Is a Hilton Grand Vacation Timeshare Experience Worth the Hassle?
on Sep 19, 2024
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Considering a Hilton Grand Vacation timeshare experience? This detailed review of our recent 3-night stay at the Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort in exchange for a mandatory timeshare presentation will let you know what to expect if you are tempted as I was. Get the scoop on the rewards offer, the presentation, and the real value of our experience.
The Hilton Grand Vacation Package Offer
Table of Contents
Our Hilton Grand Vacation journey began unexpectedly when I called Hilton to book a stay for a Society of American Travel Writer’s conference in Shreveport, Louisiana.
As I was about to wrap up my reservation, the Hilton booking agent smoothly transitioned into an enticing offer: a 3-night/4-day stay at one of Hilton’s Grand Vacation properties for just under $400. I was told I could pick between places like Las Vegas, Orlando, or Sedona. There are other locations, but Sedona was the destination that made me pause.
My initial response was a polite decline. We’ve all heard about timeshare presentations and I knew we wouldn’t want to buy one or waste vacation time on a sales pitch. However, the agent was remarkably persuasive and her offer became larger as I declined. In January of 2022 I finally said yes to:
- 3-night/4-day stay at one of the Hilton Grand Vacation properties (paid at booking & nonrefundable)
- 15,000 Hilton Honors points (given after the sales presentation)
- $100 gift certificate for a future stay at a Hilton property (given after the sales presentation)
As I hung up, I couldn’t help but admire the skill with which I’d been sold on this package. What started as a simple conference booking had turned into a Sedona getaway, complete with bonus points and a future stay discount.
The Ridge on Sedona Golf Resort
It took almost two years for us to cash in on our vacation. Scheduling proved to be a huge challenge. March and April were completely blacked out by Hilton, and available weekends were scarce unless we wanted to go in the dead of the summer. No thank you.
I will say that I was pleasantly surprised that we were able to go at all. I believe we were outside of the agreed upon timeline for the original visit. Hilton did work with us to finally find a time we could go.
We had to reschedule our trip once due to an unexpected conflict. After a lot of back-and-forth and calendar juggling, we finally arrived in Sedona for a Thursday to Sunday stay in mid-September of 2024.
Our suite at The Ridge on Sedona was spacious and well-appointed, with a small kitchen, living area, and a balcony. It felt more like a small apartment than a hotel room, which was nice, but the queen bed was smaller than we liked. We were not given a choice on bed size.
The Ridge on Sedona also has two hot tubs, one swimming pool, a fitness center, and of course, a golf course. It’s on the south side of Sedona in the Village of Oak Creek, about 15-20 minutes from the downtown area. The Village of Oak Creek is close to several iconic hikes, delicious restaurants, and grocery stores. We were able to walk to dinner one night which was nice.
We enjoyed the resort’s location but didn’t spend a lot of time there as we found lots of fun things to do off-property. The golf course was not a selling point for us because we don’t golf. So I don’t know any details about golfing at our resort.
The Timeshare Sales Presentation
The real price of our visit was having to attend a sales presentation. Our sales pitch had been scheduled long before we arrived at the resort and was set for 10:45 Saturday morning. I bought the initial vacation package but was told that my husband must also attend the presentation.
We were warned that if either one of us failed to attend the presentation we would be charged market rate for the 3 nights. I has never told what that market rate was, however. They also checked our IDs before the presentation.
Sales Tactics During the Presentation
What was advertised as a 90-minute presentation stretched into a 2.5-hour ordeal that felt similar to buying a car.
We were greeted by charismatic salespeople with with lots of smiles and friendly chatter. At the beginning, they emphasized repeatedly that they only wanted us to buy if it’s right for our family.
As the presentation progressed, the sales tactics became textbook high-pressure sales:
- Creating FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) with “today only” offers
- Appealing to emotions with visions of family vacations and lifelong memories
- Using guilt tactics: “Don’t you want to give your family the best?”
