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Why is Hilton club so prestige?

toontoy

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So we just checked out of the Hilton Club in NYC about an hour ago. I am wondering why its deemed prestige and exclusive.

We thought the check in on the 37th floor was annoying. We found the studio basically a regular hotel room on a club level floor. I am wondering why its deemed so prestige and why its exclusive. I understand its NY, but the double tree times square and Renissanse at Time square are nicer and have a more friendly staff.

For the amount of points exchanged into this I thought it was ok but looking at the point maint fee and room rates it seems like you can get a regular room at the Hilton for 199 and the club with maint fee not including purchase are around 350. I know this is Feb but I am just wondering. We came for a convention and the convention rates for the double tree were 239 and hilton 189.

Did we get all the info or is there more? I do know it expires as well so I guess I just dont get it. I do think its a nice hotel but others are in better locations in my opinion.
 

amisco

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Sorry you didn't like it...

So we just checked out of the Hilton Club in NYC about an hour ago. I am wondering why its deemed prestige and exclusive.

We thought the check in on the 37th floor was annoying. We found the studio basically a regular hotel room on a club level floor. I am wondering why its deemed so prestige and why its exclusive. I understand its NY, but the double tree times square and Renissanse at Time square are nicer and have a more friendly staff.

For the amount of points exchanged into this I thought it was ok but looking at the point maint fee and room rates it seems like you can get a regular room at the Hilton for 199 and the club with maint fee not including purchase are around 350. I know this is Feb but I am just wondering. We came for a convention and the convention rates for the double tree were 239 and hilton 189.

Did we get all the info or is there more? I do know it expires as well so I guess I just dont get it. I do think its a nice hotel but others are in better locations in my opinion.


I am sorry you didn't appreciate the differences between the Hilton Club a "regular hotel room". Briefly the rooms are larger than a standard hotel room, unlike other timeshares you get daily maid service, continental breakfast is included in your stay as is the wine and light snacks every evening. I have always found the staff very friendly and provide five star service, and the ease of check-in without lines great.

We go to this property every year for a theatre week and find the location perfect for the activities around the Times Square/Fifth Avenue/Rockefeller Center areas. So sorry that it did not meet your expectations..enjoy the double tree or other hotels in the future if you feel they are better.
 

jehb2

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Normally I would say it doesn't make sense to compare a timeshare to a hotel room. However, in this case, this timeshare is a hotel room. There is no real refrigerator and no cooking facilities. It's a hotel room!

The sales staff will tell you "No one cooks when they come to NYC." Families love NYC and eating out every meal just doesn't work when you have small kids.

Don't get me wrong. I have been a diehard HGVC fan/owner for 10+ years. But I find their New York properties to not be very accommodating if you have young ones.

We are a family of four and spent 2 awesome weeks at the Manhattan Club this past summer. The Manhattan Club has a great location, a microwave and reasonable size refrigeration. Plus it only cost use 3400 points for a true 1bdrm unit.
 

linsj

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Normally I would say it doesn't make sense to compare a timeshare to a hotel room. However, in this case, this timeshare is a hotel room. There is no real refrigerator and no cooking facilities. It's a hotel room!

I agree. I can live with a small refrigerator, but I also need a microwave for leftovers and popcorn. I'd take the Times Square Doubletree Suites and Hilton Garden Inn over either of HGVC NY properties any day. I've stayed at both on points and got free hot breakfasts (since I'm Hilton gold and for two of us at the Doubletree), along with daily housekeeping. I don't understand the attraction of HGVC there.
 

Remy

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Plus 1 on the Manhattan Club. Nice place and reasonable breakfast cost (for NY).
 

toontoy

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Thanks for the info. I wanted to make sure I had all the facts.

We did enjoy our stay, just not enough to add Hilton club points. We would have purchased them resale anyways.
 

sjuhawk_jd

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I am sorry you didn't appreciate the differences between the Hilton Club a "regular hotel room". Briefly the rooms are larger than a standard hotel room, unlike other timeshares you get daily maid service, continental breakfast is included in your stay as is the wine and light snacks every evening. I have always found the staff very friendly and provide five star service, and the ease of check-in without lines great.

