Tips on booking Hilton Vilamoura during high season

[ngl1020]

We have checked for the past few years (minus this one) to try to get this property but, of course, we want to go in summer. Any non-owners ever have luck getting a unit in July? Just wondering if it is really possible!! Thanks in advance.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

There must be very few rooms. There never seems to be availability whenever I checked.

 

[alwysonvac]

Just a heads up… There are only 69 units at HGVC Vilamoura.

In 2020 (pre-Covid) the Portugal location was reported to be very difficult to book via HGVC (see 2020 posts in this old thread)

HGVC what is going on in Portugal?

We have just come back from Vilamoura in Portugal - great time but puzzling. We used our points to stay at the HGVC and went to Vilamoura. We entered the Hilton hotel, registered as HGVC owners and were given a one BR apartment in the hotel - no complaints there, very good unit. After a couple...

tugbbs.com

NOTE: Hilton.com has rentals through April 2022 but their reservation calendar is displaying sold out for May & June 2022 dates.

Posted the above last month in another thread. See link to old thread.

NOTE: Hilton.com now has summer rentals available too - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/faohihi-hilton-vilamoura-as-cascatas-golf-resort-and-spa/rooms/ (select SUITES to view one & two bedrooms)

 

[ocdb8r]

A few additional notes since I posted in the above thread about 18 months ago:

Yes, there are (relatively) few HGVC units here. This is actual a multi-use complex with about half the complex sold as full ownership apartments (not part of HGVC or officially part of the "hotel" but they get access to all facilities and there is a rental program they can participate in) and the other half of the complex split between hotel and timeshare units. As such, the number of dedicated HGVC units is relatively low. Combine that with the fact most owners are Brits that actually use their weeks (and trade only on the off occasion they head to the States or perhaps Scotland) and the result is there is not a whole lot of opportunity to trade in.

After watching availability regularly for the past 18 months, I also believe they don't manage inventory in the same way as other HGVC resorts. I noticed that large blocks of rooms would randomly open up, with seemingly no connection to x days or weeks before check-in. I would check one day and there would be virtually zero inventory available for trade for a whole year and then the next day several months in a row would show up available. I could never detect any rhyme or reason to the timing. I do notice that currently you could book first three nights in a 2-bedroom exactly 8 months from now and start walking a reservation.

All of that said, we were able to trade in here twice during COVID (during periods when Portugal was open and operating somewhat normally). We really enjoyed our stays. The pools were nice, staff very friendly and the resort even when closer to capacity didn't feel too crowded. The second stay, which was during more traditional holiday periods, did have many more kids than the first, but it was still very pleasant. The units are a bit smaller than typical US HGVC units, but are well put together and hall all the basic necessities covered. We would not hesitate to go back, however, given the difficulty in getting a reservation it's not very practical for planning a big trip from the US. Being Amsterdam based, it's a bit easier for us to take advantage of "random" availability.

 

[alwysonvac]

A few additional notes since I posted in the above thread about 18 months ago:

Yes, there are (relatively) few HGVC units here. This is actual a multi-use complex with about half the complex sold as full ownership apartments (not part of HGVC or officially part of the "hotel" but they get access to all facilities and there is a rental program they can participate in) and the other half of the complex split between hotel and timeshare units. As such, the number of dedicated HGVC units is relatively low. Combine that with the fact most owners are Brits that actually use their weeks (and trade only on the off occasion they head to the States or perhaps Scotland) and the result is there is not a whole lot of opportunity to trade in.

After watching availability regularly for the past 18 months, I also believe they don't manage inventory in the same way as other HGVC resorts. I noticed that large blocks of rooms would randomly open up, with seemingly no connection to x days or weeks before check-in. I would check one day and there would be virtually zero inventory available for trade for a whole year and then the next day several months in a row would show up available. I could never detect any rhyme or reason to the timing. I do notice that currently you could book first three nights in a 2-bedroom exactly 8 months from now and start walking a reservation.

All of that said, we were able to trade in here twice during COVID (during periods when Portugal was open and operating somewhat normally). We really enjoyed our stays. The pools were nice, staff very friendly and the resort even when closer to capacity didn't feel too crowded. The second stay, which was during more traditional holiday periods, did have many more kids than the first, but it was still very pleasant. The units are a bit smaller than typical US HGVC units, but are well put together and hall all the basic necessities covered. We would not hesitate to go back, however, given the difficulty in getting a reservation it's not very practical for planning a big trip from the US. Being Amsterdam based, it's a bit easier for us to take advantage of "random" availability.

Thanks for sharing

@JBLKY see latest Portugal booking tips

 

[JBLKY]

Thank you for sharing! Ultimately we will not be going to Portugal next year. I was walking 2 units and then when I went to roll the reservation forward, the day was blocked in front of me. I called and I was told that an owner must be starting that day. So I lost that reservation. I switched to Charleston and was walking that reservation and the same thing happened. I got lucky and a unit there opened a few days later so I was able to book the room. It makes me wonder if, in the locations that aren’t full HGVC ownership, the other owner/hotel can block some dates that mess up our ability to walk a reservation.

 

[ocdb8r]

Just wanted to add (should anyone else dig up this thread) we also spoke to one of the sales reps on one of our trips. I just came across the materials we got from them and noticed that most of August is designated as "event" weeks which correspond with the peak holiday season in Portugal. I would assume that means they are very rarely released by owners and likely very hard to get as an internal HGVC exchange.

 

[Cyberc]

I’m an owner at Vilamoura and pre COVID we normally went each year. Last year and this we obviously didn’t.

when the U.S opens back up for visitors from Europe we most likely go there and use our points, however to be on the save side I booked my home resort for a July trip ‘22

it has always been difficult to get a reservation there. If I want to extend my current reservation I either have to try and walk or hope something opens up close to check in.

 

[Seaport104]

Hello All, Thinking of planning a family vacation for 20+ of us at Vilamoura. How is availability for mid-June?

 

[Cyberc]

Hello All, Thinking of planning a family vacation for 20+ of us at Vilamoura. How is availability for mid-June?

I think you should be able to get 1x 2br maybe 2 if you are very lucky but since you are that many people and need 3-4 rooms i honestly think it’s not gonna happen.

problem is that a lot of people look for June/July dates and therefore they walk them. Additionally owners also book the same dates so there aren’t a lot of vacant rooms.

 

[Seaport104]

I think you should be able to get 1x 2br maybe 2 if you are very lucky but since you are that many people and need 3-4 rooms i honestly think it’s not gonna happen.

problem is that a lot of people look for June/July dates and therefore they walk them. Additionally owners also book the same dates so there aren’t a lot of vacant rooms.

Thanks for the feedback. I need more like 4-5 2BR units.