hell week at marriott aruba ocean club

[jimf41]

But I do think that the topic should be resurrected here on TUG every year that this is a problem, because posts on timeshare/travel message boards appear to be the only way for people to be aware of it in case they want to change their vacation plans. And I hope that if similar problems occur at any other resorts, no matter who the badly-behaved cretins may be, we get to read posts about those too. Because I know I'd be one of the folks who would change my plans if I read about it.

I wholeheartedly agree. As should everyone. If you don't then I suggest you book this week at either of the TS or the hotel and live thru it yourself. I did in January 2002. I don't think I'll ever return to Aruba again at any time. I won't bore anyone with the details but the bartender at the hotel told me something interesting. He said the group had been kicked out of every hotel chain on the strip. He just shook his head in disbelief that Marriott allowed them to book at the hotel.

I can't wait to see how the new Ritz Carlton reacts to these folks.

 

[Smooth Air]

To go back to my original point, why can't the Aruba Marriott Owners do something about this? Surely the "use" by this 'camp' does not fall within the prescribed Ownership uses! If so, could I reserve my home resort for a week long wedding reception? Or, high school/university grad party? I don't think so. How is this different? Are all of the attendees during Hell Week owners ( probably not) or is this group renting villas from Marriott?

Smooth Air

 

[ecwinch]

To go back to my original point, why can't the Aruba Marriott Owners do something about this? Surely the "use" by this 'camp' does not fall within the prescribed Ownership uses! If so, could I reserve my home resort for a week long wedding reception? Or, high school/university grad party? I don't think so. How is this different? Are all of the attendees during Hell Week owners ( probably not) or is this group renting villas from Marriott?

Smooth Air

If you controlled enough of the units for that week, you certainly could do exactly that.

The group is not making these reservations as a group. They are making them as individuals.

MVCI has no authority to block owners from using their weeks or from owners deciding who to rent their weeks to.

MVCI's only recourse is to enforce the non-disturbance provisions of the by-laws for those specific owners or renters that fail to respect the rights of their fellow owners. Taking punitive action against an individual simply on the basis of their belonging to certain ethnic or religious group is clearly discriminatory. A couple events of that nature, and you would not need to worry about this being a week 3 event. For they would own the resort.

Put yourself in shoes of a MVCI manager tasked with stopping this problem. How would you address it? How would you tell your rental desk not to rent to members of this group?

 

[Smooth Air]

Eric, I am simply trying to understand how this could happen. It is tough enough for an Owner to reserve one or two desired weeks....getting on the phone at the precise second that reservations open up when rooms are 'released' for a particular time frame 12 or 13 months in advance. So, I cannot understand how such a large group is physically able to reserve so many villas for the same week. Are they owners? Renters renting from Marriott? Renting from other owners? I just don't understand how it happens. It makes one wonder if Marriott is a party to it in some way.

Smooth Air

 

[jimf41]

My experience with this group was solely at the hotel. I have no idea if they cause disturbance in the TS units.

 

[scrapngen]

Eric, I am simply trying to understand how this could happen. It is tough enough for an Owner to reserve one or two desired weeks....getting on the phone at the precise second that reservations open up when rooms are 'released' for a particular time frame 12 or 13 months in advance. So, I cannot understand how such a large group is physically able to reserve so many villas for the same week. Are they owners? Renters renting from Marriott? Renting from other owners? I just don't understand how it happens. It makes one wonder if Marriott is a party to it in some way.

Smooth Air

Pure speculation here, but based on the website of their activities and the two names who seem to lead the group - maybe all the units are "owned" under 1 or 2 people's names?! Thus it would only take one or two calls from these multiple week owners 13 months ahead to reserve these units concurrently. Then all these families reimburse the "owners" and they get their large group in relatively easily each year. Everyone else is listed as "friends" or renters and the names are changed for each unit. If this group has trust in the "owners" then it is viable. I won't even go into the possibilities of tax laws that could also apply.

And all the Marriott points and rewards to those owners would help with airfare costs or whatever....The trust factor is what prohibits most groups from being able to do the same, plus everyone in the group would have to want the same thing year after year, so I can't see too many other groups from being able to occupy such a large portion of a TS at a specific time ...

 

[ecwinch]

Eric, I am simply trying to understand how this could happen. It is tough enough for an Owner to reserve one or two desired weeks....getting on the phone at the precise second that reservations open up when rooms are 'released' for a particular time frame 12 or 13 months in advance. So, I cannot understand how such a large group is physically able to reserve so many villas for the same week. Are they owners? Renters renting from Marriott? Renting from other owners? I just don't understand how it happens. It makes one wonder if Marriott is a party to it in some way.

Smooth Air

I guess it would depend on how hard it is to reserve this week 12 or 13 months out. With the reputation this period has gained, it probably works in their favor.

Scrapngen's speculation is certainly plausible. My speculation is that they obtain this week from a variety of different sources - multiple week owners like scrapngen suggests, single week owners, and rentals via Marriott and other owners. It is apparently a regular occurrence for them, and they just plan well in advance. There probably are some rental agencies that see a market with this group and some weeks come from there.

Perhaps a OC or SC owner could check what currently availability is like.

 

[modoaruba]

It doesn't seem that any illegalities occured by this group and it seems that they make restitution to what they damage.
Those of us posting in distaste shows that this group has unfortunately
gained a reputation of lacking in manners and respect to other owners and visitors.
There is nothing anyone here can do or say to make them realize that they are acting badly because in their minds they are not or they could give a hoot.
Just thank whomever that the rest of us can deliniate what is civil.
So three cheers to the rest of us that we are not like that.
Respectfully yours,

 

[jimf41]

Modo,

They most certainly do participate in several illegal actions. Vandalism and Falsely Reporting an Incident are the two that come to mind that I remember most clearly. Pulling fire alarms is a Class D felony in New York.

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0240.60_240.60.html

 

[modoaruba]

Modo,

They most certainly do participate in several illegal actions. Vandalism and Falsely Reporting an Incident are the two that come to mind that I remember most clearly. Pulling fire alarms is a Class D felony in New York.

http://law.onecle.com/new-york/penal/PEN0240.60_240.60.html

I did not know they go to such lengths.Thanks for the clarification.
I was giving them the benefit of the doubt.
If that is the case then Marriott should put an end to it.
Pulling a fire alarm can cause a harmful incident to happen and can jeopordize
the safety of other visitors.
Those kind of incidents should give Marriott the ammunition needed to safeguard the rest of us.

 

[pianodinosaur]

Check out below
http://sephardicaruba.com

This is the sect my sister joined. The damage to my family this has caused is horrific.

 

[laurac260]

[Deleted - If a post violates the TUG posting rules, please click on the triangle and report it, rather than posting it in the thread. - DeniseM Moderator]

Avoid posting about politics, religion, or contentious social issues
Unless directly related to timesharing, such discussions are prohibited in these forums, including TUG Lounge. We've been down that road before, it was ugly, and we are not going there again.

 

[DeniseM]

Folks - this thread has stepped over the line and I'm closing it.