Is HGVC Legacy Elite Premier Status worth it? (? Being devalued or useless now with Max)

[PigsDad]

*HGVC Legacy Elite Premier Lyft credit works well in Vegas (LAS to Elara or Flamingo etc).

Pro tip: The Lyft credit also works for rides between HGVC locations. So if you are at a HGVC in Vegas and you want to go somewhere close to another HGVC, you can use the Lyft credit. The Geo fence zone is fairly liberal on the app, so you don't necessarily have to be picked up / dropped off at the door of a HGVC location.

Kurt

 

[mountainboy]

Pro tip: The Lyft credit also works for rides between HGVC locations. So if you are at a HGVC in Vegas and you want to go somewhere close to another HGVC, you can use the Lyft credit. The Geo fence zone is fairly liberal on the app, so you don't necessarily have to be picked up / dropped off at the door of a HGVC location.

Kurt

Very nice!
Unfortunately it wasn't allowing me to go to Bellagio (for free with HGVC's Lyft Pass), although it would allow Elara, Flamingo etc from LAS...
TY!

 

[brp]

Very nice!
Unfortunately it wasn't allowing me to go to Bellagio (for free with HGVC's Lyft Pass), although it would allow Elara, Flamingo etc from LAS...
TY!

It's a relatively short walk (in a Vegas sense) from Elara to Bellagio, particularly since the bulk of it can be done in the air-conditioned Miracle Mile Shops.

Cheers.

 

[mountainboy]

It's a relatively short walk (in a Vegas sense) from Elara to Bellagio, particularly since the bulk of it can be done in the air-conditioned Miracle Mile Shops.

Cheers.

if you are at a HGVC in Vegas and you want to go somewhere close to another HGVC, you can use the Lyft credit. The Geo fence zone is fairly liberal on the app, so you don't necessarily have to be picked up / dropped off at the door of a HGVC location

Yes pls; was simply pointing out that they were not as liberal with the HGVC Lyft credit with me as I have heard from others (& as commented by @PigsDad above)...
Mahalo!

 

[mountainboy]

*For someone curious re thread title of 'whether HGVC EP still worth it', May also add the benefit here that we, as HGVC EP, do not have to pay anything to save our HGVC points to the next year, even if done on 12/31, which can be a significant saving (vs others having to pay to save points)...

REMINDER: Fee for Saving HGVC Points increases after August 31

From the 2023 HGVC Club Fee Schedule SAVE POINTS DEPOSIT | JANUARY — AUGUST TRANSACTION TYPE FEES Save Points – Phone/Online $129/$109 Elite - Save Points – Phone/Online $129/$109 Elite Plus - Save Points – Phone/Online $129/$89 Elite Premier - Save Points – Phone/Online Complimentary...

tugbbs.com

(*Obviously the best strategy would be to use/burn those points ASAP & always be in the borrow mode, to maximize using the HGVC ownership vs having to pay to save them, if not EP, etc)...

 

[brp]

Yes pls; was simply pointing out that they were not as liberal with the HGVC Lyft credit with me as I have heard from others (& as commented by @PigsDad above)...
Mahalo!

As HGVC cardboard, we don't have this Lyft credit issue to worry about. But I do get $10/month Lyft and $15 Uber, and I can go anywhere with those...

Cheers.

 

[mountainboy]

I do get $10/month Lyft and $15 Uber

CSR & Amex Platinum, presumably...

As HGVC cardboard

You have ai (= no reservation fee) with bHC which works great for your use case, so all good!
Not everyone needs Elite Status.
I had in fact initially planned to get a bHC deed (+ resale Vegas) but pivoted to CL for EP & loved it. But the extra points come with addl MFs, modest Forex/currency risk (esp with new admin weakening $ as a policy tool) etc, so respect everyone's wise choices for themselves...
Mahalo!

 

[brp]

CSR & Amex Platinum, presumably...

Yes.

You have ai (= no reservation fee) with bHC which works great for your use case, so all good!
Not everyone needs Elite Status.
I had in fact initially planned to get a bHC deed (+ resale Vegas) but pivoted to CL for EP & loved it. But the extra points come with addl MFs, modest Forex/currency risk (esp with new admin weakening $ as a policy tool) etc, so respect everyone's wise choices for themselves...
Mahalo!

Oh definitely. We just don't need enough more points to be able to get EP with CL. We will likely purchase one CL deed for DeX. had I known more about this before we bought our Blvd. (where we never stay), I might have considered more CL and EP. And we do need the specific bHC deed that we have for what we want to do with that location. So, yeah, different choices and results.

No shade toward anyone who chooses EP via the CL route. Via the developer purchase route, well, it's still a choice but one that I don't see.

Cheers.

 

[iftravel]

Yes.



Oh definitely. We just don't need enough more points to be able to get EP with CL. We will likely purchase one CL deed for DeX. had I known more about this before we bought our Blvd. (where we never stay), I might have considered more CL and EP. And we do need the specific bHC deed that we have for what we want to do with that location. So, yeah, different choices and results.

