Need help using points

[Avnops]

new to this and I have 4200 points must use by 12/31/17 and 6600 bonus points by 1/23/18. I have tried to book several things and everything in full. What do I do with these points? Convert them to hotel points to use as we do lots of little 1-2 night trips? Open to all suggestions! Thanks

 

[1Kflyerguy]

new to this and I have 4200 points must use by 12/31/17 and 6600 bonus points by 1/23/18. I have tried to book several things and everything in full. What do I do with these points? Convert them to hotel points to use as we do lots of little 1-2 night trips? Open to all suggestions! Thanks

Your best value is always to use your points at HGVC resorts, you lose something in the conversion, so you will get less nights away. But if you absolutely cant find any open dates with HGVC that work for you then certainly use the points to book regular hotels instead of letting the points go to waste.

I believe you can use your bonus points to pay your maintenance fees. Like booking hotels, the conversion value is not great, but might be better than cash of your pocket or creating a hotel trip just to use up the points.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

A couple of options:

1) Book past the expiration date in the HGVC system. As long as you don't cancel the reservation the points will not be lost.
2) Search RCI. There is HGVC points availability in NYC June 2018, HGVC District in Washington DC in Jan/Feb 2018 and and Fiesta Los Cabos for various weeks. Depends where you want to go. Again, if you book past the expiration date, as long as the reservation is not cancelled, the points will not be lost. If you need to cancel, you will lose the RCI reservation Fee of $230 plus a $59 fee to convert the points to RCI where you have 2 years to use them. You will need to call the RCI number to set this up using bonus points, otherwise the system will use club points.

Good luck!

 

[GT75]

new to this and I have 4200 points must use by 12/31/17 and 6600 bonus points by 1/23/18.

To me the best value is to use HGVC bookings for your points. Secondly, would be to use RCI, but I have never done that. You can save your 2017 points [4200] to 2018 (for a $99 online transaction fee), but they will need to be used next year. But, you should then start looking to book something now for next year with those points.

For the bonus points, I agree with @CalGalTraveler, book past the expiration date in HGVC system. Just don't cancel that reservation. Actually, FA-Los Cabo would be a wonderful trip.

The download of using a TS, is the advance planning. It isn't like booking a hotel a few days or weeks before we travel. Many of us are booking our reservations 9-months prior when the club reservation opens.

 

[Talent312]

In summary:

1. Use bonus points for a HGVC stay up to 9 months after expiration (club reservation window).
Converting to HHonors is next best. HH points have an estimated value of $0.005 (nerdwallet.com).
So... 2,500 Bonus Points = 62,500 HH points = ~$312.50 (and 2,500 Bonus Points = $250 in MF's).

2. For 2017 points, you can make an RCI booking for 2018 or 2019 w/o paying a fee a "save" fee.
-- You can save some or all (for a fee) to use in 2018 for HGVC or RCI. You must do that by 12/31.

.

 

[jehb2]

To me the best value is to use HGVC bookings for your points. Secondly, would be to use RCI

This is not always true. Sometimes it is a better deal to make a reservation via RCI. For years I used RCI to exchange back into my home resort--mainly the Bay Club in Hawaii. A 1 bdrm is 4800 points. If I exchange back into my resort I can get a 2 bedroom for 4800 points. If I make that 2 bedroom reservation via HGVC it would cost me 7000 points.

Yes I have to pay an exchange fee of $230 (use to be $169 when I started) but I would have to pay $59 for this club reservation since a 2 bedroom would not be my home week so the real difference is $171. There are no other fees. The other RCI fees are if you bank/deposit your point into the RCI system and if you extend them.

So for $171 or $25 a night I get a second bedroom in Hawaii. That is a much better deal than if I had to use an additional 2200 points.

 

[alwysonvac]

Yes, make a 2018 reservation.
Keep in mind most resorts open up to all members 9 months before check-out which is currently May 9 2018 check-in (with a three night minimum).

Just decide where you want to go then take the appropriate action. I agree with the others the best value for our points is HGVC resort stays.

Correction/Clarification in red font.

 

[Talent312]

Minor correction:

Keep in mind most resorts open up to all members 9 months before check-[out] which is currently May 9 2018 check-[out].

