West 57th st Benefits Renting/Owning?

[Tokapeba]

I’m looking for a NYC timeshare and several people have recommended West 57th st. After a quick search I don’t see a big benefit to owning at west 57th st vs buying. Is there something I don’t see?

 

[tombanjo]

Better booking window, no reservation fee (higher club fee tho), lounge, open season is owners only and access to a tiny bit better window at other bHC properties. Whether the much higher buy in and high MF are worth it are open to debate. I own there as my goal is a few short visits to NYC every year. There is a short stay fee of $85 - Hilton club NY has no short stay fee, but it has it‘s quirks too. The all inclusive reservation fee there is only for their property.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

If you plan to consistently visit and want access to the lounge, better to own. If you don't care about lounge access, infrequent visitor, and are very flexible with dates then renting is an option but rentals on Hilton are typically north of $600 / night (no lounge, room only) if you could find a room. Not many owners rent their units and can only rent for an entire week.

If you want access to larger, nicer rooms or a penthouse with a view of the city or Central Park then owning is a better option because you can trade a low end studio plus 5250 points into either a one bedroom or a studio with a view during the reservation window only open to owners (9 months to 72 days). Won't get such units unless you are a owner.

The other option is to buy HGVC Vegas and use the points during the 60 - 72 day club season. Again, you will be getting the leftover dates after owners have first choice, and need to be flexible but much less expensive than renting or owning. HGVC has 5 properties in Manhattan so availability for the next couple of years will be good until they sell out.

 

[ljmiii]

I’m looking for a NYC timeshare and several people have recommended West 57th st. After a quick search I don’t see a big benefit to owning at west 57th st vs buying.

I'm not sure if you meant buying elsewhere in HGVC or renting...but here goes. HGVC works very differently than MVC and the NYC properties are more different yet.

The Hilton Club - only owners at the resort can make reservations
Home week - 365 to 276 days
Home resort - 276 days prior

West 57th Street by Hilton Club
Home week - 365 to 276 days
Home resort - 276 to 45 days
Club season - 44 days prior
Open Season - 15 days prior (owners only)

The Residences and The District by Hilton Club
Home week - 365 to 276 days
Home resort - 276 to 60 days
bHC priority - 59 to 45 days
Club season - 44 days prior
Open Season - 30 days prior (owners only)

A Home week reservation is a 7 night Saturday to Saturday stay in the unit and resort you own. These are the only reservations that can be rented out at all HGVC locations. A Home resort reservation is one of any length at the resort you own. During bHC priority a reservation may be made by an owner at any 'by Hilton Club' HGVC owner - one of a very limited subset of HGVC properties. During Club season a reservation may be made by any HGVC owner. And Open Season reservations are cash reservations - in NYC you have to be an owner at that property.

 

[KathyA]

Which, in my opinion, is why The Hilton Club is the best option IF your goal is to spend your time in NY.

 

[Pathways]

Which, in my opinion, is why The Hilton Club is the best option IF your goal is to spend your time in NY.

Sorry for my being 'dense', but why again do you like 'The Hilton Club' over the other Hiltons?

 

[dayooper]

Sorry for my being 'dense', but why again do you like 'The Hilton Club' over the other Hiltons?

My guess is you have exclusive booking rights to the property. There is no club booking or even bHC booking rights. Only The Hilton Club owners can book their points there. W57th and The Residences have regular HGVC booking windows and the upcoming NYC properties (The Quin and Central on 5th) will have regular HGVC will have even bigger booking windows.

At least that’s my guess.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

@Tokapeba Hilton Club NYC is the most flexible because owners can reserve close to arrival time without competition. However that flexibility comes with a cost at $.30 per point compared to $.17 to .21 per point at the other NYC properties.

Points are all that matter in NYC because few owners use their home week and most owners book using points during the priority resort window. Unlike HGVC Club resorts, NYC is unique in that you are only competing with other property owners at that site so competition is minimal and there is plenty of availability. This makes it easier to book shorter stays, 1 bedrooms, view units and event weeks such as Thanksgiving and NYE.

The 3750, 5250, and 7000 point Studios at W57 have the lowest overall MF at $1576. That may be the lowest MF for a TS in Manhattan across all brands. We own a 5250 point studio plus plat which is a popular unit. We average 2 long weekends a year from California. That comes out to $225 a night and includes breakfast and evening appetizers in the lounge.

However, there are ways to stretch those points to lower your cost per night even more. For example weekdays are half the points of weekends so stay midweek in early Sept in a Studio Plus unit for MF equivalent of $86/night plus you get the free lounge, then add a free Hilton certificate or two from the Amex Credit Card for the weekend at the Conrad or MidTown Hilton a block away. You can also borrow points from a future year so if you want a 1 bdrm penthouse for a special occasion it is available to you as an owner.

The larger units have lower MF per point but sell for a premium and the overall MF is much higher running $2500 - $3600/year.

Here is an excerpt with NYC from the MF / point sticky prepared from the by our fearless moderator @GT75

Good luck!

 

[Sebastiantheibis]

Which, in my opinion, is why The Hilton Club is the best option IF your goal is to spend your time in NY.

W57th is smaller, and feels more like a condo than the Hilton Club on 6th which is a retrofit TS. West 57 was built from the start to be a TS

 

[tombanjo]

W57 is smaller only in the sense it doesn’t have a lobby with stores and taxi stand and two bars. More people, but like a condo in the sense the lobby is elevators and three people a t counter to check you in.

 

[KathyA]

Sorry for my being 'dense', but why again do you like 'The Hilton Club' over the other Hiltons?

Well, everyone has pretty much summed it up. No real competition from other Hilton Owners, great location, easier to book in advance. But as CalGalTraveler points out, it comes at a cost. We've owned there 15 years, and it suits us perfectly. But, again, that's true only if you only want to go exclusively to NY. And of course, YMMV.

 

[brp]

W57 is smaller only in the sense it doesn’t have a lobby with stores and taxi stand and two bars. More people, but like a condo in the sense the lobby is elevators and three people a t counter to check you in.

Also smaller in the sense that one can actually get an elevator. As well, there are like 8 rooms per floor as opposed to really a lot, so a much more intimate feel.

Cheers.

 

[letsgobobby]

There are tons of STP units for resale. Sounds like most of you owners often use the booking window to reserve larger units for less than seven days to stretch your points but keep buy in and MF low.

But all of these studios are Max 2 people. With a family of four would you suggest buying two STP units (10,500 old points) or one of the 1BR? Are those harder to unload later?

 

[escanoe]

My guess is you have exclusive booking rights to the property. There is no club booking or even bHC booking rights. Only The Hilton Club owners can book their points there.

There are occasional bulk deposits of HCNY studios into RCI.

 

[escanoe]

There are tons of STP units for resale. Sounds like most of you owners often use the booking window to reserve larger units for less than seven days to stretch your points but keep buy in and MF low.

But all of these studios are Max 2 people. With a family of four would you suggest buying two STP units (10,500 old points) or one of the 1BR? Are those harder to unload later?

My family of four recently stayed in the Quinn for a short stay. It was doable but not ideal. It was a day we added onto a stay at the Manhattan Club. We prefer trading into the Manhattan Club through RCI since the 1BR units there are a fair amount larger and come with a kitchenette.

I only recommend trading into TMC through RCI. I do not recommend owning. The bHC properties are nicer, but for family travel we find TMC to be more practical.