In the pre-COVID-19 world, I would get the travel itch and travel (spoiler: I have the travel itch a lot). But in today's world, there's a lot more to consider when traveling. 

How can I continue to stay safe?

Can I still travel as well on a smaller budget?         

The questions are endless, and COVID-19 travel tips are few and far between. Thankfully, being part of the Hilton Grand Vacations family has its perks. So I'm sharing four reasons you can't beat traveling with Hilton Grand Vacations (or vacation ownership). 

  

It's already paid for

The fact that we can travel on a budget with Hilton Grand Vacations is one of the top reasons why we love vacation ownership. Unfortunately, for many of us, this unprecedented moment in time has impacted our financial health and how we spend money. I've found that my husband and I have been a lot more budget-conscious in our decisions — especially in terms of travel. 

Knowing that we've already paid for our point allotment gives us peace of mind and the ability to get away, realistically. I mean, who doesn't need a little getaway to clear the mind.

Bonus tip: Use your saved Hilton Honors points to stay for free! We've built up so many points over the last few years that we can book a stay at a Hilton hotel all on Hilton Honors points. It's just another way to save money and still stay in some beautiful locations.

Fully Equipped Kitchens 

You may be thinking, why is this such a benefit? With restaurants still primarily focused on to-go orders and limited dining capacity, access to a private kitchen is a great way to have a fantastic meal, right from your home away from home. It's also, undoubtedly, the safest way to dine. 

Over the last few months, we've dived into expanding our cooking skills. While my husband is more of a natural cook, I've been researching recipes and getting excited to try new things [aka finally perfecting a risotto recipe]. 

So, why not continue that trend while traveling? With appliances, cookware, barware and more — traveling with Hilton Grand Vacations makes cooking painless. They've thought of everything, so all you need to do is stock up on ingredients. It's also a perfect way to save a little dough instead of dining out for every meal.

Private Laundry Facilities

I know laundry isn't the most exciting thing to think about, especially on vacation, but this is a major benefit of vacation ownership with Hilton Grand Vacations. Not only does the ability to do laundry prevent over packing [my husband is notorious for this], but you can quickly throw a small batch of clothes in the wash at any time. 

Having a washer and dryer in our suite gives me peace of mind since I know no one else has used it (and it's cleaned between guests). 

Lastly, you can also come home with clean clothes and skip the "laundry" step when getting back home. That's something that we took advantage of when we were on our honeymoon in Hawaii (link to big island honeymoon after it publishes) earlier this year and it was a game-changer. 

Hilton CleanStay™ and Enhanced Cleaning Protocols

One of the reasons why we knew owning a Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare was right for us, and why we typically book hotel stays with Hilton, is Hilton's overall commitment to excellence. The company has done a fantastic job of enhancing the already high housekeeping and hygiene standards — ensuring the safety of not only guests but team members as well.

 

   

Between more frequent cleaning and social distancing practices, these Enhanced Care Guidelines give us more peace of mind to start traveling again. 

We saw these practices come to life when we recently cashed in some Hilton Honors points for a quick weekend beach getaway. From great check-in and check-out experiences to well-educated and trained team members, we felt like Hilton was putting our health and safety at the forefront.

With these guidelines spanning across the Hilton portfolio, including Hilton Grand Vacations, you can have the confidence that you'll have a safe experience for every stay. 

Though we may not be traveling as much right now, we cannot wait to stay at Hilton Grand Vacations for a little getaway and to take advantage of these great perks.

Read Expert Advice: How to Empower Yourself to Adventure Again for more travel advice for these uncertain times.