How to stretch your points

Hi there,

Wondering if veteran HGVC members can share strategies on how YOU best utilize your points. We have 8400 and wondering what's the maximum use I can get out of it whether it be club reservations, RCI or any other external exchange company. Can anyone share their best use of points so far?

Thanks!!

Your points go further with RCI... 2BR, red season = 4800/week.
But you may not get the same resort quality that HGVC provides.
And there's a hefty reservation fee.

I book HGVC when there's one where I want to go.
If there isn't, I look for a high-quality RCI resort.

If staying less than a week, avoid weekends at HGVC.

Enhance your HHonors account with an Am-Ex HHonors card.
Spending $20K on the no-fee version gets you Gold status.
.

ching said:

Hi there,

Wondering if veteran HGVC members can share strategies on how YOU best utilize your points. We have 8400 and wondering what's the maximum use I can get out of it whether it be club reservations, RCI or any other external exchange company. Can anyone share their best use of points so far?

Thanks!!

Click to expand...

Book low season thru RCI...

Take five day vacations where possible and eliminate two of the double points weekend days. Cuts point usage almost in half when booking HGVC or RCI properties that can be done nightly rather than weekly.

If you want to book a HGVC property for a week try to book it through RCI. For example you can request a Parc Soleil search, and again save yourself close to half in point cost. True, there is a 1 in 4 rule, but next time search Sea World or International Drive.

For good dollar value through RCI, stay at their best resorts even though they will only book full weeks. Wilderness at Big Cedar, Disney Vero or Hilton Head, Samoset in Maine are $2500-3,500/week properties.

Apply for a Hhonors credit card and charge enough to make gold or diamond in Hhonors. Only convert points to Hhonors if you are planning to stay in the most expensive Hilton locations, NYC, Rome, Venice, etc. In Europe just the free breakfasts and executive lounges with free drinks and light meals that gold/diamonds get add additional savings. That coupled with sky high hotel rates because of currency exchange can make using HGVC points for these stays an excellent value.

Those are the only tricks I know, please share more as you find them.

I regularly get 3+ weeks out of 5,000 points by booking Oahu studios in gold season.

linsj said:

I regularly get 3+ weeks out of 5,000 points by booking Oahu studios in gold season.

Click to expand...

My wife and I do the same thing...book a studio somewhere in low season. Easier to get in (most places) and more bang for the points.

Thanks!

Thanks for great replies! Does anyone use an exchange company other than RCI? If so, are there any advantages?

Just was wonderng if your points go further between different exchange companies are whether it is best to use HGVC preferred exchange company.

Thanks in advance!

This has been discussed previously with SFX as an exchange.

http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185906

ching said:

Thanks for great replies! Does anyone use an exchange company other than RCI? If so, are there any advantages?

Just was wonderng if your points go further between different exchange companies are whether it is best to use HGVC preferred exchange company.

Thanks in advance!

Click to expand...

With the other exchange companies, you have to book a week--and I believe it has to be what you own on paper--so you won't save any points.

linsj said:

With the other exchange companies, you have to book a week--and I believe it has to be what you own on paper--so you won't save any points.

Click to expand...

Not w/ SFX. You can book any HGVC week and deposit it with SFX. There is more cost hassle, as you need to obtain and pay for a guest certificate when doing this.

But even if you do deposit your owned week, it can still be a "point stretching" strategy as you get bonus weeks w/ SFX, effectively stretching your one week to two or more.

Kurt

We like to take longer vacations 10 days plus, so we only have to pay one airfare. We book the longer stay and make sure it includes only one weekend. Then we book through RCI with the rest of our points at a resort we can drive to. Also we sometimes book multi week stays through RCI, less points.

One small thing to remember is that when booking 5 days instead of a full week is that you don't get the midweek cleaning service. You can pay extra for it but it is not cheap. I forget how much but think it was well over a $100. But, don't quote me on that price. With a normal work week, I don't find that 5 day vacations are that useful. Maybe if you were close to a resort and had plenty of free time. Try to hold out for what you want if points are in short supply. ie don't get the premier if that's all that is available. Carefully, plan to take advantage of a cheaper season if posssible. Sometimes, it more enjoyable to go on a "shoulder" season because the weather is better and/or it's not as crowded. This happens often because kids are off from school at common times like summer.

Book shoulder season and make use of open season. And buy more points!!!!

gnorth16 said:

Book shoulder season and make use of open season. And buy more points!!!!

Click to expand...

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a 'shoulder season'? Is it something like booking the last week of a Gold season before turning Platinum?

holdaer said:

Pardon my ignorance, but what is a 'shoulder season'? Is it something like booking the last week of a Gold season before turning Platinum?

Click to expand...

Correct. Of course flexibility is required, but it works well, especially if you plan ahead and book ASAP inside club season.