We go to this property every year for a theatre week and find the location perfect for the activities around the Times Square/Fifth Avenue/Rockefeller Center areas. So sorry that it did not meet your expectations..enjoy the double tree or other hotels in the future if you feel they are better.

+1 for Hilton Club. I also found the concierge service on the 37th floor to be top notch and available without much wait to make reservations, give directions and restaurant recommendations. The line for such services is usually long at the first floor hotel lobby.
 

hvacrsteve

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It is not, their are some nice people that work their, as far as Hilton in general it has devalued itself, inflated itself and I plan on selling a devalued rate no less!
Their Diamond level is now a joke!
 

Sandy VDH

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I exchanged via RCI for 2,4K HGVC points and a reservation fee. More than fair as far as I am concerned. But I know what I am getting.

I think free continental breakfast and free drinks and snacks at happy hour are a nice plus.

I never cook in NYC, and I am not taking little ones. So it works great for me.

I also have a MC stay booked for Nov. Obtained via SFX, so a bargin as a bonus week.
 

KathyA

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It is not, their are some nice people that work their, as far as Hilton in general it has devalued itself, inflated itself and I plan on selling a devalued rate no less!
Their Diamond level is now a joke!

Steve: I remember that in the past you have posted great reviews of this resort. I'm wondering if you could share what's made you change your mind. We own 19000 points there and go several times a year.

Kathy
 

hvacrsteve

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Steve: I remember that in the past you have posted great reviews of this resort. I'm wondering if you could share what's made you change your mind. We own 19000 points there and go several times a year.

Kathy

Kathy,
I still do like the Club in general, however when they did away with the special number for the club, a lot of the great service went with it.

Unfortunately during the last year I have tested every part of the Hilton system, I have found many weaknesses especially with the changes they have made in the last several years.
Not because I wanted to, but because we had a death in the imediate family and also a major accident that has taken years to recover from.
If you are only going to NYC and you never have life happen to you it works great, but when you have deaths in the family and other emergencies it cost you a lot of money to cancel or even your total allotment of points which you paid full price for.
I find the fees annoying when things we have no control over happen.

I always look for last minute availability and because of the policies Hilton believes there is not much available at the last minute.

I could go on but it would not really matter, I have expressed my thoughts to Hilton, but they is no longer a Conrad Hilton at the helm, so it basically goes on deaf ears.
 

SmithOp

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I can commiserate with you Steve because my father had a stroke last year and I am now his primary caregiver, but I have to say its a slippery slope allowing exceptions to rules. Where will the line be drawn? Who defines "in the family", I know people consider their dog part of the family and will be devastated when it dies, possibly enough to want to cancel a reservation.
 

NiciMeyers84

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It is not, their are some nice people that work their, as far as Hilton in general it has devalued itself, inflated itself and I plan on selling a devalued rate no less!
Their Diamond level is now a joke!

Kathy,
I still do like the Club in general, however when they did away with the special number for the club, a lot of the great service went with it.

Unfortunately during the last year I have tested every part of the Hilton system, I have found many weaknesses especially with the changes they have made in the last several years.
Not because I wanted to, but because we had a death in the imediate family and also a major accident that has taken years to recover from.
If you are only going to NYC and you never have life happen to you it works great, but when you have deaths in the family and other emergencies it cost you a lot of money to cancel or even your total allotment of points which you paid full price for.
I find the fees annoying when things we have no control over happen.

I always look for last minute availability and because of the policies Hilton believes there is not much available at the last minute.

I could go on but it would not really matter, I have expressed my thoughts to Hilton, but they is no longer a Conrad Hilton at the helm, so it basically goes on deaf ears.

Oh wow. I'd been considering the Hilton Club, but looming cancellation fees and what sounds like a decrease in quality services makes me hesitant.

But maybe it all depends on the person and the experiences/expectations? It sounds like others had positive experiences and for me, personally, the draw of NY might just win me over.
 

KathyA

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Kathy,
I still do like the Club in general, however when they did away with the special number for the club, a lot of the great service went with it.

