Hilton HHonors- cheap travel for listening to timeshare

[Anonymous]

Is anyone a Hilton member that got a phone call offering $299 (or $199) for 4 days, 3 nights at a property in Orlando, Vegas or Myrtle Beach in exchange for listening to a 2 hour time share presentation?

I know they are affiliated with Hilton because they have my membership number.

Is this for real? Anyone take advantage of it?

[Anonymous]

My ILs did and I literally posted about it yesterday. They took the trip but ended up buying in to the timeshare. They promoted the exact same three cities.

[Anonymous]

I've heard about this. You will not be able to enjoy the vacation because you will be forced to sit a listen to their spiel on buying a timeshare. They will not relent until you buy it.

[Anonymous]

There is a great South Park episode about timeshares. Not that far off from how they treat people.

[Anonymous]

My parents went on a similar excursion (they won tickets to an event, not free lodging). They said they were basically prisoners afterwards. They wouldn’t let them leave; “Well, let me ask you this: if we could...”

Finally, my dad had to threaten calling the police before they let them leave. Then they didn’t want to give them the tickets! He had to call his attorney friend for advice right there! They begrudgingly gave them the tickets. Crummy seats, so even if you go, expect a room facing the dumpster lol

[Anonymous]

My dh and I got a timeshare when we first got married back in the 80s. It was great back then. We belonged to RCI and swapped for a lot of good places. Fast forward to the present -- we would give ours away. It is too hard to swap and we have to pay a pretty hefty maintenance fee for our one week. (We bought our week for a cheap price).

Last year we went to Puerto Vallarto, Mexico which was beautiful. We got a lot of freebies when we checked in to our hotel...horseback, snorkeling, etc. The price of the freebies was to go to a timeshare spiel. Well, since we already owned a timeshare, we told the guy we didn't want any more. They sent in a guy who seemed like mafiaso and like pp above, we had a hard time getting out of there. I kept saying I was a lawyer (which I am) and that they needed to stop with the pressure. After an hour, our ordeal was over.

Bottom line OP, if you and your significant other agree to keep saying no and you can avoid being pressured...take the freebies. If you can't do that...run to the closest exit.

[Anonymous]

What's the benefit of a timeshare these days with airbnb etc. You can rent the same units without the contract.

[Anonymous]

I kind of want to go to a timeshare presentation just to experience this kind of sales tactic first-hand. It sounds like some kind of escape room attraction.

[Anonymous]

My parents went and they required ring the bell and they lie and say they bought a timeshare in Mexico in front of the other guests before handing them their vouchers. Hilarious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I kind of want to go to a timeshare presentation just to experience this kind of sales tactic first-hand. It sounds like some kind of escape room attraction.

LOL! I'm the poster who went to PV last year and got the Mafia treatment. Please report back after you experience the arm-twisting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents went and they required ring the bell and they lie and say they bought a timeshare in Mexico in front of the other guests before handing them their vouchers. Hilarious.

Wait... huh?

Ring the bell?

This whole thing made no sense.

[Anonymous]

That’s the only way we vacationed when I was a kid! My parents never caved (they probably didn’t have the money even if they wanted to)

[Anonymous]

I did this once and the 2 hour timeshare sales spiel was closer to 6 hours -- it started with the guy taking us for a tour of the property in his car so we were essentially kidnapped for hours and then we had to sit through a video and a progression of more pushy sales people. It more or less killed an entire day of our vacation. I don't recommend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents went and they required ring the bell and they lie and say they bought a timeshare in Mexico in front of the other guests before handing them their vouchers. Hilarious.

Wait... huh?

Ring the bell?

This whole thing made no sense.

Have you ever been to a place where when they have a sale they ring a bell so everyone on the sales floor can hear and cheer? We did this at Ourisman Jeep in Alexandria. My client also had this whenever they landed a new contract. It’s dumb but a thing. So, at this particular place it was a room with tables that people sit at and a sales agent gives the sales pictch. There was a large bell in the front. When someone buys a timeshare they walk up and ring it and everyone is suppposed to clap and cheer. It is supposed to entice others like hey this could be you too! So, they insisted my parents lie and say they bought a timeshare in Mexico and ring the bell like they’re all happy. This was required before they would get their cruise vouchers. I called my mom and she said they told the people they weren’t going to lie and say that and never got their vouchers!

[Anonymous]

I’m doing one in NYC this weekend through Hilton Vacation Club. I’ve done them before and they’re fine as long as you hold your ground. I’ve agreed to give them two hours and that’s what they’ll get. In exchange for my time I’ll get a certificate good for a 3 or 4 night cruise on Royal Caribbean and a one night Hilton certificate. I think they presentations are worth doing.