Introduction
Earlier this year I received a promotional email from Hyatt offering a three night stay at the Hyatt Residence Club (HRC) Coconut Plantation located in Bonita Springs, Florida. For $262 including all taxes and fees, I would receive a $100 room credit or 10,000 World of Hyatt points and three nights in a one-bedroom king condominium. The catch? I’d have to sit through a 90 to 120 minute timeshare sales presentation.
My wife and I were looking for somewhere to spend our anniversary, which happens to be in the off-season for Florida and therefore a perfect time for a nearby staycation. The retail rate for the room in September was $300, with peak-season rates going for up to $1,000 a night. Amenities at this property are mutually shared with the adjacent Hyatt Regency Coconut Point and include five water slides, two lazy rivers for tubing, and access to a private white sand beach via ferry, among many other perks. We thought the property looked great and decided to take advantage of the offer.
The Process
The deal had an expiration date to purchase, and we had up to 12 months after the purchase to travel. When I called in to take advantage of the promotion, HRC required a $200 non-refundable down payment and would charge our remaining balance once we finalized our dates.There was going to be a fee to change or cancel the reservation once booked, so I made sure to put the payment on my Chase Sapphire Reserve for its trip cancellation insurance in case plans changed.
Terms and Conditions
- Attend a 90-minute vacation ownership sales presentation (not to exceed 120 minutes) at the Hyatt Residence Club sales gallery during your stay
- Have an annual household income of at least $75,000 and be at least 25 years of age and can not have attended a sales presentation at any Hyatt Residence Club resort in the past 12 months.
- If you are married or cohabitating, we require that both parties travel together as part of the package and attend the sales presentation.
- “This advertising material is being used for the purpose of soliciting timeshare sales.”
Conclusions
To see if you are targeted for a promotional offer such as this, call 1-844-770-2582 and give the representative your last name and zip code. You can also check the Hyatt Vacation Offers site for any public offers.
A trip report for this amazing property is forthcoming. I have to mention that sales people are very good. I would not recommend taking advantage of any promotional offer if you don’t trust your ability to say “no.” That said, I think deals such as this represent a fantastic value should you be targeted for one.
Have you sat through a timeshare presentation? If so, let us know your experience in the comments.