2017 Cash Booking at HHI?

[kristenrice]

Last night and this morning, I tried to call member services to see if they can quote me the cash rate for a 2BR at HHI for April 2017. I was met with hold times in excess of 30 minutes so I hung up. I don't need to know THAT bad...

We have a 1BR booked for 5 nights for our family of 4, but my parents may be interested in joining us. I am thinking about dropping 1 night and booking 4 nights in a 2BR and paying cash for the 5th night. If the price is reasonable, I may do this anyways and let my girls have their own room for once. If my parents join us, then they would reimburse me for the cash night.

IIRC, the last time we went to HHI, I was able to book 2 nights in cash at around 10 months out, in addition to the 4 nights on points. If something has changed and MS doesn't even have the 2017 prices yet, I don't want to bother calling until they do.

 

[MHDTS]

Have you considered renting all of the points for your stay? HHI DVC owners can list their points now, and other DVC owners can do so at 7 months out (September). Check out the DVC rent forum, or contact one of the points brokers to see what's available. And the cost should be less than a cash stay.

 

[curan69]

We have a 2Br booked for March 2017 at the cash rate of just over 240.00 before taxes.

 

[kristenrice]

I called and got the strangest reply...

Apparently there is NO cash inventory for 2BR's for any night between April 2-7...but, get this, they have 1BR and studios BOTH available every night. That's so strange... All of the studios and 1BRs are lockoffs (and the resort only has 21 2-BR lockoffs) so I would assume that if they are BOTH available, a 2BR should be available, right? Also, there are 76 dedicated 2BR's and only 21 lockoffs...yet the lockoffs are available and the 76 dedicated ones are booked??

Can anyone explain this? My parents are definitely interested in coming and I have no problem changing our 5-night 1BR to a 4-night 2BR, but we need that 5th night on cash, with or without a member discount. Do you think that a 2BR may become available? There is complete availability for a 2BR using points for the entire week so it is doubtful that there are no 2BRs available, they just haven't been released for cash reservations yet. Does anyone know the timeframe when they may be released?

 

[DenLo]

Did the CM understand you would be willing to accept a 2BR lockoff? I know that CM consider 2BRs to be a dedicated villa and they might not look for a lockoff. Otherwise it doesn't make sense to me either. Maybe if you call back and try another CM a 2BR lockoff for cash would show up. Otherwise it is a question for a supervisor.

 

[RobDoc]

DVC will not usually reserve the lock-off villas as a 2BR since there are so few studios/1BRs available at the resort. The exception is if someone needs a 2BR HCA Villa and they then can use one of the HCA lock-offs for that reservation.

It is strange though that all 2BRs are reserved and there are still Studios and 1BRs available, but it is still within the 11 month Home Resort reservation priority.

 

[kristenrice]

DVC will not usually reserve the lock-off villas as a 2BR since there are so few studios/1BRs available at the resort. The exception is if someone needs a 2BR HCA Villa and they then can use one of the HCA lock-offs for that reservation.

It is strange though that all 2BRs are reserved and there are still Studios and 1BRs available, but it is still within the 11 month Home Resort reservation priority.

I don't think it is a matter of them all being reserved. I think it is a matter of them being "not available" to book with cash. I'm not sure why that would be, especially given that they are allowing cash bookings for the studios and 1BR's.

 

[RobDoc]

I don't think it is a matter of them all being reserved. I think it is a matter of them being "not available" to book with cash. I'm not sure why that would be, especially given that they are allowing cash bookings for the studios and 1BR's.

Ahh. I understand now.

It may be that HH owners have used their points for non-DVC options so those HH points are available for cash reservations - but not point reservations.

I'm still surprised that MS will rent Studios and 1BRs but not 2BRs at this time. Hang in there, something may still open up!

 

[kristenrice]

Ahh. I understand now.

It may be that HH owners have used their points for non-DVC options so those HH points are available for cash reservations - but not point reservations.

I'm still surprised that MS will rent Studios and 1BRs but not 2BRs at this time. Hang in there, something may still open up!

I will try calling once a week until I hear something different. We are traveling over spring break, which fortunately does not include Easter next year. I don't want to lose our 1BR reservation because we are DEFINITELY staying 5 nights. My plan is to call MS and book a single night (doesn't even matter which night) with cash and then have them cancel my 1BR and book the remaining 4 nights in a 2BR. I won't cancel the 1BR until I know I can get the 2BR for all 5 nights. My fear is that the 2BR's will no longer be available for points and then we will have NO options.