Hilton GRAND Vacation Club Palm Desert Coming Q3 2022

[dayooper]

Hey Roger @holdaer

Where did you get that image from? I tried looking to see if the Ontario Canada Embarc's are listed also, but I can't find anything with even Palm Desert listed?

I did a search last night and the only Embarc I saw was Palm Desert. I did not check the Western Canada resorts, though.

 

[letsgobobby]

I did a search last night and the only Embarc I saw was Palm Desert. I did not check the Western Canada resorts, though.

Like man regaining his senses I assume Embarc will rebrand slowly, and one by one.

 

[SteelerGal]

It’s about time Hilton made a presence. Marriott and Wyndham have been in Palm Desert for sometime.

 

[SmithOp]

But as @dayooper mentioned, there was official HGV communication that stated all HGVC members will have access to all new HGVC resorts. I guess we will see if that holds true as new resorts are added to the HGVC collection, but given that communication, I am cautiously optimistic.

For those who didn't see it, here is the communication from HGV:

View attachment 57948

The second bullet point is the key statement here.

Kurt

There is a big difference between "new" and "rebranded" resorts. There is a lot of wishful thinking in this thread, like GT75 I remain skeptical we will get access this easily to Embarc given HGVC propensity to extract fees and upgrade costs from club members.

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[CalGalTraveler]

Does Embarc trade in RCI? or II?

FWIW I am surprised the Embarcs are taking so long. Those properties are in less need of renovation than the HGV properties. Perhaps it is because the HGV/DRI Club properties are revenue generating with MAX and Embarcs are not? If Embarc becomes part of HGVC, then little incremental revenue so lower priority?

 

[dayooper]

Does Embarc trade in RCI? or II?

FWIW I am surprised the Embarcs are taking so long. Those properties are in less need of renovation than the HGV properties. Perhaps it is because the HGV/DRI Club properties are revenue generating with MAX and Embarcs are not? If Embarc becomes part of HGVC, then little incremental revenue so lower priority?

Just a wild guess here but I think they had to figure out what to do with them. My guess is that they wanted them as part of Max, but the trust gave Embarc the power to dictate their terms. They might have thrown up a barrier like they did with DRI and almost dictated their terms. It took HGVC time to figure that out.

I also wonder if international laws are slowing up the process. There are only 2 Embarc resorts in the US and Palm Desert is supposedly the nicest of the 2.

Then again, like @SmithOp says above, they might find a way to make money off of the resorts.

 

[holdaer]

@SmithOp,

1. Previously, DRI members didn't have access to Embarc resorts
2. Embarc resorts will add value to whichever club they go into
3. There are more DRI members than HGVC members
4. Conceptually, HGV MAX will add value to those members that will gain access to Embarc
5. IMO, it makes sense to add Embarc resorts into HGVC (and mostly like with Embarc members)
6. Highest value/revenue opportunity for joining HGV MAX is with DRI members that will now have access to Embarc resorts + HGVC resorts

My 2 cents before the system is officially rolled out.

 

[GT75]

I certainly can be wrong on this but I thought somewhere it was stated that CI/Embarc membership was 22K (@Bill4728 or others please correct if my memory is failing me again).

 

[PigsDad]

There is a big difference between "new" and "rebranded" resorts. There is a lot of wishful thinking in this thread, like GT75 I remain skeptical we will get access this easily to Embarc given HGVC propensity to extract fees and upgrade costs from club members.

HGV has come out and said that going forward, they will have only three "collections" of resorts: Hilton Club (aka, "By HGV", Hilton Grand Vacations Club and Hilton Vacations Club (the DRI properties). Do you really think they will also differentiate between "new" and "rebranded" in each of those collections? That would cause a whole new layer of complexity when corporate mergers are generally all about streamlining, consolidating and realizing synergies. Of course, anything is possible, but given the previous corporate communications around this, I don't see them fragmenting the collections more than what they have already stated they would do. JMHO.

Kurt

 

[dioxide45]

I would suspect they will try to make revenue by selling enrollments to Embarc owners so they can affiliate their weeks in the HGVC in similar ways as other affiliates do. They could put the price tag at any amount they wanted.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I would suspect they will try to make revenue by selling enrollments to Embarc owners so they can affiliate their weeks in the HGVC in similar ways as other affiliates do. They could put the price tag at any amount they wanted.

Possible. As an HGVC owner I hope they do not do this as it would create a barrier to inventory availability. I read somewhere on TUG that Embarc is mostly sold out so it would require an owner to trade their interval for HGVC to access. DRI is different because they are flush with developer weeks.