 

[jehb2]

Your best value is always to use your points at HGVC resorts,

Another example why this may not always be true. Last summer I Exchanged into the Manhattan Club in New York via RCI for only 2400 points. The Manhattan Club is only 1 block from Central Park and across the street from Carnegie Hall. I have stayed here 3 times and in the past for 2 weeks each stay. Points to stay at the smallest HGVC studios in New York are as follows:

5250. West 57th
6800. The Hilton Club
7200. The Residences

It helps to know all your options and what you can actually do with your points if you want to make the most of the system.

 

[alwysonvac]

Another example why this may not always be true. Last summer I Exchanged into the Manhattan Club in New York via RCI for only 2400 points. The Manhattan Club is only 1 block from Central Park and across the street from Carnegie Hall. I have stayed here 3 times and in the past for 2 weeks each stay.

I've posted plenty of Hilton Club and West 57th St TUG sightings, and exchanged into both via RCI so yes I agree that RCI can be a good value as well.

For the Newbie,
For most HGVC locations, you'll find more availability/flexibility internally within the HGVC reservation system (of course there are exceptions).
RCI is a different animal. All weeks and unit sizes may not be available and resort quality varies so flexibility is key.
Here's a recent thread with some tips regarding RCI - http://tugbbs.com/forums/index.php?threads/how-to-best-use-rci.259737/

Welcome to TUG

 

[Jason245]

Another example why this may not always be true. Last summer I Exchanged into the Manhattan Club in New York via RCI for only 2400 points. The Manhattan Club is only 1 block from Central Park and across the street from Carnegie Hall. I have stayed here 3 times and in the past for 2 weeks each stay. Points to stay at the smallest HGVC studios in New York are as follows:

5250. West 57th
6800. The Hilton Club
7200. The Residences

It helps to know all your options and what you can actually do with your points if you want to make the most of the system.

The part that makes RCI less appealing to me is the reservation fee of hundreds of dollars and the "resort" fees. Out of curiosity, for those two weeks, how much did you have to pay in "fees"?

 

[jehb2]

I agree. The RCI exchange fee and the Manhattan resort/housekeeping/hospitality fees have totally gotten out of hand. Previous reservations the exchange fee was $164 and the hospitality fee $25 a night. In fact I swore I would never stay there again because of the fee increases. But I crunch the numbers and sadly the bottom line is that it's still a good deal for me.

Last summer the RCI reservation cost me $220 plus the $241 ($38.50 a night) hospitality fee. That's $461 plus only half the points of 1 of my one bedrooms units for a week in New York. If I add the MF for the 2200 points plus the $461 in fees the RCI exchange is still cheaper than the 5250 points booked via HGVC it would take to stay at West 57th.

Additionally my Bay Club units have no hospitality fee even for RCI exchangers so that still remains a cheaper way to stay in a 2 bedroom or stretch our time.

I'm running the New York marathon in November. My Holiday Inn Express is $550 a night for 3 nights. Lucky for me I'm using points.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I recently used RCI to stay at the HGVC Strip in a 2bdrm and there were no resort fees. We are using RCI for Manhattan Club in NYC for the same reason plus we have a third person; fewer points for a 1 bdrm (vs studio) and this buys us a second vacation for the points difference. BTW...The Manhattan club accomodates 3 in a studio vs. HGVC which only allows 2; we could have saved even more points but wanted more room/privacy.

Apparently Manhattan club also allows RCI guests to use the lounge which we wouldn't get at HCNY trade - we'd pay buying breakfast and snacks in NYC so the resort fees cover that expense (for $38.50 a night - breakfast/snacks for three plus daily maid service). We are owners at W57 and this was a good deal in comparison to using our home resort. (Many thanks to the Tug thread and AlwaysonVac who educated me on RCI.)

I would not use RCI for a trade into Hawaii or tropical anyplace where I would be using the room significantly because I want control to stay in well situated Ocean Front units.

RCI getaways can also be a good deal without using points too. We just booked a spring break week in a one bedroom at the Grandview for $499 no points. $71/night for a 1 bdrm.

