Hilton Grand Vacation Club

[Joey.Sylvan]

Please help. I have been travelling to Hilton Hawaiian Village every few years since I was a child. As I grew up there was a period where I obviously couldn’t afford to travel there when I was responsible for paying my own way. Now I’m 40 with twin 10 year old girls and my ability to start travelling with them is more realistic. Our family has been every year now for the last 3 years and we are planning our 4th trip at the moment. We like to travel in January/February as we are from Alberta and the winters are very cold. We have been booking through Westjet Vacations the last 3 years with the help of points and have been paying around 500 to 600 CAD per night for hotel and airfare for the 4 of us from Calgary, AB for 10, 12 and last year 14 nights. We also need to pay the 55 dollars resort fee per day as well on top when we get there. So my question is would it be beneficial to try to find a used timeshare if we plan on making this a annual trip for the next 10 years or so or should I just continue to book it the way I’m booking it.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

If it’s a guaranteed annual trip for the foreseeable future to an HGV property, then I think you can save some money by buying into the system.

I’d caution against buying directly from HGV due to the cost (which likely won’t amortize to your benefit over ten years). Buying a resale deed, on the other hand, would probably pay for itself in just a few years.

The question then is: which resale deed to buy. If you want a guaranteed week that can be booked well in advance without having to fight for it, it might be better to find a resale deed at the Hawaiian Village property. But HGV points spend the same throughout the system; the biggest difference is that points from other properties have shorter booking windows and landing a guaranteed room at a specific time can be tricky, especially during peak season.

Others can weigh in with more details (I don’t know much about the Hawaiian properties), but I think your question is legitimate, and think the answer is Yes, you can save quite a bit of money in the long run by buying a deed to stay at an HGV property annually.

 

[letsgobobby]

Please help. I have been travelling to Hilton Hawaiian Village every few years since I was a child. As I grew up there was a period where I obviously couldn’t afford to travel there when I was responsible for paying my own way. Now I’m 40 with twin 10 year old girls and my ability to start travelling with them is more realistic. Our family has been every year now for the last 3 years and we are planning our 4th trip at the moment. We like to travel in January/February as we are from Alberta and the winters are very cold. We have been booking through Westjet Vacations the last 3 years with the help of points and have been paying around 500 to 600 CAD per night for hotel and airfare for the 4 of us from Calgary, AB for 10, 12 and last year 14 nights. We also need to pay the 55 dollars resort fee per day as well on top when we get there. So my question is would it be beneficial to try to find a used timeshare if we plan on making this a annual trip for the next 10 years or so or should I just continue to book it the way I’m booking it.

welcome

Are you currently staying in studio hotel rooms or are you renting 1-2 bedrooms for that price?

Especially as your kids get older I imagine you'll find 2 br more attractive. If that's what you want then you are a good candidate to buy resale at HHV. Spend some time learning the system, understand your reservation windows, and plan early - and you can do well.

After several years of renting at HHV we also decided to take the plunge and currently own at Lagoon tower. We love it. Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

For instance, here is a Grand Islander (next door to Hawaiian Villages) annual platinum (high) season Oceanside 2BR deed for $17k. I don’t know if this is a good price or not for this property, but I’m using it as an example.

The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations Resale $17,000

Honolulu, Hawaii / Posting R1366402

www.redweek.com

This deed guarantees one week in an ocean view 2BR suite at some point during the high season every year. If you plan to stay for 10-14 nights annually, you’ll probably want to look into buying two deeds to ensure you have enough points.

But at the current $600/day for 14 days, that’s $8,400/trip, so these deeds will pay for themselves in about five years. Not a bad value proposition, even if $17k is “high” for this property (again, I don’t know what’s reasonable and what’s not for this type of deed at Grand Islander). I do know that end-of-year is a good time to buy resale deeds, since the owners are more likely to negotiate a lower price, wanting to offload the deed before year-end to avoid paying the MFs,

Expect to spend another $2k in closing costs, and then expect to pay $2400+ (usually +3%/year) maintenance fees annually per deed. Once the deeds are paid off, $4800 in MFs is already saving you nearly half compared to what you currently spend with cash.

