New Hyatt Owner Trying to Understand Booking

[hcarman]

We recently purchased a Hyatt property. We were told there is a 6 month home resort preference period that starts at 12 months out from usage week.

Hyatt's documentation indicates this preference period is for booking your exact unit and week. However, we were told that the preference period is for booking any unit and any week during your season? Can someone who owns Hyatt please clarify how the home preference period works? We are Marriott/Bluegreen owners so this is all new to us. We don't want to be tied to a specific unit and week within the preference period.

Also, it indicates you can book 12 months out from your use week. However, if you want to book a week different than your usage week - can you book 12 months out from the week you want to book - assuming it is at your home resort?

Lastly, at the 6 month mark it sounds like the properties become available to all vacation club owners? Do you find that it is pretty easy to get into the different resorts at this time - assuming you aren't asking for prime weeks? Is this the same time that Hyatt starts giving away units to Interval International as well in which case you are also competing with that?

It would be great if a Hyatt owner could fill is in on the "real deal".

 

[suzannesimon]

I'm not an expert because I just bought a Hyatt resale a few months ago and am going for the first time April 1. My understanding, however, is that you can book your home resort/week during the first 6 months, but you can't be confirmed into a different Hyatt until after 6 months. What I don't understand is that the second 6 months of my resort's year, or the second 6 months of the resort I'm trying to exchange into? Also, does that also mean that if someone gives up their week on Day 1 of the first 6 months, can someone on the waiting list pick up that week at the same time because it is now available? I understand that my Home Resort Usage is for a fixed week and fixed unit so if I give it up, it should be available to someone else who wants to trade their resort/week for mine.

 

[GTLINZ]

I will just give you an example of how I understand it.

You own week 3 at Sunset Harbor. You just got your points for week 3 of 2013 in Jan of 2012. You can contact Hyatt (call or online) until 6 months BEFORE week 3 of 2013 and specifically book your home reservation (or any part of it - partial week, one side of a lockoff, etc). If you never contact them , you lose that reservation and YOUR unit goes into the available pool for OTHERS to book. If you use ANY of those alloted points for another reservation including II, you also lose your HRPP. That time period from week 3 and 29 of this year is your home reservation period and you have control over it.

The flip side is that a LOT of inventory gets released 6 months out by default - unless owners specifically use points otherwise.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[heathpack]

Twelve months before your deeded week, you get access to your week and can reserve your owned week (resort, week, and specific unit you own, or any part thereof). For the first six months, nobody but you can book your unit. If you do not reserve your week, it reverts automatically to club use at the six month mark and any Hyatt owner can book it.

Also, starting 12 months out, you can book any available club reservation and at any given point in time, the farthest out one can make a reservation is 12 months. In order to book another week in the club, you tell Hyatt you will not be using your week, it gets moved into club use, and you get assigned an equivalent number of points. You can spend those points in HRC or II, the main difference is that club use points expire 6 months after your deeded week (with some restrictions on points usage for reservations made in the six month period after your deeded week). II points expire 2 years from the time you deposit in II and they must be deposited no later than 4 months in advance of your deeded week.

You do not own any points in the Hyatt system. You own a deeded week and specific unit.

H

 

[athena]

Yeah, I'm starting to regret getting my Hyatt timeshare . It's becoming a big waste because I don't know what I'm doing and this points and week altogether system is driving me nuts . 2000 points in LCUP this year that I will probably loose and I still don't know what to do because I can't get the weeks that I want. From now on I'm putting everything in II and call it a day. Not that they are better but at least I have 2 years to figure it out. Sorry if I sound depressed about it.

 

[heathpack]

Yeah, I'm starting to regret getting my Hyatt timeshare . It's becoming a big waste because I don't know what I'm doing and this points and week altogether system is driving me nuts . 2000 points in LCUP this year that I will probably loose and I still don't know what to do because I can't get the weeks that I want. From now on I'm putting everything in II and call it a day. Not that they are better but at least I have 2 years to figure it out. Sorry if I sound depressed about it.

It's really very straightforward. What week/weeks did you want and what did you do to try to get them? I find this very surprising, usually reasonable requests in HRC put in well in advance have a good chance of being fulfilled. Did you set up an exchange request?

There is absolutely NO way however that I would sit around waiting for a HRC request to be filled past my II deposit deadline. If I didn't have the Hyatt I wanted by that point, the points would go into II for sure.

I'm not sure why you say II is no better, you can get some really great exchanges, we have been extremely impressed with both quantity and quality of our II exchanges. For a single 2 BR 2000 point deposit, you can book a 2 BR plus a studio in II and get two XYZs for a total of 4 weeks.

You do have to plan in advance & stay on top of deadlines, but that is no different than any other mini-system.

H

 

[hcarman]

Heathpak or other experienced Hyatt owners,

We recently attended a sales presentation and what we were told differs from what I had learned about the Hyatt program on this site. Luckily, I had read many of the Hyatt posts prior to going to the presentation so I was able to challenge some of what I was told.

