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Anyone else thinking about joining HCC before the 30th?

Tedpilot

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Tombo, you make some good points so maybe we could start a new thread of pros/cons of DCs vs timeshares vs fractionals vs renting (hotel, condo, resort, etc...). Perhaps capture the sweetspot of each and then publish/post a synopsis/chart of which venue might be best for prospective buyers? The problem and value in doing this is that each is significantly different in cost, risk, reward, usage, etc... They don't easily compare and each persons tastes and risk tolerance would drive them to one genre of product vs another. A little normalization between the different venues could be achieved. Perhaps, template a three or four-week per year snapshot of each and then proceed from there.

Example:

DC TS Frac Rent
Cost/night 300 ? ? 150
Cost/sqft/nt .15 ? ? .30
Cost/pp/nt 50 ? ? 38
Avg size 2000' 1000' 3000' 500
Trade N Y Some no
Sell Some Y Y NA
Booking Anytime Lim Lim Anytime
Oblg debt N Y Y NA
Services Y Some N Y
Exit Strat 3:1 Sell Sell NA
 

tombo

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Ted, I think all of the factors you mention are valid when deciding whether a timeshare or DC is worth the outlay and annual fees. It would make sense to compare since despite their differences, all are just alternatives to renting or purchasing outright future vacation destinations.

I promise not to get my feelings hurt and lash out when negatives are posted about timeshares. I would hope fractionals and DC owners could do the same. There are pros for everything and cons for everything and you must be open minded or there is no reason to even discuss. If it looks good on paper could I even be convinced to join HCC before the price hike? I do doubt it but will listen with an open mind.

P.S. Since I promised not to post here anymore if no sales pitches for DC's are made on the traditional TS sites, the thread needs to be somehwere else as I would like to participate but won't do it here as promised. Sorry I did post here one more time but it was in response to a question by Ted for an interesting thread.
 
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S

Steamboat Bill

Ted, I think all of the factors you mention are valid when deciding whether a timeshare or DC is worth the outlay and annual fees. It would make sense to compare since despite their differences, all are just alternatives to renting or purchasing outright future vacation destinations.

I promise not to get my feelings hurt and lash out when negatives are posted about timeshares. I would hope fractionals and DC owners could do the same. There are pros for everything and cons for everything and you must be open minded or there is no reason to even discuss. If it looks good on paper could I even be convinced to join HCC before the price hike? I do doubt it but will listen with an open mind.

P.S. Since I promised not to post here anymore if no sales pitches for DC's are made on the traditional TS sites, the thread needs to be somehwere else as I would like to participate but won't do it here as promised. Sorry I did post here one more time but it was in response to a question by Ted for an interesting thread.

This is the smartest post you have made since you joined TUG (IMHO :D).

Any discussions on DC, fractionals, condo-hotels should be posted here. Discussions on VRBO can be posted here or elsewhere.

I can honestly say - I never intended to create any posts here or on the Buying, Selling, Renting forum that was meant to be a sales pitch for any DC (or DVC, Marriott, Westgate, etc).

I will post about DCs on rare occasions on the Buying, Selling, Renting forum as a courtesy to all TUGers as many of them never read the Non-traditional Interval Ownership forums and some of the DCs priceing options are very attractive and can actually be LESS than buying a timeshare week.

I never read the Wyndham Resorts or the Starwood Vacation Ownership forums, but I would read an occasional post on the Buying, Selling, Renting forum if it interested me.

Constructive debate is always welcomed, it is the constant badgering from non-DC owners that myself (and others) are getting tired of reading.
 

WhiteSand

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I found this site while researching DCs through a Google search, so I'm not a timeshare person and don't have much experience with them.

That said, I think that the DC idea appeals to a different market than the timeshare, although in the case of HCC the price point may be similar.

A major motivation for joining a DC for people I know who are members of ER, Lusso and HCC is convenience. We are 2 working parents with no time to plan vacations, although we do make time to take them. I don't want to spend hours of time trading a TS. I also don't want to spend the time researching the destination, finding a hotel or villa, renting it, arrranging transportation from airport, groceries, etc... I just want to have nice places to go to that have been pre-screened for me with support and concierge services when I need it. I'm willing to pay a premium to have that experience. I hope I don't lose all the money, but if I do the HCC membership isn't high enough yet that the loss of it will ruin me.