 

[mountainboy]

We like to travel in January/February

Grand Islander (next door to Hawaiian Villages) annual platinum (high) season Oceanside 2BR deed for $17k

*Best deal would be to buy Vegas or Scotland (Craig LODGE, not suites; not Coy), std 11,200 HGVC points deed and use those points to book HGVC Hawaii at the start of the 9 mo Club booking period.
HGVC has lots of properties in HI, so should be easy to book.
Jan/Feb would not be as competitive as Christmas break/peak summer holidays etc, so should be able to get something there....
Most Vegas std 11,200 deeds can usually be had for approx 5k (or less) + closing/activation costs. (Many folks are trying to exit TSs, so may get a sweeter deal sometimes).
HI deeds have HIGH ongoing MF costs usually (although there are some good high point deeds with relatively good MFs/pt ratios)
Craig Lodge should be in same ballpark with lower closing/activn fees & faster closing (as RTU, not a deed) but FX/CX variable (as based on GBP vs CAD/USD).
Recommend you do research here at TUG (tons of posts re this) & then buy resale, as recommended...
Welcome to TUG, HGVC & TS!

 

[Joey.Sylvan]

welcome

Are you currently staying in studio hotel rooms or are you renting 1-2 bedrooms for that price?

Especially as your kids get older I imagine you'll find 2 br more attractive. If that's what you want then you are a good candidate to buy resale at HHV. Spend some time learning the system, understand your reservation windows, and plan early - and you can do well.

After several years of renting at HHV we also decided to take the plunge and currently own at Lagoon tower. We love it. Feel free to ask any questions.

We are staying in studio rooms throughout the property. The last 2 years we upgraded through the e-standby program to oceanfront in the Rainbow tower for around 60 USD per night. Yes we definitely agree that a 2 bedroom would be more attractive. I think the best part would be being able to plan ahead instead of just finding “good deals”. We have not even booked yet and are potentially trying to go again at the end of January.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Booking a 2BX (2BR Oceanview) at Grand Islander for two weeks straight would definitely require some planning on your part, e.g., booking the room well in advance (> nine months and walking the reservation forward to preserve your window).

January is Platinum season at the Hawaii properties, which means the rooms are going to cost more points because they are more desirable/competitive. Using the Grand Islander example, a 2BR Oceanview for one week will cost 23,040 points. So, for two weeks, you’d need to have available 46,080 points per year.



That many points is easy to acquire through various resale deeds with relatively low carrying costs (MFs), but I want to reiterate that guaranteeing a 2BR suite for two weeks straight when booking off-property during the general nine-month booking window can be tricky.

 

[ljmiii]

If you're confident you'll be going to Hawaii for the next 10 years, buying a timeshare resale will almost certainly be cheaper than paying 'retail' for travel packages every year. The question then becomes what size and view of unit you want to stay in and how flexible you can be and want to be. The answers to that question will determine whether or not you're better off buying at HHV or somewhere else in the HGVC system with lower MFs/point.

If you buy at HHV you'll be guaranteed to get the unit you want and more or less guaranteed to get the dates you want by making a Home Week reservation at 12 months. We own a Premier (Oceanfront) 2BR at the Lagoon Tower because getting into the Lagoon Tower by making a Club reservation at 9 months for specific dates in Jan/Feb is very difficult and well nigh impossible for Oceanfront.

But if you're willing to stay more or less anywhere at HHV you may do better to buy a less expensive deed w/lower MFs/point. But keep in mind that the point costs are usually higher for units that are still around for booking at Club Season - a week in my unit costs 15,360 points but a unit with a comparable/slightly inferior view at Grand Islander costs 30,720 points.

Lastly, if you're truly contemplating Hawaii for 14 days each year (and as much as we love HHV) you might consider buying another week (or deed(s) that give you enough points) to allow you to stay on O'ahu one week and then visit Kauai, the Big Island, or Maui the other.

 

[ljmiii]

We are staying in studio rooms throughout the property. The last 2 years we upgraded through the e-standby program to oceanfront in the Rainbow tower for around 60 USD per night. Yes we definitely agree that a 2 bedroom would be more attractive. I think the best part would be being able to plan ahead instead of just finding “good deals”. We have not even booked yet and are potentially trying to go again at the end of January.

So...the most important thing to keep in mind about buying/owning a HGVC timeshare (aside from the long term financial commitment) is that you *have* to be able to plan 9-12 months in advance. Not that plans can't change...but if they do you'll need to be flexible about location/unit/dates.

