MEMBER-EXCLUSIVE - Saturday 21st of July.

[Jason245]

The offers are too disappointing to me. OTOH I don’t see this generating more revenue for HGVC as they are giving away Visacards which holds value and the only income is the booking fee.

I guesstimate other members will be disappointed too when they make a booking for these dates and don’t get the “special offer” cause if you don’t create a new reservation and pay a booking fee you get nothing. If you already have a reservation for ie. Vegas and modify if for Orlando for these dates you get nothing.

Every night night a room is vacant costs hgvc... it looks like they are trying to get members to use their points in low demand times in resorts so that they (hgvc) can have open season availability in higher demand times.. it isn't a bad idea and if it works it will probably be a net positive for them.. e.g. if you were going to use your points to book a trip to Orlando in December.. or Carolinas.. and instead book for orlando because of this "deal"..they might have that open season available to rent. .

Personally, I book my points reservations 6-9 months out at resorts other than orlando and open season orlando..

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[Cyberc]

Every night night a room is vacant costs hgvc... it looks like they are trying to get members to use their points in low demand times in resorts so that they (hgvc) can have open season availability in higher demand times.. it isn't a bad idea and if it works it will probably be a net positive for them.. e.g. if you were going to use your points to book a trip to Orlando in December.. or Carolinas.. and instead book for orlando because of this "deal"..they might have that open season available to rent. .

Personally, I book my points reservations 6-9 months out at resorts other than orlando and open season orlando..

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I understand why it could be a good idea if hgvc can move the occupancy to lower demand times and hopefully rent higher demand times themselves. The move is risky if it fails hgvc stand to loose money instead.

I would assume that hgvc have to split the proceeds somehow with the HOAs and not just pocket everything themselves

 

[audirt]

I never understood the acquisition of Las Palmas. We go to Orlando 1-2 times per year and have never had a problem getting a 2-br at the property we want (either Parc Soleil or SeaWorld during their small silver season in December). And this was before they added Las Palmas.

 

[Tamaradarann]

From a balance sheet perspective, outstanding points are as good as money. Just like companies want to get excess owed vacation off their books, so companies like this very likely want to get outstanding points to go away. So, a point-discounted stay is very bottom-line valuable. Now,, just how valuable it is relative to cash I don't know. But certainly more than it might seem on surface.

Cheers.

I am not an accountant but I don't know if that is true. From an objective perspective rooms are assets that are used to make income. But when the date passes if the room isn't filled the asset is eliminated. If HGVC sells a room for cash on Open Season it provides income. Whether HGVC fills a room using points or it remains vacant the income is the same. (except for the very little they receive for the reservation fee) With other products if a company doesn't sell the product they don't generate income, but they still have the product to sell the next day. Furthermore, keep in mind that even if there are a great deal of points out there members can only fill rooms that are available, and if they are not available then to use those points members need to either delay the vacation or go to a different resort. They can't spent those points, like they can cash, with another company unless they want to lose value as we know with point partners.

 

[Tamaradarann]

From my perspective I don't understand the benefit of this offer to HGVC except that it fills some rooms that are remaining vacant during a low demand season. Maybe the occupancy is so low that they would need to start laying people off or closing buildings. There are Toooooo many timeshare resorts in the Orlando area and they can't be supported when the kids are in school which is 9 months out of the year.

 

[buzglyd]

It seems like HGV is incentivizing owners to use up their points rather than save them or lose them. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a similar offer for Myrtle beach properties in the winter.

Note the offer is only valid with points stays and not Open Season.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I am glad they are trying something new. IMO the gift card pays for the reservation fee and the upgrade is a nice perk. Hope they offer something for Vegas, however most of our points are now committed until 2020.

 

[Tamaradarann]

It seems like HGV is incentivizing owners to use up their points rather than save them or lose them. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a similar offer for Myrtle beach properties in the winter.

Note the offer is only valid with points stays and not Open Season.

Yes it is only valid with points and my points at this stage of my life are better used in another location. If you could use Open Season I would have considered it. We took the Grandchildren to Disney when they were younger and, of course, they loved it. Using the points at Orlando HGVC Resorts then was a high priority. Now, other locations such as Miami Beach, Honolulu, and Las Vegas are more of a priority.

