HGVC Vilamoura Portugal

[TheWindrider]

We are considering Vilamoura early next year and wondering if anybody has stayed there recently and have updates, pictures or any more current info. I noticed the last post on the Detailed Resort forum is from 2017. Thank you!

 

[pacman]

Good luck getting in. Almost impossible to book.

 

[TheWindrider]

Good luck getting in. Almost impossible to book.

I guess it’s beginner’s luck, I was able to snag rezies over Christmas and NY’s Day which is most important as we want to experience the holidays there. Then a week off to Lisbon and back to Vilamoura Jan 9th-18th. I suppose it’s low/shoulder season.

 

[ocdb8r]

We stayed three times as the COVID lockdowns were expiring (and it was easier to travel within Europe than to go further afield). That made exchanging in easier (given many of the British owners still couldn't make it over) and we eventually bought a week because we enjoyed it so much. Skipped last year.

Have not really taken any pictures of the resort, but happy to answer any questions. The units are compact compared to most US HGVC resorts, but really smartly laid out so we didn't feel "cramped". The resort has both a Hilton "hotel" (where the timeshare units are co-located) as well as a full ownership residential section. The units are kept in good order. The resort shows a bit of "vintage" but I think that's because of a focus on good upkeep rather than regular "makeovers". All amenities are shared, so you have the option of a more resort style pool in the "Hilton" oval and a more condo style pool in the residential oval....plus another small adults only quiet pool. The on-site restaurant does a good job and there's a decent finer dining place just across the backside road (nearer the residential end of the complex) called Willies.

It's about a 20/25 minute walk down to the marina (we had a car, but when the weather is pleasant it's a very nice walk and avoiding marina parking is a plus). Lots of restaurants and activities there, which is the central activity hub of the "master planned" development.

Happy to answer any specific questions.

 

[xandern]

Have been there a few times, usually in November/December. Last time 3 years ago around Christmas time. Villamoura itself (not the HGVC/hotel) is very quiet that time of year with quite a few restaurants/bars closed. Weather is usually quite nice.
One comment though: a 1 BR apartment is quite small (40 m2)- would not recommend staying in it with 4 persons. In our last stay there, we toured Portugal in came there twice at the beginning and end of our trip. Both times we booked a regular hotel room and were upgraded to a 1BR HGVC type room (which is the same for the hotel and for HGVC). Second time, we actually asked if we could not get a King Deluxe Plus room instead (which they did), even though it does not have a kitchen, the room is larger (47 m2) and nicer (more outside light in room and larger balcony).

 

[Sandy VDH]

How hard might it be to booked 3 - 4 days in May or June. I haven't tracked availability here at all. Don't know what might be available?

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We were in Portugal earlier this year and walked the property because it was near our resort. It is part of a Hilton Hotel on a golf course about 1.3 miles away from the beach. Some people like that vibe. Some don't. They appeared to have conference rooms so you may find your stay mixed with a business conference. YMMV there was no business conference when we visited on a Friday.

Only 16 HGVC units total. HGVC originally had 69 but new hotel owners took back HGVC units as they expired. At any one time they have 16 floating units. 12 two bdrms; 6 one bdrms.

You don't know what room you will get because unlike La Pacifica where HGVC owns a wing, they told me that they assign whatever rooms are available that fit the category in coordination with the hotel.

No sales office. Sold out. 1 person in the former sales office who handles everything including check-ins. Only resales with RTUs that expire.

The pool seemed nice but IMO crowded - we were there during shoulder season (may not matter in Dec). We did not see the room but suspect that they are more like converted hotel rooms and not purpose-built timeshare rooms. Rooms had a small balcony that looked out either over the pool or the parking lot/ street. There *might* be some rooms overlooking the golf course but there would likely be a parking lot in-between since parking surrounds the building. Perhaps someone who has stayed there can correct me?

Location was good with approx 1 mile flat walk to Marina restaurants and a shorter walk to Villages restaurants.

I have also heard that Vilar du Golf which is an HGV/DRI property is quite nice but haven't been there.

 

[GT75]

I believe @Cyberc owns there. Hopefully he will comment.

 

[letsgobobby]

no wonder it's hard to reserve with only 16 units

 

[ocdb8r]

You don't know what room you will get because unlike La Pacifica where HGVC owns a wing, they told me that they assign whatever rooms are available that fit the category in coordination with the hotel.

