HCC - Last Minute Reservations

[Ron G.]

I read the HCC rules on this subject and they aren't clear to me.

HCC notifies Private members one week prior to available openings. If you haven't used your 45 days yet, you can reserve space immediately. If you have used your 45 days already, you have to wait until Thursday to reserve space.

Does that mean that space available reservations count against your days (if you have used less than 45 days)? This doesn't make sense to me....if I don't mind using my 45 days, I don't have to wait until the week before to reserve space available.

And, once you hit your 45 days, you can still use the space available time, but you have to wait until Thursday to book? Waiting until Thursday makes these really, really last minute.

Am I missing something?

Ron G.

 

[Bourne]

HCC notifies ALL members one week prior to the available openings.

For all members, a last minute reservation would count against the number of allocated days of usage. If a member has used up all the allocated days, they cannot stay at any property for extra days.

However, Private members are an exception to the above rule. Once the allocated 45 days are used or reserved, a Private member can still book a last minute reservation. The usage based on this type of reservation is unlimited.

Waiting until Thursday makes these really, really last minute but it's HCC's way of "rewarding" its top teir membership with unlimited days of usage without impacting other members.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

I am now feeling Private Membership envy!

Once I am retired and the kids are in college, I can downsize to a townhome on a golf course and enjoy these unplanned trips. Until then, I am stuck in reality of my kids school schedules.

 

[Kagehitokiri]

im confused.. so you book on thursday, when does your stay begin?

i see i was very confused on this benefit, i thought it was simply within a certain time frame, like solstice.

 

[Ron G.]

For all members, a last minute reservation would count against the number of allocated days of usage. If a member has used up all the allocated days, they cannot stay at any property for extra days.

However, Private members are an exception to the above rule. Once the allocated 45 days are used or reserved, a Private member can still book a last minute reservation. The usage based on this type of reservation is unlimited.

I think I get it....sort of.

If a Private member has days that are not used or reserved, last minute reservations are charged against his 45. Non-private members must have days available and must use them. If that's the case, why would anyone wait until the "last minute" list comes out? If they are going to be charged days, why book "last minute"?

As for Private members who have used (or reserved) all their days, this becomes a very interesting issue....as respects your enrollment date. Last minute reservations are free, as long as my full 45 days are spent. That means that, ideally, I enroll at the time of year so that I am likely to have reserved all 45 days by the time I'm likely to use "free" last minute reservations.

If I enroll on January 1, I can't benefit from any "free" last minute reservations until I've committed all 45 of my days. Depending on my travel pattern, that could easily mean that I don't commit my 45th day until October 1, which would restrict my "free" last minute reservations to the 4th quarter.

Right?

Ron G.

 

[jcjl1]

I think I get it....sort of.

If a Private member has days that are not used or reserved, last minute reservations are charged against his 45. Non-private members must have days available and must use them. If that's the case, why would anyone wait until the "last minute" list comes out? If they are going to be charged days, why book "last minute"?

As for Private members who have used (or reserved) all their days, this becomes a very interesting issue....as respects your enrollment date. Last minute reservations are free, as long as my full 45 days are spent. That means that, ideally, I enroll at the time of year so that I am likely to have reserved all 45 days by the time I'm likely to use "free" last minute reservations.

If I enroll on January 1, I can't benefit from any "free" last minute reservations until I've committed all 45 of my days. Depending on my travel pattern, that could easily mean that I don't commit my 45th day until October 1, which would restrict my "free" last minute reservations to the 4th quarter.

Right?

Ron G.

Ron -

Last minute reservations are an additional potential benefit to Private Members only. All others would not generally be making last minute reservations.

I believe you should do your analysis for membership without any potential last minute reservations since you are not guaranteed availability of a specific location at a specific time when you might want to use it. If you are offered a satisfactory location at the last minute, that's a bonus. Hope this helps.

 

[LTTravel]

I think I get it....sort of.

If a Private member has days that are not used or reserved, last minute reservations are charged against his 45. Non-private members must have days available and must use them. If that's the case, why would anyone wait until the "last minute" list comes out? If they are going to be charged days, why book "last minute"?

As for Private members who have used (or reserved) all their days, this becomes a very interesting issue....as respects your enrollment date. Last minute reservations are free, as long as my full 45 days are spent. That means that, ideally, I enroll at the time of year so that I am likely to have reserved all 45 days by the time I'm likely to use "free" last minute reservations.

If I enroll on January 1, I can't benefit from any "free" last minute reservations until I've committed all 45 of my days. Depending on my travel pattern, that could easily mean that I don't commit my 45th day until October 1, which would restrict my "free" last minute reservations to the 4th quarter.

Right?

Ron G.

The advantage of a last minute reservation is that it can be booked for a minimum of two days (and any two days in the week). That is a big advantage. Otherwise you have to book a minimum of 4 or 7 depending on how far in advance. The only exception to this is New York which you can book Saturday to Wednesday or Wednesday to Saturday (4 and 3 days) but no other scenarios, i.e. Thursday to Sunday)

 

[Kagehitokiri]

another thing ive wondered - whats to prevent you from checking out early? i guess checking in late would not be accepted?

 

[LTTravel]

another thing ive wondered - whats to prevent you from checking out early? i guess checking in late would not be accepted?

You can check in late and check out early, but you are still charge the days of the reservation. So if you book for a week and only come for two days, you are charged 7 days against your yearly number. So if your reservation is for Saturday to Saturday and you only come in Tuesday to Thurday, you still get charged for the 7 days. You can make "days available" in your week reservation but for a period of a minimum of two consecutive days. If you book for Saturday to Saturday and you know that you will check out on Wednesday, you can make Wednesday, Thursday and Friday a "days available" If another member books those days, then the three days are credited back to your account.

 

[Kagehitokiri]

so you can check in late too.

very interesting about the making days available.

 

[Steamboat Bill]

Stayin at most HCC properties is not like stayingin at a resort where you HAVE to check-in. Many times, you get a lockbox code to enter the property whenever you want during your week reservation.

 

[Bourne]

Stayin at most HCC properties is not like stayingin at a resort where you HAVE to check-in. Many times, you get a lockbox code to enter the property whenever you want during your week reservation.

Or keys sent via Fedex to you a couple of weeks prior to travel.

 

[Tedpilot]

Seems that every place w/ HCC has a different entry procedure...some keys via FedEX, lockbox, or you you get a package from a gate guard. Does not matter to me as they all work. Flexibility is the key...

 

[travelguy]

Seems that every place w/ HCC has a different entry procedure...some keys via FedEX, lockbox, or you you get a package from a gate guard. Does not matter to me as they all work. Flexibility is the key...

The HCC concierge is EXTREMELY flexible. I've had them Fedex the check-in packet to me at another resort when I was traveling and booked a HCC resort "last minute". Almost all properties without an on-site concierge have keys available in a lock-box for entry and emergencies.

 

[travelguy]

HCC Private Membership Last Minute Reservations

One more thing on High Country Club last minute reservations. Keep in mind that HCC is not RCI or a non-caring timeshare developer. They are a small company staffed with people that ultimately care about their members travel experiences. They are flexible and open to requests from members that sometimes go beyond the scope of the "rules" for reservations, as long as other members are not inconvenienced ('nuff said ). All you need to do is ask!

 

[Kagehitokiri]

when i was talking to them, ER (much larger company) said you can occasionally have "rules" bent for you as well.

id have to imagine most clubs would be "open" to that kind of flexibility. they just dont guarantee it - so they can avoid any cost to them, and it only increases member satisfaction.

many private clubs do the same sort of thing. even with things like dress codes, which i personally find to be crossing the line.