Points and Open Season Reservations - live and learn

[ljmiii]

Today I learned that HGVC won't allow you to make a Open Season Reservation into a resort if you've previously cancelled a points reservation at the resort for any of the dates even if the cancelled reservation was for a different size unit.

276 days out I booked both a 1BR and 2BR unit because we didn't know if one of our adult children would be able to come with us. A few months later I need some of the points for another reservation and I cancelled the 2BR and booked a second unit on the Hilton Hotel website.

Somewhat to our surprise one of our kids was able to find time to come with us. It's now a few days out of our check-in and I noticed a 2 night stay opened up for a 1BR on the HGVC website. But sadly, because I had cancelled the 2BR I couldn't make an Open Season reservation for the second 1BR.

Not a big deal...booking Open Season + and shortening the 'hotel' stay would have saved me a few bucks. But good to know for future planning.

 

[HuskerATL]

that is interesting because I thought it was the same unit size....to prevent the trick of holding a reservation until the 31st day, cancelling, and then using OS. Doesn't make sense if it is a different unit size.

 

[GT75]

I have run into this issue before and was able to do it by calling it into CSR.

 

[GT75]

that is interesting because I thought it was the same unit size....to prevent the trick of holding a reservation until the 31st day, cancelling, and then using OS.

With the significant price increase of OS, is that rule even necessary? I think in my case, it is almost always more cost-effective to use points. The only case that might be more cost-effective is if you only need 2 nights.

 

[SmithOp]

The rule has always been in the Club Rules document, and never referenced unit sizes.

Reservations booked with ClubPoints and later canceled cannot be rebooked into the same
resort for the same time period using Open Season rental rates. The Resort Reservation
Cancellation Chart below further illustrates HGVClub’s cancellation policy.

When we could change up to day 31, the workaround was to change the resort, then cancel. Now we can only change up to day 61 so they effectively closed that loophole.

Since the OP cancelled way in advance, the change resort then cancel would probably have worked.

 

[ljmiii]

...the workaround was to change the resort, then cancel....Since the OP cancelled way in advance, the change resort then cancel would probably have worked.

Ooooooohhhhhh...check out the big brain on Brad.

In all seriousness, it never occurred to me to do this. Brilliant mind you...just never occurred to me.