ALG is one of, if not the largest travel industry wholesalers in the world. When the transition is complete, HGV's management team, headed by CEO Mark Wang, will run the combined company. Full disclosure: the author of this Ask RedWeek is a longtime owner at Diamond Resorts. Due to Hilton also adjusting the Hilton points charts proportionally that determine how many points it takes to make reservations at each resort, the amount of vacation time for each ownership will stay exactly the same. Thank you all for your comments. We also went to the presentation because nothing in the account said Hilton. I wonder if Hyatt is going to rebrand most/all these all inclusives to Zivas or Zilaras. It's proven its resiliency and durability, said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO of Hyatt, on an investor call this morning. For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Increase in Brand value and footprint, yes! We expect Hyatt to reach 80% fee-based earnings by the end of 2024, said Hoplamazian. Thanks for the comments - I just went to the "update meeting about the merger" tonight (9/29/22) - .it was just a sales pitch like all of you said below. This merger should have just expanded the placed you could go, but instead turned into a money grab from the timeshare crooks. Didn't Secrete continually have issues with this? Hyatt and ALG have highly complementary brand portfolios and share a deep commitment to colleague and guest experiences focused on care, Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatts president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. Sharon. Until check out time, and the woman assigned to this part was very clear and forthcoming when she went over the entire sale, which was NOT how it was presented to us. Florida Timeshare Vacation Resorts | Hilton Grand Vacations Interval International has over 2,500 resorts in over 80 countries around the world that are part of their exchange program. We are so glad that we did. We attended the presentation by HGV last night in Chandler AZ to learn how the acquisition would affect our interests - we expected a diminuation of our points but no way did we expect Hilton to expect us to pay $60,000 to bring us into the Hilton family - for our timeshare we have owned for nearly 30 years!!! I went solo last year to Secrets the Vine in Cancun and ocean skinny dipped with a gay gentleman from Texas and a 60-something lady who was there with a girlfriend. I do wonder how Hyatt will approach the issue of the Secrets brand being couples only when they have been so LGBTQ+ friendly. HowwillHiltonbuyingDiamondaffectownersofbothclubs. I think Ben is correct, I would never stay at an all inclusive resort either, ( remembering Club Med ) hes merely pointing out a new business acquisition which in itself is great news. We walked out of "update" today and so did others. Are you looking at the right group, Ben? Why are diamond fees more than double that? I think both of those are factually correct? Just got back from an unlimited luxury stay at Secrets Maroma (seemed like a good burn of sapphire points, last-min getaway). I have stayed at several Hyatt Ziva's and had wonderful experiences (especially the Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana). But. Hyatt expects to sell $3.5 billion of hotel real estate over the next three years, including $1.5 billion worth of properties this year. For others, its probably quite a bit less exciting. I'm looking at you, Waikiki Centric of Cheap Owner. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I am disappointed because the UVC I joined many years ago gave my husband and I affordable travel-not so much anymore as many of the hotels I visited have not stayed in the group and HYatt is so high end that we cannot afford to visit as often as we like. According to Diamond CEO Mike Flaskey, HGV will also incorporate Diamond's "events and concerts platform" to deliver expanded vacation opportunities to owners. One of Diamond Resorts flagship properties, Mystic Dunes Resort features an on-site golf course and restaurant. Then if this is the case $138.46 all the way to $1894.12 shows a huge issue. That industry won't be the same for years or decades, these types of hotels will appeal to someone unwilling to get on a cruise ship and risk the Coronavirus-Norovirus roulette but still want that type of vacation. As new timeshare products become available, Hilton has hinted at a tight integration between the two vacation clubs. We're very unhappy and want out. Probably for the best that Hyatt did not buy them to keep Excellence Group a secret (again no pun intended either). Now the company has spent more than five times as much on Apple Leisure Group. I even have the rep that signed us up on a text (6 months ago) that said she was told there would be no fees for rolling points or transferring to Hilton Honors and yet I am told there are and, she came back yesterday and said well I did not know at the time but there are, sign up anyway. I have no experience with this but I thought they had issues in the past.maybe it was Sandals after all and not Secrets. Best wishes to all going through this buyout! But sometime down the road, the two clubs are likely to be combined under one roof named Hilton with all the brand-name benefits that Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) already provides existing owners. Distinctive Hilton service. By 2019, the split had shifted to 57% fee-based earnings. How can the owners unite and take the power back over from them and get the maintenance fee to where it needs to be? I recently went to the DRI website to make reservations for next year, and NOTHING is available now, no matter