Surprise upgrade to HGV Max

[HuskerATL]

Like for some reason the “Max” button has been clicked on for some of us. And for me, I seem to have free reservations for the additional Max properties, but not for the legacy HGVC and bHC properties.

That is interesting... Half Max... Because it should be free for everything and your club fee should go up to the Max club fee amount

 

[Reddart]

Yeah, I think I will eventually try the CS route…I guess it can either go “oh, yes you are in Max and should have no reservation fees” or “wait, you shouldn’t be in Max, you should just be legacy HGVC” , in which case I’ll request AI.

 

[ljmiii]

And for me, I seem to have free reservations for the additional Max properties, but not for the legacy HGVC and bHC properties.

Ooooohhh...hadn't thought to check that. Same for me, I checked to see if it was charging me for a reservation at the Quin but didn't go far enough at Point at Poipu to find out that HVC reservations are not only accessible but also free.

 

[HuskerATL]

Yeah, I think I will eventually try the CS route…I guess it can either go “oh, yes you are in Max and should have no reservation fees” or “wait, you shouldn’t be in Max, you should just be legacy HGVC” , in which case I’ll request AI.

I would not ask, if you want to keep it. I would leave it for a bit to see if it works itself it. If you do call, don't mention resale

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I just noticed the HGVMax logo in the upper left hand part of my HGVC home page since my recent W57 resale purchase landed in my account.

I can't see anything else indicating Max on my account except for that logo. I have ignored Max because I was never going to join. From reading this thread, it sounds like if for some reason they stuck me in Max, there is no way to get out? Is there any benefit or is this going to be more expensive with dues? I already pay for AI with my W57 ownership, so I have 'free' reservations. I am not Elite. I am perfectly happy with my HGVC ownerships and don't like change at all.

Very strange. Can you see reservations within 6 months for HGV/DRI properties?

 

[ljmiii]

Very strange. Can you see reservations within 6 months for HGV/DRI properties?

I can't speak for @Denise L, but with my newfound Max-ness I saw a bunch of new US States, chose "Hawaii-Kauai", picked dates for the Point at Poipu, clicked, and was presented with the opportunity to make a free reservation.

 

[HuskerATL]

Boy, it sounds like NYC resale are consistently triggering Max.

 

[GT75]

Boy, it sounds like NYC resale are consistently triggering Max.

Interesting observation.

 

[dayooper]

Boy, it sounds like NYC resale are consistently triggering Max.

No, they aren’t! They are just normal resales with no glitches at all!

 

[letsgobobby]

I can't speak for @Denise L, but with my newfound Max-ness I saw a bunch of new US States, chose "Hawaii-Kauai", picked dates for the Point at Poipu, clicked, and was presented with the opportunity to make a free reservation.

yes i can find and book any Max property with availability. in other words, none that I want

In my case Max got triggered with a Vegas Paradise resale.

 

[Denise L]

Very strange. Can you see reservations within 6 months for HGV/DRI properties?

I'll take a look. I don't even know how to use Max or why . I just don't want it to mess up what I have or be more expensive. Sounds like maybe it will disappear at some point or stay, and that even if I call to get rid of it, it will just come back .

 

[Denise L]

I'll take a look. I don't even know how to use Max or why . I just don't want it to mess up what I have or be more expensive. Sounds like maybe it will disappear at some point or stay, and that even if I call to get rid of it, it will just come back .

So I just logged in and looked at how far out I can book D.C., and it is 89 days. Is it supposed to be 105 without Max if I own W57? That's not a good change at all.

I looked for Point at Poipu, and my booking window goes to January 29, 2025 (6 months?). I am not sure what 6 month availability I am looking for, LOL. I can see San Luis Bay, California, for this fall 2024. Is that a Max resort?

 

[GT75]

San Luis Bay, California

Yes. It is HVC/DRI

 

[Reddart]

I would not ask, if you want to keep it. I would leave it for a bit to see if it works itself it. If you do call, don't mention resale

Eh, I could take it or leave it (additional Max properties), what I really want is the $0 reservation fees.

 

[HuskerATL]

So I just logged in and looked at how far out I can book D.C., and it is 89 days. Is it supposed to be 105 without Max if I own W57? That's not a good change at all.

I looked for Point at Poipu, and my booking window goes to January 29, 2025 (6 months?). I am not sure what 6 month availability I am looking for, LOL. I can see San Luis Bay, California, for this fall 2024. Is that a Max resort?

I think it is 89 days, unless you own at DC.

 

[HuskerATL]

Eh, I could take it or leave it (additional Max properties), what I really want is the $0 reservation fees.

No reservation fee is bigger than you think because it changes the way that you use the system. You can start to book and play with the system at will. We book every possible vacation 9 months out and then just change or cancel later because it is free with Elite Premier. After having visited Cabo Azul earlier this month and we have Sandestin booked for spring break 2025...and Cabo Azul book for April 2026....I would say, at least, some of the properties are worth using...

 

[pedro47]

How many points do you need to be Elite Premier?

 

[HuskerATL]

How many points do you need to be Elite Premier?

54,400 elite qualifying points. Only a handful of resale properties count now so you have to be very deliberate about it. Prior to Max, basically all retail and some resale would get you into Elite or raise your level but then Max was created and all retail put you into Max now, not elite so now it is just the remaining resale that counted before....and only through the official resale office, not a third party.

 

[ljmiii]

I think it is 89 days, unless you own at DC...

