Is Club Open Season Rental very useful?

[ljmiii]

It is nice that they follow the same rules as HGVC, booking windows and OS, unlike the NYC and The District properties

I actually think the exact opposite. HGV had a good thing going with their post-W57/pre Liberty Place bHC rules. Owners have better access than anyone else as well as priority booking into the other reciprocal resorts in the bHC reservation window. Liberty Place and Elara bHC would be so much more interesting to own if they had the same access.

As things stand I have no idea why anyone would buy Liberty Place or Elara bHC when the least expensive Vegas or Scotland deed has the exact same access as bHC owners at the resort. Aside from Home Week...and to me neither Charleston nor Vegas are week long destinations. Ka Haku is a different story...

 

[HuskerATL]

I actually think the exact opposite. HGV had a good thing going with their post-W57/pre Liberty Place bHC rules. Owners have better access than anyone else and priority booking into the other reciprocal resorts in the bHC reservation window.

I guess that I mean for those of us who don't own in bHC ... It works well for us.

I actually wouldn't own in any of them. The mf/pt is to high for properties that we can book when we need them with cheaper points, which isn't too often though. Now, if you go to NYC often, then I can see the benefit of owning there.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

Does anyone use a lot of OS bookings? Are they more or less useful in certain locations and curious your experience.

seems like this went straight to price and focusing on only a few locations
2 big issues with openseason; #1 INVENTORY. If they have no rooms available, who cares whta the price is supposed to be?

 

[brp]

seems like this went straight to price and focusing on only a few locations
2 big issues with openseason; #1 INVENTORY. If they have no rooms available, who cares whta the price is supposed to be?

#2. See number 1?

Cheers.

 

[WaikikiFirst]

wonder if someone sees the OS availability for The Bay Forest Odawara

brp beat me to it ...
2 big issues with openseason; #2 You have to get there with < 30 days notice. OS = Last 30 Days, I think
Do you live in Japan? How often have you bought a plane ticket to go to Japan in the next 30 days? We spent 4 or more weeks in Japan a few times. It'd be cool to add on a few days there, but the travel has to make sense.
And there are some awesome, tiny ryokans in that area (Hakone & Atami) that may well cost less given the FX rate

 

[WaikikiFirst]

This resort is likely a bHC resort

Is it? Odawara? Isn't bHC for urban locations? Odawara isn't urban. It is basically half-way between "here" & "there". We've been to Hakone & Atami. Very nice, but basically half-way. It would be like that Avila Bch TS in CA, halfway between S Jose & LA

 

[iftravel]

Is it? Odawara? Isn't bHC for urban locations? Odawara isn't urban. It is basically half-way between "here" & "there". We've been to Hakone & Atami. Very nice, but basically half-way. It would be like that Avila Bch TS in CA, halfway between S Jose & LA

HGVC is expanding into Japan, which is unique. Think they are adding an urban property in Kyoto as well. Odawara isn’t too far away from Tokyo so we plan to add a short stay opportunistically - no need to make a trip just for it.

 

[iftravel]

I've used OS to stay at Elara Hilton Club multiple times now, and I only own regular HGVC. OS is a steal at this property, because it's the same price as regular Elara - and way less than what it would cost in points to stay there.

Thanks for sharing. I am looking for sweet spots for OS and glad heavy users like you find it useful. $1000 in a 2-bed (or $650 in a 1-bed) for a week sounds like well worth it. I’m able to trade into Marriott Grand Chateau in II for roughly similar cost. Any preference Elara vs Marriott?

 

[muscae]

I've used OS in Vegas when I needed a Fri/Sat night stay. Once I paid less for a 1BR at Trump than hotel rooms were going for at Circus Circus and of course all casino resorts that weekend.

 

[frank808]

Have only used OS once in almost 16 years of HGVC ownership. This was once for 2 nights for a friend. Finding availability on Oahu at 30 days is iffy at best.

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[buzglyd]

I’ve used OS a few times. Currently using it quite a bit in Carlsbad. 92 year old MIL lives with us and is driving me slowly insane, so I use OS and live at Mar Brisa mid week when it’s cheaper. I’ve used it in LV and Orlando where it is generally easier to get nights.

