Question to those who have Elite Status

[presley]

I am currently looking into converting my GPR to HGVC which will require an additional small purchase. The resale contact person is searching that for me right now.

She is suggesting that I keep all my current weeks, convert and do the small add-on, which needs to be 4200points EOY. That would give me elite status. What that equals to is 16K points odd years and 15K points even years.

My question is, what do those of you who have that do with all those points? I'm sure I could eat up 10K per year, but not really sure if I would need all those extra. I'm not even sure elite is worth anything to me.

Can you give me examples of how you use your points, other than renting? Also, what elite benefits have you personally received?

I am most pleased with my HGVC and GPR than any other TSs I have bought/sold.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

This is a bad idea. Buying anything less than 7K point value (every other year is OK) is waste of money, since maintenance fees are the same whether you take 4200 points or 7000 points.

 

[Emi]

Are you working with a resale broker? My understanding is that you have to buy direct from HGVC to qualify for elite status. When the program was introduced a few years ago, some resale brokers did slip some through but this loophole was supposedly closed. Verify with HGVC sales.

I am currently looking into converting my GPR to HGVC which will require an additional small purchase. The resale contact person is searching that for me right now.

She is suggesting that I keep all my current weeks, convert and do the small add-on, which needs to be 4200points EOY. That would give me elite status. What that equals to is 16K points odd years and 15K points even years.

My question is, what do those of you who have that do with all those points? I'm sure I could eat up 10K per year, but not really sure if I would need all those extra. I'm not even sure elite is worth anything to me.

Can you give me examples of how you use your points, other than renting? Also, what elite benefits have you personally received?

I am most pleased with my HGVC and GPR than any other TSs I have bought/sold.

 

[sjuhawk_jd]

Are you working with a resale broker? My understanding is that you have to buy direct from HGVC to qualify for elite status. When the program was introduced a few years ago, some resale brokers did slip some through but this loophole was supposedly closed. Verify with HGVC sales.

Grand Pacific has it own sales department. Buying one unit directly from Grand Pacific at full rate will qualify all of your grand pacific units to be included in HGVC as developer purchases (thus Elite status, which is not worth at the lowest level of elite which OP is striving for)

 

[Talent312]

AFAIK, a resale purchase won't get you there. AFAIK, only developer-bought points count.
The sales-office should know the score on converted points . Should you pay full-freight?
A small purchases could be worth it to you -- it'is a personal call.

Can you use all those points?... How much free time do you have on your hands?
.
.

 

[presley]

I spoke the resale person at GPR. I was referred to her by 2 happy Tuggers who bought from her.

I told her exactly what I have and that all are resale. I have 2 weeks at Seapointe, 2 at GPP and 5K hgvc points at Sea world. She said that since my current HGVC is not located in California, she is allowed to convert my GPR weeks if I purchase any type of contract at GPP, Seapointe or Marbrisa. Apparently, if I already owned HGVC in California, she wouldn't be able to help me.

I wasn't really calling her to consider buying into elite status. I was seeking advice on if I should sell everything I have and try to buy a converted week or 2. I do have all my GPR listed with a broker already. As you know, it could take months/years to sell any of them.

Whatever I do, I will continue to use day use at Seapointe and GPP and stay frequent short stays at both places. HGVC is the easiest way to do the short stays and owning there is the only way to have day use. After talking to the GPR resale person, I was thinking that if it is only a few thousand more to buy something resale through them to be able to convert everything, it might be worth it.

Lots to think about still. I still haven't heard anything from anyone that makes elite status sound worthwhile. I hear that it is great, but I have no idea in what ways. Nobody tells me what they got that was special about it. As I said, I could burn through 10K points in a yearly easily. If DVC stays with RCI, I would also use that to stay at VGC every couple years instead of keeping any of my VGC points.

 

[ccwu]

There is some benefits to be elite, but I am not sure if it worth the money. As elite premier, I do not pay reservation fee for any length of stay, no fee for guest certificate, I con convert unused current year points to HHoner points before or on 12/31 of current year. I have free upgrade (if available). I could have early check in and late check out ( each resort is different). There is elite phone number( still long wait most of the case.) Elite check in line. With diamond HHoner card, I could have free hotel upgrade and executive floor using executive lounge ( free breakfast, happy hours, snacks... ). I could have 30% discount on open season. I can also request a specific room (if i know, too bad that i did not have clue.). You can check the manual. But if I make reservation to not my home resorts, I have to reserve no more than 9 month, competing with all the other owners with resale points.

We travel to Hongkong and stayed in Hilton Conrad with HHoner points. We got free upgrade to executive floor. We had all day access to executive room. My husband loved the free beer, wines and snacks; hot breakfast and wide selection of hot and cold snack, cheese and crackers. I guess that you can have this with gold elite. We hope to be able to travel more when retire. So far we only used the points in HGVC, roll over current year points to next year or convert to HHoner points. We never exchange wi RCI. I can use DRI points to exchange to Westin, Marriott, Hyatt, four season (resorts that have similar quality as HGVC). Also the elite premier had certain certain selected exchange resort and other offers on the Internet page for elite premier only. Those does not worth it in my opinion. I would never pay about 1000 points a night to go to Waikiki Royal Kihiu for a studio. There is more items in the website for elite premier. Hardly it worth much in my opinion.

