Just as pandemic travel restrictions worldwide started to relax and we began unveiling our new membership programs at Hilton Grand Vacations, Kenneth and Heather E. expressed a range of emotions during their candid ownership review.
From nostalgia to bucket list plans, the couple gave us a peek inside more than a decade of ownership.
And after more than 30 years of traveling as loyal Hilton Honors™ members, including more than 10 years of vacation ownership, Kenneth and Heather can say they’re truly part of the family — sharing that, coincidently, their son-in-law is a Team Member at Tuscany Village, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club.
“We were already Owners, and when he and our daughter got married and moved to Florida, that was where he ended up working,” Heather explained.
But before their kids were grown and had children of their own, Kenneth and Heather were like most families. They enjoyed vacations together, but they were drawn to the idea of more space and traveling with the comforts of home.
“We lived in West Chester in Southern Pennsylvania, and we had a vacation home in the Pennsylvania mountains,” shared Kenneth. “We’d also always had big motor homes, so we did a lot of travel, and if we didn’t stay in Hilton hotels, we usually stayed in the motor home.”
So, when Heather was planning a family trip with three teenagers to Orlando and came across a promotional package, she was intrigued.
“I said, ‘You know what, with our Hilton Honors Points, we can stay at Parc Soleil, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club, and get a 2-Bedroom Suite,’ ’’ said Heather.
"When we went in for the sales meeting, we had booked another sales presentation with Disney Vacation Club® for that same day. But after we met with Hilton Grand Vacations, we canceled our sales presentation with Disney Vacation Club."
The couple didn’t skip a beat as they explained why they chose Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare over Disney Vacation Club.
“Until that point when we went to Orlando, we’d always stayed on Walt Disney World Resort® property, so we considered buying into a timeshare there. We’d decided to stay off of Disney property just to try it, and that’s the beginning of the story,” Kenneth said with a hint of a smile.
“We were already using Hilton Honors all the time, and if we bought into Hilton Grand Vacations, we could use our Points, and it all came together,” added Heather.
Since that first purchase at Parc Soleil, they’ve become Owners at several Hilton Grand Vacations Clubs, including Borgo alle Vigne in Italy, Kings’ Land on the Big Island, Sunrise Lodge in Park City and The District, a Hilton Club, in Washington, D.C.
But Parc Soleil is still their favorite resort, and the conversation came to life with excitement as Heather began to explain why.
“From our kids’ house, we can walk to Tuscany Village, but we still prefer Parc Soleil. It’s the original resort we stayed at, and we just — ”
“It’s a great resort,” interjected Kenneth.
“It feels like home to us,” Heather added genuinely.
The couple agreed that the layout of the spacious Suites, including the balconies, and eating breakfast by the pool are among the features that stand out most to them at Parc Soleil.
“Before the pandemic, our absolute favorite thing always to look forward to was sitting by the pool in the morning, drinking coffee and eating breakfast,” Heather explained. “It’s the simple things that can be so relaxing.”
Finally, the Orlando resort’s ideal location is also one of the couple’s favorite features.
“If you’re visiting Disney, you can go — not the way your GPS tells you —but use the back roads and be on Disney property within 15 minutes,” Kenneth laughed.
Their trips haven’t always centered around Orlando, though. While the couple lived in Southern Pennsylvania, they enjoyed hopping aboard a train into New York City, where they loved to stay at West 57th Street and The Residences, two Hilton Clubs in midtown Manhattan.
The way they’ve traveled has changed over the years, too. The pair shared that it’s become more difficult to get away together as a family now that their kids have families of their own.
“They’re developing their own lives, so we usually try to make one trip a year where we all go someplace,” said Kenneth.
“Now it’s more like, let us book a week for you,” added Heather.
Between their ClubPoints and Hilton Honors Points, they’re finding creative new ways to put their memberships to use for the whole family.
“Sometimes our oldest daughter, who still lives in Pennsylvania, comes down to Orlando, and we’ve booked a week for her, even if we haven’t been there,” explained Heather. “So we’re doing a little bit of that, or we’ll use Hilton Honors Points. For instance, she and her husband are coming to Clearwater this weekend, and I booked them at a Hampton Inn right on Clearwater Beach using our Points.”
This flexibility motivated the couple to upgrade their Hilton Grand Vacations membership, and as loyal Hilton Honors members, they have enjoyed becoming Hilton Honors Diamond members in the process.
“Once we hit that Elite and then Elite Premier tier, there’s so much more flexibility as far as rolling over Points and not paying fees, plus just what I can do with more Points,” said Heather.
As for their favorite perks of the highest membership tier? They cited the ease at which they can convert ClubPoints to Hilton Honors Points and the ability to enhance their vacation experiences.
“Before the pandemic, there was nothing we loved more than being at the Parc Soleil pool with our grandsons and reserving the cabana,” recalled Heather.
With the mention of the pandemic, it became clear how much the family missed pre-pandemic travel with Hilton Grand Vacations. And despite the recent membership changes, they still feel as though Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare has been worth it.
“I would just emphasize that we really researched it, and I was in the financial world for 40 years, and we found this, at the time when we purchased, to be the most flexible. We use it a lot,” said Kenneth.
From time spent with immediate family, friends and even extended family, the couple has used vacation ownership to reconnect with those they love most over the years.
“We’ve had friends from all around the country congregate at Parc Soleil. Friends from California, Colorado, Iowa — from wherever we knew people. We would utilize it for that too, not just for family but gatherings of friends,” explained Kenneth.
“In March, we’ll be back over to Parc Soleil, and our friends from Colorado are coming, and we got a room for them,” added Heather.
Aside from Parc Soleil, their home away from home, the couple has their sights set on Italy in the next couple of years. The pair has been twice — once with all their kids and another time as a duo.
“We were able to stay at the Rome Cavalieri, a Waldorf Astoria™ Hotel, last time we were there. Wow, that was amazing,” Heather said with the type of awe in her voice that only unforgettable travel can inspire.
Read “From Bucket List Trips to Retirement Plans, One Hilton Grand Vacations Owner Proves a Solid Points Strategy Is Everything” for another Owner’s story.