Section 4: RCI RESERVATIONS
All HGVC developer resorts are affiliated with RCI.
RCI is a timeshare exchange company. RCI offers two exchange programs – RCI Weeks and RCI Points. Resorts affiliated with RCI can participate in RCI Weeks or RCI Points or both. HGVC members have access to both exchange programs.
RCI Directory of Resorts –
http://www.rci.com/resort-directory/landing
For RCI Weeks inventory
o Weeks can be booked as early as two years in advance and as late as two (2) days prior to check-in (however actual week availability varies by resort).
o It's best to place an ongoing search request as early as possible to get in the queue. What’s normally seen online are the leftovers after all ongoing requests have been satisfied.
For RCI Points inventory
o Weeks and/or nights can be available as early as 10 months in advance and as late as the day of check-in (however actual availability varies by resort).
o RCI Points does not support ongoing search requests. It requires a manual search. Based on the resort, availability can change constantly.
o To increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates it is best to start searching online as soon as the 10 month window begins to increase your odds of getting your desired travel dates (especially for peak travel dates)
RCI membership is included in the HGVC Club Dues. HGVC members use ClubPoints for RCI exchanges. HGVC has a set exchange rate for RCI exchanges (see table below). HGVC deducts ClubPoints from member’s account upon confirmation. Deposits are not required. Simply make the reservation or place an ongoing search request.
NOTE: HGVC members have access to RCI through the HGVC member website (not directly via an individual RCI account). As a result, standard RCI currencies normally associated with individual RCI accounts such as RCI Points or TPU values do not apply to HGVC members.
Number of ClubPoints Required for RCI exchanges
NOTE: Some areas are Red Season only year round (such as Hawaii, Florida, Nevada) while other areas support all three seasons (such as the Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, Tennessee)
For example
RCI Resort: Vacation Club II (RCI Code #5424) in northern Michigan has the following RCI Seasons
BLUE - Mar 15, 2014 thru Apr 26, 2014
BLUE - Nov 01, 2014 thru Dec 13, 2014
RED - Jan 04, 2014 thru Mar 15, 2014
RED - May 31, 2014 thru Oct 25, 2014
RED - Dec 13, 2014 thru Dec 31, 2014
WHITE - Apr 26, 2014 thru May 31, 2014
WHITE - Oct 25, 2014 thru Nov 01, 2014
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellation of a RCI reservation will result in forfeiture of the Reservation Fee.
In addition, cancellation made with the timeframes listed below will results in the loss of ClubPoints used to confirm the reservation:
30 to 15 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 25% of the ClubPoints.
14 to 6 days in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 50% of the ClubPoints
5 days or less in advance of the check-in date will result in the loss of 100% of the ClubPoints
ClubPoints from a current or future use year will be returned to the Club Member’s HGVC account.
ClubPoints from previous use years may be deposited to RCI for a fee.
RCI Cash Rental options
There is no exchange fee required.
(1) RCI Extra Vacation - available by phone only (HGVC’s web portal doesn’t support this online feature offered to all RCI members)
(2) RCI Last Call - available online or by phone (less than 6 weeks before check-in)
(3) RCI Open Season - available by phone only (RCI Nightly Rentals can be paid for with cash starting 90 days out. It's my understanding from TUG threads that RCI's Cash Rental Rates are the same prices as HGVC Open Season rates but I have not confirmed this.)
NOTE: There are two major exchange companies (Interval International and RCI). Both require resort affiliation in order to participate. HGVC Developer Resorts are only affiliated with RCI. However some of the affiliated HGVC resorts are also affiliated with Interval International.
Independent Timeshare Exchange Companies
HGVC members can also exchange their timeshare week directly with several smaller independent timeshare exchange companies (such as SFX, Trading Place International, Dial an Exchange, Platinum Interchange, etc). These companies don’t require HGVC affiliation in order to join. Members can independently deposit a week into these timeshare exchange companies by simply making a reservation, obtaining the appropriate guest certificate and provding the information to the exchange company. The rules vary by exchange company but some may offer free and/or discounted membership fees, bonus weeks, cash rentals and/or lower exchange fees. More information can be found on the TUG forums for each of the independent timeshare exchange companies.
Here are links to some of the independent exchange companies:
The San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts
https://www.sfx-resorts.com/about.aspx
Platinum Interchange
http://www.platinuminterchange.com/website/about.asp
Trading Places International
http://www.tradingplaces.com/about-us
Dial An Exchange (DAE)
http://www.daelive.com/helpdesk/aboutus.aspx
Hawaii Time Share Exchange
http://www.htse.net/
SFX RESERVATIONS
Similar to RCI, the San Francisco Exchange Company – SFX Preferred Resorts is a timeshare exchange company.
