HGV Max in the Club Reference Guide

[dioxide45]

When they switched from deeds to trust points, didn’t MVC have to offer existing owners to enroll so they would have enough to have a club? I know they have a lot of points with DRI, but Max isn’t set up that way right now. I know things can change, but this seems like it’s so far down the road.

There are two different things at play with Marriott. A trust and the exchange company. They can't change a deed you own to points or to the trust unless you do one of these things; sell it back to them, give it back to them, sell it to someone else and they ROFR, they foreclose due to non payment of loan or the HOA forecloses due to non payment of maintenance fees and then the HOA gives it or sells it to HGV. When MVC rolled out their points program in 2010, they took all the unsold inventory and dumped it into a REIT. They declared points on the REIT and started selling those points. Weeks owners were able to enroll in points. HGV wouldn't need to do that because they already have a point program for weeks owners.

From what I understand about Max is that it is just access to DRI The Club inventory at 6 months for select resorts as set out by the exchange rules. If you make a reservation in The Club at 6 months, your HGV deed becomes available to others to book through MAX. DRI The Club is really just an exchange company, like HGVC or the Marriott MVC Exchange Company or even II and RCI. Just the reservation windows are different.

 

[HuskerATL]

Looks like there are some changes on the Max front. A person posted his on the FB Elite page:
there’s an HGV Max logo in the upper left of virtually every screen when I use the website now. That’s new. And then no reservation fees when I booked. That was definitely new.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I am not sure how HGV would be fundamentally different than the others. I am sure when Vistana and Marriott created weeks and deeds they weren't thinking trusts. They just started conveying deeds to the trust and declared points. The trust is a new entity. I see no reason why HGV can't do the same. Diamond does the same with their collections.

HGV has discussed creating a trust several times in the investor calls. In the briefing right after the Diamond deal was announced, HGV management indicated that acquiring Diamond eliminated one to two years of work creating a trust. Based on their comments, clearly creating a trust was possible, and they had explored it.

What we don't know is if the current HGV MAX is the final product or if that might still evolve over time.

 

[HuskerATL]

So, I went to an owners update today...I know, glutton for punishment but I wanted to ask a few questions.

First they asked what we are interested in and we discussed Max. I told them that we are waiting for HVC properties to be available and the $7k fee then we would consider. They acted confused about the $7k fee so I told them about the reference guide and the email from Mark Wang. They then left and after a while came back to offer us with a $7k upgrade offer to our retail ownership. The manager said that all our points would come in and since we are Elite Premier now then we would be Premier+ in Max. They then pitched the 0.30 exchange value for flights, cruises, etc.and the $700 OS credit. He also said that we would keep all our Elite Premier benefits plus get the Max Premier+ benefits. I don't buy it and we passed.

Interesting couple of comments by them that resale would come in and maintaining elite benefits. I don't think they knew what they were talking about though and multiple times they said that they didn't know.

Until it is in a contract or the reference guide, then it is just talk

 

[escanoe]

It must be like going to a car dealership and them trying to sell you a car that is not commercially available yet, many of the technical aspects remain unknown, and they are not even clear themselves on the manufacturer incentives that have been mentioned in advertising and direct marketing.

I am glad you share what you learn in these meetings, but my vacation time is scarce enough that "owner updates" do not appear in my future. Thanks, but no thanks.

So, I went to an owners update today...I know, glutton for punishment but I wanted to ask a few questions.

First they asked what we are interested in and we discussed Max. I told them that we are waiting for HVC properties to be available and the $7k fee then we would consider. They acted confused about the $7k fee so I told them about the reference guide and the email from Mark Wang. They then left and after a while came back to offer us with a $7k upgrade offer to our retail ownership. The manager said that all our points would come in and since we are Elite Premier now then we would be Premier+ in Max. They then pitched the 0.30 exchange value for flights, cruises, etc.and the $700 OS credit. He also said that we would keep all our Elite Premier benefits plus get the Max Premier+ benefits. I don't buy it and we passed.

Interesting couple of comments by them that resale would come in and maintaining elite benefits. I don't think they knew what they were talking about though and multiple times they said that they didn't know.