 

[Jason245]

I agree. The RCI exchange fee and the Manhattan resort/housekeeping/hospitality fees have totally gotten out of hand. Previous reservations the exchange fee was $164 and the hospitality fee $25 a night. In fact I swore I would never stay there again because of the fee increases. But I crunch the numbers and sadly the bottom line is that it's still a good deal for me.

Last summer the RCI reservation cost me $220 plus the $241 ($38.50 a night) hospitality fee. That's $461 plus only half the points of 1 of my one bedrooms units for a week in New York. If I add the MF for the 2200 points plus the $461 in fees the RCI exchange is still cheaper than the 5250 points booked via HGVC it would take to stay at West 57th.

Additionally my Bay Club units have no hospitality fee even for RCI exchangers so that still remains a cheaper way to stay in a 2 bedroom or stretch our time.

I'm running the New York marathon in November. My Holiday Inn Express is $550 a night for 3 nights. Lucky for me I'm using points.

If my math is right,

You got ~6 nights (38.5 *6 = 231).

maybe there is tax that makes up the $10,

Basicially your 6 night stay cost you 461 + ~$550 in MF (Bay club is about 25 cents a point at least from what I own).

so total cost for 6 nights was ~$1011 or ~$170/night.

All in all, not a terrible financial deal compared to rentals (less than half price).

But NY is one of the few exceptions... for the most part, RCI exchanges are a bad deal..

 

[jehb2]

Sorry my math error

269.50 hospitality fee (38.50 x 7 nights)
543.40. MF for 2200 points (based on what I pay for all my HGVC points)
220 RCI exchange fee
1032.90 / 7 nights
$147.55 a night for 7 nights at the Manhattan Club

We are a family of 4 and we stayed in a larger Manhattan Club studio that slept 4

 

[CalGalTraveler]

$38.50 per day to feed a family of 4 breakfast + snacks + daily maid service = $9.62 pp in NYC is a good deal.

 

[Jason245]

Sorry my math error

269.50 hospitality fee (38.50 x 7 nights)
543.40. MF for 2200 points (based on what I pay for all my HGVC points)
220 RCI exchange fee
1032.90 / 7 nights
$147.55 a night for 7 nights at the Manhattan Club

We are a family of 4 and we stayed in a larger Manhattan Club studio that slept 4

Not bad...

As I said before... probably one of the only "good" uses of HGVC points in RCI.

I can't get the math to work out most other places

Just an FYI... Per my review of RCI today, the new service charge is 54.51/Day... so your cost to do this again would be ~$164/Day.

 

[RX8]

Not bad...

As I said before... probably one of the only "good" uses of HGVC points in RCI.

I can't get the math to work out most other places

Just an FYI... Per my review of RCI today, the new service charge is 54.51/Day... so your cost to do this again would be ~$164/Day.

I'm trying to understand the value of RCI with HGVC as I have never exchanged. Wondering why you can't get the math to work out. Using a 1 BDM as an example, and assuming 14 cents per point, it comes to $476 (3400 x .14). Add the $220 exchange fee and the total is roughly $100 per night. Seems like a good deal to me. The only variable I may be missing that I can think of are tacked on resort fees/taxes. I understand NYC and DVC but how about other locations? Are added fees the norm with RCI resorts?

 

[jehb2]

The Manhattan Club is the only RCI resort that I have stayed at that tacked on a fee. I know there are others but no, not all resorts do it.

Two summers ago we did 35 days in Europe. We did 10 nights at the HGVC Borgo alle Vigne in Tuscany Italy using regular club points via HGVC. We also did 7 nights at a timeshare in Scotland. The timeshare was part of a resort/spa and the grounds were incredible. Our 1 bedroom unit was large and over looked a loch. The RCI fee was $199 and no other fees. And because it was an RCI exchange we only had to use 3400 points instead of 4800 for a 1 bedroom. That was a really good deal.

We traded into the Sheraton Walle Centre--super nice unit in a highrise hotel in downtown Vancouver with floor to ceiling windows. That too was a really good deal--fancy unit for only 3400 points plus exchange fee. No other fee.

The thing to keep in mind is that while my RCI exchanges require a somewhat steep exchange fee they require fewer Club points. The cost of the exchange fee is less then the monetary value of the club points saved.

