Hi all,
I am seeking advice re. my HVC portfolio points. I purchased 1,000 points while visiting Wild Oaks Ranch in San Antonio, Texas in July 2023. I went into the sales meeting with the intention of NEVER buying a timeshare, but against my better judgement, I signed a contract. My sales representative assured me that if this program did not work for me, I could get my money back, minus closing costs and maintenance fees. I asked him point blank many times about this, and he reassured me over and over again about his claim - his exact words were that I could get back "every penny." I told him what I needed, including visiting my daughter in Costa Rica while she was enrolled in a study abroad program. I told him that I usually traveled with only a few months lead-time and mostly traveled in season based on my work schedule and my children's schedules. He inflated the program, bragging about all the properties I could get through World of Hyatt and Interval International as well as how few points it took to get into the HVC properties.
My rescission period passed; when I finally tried to use my portfolio points, I quickly realized how this program did NOT meet my needs. When I tried to book accommodations in Costa Rica for the timeframe I needed, there were no WOH properties or Interval International properties available to me either on the websites or per II operator. When I went back to Hyatt Wild Oaks Ranch office to talk to my sales rep, I quickly realized that he lied to me, and I had bought it hook, line and sinker. I talked with his manager, but quickly realized that I had no recourse and was stuck with a product I didn't want or need. I don't like to carry any debt, so I had already transferred money from savings to pay off my loan (@ $20,000) as well as my maintenance fees.
As I have continued to try to use my points, I am finding that 1,000 points per annum, does not get me very far. I attended a virtual Hyatt presentation recently and was told that to really make the program work for me, I needed to buy more points and have a minimum 2,200 points per year. Needless to say, I did NOT buy any more points!! I am finding that based on my needs and how I and my children travel (usually in-season and without a long lead-time), the program is pretty inflexible. For example, next summer, my children (now young adults and in college), want to visit Yellowstone National Park, I looked on II's website, but there are no properties in West Yellowstone.
I know I was naive and maybe even a little greedy, believing how I could use points to get into more luxurious properties and how I could get a lot out of the program for an initial "investment." I hate having to pay maintenance fees (which will be @ $1500-1600/year) AND having to go outside of the program to book lodging.
I recently reached out to Hyatt Exit Services and was offered a contract to relinquish my ownership interest as a direct deed back to HVC for a non-refundable $400 fee. This seems legitimate but it will mean a complete loss of my "investment." However, I will no longer have to pay maintenance fees and dues in perpetuity.
Any advice would be welcome before I have to make a final decision to relinquish ownership or pay another year of dues. The thought of getting rid of HVC brings a sense of relief as I have felt nothing but burdened since I signed that HVC contract.
Best wishes!
Holly
I am seeking advice re. my HVC portfolio points. I purchased 1,000 points while visiting Wild Oaks Ranch in San Antonio, Texas in July 2023. I went into the sales meeting with the intention of NEVER buying a timeshare, but against my better judgement, I signed a contract. My sales representative assured me that if this program did not work for me, I could get my money back, minus closing costs and maintenance fees. I asked him point blank many times about this, and he reassured me over and over again about his claim - his exact words were that I could get back "every penny." I told him what I needed, including visiting my daughter in Costa Rica while she was enrolled in a study abroad program. I told him that I usually traveled with only a few months lead-time and mostly traveled in season based on my work schedule and my children's schedules. He inflated the program, bragging about all the properties I could get through World of Hyatt and Interval International as well as how few points it took to get into the HVC properties.
My rescission period passed; when I finally tried to use my portfolio points, I quickly realized how this program did NOT meet my needs. When I tried to book accommodations in Costa Rica for the timeframe I needed, there were no WOH properties or Interval International properties available to me either on the websites or per II operator. When I went back to Hyatt Wild Oaks Ranch office to talk to my sales rep, I quickly realized that he lied to me, and I had bought it hook, line and sinker. I talked with his manager, but quickly realized that I had no recourse and was stuck with a product I didn't want or need. I don't like to carry any debt, so I had already transferred money from savings to pay off my loan (@ $20,000) as well as my maintenance fees.
As I have continued to try to use my points, I am finding that 1,000 points per annum, does not get me very far. I attended a virtual Hyatt presentation recently and was told that to really make the program work for me, I needed to buy more points and have a minimum 2,200 points per year. Needless to say, I did NOT buy any more points!! I am finding that based on my needs and how I and my children travel (usually in-season and without a long lead-time), the program is pretty inflexible. For example, next summer, my children (now young adults and in college), want to visit Yellowstone National Park, I looked on II's website, but there are no properties in West Yellowstone.
I know I was naive and maybe even a little greedy, believing how I could use points to get into more luxurious properties and how I could get a lot out of the program for an initial "investment." I hate having to pay maintenance fees (which will be @ $1500-1600/year) AND having to go outside of the program to book lodging.
I recently reached out to Hyatt Exit Services and was offered a contract to relinquish my ownership interest as a direct deed back to HVC for a non-refundable $400 fee. This seems legitimate but it will mean a complete loss of my "investment." However, I will no longer have to pay maintenance fees and dues in perpetuity.
Any advice would be welcome before I have to make a final decision to relinquish ownership or pay another year of dues. The thought of getting rid of HVC brings a sense of relief as I have felt nothing but burdened since I signed that HVC contract.
Best wishes!
Holly