Until it is in a contract or the reference guide, then it is just talk

 

[Bxian]

We own 3 SW Florida weeks. I am confused about how this will impact us. At the time we purchased, ALL weeks being sold were resale weeks. I believe that this is true with all of the SW Florida resorts. They are also highly desirable weeks. Are we going to be precluded from trading in HGVC or using Open Season?

 

[dayooper]

We own 3 SW Florida weeks. I am confused about how this will impact us. At the time we purchased, ALL weeks being sold were resale weeks. I believe that this is true with all of the SW Florida resorts. They are also highly desirable weeks. Are we going to be precluded from trading in HGVC or using Open Season?

I highly doubt that you will lose the ability to trade in HGVC bc not lose the ability to use open season.

 

[MattnTricia]

So, I went to an owners update today...I know, glutton for punishment but I wanted to ask a few questions.

First they asked what we are interested in and we discussed Max. I told them that we are waiting for HVC properties to be available and the $7k fee then we would consider. They acted confused about the $7k fee so I told them about the reference guide and the email from Mark Wang. They then left and after a while came back to offer us with a $7k upgrade offer to our retail ownership. The manager said that all our points would come in and since we are Elite Premier now then we would be Premier+ in Max. They then pitched the 0.30 exchange value for flights, cruises, etc.and the $700 OS credit. He also said that we would keep all our Elite Premier benefits plus get the Max Premier+ benefits. I don't buy it and we passed.

Interesting couple of comments by them that resale would come in and maintaining elite benefits. I don't think they knew what they were talking about though and multiple times they said that they didn't know.

Until it is in a contract or the reference guide, then it is just talk

We are visiting almost monthly for the rest of the year.
Most of the trips are Vegas/San Diego but we have Orlando mixed in for the holidays as well.
This is the first mention of anyone being offered the $7000 upgrade. It would have been interesting to see what your contract looked like.

I may need to test the waters on our trip in a few weeks despite my distain for the owners updates.
Not willing to even consider an entry fee for MAX until more is known in writing.

Thank You for Sharing Husker

 

[pedro47]

We are visiting almost monthly for the rest of the year.
Most of the trips are Vegas/San Diego but we have Orlando mixed in for the holidays as well.
This is the first mention of anyone being offered the $7000 upgrade. It would have been interesting to see what your contract looked like.

I may need to test the waters on our trip in a few weeks despite my distain for the owners updates.
Not willing to even consider an entry fee for MAX until more is known in writing.

Thank You for Sharing Husker

Please keep The TUG Forum posted on information you are willing to share.

 

[HuskerATL]

We are visiting almost monthly for the rest of the year.
Most of the trips are Vegas/San Diego but we have Orlando mixed in for the holidays as well.
This is the first mention of anyone being offered the $7000 upgrade. It would have been interesting to see what your contract looked like.

I may need to test the waters on our trip in a few weeks despite my distain for the owners updates.
Not willing to even consider an entry fee for MAX until more is known in writing.

Thank You for Sharing Husker

Just to add, the "upgrade" was actually a downgrade. They wanted us to upgrade our annual Tuscany to an EOY for $7k but get in Max. I am also not convinced that you would get both HGVClub Legacy Elite and Max Tier benefits.

 

[Cewood]

I upgraded my ownership in W57th and am now in HGVMax and now seeing some changes in the website when I log in. One change that I have noticed is that my minimum reservation for all HGV-owned resorts is no longer 3 days. I can book any one of the HGV-owned resorts for a minimum of one night. I don't see this as a written benefit of HGVMax, but the change in my ability to reserve outside my home resort has changed.

 

[HuskerATL]

I upgraded my ownership in W57th and am now in HGVMax and now seeing some changes in the website when I log in. One change that I have noticed is that my minimum reservation for all HGV-owned resorts is no longer 3 days. I can book any one of the HGV-owned resorts for a minimum of one night. I don't see this as a written benefit of HGVMax, but the change in my ability to reserve outside my home resort has changed.

Interesting. Is that both open season and club points? Did you try that with non-bHC? I can book 1 night with Clubpoints in bHC, except Liberty, even though I don't own one and not in Max but I can't for non-bHC.