which dates I put in within the year timeframe. She did good and we feel for it. 100 new properties to join World of Hyatt as Apple Leisure Group deal closes, This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. -Sunscape: budget family-friendly. Will Americans New York To Doha Route Survive? Loyalty programs arent going to be narrowly tailored to peoples tastes. Best, Donna. I have kids, I'm a globalist, and we love all-inclusives in the Caribbean, so this is an ideal acquisition for customers like me. I am a Diamond owner at Polo Towers, week 52, 2 bedroom 2 bath. Hilton will be the 5th owner of that property since I bought it 17 years ago! At Selling Timeshares, Inc., Exchanging Marriott Vacation weeks through Interval International is a great way to get more out of an MVC membership. The Blue Diamond properties set to convert to the Autograph Collection portfolio include the Royalton Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa, Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun , Planet Hollywood Beach. 4 Days/3 Nights. I'll give some all-inclusive resorts a chance though since it's sometime nice to WORRY nothing but chill, eat, drink, and sleep. What a lousy letdown - the place was anything but relaxing but instead, an adult day care with cheap and cheesy amenities to say the least. See the scenery on horseback, or go for a hike along the many trails. But at that point I did not want to pay any more maintenance dues. All-Inclusive is meh, but these are not luxury hotels. I think a class action will probably come, but still a little early right now, maybe next year. He and Gary L should pair up. According to Hyatt, the company is currently working to determine how the World of Hyatt program and ALG's . I am a Diamond silver owner and I just went through a Hilton Update presentation. But I do recall her saying we would still have access too all of our DRI resorts, as we have in the past. I called it a breach of contract. RedWeek, Inc. is a Registered Seller of Travel in the following states: Oct 22, 2021 (edited), Apr 05, 2022 (edited), Jun 11, 2022 (edited), Jun 15, 2022 (edited), Dec 05, 2022 (edited), Jan 05, 2023 (edited), Jan 18, 2023 (edited), Feb 19, 2023 (edited). We left without signing anything and Im very confused on what to do next.. I wish they would add more European regular hotels though. 2) I am not a big fan of all inclusive either, but it is a big segment. The 50 most popular World of Hyatt redemptions, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Secrets is NOT couples only, its just a focus. Does being fully vaccinated exempt me from travel restrictions? Need to find attorney to represent Diamond clients, Diamond got a billion dollars in the buy out, we are owners, where is our buy out. Having the additional booking methods and travel agent access, as TrvlGuru pointed out, probably sold this deal, but these resorts are the Short of buying Excellence Resorts or Velas Resorts, this is probably the best purchase they could have made to increase their luxury A-I portfolio (save for Sunscape). I have no intention of joining HGV. Hyatt Hotels Corp. is acquiring Apple Leisure Group, which offers travel, hospitality and luxury-resort management services.The management of AMResorts properties, which includes the Dreams, Secrets, Breathless and Zotry brands, are part of the agreement. Having first entered the fast-growing luxury all-inclusive space in 2013, we are ideally positioned to capture the significant and rising demand for leisure travel and extend the world-class hospitality we provide to a wide range of new travelers., The hotel group said, Hyatt now offers one of the largest collections of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world, including new destinations for Hyatt such as Acapulco, Curaao, the Canary Islands, Menorca and St. Martin., Related: The 50 most popular World of Hyatt redemptions. You clearly have never stayed at an AMResort property. 100 new properties to join World of Hyatt as Apple Leisure Group deal Really opened my eyes into this segment of resorts (aside from The Excellence, which was very solid - Ive never tried AM) - even with Hyatts management, I will steer clear. What a lousy letdown - the place was anything but relaxing but instead, an adult day care with cheap and cheesy amenities to say the least. You complainers need to quit yer bitchin'. In biblical terms, hire a David to slay these Goliaths who don't care about consumers. The AMR Collection checks that box, specializing in unlimited luxury all-inclusive experiences like gourmet a la carte dining and many amenities and perks usually not associated with all-inclusive resorts. Enjoy a day by one of the pools or practice your swing on the course. We are Diamond Gold, Hilton told us last week at the Las Vegas Polo Towers that only 10% of Diamond owners have not upgraded to Max, (I bet not) they offered us $14,900 to upgrade, $1,600 down and $300 a month for 10 years.) This answer was provided by RedWeek contributor, Jeff Weir. Appeal to a new type of customer? If it's so bad, go be loyal to Marriott. Let's band together you cannot operate as a company like this and defraud people. Soak up the sun. If so please reach out to me as I too would like to seek legal justice in this matter. ALG also has over a dozen subsidiaries, including Apple Vacations, CheapCaribbean.com, Southwest Vacations, United Vacations, Unlimited Vacation Club, and more. What a joke! We travel to explore new places, eat delicious local foods and explore, all of these are generally harder with all-inclusive properties. I am curious to see how Hyatt prices this properties with regards to points. But it was better than paying to get rid of the money pit! is the managing editor for news at TPG. The long-term success of the acquisition, analysts told us, will depend on HGV's plan to integrate Diamond's mid-level resorts into HGV's high-level resort portfolio while upgrading the overall customer experience of Diamond owners into HGV's culture. Now, your ownership will be adjusted to give you 8,000 ClubPoints each year, but the points charts that show how many points it takes to book a 1 Bedroom Grand at Elara during Gold season will also be adjusted to 8,000 ClubPoints. 