Our journey with Hilton Grand Vacations has been full of new destinations, friends and adventures. Last year, we were fortunate to visit 16 different properties during 123 days, including the Hilton Vacation Club resorts in Scottsdale, Arizona.
We had no idea we would travel as much as we do. Hilton Grand Vacations has opened up a whole new world of travel for us.
We became Owners with Hilton Grand Vacations in 2019 during a sales presentation in Las Vegas. We stayed at a beautiful 1-Bedroom Suite at the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club using a 3-night vacation package.
This was our first experience with timeshare and I was impressed. I loved the idea of being on vacation while feeling at home. To be able to cook and lounge in a spacious, well-appointed Suite and explore a new destination seemed like a dream come true.
It didn’t take us long to say yes to vacation ownership with Hilton Grand Vacations.
Our first trip was to Colorado later in 2019. We had plans in Denver and realized we could check out our new ownership by using Open Season in Breckenridge. The resort was nice in October. The 2-Bedroom Suite was spacious enough for our three boys to spread out and let us have privacy. The cost was reasonable and allowed us to stay two nights.
The experience gave us a good feeling about our purchase. We also used Hilton Honors™ Points to stay for free in Denver with the Hilton portfolio.
At first, our timing seemed terrible as everything shut down in 2020. But then we had an “aha!” moment. Everyone started working remotely. Mike has always worked from home and we thought, “Why not work from ‘home’ at a Hilton Grand Vacations property instead?”
This opened up so many more opportunities for us and was a new way to look at our ownership. So we traveled more. It was a great time to travel. There was plenty of availability, and our vacations were also cost-friendly since we typically cook in our Suite.
Of course, we realized we needed more HGV ClubPoints, so we upgraded to accommodate our vacation needs. Our first opportunity to use our HGV Bonus Points was at Ocean 22, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
We were still new to vacation ownership when we met an Owner with a light blue wristband. We asked them about it, and they said at a specific number of Points, you become an Elite Member and access additional benefits. We thought that we would never become an Elite Member. However, during that trip, we upgraded to the Elite tier.
We’ve learned how to utilize our Hilton Honors Points to the fullest as well. We use the American Express Aspire card and earn Hilton Honors Points for every dollar spent.
Whenever feasible, we drive to our destination and stay within the Hilton portfolio on our way. This saves us money and reduces stress. Driving allows us to pack more than just the necessities. Since we cook in our Suites, we bring spices, storage containers, aluminum foil, sealable bags, cooking utensils and our smoothie maker. We also fit our golf clubs in the car.
Here are three things we’ve learned during our journey:
- Try to get the largest points deed within your budget. The lower number of deeds, the better the cost bases. Currently, we own four deeds but might not use a deed’s home week.
- To lower the maintenance fee, find the deed in the best season with the highest point value. The maintenance fee is based on room size.
- When you like a high-demand resort, buy the deed. We stayed at Ocean Oak Resort, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Hilton Head, South Carolina. It was hard to find availability, but we were lucky. Ocean Oak Resort is one of our favorite places, so we decided to buy a deed there. This means that every March we can book a week up to a year out.
We made the decision to go all in with Hilton Grand Vacations. Instead of buying a second home in a one location, we use timeshare with Hilton Grand Vacations to explore locations around the world. Instead of cutting grass or repairing leaks, we get to fully enjoy the time spent on vacation. Plus our kids, grandkids and other family members can enjoy our vacation ownership, even if we’re not there. We own this for a lifetime.
Read “One Hilton Grand Vacations Owner Busts A Few Timeshare Myths” to see how timeshare has evolved to offer Owners the flexibility to travel where and when they want.