The crazy thing about the time period of the promotion is that we have the first 2 weeks in Florida already booked thru RCI with Extra Vacations not points. The first week is a promotion thru Vacation Village the developer of our RCI timeshare. It is at the resort we own, Misner Place, and cost us $159 for the entire week. From that location we can visit some friends and go to the Seminole Native American Festival easily. The 2nd week is in Clearwater for $600 for the entire week. The resort is at a Gold Crown Resort on a Beach on the Gulf with a water park on site. We have friends in both Clearwater and Tampa that we can visit easily from there. Those prices make the 2 week vacation very affordable without using our HGVC points that can be used in other locations.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I agree. If we need to stay in Vegas or Orlando it is far cheaper to buy a getaway on II, II AC, RCI, or use hotel CC points and cash, and save the expensive HGVC MF points for premium locations when we need a 1 or 2 bedroom unit for the fam.

Tuggers don't let Tuggers use expensive points on low value timeshares. LoL

 

[jehb2]

The offers are too disappointing to me.

Yelp. I was actually curious but this is so lame. Basically they’re waving the booking fee. Before we had kids we use to make use of RCI excess inventory. We would get a whole week for $207–no other fees or taxes. Now that was awesome.

If HGVC wants to generate revenue on rooms that would otherwise sit empty that’s what they should do.

 

[Cyberc]

Yelp. I was actually curious but this is so lame. Basically they’re waving the booking fee. Before we had kids we use to make use of RCI excess inventory. We would get a whole week for $207–no other fees or taxes. Now that was awesome.

If HGVC wants to generate revenue on rooms that would otherwise sit empty that’s what they should do.

I don’t think they are allowed to do that on regular inventory. If they had developer inventory they could but not with regular. One way to discount the point price was to award the member a 20% bonus points of what they booked. That way they could move the excess inventory and get a booking fee. The bonus points or whatever they would decide to call them could have other restrictions compared to normal bonus points. Ie book Hawaii and receive 20% bonus points only usable in Orlando and vegas.

 

[brp]

I agree. If we need to stay in Vegas or Orlando it is far cheaper to buy a getaway on II, II AC, RCI, or use hotel CC points and cash, and save the expensive HGVC MF points for premium locations when we need a 1 or 2 bedroom unit for the fam.

Tuggers don't let Tuggers use expensive points on low value timeshares. LoL

We've used our Vegas points in Vegas, although there are certainly better locations from a value standpoint. But a recent Elara trip that would have cost something like $800/night to book separately we got 4 nights for like $900 in MFs. So it still can be a good deal.

Cheers.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

This offer is not that exciting to me, but I did not really expect that it would be.

As for HGVC, any unused points are considered a liability on the balance sheet. They are promise to provide a service or product in the future. Obviously that liability goes away if the points are used or eventually expire.

In addition getting people to the resorts helps HGVC in several ways:

People at the resort spend money at the resort on food and drinks, etc.

More people at the resort means more potential people to sign-up for owner updates. All timeshare companies report on "tour volume" during their investor calls, its an important metric for that industry. Some of these people will probably choose to upgrade their ownership to more points, so thats a win for them.

Lastly the more you get people to use their points, they will probably be happy with their ownership and may consider getting more points.

I don't think they are worried about losing a few bucks on the giftcards, this is all about getting people to resorts and onto a tour.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Yelp. I was actually curious but this is so lame. Basically they’re waving the booking fee. Before we had kids we use to make use of RCI excess inventory. We would get a whole week for $207–no other fees or taxes. Now that was awesome.

If HGVC wants to generate revenue on rooms that would otherwise sit empty that’s what they should do.

We didn't own timeshares before we had kids. We were young and poor. But the kids are now grown up, and we are retired so we can and are making very good use of the RCI excess inventory.

HGVC has Open Season to do the same thing as RCI extra inventory. The periods that they are running the promotion for is either Gold or Silver which in Orlando should have pretty low rates so if they let us use Open Season CASH instead of points to book this inventory they would be doing what you suggest. They could also let you book in August for October, November and early December so that you could plan the vacations with airline tickets.

 

[dayooper]

Yelp. I was actually curious but this is so lame. Basically they’re waving the booking fee. Before we had kids we use to make use of RCI excess inventory. We would get a whole week for $207–no other fees or taxes. Now that was awesome.

If HGVC wants to generate revenue on rooms that would otherwise sit empty that’s what they should do.

As someone said above, this isn’t about generating revenue with these deals. It’s about trying to get members to use this years or next years points now on low demand resorts at low demand times. Are they trying to get more high demand rooms/seasons available to rent? That’s my guess. I’m sure some will take the deal, but it really doesn’t seem all that great to me.

 

[Tamaradarann]

We didn't own timeshares before we had kids. We were young and poor. But the kids are now grown up, and we are retired so we can and are making very good use of the RCI excess inventory.