1. Not sure I like this. There has to be something we can do legally. $1,899 Per Stay. I feel like I was sucker punched during my owner's update. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. I will say this again, how does this acquisition by Hyatt affect Choice Hotels. Well just before year end an offer came in and it was very low. $249 Per Stay. I wonder if Hilton will dramatically increase my value and if I could sell it in the future for more than is offered now. Were very bullish on leisure travel. HGVC Owner here. I'll check back later. Explore Vacation Ownership | Hilton Grand Vacations I had truly hoped that Hilton would prove to be a more ethical corporation than we experienced with Diamond but unfortunately weve found that the greed just changed names! As its described, heres what Hyatt is hoping to gain by acquiring ALG: Heres how Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian described the acquisition when it was first announced: With the asset-light acquisition of Apple Leisure Group, we are thrilled to bring a highly desirable independent resort management platform into the Hyatt family. Now there are dozens. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. As long as they think Hyatt can afford it, Hyatt can. I have a deed at Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort but use Diamond points. In 2009, 63% of Hyatts earnings came from owned and leased properties, with fee-based earnings making up the remaining 37%. Hyatt currently offers eight all-inclusives in the Caribbean and Mexico under the Hyatt Ziva and Zilara names, while the AMR Collection includes the Secrets, Dreams, Zoetry, Breathess, Alua, and Sunscape resort brands. So I went, and found out that I was actually signing another contract to join Hilton Grand Vacations, I did not know this at the time. Very diverse crowd at Secrets - all-inclusive and people inclusive resort. In late 2021 and 2022, the bigger-than-ever Hilton Vacation Club will then include 154 resorts and 720,000 owners with a global footprint that offers travel to mid-level, upscale and luxury resorts. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. What they are not telling you amidst all those marketing marveling and chanting of how great Hilton is, and how much they did a study looking at all the problems and complaints that diamond owners had worn their vacation packages, is that they are effectively FORCING diamond owners to buy Hilton points and convert over to the new HVG system. I need to check on this, and wow the resorts are out of this world amazing and I am glad to spend my initial investment plus $450 annually. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. I'm not particularly excited about Hyatt being 'asset-light' - that means they will have less and less skin in the game, and their whole thing becomes a marketing/booking service. Just book by specific location. The customer is still right, and we still have choices. Had my owner's update in Feb 22. ALGs portfolio of luxury brands, leadership in the all-inclusive segment and large pipeline of new resorts will extend our reach in existing and new markets, including in Europe, and further accelerate our industry-leading net rooms growth. The hotel company hassecured a $1.7 billion financing commitment from J.P. Morgan. The prices are high-end, too; at Zoetry boutique properties, the average daily rate (ADR) is $400 a night. It all has to go through them and then be accepted by HGV. @ Jason -- "There's nothing cheap about what they sell?" The high-end of the pricing of what I'm seeing in some destinations is a Planet Hollywood property that's all-inclusive. Dreams Resorts & Spas T oday Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that it is buying luxury resorts. We are Gold members of Diamond and made the horrible mistake of paying the fees to to include Hilton HGVC. People generally love Hyatt but say they lack the number of hotels in comparison to Marriot, Hilton and IHG. Since Diamonds was acquired, can we get out of contract? Oh and second real life example all the crappy Hyatt properties that still 'can't serve Globalists breakfast because Covid.' Aren't all of the Ziva/Zilara properties owned/run by Playa Resorts? Today marks the beginning of ALGs next chapter, in which we will continue to build on the strong loyalty and reputation we have established through our luxury travel brands and services, now as part of Hyatt. If they rebrand a Diamond property it becomes a Hilton therefore no longer being available to us. Make sure you say that you saw this message via ''Red Week''. SOLD OUT. The resort is set on more than 600 acres and includes condo-style accommodations with full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and bathrooms. I spoke to my buddy tonight and he owns a Wyndham timeshare. Time to travel again, or take a different kind of vacation? In addition, theacquisitionwill also bring Hyatts brand into 11 new European markets. ALG is fundamentally an asset-light business with no hotel ownership, aligning perfectly with our strategic goals, said Hoplamazian. Meanwhile, WoH members dont see a reasonable benefit imho. The deal