Posts Tagged ‘airlines’
Vacation Status
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Get Value from your Hilton Grand Vacations Club Ownership
Copyright (c) 2011 Richard Marquette
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) is a points-based vacation ownership and exchange system that is marketed and operated by Hilton Grand Vacations Company, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hilton Worldwide, also known as Hilton Hotels Corp. HGVC provides property management services to affiliated resorts, and currently operates fifty resorts worldwide!
The Timeshare Resorts:
HGVC destinations offer both developed and affiliated resorts. Only a few timeshare resorts have actually been built and developed by the Hilton brand. The majority of Hilton Grand Vacation Club properties are actually affiliate resorts. These resorts were developed by other companies, and then later entered into an affiliation agreement to participate in the Club. At the time of publish the HGVC vacation destinations include:
California: Carlsbad SeaPointe Resort, Club Intrawest Palm Desert, Grand Pacific Marbrisa, Grand Pacific Palisades
Colorado: Valdoro Mountain Lodge
Florida: HGV Club at SeaWorld International Center, HGV Club on International Drive, Parc Soleil by Hilton Grand Vacations, HGV Club at South Beach, Plantation Beach Club, The Cottages at South Seas Island Resort, Harbourview Villas, Plantation Bay Villas, Plantation Beach Club, Plantation House, South Seas Club, SeaWatch on the Beach, The Charter Club of Marco Beach, Club Regency of Marco Island, Eagle’s Nest Beach Resort, Sunset Cove Resort, Surf Club of Marco, Casa Ybel Resort, Hurricane House Resort, Sanibel Cottages Resort ,Shell Island Beach Club Resort, Tortuga Beach Club Resort, and Club Intrawest Sandestin
Hawaii: Bay Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort, Grand Waikikian, Hilton Hawaiian Village, HGV Club at Waikoloa Beach Resort, King’s Land by Hilton Grand Vacations
Nevada:HGVC at the Flamingo, Hilton Grand Vacations Club Las Vegas, HGVC on the Las Vegas Strip
New York: The Hilton Club New York, West 57th Street by Hilton Club
Canada: Club Intrawest Whistler, Club Intrawest Tremblant
Mexico: Fiesta Americana Villas Cancun, Fiesta Americana Villas Acapulco, Fiesta Americana Villas Los Cabos, The Explorean Kohunlich, Club Intrawest Zihuatanejo
Portugal: Hilton Vilamoura Vacation Club
Scotland: Hilton Coylumbridge, Hilton Craigendarroch, Hilton Dunkeld
Usage Strategies and Rules:
The Club is actually just a point based reservation system. Owners get a certain point allotment based on the villa type and season they own at their home resort. As with any point system, proper planning will greatly enhance your usage and satisfaction. You should understand the different ownership types, the benefits of ownership, the basic rules of the reservation system, as well as some strategies that current owners employ to maximize their usage and enjoyment.
Ownership Types:
When learning about this system, the distinction between HGVC developed resorts and HGVC affiliated resorts is important. Ownership and usage rules may be quite different depending on your home resort. The underlying ownership is always based on the home resort. Because of this, usage strategies will vary slightly based on your home resort. For example, some affiliated resorts located in southwest Florida were originally sold as fixed week timeshares. For fixed and event week ownerships, the home week is automatically reserved each year unless the owner cancels the reservation. Most HGVC developed and built resorts are all sold as floating week timeshares.
The ownership documents may also vary from resort to resort. Some Hilton deeds show a specific week and unit in the legal description, even if that information is only used for inventory purposes. Other deeds don’t show an assigned week or unit, but instead show a usage type in a specific villa size. Finally, when you consider the affiliated Fiesta Americana resorts in Mexico- these properties are not even deeded. They are sold as non-deeded right to use leaseholds with a specific expiration date when the timeshare usage will end.
Also, it’s very important to understand that Elite Status designation cannot be obtained via resale purchases and that not all affiliate resorts allow the Club membership rights to transfer on the resale market. Carefully consider the pros and cons before making any purchase, either resale or via the developer.
Seasons:
There are four main season names that are used by Hilton Grand Vacations Club: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. The specific weeks that fall within these seasons will vary depending on the resort. Some resorts will have all four seasons, while others may only be divided into two or three seasons. There can be other variations with a few of the affiliates. Some affiliate resorts were originally sold with different season designations than those used by Hilton. Also, a few of these resorts may have a float season that encompasses weeks which fall into different HGVC season designations. It’s possible that some owners may have the ability to reserve a week in part of the platinum and also the gold season.
The Club Point values for the weeks, seasons, and unit sizes for each Club resort can be found in the published Member’s Guide. Many resale buyers tend to focus on the Hilton built properties, to avoid confusion and ensure they receive a consistent number of Club points each year.
Exchange Options:
There are different ways to exchange your ownership week for another resort. The easiest way is often simply using the Club points to reserve at another Club affiliate. To go outside the Club, a third party exchange system must be used such as RCI, Interval International, or a smaller system such as SFX Resorts. Your home resort will determine which exchange systems you have access to as an owner.
Fee Information:
Maintenance fees are determined each year based on the overall operating budget of the home resort. Fees can vary widely from one resort to another, and these assessments will vary from year to year. Maintenance fees will increase over the years. You should always consider maintenance fees before making a decision to purchase, and should compare fees between several resorts as part of your research. In some cases, the annual fee can actually be more important over time that the negotiated purchase price!
Generally, the unit type and size determines the base maintenance fee amount, not the point allotment. A one bedroom villa in the platinum season will be assessed the same base maintenance fee as a one bedroom in the silver season, even though the point allotment is far less.
Club dues must also be paid each year. For most resort, members living in the US and Canada are currently charged $99. while members living outside the US or Canada are currently charged $139. (West 57th owners are charged $197. and $232. respectively). Members who own a US resort and also an international resort may be required to pay Club dues for each account as the two systems may not be able to be combined into a single billing account.
Reservations:
Hilton Grand Vacations Club has five reservation types.
Home Week Reservations are a full seven night stay in the exact unit type and season owned at your home resort. Reservation can be made from nine months up to one year prior to check in. Because owners get a longer reservation window at their home resort, it’s smart to buy at the resort you believe you will use most often, in the unit and season that best meets your future plans. Home week reservations have the greatest opportunity at finding availability.
Home Resort Reservations are currently only available to owners of the West 57th by Hilton Club. There is no minimum stay requirement for these reservations, but they can only be made at the West 57th resort from 45 days up to nine months in advance of the check out date.
Club Reservations can be made up to nine months prior to the requested check out date at most resorts. Club reservations must be for three days or greater in duration. Reservations can be made at most resorts during this period (West 57th in New York for example, only allows Club Reservations to be made up to 44 days prior to the check out date) and all points owners have an equal opportunity to get reservations. You can reserve any type of villa, and in any season- only being restricted by the number of points that you own!
Open Season Reservations can be made at most resorts (West 57th is excluded) up to 30 days prior to your date of check out and require only a two day minimum stay. These reservations are paid for with cash, but at rates that are heavily discounted!
Point Charts:
The online Member’s Guide contains the official point charts and season calendars.
About the Author
About The Author: Richard Marquette is the General Manager of the
Progressive Real Estate Agency LLC
, and is active in numerous industry and consumer organizations related to vacation ownership.
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