- The four Hilton timeshare clubs: Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Hilton Vacation Club (formerly Diamond Resorts), Bluegreen Vacations, and Embarc each operate as separate programs with their own resort networks, points currencies, and booking rules.
- How each club’s reservation system works: Priority booking windows, home resort access periods, and network-wide booking timelines differ significantly from one club to the next.
- How Hilton’s portfolio grew: A series of corporate acquisitions, not a single unified build, shaped the current lineup of clubs under the parent company of Hilton Grand Vacations Inc.
- What HGV Max is and who can use it: HGV Max is an optional paid membership that links the clubs for cross-network booking, but it is available only to owners who purchased directly from the developer.
- What resale buyers need to know: Purchasing on the secondary market grants full access to the relevant club’s internal booking system for thousands less than buying from the developer, but excludes HGV Max enrollment. RCI exchange provides a more cost-effective alternative to accessing resorts across the various clubs.
Navigating the landscape of Hilton timeshares can be incredibly confusing when considering that Hilton built its current portfolio of timeshare products through a series of acquisitions rather than a single unified system. With some questionable branding, and a string of oddities in how the clubs interact with each other, this leaves even owners sometimes questioning exactly what they own.
Understanding these differences matters for anyone comparing ownership costs, evaluating a resale purchase, or trying to determine how to best sell and market their ownership on the resale market. This guide breaks down how each club came to be owned by Hilton, explores the reservation structure for each club, then explains HGV Max, the optional cross-club membership that connects some of these systems together.
Acquisition Timeline
The founding of Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC)
Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) is established as Hilton’s original vacation ownership program, built around a points-based system and a core set of Hilton-branded resort properties.
The founding of Club Intrawest
Club Intrawest is founded as an independent boutique resort network centered on ski and leisure destinations across North America, including properties in Whistler, Blue Mountain, and Tremblant.
Club Intrawest Rebrands to Embarc
Diamond Resorts International acquires Club Intrawest and rebrands it as Embarc, operating it as a separate club within Diamond’s broader vacation ownership portfolio.
Hilton acquires Diamond Resorts International
In March of 2021, Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. and Diamond Resorts International announce a merger agreement, described at the time as a combination that would create the largest upper-upscale vacation ownership company in the industry.
Diamond Resorts Rebrands To Hilton Vacation Club (HVC)
In August of 2021, Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. completes the acquisition of Diamond Resorts International for approximately $1.4 billion. Diamond’s resort properties are subsequently rebranded as Hilton Vacation Club (HVC), while Embarc continues operating as a separate club under the expanded Hilton portfolio.
Hilton Grand Vacations launches HGV Max
Hilton Grand Vacations launches HGV Max, a paid cross-club membership program connecting HGVC and HVC inventory under a single booking layer. Enrollment is limited to owners who purchase directly from the developer.
Hilton acquires Bluegreen Vacations
Hilton Grand Vacations Inc. completes the acquisition of Bluegreen Vacations for approximately $1.5 billion, adding Bluegreen’s regional resort network as a fourth distinct club operating independently within the Hilton portfolio.
Comparing the Four Clubs at a Glance
| Club | Legacy Origin | Primary Booking Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) | Original Hilton timeshare brand, founded 1992 | Home Week Priority at 12 months, Club Season at approximately 9 months, Open Season at 30 days |
| Hilton Vacation Club (HVC) | Diamond Resorts International, acquired 2021 | Home collection priority first, inter-club access closer to stay; HGV Max access opens 6 months out |
| Bluegreen Vacations | Independent club, acquired by Hilton January 2024 | Home Resort Priority Period runs 13 to 11 months before check-in |
| Embarc by Hilton Grand Vacations Club | Club Intrawest (1994), rebranded by Diamond in 2016 | Extended stays open earlier in the cycle; short stays open closer to arrival |
Hilton Grand Vacations
What Is Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) and How Does Its Booking System Work?
Hilton Grand Vacations Club is Hilton’s original and flagship timeshare system, operating on a currency called ClubPoints. HGVC also includes The Hilton Club, a smaller collection of urban, luxury properties in locations such as New York City, Chicago, and Orlando, which carries its own priority booking phase for owners of those specific properties.
HGVC reservations move through a sequence of windows, starting with the owner’s home resort and widening to the full network as check-in approaches. The exact number of days in each phase varies by resort, but the following table reflects the most common structure used across the HGVC portfolio.
| Booking Window | When It Opens | What It Allows |
|---|---|---|
| Home Week Priority | 365 days (12 months) before check-in | Reservation in the exact unit type, season, and home resort as deeded; uses only current use-year ClubPoints (no borrowed, rescued, or deposited points) |
| Club Season (Home Resort Priority) | Typically 276 days (9 months) before check-out, varies by resort | Any unit type, season, or HGVC resort in the network, subject to availability; 3-night minimum |
| Hilton Club Priority | 104 to 90 days before check-out | Applies only to owners of a Hilton Club property; allows booking at other Hilton Club resorts |
| Open Season | 30 days before check-out through 1 day before check-in | Discounted cash reservations without using ClubPoints; owner must check in; 2 to 3-night minimum; no guest reservations |
Hilton Vacation Club (formerly Diamond Resorts)
What Is Hilton Vacation Club (HVC) and How Is It Different from HGVC?