This is why it is actually cheaper for me to trade my 1bdrm and exchange back into my home resort and get a 2 bedroom. The exchange fee is less than the monetary value of the points required to get 2 bdrm club reservation via HGVC

So if you use RCI to exchange into really cool places it's a great deal. If you exchange into crappy places it isn't. I have been fortunate to exchange into cool places or place that are just really expensive if I had to pay out of pocket.

You have to do your research. But you shouldn't accept as a blanket statement that an HGVC reservation is ALWAYS the best value over RCI.

And for the record, almost every year I use my club points and make an HGVC reservation to stay at my home resort HHV Lagoon Tower.

 

[Jason245]

I'm trying to understand the value of RCI with HGVC as I have never exchanged. Wondering why you can't get the math to work out. Using a 1 BDM as an example, and assuming 14 cents per point, it comes to $476 (3400 x .14). Add the $220 exchange fee and the total is roughly $100 per night. Seems like a good deal to me. The only variable I may be missing that I can think of are tacked on resort fees/taxes. I understand NYC and DVC but how about other locations? Are added fees the norm with RCI resorts?

The quality of there resorts arnt up to my standards or I can actually find cash rentals(equal or better accommodations ) for similar pricing. .if I can rent for same cost as mf plus rci fees. . It makes no sense to use my points.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

 

[Denise L]

Does the access to the Manhattan Club really get you free breakfast and snacks now? I stayed there in May 2015, and I could get into the lounge, but food was an extra cost. Maybe they increased the daily fee enough to cover free food?

 

[Talent312]

Does the access to the Manhattan Club really get you free breakfast and snacks now?

No. Was there 6 weeks ago. You can sit in the lounge, but if you eat, you pay.
There's 2 Starbucks in the same block, and Tisserie in the Park Central next door.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Sometimes the choice is relative:The OP has 4 people in their party so the minimum points to go direct with HGVC is about 7200 for a one bedroom because a W57 or HCNY studio will not accommodate more than 2 people. A studio that sleeps 4 at Manhattan club via RCI costs 2400 for a week, which means one can save 4800 points. That's a lot of points!

If the fee does not cover breakfast, then that is a garbage fee, however even with the fee at $58/day, one would be ahead versus HGVC points, HGVC open season at $250+/night ($1750+) or hotels in NYC.

If RCI and resort fees rise above this level, then I agree that one would be better off staying in a local hotel

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I don't see any Resort fees for W57 or Bay club except for a 1 in 4 rule. So for a studio in W57 via HGVC it would be 5250 during a platinum week. 2400 points plus $230 for RCI saves 2850 points - enough for another vacation. (As a bonus, because I am an owner at W57 we could probably could use the lounge for free breakfasts/snacks since we can demonstrate we are an owner even though we booked via RCI.)

For Bay Club a week in a 1 bedroom is 4800 points and RCI would be $230 + 3400 so the arbitrage is less valuable but could be as much as 1400 points saved. However, if a 2bdrm unit unit comes available then RCI is capped at 4800 points vs 7000 or 8400 HGVC points - that's almost double the points saved. However you might end up in the worst unit given that it is an RCI exchange - IMHO for a room/lanai in Hawaii that I would be using constantly, I would pay the extra points for a better view. For Disney or NYC where I just need a place to rest my head, I don't care about the view and would opt for RCI.

If your travel plans may change, you are better off with HGVC because you would lose $230 on RCI for a cancellation.

 

[Avnops]

A couple of options:

1) Book past the expiration date in the HGVC system. As long as you don't cancel the reservation the points will not be lost.
2) Search RCI. There is HGVC points availability in NYC June 2018, HGVC District in Washington DC in Jan/Feb 2018 and and Fiesta Los Cabos for various weeks. Depends where you want to go. Again, if you book past the expiration date, as long as the reservation is not cancelled, the points will not be lost. If you need to cancel, you will lose the RCI reservation Fee of $230 plus a $59 fee to convert the points to RCI where you have 2 years to use them. You will need to call the RCI number to set this up using bonus points, otherwise the system will use club points.

Good luck!

So I can use my points the expire 12/17 to book now for 2/17?