I did complain to HGVC in my most recent owners updates (sales pitch) about that I have no reservation advantage like my elite status in other timeshare. My free upgrade in DRI was at the time of reservation (13 months in advance and if i do make it in advance, the upgrade is guaranteed since the other member may make within 12 or 9 month.) They told me they will roll out new elite benefits. (I doubt it will improve). I also complained that I want to exchange into Westin and Marriott. They said they were not in RCI system. I made many complains. One of the good thing is when I went to the owners update, they just asked me to see if I have question or suggestion and did not try to sell me more, nor could they offer me more benefit if I buy more. It would be around 30 minutes. That was a plus for us. I did suggested to give elite 10 months window to make reservation so it can be slight advantage over non elite. The current benefit does not worth the extra money over the resales. The sales person told me 'It is what it is. This is Hilton.'

Since we have it, we enjoy what we have.
you can see if the elite worth it or not?

 

[itradehilton]

We have Elite level (bought before finding TUG) the things we like is being able to get reservations with Club Intrawest at 12 months, paying a little less for reservation fees, and HGVC rotates 1 or 2 HGVC resorts into the mix of 12 month reservation window for Elite members.

Points are easy to use if you have a family and need a 2 bdr or have the ability to make an extended trip. We have stayed 10 nights in Hawaii, Florida, CA, and Canada (Club Intrawest). This allows us to fly midweek thus getting lower airfare. Also we can take a shorter 2nd or 3rd trip each year or get a room for the in-laws.

If the points you are buying direct would cost you more than resale I would not invest the money or if you don't think you can use the points don't spend the money.

 

[presley]

Thank you all for the information thus far. I am still exploring options. I haven't heard back yet on the buying direct from the GPR resale department. I don't think the bottom tier of elite will give me anything special enough to warrant too crazy of a purchase. It also looks like it is easy to get the same thing with a credit card.

 

[JPETERS]

To qualify for Elite, one of the point packages must have been purchased by the developer.
I have helped several folks to get into Elite after that by putting them in a resale on Sanibel Island or Marco. Since I work for Hilton the points you buy will qualify towards Elite.

 

[presley]

I hadn't heard back from the GPR resale person, but a salesman from the developer called and and said the other woman referred him to me. I was told I needed to buy a full freight unit to convert all my other weeks to HGVC and I would have Elite. At this point, I have decided that I don't care about the bottom level of Elite. I would like to have all my weeks converted, though.

For $14K, I would end up with 20K points in odd years and 14K points in even years. That sounded like a very reasonable deal to me. I would be bottom level Elite (which wouldn't really make any difference to me). I said yes and the contract was emailed to me. The contract showed the wrong EOY use, which would void the elite thing. It also didn't mention that my GPR weeks would be converted. So, I asked for it in writing and pointed out the wrong use year. I was told it would be dealt with today. It's basically the end of the day and I haven't heard anything. How weird is that?

I called the GPR resales person earlier to ask if I just say for all about elite, could she get me a good Seapointe resale with HGVC points and she said no. She said my best deal will be to buy from the developer and have my other weeks converted. The whole thing is starting to give me the creeps.

 

[TheWizz]

I hadn't heard back from the GPR resale person, but a salesman from the developer called and and said the other woman referred him to me. I was told I needed to buy a full freight unit to convert all my other weeks to HGVC and I would have Elite. At this point, I have decided that I don't care about the bottom level of Elite. I would like to have all my weeks converted, though.

For $14K, I would end up with 20K points in odd years and 14K points in even years. That sounded like a very reasonable deal to me. I would be bottom level Elite (which wouldn't really make any difference to me). I said yes and the contract was emailed to me. The contract showed the wrong EOY use, which would void the elite thing. It also didn't mention that my GPR weeks would be converted. So, I asked for it in writing and pointed out the wrong use year. I was told it would be dealt with today. It's basically the end of the day and I haven't heard anything. How weird is that?

I called the GPR resales person earlier to ask if I just say for all about elite, could she get me a good Seapointe resale with HGVC points and she said no. She said my best deal will be to buy from the developer and have my other weeks converted. The whole thing is starting to give me the creeps.

Presley - Sorry for the late reply, been away for a couple of months. Any updates from GPR Resale Dept. on your deal? I had excellent results working with Debbie D. a few years back in the GRP Resale Dept. I bought a 2BR GPP unit on EBay first for basically nothing worth 8400 HGVC pts "IF" converted and then bought a 1BR GPP unit worth 6200 HGVC pts direct from GPR Resale for just a little more than what a comparable Flamingo resale and was then able to convert my 8400 pts unit as well into HGVC points, e.g. getting me above the 14K mark for Elite status.

Since I bought my 8400 pts unit on EBay for a song and didn't really pay much extra for the 1BR direct from GPR (about the same as LV HGVC resales) and was able to get HGVC Elite status, it was a no-brainer for me. I typically travel 20-40 nights per year on business, so getting the HHonors Gold Elite bene via HGVC Elite status was a nice add-on which (depending on the hotel) gets me free WiFi, Breakfast, Water, room upgrades, etc.

 

[presley]

I am not really sure why Debbie said she couldn't help me. It doesn't really matter. She referred me and my info to the developer sales and I was able to go through everything over the phone. I had a nice man named Steve who sells GPR and HGVC. We hashed out numerous ideas over the phone, but his original idea (prior to ever talking to me) was the best deal overall.

I prefer not to publicly post what I ended up doing. I will say that what went out of my pocket altogether is about half of what I would have paid buying resale HGVC from the looks of the prices on the popular resellers websites. I have Elite status.

What I will do with all these points has yet to be determined. I am looking at renting my GPR weeks to cover all my MFs and then I'll have a more normal number of points that I will use in HGVC, but I will at least feel that I am getting them for free.