I just completed a 1-week stay in my home week 2BR unit. I attended the sales update because I'm a sucker for free stuff. I own at this resort, a 2BR, 2200 point deeded unit. The sales pitch went like this:
- Keep your deeded week, but we can help you to "Hyattize it" if you purchase 500 portfolio points for $15,435 up front cost and then pay $700 in annual maintenance fees
Don't ask me to describe to you what they meant by "Hyattize it" because it was all complete nonsense. It was just a ploy to get me to purchase portfolio points. The most alarming thing they said was that my ability to trade my deeded week for another week in the HVC resort network will "likely go away" in about 2 months.
They said they have seen the draft language from corporate that outlines the removal of the ability for owners to trade their week for another property and it will be approved in just a matter of months. Wow, can you believe it? They also said the only way I can maintain my ability to trade my week is to purchase the portfolio points. Wow, can you believe it? So if I don't sign up today I will be very disappointed in losing my ability to trade to other HVC properties in the future. Nice try guys, but NO.
I did sign up for the Access Package to stay at one of 6 HVC properties in the next 18 months. They have changed this offer from previous Access Packages I have signed up for. This iteration is $995 + $100 processing fee ($1095 total with the option to pay over 10 months) for 5 days and 4 nights. Properties include Sedona, Key West Beach House, Carmel, Bonita Springs, San Antonio, and Maui + $800. They now have tiers for these properties in the Access Package and will charge an uplift if you want to stay at peak times. For example, Beach House is included at the original price but they will charge a $300 uplift if you want to stay Jan-Mar.
For putting myself through the sales update I will get the following:
20K World of Hyatt points for attending the presentation - already deposited into my account the next day!
10K additional World of Hyatt points for signing up for the Access Package - deposits 30 days after presentation
25K more World of Hyatt points for attending a future presentation at one of the HVC properties from the Access Package
I value World of Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each. 55K total points = $935 of future value to me
If, and this is a big IF....HVC does remove the ability for deeded owners to trade to other HVC properties as they claimed, by signing up for the Access Package this gives me 18 months to accept their outrageous portfolio points offer and will allow me to trade my deeded week.
Honestly, the portfolio points program is all complete BS and I find their tactics laughable. The sad thing is people fall for it. Not me, I fall for them continuing to give me World of Hyatt points for 1.5 hours of my time.