1) It is my understanding that if you give your Hyatt week/points (not clear whether you give them your week or points) to Interval you can not trade into another Hyatt property - that can only be done through Hyatt Vacation Club. This is unlike the Marriott system where you can now trade internally - like for like, or you can trade into another Marriott through Interval - often getting a 2 bedroom for a one bedroom, etc.. Am I correct in this interpretation? The sales staff said they were not aware that you could not use Interval to get into another Hyatt property.

2) Was told Home Preference period does not just apply to your specific deeded week and unit - it applies to anything that is available in your season at the resort. No other Hyatt Vacation members can get into the property except for owners during this period. That is not what I am hearing on this site. If you do not use your specific unit and week you are competing with any other Hyatt Vacation Club member for that property - regardless of where they own. Would this be true. Has any non-owner gotten into the Hyatt Carmel property during the 6 month home preference period?

3) Was told Right of First Refusal is still being exercised by Hyatt. I have seen on lists on this site quite a few Hyatt properties that have gone through at lower prices. I haven't seen anything real recent but of course we were assured that Hyatt would never let low ball resales go through for the property we visited - Carmel. I have seen a few resales listed for Carmel - course I don't know what has gone through there lately. Anyone out there know how to check on this?

Thanks - just want to make sure we have our facts straight so we can decide whether or not to purchase a Hyatt and whether or not this property can be purchased resale without Hyatt exercising ROFR.

 

[heathpack]

1. Yes this is true. You do not trade Hyatt-to-Hyatt in II. All these trades go thru HRC. There are no uptrades in unit size in HRC. It is very different from Marriott in that way. You give points to II, whatever number you decide to give them. You don't deposit a week with II. You also do not need to deposit to search with II, but you do need to deposit to set up an exchange request.

2. Home preference period only applies to your specific unit in your week in your resort. Everything else is first come first served for HRC members, with those on a wait list coming first by order of date the wait list was set up. You can absolutely obtain club reservations at other resorts during HRPP, it's just a matter of whatever's available. Carmel in general is very do-able. Once an owner at Carmel decides he/she will not be using his/her owned week, the week is turned over to Hyatt. Hyatt can then either give it to II or put it in the HRC for members to book. It seems like they mostly do the latter, and club availability tends to be pretty good.

3. I do not think that Hyatt is exercising ROFR in any meaningful way right now. Maybe if you got an absolute steal they'd take it from you, but it's pretty doubtful.

IMO, the absolute best use of Hyatt is as an II trader. If you have a 2200 pt week, you can deposit with II and get two 1BR weeks plus a studio, plus 3 XYZs, for a total of 6 weeks off 1MF. Or you could do a 2BR plus a 1BR, plus two XYZs for 4 weeks. And so on.

H

Heathpak or other experienced Hyatt owners,

We recently attended a sales presentation and what we were told differs from what I had learned about the Hyatt program on this site. Luckily, I had read many of the Hyatt posts prior to going to the presentation so I was able to challenge some of what I was told.

1) It is my understanding that if you give your Hyatt week/points (not clear whether you give them your week or points) to Interval you can not trade into another Hyatt property - that can only be done through Hyatt Vacation Club. This is unlike the Marriott system where you can now trade internally - like for like, or you can trade into another Marriott through Interval - often getting a 2 bedroom for a one bedroom, etc.. Am I correct in this interpretation? The sales staff said they were not aware that you could not use Interval to get into another Hyatt property.

2) Was told Home Preference period does not just apply to your specific deeded week and unit - it applies to anything that is available in your season at the resort. No other Hyatt Vacation members can get into the property except for owners during this period. That is not what I am hearing on this site. If you do not use your specific unit and week you are competing with any other Hyatt Vacation Club member for that property - regardless of where they own. Would this be true. Has any non-owner gotten into the Hyatt Carmel property during the 6 month home preference period?

3) Was told Right of First Refusal is still being exercised by Hyatt. I have seen on lists on this site quite a few Hyatt properties that have gone through at lower prices. I haven't seen anything real recent but of course we were assured that Hyatt would never let low ball resales go through for the property we visited - Carmel. I have seen a few resales listed for Carmel - course I don't know what has gone through there lately. Anyone out there know how to check on this?

Thanks - just want to make sure we have our facts straight so we can decide whether or not to purchase a Hyatt and whether or not this property can be purchased resale without Hyatt exercising ROFR.

 

[Kal]

Just think of it this way. 12 months prior to the first day of your owned unit-week you receive your annual points. You can do anything you want with those points. However, for the first six months you have the exclusive right to reserve.

 

[Sullco2]

Hyatt still the fairest system

Athena.

Hang in there. I have followed this industry for over thirty years and I believe that the Hyatt system is the best there is.

They have managed to combine both certainty for those who want "fixed weeks" and flexibility for those who don't. Their locations and properties are great and, with the exception of Bonita Springs where "tree-huggers" (and I use the term affectionately) have prevented the completion of the planned residential units, the system has grown in a planned way.

Use Kal's website and this forum and you will learn to love the system.

 

[hcarman]

How far out can you get on a waitlist? At the time you get your points for your use week (one year out)?

 

[heathpack]

How far out can you get on a waitlist? At the time you get your points for your use week (one year out)?

Yes, you can waitlist as soon as you have points, one year in advance.