It seems that TS owners actually like the game of trading and beating the system and spending the time to do that. I think the TS owners forget that the convenience and service a DC offers is part of what you are paying for and what is attractive to many DC members.

In my opinion, its been worth it. No more evenings online trying to find the perfect hotel somewhere--I know the HCC properties will be nice and I can book them in 5 minutes and i'm done with it. Maybe I'm lazy and spoiled, (probably both,) but I can't imagine going back to the VRBO site...
 

vivalour

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Tombo,
IMHO, you've made your point -- more than once-- and I don't understand why you persist in repeatedly "warning" readers -- ad nauseam -- of the potential follies of buying into a DC. Frankly, as a possible DC purchaser, I find this to be highly patronizing. I can size up the risks myself and I'm sure that intelligent people can judge for themselves once they do their research BEYOND the posts on this TUG site. Most DC owners here have already told you that they looked very carefully into the advantages & risks and STILL chose to go ahead. So why not move onto another topic???
 
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CaliFam

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Some questions

I am seriously considering joining HCC by the end of this week but had a few questions you all may be able to answer. We are a busy family with 4 children. Do you recommend the 15 day or the 25 day membership? I am afraid that with sports, boy scouts, school, etc, we will only have a limited time to use HCC and therefore like the 15 day membership, but it is not that much more to get the additional 10 days. Is everyone using all their days and do they wish they had more or less? Second, many of the properties seem to be only 2 bedrooms. Could anyone with larger families weigh in and let me know your thoughts and if they had enough room for everyone. Many thanks.
 
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Steamboat Bill

I am seriously considering joining HCC by the end of this week but had a few questions you all may be able to answer. We are a busy family with 4 children. Do you recommend the 15 day or the 25 day membership? I am afraid that with sports, boy scouts, school, etc, we will only have a limited time to use HCC and therefore like the 15 day membership, but it is not that much more to get the additional 10 days. Is everyone using all their days and do they wish they had more or less? Second, many of the properties seem to be only 2 bedrooms. Could anyone with larger families weigh in and let me know your thoughts and if they had enough room for everyone. Many thanks.

I would recommend the 15 night plan with an option to upgrade to a 25 night plan in the future.

The average size of HCC properties is 3 bedrooms, with a range of 1-5 bedrooms. Only the units at expensive locations are 1-2 bedrooms (NYC, Turks, Tuscany), while many of the other properties have 3-5 bedrooms. Visit their web site and make a list of the 3-4 bedroom locations and see if these are areas you want to visit.

Either way, contact HCC before this Friday (November 30th) to get a contract sent to you with the current pricing as there is a HUGE increase on Saturday.

I am sure HCC will lock-in your price now and give you a week or two to sign the contract and get your finances in order. If you contact them after Saturday, they may not be so flexible.
 

travelguy

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Is everyone using all their days and do they wish they had more or less?

Some of us with 45 days use all our days and need MORE! ;)

I'm still hoping to add another membership with the High Country Club timeshare trade-in program!
 
S

Steamboat Bill

Some of us with 45 days use all our days and need MORE! ;)

I'm still hoping to add another membership with the High Country Club timeshare trade-in program!

I think you should change your screen name to "Lucky Dog" to better reflect your current lifestyle....congrats!
 

Laura7811

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I just posted this on the new forum.. but will post again

We have decided to upgrade to Private Members we were going to do it

anyway so why not right...We will probably have a bit more vaca time next.

we used all 25 days last year and could have used 1 more week. We will use

our family pass if we can't use all days. If nothing else the family will be

happy we upgraded...:cheer:

Laura
 

blackjack

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I am actually on the fence right now...I have a few questions for current members. Is it hard to get a week at the most popular locations? I am not very good at planning ahead and traveling as things seem to always pop up on me as a business owner. So it is very rarely I can plan even 6 months ahead.