No sales office. Sold out. 1 person in the former sales office who handles everything including check-ins. Only resales with RTUs that expire.

We did not see the room but suspect that they are more like converted hotel rooms and not purpose-built timeshare rooms. Rooms had a small balcony that looked out either over the pool or the parking lot/ street. There *might* be some rooms overlooking the golf course but there would likely be a parking lot in-between since parking surrounds the building. Perhaps someone who has stayed there can correct me?

Room Assignments - correct, the hotel assigns any room that is available. As you mentioned, they own and rent out quite a few of the one and two bed units, so you can end up in any that are available. I didn't think the HGVC ownership was as low as 16 units, but that could be the case.

Room Views/Types - the rooms were in fact purpose built, not a hotel room conversion. However, they are more compact that most HGVC resorts, but as I posted above, I think well designed and laid out. Yes, 4 in a 1-bed may be a bit tight, but certainly doable. As to views, I think you may be mis-remembering as a) all resort parking is underground, under the resort (there are no parking lots around the resort, save for the largish Porte Cochere area where sometimes valet parks a couple of cars; and b) the resort has a road on all sides. As to views, one side faces the driving range (but between that and the resort you have a small little cactus garden/park that is part of the resort as well as the road, on the other side you face one of the course holes, but there are trees and a couple of other houses blocking any view (again, over the road). Bottom line, this is not a resort for "views" of any type in my opinion.

 

[pacman]

Here's a few pics. We just got back. Another feature I didn't see anyone mention, is that they have chairs/umbrellas set aside for HGVC members at the beach for free. We enjoyed those a couple of times. That's the one pic with me

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Room Assignments - correct, the hotel assigns any room that is available. As you mentioned, they own and rent out quite a few of the one and two bed units, so you can end up in any that are available. I didn't think the HGVC ownership was as low as 16 units, but that could be the case.

Room Views/Types - the rooms were in fact purpose built, not a hotel room conversion. However, they are more compact that most HGVC resorts, but as I posted above, I think well designed and laid out. Yes, 4 in a 1-bed may be a bit tight, but certainly doable. As to views, I think you may be mis-remembering as a) all resort parking is underground, under the resort (there are no parking lots around the resort, save for the largish Porte Cochere area where sometimes valet parks a couple of cars; and b) the resort has a road on all sides. As to views, one side faces the driving range (but between that and the resort you have a small little cactus garden/park that is part of the resort as well as the road, on the other side you face one of the course holes, but there are trees and a couple of other houses blocking any view (again, over the road). Bottom line, this is not a resort for "views" of any type in my opinion.

Thanks for updating my recollection of the parking around the hotel. We were walking and I assumed the road around the hotel next to the golf course was for parking - my bad. Either way the roads on both sides are not busy and it is located next to a residential area so noise should not be an issue. I saw the trees but thought that perhaps some rooms could see above them to the golf course. I agree with your assessment that this is not a resort for the view. But still very nice!

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Here's a few pics. We just got back. Another feature I didn't see anyone mention, is that they have chairs/umbrellas set aside for HGVC members at the beach for free. We enjoyed those a couple of times. That's the one pic with me

Nice to know there are beach chairs set aside - To clarify they are on Vilamoura beach not at the resort?

Are these only for Vilamoura owners? or can exchangers or general HGVC members use them?

 

[HuskerATL]

I know this post is a year old but wanted to reply here since we are here right now. We are staying for over a month here and just arrived last night.

Met with Fred, the new HGVC rep, and he told me that the HGVC units are specific units that HGVC people can stay in and that HGVC members won't stay in other units but that isn't the case, vise versa. Hilton hotel renters can stay in HGVC units if they are not being used.

1 bed units are small but good enough for a couple people. We will move to a 2 bed unit later and can comment about those.

Walked to the grocery store, about 10 minute walk, and stopped in the Sailer's Corner next door for dinner and drinks.

 

[HuskerATL]

I have realized one thing. The HGVC 1 bedroom units are made up of the worst units. Some are parking lot view, some are garden view, and the ones that are pool view are in the corner where buildings meet, with the smallest balconies. Not sure how room size compares to other Hilton 1 bedrooms. We will switch to a 2 bedroom on November 20th though and it looks like it is much better. On the side near the pool, top floor. Then, we are supposed to switch back to a 1 bedroom the last week here but the front desk said that they may be able to keep us in a 2 bedroom but need to wait until closer to the switch date to know for sure.

