Upgrade question and hilton world wide resort

[rliou]

Hi everyone. I own a gold week 2 bdr resale. Just went to vegas this weekend and they wanted to upgrade us to 8400. We bought resale before and they told us we are not privilaged to the hilton world wide resorts. We are intrigued but want to know if it is worth the upgrade of 30k for the hilton world wide benefits.

 

[linsj]

You can buy many times more resale points for $30K! The only benefits you'll miss out on by not upgrading with the developer is getting to HGVC elite status with gold or diamond Honors status and a few other benefits that are not worth the price. (I can't even remember them since they aren't of value to me, but check the members' guide for the list.)

If Hilton Honors status with its corresponding benefits at hotels is important to you and you don't stay enough to earn it (in which case, the benefits won't be that valuable to you), get a Hilton Amex card. $20,000 spending a year will get you gold; $40,000 on the Surpass card will get you diamond.

 

[rliou]

I think my confusion stems from the fact that they mention these world wide hilton resorts (not hotels) that we wouldn't get to book if we bought resale. I am not that familiar with that. I know that we could always convert Hhonors to book the Hilton hotels. If what they told me is not true and we could book these resort through Hhonors then I would just recind the contract. I could certainly get 2 8400 units for 30k but I was intrigued by the hilton resorts. Anyone knows or could clarify this?

 

[rliou]

And one of the points they made was that we supposedly get 30-40% discounts when we use our hilton honors to book. If that is not true then we will definitely recind.

 

[Talent312]

You can book Hilton's World-Resorts thru Hilton Hotels or Hilton Honors.
Its your HHonors VIP status that earns you the discount.

Spending an absurd sum at HGVC gets you that status, but as the other poster said:
Spending enuff on a HHonors Am-Ex card, gets you there, far cheaper.

But if you'd rather enrich Hilton for a discount at a souped-up hotel....
Whatever floats your boat, dude.

 

[rliou]

Thanks for the reply. I just wasn't sure. The sales person made it sound like there was only one way of getting that VIP status. It's a good thing that we have that recind period

 

[alwysonvac]

It sounds like the salesperson was a little misleading....

(1) As a HGVC Resale owner, you are automatically given HHonors Silver Elite.
(2) HHonors Elite status allows you access to the reduced HHonors rewards level (aka HHonors VIP rewards) within Hilton Worldwide.
(3) As stated above the only thing you don't get via resale is HGVC elite status which requires a developer purchase of at least 14,000 HGVC points. (See the HGVC Elite section of the 2012 HGVC Member Guide for more details).

Hilton Worldwide Brand Portfolio - http://www.hiltonworldwide.com/portfolio/
Good Summary of the HHonors Rewards - http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150690

From the 2012 HGVC Members Guide under Club Membership Benefits - http://multimedia.hiltongrandvacations.com/mg/Book_Reader.cfm?BookId=19
Hilton HHonors® Membership Benefits
Vacation ownership with Hilton provides you with Silver VIP membership in the renowned Hilton HHonors guest reward program. Through Hilton HHonors, a variety of membership privileges and global travel opportunities are accessible

Good Luck and Welcome to TUG

 

[pianodinosaur]

You can book Hilton's World-Resorts thru Hilton Hotels or Hilton Honors.
Its your HHonors VIP status that earns you the discount.

Spending an absurd sum at HGVC gets you that status, but as the other poster said:
Spending enuff on a HHonors Am-Ex card, gets you there, far cheaper.

But if you'd rather enrich Hilton for a discount at a souped-up hotel....
Whatever floats your boat, dude.

Talent really knows the system well and has given you excellent advise. I qualified for HHonors Gold for another year via AmEx spending. I am already HHonors Gold for life via HGVC Elite. However, it is quite clear that you do not have to be HGVC Elite to be HHonors Gold or Diamond for that matter.

 

[Omne]

Talent really knows the system well and has given you excellent adivse. I qualified for HHonors Gold for another year via AmEx spending. I am already HHonors Gold for life via HGVC Elite. However, it is quite clear that you do not have to be HGVC Elite to be HHonors Gold or Diamond for that matter.

Buying resale at Hilton Club New York apparently gives you gold as well, but without the elite status.

 

[cheryltwin]

We are HHonors Gold only thru our AMEX spending... we have only 7000 HGVC points... so I can verify that there are, indeed, other ways to get to Gold status.