Hilton Vacation Club is the rebranded name for the leisure-focused Diamond Resorts properties Hilton acquired in 2021. HVC operates as a distinct club from HGVC, with its own points currency, resort collections, and reservation timeline, and it is positioned by Hilton as a separate, lower-tier vacation ownership brand rather than an extension of HGVC.
HVC’s inventory is organized into geographic collections, including a US Collection, a California Collection, a Hawaii Collection, and MGV (Members Guest Voucher) access. Owners generally receive priority access to their home collection first, with broader inter-club access opening closer to the stay. Members with higher-tier status may receive earlier access within these windows, though the specific day counts for each tier vary by resort and contract and are best confirmed directly with HVC owner services.
| Booking Category | General Structure |
|---|---|
| Home Collection Priority | HVC owners get first access to resorts within their deeded collection before other collections open up |
| Elite Tier Access | Owners with higher point-tier status may receive earlier or extended access within the standard booking cycle |
| Inter-Club Network | Once home collection priority passes, HVC owners can generally request availability across other HVC collections |
| HGV Max Exchange | Eligible HGV Max members can book HVC resorts starting six months before check-out, a fixed window set by Hilton |
Bluegreen Vacations
How Does Bluegreen Vacations’ Reservation System Work Under Hilton?
Bluegreen Vacations continues to operate as its own club following Hilton’s January 2024 acquisition. It has not been merged into HGVC or HVC, and it retains its historical points and deeded-week structure.
Bluegreen owners with deeded accommodations have a Priority Use Period that runs from 13 months down to 11 months before check-in, during which they can reserve their specific unit, week, and resort as outlined in their Certificate of Beneficial Use. Once that home resort priority period passes, owners can generally use Vacation Points to request availability at other resorts in the Bluegreen network, though the exact opening date for non-home reservations can vary by resort and current inventory levels.
| Booking Category | Window | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Home Resort Priority | 13 to 11 months before check-in | Applies to deeded week owners booking their specific unit, day pattern, and resort |
| Network Point Reservations | Opens after the Home Resort Priority window closes | Points-based access to other Bluegreen resorts, subject to availability |
Embarc
What Is Embarc by Hilton Grand Vacations Club?
Embarc traces back to Club Intrawest, founded in 1994 around ski and leisure destinations across North America. Diamond Resorts acquired Club Intrawest in 2016 and rebranded it as Embarc. When Hilton acquired Diamond in 2021, the club carried over into Hilton’s portfolio and is now marketed as Embarc by Hilton Grand Vacations Club, spanning nine resorts, including properties in Whistler, Palm Desert, Blue Mountain, Tremblant, Sandestin, and Zihuatanejo.
Embarc runs on its own points system, separate from ClubPoints, and allows owners to bank unused points for the following year or borrow against next year’s allotment. Reservations are generally split between longer stays and shorter stays, with extended bookings typically becoming available earlier in the cycle and shorter, last-minute-style stays opening as travel dates approach. Owners considering an Embarc purchase or resale should confirm the current day-count specifics for their home resort directly with Club ownership services, since these details can vary by property.
| Booking Category | General Structure |
|---|---|
| Extended Stays | Longer bookings (typically five nights or more) become available earlier in the reservation cycle |
| Short Stays | Shorter bookings become available later, closer to the arrival date, as remaining inventory is released |
HGV Max
What Is HGV Max and How Does It Connect These Clubs?
HGV Max is a separate, paid membership program that Hilton launched in April 2022 following the Diamond Resorts acquisition. It is not a fifth club; it is a cross-booking layer that lets eligible members access HGVC, HVC, and (through later portfolio expansion) additional Hilton-affiliated inventory under one system.
There are two ways to enroll. New buyers who purchase ClubPoints directly from Hilton, at prices generally ranging from $22,000 to $65,000 depending on point volume, are automatically enrolled. Existing HGVC owners who purchased directly from Hilton can pay to join, which involves a $7,000 initiation fee, a $450 ownership change fee, and a $199 activation fee, for a total of approximately $7,649. HGV Max also carries its own annual club dues, in addition to standard maintenance fees.
Owners who purchased their HGVC interest on the resale market are not eligible to enroll in HGV Max, and resale-acquired points do not count toward HGV Max membership tiers. For HGV Max members, access to HVC (Diamond) resorts opens six months before check-out, a shorter window than the roughly nine-month Club Season access HGVC owners already have within their own network. Membership tiers scale with annual ClubPoint ownership, from the base Member tier (under 17,000 points) up to Centum+ (100,000-plus points), with benefits such as complimentary guest certificates and Hilton Honors status increasing at each level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Working With a Licensed Resale Broker
Because each Hilton-affiliated club carries its own resort network, points currency, and booking rules, the value and usability of a timeshare contract depends heavily on which club it belongs to and how that owner intends to travel. Buyers and current owners evaluating a purchase, upgrade, or resale should confirm the specific booking window and collection assignment tied to their contract, since details can vary by resort even within the same club.
