How to be a Happy Timeshare Owner

You already know I bought a timeshare if you’ve read my previous post.

I still feel like I was forced to purchase the ownership of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club. lol

After the timeshare presentation, I googled about the timeshare a lot. I couldn’t find good information at all, not even one. Most of the reviews were 1 star with so many F words…

However, I’ve had positive & negative experiences with timeshare ownership so far. You can find negative experiences easily on the internet, so I’ll share positive experiences with timeshare ownership today!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no additional cost to you. Please read my full disclaimer here for more info.

My Experience with Timeshare Hilton Grand Vacations Club

We own the Las Vegas property, but we can stay at the different locations too. So far, we stayed in Las Vegas, Orlando, and Carlsbad timeshare properties.

Review 1:  Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations, Las Vegas, Nevada

Elara is 52 story hotel that offers views of the Las Vegas Strip, one block from the iconic boulevard. It’s our property, so free stay for 5 days. Parking was free.

We always stayed in the studio room includes a minibar, mini-refrigerator, microwave, TV, shower (sometimes with bathtub), king bed, and of course great view. The room was quite small but very clean.

Elara is connected to shopping, dining, and entertainment at Miracle Mile mall, with access to Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. It’s also a mile away from The Eiffel Tower Experience and Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. Very nice location! Our favorite activity is walking around Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio Hotel & Casino. Every year, Bellagio created different concepts and designs for Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

There are so many exciting things to do in Las Vegas that aren’t gambling or partying too! If you can rent a car, I highly recommend visiting:

• Hoover Dam
• Red Rock Canyon
• Antelope Canyon
• Horseshoe Bend
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Downtown Summerlin
• Death Valley

Review 2: Hilton Grand Vacations Suites at SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida

We stayed at Hilton Grand Vacations Suites SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida in 2017. It wasn’t our property, so we paid $59 reservation fees and stayed 5 days. Parking was free.

Our room was newly renovated and had a 1-bedroom, full kitchen, dining table, separate bathtub & shower, living room, balcony, washer & dryer, etc. I felt like I was at home.

Amenities were very family-friendly. Kids could play with a splash and play in waterfalls, pools & whirlpools. Some people enjoyed tennis, shuffleboard, and also walking track.

SeaWorld hotel also offered complimentary shuttles to SeaWorld, Aquatica & Universal Studios. Disney shuttle is $9 per person round trip.

Inside the SeaWorld hotel, there was a restaurant and a small grocery store. The store was really convenient to grab a quick breakfast sandwich or pastry before heading out for the day.

We really enjoyed our vacation here!

Review 3: Hilton Grand Vacations at Marbrisa, Carlsbad, California

We stayed at Hilton Grand Vacations Marbrisa, Carlsbad, California in 2019. It wasn’t our property, so we paid $59 reservation fees and stayed 5 days. Parking was free.

Our room was 1 bedroom with a balcony including a living room, dining area, full kitchen, washer/dryer, etc. Just like the Orlando timeshare, I felt like I was at home.

Marbrisa was located in the quaint seaside village of Carlsbad. Featuring 18 villa buildings designed in Spanish Mediterranean style, this sprawling resort offers immediate access to neighboring LEGOLAND California Resort and sits just a short drive from other signature attractions like SeaWorld, Wild Animal Park, shopping, golf, and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

The distance between Carlsbad and Los Angeles is approximately 80 miles. Carlsbad to San Diego was 40 minutes. We enjoyed the very convenient location!

We also enjoyed the Flower Fields near the hotel. The blooming of 50 acres of ranunculus flowers was so beautiful.

We really want to visit Marbrisa again!

Despite the so many fees with timeshare, we really enjoy our vacation all the time.

5 Tips to Become a Happier Timeshare Owner

Are timeshare owners usually satisfied with their purchases?

In my opinion, annual travelers are happy with their purchases. For those who aren’t satisfied, the biggest downsides are maintenance fees and booking issues.

Happier timeshare owner tip 1: The owner needs to pay maintenance fees no matter what even though they didn’t use it. Maintenance fees are not fixed and will increase every year. Unfortunately, we can’t change that. The owner needs to change their mindset. Timeshare is expensive entertainment. Use it and enjoy it as much as you can.

Happier timeshare owner tip 2: Booking issues are another complaint. Owners can’t book their property when vacation gets competitive. During the summer in Florida, it’s nearly impossible to find available timeshare property. We usually avoid the high season and plan ahead. (like 6 months ahead) As of December 31, 2019, it has 55 properties with 8,916 rooms in 5 countries and territories, all franchised. Las Vegas, Florida, and Hawaii are the most popular destinations but try different locations too. You will discover new favorites!

Happier timeshare owner tip 3: Use points wisely. We sometimes convert our Club Points to Hilton Honors Points and stay at Hilton hotels. If you’re planning to visit a travel destination with a Hilton Grand Vacations resort and want to stay longer than your yearly points allotment allows, you may borrow points from the following year too. Points by Hilton are very flexible. Take advantage of it.

Wrapping Up

There are many pros and cons of a timeshare. A timeshare works best for some travel geeks, but not for everyone. It is expensive entertainment.

If you are considering buying a timeshare, buy a used timeshare. Timeshare is very difficult to sell means it’s a great opportunity for buyers. 75-95% discount, easy! However, the timeshare reselling industry has a few well-known scams. Never pay for a promise. Pay for what you get.

Now, it’s your turn. Do you own a timeshare? Do you like or dislike it? Why?