 

[GT75]

@HuskerATL, find out the best 2BR units to request for when we will be there next summer.

 

[HuskerATL]

@HuskerATL, find out the best 2BR units to request for when we will be there next summer.

Request pool view but will know room numbers much better when we get ours. Fred showed me the map with the unit that we are moving to highlighted, so assuming that works out, it is top floor directly next to the pool so should have a good view and looks like a normal balcony unlike our current balcony that is like in the crook of your arm when it is bent between buildings.

Would be interesting to see the other HGVC 1 bedrooms to see if they are all the same floor plan. I get the feeling that this room is smaller than others because of the location where buildings join and in an inside corner.

 

[HuskerATL]

Another interesting thing when I was quizzing Fred yesterday and ask how many units does HGVC have and he didn't know. Seems odd. He has been in this role for 2 months and doesn't know the number of units? Young guy, nice, but seemed about clueless. When I asked him, he looked at his papers and then at the computer and then said around 30 or 40, with doesn't sound right according to others. I asked him about the RTU ending date of 2041 and he him hawed around about it also.

Again, nice guy but not very helpful to get info from but does seem to want to get folks into the best units that he can... There are many limitations but he tries.

 

[HuskerATL]

Here is what I mean about the HGVC 1 bedrooms. Our room is the 1 floor in that narrow section of balconies. Fred showed us the next 1 bedroom that we are supposed to have and it is the same narrow section but the other side of the pool.

 

[HuskerATL]

Even though we may have the worst pool view balcony, it is much cheaper than through Hilton. It is Gold season right now and a week is 5,440 points so about $544 dollars at 0.10 mf/pt for a week. The 1 bed apartment pool view via Hilton is about 250 euros/night so much more for the same thing but a better balcony.

 

[xandern]

Even though we may have the worst pool view balcony, it is much cheaper than through Hilton. It is Gold season right now and a week is 5,440 points so about $544 dollars at 0.10 mf/pt for a week. The 1 bed apartment pool view via Hilton is about 250 euros/night so much more for the same thing but a better balcony.

I have realized one thing. The HGVC 1 bedroom units are made up of the worst units. Some are parking lot view, some are garden view, and the ones that are pool view are in the corner where buildings meet, with the smallest balconies. Not sure how room size compares to other Hilton 1 bedrooms. We will switch to a 2 bedroom on November 20th though and it looks like it is much better. On the side near the pool, top floor. Then, we are supposed to switch back to a 1 bedroom the last week here but the front desk said that they may be able to keep us in a 2 bedroom but need to wait until closer to the switch date to know for sure.

Stayed here multiple times, both via HGVC and booked as hotel. The 1BR is indeed relatively small and dark. 2BR is better. Last stay we booked a hotel room and were upgraded into a 1BR. We asked if we could get a nice hotel room instead (no need for kitchen). The hotel room we got was bigger, a lot more daylight and a nicer balcony.

 

[HuskerATL]

Stayed here multiple times, both via HGVC and booked as hotel. The 1BR is indeed relatively small and dark. 2BR is better. Last stay we booked a hotel room and were upgraded into a 1BR. We asked if we could get a nice hotel room instead (no need for kitchen). The hotel room we got was bigger, a lot more daylight and a nicer balcony.

I was sitting at the pool yesterday and looking across the balconies and ours was definitely the worst but, at least, pool view. It could have been worse and facing the road. Looking forward to the 2 bedroom

 

[pinetree1]

I just wonder how far advance we should search. I checked a few times in the past and could not find much availability. Do we need a car in Portugal? How is weather in November?

 

[HuskerATL]

I just wonder how far advance we should search. I checked a few times in the past and could not find much availability. Do we need a car in Portugal? How is weather in November?

I booked this 9 months out. Car is up to you and what you want to do. You can definitely see and get to other places much easier. We took the train from Lisbon to Loule train station by Vilamoura and then will get a car for running around here but there is a free shuttle that will take you to some places in Vilamoura plus Uber is available.

Temp is low 70s in the day and 50s in the evening. Very comfortable weather with no crowds