Yes, you read the title correctly. I upgraded my timeshare during a pandemic. And yes, I actually thought about it before saying: absolutely.
However, first I must acknowledge my privilege. I didn’t lose my job, and I easily transitioned my role to work remotely — which made upgrading my Hilton Grand Vacations ownership possible. And for that, I’m grateful.
So you may wonder why in the world I would upgrade while we were grounded and, for the most part, uncertain when we would travel again. It’s a great question, which I can answer by sharing what I did know at the time.
First, eventually, we would travel again. One of the reasons I purchased Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare in the first place is that I’ve got decades of travel ahead of me. I knew that one day, I would get to explore the world again and when I did, I was going to be very ready to be at a best-in-class resort.
Second, prices will go up (inflation, anyone?). Upgrading ensured I could continue to travel well far into the future. I’m sure my future self will thank me.
Finally, I love vacation ownership and thought more about upgrading as I thought about what I wanted out of life. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that everything can change in an instant. It changed how I thought about prioritizing vacations, adventure and things that I value over the long term.
There were also some fantastic pandemic-induced deals, so I took the plunge.
And I’m so glad I did.
For me, upgrading was absolutely the right move. While I might not use all my points this year (with the carry-over from 2020), I have the option to save them for next year or exchange them for Hilton Honors™ points.
Either way, it was worth it. By upgrading, despite the pandemic, I prioritized long-term dreams, goals and my health and wellbeing – financially, physically and mentally.
Read “Make the Most of Your Hilton Grand Vacations Timeshare, Year After Year, with Upgrades” for more about why Owners upgrade.