Another thing is that the benefit of owning a timeshare vs renting is greater for larger units. Not that the timeshare side of the equation really changes, but rather that it's relatively easy to find 'deals' on studio sized hotel rooms, hard for 1BR suites, and basically impossible for 2BRs. Paying cash for a 1BR at HHV almost twenty years ago is why we own a 2BR at HHV today.

 

[alwysonvac]

We like to travel in January/February as we are from Alberta and the winters are very cold. We have been booking through Westjet Vacations the last 3 years with the help of points and have been paying around 500 to 600 CAD per night for hotel and airfare for the 4 of us from Calgary, AB for 10, 12 and last year 14 nights. We also need to pay the 55 dollars resort fee per day as well on top when we get there. So my question is would it be beneficial to try to find a used timeshare if we plan on making this a annual trip for the next 10 years or so or should I just continue to book it the way I’m booking it.

You can compare Hilton.com prices.

Hilton Hotel Tower - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hnlhvhh-hilton-hawaiian-village-waikiki-beach-resort/
HGVC Lagoon and Kalia Towers - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hnlhwgv-hilton-grand-vacations-club-at-hilton-hawaiian-village/
HGVC Grand Waikikian Tower - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hnlgwgv-hilton-grand-vacations-club-grand-waikikian-honolulu/
HGVC Grand Islander Tower - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hn...ons-club-the-grand-islander-waikiki-honolulu/

For example
A one week stay (Jan 24 to 31) in the lowest hotel room is $3,698 compared to the lowest two bedroom in the Lagoon Tower is $4,066 (difference $368)
NOTE: You just missed Hilton.com sale that ended yesterday (up to 25% off).
[UPDATE: Corrected the attachments (both show January travel dates]

HGVC Annual Maintenance fee + Annual Club dues will be lower compared to a Hilton.com cash rental prices however the break even point will be based on how much you spend upfront for (resale purchase price + HGVC Resale fees + Closing company fees).

It's a great time to pickup a resale week. Here are few Lagoon Tower deals at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for extremely cheap (garden view rooms).
Hawaii resorts have higher maintenance fee but guarantee availability (if booked during the home priority week*) and most likely in the same unit if deeded the same.
NOTE: Booking during the home week priority window means booking exactly what you own (unit size/type, for the full week on the designated check-in day (Saturday for the Lagoon Tower).

From Resale Broker website - Timeshare Professional - https://timeshareprofessionals.com/

Search results from https://timesharebrokersmls.com/TimeshareDirectory/A.html​

​

Helpful TUG Sticky threads (located at the top of the forum)

• https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/2026-hilton-grand-vacations-club-maintenance-fees.377086/
• https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/hgvc-detailed-resort-affiliated-information.254931/
• https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/2025-hgvc-hcny-hgv-max-club-rules-fees-and-tips.347868/

 

[alwysonvac]

We are staying in studio rooms throughout the property. The last 2 years we upgraded through the e-standby program to oceanfront in the Rainbow tower for around 60 USD per night. Yes we definitely agree that a 2 bedroom would be more attractive. I think the best part would be being able to plan ahead instead of just finding “good deals”. We have not even booked yet and are potentially trying to go again at the end of January.

You may need to rent (continue with your existing process) if you're looking to stay next month.
Some Resale closings can take several weeks to several months.

 

[mountainboy]

We have not even booked yet and are potentially trying to go again at the end of January.

Agree re need to plan to book/commit early, if doing TS..
Agree, that if specific unit type, view type on specific dates are needed for specific loxns, then best to own there but if not picky re those, and just need somewhere in HI, then HHV in Oahu or Waikoloa on BI have significant inventory & should be able to get access at lower cost...
Excellent advice from many folks!

 

[bizaro86]

I'm from Calgary and own an HGVC unit. We tend to use it on the Big Island but the process is the same. You'll save tons of money by getting an HGVC resale vs booking through Westjet Vacations. I assume you have a Westjet mastercard? You can't use the companion vouchers on travel packages, but can for flights.

My wife and I each have one, and have 2 kids (10/12) so we each book a flight with the companion pass for ourself and 1 kid using our companion voucher/westjet points. Note that until they're 12 you get free seat selection and the card gets you free luggage, so you can book basic as long as you don't mind boarding last/just taking a backpack. That will almost certainly save money on the flight portion. I'm assuming you live in Sylvan Lake? Could also check Edmonton for flights (obviously Calgary has more options and is the generally superior city but Edmonton is sometimes cheaper).

