Waikoloa HGVC Sales Vacation Promotion

[Ex-Lurker]

Hello everyone!
I'm a long-time lurker, first time poster.
We've recently put a deposit on a 7 day/6 night vacation package to HGVC Waikoloa, primarily to get a cheap vacation deal. I've been reading this thread long enough to know never to buy from Hilton directly. The last time we endured a sales pitch (early 2009), we were booked into the Hilton Resort, but the sales presentation was at Kohala Suites. Does anyone know what property (resort, Kohala Suites, or Kings Land) these vacation packages are booked into currently? I called HGVC to inquire about availability and they said they weren't able to confirm the exact property. Is the sales presentation center still at Kohala Suites?
Thanks in advance!!

 

[JDHPE]

Hi Ex,

I can advise that as of JAN 2010 the sales office at Kohala was closed and the sales staff was back at the Hilton Waikoloa Hotel.

There was a new sales office at Kings' Land being built but had not opened as of then.

Perhaps others have visited this summer can update this info.

Enjoy the VIP!

 

[julieandtheboys]

We were there last June and the sales presentation was for Kings Land. The other properties were not presented as options, and I didn't ask to see them either.

We came on a promotion also mainly to have a cheaper vacation. We were booked into the Waikaloa Hilton, the one with the three pools. We left the presentation with another week (VIP is what they call it) for about $1500 seven night stay at Kings Land in a two bedroom. It's just another cheaper vacation for us. If finances are working in our favor and we can buy resale points with cash we may do that for the year after that.

 

[kattim]

My husband and I are doing the same thing - cheap 7 day, 6 night package.
I spoke with a Hilton rep to book our dates and have received a confirmation which shows that we have been placed in a "2-bed plus" unit in King's Land. We stayed at the Bay Club last year and loved it so but did not do a presentation. We are happy to be going back. I suggest you get a confirmation from Hilton and it should list on it what you have/where you have been booked. It might depend on availability - the original rep I spoke to said once we purchased the package, we should book our dates ASAP. (BTW, we are there Feb 5 - 11). We booked our dates about 3 weeks ago.
PS I am already practicing my "thanks but no thanks".

 

[Ex-Lurker]

Thanks for the feedback. I called HGVC again and spoke with one of the supervisors, after getting more conflicting information. He said that the reservations are booked into the Hilton Waikoloa resort by default. There are upgrades for purchase to get into either Kohala Suites or Kings Land, and currently (now through the end of November) there's a promotion that makes these upgrades free.

YMMV, since my package may be different from the VIP packages. This one was a lowball $799 for 7 days/6 nights + car + $200 certificate + luau tickets.

Unfortunately, there are no equivalent promotions available yet for 2011, which is when I'm looking to book....

 

[scrapngen]

Thanks for the feedback. I called HGVC again and spoke with one of the supervisors, after getting more conflicting information. He said that the reservations are booked into the Hilton Waikoloa resort by default. There are upgrades for purchase to get into either Kohala Suites or Kings Land, and currently (now through the end of November) there's a promotion that makes these upgrades free.

YMMV, since my package may be different from the VIP packages. This one was a lowball $799 for 7 days/6 nights + car + $200 certificate + luau tickets.

Unfortunately, there are no equivalent promotions available yet for 2011, which is when I'm looking to book....

Where do you look for these promotions??

 

[Ex-Lurker]

Where do you look for these promotions??

Mine came from a cold-call from a HGVC sales rep. I'm on their list from having a previous stay at HGVC from a similar package a few years ago. My guess is that they got my name originally because I've been a HH Diamond for many years.

If you get one of these offers over the phone, everything is negotiable. My offer started out as $899 for the 7 day/6 night stay only, and after wearing her down a bit , I got the price lowered as well as all the extras thrown in. :whoopie:

 

[kattim]

My husband and I had booked the promo for Las Vegas which I got after having been "selected" for a promo after booking rooms (for a convention) at a regular Hilton hotel in San Francisco. We were offered Orlando, Vegas or Hawaii for the promo. We originally booked the Vegas stay but due to changes in our plans (and some very, very cheap flights offered by Alaska to Hawaii) we decided to call and see if we could cancel Vegas and change it for Hawaii. Answer, yes (provided we met the Hawaii income requirements - different from Vegas). We have the same deal as "ex-lurker" - $799 including car, $200 Hilton bucks and luau. We have confirmed into Kings Land - 2 bedroom plus - that's what our confrimation says - for Feb 5 x 6 nights. So, ex-lurker, I would try again. Good luck (and maybe we will see you there - practising our "no thanks" around the pool)

 

[akyam]

Where do you look for these promotions??

We ended up getting ours by walking into Grand Waikikian and asking for a tour/info. We were staying across the street at a non-Hilton property. After going thru the pitch we said we weren't going to buy right then since at the time my wife was out of work. They offered us the VIP package to get us back in the future.