Ocean Oak Resort

[Midge 22]

I was hoping to book this resort for September. There is no availability for the beginning of the month, but it looks like there is a 2 bedroom starting around the 15th. If you cannot book this property until 276 days prior, how can it be totally booked for 9/9 through 9/14? Can this be due to all home week owners utilizing their week or am I missing something? I am familiar with the "walking" approach, but I would think there would be something open beginning 12/10?

 

[GT75]

Can this be due to all home week owners utilizing their week or am I missing something?

yes, you are looking at the start of gold weeks, lower point requirements.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Also the only inventory available in HGVC for points are units that are already sold, and this resort it new and nowhere close to being sold out. So lots of inventory is in HGVC control, and you can find a lot of it out on Hilton.com even if you can't find any inventory in HGVC.

Probably one of the hardest HGVC resorts to get into.

 

[SmithOp]

Agree with Sandy, there have been reports of HGV withholding inventory and selling it on Hilton dot com.

 

[Midge 22]

Also the only inventory available in HGVC for points are units that are already sold, and this resort it new and nowhere close to being sold out. So lots of inventory is in HGVC control, and you can find a lot of it out on Hilton.com even if you can't find any inventory in HGVC.

Probably one of the hardest HGVC resorts to get into.

Well, that is pretty crappy of them! I'm so over this...almost $2,400 in maintenance fees this year and I cannot get any decent reservations.

 

[dayooper]

Well, that is pretty crappy of them! I'm so over this...almost $2,400 in maintenance fees this year and I cannot get any decent reservations.

Ocean Oak is notoriously hard to book. It's very popular and people buy the deeds to stay there. While Strand Capitol takes back the majority of resale deeds via ROFR, the ones that do sell go for over $20,000. It's possible to make a club booking there, but it takes a little luck and a plan to make those reservations.

 

[Sandy VDH]

Well, that is pretty crappy of them! I'm so over this...almost $2,400 in maintenance fees this year and I cannot get any decent reservations.

HGVC club members via points bookings do not have a right to that unsold inventory. It is HGVC's right to do what it want with it until it is sold. The are trying to get people who are willing to pay 600 to 800 a night for those rooms.

So your $2400 in MF would only get you 3 nights max if you were paying cash rates.

 

[jp10558]

I managed to book (parking lot view though) in middle of Feb right around 9 months out. It's possible to get a club booking, but I do think owners at that resort are booking in their open period before club bookings can happen.

 

[GT75]

I managed to book (parking lot view though) in middle of Feb right around 9 months out.

There are no parking lot views at Ocean Oak. All units face either the pools and/or the ocean. Some units have better ocean views than others.

 

[GT75]

The are trying to get people who are willing to pay 600 to 800 a night for those rooms.

Actually, Hilton has units listed for about $400/night during that timeframe.

 

[jp10558]

There are no parking lot views at Ocean Oak. All units face either the pools and/or the ocean. Some units have better ocean views than others.

Maybe it was Pool View then. lol. I just knew it wasn't Ocean view - so in that case I don't care what the view is especially lol.

 

[chapjim]

Back in late April 2024, I stumbled on an availability for a 2BR Premier Ocean Front unit for the second week in January. I know, hardly beach season but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It's probably the first and last time we'll visit there.

 

[GT75]

It's probably the first and last time we'll visit there.

Please spread the word and convince everyone else because I would like to secure my bookings.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Back in late April 2024, I stumbled on an availability for a 2BR Premier Ocean Front unit for the second week in January. I know, hardly beach season but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It's probably the first and last time we'll visit there.

Why last?

 

[chapjim]

Why last?

I'll probably never see another opening, except perhaps in mid-winter like this one.

I just want to see if it is a place that's worth "fighting" for.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Ah. That makes sense. We would like to visit OO and Charleston someday. We can hop on a plane to Cabo or Hawaii for warm beaches but U.S. mainland destination airfares tend to be pricey and involve stops.

They look like great resorts just too far and travel complicated for a beach. This is why we haven't gone back to the Caribbean in 20 years. I love the Caribbean too.

 

[jp10558]

Charleston - I'd love to go back someday, but I don't know if I want to go bad enough to do the work to book a 2BR or 2 1BRs (if I'd even have enough points or trade power)... I might try another Hilton hotel suite if I can book with Honors points.

 

[Midge 22]

Back in late April 2024, I stumbled on an availability for a 2BR Premier Ocean Front unit for the second week in January. I know, hardly beach season but I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It's probably the first and last time we'll visit there.

May I ask your reasons why?

 

[chapjim]

May I ask your reasons why?

See Posts #3, #6, #7, and #15. Ocean Oak is an incredibly difficult place to book.

 

[Talent312]

Our 1st booking at OO was in an ocean-front... marvelous.
Our next 2 were partial ocean views... almost just as good.
You can get club bookings if you're persistent.

I'd go back in heartbeat, but we're going to Marco next year.
.

 

[GT75]

I wouldn't recommend going to Ocean Oak in January. Spring and fall would be ideal times because the weather is nice (not too hot or cold), crowds are down, there are fewer required points in the off-season, and you can enjoy being outside at the pool, beach, and bike riding.

 

[dayooper]

Maybe it was Pool View then. lol. I just knew it wasn't Ocean view - so in that case I don't care what the view is especially lol.

The only bad view area I have seen at OO is about midway down building 1 (the building with the premiere rooms). There's a tree that blocks the view if you are low enough. I booked the room for guests (we had a premiere room) and their room had the tree blocking the view. They were on the 3rd floor.

 

[chapjim]

Well, just in case we love the place, I booked a week in an oceanfront unit over Labor Day next fall. A little pricier (15,360) than the January week (7,680) -- like twice as many points.

 

[weems637]

I was able to walk two reservations though afterit opened. I attempted to walk a 3rd, booked the first 3 days, then the 4th day, at midnight, no availability. I've given up for now.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

The best time to try out new resorts is just after they opened because there is a lot of unsold inventory. We were able to reserve Borgo, Maui and a few others this way.