For the accommodation portion any HGVC resale will do, but try and find one with low maintenance fees per point. We own a platinum week in Vegas which is one of the recommended options. We never use it in Vegas, only Hawaii or California.

The big catch is you will need to book this farther in advance. There's very little availability now for January, only in the most expensive rooms and limited dates. You'll want to book as soon as the booking window opens, and flights are cheaper then as well. If you're sure you're going to do HHV every year and have a specific tower/unit in mind you could buy that exact thing. It'll be more expensive, but then you can book a year out and are very likely to get that exact thing. I think this is more important if you want Lagoon Tower (which has the lowest points and so books up first).

 

[mountainboy]

Usually soliciting/advertising not permitted in HGVC forums.
Suggest you list this in the free giveaway section of HVC/Diamond...
TY!

 

[letsgobobby]

We are staying in studio rooms throughout the property. The last 2 years we upgraded through the e-standby program to oceanfront in the Rainbow tower for around 60 USD per night. Yes we definitely agree that a 2 bedroom would be more attractive. I think the best part would be being able to plan ahead instead of just finding “good deals”. We have not even booked yet and are potentially trying to go again at the end of January.

if you can plan nine months in advance the cheapest way to do this is probably to buy 3 deeds at good points generators like Vegas or the Craig Lodges (both plat seasons). Each would cost $3000-$6000 upfront plus $715 activation and you'd have 33,600 points which would reliably get you ~two weeks in a 2 br at Grand Waikikiian. you might sometimes get lucky and get 3 weeks at Lagoon. Or some combination thereof, longer vacations in 1 br, shorter if you want direct OF or OV. The maintenance fees for these 33,600 are about $3500 per year, plus club dues about $300.

You can buy in Hawaii to have access to reservations at 12 rather than 9 months, the maintenance fees are nearly double and only allow you to book exactly one week in exactly the kind of unit you want. Folks do this for Lagoon tower because the per week cost is fewer points but it is less flexible and if you sometimes want 7, sometimes 10, sometimes 12 days, it's not the best option. We chose this route because we always want at least 7 days and we go during a very high demand time and didn't want to risk being frozen out of a reservation.

 

[Seamaster]

Booking a 2BX (2BR Oceanview) at Grand Islander for two weeks straight would definitely require some planning on your part, e.g., booking the room well in advance (> nine months and walking the reservation forward to preserve your window).

January is Platinum season at the Hawaii properties, which means the rooms are going to cost more points because they are more desirable/competitive. Using the Grand Islander example, a 2BR Oceanview for one week will cost 23,040 points. So, for two weeks, you’d need to have available 46,080 points per year.

View attachment 119366

That many points is easy to acquire through various resale deeds with relatively low carrying costs (MFs), but I want to reiterate that guaranteeing a 2BR suite for two weeks straight when booking off-property during the general nine-month booking window can be tricky.

Please, specifically, what do mean by "walking the reservation forward to preserve your window".

 

[brp]

Please, specifically, what do mean by "walking the reservation forward to preserve your window".

Walking a Reservation - Tips and Tricks

I'm doing research on how to properly "walk a reservation" and it's been a little more challenging than I expected. I am planning on walking a 60-day window for one of the more exclusive Club locations for the summer. I see that there are sometimes issues with walking across Dec. 31 to Jan. 1...

tugbbs.com

Cheers.

 

[ernststarhemberg]

Please, specifically, what do mean by "walking the reservation forward to preserve your window".

For example, if you want to book a room for Oct 15 - Oct 20, and it’s likely that the room will not be available when the nine-month booking window opens on January 15, you would instead book the room nine months in advance, beginning in an earlier date, and manually “walk” the reservation forward to hopefully avoid anyone blocking off your desired dates ahead of you.

Illustrated:

Again, actual desired dates are Oct 15 - Oct 20.

1. Starting on December ~19 (prior year), book the desired room nine months out, or September 15 - 20.

2. Then, every two days, login to HGV and move the reservation forward. So, starting December ~21, change the reservation to September 17 - 21.

3. Then, two days later, log in to HGV and move the reservation forward two more days. Continue doing this every couple of days until you have “walked” the reservation forward to the desired travel dates of October 15 - 20.