge and Hawaii. If you plan ahead and are willing to be diligent you'll get what you want. Well, really, if you plan ahead (such as right at the 9-month mark) you virtually ALWAYS get what you want. If you don't plan ahead then you still have a good shot if you are willing to keep checking back.

I'm also impressed with the extremely high quality resorts. These places are amazing. The MF on the unit we bought back in 2000 is only $800 or so. Time and time again I use those points to stay for a week at places that would cost 5x that if I was paying cash. HGVC continues to add new places in great locations. Right now you've got some east coast beach stuff going up and a new place in Hawaii (Maui I think?).

The downside I've seen is the awful "Elite" program. The only place it's helped me is with the free 7-night reservations. This allows you to book anything you want early even if you are just "holding" it and not worry about fees. I've done a lot of book, change mind, change reservation......and there are no fees. Besides the lack of good things I also have commented on here about the terrible wait times when you call the Elite desk. I call often and to have a 10+ minute wait is common.

The Elite benefit of having more/5-star resorts is a nice perk but if you try to book them you'll find that some require a ridiculous, and almost impossible amount of points. I called to inquire about a ResorTime property through the Elite desk and they wanted something like 96,000 points for a week at this beach resort. That's 12 years of points give-or-take.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

Like many of the others, the number of fees for things really surprised me after i bought..

I am very pleased to see the new locations and resorts being built. That makes me feel like the club will continue to provide me with value for years to come.

I do wish "Elite" status had more value.. While i am not elite, there are only a few benefits that are even interesting to me..

 

[SmithOp]

We purchased in 2001 and didnt have any booking fees at first because we used our home week every year, we liked having eoy odd and even going to HHV and then Waikoloa the next year. When we started using club bookings it was $39, not bad considering how easy it is to change reservations right up to the day before, we like the flexibility.

Fees have grown and we try to minimize by using points in advance, live in HGVCs pocket. No fees to borrow in advance and pay maintenance fees later, love it. I dont know why they punish people for not using their points, charging fees to rescue or deposit into the next year.


Sent from my iPad using the strange new version of Tapatalk

 

[itradehilton]

The best surprise was getting multiple summer weeks with DVC 2 years in a row.
As others mentioned the increase fee costs.

 

[linsj]

I've been pleased at how often I can go to Hawaii with my [cheaper] Orlando points.

I'm also surprised at how annoying it is to have to pay a booking fee when we're already charged a club fee. And really surprised at how bad booking continues to be since Hilton introduced the Revolution system.

 

[brp]

Generally positive. We have been able to get whatever we have wanted in NYC (first HCNY, now W. 57th) as well as Bay Club in Waikoloa. Now we bought Flamingo (to use in Hawai'i), but used it for a Vegas stay with no problems.

The nickel and dime fees are annoying (Disney has none of these...bank...free, borrow...free, makr reservations...free...change/cancel...free). The $85 cleaning fee at W. 57th is annoying, but we knew about it going in.

Overall, quite positive.

Cheers.

 

[bogey21]

I have never owned HGVC but have traded into a number of HGVC Resorts. Because of age, etc. I have divested most of my TS Weeks. That being said, if I were buying today and wanted one of the "big boys", it would be HGVC in a heart beat. Love the Resorts.

George

 

[vacationbear]

Time and time again I use those points to stay for a week at places that would cost 5x that if I was paying cash. HGVC continues to add new places in great locations.

Whoa, you got my attention here!
5X?
I know it applies for Lagoon Tower (but not 5X), not KL. Will probably apply for GI and Maui once they are online.
What other properties offer such a (or even 3X) value?

 

[PigsDad]

Whoa, you got my attention here!
5X?
I know it applies for Lagoon Tower (but not 5X), not KL. Will probably apply for GI and Maui once they are online.
What other properties offer such a (or even 3X) value?

Have you seen what Hilton charges for a 2BR Valdoro unit during prime ski season? 5X is not out of the question.

Kurt

 

[bevans]

One surprise that has occurred to me is open season devaluation in value. The upside of this has been owning two platinum contracts myself (secondary market purchases) makes the argument to buy the highest point number contracts more valuable. I do not think they can change the season charts for points needed so having 7000 platinum units and above are the only way to go. I know people that bought 2400 point contacts to gain access to open season and find that strategy does not work well anymore. Curt

 

[vacationbear]

Have you seen what Hilton charges for a 2BR Valdoro unit during prime ski season? 5X is not out of the question.

Kurt

Interesting!
So: where else?

The list is forming:

- Valdoro
- Lagoon Tower
- ???

 

[itradehilton]

5x

-West 57th
-trading into DVC
-club Intrawest Vancouver
- Club Intrawest Whistler
-ski week at Breckenridge
- Hawaii


I have gotten reservations into each with our Vegas timeshare.

 

[vacationbear]

5X MF benefit

Its getting better and better!

Hawaii cannot be listed as such, the Big Island resorts wont give you a 5X benefit. The Grand Waikikian is most definitely in this category. Penthouse 2db rooms offered bis HGVC for > $2k per night... Yikes...

So, the resorts are (so far)

- Valdoro
- Lagoon Tower
- Grand Waikikian
- West 57th
- trading into DVC
- Club Intrawest Vancouver
- Club Intrawest Whistler
- Breckenridge

Where else?

 

[chriskre]

I'm disappointed in the devaluing of the Open season benefit so will be using my other ownerships for Orlando visits including my new Polynesian DVC points, but will say that to me HGVC is still a great timeshare for someone who lives in FL.

