Been to a movie recently?
 
Then you know…
 
Tickets have gotten darn expensive. But popcorn and a soda cost even more!
 
There’s a reason for that, of course.
 
The theater can make A LOT more money on concessions than on ticket sales.
 
Timeshares are like the movies in that way. 
 
Companies like Hilton Grand Vacations have learned how to make more money on things like credit cards and service fees than the original timeshare sales.
 
One big difference?  At the theater, the audience always gets to enjoy a show.  With a Hilton timeshare, a lot of owners never come close to enjoying a vacation.
 
We came across one of those owners among the hundreds of complaints filed against Hilton with the Better Business Bureau.
 
“Back in June 2024 we purchased more points with salesman’s pitch – the expectation of renting points to offset maintenance fees.”
 
“The sales pitch was a complete lie as we were told to take out a credit card to pay for more points and we would never have to pay the second credit card bill because the rentals would pay it off.”
 
We’ve certainly seen this movie before…
 
…you can read some of the reruns here and here and here!!
 
But this time there’s a twist to the plot. Because Hilton found yet another way to make money: by connecting the owner to salespeople who, for a fee, would allegedly find people to rent the timeshare.
 
We say “allegedly” because, well, surprise, surprise, Hilton never seems to be able to actually find any renters!
 
“The last 2 people also charged us $700 for putting us in a queue for the future rental. But then 7 months later they have not used any of our points for rentals.”
 
That’s right: $700 and seven months later, the Hilton folks still couldn’t find anyone to rent the owner’s timeshare and help cover the maintenance fees – as promised.
 
“After the pitch we had to cancel any vacation trip due to spending money on the credit card they forced us to get for ‘promised to be sold points’.” 
 
“Instead of help in this scam situation that they provided we got increased maintenance fees for 2025.”
 
So, to summarize the plot…Hilton keeps the $700…and some credit card fees…and even more maintenance fees.
 
That’s a lot more than just popcorn money.
 
“Please notice all this pitch was organized officially by Hilton on Hilton property in a face-to-face meeting (not a call or email).”
 
A Hilton production, through and through.
 
“So Hilton is aware of this scam very well since they are conducting it.”
 
Shall we roll the credits?
 
Let’s start with the director, Mark Wang, the CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations. You can email him at mark.wang@hgv.com to ask why we keep seeing the same old scams from Hilton.
 
Then there’s the producer, Chris Nassetta, President and CEO of Hilton Worldwide. He’s the money guy. Email him at christopher.nassetta@hilton.com and see if he’s planning to find even more ways to get concessions out of owners rather than provide the entertainment they paid for.
 
And don’t forget marketing. Jason Gamel is the President and CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), the trade association that represents the timeshare industry in Washington, DC. Let’s email him at jgamel@arda.org to see if he intends to keep promoting Hilton’s scams.

This is a good time to also draw your attention to the Timeshare Transparency Act (TTA) (S.3502) which is currently pending in Congress.  This proposed legislation sets out clear, commonsense requirements for timeshare companies like Hilton, so consumers understand exactly what they are purchasing. It covers:  

• Total Cost Disclosure: Requires a single document itemizing all acquisition and maintenance costs (including fee increases).
• 14-Day Cancellation Period: Grants buyers in all states a 14-day, penalty-free period to cancel contracts.
• Exit Options: Requires clear, documented procedures for exiting ownership.
• Review Period: Allows buyers to review documents privately without high-pressure sales staff present.
• FTC Enforcement: Empowers the Federal Trade Commission to enforce these regulations. 

To be considered further by the U.S. Congress, the Timeshare Transparency Act needs more support.  If you agree, contact your U.S. Senators and U.S. House Representative.  Tell them you support the Timeshare Transparency Act (S.3502).  Share your own timeshare horror story. Tell your representatives you’re tired of seeing families “misled and flat-out lied to” by an industry that seems to value profits over fairness and transparency.

• Find your Senator: senate.gov
• Find your Representative: house.gov

Tired of the production your timeshare company is putting on? Use this list of ARDA VIPs to send them your review.
  
Haven’t found anything entertaining about your timeshare experience? Share your story with us at  info@timesharefacts.com.
  
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