Originally Posted by
baliktad
Got another call about this tonight. I pressed for more details as I am semi-interested in the Orlando package. There's really 2 versions of this pitch. One is the sales person who talks you into it, and says yes to everything (she even promised I would earn HHonors points for the stay, which I'm highly suspicious of). The second is the "quality assurance" rep who actually reads through a script of the actual restrictions.
Just did this in Hawaii, got the same promotion via email. It's a valid Hilton deal.
Yes, it's a timeshare deal. BUT, it's Hilton. Still a higher pressure sale, but they have a brand reputation to uphold. They'll walk you around, ask you how much you spend on vacation, etc... do the magic number game to show you how much you'd save if you'd only buy instead of "rent" hotel rooms, etc. They take "no" well, though, but you'll get walked through a "last ditch" offer as well to "lock in" rates for a year, etc.
If you don't mind spending 90-120 minutes with them at a time of THEIR choice during your stay, not a bad deal at all. Be polite and they will, too.
I got a SANU (Stay a Night on Us) certificate, but I had to choose which Hilton brand to use it at from their low and mid-tier brands - I chose Embassy Suites since I know several good ones. These are functionally equivalent to the Q3FN certs, but only valid for one brand. I also got 15K HHonors points (not a lot for me) and ended up with a $60 resort credit since they were out of the breakfast coupons for Diamond members.
Also, I'm now an owner (as of today), but through resale. If you do vacation a lot and have decent ties to Hilton, it can be a good deal. We do, and I do. Resale, though, is the ONLY way to go as it ALWAYS beats developer prices. HGVC treats owners who acquire through resale the same as owners who acquire through developers. I not only bought resale, I bought resale at an affiliated resort (not a direct Hilton resort). There's lots more information on the TUG2 boards if you're interested. Their member guide is freely available online - Google for Hilton Grand Vacations Member Guide 2011.