H

 

[hcarman]

Yes, you can waitlist as soon as you have points, one year in advance.

H

Which I assume is done by first come, first serve - no resort preference given to owners at that resort.

 

[heathpack]

Which I assume is done by first come, first serve - no resort preference given to owners at that resort.

Yes, you are correct.

H

 

[ondeadlin]

I'm one year into my ownership and was fortunate to book a 2BR during ski season in Aspen my first year, so I'm very happy.

The key IMO is to get on the wait list as soon as possible.

 

[athena]

Thanks everyone,
I think my main problem is that I've been trying to book our vacation around our schedule. So a friend a mine got me in the right mode of thinking that I have to plan everything else around my vacation and that's it. So I hope I do better for 2013 and I will start booking early. It's too late for 2012...lol!

 

[hcarman]

Do most of the Hyatt's have different view types? We were told they try and get you in a view type as good or better than your own when you trade - but don't know whether that is for home resort trade or trade to any resorts within the Club.

 

[Carmel85]

Heathpack,

IMO, the absolute best use of Hyatt is as an II trader. If you have a 2200 pt week, you can deposit with II and get two 1BR weeks plus a studio, plus 3 XYZs, for a total of 6 weeks off 1MF. Or you could do a 2BR plus a 1BR, plus two XYZs for 4 weeks. And so on.



What is XYZs?

plus 3 XYZs?


Im totally lost how do you get more weeks with what points you have deposited at II 2200?

 

[heathpack]

Do most of the Hyatt's have different view types? We were told they try and get you in a view type as good or better than your own when you trade - but don't know whether that is for home resort trade or trade to any resorts within the Club.

I do not think there are any view types in Hyatt, now that you bring it up.

But it does seem like the resort does try to give HRC members the best possible units. We have not stayed very frequently in Hyatts, just Highlands Inn and Piñon Pointe. At HI, we were given a great ocean view unit and in Piñon Pointe we had a decent view of red rocks and open space in the newer section of the resort. Front desk does seem to be good about explicitly recognizing you as an owner at check in.

H

 

[ondeadlin]

IMO, the absolute best use of Hyatt is as an II trader. If you have a 2200 pt week, you can deposit with II and get two 1BR weeks plus a studio, plus 3 XYZs, for a total of 6 weeks off 1MF. Or you could do a 2BR plus a 1BR, plus two XYZs for 4 weeks. And so on.

The one negative IMO is no discount on points "cost" for last-minute trades. It appears to me you're charged the same as if you were trading a year out. It doesn't really impact me, because I've got Worldmark points and being able to do trades within the 60 day window for 4,000 WM points is a huge value.

But if you've got the ability to do an XYZ because you've made an earlier trade, that's a partial fix.

 

[heathpack]

The one negative IMO is no discount on points "cost" for last-minute trades. It appears to me you're charged the same as if you were trading a year out. It doesn't really impact me, because I've got Worldmark points and being able to do trades within the 60 day window for 4,000 WM points is a huge value.

But if you've got the ability to do an XYZ because you've made an earlier trade, that's a partial fix.

Yes, you are right, discounts would be nice. But then again, you basically ALWAYS get a discount in II, it's just the same no matter when you book.

Example: You want a 1BR diamond ski week directly with Hyatt? 1450 points.
You want the same week, but an interval resort? 870 points, or 40% less. You could look at it that Interval Weeks are always 40%ish discounted, you don't have to wait until late in the game to get a discount. Plus you get the XYZ.

How many WM points does it normally take to book a unit in WM and in II (genuinely asking, have zero idea)? How much of a last-minute discount do you get?

All systems have their plusses and minuses. It's just a matter of playing to your system's strengths, I think.

H

 

[ondeadlin]

Completely agree that the discount is already substantial and that you have to play each system for their strengths.

A 2BR red week (a ski week or beach week, for example) through II would usually cost 10,000 Worldmark points, but any II trade, regardless of unit size or season, costs 4,000 Worldmark points within the 60 day window.

It's a very good value.

 

[heathpack]

Completely agree that the discount is already substantial and that you have to play each system for their strengths.

A 2BR red week (a ski week or beach week, for example) through II would usually cost 10,000 Worldmark points, but any II trade, regardless of unit size or season, costs 4,000 Worldmark points within the 60 day window.

It's a very good value.

How many points to book a Worldmark week?

H

 

[ondeadlin]

It's a minimum of 10,000 credits to book a high-season 2BR and can run as high as 26,000 to book a week in a 2BR presidential penthouse (although most folks seem to stick with the basic 2BR when booking).

I only use them for II trading. The only time I've stayed at a Worldmark resort has been on "bonus time", which is a really late last-minute stay (another great value).

 

[heathpack]

So it looks like no II discount at all until 60 days before check in, and then you get a 60% discount.

WM's clear advantage is the last minute trade, while Hyatt's advantage is the advance trade. The advance trade is better for me personally, because I try to use FF tix whenever possible, and I set the schedule of 7 other people based on my schedule (the farther in advance I schedule my time off, the easier it is for all parties). Maybe that's why I like Hyatt so much as a trader...

H