I agree with Holdaer that DRI is the primary target of Max (more DRI owners, more benefits i.e. Hilton Honors, HGVC...). Adding Embarc to HGVC would further strengthen the value proposition of MAX since DRI Club never had access before.

 

[dioxide45]

Possible. As an HGVC owner I hope they do not do this as it would create a barrier to inventory availability. I read somewhere on TUG that Embarc is mostly sold out so it would require an owner to trade their interval for HGVC to access. DRI is different because they are flush with developer weeks.

I don't see any other way around it though. I don't see how they could just open up all unreserved inventory at Embarc at the 9 month mark for anyone in HGVC to reserve. They have to continue to protect Embarc ownership interest in what they bought. Pure HGVC resorts work at 9 months because all owners are members of HGVC. I don't see how they can thrust HGVC on Embarc owners given the high Club Fee they would also be thrusting upon them.

 

[GT75]

What HGVC could do (to take care of legal issues)is allow CI/Embarc members to enroll their ownership in HGVC.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

It only cost around $300 one time to enroll a Scotland week. I hope it is similarly priced so many Embarc owners will sign up to trade. Embarc owners voted to join HGVC (and reject DRI when it was acquired). I hope that they voted in favor because a majority want to trade.

If they structure it like MVC with Vistana where it costs as much to enroll a week in their points program as I paid for my entire resale week, then that is a non-starter.

 

[PigsDad]

I don't see any other way around it though. I don't see how they could just open up all unreserved inventory at Embarc at the 9 month mark for anyone in HGVC to reserve. They have to continue to protect Embarc ownership interest in what they bought. Pure HGVC resorts work at 9 months because all owners are members of HGVC. I don't see how they can thrust HGVC on Embarc owners given the high Club Fee they would also be thrusting upon them.

So how did they do it several years ago when HGVC members could reserve CI properties, and vice versa? Like I stated earlier, I don't know the details behind the curtain, but as a user is seemed to work quite well. But in the spirit of merging all properties into one of the three "collections", I'm sure something different will have to be done this time.

Kurt

 

[dayooper]

So how did they do it several years ago when HGVC members could reserve CI properties, and vice versa? Like I stated earlier, I don't know the details behind the curtain, but as a user is seemed to work quite well. But in the spirit of merging all properties into one of the three "collections", I'm sure something different will have to be done this time.

Kurt

@Bill4728 Did you ever exchange into HGVC? If so, what was it like on your end?

 

[ConejoRed]

Could they not just implement different "Club reservation windows" for the Embarc resorts similar to what some of the other HGVC properties already have to preserve some of the availability for Embar members through a longer Home Week period etc.? I am thinking something similar to Grand Islander's 6-month club window etc.?

 

[SmithOp]

or even smaller window like the bHC residence club 45 days.

I know I read something in DRI forum about Embarc having governing docs that made it difficult for DRI to integrate the resorts, so it will be interesting to see how HGVC does it.

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[iiderman]

As Elite plus we were able to book intrawest Whistler weeks (all peak ski weeks).. we could book 12 months out by calling club..good times. Maybe HGV can bring back the magic.

 

[GT75]

As Elite plus we were able to book intrawest Whistler weeks (all peak ski weeks).. we could book 12 months

That is what I remember but it was before I was both elite and started skiing again.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I don't believe they would open all inventory all at once. I see it being more like the relationship with Fiesta Americana where they drop inventory based on historical trading patterns. They probably have some of those statistics from the prior affiliate relationship to guide them.

 

[dayooper]

How hard was it to book with CI? Did you feel lucky if you booked a week or was there decent availability? The relationship was ending just as I bought my first deed.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I wasn't part of TUG then so wasn't knowledgeable about 9 month. No Elite. We booked at around 6 - 7 months for a mid-December 5 day ski weekend at Whistler and there was availability. Jan - Mar more limited but do not recall if it was completely unavailable.

 

[holdaer]

How hard was it to book with CI? Did you feel lucky if you booked a week or was there decent availability? The relationship was ending just as I bought my first deed.

I was able to book a 2BR in Sandestin, FL the first week of June 2012. I remember booking it when the window first opened up. Booking reservations was doable but it took planning. I would put it up there with Hilton Head, Lagoon Tower, etc.

 

[atl]

There is marginally more information (and a pretty-looking gallery) on the Hilton dot com website regarding an August opening timeframe (at least for Hotel bookings?)

Hilton Grand Vacations Club Palm Desert

Book your stay at our conveniently located Hilton Grand Vacations Club Palm Desert full-service hotel, offering spacious guest rooms and exceptional amenities.

www.hilton.com