No shade toward anyone who chooses EP via the CL route. Via the developer purchase route, well, it's still a choice but one that I don't see.

Cheers.

I am going the ai bHC route with the District. How much do you still pay in term of various junk fees that EP will remove? Curious if you have explored a small developer purchase to "retro" your deeds if your total points are enough for EP.

 

[brp]

I am going the ai bHC route with the District. How much do you still pay in term of various junk fees that EP will remove? Curious if you have explored a small developer purchase to "retro" your deeds if your total points are enough for EP.

Only reservation fees are waived with ai; nothing else. As for cleaning our dirty deeds (done dirt cheap? ), I think this has to be done on a per-deed basis with money thrown in. I don't think a single developer purchase cleans the others. And these is not enough value in EP for us to spend that kind of money on laundering.

Cheers.

 

[ljmiii]

I am going the ai bHC route with the District. How much do you still pay in term of various junk fees that EP will remove? Curious if you have explored a small developer purchase to "retro" your deeds if your total points are enough for EP.

Saving is the only junk fee I pay. And that's only because I just bought at W57 and the Quin and needed to save the points that came with. Normally with HGVC I reverse the advice of Polonius - Neither a saver nor a banker be...do not forget...stay well in debt.

And unlike Vistana you can't retro HGVC deeds with a new purchase. Rather you trade in your old deeds to get new fresh deeds that count toward your Max status. I suppose it's possible that you could get the same deed back...but I've never read of someone doing so.

Usually the plan (at least for TUGgers) is to trade in deeds with bad MF/point ratios to get much better ones. And as @brp wrote, you'll have to add additional cash.

 

[iftravel]

Saving is the only junk fee I pay. And that's only because I just bought at W57 and the Quin and needed to save the points that came with. Normally with HGVC I reverse the advice of Polonius - Neither a saver nor a banker be...do not forget...stay well in debt.

And unlike Vistana you can't retro HGVC deeds with a new purchase. Rather you trade in your old deeds to get new fresh deeds that count toward your Max status. I suppose it's possible that you could get the same deed back...but I've never read of someone doing so.

Usually the plan (at least for TUGgers) is to trade in deeds with bad MF/point ratios to get much better ones. And as @brp wrote, you'll have to add additional cash.

Do you pay one saving fee per deed? If you can pay just one fee for the whole 2025 bucket that's better.

If one can trade up to the best of best (<0.08 cpp in MF), I guess it's worth it vs Legacy EP route and likely two deeds give you enough points. Can this be done for <30k in total?

 

[brp]

Do you pay one saving fee per deed? If you can pay just one fee for the whole 2025 bucket that's better.

A single saving fee even if multiple buckets (like HGVC Club and bHC). Now, if a reservation using the current year points is cancelled, there is another fee to save again. Occasionally they have been known to waive it. But not by policy.

Cheers.

 

[HuskerATL]

Saving is the only junk fee I pay

This is the nice part about EP...so free to reserve, save, or convert to HH. We reserve a lot so that is a big savings for us but don't really do the other two, however, because I know saving is free, I don't pay attention to the cost and know that I can just save at the last minute, any point amounts, for free. Having a lot of points and these perks, really change the way that you use the system.

 

[mountainboy]

Having a lot of points and these perks, really change the way that you use the system.

100%!
Love it!

 

[mountainboy]

Neither a saver nor a banker be...do not forget...stay well in debt.

Very well said!

 

[mountainboy]

*May also add, we get unlimited GCs (Gift Certs) as EP.
Remind me, HGVC Gurus: HGVC allows free GC for Home reservation but it does it charge for GCs for HGVC club point reservations from non-Elite or bHC folks?
TY!

 

[HuskerATL]

*May also add, we get unlimited GCs (Gift Certs) as EP.
Remind me, HGVC Gurus: HGVC allows free GC for Home reservation but it does it charge for GCs for HGVC club point reservations from non-Elite or bHC folks?
TY!

Unlimited free...

Yes all legacy owners pay for GCs except EP and in Max each level gets a set number but no unlimited free... Not even Centum

 

[mountainboy]

Unlimited free...

Yes all legacy owners pay for GCs except EP and in Max each level gets a set number but no unlimited free... Not even Centum

Very nice benefit of EP then...
Yay!

 

[mountainboy]

At Bay Club, Waikoloa, HI...
Staff indicated that even as Elite Premier, Bay Club does NOT get access to Hilton Waikoloa pools while Kohala does...
(many prior posts re Bay Club vs KS but was a bit surprised for them denying that benefit for Elites)...
We DO get access to KL pools as Elite but no bracelet (don't care/need so did not push)...

