no availability at HHV in January?

Is there something wrong with the HGVC website? I show zero availability for any kind of unit for Jan1-3, 2009 at the HHV. I'm always one to book 9 months out, and have never had a problem. This has got me a little worried. I thought it was maybe because I have very few point left for 2008, that it wasn't giving me all the availability for 08, but figured for 2009, I would be back to showing all availability (where I have lots of points available). I'm confused!

pacman

I'm showing two nights in studios and standard one bedrooms starting on Jan 3. It is eerie. I would understand that Jan 1-3 is still part of an event week, so that the owners would have to release those dates for them to be available. Jan. 3 on, I don't understand.

nonutrix

I think I have your answer

Jan 1-3 is part of week 52 -- that is an "event week" at HHV, and those weeks are sold as fixed weeks. The owners of those weeks have an automatic reservation, as far as I know. If they aren't going to use that week, they probably don't cancel this far out.

This is very similar to how ski weeks (all fixed weeks) are at Valdoro. At nine month out, there is absolutely no availability. But if you are lucky, you can catch some weeks when the owners cancel their fixed week reservation to trade it in for points.

Kurt

Edited to add: Didn't see your post, nonutrix -- basically the same conclusion. But still a mystery on the larger units...

Same issue as thread HGVC Limited Inventory issue - I still contend HGVC is working the system.

I'm not seeing anything available for HHV clear back to October and I'm searching with 14,000 points. Our planned travel dates aren't within the 9 month time frame but, I've always seen available inventory at the 9 month mark. To see nothing available at any point is a little bit of a concern to me.

On the other hand, I've learned that HGVC's online system generally sucks IMO when shopping for availability. I've had better luck just calling for my reservations. I'm hoping that a phone call will get better results.

dougp26364 said:

I'm not seeing anything available for HHV clear back to October and I'm searching with 14,000 points. Our planned travel dates aren't within the 9 month time frame but, I've always seen available inventory at the 9 month mark. To see nothing available at any point is a little bit of a concern to me.

On the other hand, I've learned that HGVC's online system generally sucks IMO when shopping for availability. I've had better luck just calling for my reservations. I'm hoping that a phone call will get better results.

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Agree with your comments - let us know what you come up with. I have owned in HHV since 2001 and have "never" had a problem getting availability - very strange and I am not buying that all the other new "owners" decided to stay at HHV all at once.

Good Luck

The other option is that Hilton's new owners have found a new source of revenue.......renting out HHV units rather than allowing owners to exchange into them. I've had several reasons for not increasing our ownership with HGVC but, if finding available units during the club reservation period is going to become an issue then HGVC is almost worthless as a system.

As a new owner...

I was able to make a 4th of July reservation for this year at 9 months out. The following week became available at the end of February - a lot of inventory showed up for all unit types, from somewhere in June (didn't check) until end of July. Inventory was gone within 2 days or even less; I checked just out of curiosity.

Thanksgiving for this year was easy, 9 months out (did not book it, but was curious) I think I saw it for a week or so.

I was also able to reserve this week 12 at the Valdoro, I don't recall exactly when I saw it, but it was 6 weeks or so before. First there was a lot of inventory for the month of February (we weren't sure when to go) except for Presidents Week, and then a few weeks or so later, the whole month of March showed availability. And, I could even have reserved some of these weeks through RCI, using less points.

Almost forgot - we were considering going to HHV during Easter this year and that showed up somewhere in October - again, all weeks in February (including Presidents Week), March and April, all unit types. Presidents Week and Easter were gone within 1 or 2 days, the rest was there for a longer period.

I guess I have been very lucky but so far I did not have any real problems with getting what I want. But then again, I guess I can forget Valdoro weeks 51/52.

Maybe we should have a sightings board for HGVC?
I do recall that there was a mention that they were going to make some changes because many owners do not want to book as far as 9 months out. Not sure though.

dougp26364 said:

if finding available units during the club reservation period is going to become an issue then HGVC is almost worthless as a system.

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I agree 100%. We booked for February 08 - 9 months out. also booked for November 08 - 9 months out. want to book again for Feb 09, but now am wondering if there will be anything available.

pacman

I think ever since the changable reservations came around.. thats when the inventory started to disappear.

I used to only book if I was sure I could use those dates. since it was a $50 loss to cancel and rebook. now anyone can book and change dates.. add days .. without penalty

I really think there's a glitch with the online reservation system that's keeping HHV from showing any availability. I've searched extensively and there's never any dates showing available. Everything else shows availability without a lot of issues but nothing for HHV.

One of my complaints, which fell on deaf ears during our last owners update, was that HGVC's web reservation site was one of the least user friendly sites I've seen. I'll just wait until next week when I can reserve at the 9 month mark and call them directly. I've never had a problem with reservations when I've called in. It's just so much easier when I can do things online myself without since we work nights. I can make my reservations at odd hours and it doesn't matter. Having to remain awake until offices open can sometimes be an issue for me.