will quintuple the number of Hyatt-owned resort properties in Mexico from nine to 46, and greatly expand the companys footprint in the Caribbean from five properties to 27. All I said is that I'm personally not excited about this as a consumer, based on my own travel patterns, and that Hyatt is spending a lot of money here. All they want is money. The answer was yes, you no longer can bank with interval (even if you have a membership on your own with interval international, Hilton only uses RCI) and you have to use Diamond's crappy Destination Flex program (which I never use because it is not user friendly). Love Hyatt, but had high hopes for a different acquisition. Maybe they see the Covid writing on the wall for cruise lines and know that all-inclusive vacations will appeal to that customer. Is it even worth paying for it or letting it go, the maintenance fees is no joke. Should not our contacts be canceled and money returned? Since I arrive i told the sales lady ,we aren't spendding no more money. Totally agree. So option 3 was the only viable option at the time for me. The acquisition adds 100 hotels and resorts across Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America to Hyatt's portfolio - including all-inclusive resorts from AMR Collection brands like Secrets Resorts . Of course it was nothing but a sales pitch. ALG has now been purchased for $2.7 billion in cash from KKR and KSL Capital Partners. I am not excited by this at all but if its makes some money for Hyatt, good for them. The real question is, will Hyatt be entering this market as a player or will they remain in the hotel business and break up ALG to pieces. But today we send the letter of cancelation of that contract. To get access to use Diamond properties, they want another $20K membership. All sides denied it, but kept talking about it, because a Wyndham-Diamond merger sounded like a good fit of timeshare cultures. It is based on a 100,000 dollar a year income. 1) This seems like a macro call on growth of leisure travel, especially relative to business travel. So my total to walk away would be $18K. In 2021, Hyatt acquired more than 100 all-inclusive resorts part of the AMR Collection. Pritzkers lose interest and Hyatt will be gone (acquired) - regardless of any acquisitions. Mar 10, 2021 8:01AM EST (RTTNews) - Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. (HGV) has entered into an agreement to acquire Diamond Resorts International, Inc. in a stock-based deal with an equity value of. I need to get out of this contract. There are a ton of very amazing properties here. Short term, both companies will remain separate entities while their management teams figure out how to consolidate them into the world's #2 timeshare company, right behind #1 Wyndham Destinations and just ahead of #3 Marriott Vacations. I have the same situation as Lorna posted in the previous comment. I told them to suck wind during my presentation. There's no shortage of places to stay with our wide collection of Florida timeshare resorts, where you'll feel at home with . On the surface they say, oh we let you guys have a grandfather clause and if you want to remain in diamond, you can BUT, the caveat is, they are going to strip all the diamond resorts locations except for about 16 that are in the trust OUT of your diamond resorts system with the proclamation that even those resorts are subject to change at any time thusfor diamond owners who already spent thousands and thousands to own and are comfortable with the system and properties they have access to, must either spend a minimum of between 20 and 40 thousand dollars to purchase the minimum point allocation of 4500 points to convert their diamond ownership to hiltons HVG brand, or have their diamond ownership devalued down to 16 resorts, most of them the crappiest in the diamond portfolio save 4 or 5. It is hard to trust anyone now.. Like all of you, I was cohersted into signing the contract. At the moment no details have been officially released by Hilton. Many of our features might not work. My application got rejected because of unpaid maintenance fees. I am Gold with Diamond with 39,000 points and he wanted me to purchase up to 54,000. They didn't just buy AM Resorts. A day later or so out of the blue they call and I am on hold first time for an hour and when the person answered they hung up immediately without speaking. Hyatt Hotels Corporation - Hyatt to Acquire Apple Leisure Group Pretty sure this isn't the last purchase Hyatt ever makes. Secrets, Zoetry & Sunscape properties were bookable using Choice Hotel points for between 40k-60k points per night. I saw Hilton Grand Vacations just agreed to buy Diamond Resorts. Ehhh. Accommodations included a fully-equipped kitchen, laundry facilities and full bathroom. we owned deeded weeks 51 and 52 and another 52 , 3 weeks at parkway international resort for the last 32 years and its had several owners, every time they say it needs a major facelift and you know what goes along with that, our money out the window, i cant take it any more, i could have bought a mansion for the money those trumps and trillionaires have raped me for. In August, The Wall Street Journal reported that the deal would cost Hyatt roughly $2.7 billion in cash plus some debt. "As Diamond properties are rebranded under the HGV umbrella, they will be available for rental on Hilton.com.". Hyatt has completed its acquisition of Apple Leisure Group (ALG), which is a resort-management services, travel, and hospitality group. They only take Hilton Honors Points and refuse our HGVC owner club points. The pandemic gave all major travel companies, including timeshares, a yearlong timeout to recalibrate for travel to resume.