Grateful that we are in HI, so all good but no Elite 'upgrades' for our stay...
Had requested top floor unit which is bookable with same pts, but was given Ground Floor unit instead, 'the only one we got for your dates', 'take it or leave it'...
Was looking forward to a modest recognition of my parents milestone anniversary (as I had told them well ahead of our arrival) but zilch/nada.
Not nice but don't want to ruin our vacay... We are in HI after all. The A type 2 BR units are nice although the kitchens are tight/smallish & no exhaust vent hood/fan in kitchen at all (?)...
Nice sized Patio/balcony. Quiet pools (not too many screaming kids unlike KL), so all good..
Ground Floor has it's own benefits, can walk to the grill next to us... walk on the grass barefoot (nice treat for us desert rats)...

I guess I need to be more assertive like @JohnnyO & ask/get what I need/want/deserve... #Goals!

 

[HuskerATL]

At Bay Club, Waikoloa, HI...
Staff indicated that even as Elite Premier, Bay Club does NOT get access to Hilton Waikoloa pools while Kohala does...
(many prior posts re Bay Club vs KS but was a bit surprised for them denying that benefit for Elites)...
We DO get access to KL pools as Elite but no bracelet (don't care/need so did not push)...

Grateful that we are in HI, so all good but no Elite 'upgrades' for our stay...
Had requested top floor unit which is bookable with same pts, but was given Ground Floor unit instead, 'the only one we got for your dates', 'take it or leave it'...
Was looking forward to a modest recognition of my parents milestone anniversary (as I had told them well ahead of our arrival) but zilch/nada.
Not nice but don't want to ruin our vacay... We are in HI after all. The A type 2 BR units are nice although the kitchens are tight/smallish & no exhaust vent hood/fan in kitchen at all (?)...
Nice sized Patio/balcony. Quiet pools (not too many screaming kids unlike KL), so all good..
Ground Floor has it's own benefits, can walk to the grill next to us... walk on the grass barefoot (nice treat for us desert rats)...

I guess I need to be more assertive like @JohnnyO & ask/get what I need/want/deserve... #Goals!

yes, this is true...no Waikoloa access but you do get KL. Now, you can just go there and swim until they kick you out....

We like the BC villas...very large.

 

[mountainboy]

We like the BC villas...very large.

I was HGVC pt poor when I booked, so I booked the A, 2 BR units, slightly lower pts than Villas. These are also nice sized units & patio/balcony (except the kitchen which was smallish).. (now have plenty of pts & def would book the villas the next time, if/when we stay here again)..
Mahalo!

 

[JohnnyO]

At Bay Club, Waikoloa, HI...
Staff indicated that even as Elite Premier, Bay Club does NOT get access to Hilton Waikoloa pools while Kohala does...
(many prior posts re Bay Club vs KS but was a bit surprised for them denying that benefit for Elites)...
We DO get access to KL pools as Elite but no bracelet (don't care/need so did not push)...

Grateful that we are in HI, so all good but no Elite 'upgrades' for our stay...
Had requested top floor unit which is bookable with same pts, but was given Ground Floor unit instead, 'the only one we got for your dates', 'take it or leave it'...
Was looking forward to a modest recognition of my parents milestone anniversary (as I had told them well ahead of our arrival) but zilch/nada.
Not nice but don't want to ruin our vacay... We are in HI after all. The A type 2 BR units are nice although the kitchens are tight/smallish & no exhaust vent hood/fan in kitchen at all (?)...
Nice sized Patio/balcony. Quiet pools (not too many screaming kids unlike KL), so all good..
Ground Floor has it's own benefits, can walk to the grill next to us... walk on the grass barefoot (nice treat for us desert rats)...

I guess I need to be more assertive like @JohnnyO & ask/get what I need/want/deserve... #Goals!

I tell you the Hilton Waikoloa Village needs all the business it can get. That place is dying. More people there means more business for what few vendors and restaurants they have. As Kohala Suites guests we could charge to our room at HWV. I'm shocked they don't let BC use their facilities. BC checks in at Kohala Suites don't they? The manager who helped us was David. And as EP we had use of BC, KL, and HWV. Free parking at HWV was nice as well.

MBV's asked us if we were celebrating anything ... and then sent us a bottle of Prosecco with a card for our anniversary. Nice touch. Kohala didn't ask and didn't respond.

Happy Anniversary to your folks.

 

[mountainboy]

I'm shocked they don't let BC use their facilities. BC checks in at Kohala Suites don't they? The manager who helped us was David. And as EP we had use of BC, KL, and HWV.

Yup, exactly the reason for the surprise but per staff it has to do with the Bay Club HOA deciding not to cover HWV pool access or free parking (unlike KS)... (had seen some posts here at TUG re this before + unlikely that we would go swimming there, although many liked the dolphin area & the lagoon there)...
Thx for the kind wishes! They are in the Slow-Go phase of their retirement/life journey & hope we can spend precious time on vacays together before the No-Go phase starts

 

[SmithOp]

I recall discussions in older threads that BC owners elected not to participate in HWV access because it was additional MF cost, they preferred that folks pay the $150 if they wanted access.

If you have a few hot tub discussions you may find there are a lot of BC owners that are not enrolled in HGVC points and prefer it that way, use their units or trade in RCI, that saves them club fees also.