Unfortunately during the last year I have tested every part of the Hilton system, I have found many weaknesses especially with the changes they have made in the last several years.
Not because I wanted to, but because we had a death in the imediate family and also a major accident that has taken years to recover from.
If you are only going to NYC and you never have life happen to you it works great, but when you have deaths in the family and other emergencies it cost you a lot of money to cancel or even your total allotment of points which you paid full price for.
I find the fees annoying when things we have no control over happen.

I always look for last minute availability and because of the policies Hilton believes there is not much available at the last minute.

I could go on but it would not really matter, I have expressed my thoughts to Hilton, but they is no longer a Conrad Hilton at the helm, so it basically goes on deaf ears.

Steve: Thanks for the perspective. My own experiences with The Hilton Club have all been positive. I do plan and book at least two or three months in advance, so perhaps our experiences vary. I also use quite a number of our points for Hilton family hotel stays (Barcelona, Madrid, Barbados, Charleston, Savannah, Rome Cavalieri to name a few) and that has worked out well for us. Plus we go to NY a minimum of three times a year and really like the one bedroom setup there.

I do agree with you on the fees. Plus the maintenance fees are becoming out of site, but that's largely due to NY taxes, and at least you can take that portion off your own income taxes. Also agree that the loss of a direct number to the club is disappointing.

My condolences on your family's losses. Best regards, Kathy
 

hvacrsteve

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I can commiserate with you Steve because my father had a stroke last year and I am now his primary caregiver, but I have to say its a slippery slope allowing exceptions to rules. Where will the line be drawn? Who defines "in the family", I know people consider their dog part of the family and will be devastated when it dies, possibly enough to want to cancel a reservation.

Hilton could fix it if they wanted to.
We all only have x points!

My feeling is if you cancel and they are able to rent your room for the same or more then you owe nothing, if they don't then you are hit with the fee.

They loose nothing and gain a much happier customer.
I had to cancel New Years, I was fortunate that I canceled in time so it only cost me the cancellation fee and not the points on that one.
Then another one would have cost me points.

They could do better, thats all.
The thing is if they did allow this, I would like it better, I am always looking for last minute stays, with the HGVC because of their policies they just don't come up much.

I have expressed my view to Hilton, I just want people to realize what they are truly purchasing.
So when it happens to them, at least they knew it could!

I still love the Club, its just with eyes wide open!
 

hvacrsteve

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Steve: Thanks for the perspective. My own experiences with The Hilton Club have all been positive. I do plan and book at least two or three months in advance, so perhaps our experiences vary. I also use quite a number of our points for Hilton family hotel stays (Barcelona, Madrid, Barbados, Charleston, Savannah, Rome Cavalieri to name a few) and that has worked out well for us. Plus we go to NY a minimum of three times a year and really like the one bedroom setup there.

I do agree with you on the fees. Plus the maintenance fees are becoming out of site, but that's largely due to NY taxes, and at least you can take that portion off your own income taxes. Also agree that the loss of a direct number to the club is disappointing.

My condolences on your family's losses. Best regards, Kathy

Thanks Kathy, I do still love the club, I just have experienced what we never hope happens to anyone.
It is hard losing a 20 year Grandson. He spent a week in ICU and basically was pronounced brain dead.
This happened a week before Christmas, we had New Years booked.
He passed on Christmas Eve and we buried him on New Years Eve.
 

hvacrsteve

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Oh wow. I'd been considering the Hilton Club, but looming cancellation fees and what sounds like a decrease in quality services makes me hesitant.

But maybe it all depends on the person and the experiences/expectations? It sounds like others had positive experiences and for me, personally, the draw of NY might just win me over.

Don't get me wrong, I still love the Hilton club, it is truly one of the nicest places you can stay in NYC. The location is perfect!

You just have to know how to use it, you are allowed one cancellation a year for free, but I have 28k points, so that is a lot of potential.
As an example, if you don't book December a year out, you will not likely get it. Who really knows what a year will bring!

If you only have 5-7k points it really will not matter, when you get over two weeks it starts to matter, especially when you go all the time.
 
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