The Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) is a flexible points-based vacation ownership, reservation and exchange system operated by the Hilton Hotel Corporation. There are two categories of HGVC resorts. There are the Hilton built resorts which are, just as they sound, resorts built and developed by HGVC since 1994 and the HGVC affiliated resorts which are resorts that have been built and developed by non-Hilton companies. These resorts meet the Hilton standard and are typically managed by HGVC. There are more than 3,700 timeshares located in Orlando, Miami’s South Beach, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Scotland, Colorado, Ireland and Mexico that are part of the HGVC system.
The biggest differences between HGVC built resorts and affiliated resorts in in the ownership type. All of the Hilton built resorts are sold as floating week timeshares, while most of the affiliated resorts in southwest Florida are sold as fixed week timeshares. Hilton timeshares are deeded rather than ‘right to use’ (such as Disney), so you can also leave your timeshare to your heirs.
What Hilton timeshares have to offer that set them apart from other timeshares is the excellence of the Hilton brand name, which has a history of quality accommodations, services and amenities. In addition the point system is one of the most flexible available. Hilton Grand Vacations Club also offers Resort Condominiums International (RCI) membership as part of the package as well. This means that members also benefit from RCI’s vacation exchange options. Of course, like the timeshare accommodations offered by the other hotel chains, such as Marriott and Sheraton, you always pay something of a premium for a hotel-branded resort. But it is always possible to find great timeshare deals, even for the luxury brands, on the resale market.
HGVC also has ClubPartner Perks which comes with your membership in Hilton Grand Vacations Club . Among the Perks are cruise travel on a choice of more than 150 vessels visiting nearly 2,000 ports, RV travel in an El Monte RV, houseboat travel on a Forever Resorts houseboat, adventure travel which involves traveling by bike, walking, hiking, rafting, snorkeling, and skiing in 90 premier destinations worldwide. And last but not least, ClubPartner Perks also offers motorcycle travel on an EagleRider motorcycle. Whenever you are considering using your points for something other than staying in one of the timeshares, it is a good idea to compare point costs to cash costs. Sometimes you may be better off paying cash and saving your points for the timeshare itself.
Let’s face it. You take a vacation every year (or should for reasons of health and personal fulfillment). The biggest cost of a vacation is the accommodation. Also, if you book your accommodations, sometimes you are taking a chance on what the quality will be like. Maybe the hotel or resort ownership has changed and possibly suffered in the interim. A number of local happenings can turn a great last year accommodation into a so-so this year accommodation. Timeshares routinely provide consistent high quality accommodations that offer you more space and more conveniences than your typical hotel room and if you buy resale instead of from the developer, they are frequently a bargain.
