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$1,000+ Hotel Stay for 2 Hours of My Day – How I Survived A Hilton Timeshare Presentation

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    If you’re looking for great deals on your next Hilton stay, earning points with their credit cards isn’t the only option you have.

    As a Hilton Honors member, you will at one point hear on the phone something resembling “Would you like to earn 500 Hilton Honors points for hearing our promotional offer today?”  Of course, it is hard to say no to easy points like that.  I was suckered into a timeshare presentation and decided to listen.

    The offer was actually pretty great!  Spend 4 days & 3 nights in a Hilton Grand Vacations property in either Las Vegas or Orlando for $199 + tax.  In Las Vegas, you have a wide variety of properties to choose from.

    Who Wouldn’t Enjoy A Cheap Weekend In Vegas?!

    We stayed at The Elara in a One Bedroom King Suite, and it was beautiful.  It had a great view of the Las Vegas International Airport, hot tub in the bedroom, full living room, full kitchen, and washer/dryer.

    The catch was I had to sit through a 2-hour Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare presentation.  Being a young college grad, I couldn’t afford a timeshare even if I wanted it.  So I figured it was going to be an easy “no.”

    The Terms Of The Offer

    While this seems like a slam-dunk deal, there are terms:

    I also go a $200 mail-in rebate form for select Hilton brands inside the United States as another incentive.  Keep in mind that $200 is only for the base rate of the room.  That does not cover taxes or room charges.  And, it is only good for 6 months after your timeshare presentation.  I was able to use mine about a month later.  However, I am currently displeased with Hilton as the room I booked to use the rebate was roughly $170, but I was only sent a $100 Visa Gift Card.

    Expectations During The Presentation

    Going into the presentation, I knew what to expect for the most part.  I had attended a timeshare presentation at a Holiday Inn Resort in Orlando previously, and it wasn’t all that much different.

    During the presentation, you will see all of the different properties in the Hilton Grand Vacations portfolio.  This is actually really informative and inspiring if you are looking for your next travel destination!  You will then meet with a sales rep who will go over the details of purchasing a timeshare.  Timeshares back in the “old days” were a fixed 1-week vacation in Hawaii or other location.  There was very little negotiation room or flexibility.  Now, some timeshare companies operate on a points system.  You purchase points from them, and then you are able to spend how you please within their group of properties.

    If you are stern and have no desire to own a timeshare, it is easy to say “no.”  However, there will be a bit of a negotiation with them trying to convince you the numbers work in your favor.  Once I brought up that I’ve earned millions of points through credit cards, they knew I couldn’t be sold!

    After you say “no” enough, they will walk you to the checkout desk, give you the $200-rebate form, and you are on your way!

    Is It Worth The Two Hours And Semi-Aggressive Sales Pitch?

    Absolutely!  Our suite at The Elara would have cost nearly $1,400 for the 3-night stay.  Sacrificing 2 hours of my long weekend was a small price to pay for the value I got in return.  The best part is Hilton Honors members can take advantage of this offer every 6 to 12 months!

    Recently, I received a targeted promotion for a similar deal.  I was offered 4 days and 3 nights in Las Vegas for $199 + tax, or New York for $299 + tax.  Each of these offers also come with 15,000 Hilton Honors points.

    So if I were you, I would definitely jump on one of these offers!  Next time you call Hilton, just ask to be transferred to the promotions department.  And into the sales cycle you will go!

    Have you ever sat through a timeshare presentation?  What was your experience like?

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    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)