SFX & HGVC have an arrangement that allow members to make reservations at three specific resorts direct via HGVC (similar to the way we book some of our other affiliated resorts)
For these three resorts:
Reservations must be made by phone via a HGVC Club Counselor
The 2014 Reservations fee is $76 and non-changeable.
Elite Members have a priority reservation window of 365 to 276 days prior to check-in.
General Club Members can make reservations starting 276 days prior to check-in.
(1) Club Donatello -
http://www.clubdonatello.org/
o Thursday check-in required
o 2,400 ClubPoints (studio)
(2) Grand Luxxe Nuevo Vallarta -
http://www.grandluxxe.com/nuevo-vallarta
o Friday check-in required
o 7,200 ClubPoints (studio)
o 12,600 ClubPoints (1 bedroom)
o 14,400 ClubPoints (2 bedroom)
(3) Grand Luxxe Riviera Maya -
http://www.grandluxxe.com/riviera-maya
o Friday check-in required
o 7,200 ClubPoints (studio)
o 12,600 ClubPoints (1 bedroom)
o 14,400 ClubPoints (2 bedroom)
NOTE: Availability may be limited during certain times.
HHONORS RESERVATIONS
HGVC AND HILTON HONORS
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) and Hilton HHonors are two separate programs.
Club Members have two options to use HGVC ClubPoints with HHonors.
(1)
Transfer your ClubPoints from one program to another (HGVC ClubPoints to HHonors points)
PROs: All Club Members receive 25 HHonors points for each HGVC ClubPoint. (except for the following units at West 57th Street only – penthouse units receive 30 HHonors points, One Bedroom and studio premier receive 40 HHonors points and studio plus receive 50 HHonors points).
CONS: Regular Club Members cannot transfer/convert HGVC ClubPoints to HHonors points in the current year. Only Elite Plus and Premier members can convert HGVC ClubPoints in the current year. Everyone else must plan ahead and request conversion before Dec 31 of the current year, for the following year's allocation of HGVC ClubPoints. HGVC ClubPoints are not deposited into a Club Member’s HHonors account until the first week of January of the following year.
NOTE: Conversion may be for less than the entire annual allotment of ClubPoints. Converted HHonors points may not be converted back to HGVC ClubPoints.
(2)
Make Hotel Reservations using HGVC ClubPoints
PROs: Club Members can use a combination of HHonor points and HGVC ClubPoints (from the current year and/or borrow from next year) to make their hotel reservations
CONs: Club Members receive 20 HHonors points for each HGVC ClubPoint (5 points less per HGVC ClubPoint for not planning in advance)
NOTE: HGVC ClubPoints can not be returned to into a Club Member’s HGVC account. If a hotel reservation is cancelled, the Club Member will be credited with HHonors points into their HHonors account.
TIP: Do not hoard HHonors Points - Plan any hotel reward trips sooner rather than later.
A great hotel exchange deal today may not be a great deal tomorrow due to the following
(a) Maintenance Fees will continue to increase over time decreasing the exchange value
(b) HHONOR reward point requirement will continue to increase over time which will eventually impact the number of hotel reward nights
(c) Per the HGVC Member Guide, the HGVC to HHonors conversion rate is subject to change without notice and the benefits available through these programs are subject to change, suspension or discontinuation at any time without prior notice.
For HHonors discussions visit the Hilton HHonors Flyertalk board -
http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=417
THE HILTON HHONORS PROGRAM:
Hilton HHonors determines point requirement for each of their hotels -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/index.html
As HGVC Club Members, we are automatically given HHonors Silver Elite status.
HHonors Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members receive every 5th night free on Standard Reward Stays of five consecutive nights or more (up to four free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights.). Any qualifying HHonors booking receives the discount automatically. The Fifth Night Free benefit applies only to standard rooms.
NOTE: The 5th night free reward replaces the old VIP/GLON rewards.
There's also an exclusive 4-night stays rewards at hotels in categories 5 through 10 (aka AXON reward), available only to US-based Hilton American Express credit cards (both the regular and Surpass versions).
Additional information about HHonors
Hilton HHonors Membership Levels -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/explore/benefits/index.html
Additional ways to earn and use HHonors points -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/overview/index.html
Standard Hotel Rewards Chart -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/hotel/using/index.html
Hotel Reward Lookup tool by destination -
http://hhonorspointssearchtool.com/
HHonors Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/support/faq/index.html#hotelrewards
HHonors Credit Cards -
http://hhonors3.hilton.com/en/earn-use-points/credit-cards/index.html
Flyertalk’s HHonors Reward Options Summary -
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/hilt...ilton-reward-options-updated-june-2013-a.html
