Thank You, Hilton GV, Lagoon Tower

[csodjd]

I own a 1-BR OV (6200pt) at Lagoon Tower. I have my home week reservation upcoming in April. But, airfare such as it is at Spring Break, it was way less expensive for our family to go there on Thursday, two days before my home week. So, I went to Hilton.com and reserved the same kind of room for two nights. Cost was a bit over $900. However, it has a 30-day cancellation policy. Less than 30 days is a 1-night penalty.

Well, the 30-day window arrived. I looked at the HGVC website and saw that they had a 1-BR OV in Lagoon Tower available for Open Season rates, a bit over $400. But Open Season requires 30 days from check OUT day, and the penalty kicked in 30 days from the check IN day. So there was no way to use Open Season and avoid the cancellation penalty.

It took several calls and emails, with central reservations saying I had to talk to the Lagoon Tower front desk manager to get the cancellation penalty waived, and the front desk telling me I had to talk to central reservations, but eventually the rental reservations agent for HGV told me if I reserve the two nights in Open Season and give her my confirmation number, she'd cancel my existing reservation and waive the penalty. I did, and she did. What it took was simply explaining to them that I was an owner and wanted to be able to use Open Season, and it was for the exact same room (but $500 less). Once she understood that I was not canceling, I was changing, she was fine with it.

So, a thank you to Hilton Grand Vacations for not holding me to the "regular" reservation and allowing me to change to open season.

 

[PigsDad]

That is great. What makes this even more impressive is that Hilton and HGV are two separate companies these days. I was surprised HGV convinced Hilton to waive the cancellation fee!

Kurt

 

[csodjd]

That is great. What makes this even more impressive is that Hilton and HGV are two separate companies these days. I was surprised HGV convinced Hilton to waive the cancellation fee!

Kurt

I think that, though the reservation was made through the Hilton.com website, because it was AT a HGV property, the cancellation penalty waiver was at the discretion of HGV, not Hilton. I've had Hilton Hotels waive late cancellation penalties numerous times in the past but that's most likely because of my Diamond status and 1M+ HH points.

 

[Sandy VDH]

One of the reason if I book via Hilton.com, I ensure that I book a fare that I can cancel with a much shorter window. Especially if staying at an HGVC property, because within 30 days, units do pop up frequently.