The September 25, 2006 Timeshare Owners Blog told you about Hilton Breaks Ground on New York Timeshare Resort, reported on the groundbreaking of this exciting project. So it was very nice to read this week’s press release from Hilton timeshare, announcing that they are topping off their West 57^th Street Hilton Club project. “Topping off” doesn’t mean the project is complete and ready for your next timeshare vacation, but it does mean that the final bucket of concrete has been poured for the superstructure.

The Hilton timeshare company considers this project to be a significant milestone. According to Mark Wang, president of Hilton Grand Vacations, “Our vision to create a distinctive shared ownership project from the ground up in New York City is another step closer to becoming a magnificent reality. Built in the heart of one of Manhattan’s most prestigious neighborhoods - and upon the legacy of the Hilton commitment to excellence - West 57th Street by Hilton Club transcends traditional timeshare and continues to experience high demand. After years of planning, and working alongside world-class developers including Tishman Construction, we will soon be able to accommodate our owners and guests in unprecedented style.”

Hilton Timeshare Luxury

When complete, the Hilton Club timeshare resort will offer guests the first Spa Chakra in New York City, featuring massages, facials, body treatments, and signature Chakra Health therapies. The property includes 161 luxurious timeshare condos, from studio, to one-bedroom and penthouse suites, all with dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows, fine linens, upscale furnishings, flat screen televisions, entertainment systems and marble and granite detailing. On property will be valet laundry service, a 24-hour doorman, concierge, outdoor dining terrace, and the private Owners Lounge for food and beverage service.

As we have mentioned before, the location couldn’t be better. Timeshare owners or timeshare guests will be within walking distance of Central Park, the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Museum of Modern Art, Radio City Music Hall and shopping on Fifth Avenue.

Currently the resort is on schedule to open in the second quarter of 2009.While Hilton timeshare originally listed these timeshare condos as starting at $40,000, up to $100,000, they now quote prices as starting at $58,000.

The Other New York Hilton Timeshare Option

Hilton timeshare already boasts a fabulous Manhattan timeshare resort, the Hilton Club New York. Currently Sell My Timeshare NOW has Hilton Club New York timeshare resales available, starting at around $14,000. The Hilton Club New York timeshare, located at West 53rd Street and Avenue of the Americas. (Sixth Avenue) is also convenient to the Midtown attractions you want to enjoy. As Hilton’s flagship New York property, it has undergone a multi-million dollar renovation, adding dining options in both the New York Marketplace and Etrusca Ristorante, and a new 8,000 square foot fitness center and spa.

To get started enjoying Hilton timeshare ownership in New York City, visit Sell My Timeshare NOW.

A weakened US dollar may be creating a tighter economy here at home, but international travelers are enjoying the benefits.

According to a recent article in Hotels Magazine, titled, “Weak Dollar Becomes US Welcome Mat,” not long after Saks Fifth Avenue opened its all-shoe floor last summer, one hundred European women chartered a plane to New York for the sole purpose of shopping - shoe shopping!

International consumers spent almost $3 billion in New York City stores in 2007, insulating many NYC merchants against the economic slump felt by other retailers across the US. Recognizing the value of the foreign shopper, many New York merchants are directing their advertising dollars toward an international clientele.

Historically, New York City is the number one destination for foreign travelers to the US but other cities, such as Miami and Los Angeles, also benefit from international tourist dollars. “According to NYC & Co.,” 46 million people visited the city in 2007, an increase of 5 percent over the previous year. And of those visitors, 8.5 million were non-American, a whopping 20 percent increase for the same time period.” (source: Hotels Magazine ©2008 international herald tribune, February 6, 2008, Special Report; pg. 11. Katie Weisman, The New York Times Media Group, New York)

Saks has partnered with The Daily Telegraph in London, offering four day excursions to New York City this spring. Bloomingdale’s has long maintained an international marketing department in addition to their marketing and sales promotion division, because they recognize the importance of the foreign dollar in their New York stores. Bloomingdale’s also cultivates their foreign consumer at their stores in Miami, Chicago, and San Francisco. At their New York City store, where the employees collectively speak more than 40 different languages, Bloomingdales saw an increase of 35 percent in the number of foreign shoppers for 2007.

As the Hotel Magazine article points out, “No one expects revenues from international shoppers to totally compensate potentially flat or declining sales due to continued economic woes of the American economy.” Yet the reality for timeshare owners is that you do not have to depend on the US economy alone if you are looking to sell timeshare or rent timeshare; but you do have to advertise and market your timeshare resales and timeshare rentals in a place that provides vast global exposure. Look for a timeshare advertising and marketing website with a strong and leading presence on the World Wide Web; look for Sell My Timeshare NOW.

The Timeshare Owners Blog first updated you about Hilton’s plans for a new Manhattan timeshare in our September 25, 2006, blog. The Hilton Hotels Corporation describes this new timeshare property as Hilton’s first “purpose built” timeshare in Manhattan, meaning that it is being designed and built from the ground up to meet the needs and preferences of Manhattan-bound travelers and timeshare owners.

Although work was originally scheduled to commence in January of this year, the 28-floor Hilton Grand Vacations Club property is now finally under construction, with the official groundbreaking this past week, on June 28. When purchased directly from Hilton as new timeshares, timeshare units there will start at about $40,000 for a studio and go up to about $100,000 for a penthouse, per one-week timeshare interval. While Hilton Grand Vacations Club properties historically hold their value well, it would not be unreasonable to expect to be able to purchase a previously owned timeshare unit at this property for a lower price in the future.

If you are currently a member of Hilton Grand Vacations Club, you can look forward to perhaps exchanging for time at this new venue in early 2009. With its location on West 57 Street, between 7 Avenue and the Avenue of Americas, the new Hilton timeshare resort will be convenient to Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center, and many of the most popular business and entertainment destinations in Manhattan.

If you are looking to buy or rent Manhattan timeshare resales NOW, the Manhattan Club and the Hilton Club New York are excellent choices for owning midtown luxury and convenience at a realistic price.

Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced plans to build a 161-unit timeshare resort on West 57th Street in Manhattan. With its midtown Manhattan location, between the Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue, the 28-story property marks the first Hilton “purpose-built” timeshare in Manhattan.

President and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations, Antoine Dagot, was quoted by TradingMarkets.com as saying, “After decades of leadership in all hotel segments throughout Manhattan, Hilton has achieved a development milestone that has never before been accomplished in the New York hospitality industry. The ability to build, from the ground-up, a timeshare product tailored exclusively to meet our customers’ distinctive preferences offers extraordinary advantages.”

Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2007 with a target completion date of early 2009. Hilton Grand Vacation Club already offers Manhattan timeshare units in some of their existing hotel properties.