Also, is there daily house keeping? how easy is the system to use to book vacations?


Also, my friends wants to talk me out of it and I keep trying to talk myself into it. I am a single guy with no kids. I don't really need the homes when I vacation. Most likely a hotel room will do at this momment. However, I am looking into the future and I want to be able to lock down on the prices of today. However, say I waste a lot of weeks for the first 5 years of this membership...would it be better for me to just wait and buy in 5 years? I know no one can predict the future but it is just a thought I try to figure out in my own head.

Also, does anyone have the Corp membership? Do you guys think that one is worth it? As I probably won't have 6 weeks of vacation to use until another 20 years, so I can gift these weeks to my parents or brothers...
 

Tedpilot

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Blackjack,

- I have a Group/Corp plan and unused days go to my family as gifts. That was purchased soley so that we could give away days if they went unused as there was not a family/friends upgrade at the time.
- Reservation system is super easy to use.
- Daily housekeeping is provided at a few locations (e.g., Playa Del Carmen). If this is something you desire it can be arranged for an additional fee at any location.
- Availability...as a general rule the prime locations are booked for prime/holiday time periods well in advance. Ex: Beaver Creek Vil Hall will be booked one year in advance for Xmas as would NYC for New Years. Less popular places such as Rosemary Beach can be booked for major holidays with much less lead time. However, there are some good deals to be had regardless...last year I booked Steamboat for Thanksgiving under 90 days and the following week at Beaver Creek Vil Hall.

Thought: If you could not use all of the time for your plan and would be gifting to others then you could make it so they could book the long-term reservations and then you just book for locations 90-120 days out or less.

Today's prices vs the future: Who knows? If these last two years have been any indication of the future I'd expect rates for each plan to raise $15-25k/year. If they expanded faster, possibly more increases or less but that is what I forsee happening. HCC publicizes that they expect rates to breach $100k for a membership and they are well on their way.

The original Group/Corp rate in Nov 05' was $30k, $7200/year in fees as compared to today's rate of $70k and $9600. Come next week, there will NOT be a Group/Corp rate, you'd have to combine a Private membership with Family/Friends upgrade that would cost you $80k, $10,800/yr with a reduction in the number of nights from 42 to 35.

Seems to be that sooner vs later would be a good choice if you are on the fence. As for a snapshot of what you could book for a 90-120 day range you can ask HCC to provide you with such data. I think you'll find good availability and might have to slide a week left/right for a particular property or change to another property for the specified week. It all depends what you like and when.

Hope this helps with your decision!

Ted
 

jasfan

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Blackjack - I am in a similar situation. Single, business owner. Yet I am nearly certain I am going to take the leap at the 25-night Affiliate level. I have multiple Marriott weeks and get ACs so I have many weeks yearly, so I gift what I don't use. With HCC I will need to use the time with my involvement, yet it will open the options for me. I can bring different friends or family, or limit guests with me in places like NY where there is a 1-bedroom. I just know if I don't do it now, I will continue to have an excuse and miss the opportunity. I delayed the Marriott TS for no reason for a few years and won't with this one. I will post when I am inked. jf
 

Brian222golf

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Blackjack,

I also purchased a corp. membership this past fall and it really has worked out well to this point. I have given a week away and have a ski week in Stowe planned. The main reason I purchased the membership is to share it with friends and family who are not in the same financial position that I am in. I also agree with all of the comments of Ted.

I thought about the future and how high the prices could go - i felt the price was hard to beat.

Good luck with your decision.
 

pwrshift

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Blackjack ... I'm a single guy of sorts too - call me an empty nester with grown children who have lives of their own now. In addition I have up to 10 weeks of Marriott timeshares with lockoff splits each year. I just don't need 3 or 4 bdrms offered by many DC's, so was kinda pleased to see that several HCC locations have less. I hate having to make beds in TS ... and it appears you have to do that with most DC's too unless you pay extra...same with personal chefs.

