Agree with Horror Box
I have used x-plane to brush-up on particular procedures prior to an IR test. I've dabbled with x-plane helicopter models, but prefer to fly it on the Flight Director of the King Air as I don't really rate the handling aspects as worthwhile and I want to concentrate on the procedure and the mental arithmetic.
As for hovering, I find even multi-million pound dynamic simulators provide a fairly rudimentary likeness of true hovering so are of limited value IMO until you're in forward flight. Even so, if a bit of time on x-plane prior to your flying lesson gives you that bit more confidence then that can only be a good thing.