How many points are REALLY needed?

[ernststarhemberg]

Curious what the ballpark is for your annual maintenance fees. Ours is around $3860 right now.

Last time I checked they were right around $7,000, +/- $100. Also includes bHC deeds so their MF : point ratio will come in on the higher side relative to HGV.

 

[scoutings]

yes how much time and money to travel to hgvc destinations do you really have each year? you can always buy more later. focus on one decent deed that can be resold later and see how it goes. I might aim in the 11,200 point range.

we started with 11,200 eoy because it was practically free to buy. quickly found a 13,440 annual where we want to use a home week booking and book 12 months out every year. and more recently added a West 57th 8400 for our annual trip to NYC and access to bHC and all inclusive reservations. this is plenty for now. We could see ourselves buying more in retirement. we can't drive to any hgvc resorts.

if going to myrtle beach on short notice is important then there is no reason to own at myrtle beach because you can use any points to book on short notice.

Does this mean it's difficult to book NY if your home resort is elsewhere?

 

[HuskerATL]

Does this mean it's difficult to book NY if your home resort is elsewhere?

There tends to be availability. The exception can be key holidays or events

 

[scoutings]

There tends to be availably. The exception can be key holidays or events

Perfect. Thanks!

 

[letsgobobby]

Does this mean it's difficult to book NY if your home resort is elsewhere?

it was more difficult prior to the pandemic, it's been easier since but i note it's starting to fill more. also while you can find rooms, the weekends are filling.

but the biggest reason we bought nyc was because club season is very short there. for example W57th club season only starts 59 days out. Flying from the west coast that wasn't possible.

 

[brp]

it was more difficult prior to the pandemic, it's been easier since but i note it's starting to fill more. also while you can find rooms, the weekends are filling.

but the biggest reason we bought nyc was because club season is very short there. for example W57th club season only starts 59 days out. Flying from the west coast that wasn't possible.

Looking within Club Season (until Oct. 5), I do see some availability in NYC. but not a whole lot.

We also come from the west coast, and we plan at T-276 just to get things locked in. We actually get airline tickets even further out than this for best rates.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

Looking within Club Season (until Oct. 5), I do see some availability in NYC. but not a whole lot.

We also come from the west coast, and we plan at T-276 just to get things locked in. We actually get airline tickets even further out than this for best rates.

Cheers.

There is also availability via RCI that is further out.

You can book W57th clear out to June 2024 via RCI and it is less points.

 

[brp]

Thanks @HuskerATL. We've still not done RCI, but this looks appealing, even with the fees, for extra stays.

And I believe I've seen that W. 57th owners do get lounge access even on RCI stays, even if not guaranteed.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

nd I believe I've seen that W. 57th owners do get lounge access

I would think they would, since they are owners. Really, the extra fees there aren't too bad, $279 RCI fee and a $90 housekeeping fee but for us since our Craig Lodges MF/pt are 0.09, that means a week there would cost 3840 X 0.09 = $345 + the fees. A pretty cheap week in NYC. This is the RCI Exchange option but there is also a RCI Extra Vacations where you just pay cash, and a studio for a week is $800 + fees.

 

[scoutings]

There is also availability via RCI that is further out.




You can book W57th clear out to June 2024 via RCI and it is less points.

I don't own HGVC (yet?).

Are your points less because you own HGVC? Is this the RCI-HGVC enrolled account?

This is what I see:

 

[HuskerATL]

I don't own HGVC (yet?).

Are your points less because you own HGVC? Is this the RCI-HGVC enrolled account?

This is what I see:

View attachment 79989

There is a HGV version of RCI that you access via the HGV portal. The RCI points are your HGV points. When you log in, you see your HGV points for the current year and the next 2 that are available for use in RCI. Funny part is that we can't book HCNY via HGV. It is only for HCNY owners but we can via RCI.

 

[letsgobobby]

I would think they would, since they are owners. Really, the extra fees there aren't too bad, $279 RCI fee and a $90 housekeeping fee but for us since our Craig Lodges MF/pt are 0.09, that means a week there would cost 3840 X 0.09 = $345 + the fees. A pretty cheap week in NYC. This is the RCI Exchange option but there is also a RCI Extra Vacations where you just pay cash, and a studio for a week is $800 + fees.

View attachment 79951

please note that is gold season/lowest demand and only ten days out. essentially a fire sale.

i'm looking at w57th the next sixty days which is some gold and some plat and see excellent STP availability except some weekends are missing one night. the weekends where either fri-sat or sat-sun are available are Aug 18-20, Sep 15-17, Sep 22-24, Sep 29-Oct 1, or Oct 6-8. For any 1 BR room type, the only weekends with the same availability are Sep 15-17, Sep 29-Oct 1, or Oct 6-8, and two of those have only 1BR Premier (high point requirements).

 

[HuskerATL]

please note that is gold season/lowest demand and only ten days out. essentially a fire sale.

The one that I pulled up using points for W57th is for next June.

 

[letsgobobby]

The one that I pulled up using points for W57th is for next June.

it says Aug 13-20?

 

[HuskerATL]

it says Aug 13-20?

That was the cash one. Look at the previous post where I pulled up one using points for next June. There was a lot of availability but I wanted to pull one up for next summer since it is way outside the non-HC owner HGV booking window. I just pulled it up again and there is less availability now. There was more before but now the next availability, using points, starts in January. The Extra Vacation option still has the August week available starting the 13th.

 

[pedro47]

Why didn't Hilton just grandfather all the fully paid DRI owners, Deed owners and Club members into the Hilton Max Program?

 

[BingoBangoBongo]

Why didn't Hilton just grandfather all the fully paid DRI owners, Deed owners and Club members into the Hilton Max Program?

$$$$$$$$$

 

[GT75]

Why didn't Hilton just grandfather all the fully paid DRI owners, Deed owners and Club members into the Hilton Max Program?