At any rate, I'd like to get reservations wrapped up as right now there is decent airfare and still good seat selection for flights out of our hometown airport rather than having to drive 3 hours to the next major airport.

I know its not a lot .. but it costs $20 more to have a changeable reservation when you call in.. I make about 10 reservations a year, so it adds up.. If I always had to call in.

dougp26364 said:

if finding available units during the club reservation period is going to become an issue then HGVC is almost worthless as a system.

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HGVC would be on par with other timeshares.

There are not many systems that you can buy in Orlando and book Hawaii consistently. Unfortunately, you might have to buy a home resort where you want to travel.

I think another possiblilty is HHV is putting a lot of inventory in RCI..
RCI used to get almost nothing from HHV.. and I was able to book a HHV week more than a year out through RCI last fall.. even before home resort.
I think with the new complex being built.. they want more exchangers to attend the sales pitch.

CaliDave said:

HGVC would be on par with other timeshares.

There are not many systems that you can buy in Orlando and book Hawaii consistently. Unfortunately, you might have to buy a home resort where you want to travel.

I think another possiblilty is HHV is putting a lot of inventory in RCI..
RCI used to get almost nothing from HHV.. and I was able to book a HHV week more than a year out through RCI last fall.. even before home resort.
I think with the new complex being built.. they want more exchangers to attend the sales pitch.

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How does HGVC justify making availability priority to RCI before their members/clients? That seems contrary to prudent business practices. Also - I don't understand why paying for the "change" reservation option would have any impact on availability.

Am I missing something?

bluemax said:

How does HGVC justify making availability priority to RCI before their members/clients? That seems contrary to prudent business practices. Also - I don't understand why paying for the "change" reservation option would have any impact on availability.

Am I missing something?

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Only that all developers only care about you BEFORE your an owner and not after they have your money.

Has anybody tried calling to make a reservation? If it's their website, maybe their internal reservation people can see availability. I too have noticed availability seems much more scarce these days at high demand resorts (those that used to be more readily available)...

bluemax said:

Also - I don't understand why paying for the "change" reservation option would have any impact on availability.

Am I missing something?

Click to expand...

If I was going to HHV , but I wasn't sure of the dates. I would still book a week.. knowing that it wouldn't cost me anything to change the dates. Then at least I'd have something locked in.

Also, at nine months. people can book 3 nights, then every day they can add another night until they have the whole week.. without a reservation fee.

In the past, you used to have to wait until; the full week was available or you'd be paying a reservation fee of $49 for each change.

jlee2070 said:

Has anybody tried calling to make a reservation? If it's their website, maybe their internal reservation people can see availability. I too have noticed availability seems much more scarce these days at high demand resorts (those that used to be more readily available)...

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as far as Cabo & Acapulco , no. the online matches the phone reps, as far as the dates we've been checking (daily).

edit- we call to check Cancun which isn't online, and they also tell us about Acapulco and Cabo

CaliDave said:

If I was going to HHV , but I wasn't sure of the dates. I would still book a week.. knowing that it wouldn't cost me anything to change the dates. Then at least I'd have something locked in.

Also, at nine months. people can book 3 nights, then every day they can add another night until they have the whole week.. without a reservation fee.

In the past, you used to have to wait until; the full week was available or you'd be paying a reservation fee of $49 for each change.

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also you can book 'worst case scenario' locations. we booked grand pacific palisades for over new years blowing thru all 2008 and 2009 points, which we prefer not to do. We're hoping something opens up in Mexico over the same dates, preferably also for also a smaller unit. if it does, we'll release the GPP reservation. if not, we'll keep this one; it's a 50th birthday celebration and we wanted something setup for certain. that's worth the extra $20.

jlee2070 said:

Has anybody tried calling to make a reservation? If it's their website, maybe their internal reservation people can see availability. I too have noticed availability seems much more scarce these days at high demand resorts (those that used to be more readily available)...

Click to expand...

I haven't called yet as my departure date is still over 9 months out. I'm down to 284 days and it needs to be 276 days to reserve.

Agree

Do you have to have points in RCI before they will advise of availability?

bluemax said:

Agree

Do you have to have points in RCI before they will advise of availability?

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I'm working on this as an internal exchange and don't plan on going through RCI, so none of my points have been deposited with RCI.

bluemax said:

Agree

Do you have to have points in RCI before they will advise of availability?

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no, in the sense that I call the HGVC number and they transfer me to the RCI desk. I have done a few checks for over new years and there was no $ charge or points taken to run that search. it's not an ongoing search.

dougp26364 said:

I'm working on this as an internal exchange and don't plan on going through RCI, so none of my points have been deposited with RCI.

Click to expand...

What is internal exchange and how does it work?

No Jan Availability

Since the new resort will be opening the beginning of 2009, do you suspect they are holding availability incase rooms at the Waikkian are not ready yet?