HGVC point to RCI points

[prajora]

When you convert HGVC point to RCI points, the RCI properties you get access are limited. Could someone explain how to get access to more RCI properties? Also seems the access to RCI properties one has access is harder to book. I am in Northern California and do see limited RCI locations and booking is harder.
Thanks

 

[HuskerATL]

There is no conversion. When you go into RCI, from the HGV portal, you will see your HGV points there. The amount is this year, next, and the year after so 3 years amount of points. When you book, the points are pulled directly from your HGV account and they are 1 to 1. If you have expiring HGV points, then you can deposit them where they are good for 2 more years. Often times, you can book HGV properties, through RCI, for less points than booking through HGV.

 

[prajora]

There is no conversion. When you go into RCI, from the HGV portal, you will see your HGV points there. The amount is this year, next, and the year after so 3 years amount of points. When you book, the points are pulled directly from your HGV account and they are 1 to 1. If you have expiring HGV points, then you can deposit them where they are good for 2 more years. Often times, you can get HGV properties for less points than booking through HGV.

My question is HGVC to RCI deposit inventory is treated different than if one had RCI points outside HGVC. Right?

 

[HuskerATL]

I have no idea. I only have access to RCI via HGVC so I am not sure what RCI inventory looks for someone who has access to RCI through another mechanism. Just a quick glance at CA to compare RCI versus the HGV version of RCI. When I look at RCI via their primary website (I don't have a membership just looking at what I can see without one) there are 391 resorts but going through HGV, there are 173.

Directly through the RCI website (not HGV)

RCI via HGV

 

[Eric B]

My question is HGVC to RCI deposit inventory is treated different than if one had RCI points outside HGVC. Right?

That is correct. RCI contractually limits what will show up on a search from the HGVC portal because HGVC doesn't want to disappoint owners with bookings to lower tier resorts. There are also some higher tier resorts (RCI Select) that will show up in HGVC's RCI portal but not in a run-of-the-mill RCI Points account.

My understanding is that RCI will allow you to use HGVC points to book a stay in a resort that is screened out of the search if you call or chat, assuming you are aware of the availability through your other account. You'd have to do the math and figure out if that's the most efficient way to book something. YMMV.

 

[HuskerATL]

When I look at a specific place, like Palm Desert via RCI (not HGV), then I see Hilton Hotels where you do not get Hilton Hotels via the HGV RCI website. As a matter of fact, I get nothing for Palm Desert via the HGV RCI website.

 

[alwysonvac]

The RCI Directory can be accessed via the HGVC website. There's a link at the bottom of the RCI page.
Here's what I see accessing the RCI Directory via the HGVC website (see screen captures below).
Keep in mind, a directory doesn't represent availability.

​

 

[prajora]

That is correct. RCI contractually limits what will show up on a search from the HGVC portal because HGVC doesn't want to disappoint owners with bookings to lower tier resorts. There are also some higher tier resorts (RCI Select) that will show up in HGVC's RCI portal but not in a run-of-the-mill RCI Points account.

My understanding is that RCI will allow you to use HGVC points to book a stay in a resort that is screened out of the search if you call or chat, assuming you are aware of the availability through your other account. You'd have to do the math and figure out if that's the most efficient way to book something. YMMV.

Are you suggesting that if you call RCI customer service, they can book other RCI sites even the one which don’t show on HGVC/RCI online account? Thx

 

[bnoble]

When I look at a specific place, like Palm Desert via RCI (not HGV), then I see Hilton Hotels where you do not get Hilton Hotels via the HGV RCI website. As a matter of fact, I get nothing for Palm Desert via the HGV RCI website.

Some of that is because the mini-system portals never show "Exchange Plus" inventory--exchanges that are not timeshares, and have significantly larger exchange fees required in addition to some trade power relinquishment. For example, the 7-night Embassy Suites exchanges start at $1,000 for an "exchange fee." My Wyndham RCI portal account also does not show any of those, but it does show the two Desert Breezes-based timeshare resorts (RCI ID #1142, #2512)

To sum up, here are the differences as I understand them:

1. No mini-system portal ever shows Exchange Plus options, and this includes the HGVC portal
2. The HGVC portal screens some "low-quality" resorts, but makes available some "high-quality" resorts compared to (some) other mini-systems/straight weeks.
3. The HGVC portal will not allow you to book HGVC resorts via RCI exchange outside the Club booking window.

#1 is not a problem at all--those are rarely good deals. In fact, I'm grumpy about the fact that straight weeks accounts are not able to filter those out of searches. #2 is probably also not a big deal. Most people would consider the "missing" resorts poor values, and the added resorts might well make up for that.

#3 is probably the most important difference, as HGVC tends to deposit many months at a time, almost a year in advance. For example, I've gotten several exchanges into various Hawaiian HGVCs using either my Weeks or Wyndham accounts well in advance of the Club window, and that inventory is generally long gone by the time we get to the club window opening.

However, even that probably doesn't matter. I never find it useful to ask "what am I missing," because there is always something missing. Instead I ask whether I'm happy with my options as they exist. If so, there is no need to do anything different.

 

[alwysonvac]

When I look at a specific place, like Palm Desert via RCI (not HGV), then I see Hilton Hotels where you do not get Hilton Hotels via the HGV RCI website. As a matter of fact, I get nothing for Palm Desert via the HGV RCI website.

HGVC's website shows Palm Desert availability under RCI Extra Vacations

 

[Eric B]

Are you suggesting that if you call RCI customer service, they can book other RCI sites even the one which don’t show on HGVC/RCI online account? Thx

That is my understanding based on postings from others in this forum. I've never done it myself because the other access I have to those resorts through my other ownerships is completely adequate.