HGVC has Open Season to do the same thing as RCI extra inventory. The periods that they are running the promotion for is either Gold or Silver which in Orlando should have pretty low rates so if they let us use Open Season CASH instead of points to book this inventory they would be doing what you suggest. They could also let you book in August for October, November and early December so that you could plan the vacations with airline tickets.

I just looked up the rates for a Studio in Orlando during Silver and Gold Season. Silver would be $532/week, Gold $602/week. Those rates are about what I pay for a week in RCI Extra Vacations for the slightly upper echelon RCI resorts, (not the ones that participate in the sales that RCI runs for $200-$300 dollars or are available in Last Calls). Therefore, those rates would be attractive with the added perks of the gift card and free upgrade to a 1 BR, or if a family was going one could book a 1 BR for slightly higher and get an upgrade to a 2 BR.

 

[jehb2]

HGVC has Open Season to do the same thing as RCI extra inventory.

I remember when an open season 1 bedroom was $60 a night regardless of season, property, day of the week, etc. Now that was a good deal.

 

[bevans]

I do not remember 1 Bedrooms for $60, but I do remember $60 Studio, $80 1Bedroom, $100 2 Bedroom all resorts , all seasons. I used to use it then but now only midweek Gold or Silver as the rest of the time it is no bargain. I recently bought more points because the daily cost when you figure maintenance fees has not gone up nearly as much. If you can find Platinum around $1 point using points is still a good deal, especially if you get Las Vegas other than Trump.

 

[got4boys]

Is it confirmed that if you modified an existing reservation during the promotion period that you would get nothing at checkin? Nowhere in the terms and conditions does it say it. I ask because today is the date for the December bookings in Orlando.

From the verbiage on the email...

A Club Member Exclusive!
We're rolling out a new way to help you get more from your membership, with exclusive stays and travel extras just for booking online at select resorts during specific dates.

STAY IN THE SUNSHINE
GET A BONUS TO BRIGHTEN YOUR STAY

LAS PALMERAS, A HILTON GRAND VACATIONS CLUB
Stay November 25 - December 2, 2018

Receive a:
$200 VISA GIFT CARD

Book between August 25 - September 9, 2018

BOOK NOW
Full Terms and Conditions

Stay December 7 - 17, 2018

Receive a:
$200 VISA GIFT CARD

Book between August 25 - September 9, 2018

BOOK NOW
Full Terms and Conditions

When I click on the Terms and Conditions...I get this...

FULL TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Subject to availability. Valid at Las Palmeras, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club. Members must use Hilton Grand Vacations ClubPoints or Bonus Points to book and confirm reservation.

Reservations for Las Palmeras, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club must be booked August 25 – September 9, 2018 for stays occurring between November 25 – December 2, 2018 and December 7 – 17, 2018 (a minimum stay of 3 consecutive nights is required). Members will receive a $200 Visa gift card per reservation at the resort’s Front Desk after check-in.

Booking incentive valid for stays checking in during stated times only.

Reservations do not include taxes, gratuities, or incidental charges (if applicable). Standard cancellation policies and early departure fees apply. If reservation is cancelled, Member will not receive the associated booking incentive. Reservations related booking incentives are subject to availability. Offer components are non-transferable. This may not be combined with other offers or discounts, and is not valid for groups.

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CLB-EMAIL-13068

 

[Talent312]

Each booking has a booking date which stays w-the booking #, even if changed.
At least, that how it is for me.

To qualify for the promo, I moved an existing booking and made a new one.
That meant another booking fee and a 2nd trip, but I'll still come out ahead.

.

 

[Tamaradarann]

From a balance sheet perspective, outstanding points are as good as money. Just like companies want to get excess owed vacation off their books, so companies like this very likely want to get outstanding points to go away. So, a point-discounted stay is very bottom-line valuable. Now,, just how valuable it is relative to cash I don't know. But certainly more than it might seem on surface.

Cheers.

I know that this is an old thread but I just thought about it again from a slightly different perspective. While I agree that a point-discounted stay is valuable to HGVC.

The point I want to make now is that while un-booked inventory has a value to HGVC, however, if the time of occupancy passes the value is eliminated. If this was a hard good it would be like throwing it away, the value goes to zero. So HGVC has a big incentive to fill rooms in anyway it can to avoid its inventory value going to zero.

 

[jehb2]

“Member Exclusive” sounds like something special and awesome. But it’s really just weeks they can’t book. Thus it’s a real letdown. I like RCI’s old term “Excess Inventory.” Maybe if they marketed it as such it would be more appealing.

 

[magmue]

if they marketed it as such it would be more appealing.

It would certainly be more honest.

 

[Cyberc]

I guess hgvc thought on this is that the more “exclusive” the “event” sounds the more will actually buy it.