All those nice affiliate resorts are still worth the price of admission if you want to travel in the summer where the 2 bed rooms are easily $250 and above per night in the SW Florida area. One of my favorite resorts Charter Club is right next to the Marriott Crystal Shores. Same great views and beach 1/20 of the price of admission.

So although my plan to own only a biennial to use OS isn't panning out as planned, I've managed to make lemonade out of the lemon and just stick within the club. RCI and II are almost near impossible to get the HGVC affiliates thru exchange although I did get lucky this year, so the club is still almost as sure of a thing I am going to get without buying a unit at the resort.

For now I'll keep my HGVC and hope for the best going forward.

 

[ronandjoan]

Negatives; We bought in 2002 and
1. Learning the system gave me a headache -- of course, it was our first timeshare so all was new

2. The additional fees began to question our usage and decision

3. We stayed in two HGVC resorts: Marco Island, Eagles Nest - maintenance in the resort was SOOOO poor - and requests for help with a problem in the unit which was necessary to stay were only honored after two days when I complained to corporate; and
South Beach, where we were deeded - our view was the blank wall at the next door resort - from the one window in the unit...WIFI was sooo expensive we didn;t get it, the small pool was on the roof and cold... other items, too -- not worth it

4. The rise in MF was the final straw: it was $800 something in 2002 and within 2 years, it was over $1000 -- and rising. Not for us.

Positives: they trade well...but they will not let you trade into a "lower-level" (according to them) resort. But we have been happy where we have been, trading into the resorts we do.

 

[chriskre]

3. We stayed in two HGVC resorts: Marco Island, Eagles Nest - maintenance in the resort was SOOOO poor - and requests for help with a problem in the unit which was necessary to stay were only honored after two days when I complained to corporate

Wow! What year was this?
I stayed there last year and found it a very nice resort but it seemed like it had been thru a recent refurb as the room was very nice and the grounds beautiful.

 

[gnorth16]

I think with the rapid expansion and selling of new locations, the resale values are slumping and there is a glut of HGVC TS's on the market, affecting a (my) decent exit plan. I have also noticed that new locations are higher point structures making it more difficult to use a full week with the lower point structures.

Great resorts, with really good employees and I have always had clean rooms. Open season is great, but it is an ever changing beast and who knows where it is going. Online tools have improved and fees are steady for my Strip property.

 

[JudyS]

I don't own HGVC but I might consider buying there sometime. I appreciate all the information on this thread.

One surprise that has occurred to me is open season devaluation in value. The upside of this has been owning two platinum contracts myself (secondary market purchases) makes the argument to buy the highest point number contracts more valuable. I do not think they can change the season charts for points needed so having 7000 platinum units and above are the only way to go. I know people that bought 2400 point contacts to gain access to open season and find that strategy does not work well anymore. Curt

I checked HGVC's site, and it says Open Season allows making cash reservations 30 days or less before check-in, which can only be used by the owner (not by the owner's guests or renters.) So, I think what this post means is that some people bought small HGVC contracts in the past, primarily for the purpose of making these last-minute cash reservations. Is that right? Also, this Open Season benefit has declined in value. Is that due to a lack of last-minute availability, a change in Open Season rules, or both?

Also, is there a list of the HGVC fees anywhere?

 

[Talent312]

...ome people bought small HGVC contracts in the past, primarily for the purpose of making these last-minute cash reservations. Is that right? Also, this Open Season benefit has declined in value. Is that due to a lack of last-minute availability, a change in Open Season rules, or both?
Also, is there a list of the HGVC fees anywhere?

Not many, but we've seen a few here who bought primarily for O/S use.
O/S has declined due to monkeying w/rates. "Nothing stays the same."
Next year, they'll start varying rates to reflect demand, more like hotels.

For an overview, see: http://www.hgvclubprogram.com/
They once had an all-inclusive fee, but it was abused, so now its per use:
See: http://www.hgvclubprogram.com/content/2Fees-ENG-Rev010715.pdf

Positive Surprise: The uniformly high quality of the resorts.
... An occasional hiccup, but impressive interiors, facilites & landscaping.

Negative Surprise: The increasingly poor value of converting points to H-Honors.
... Higher HH-point rates w/o changing conversion rates made a bad idea worse.
... Does that mean there's been a significant drop in conversions? Only they know.
.

 

[mgeez]

Wow! What year was this?
I stayed there last year and found it a very nice resort but it seemed like it had been thru a recent refurb as the room was very nice and the grounds beautiful.

I second that WOW! We own our week there and stayed at Eagles Nest numerous times. I never could find anything to complain about.

 

[peas]

Our surprises:

Open season change- mentioned above. Disappointing since this perk is what attracted us to Hilton.

Online system - I wasn't prepared for how irritated I would be with the system. It is not very user friendly. For example: Since I was not familiar with the resorts, I had to put my cursor over the "2 bedroom" description then item by item compare it by putting my cursor over the other "2 bedroom" description (note: exact same title). I wish they would only list the differences instead of making you read the verbose description and that you could somehow pull both descriptions up at the same time vs having to put the cursor over one then over the other then back to the first one. I also find it annoying to always have to come to TUG to find out what Plus means. For those who own Hilton but have not found TUG, I don't know what they do.

However, the biggest surprise to me was:

Studio capacity is 2. I cannot say if this is true for all the resorts, but for most of the ones I've seen it is true. It never occurred to me that it wouldn't be studio sleeps 2 privately and capacity to 4. I mistakenly presumed that in a pinch our family of 4 could do a studio. I was wrong. Surprise!