 

[prajora]

That is my understanding based on postings from others in this forum. I've never done it myself because the other access I have to those resorts through my other ownerships is completely adequate.

Can you point to posting in TUG which states that calling RCI will open more locations? Thx

 

[alwysonvac]

Can you point to posting in TUG which states that calling RCI will open more locations? Thx

I previously provided you with a link to one of these threads (link). Here's the specific post.

There is (generally) very little limitation on what you can book through HGVC’s RCI portal versus an RCI Points account. There is an HGVC “quality filter” that sometimes defies common sense and keeps you from seeing some availability at (generally a small number) of resorts. If you know something is available in RCI and the quality filter is blocking it, you can call them and book it on the phone.

In my mind, the HGVC RCI “quality filter” is not enough of a reason to buy RCI. I own RCI points traders because they are (usually) more efficient at trading in RCI than HGVC properties and I wanted all of my HGVC points to trade in HGVC.

My recommendation is to spend time exploring the HGVC RCI portal. Use it a few times. If it starts to be a substantive part of your trading (how you use more than 1/3rds of your points or more than 1 trade a year … then it may then be worth thinking about getting an RCI trader.

If you ever wonder if HGVC’s RCI filter is keeping you from seeing stuff, message me or post on this thread what you are looking for … and I can look both ways and let you know.

 

[alwysonvac]

Here's another post that talks about calling.

You raise a good point.

I do most of my RCI booking and exploring through an RCI Account. I cannot attest that these were available before, and I may have initially drawn the wrong inference (I have renamed the thread and inserted an update at the bottom of the initial post).

More details:

To explore your theory, I called HGVC RCI phone support to see about booking "Historic Powhatan." My understanding is HGVC RCI support can book a reservation if it is not allowed online due to the resort "not being up to Hilton standards."

When I explained to the agent I could see availability for the resort in my RCI account but not through the HGVC portal, she initially said "it may be a resort that is not up to Hilton standards." I told her I doubted that since HGVC has now bought the company that owned it and changed its name to include "a Hilton Vacation Club." That seemed to convince her it was not a "not up to Hilton Standards" issue.

She played around and saw that she could do an override on her end and book it and it appeared to be the same thing as the "not up to Hilton standards" issue.

It's sure ironic if we can't book these "a Hilton Vacation Club" properties online through the HGVC portal because "they are not up to Hilton standards."

I have never really understood how these determinations were made. Four Sails in Virginia Beach does not pass their quality filter either ... yet it is reportedly one of the best (relatively speaking) timeshares in Virginia Beach. Overall, though, it does not seem like there are that many resorts they restrict availability to for this reason. There are still plenty of skunks that can be booked.

Perhaps, this is one of those occasions when one should "never ascribe to malice (or greed) that which is adequately explained by incompetence."

 

[HuskerATL]

So, that would be cash versus points but it is an option like Last Call

 

[Eric B]

#1 is not a problem at all--those are rarely good deals. In fact, I'm grumpy about the fact that straight weeks accounts are not able to filter [Exchange Plus hotel inventory] out of searches.

Completely agree with the sentiment about the hotel exchanges. You can use a minimum 1 BR room size or RCI Award of RCI Hospitality and Higher as surrogates for a filter that eliminates the Exchange Plus stuff; unless you're looking for a studio or something that doesn't even meet RCI's standards it probably won't miss too many extra ones. (BTW, the Wyndham portal has a hotel exchange functionality that probably gets the same stuff, not that I'd ever use it.

Can you point to posting in TUG which states that calling RCI will open more locations? Thx

Nope; can't remember where they were and don't think it would be value added. If you're really interested, call RCI. I was never interested in using my HGVC ownership that way but figured I'd pass along the info.

 

[Eric B]

So, that would be cash versus points but it is an option like Last Call

Exchange Plus uses RCI Points or TPUs in addition to a rather high exchange fee. Last time I looked it was something like $550. My take is that HGVC doesn't allow access to it through the RCI portal because it's competition for Hilton. They don't even include an option to book hotels through the HGV Max Travel Services for similar reasons. Kind of makes sense to me.

 

[HuskerATL]

Exchange Plus uses RCI Points or TPUs in addition to a rather high exchange fee. Last time I looked it was something like $550. My take is that HGVC doesn't allow access to it through the RCI portal because it's competition for Hilton. They don't even include an option to book hotels through the HGV Max Travel Services for similar reasons. Kind of makes sense to me.

Extra Vacations is one of the HGV RCI categories, like Last Call, that is cash though...not points.

 

[alwysonvac]

Here's another old post that states to call.

Full response has been received from HGVC!!

"Thank you for your inquiry. As indicated, I have met with our Partners at RCI to review your feedback. I am very sorry the HGV trained RCI Vacation Guides you spoke with were not able to explain this situation.

It is RCI’s goal to match our members with vacation experiences at RCI Affiliated Resorts that are similar to their ownership experiences. Since Hilton Grand Vacations offers its members a high quality vacation experience, RCI tries to serve up similar experiences at RCI Affiliated Resorts which may restrict the number of resorts initially offered up as potential exchange options. Since over 50% of HGV member transactions with RCI are facilitated on-line, these initial quality filters are our best defense for a similar vacation experience match.

HGV members are not excluded from confirming any of our 4,300 + RCI Affiliated Resorts via an HGV trained RCI Vacation Guide. For this reason, different RCI members or Club accounts may initially be served up different availability at RCI Affiliated Resorts than what is initially offered to an HGV member. HGV members are always welcome to speak with an HGV trained RCI Vacation Guide for additional resort options that may suit their needs."