There was a time I stayed in Fairfield Inns, but times change. When I go away now, I really like room service, valey parking, twice daily maid service, in upscale hotels that have bar/entertaiment in the middle of the action (or beachfront) instead of some remote DC house somewhere.

It's also very unlikely I could get 4 weeks in a row from Pres Week to Spring Break beachfront in Fort Lauderdale (or anywhere) with a DC, so I'll have to keep the TS weeks to do that...as I have for the past 30 years or so.

As a result, adding too many 'nights' with a DC to mix with my 10 TS weeks doesn't seem to make sense for me as it would really bug me to have to pay for something I didn't use.

At the same time, an Associate Membership in HCC is about the price of a low priced Marriott timeshare week with a promise to give you 80% back if you resign (as long as you continue to pay your dues until your year ends). You wouldn't get that much back if you resold a Marriott TS if you purchased it direct - maybe only on resales.

I also hate one week trips unless I can drive to them and if there were more HCC locations available from Toronto I'm sure I could make use of their 3 and 4 night stays for quick mini-trips.

As with anything you have to look at what you want from your vacation lifestyle - today and tomorrow. What you want tomorrow could be vastly different from your needs of today. Think it through.

Brian
 

DosMasCervesos

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Our decision...

After quite a bit of due diligence (getting financial information from HCC, talking to HCC and HCC members, reading this forum for months, etc.), it looks like we will be joining HCC. Thus far my experience dealing with HCC (mainly Heath) have been very positive and very low pressure.

I also did a bit of research on what it would cost to rent equivalent properties (inside furnishing/tweaks not taken into account) at some of the HCC locations. For some of the properties it was a wash, that is the HCC per night cost was about the rental cost. But for other properties HCC was clearly a much better deal.

I agree with some others that joining a DCC is more risky than owning a timeshare (we own a timeshare as well), with the exception being some of the pure equity DCCs that I have no chance of affording :). But for us this increased risk is offset by the value proposition and higher quality properties.

Thanks to Bill and everyone else that has taken their time to talk to me and share their thoughts online.

Regards,
Matt
 

blackjack

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I think that is the toughest part for me. I already have a fractional that gives me 5 weeks in November and a week in Big Bear, CA. I already can't use them all as it is. I have been very lucky and have been able to trade into wonderful weeks through Interval with my weeks since I am able to travel last minute. I am extremely satisfied with the collection I have at this time. BUT!!! I am looking into the future. I don't want to be priced out of HCC in 3 to 5 years down the line. And I really don't see any other real good options for an entry level destination club. The thought of being able to lock in the rate really is making this tough for me. There isn't really enough time for me to make a decision so I think what I am going to do is pony up the 20k and have a WHOLE year to think about it doing the trial membership. Thank you all for your input!!! Happy Holidays!!! I will post if I ink as well...
 
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Steamboat Bill

I was going to suggest to Blackjack to join the 1 year trial with a 100% money back guarantee as the best option for him. Make sure that HCC locks-in the current rates if you decide to upgrade next year.

Everyone here knows I love HCC, but I am hesitant to make anything more than a 1 week membership reccomendation for you based upon your posts. Do NOT join HCC or any other DC just because you are concerned that you can't afford it in 5 years or so...worry about that then.

My other concern is about the 1 week plan, is that you are not going to be able to get the most popular HCC properties at the most popular times like you can with the other plans.
 
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vivalour

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We joined the Happy Campers Club yesterday...

We finally sent in our $$ and are looking forward to our first trip to somewhere hot and sunny this winter. Best from the snowy north...
 

Bourne

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Companion $25,000 ($20,000*) $2,100 ($1,750*) 7 nights
Associate $40,000 ($30,000*) $4,300 ($3,500*) 15 nights
Affiliate $50,000 ($40,000*) $6,600 ($5,400*) 25 nights
Private $70,000 ($60,000*) $9,000 ($8,400*) 35 nights (45 nights*)

----------------------


If someone is planning on upgrading higher from a Companion or Associate level, now would be a good time. The the cost difference may be the same but the dues jump up higher. Over a period of time, it is the dues that skew the cost per night average.
 
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