Access a world of unforgettable vacation experiences through Hilton Grand Vacations. We did —  and fully embrace the vacation lifestyle that membership provides. I invite you to read on as I provide a Member review of the timeshare benefits we enjoyed.

When my sister and I were first introduced to Hilton Grand Vacations, we were excited to see the vacation opportunities available and were eager to learn more about how membership works. We discovered that there are “deeded” and “trust” ownership options and that it’s important to know the difference. For now, I’m going to focus on “deeded” ownership since it is the one I’m most familiar with.

   

Typically, Members who purchase a “deeded” ownership are entitled to vacation during a specified time frame (commonly a week), during a specified season and stay in a specified room type (Studio, 1-Bedroom Suite, 2-Bedroom Suite, etc.) at the deeded property.

Each membership interest is associated with a certain number of points. For example, a Platinum Season, 2-Bedroom Suite at SeaWorld® Orlando, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club equates to 11,200 points.

But what does all this mean? Well, my sister and I travel a lot together. And while we love each other, we also love having our own space. At a minimum, we require two full bathrooms.

For instance, if a 1-Bedroom Suite has a sofa bed long with two full bathrooms, we’ll be quite comfortable during our stay.

In fact, the 1-Bedroom Suites at La Pacifica Los Cabos, a Hilton Club are perfect for us since they meet our minimum space requirement. However, when we stay at Elara, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, we prefer a 2-Bedroom Suite. Knowing your space requirements is extremely beneficial.  

   

Next, consider your preferred travel season. Hilton Grand Vacations’ three primary seasons are Platinum (high demand per location), Gold ('shoulder' per location) and Silver (low demand per location). Some locations also have a Bronze season, the least busy time to travel. Identifying your preferred travel season is important when considering your purchase options.

For instance, we prefer to travel during shoulder seasons since crowds are typically lighter and the weather is often quite nice. However, families who plan around school schedules will typically want to travel during Platinum Season when school is typically out. 

Seasons are also associated with point values. Platinum season deeds have higher point values than Silver season deeds at the same resort. The point values are important if the owner desires to exchange points for use outside of the Home Resort.

Deeded Members can also book their stay nine to 12 months prior to their desired check-in date. This booking window is referred to as Home Week Priority. During this time, Members have a greater opportunity to secure their preferred season, dates and room type in the Home Resort over other Members.    

   

For example, if we were deeded for a Platinum season, 2-Bedroom Suite at SeaWorld® Orlando and wanted to book a room in July 2025, we would have from July to September 2024 to reserve it before the reservation window opens to other Members nine months prior to check-out.

This is the Club Reservations window. 

Members desiring reservations at high-demand resorts that have limited capacity will often book during this nine-month window. Keep in mind that Home Weeks will use an entire allotment of points.

New Members often ask if they can make other reservations after booking their Home Week. While they can’t, if points aren’t used to book a Home Week reservation, they can book another property during the Club Reservation booking window. This window also opens nine months prior to the check-out date. This ability to “exchange” within the Hilton Grand Vacations system makes the program extremely attractive and flexible.   

If points can be exchanged, why care about a Home Week? Depending on how the Member plans to vacation, the Home Week may not be important at all. We have spoken with Members who have never visited their Home Resort. If a Member wishes to visit an in-demand resort during an in-demand season, such as summer at Ocean Oak Resort, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Hilton Head, South Carolina, I recommend a Platinum Season ownership at that property. Given its popularity, Members typically reserve their Home Weeks, making availability limited in all but the winter (Sliver Season) months. 

   

If Members enjoy more flexibility, the “points are points” philosophy works well. When the idea of a Home Resort is irrelevant, I recommend researching your options. Get to know the required points so you can book the desired room type and season, then purchase the requisite number of points to meet your needs. 

For example, Platinum Season 2-Bedroom Suites at many (but not all) resorts require 11,200 points for a week’s stay. A Silver Season Studio membership won’t  provide enough points to book the Platinum 2-Bedroom Suite. It’s important to note that reservations don’t need to be booked in weekly increments.

Points can be stretched by booking midweek dates, as weekends require more points than weekdays, with most resorts requiring a 3-night minimum stay. And a Monday check-in/Thursday check-out 3-night stay will use the least number of points. These are considerations to make when deciding on the number of points needed to meet travel expectations.

Hilton Grand Vacations offers extremely flexible, user-friendly memberships that open a world of vacation possibilities. Members who understand the program will get the most out of it. Hilton Grand Vacations offers a lot of valuable information as do its knowledgeable travel professionals. However, some of the best information comes directly from Members who use the program and absolutely love it. When visiting a resort, make an effort to meet other Members and learn how they are getting the most of their Hilton Grand Vacations membership.

Keep reading to learn more about how Members use their points to experience a world of unforgettable vacation destinations.