Wow, second $$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Isn't it obvious? They need to put all of the money before anyone figures out the shame of the program.

 

[geist1223]

Why didn't Hilton just grandfather all the fully paid DRI owners, Deed owners and Club members into the Hilton Max Program?

LOL. You have a great sense of humor.

 

[jt4online]

yes how much time and money to travel to hgvc destinations do you really have each year? you can always buy more later. focus on one decent deed that can be resold later and see how it goes. I might aim in the 11,200 point range.

we started with 11,200 eoy because it was practically free to buy. quickly found a 13,440 annual where we want to use a home week booking and book 12 months out every year. and more recently added a West 57th 8400 for our annual trip to NYC and access to bHC and all inclusive reservations. this is plenty for now. We could see ourselves buying more in retirement. we can't drive to any hgvc resorts.

if going to myrtle beach on short notice is important then there is no reason to own at myrtle beach because you can use any points to book on short notice.

How much is the annual maintenance for 11,200 eoy?

 

[HuskerATL]

How much is the annual maintenance for 11,200 eoy?

depends on the property. Look in the MF sticky to see one at the properties that you are interested in.

 

[GT75]

How much is the annual maintenance for 11,200 eoy?

For most HGVC properties, you will pay MFs EOY. But you will pay club dues every year.

 

[Toddaagard]

"Only the paranoid survive..." congrats on that panic that lead to you cancelling/rescinding!

I own a small HGV contract and love it. Agree with @Tamaradarann that the question of HOW MANY pts is truly a personal question and often you don't even get a clear answer until you are in the system and using it. I personally own a small contract because I was more interested in low MF, getting my feet wet in the system + just being a member of the club and using Open Season (cash option vs pts) to book... my 5600 annual contract works well for me, but then again I don't even expect to use my contract annually, I have other avenues to book travel (credit card points/miles, my other timeshare, Costco travel, airbnb, etc).

Maybe give us a few hypothetical scenarios of how you would plan to use your HGV this year (2023) if you had it and we can give you some thoughts and availability which may give you some new insights?

What is your all in avg cost per night for a studio and 1 bedroom? And then just for Hawaii properties? Is the cash option cheaper than purchasing 20,000 points?

 

[Jason245]

I think you should actually start here:

"What to Buy" Questions for New Timeshare Owners

Here are some questions you can answer to focus your timeshare wants/needs. Suggestion - copy the questions below, and start a new thread entitled "My Survey" or "What should I buy?," or something similar, and answer the questions in a NEW thread. 1) Is there a vacation destination you wish...

tugbbs.com

I have a family of 4.


Before I bought what I did, I spent several months researching all the programs analyzing cash flow costs, break even points etc.

I currently own 2 EOY HGVC 1BR bayclub units that I picked up for free on Ebay (basically plat 1BR points) that I successfully use for about 6 to 8 nights in 2BR units a year depending on if I hit Silver or Gold season and days of the week. Between open season and these stays I get great value

In addition, I own club Wyndham EOY points package my parents basically gave to me (Which our family uses to basically book a 2B at Bonnett Creek in Orlando)... the Cost per night on this isn't great, but I more or less took it over from the parents to help them financially and will probably give it back to Wyndham in a few years.

HGVC is a fantastic program...I have stayed in resorts for almost every program over the years, and I would say that it has the most consistent quality and standards and service across of others, and it is always top notch. I cannot speak to the MAX resorts I would only ever become part of it if they basically pushed me into it for free since I would occasionally like access to the Canadian resorts from Embarc. When I stayed at diamond resorts in the past it was very hit and miss, and I am not sure if things have improved. I feel like they are going down the path of Quantity over Quality on all these acquisitions now, and I can only hope that HGVC doesn't drop in quality, I also hope that they continue to expand the Traditional HGVC portfolio but at this point, I think it is unlikely and they will probably just focus on MAX, so expect no new resorts to be available other than those already part of the program if you buy in.

 

[Toddaagard]

I think you should actually start here:

"What to Buy" Questions for New Timeshare Owners

Here are some questions you can answer to focus your timeshare wants/needs. Suggestion - copy the questions below, and start a new thread entitled "My Survey" or "What should I buy?," or something similar, and answer the questions in a NEW thread. 1) Is there a vacation destination you wish...

tugbbs.com

I have a family of 4.


Before I bought what I did, I spent several months researching all the programs analyzing cash flow costs, break even points etc.

I currently own 2 EOY HGVC 1BR bayclub units that I picked up for free on Ebay (basically plat 1BR points) that I successfully use for about 6 to 8 nights in 2BR units a year depending on if I hit Silver or Gold season and days of the week. Between open season and these stays I get great value

In addition, I own club Wyndham EOY points package my parents basically gave to me (Which our family uses to basically book a 2B at Bonnett Creek in Orlando)... the Cost per night on this isn't great, but I more or less took it over from the parents to help them financially and will probably give it back to Wyndham in a few years.

HGVC is a fantastic program...I have stayed in resorts for almost every program over the years, and I would say that it has the most consistent quality and standards and service across of others, and it is always top notch. I cannot speak to the MAX resorts I would only ever become part of it if they basically pushed me into it for free since I would occasionally like access to the Canadian resorts from Embarc. When I stayed at diamond resorts in the past it was very hit and miss, and I am not sure if things have improved. I feel like they are going down the path of Quantity over Quality on all these acquisitions now, and I can only hope that HGVC doesn't drop in quality, I also hope that they continue to expand the Traditional HGVC portfolio but at this point, I think it is unlikely and they will probably just focus on MAX, so expect no new resorts to be available other than those already part of the program if you buy in.

Eoy?