As I (and @Eric B) noted over in the "Hilton Club access to other Hilton Club reservation windows" thread, The Central at 5th, The Quin, The Residences, and The District in DC all have "by Hilton Club Priority Reservation" windows of 104 days in addition to those shown in the graphic.

My understanding is that in the relatively recent past, anyone with bHC points from any bHC resort could both see availability between 90 and 104 days and make reservations online. What @Eric B pointed out is that language in the Club Rules from at least as far back as 2022 states that only those who own at one of those four resorts are eligible.

What I (and others) are now seeing is that the website is now showing only 89 day availability at the bHCs with bHC Priority windows. And I can confirm that the HGVC CSR couldn't make a reservation for me at 100 days at The District when just W57th ownership was showing as a "Home Resort" but that once The Quin showed as a "Home Resort" the CSR could make a 100 day reservation for me even though the correct window wasn't showing online.

Can anyone who owns at W57 confirm that they were previously able to use their bHC points to see and make 90-104 days reservations at The Central, Quin, Residences, and/or District?

 

[HuskerATL]

As I (and @Eric B) noted over in the "Hilton Club access to other Hilton Club reservation windows" thread, The Central at 5th, The Quin, The Residences, and The District in DC all have "by Hilton Club Priority Reservation" windows of 104 days in addition to those shown in the graphic.

My understanding is that in the relatively recent past, anyone with bHC points from any bHC resort could both see availability between 90 and 104 days and make reservations online. What @Eric B pointed out is that language in the Club Rules from at least as far back as 2022 states that only those who own at one of those four resorts are eligible.

What I (and others) are now seeing is that the website is now showing only 89 day availability at the bHCs with bHC Priority windows. And I can confirm that the HGVC CSR couldn't make a reservation for me at 100 days at The District when just W57th ownership was showing as a "Home Resort" but that once The Quin showed as a "Home Resort" the CSR could make a 100 day reservation for me even though the correct window wasn't showing online.

Can anyone who owns at W57 confirm that they were previously able to use their bHC points to see and make 90-104 days reservations at The Central, Quin, Residences, and/or District?

That is good to know. I wonder if it is a system glitch or intentional since, I don't think, it is supposed to work that way.

 

[ljmiii]

That is good to know. I wonder if it is a system glitch or intentional since, I don't think, it is supposed to work that way.

I'm guessing that taking away the ability to see the bHC window online was HGVC's solution to the problem of other bHC owners being able to book at those four resorts - particularly now that Elara bHC is being sold. But it's not as if I know.

 

[Reddart]

I tried to get a resolution to my reservation fee issue by calling in on Monday. The CSR looked at my account and said I should be able to make reservations without a fee since I am in Max…I didn’t offer anything about my being Maxed from my recent resale…put me on hold.

When she came back, she said I should not be in Max due to my resale purchase (which I also didn’t mention), and that it is a known IT “glitch” in their system. I then asked if I could get the all inclusive dues due to my W57th ownership, and she said she would file a case and someone would get back with me within 72 hours.

That was Monday, and no one had gotten back to me, so I called again this afternoon. I asked again about AI dues, and when the CSR checked on it, the only thing that happened was I got un-Maxed on the system, but they didn’t seem to have a clue on the AI dues for bHC.

Called in again a little while later and asked the new CSR that I wanted to pay the difference for all inclusive dues based on my W57th bHC ownership, and she thought I was asking about the Max AI program, which I immediately corrected her saying “I’m looking at the 2024 fee rule sheet right now, appendix 1, which states that HGVC legacy members at select properties have the option to pay Inclusive Club Dues”. She said it was on my “log” that I had just asked for this earlier, and to wait at least 72 hours for a call back.

So I am currently Maxless, and still do not have the inclusive dues option.

 

[HuskerATL]

I tried to get a resolution to my reservation fee issue by calling in on Monday. The CSR looked at my account and said I should be able to make reservations without a fee since I am in Max…I didn’t offer anything about my being Maxed from my recent resale…put me on hold.

When she came back, she said I should not be in Max due to my resale purchase (which I also didn’t mention), and that it is a known IT “glitch” in their system. I then asked if I could get the all inclusive dues due to my W57th ownership, and she said she would file a case and someone would get back with me within 72 hours.

That was Monday, and no one had gotten back to me, so I called again this afternoon. I asked again about AI dues, and when the CSR checked on it, the only thing that happened was I got un-Maxed on the system, but they didn’t seem to have a clue on the AI dues for bHC.

Called in again a little while later and asked the new CSR that I wanted to pay the difference for all inclusive dues based on my W57th bHC ownership, and she thought I was asking about the Max AI program, which I immediately corrected her saying “I’m looking at the 2024 fee rule sheet right now, appendix 1, which states that HGVC legacy members at select properties have the option to pay Inclusive Club Dues”. She said it was on my “log” that I had just asked for this earlier, and to wait at least 72 hours for a call back.

So I am currently Maxless, and still do not have the inclusive dues option.

Log into your account to see if you are Maxless and then log in again, after midnight tonight or tomorrow, to see if it switched you back.

Others on here have bHC AI so I would chat with them about how they signed up. Also, that is the challenge with the glitch route to Max, you need to be careful with CS....

 

[Reddart]

Log into your account to see if you are Maxless and then log in again, after midnight tonight or tomorrow, to see if it switched you back.

Others on here have bHC AI so I would chat with them about how they signed up. Also, that is the challenge with the glitch route to Max, you need to be careful with CS....

Yep, logging in I am now Maxless, for now.

 

[HuskerATL]

Yep, logging in I am now Maxless, for now.

well, we will see if it switches you back after midnight...