 

[MattnTricia]

Just to add, the "upgrade" was actually a downgrade. They wanted us to upgrade our annual Tuscany to an EOY for $7k but get in Max. I am also not convinced that you would get both HGVClub Legacy Elite and Max Tier benefits.

That makes more sense that there was some sort of points transaction involved. Thanks for the update

 

[Cewood]

Husker - Yes this is for all HGV properties, not just bHC properties. Affiliates, like SW Florida are all 3 day minimum. The 1 day minimum now looks like my ability to book W57th for a 1 day stay (although we don't really do that). For some of the properties the Open Season requires 2 day minimum. Just an interesting observation...

 

[dayooper]

Husker - Yes this is for all HGV properties, not just bHC properties. Affiliates, like SW Florida are all 3 day minimum. The 1 day minimum now looks like my ability to book W57th for a 1 day stay (although we don't really do that). For some of the properties the Open Season requires 2 day minimum. Just an interesting observation...

If this is the case, we need to reconsider the points shuffling method. If a Max member can book 1 night, that eliminates the safety net of shuffling with 1 or 2 nights. I’m not sure I’m comfortable points shuffling myself anymore. I might have lost those 2 nights at Ocean Oak last year if this was in place.

FYI - This could raise the MF’s. If members are only 1 or 2 night stays, the housekeeping cost will rise. I see this as a bigger issue in places like Vegas where owners might only want to stay 1 or 2 nights.

 

[Eric B]

FYI - This could raise the MF’s. If members are only 1 or 2 night stays, the housekeeping cost will rise. I see this as a bigger issue in places like Vegas where owners might only want to stay 1 or 2 nights.

At least for W 57th Street there is a housekeeping fee tacked on to stays 3 nights or shorter, so it seems to me that HOAs could set things up to cover the costs. If HGVC decides to include short stays as a benefit for Max, they would probably need to budget for it separately similar to the way Wyndham budgets for VIP benefits through the sales and marketing budget rather than the HOA budgets. IMHO, Max is a sales tool for HGVC and shouldn't be an expense for the HOAs, so should not drive up MFs.

 

[Cewood]

W57th has some demand that is probably similar for all of the NYC properties. Many owners are from the greater NYC/NJ area and come into midtown for weekends. Not sure that any of the beach properties, for example, have any guests who would like to stay for 1 or 2 days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[escanoe]

If real, the bigger deal is that it is the end of walking reservations and knowing you have a good chance at adding the next day.

If this is the case, we need to reconsider the points shuffling method. If a Max member can book 1 night, that eliminates the safety net of shuffling with 1 or 2 nights. I’m not sure I’m comfortable points shuffling myself anymore. I might have lost those 2 nights at Ocean Oak last year if this was in place.

FYI - This could raise the MF’s. If members are only 1 or 2 night stays, the housekeeping cost will rise. I see this as a bigger issue in places like Vegas where owners might only want to stay 1 or 2 nights.

 

[tk25]

I wonder if this one night reservation report could just be a temporary web site glitch.

 

[pedro47]

When does HGVC normally publish their Club References Guide?

 

[HuskerATL]

When does HGVC normally publish their Club References Guide?

This year was April 4th

 

[pedro47]

This year was April 4th

Thanks, with the acquisition of Diamond Resorts, do you feel they will publish an addendum HGVC GUIDE Booklet?

 

[escanoe]

I wonder if this one night reservation report could just be a temporary web site glitch.

I hope that it is. In some ways it would be more flexibility for MAX owners. But it would mess up the ability to walk a reservation (and having the ability to have more than a one-night reservation when going for hard to get resorts) for everyone.

I have a hard time beleiveing this is something HGVC would want to do.

 

[HuskerATL]

Thanks, with the acquisition of Diamond Resorts, do you feel they will publish an addendum HGVC GUIDE Booklet?

That is a good question. They should to explain any changes, if there will be.

 

[escanoe]

I feel like they are going to have to put something more out on MAX once it becomes operational ... if for no other reason than to create some relief for the customer service representatives.

Thanks, with the acquisition of Diamond Resorts, do you feel they will publish an addendum HGVC GUIDE Booklet?