 

[mitzi]

I've used it several times. Agree on the Elara Club being a good deal. It's a good way to extend a trip (or add a stop-over) for a couple of days. Looking now, there are (as usual) plenty of options in Vegas and Orlando. I also see options for a week in Hawaii or Mexico. It's nice to be able to book only two nights - which can be less than what one night in a hotel room would be.

 

[FilthyForever]

Thanks for sharing. I am looking for sweet spots for OS and glad heavy users like you find it useful. $1000 in a 2-bed (or $650 in a 1-bed) for a week sounds like well worth it. I’m able to trade into Marriott Grand Chateau in II for roughly similar cost. Any preference Elara vs Marriott?

Elara - especially the top Hilton Club floors are the nicest rooms in the entire HGVC system in my opinion. And from what I've seen there is no comparison between the Marriott Chateau across the street. Check out some of my other posts on this property:

Video of an accessible 1 bedroom premier with (huge) balcony on the 60th floor of Elara (unit #6009): Elara Hilton Club - Unit #6009 Balcony

I just got back from a stay in a stay in a different 1 bedroom premier, and it was a completely different layout from the previous 1 bedrooms I've stayed in. It was unit 6009 which on the exit plan looks much wider than the typical 1 bedroom layout. The balcony was huge - like the size of the entire kitchen and living room of the unit.

Here is a link to a video: Elara Hilton Club - Unit #6009 Balcony

Looking back at my at my reservation history, this room was one of the accessible rooms ("1BXAD") and had a more open bathroom layout and lower counters in the kitchen etc:

View attachment 109020

I also got to tour one of the 1 bedroom premier floorplans with the triangular balcony at the strip end of the building (adjacent to the rooster tail units), and it was much larger than the standard "square" 1 bedrooms in the middle of each floor. So there are at least 3 different 1-bedroom layouts (regardless of balcony or not).

And the bathtub really shows you all you need to know:

 

[buzglyd]

They have that tub at Parc Soleil.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

And in the penthouses at W57

 

[iftravel]

Elara - especially the top Hilton Club floors are the nicest rooms in the entire HGVC system in my opinion. And from what I've seen there is no comparison between the Marriott Chateau across the street. Check out some of my other posts on this property:





And the bathtub really shows you all you need to know:

View attachment 113142

The tub is fun to look at but I will never use it lol.

I feel Marriott rooms are quite “uniform” and Hilton rooms are more “tiered”.

Can someone show me a dump photo of some Hilton rooms? Lol.

 

[HuskerATL]

But, do they have the TVs in the bathroom mirrors like they do at OO?

 

[zentraveler]

Elara - especially the top Hilton Club floors are the nicest rooms in the entire HGVC system in my opinion. And from what I've seen there is no comparison between the Marriott Chateau across the street. Check out some of my other posts on this property:

And the bathtub really shows you all you need to know:

View attachment 113142

Is it just me or does this bathtub stupid and impractical? Certainly could be me .

 

[buzglyd]

Is it just me or does this bathtub stupid and impractical? Certainly could be me .

It’s designed to sell.

 

[ljmiii]

Is it just me or does this bathtub stupid and impractical? Certainly could be me .

Oh...it's the first one. No slope to the either end of the tub and adding a bit of hot water to warm up the bath once you're enjoying your soak will be...problematic.

 

[zentraveler]

It’s designed to sell.

Sell what??

 

[buzglyd]

Sell what??

Timeshares.

 

[iftravel]

I’m curious who gets the money from selling OS, HOA, Hilton or Owners? In theory, no points are spent on OS so it’s the excessive inventory that the benefit could go to any party.

 

[HuskerATL]

I’m curious who gets the money from selling OS, HOA, Hilton or Owners? In theory, no points are spent on OS so it’s the excessive inventory that the benefit could go to any party.

I assume that it goes to the same place that if points were used. HGVC is an exchange system and the points are used to make it easier to do the exchange but, on the backend probably still translate to cash.

 

[frank808]

But, do they have the TVs in the bathroom mirrors like they do at OO?

They have both at Hokulani. And bidet!

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