- Crunching numbers to make the investment seem reasonable when spread over years
- Making a pointed distinction between RENTING (negative) Hilton Hotel Rooms or being Grand Vacation OWNERS (positive)
Much like a car dealership, we found ourselves passed from one salesperson to another. Each new face brought increased pressure and a sense of urgency. The initial warmth changed to impatience as we expressed hesitation. People who had been pleasant became irritated and slightly mean.
The Last-Ditch Offer
Just when we thought it was over, they pulled out the classic “last-ditch offer.” For a mere $1,700, we could get enough points for a week’s stay at another exclusive resort with even better locations: Cabo, Kauai, Waikiki etc. This would give us an opportunity to experience a Hilton Grand Vacation from start to finish- but without being owners. And, it would lock in the special today-only pricing if we decide later that we do want to buy a time share. Not going to happen. LOL
The catch? Attend another sales presentation to finalize the deal. This was a bait-and-switch tactic designed to get us back into the sales funnel. And this one worked. Turns out, we might just be big suckers.
Having just returned from a week long vacation to explore Volcano National Park and Hawaii’s Big Island, I knew the going rate for a vacation home that would fit our family of 6. We decided $1700 for a week’s stay at a nice resort would be a good deal for our family.
In two weeks we will attempt to book either spring break or our next summer vacation at a different Hilton Vacation Club property. So we will go through the whole sales presentation ordeal again. I just hope that booking the next vacation will be easier than booking this one.
Value Assessment
For under $400, we enjoyed a long weekend in a desirable location with upscale accommodations. However, when I researched a little more, I was surprised to find out that anyone can book the resort we stayed at in Sedona on Booking.com.
It’s hard to find a weekend, probably because that’s the time they set aside for their sales presentations, but the weekday prices are in line with the “special discounted” price we paid.
So it could be that the $400 I paid for our Studio Queen with Balcony was not much of a deal at all. Let’s look at the other rewards we got for attending the sales pitch.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It15,000 Hilton Honors Points
Hilton Honors points can be valuable, but 15,000 points alone don’t go that far. I searched for reservations using my Hilton Honors app and the cheapest reservation I could find for a hotel using points cost 20,000 points at a Hampton Inn in a location I would probably never visit.
Most redemptions are significantly higher than 15,000 for just one night. However, the 15,000 promised points did show up in my Hilton Honors app right away after the sales presentation- ready for use.
In practice, it looks like 15,000 points might save $50-$100 depending on how we use them. It’s a nice bonus, but not a game-changer for most travelers.
The $100 Gift Certificate
This is where the offer was really not what I expected. What was described as a “$100 gift certificate for a future stay at a Hilton property” turns out to be more restricted:
- It’s actually a rebate in the form of a visa gift card, not a straightforward gift certificate
- You must choose a specific Hilton brand before receiving it (e.g., DoubleTree, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn)
- It’s only valid for that chosen brand, not “any Hilton property” as implied
- It has to be used within six months of attending the sales pitch
This reward disappoints me the most. I was not prepared to make an immediate brand decision and regret the decision I made. But it’s too late because you can’t change this certificate after you get it.
Was it worth it?
The true cost was the time and stress associated with the sales pitch. The answer depends on your tolerance for high-pressure sales tactics. Our sales pitch left us feeling slightly yucky. It’s definitely not a fun experience.
I’ll be able to answer the was it worth it question in a couple weeks when I try to book our next Grand Vacation. I do hope that the next reservation process is easier than this one was.
Tips for the Timeshare Sales Pitch
If you decide to the pitch is worth the price, here are tips to help you through the sales process.
- Talk to timeshare owners before you go so you know if it’s something you should even consider.
- Set expectations: Know you’ll face a hard sell.
- Stand firm: Practice polite but unequivocal ways to decline.
- Plan activities and enjoy the area you choose to visit.
- Enjoy the amenities: Make the most of what you’ve paid for.
Would you attend a time share presentation like this? What are your thoughts on the rewards vs cost?
