Grand Luxxe RM Resort Fee

bobpark56 · Nov 10, 2014

I.I. recently mailed us a confirmation for the Grand Luxxe, Riviera Maya that contains this line in the fine print:

"Effective August 22, 2014, resort fee, per unit, per week (no reduction in fee for stays less than 7 days): USD 75 collected on arrival."

I take it that this fee applies to our stay next week, even though our original confirmation predates the 22 Aug date by more than 15 months.

Have Tuggers staying at LXR recently experienced this fee?

pittle · Nov 10, 2014

I would guess that it probably does since II sent you the information.

RCI has had that listed on their confirmation info for a while now for GM, GB.

"Resort applies a US$75 Resort Fee per unit, per week for International residents. Fee Includes: One-way transportation Airport to Hotel (contact concierge 72hrs before check-in), transportation throughout the Resort, local phone calls, basic Internet for 1 device, Gym Access, Press summary, a welcome drink and boarding passes/faxes printing."

This is a bargain because if you purchase WIFI for one device it is more than $75 for the week.

lily28 · Nov 10, 2014

I stayed at the grand luxxe RV aug 22-29 2014 and did not need to pay the $75. I booked that stay on 6/29/14. Wii was free for guests at grand luxxe

huenix · Nov 11, 2014

pittle said:
I would guess that it probably does since II sent you the information.

RCI has had that listed on their confirmation info for a while now for GM, GB.

"Resort applies a US$75 Resort Fee per unit, per week for International residents. Fee Includes: One-way transportation Airport to Hotel (contact concierge 72hrs before check-in), transportation throughout the Resort, local phone calls, basic Internet for 1 device, Gym Access, Press summary, a welcome drink and boarding passes/faxes printing."

This is a bargain because if you purchase WIFI for one device it is more than $75 for the week.

Thats wierd... You get free wifi trading into GM but not as an owner?

pittle · Nov 11, 2014

huenix said:
Thats wierd... You get free wifi trading into GM but not as an owner?

GM does not have free WIFI even for owners - I think the last time we paid close to $80 for the week, GB & GL do have free WIFI, which does make it kind of weird.

I have noticed the RCI fee for a few months though.

PigsDad · Nov 11, 2014

pittle said:
This is a bargain because if you purchase WIFI for one device it is more than $75 for the week.

I find it funny that you think charging $75/week is a "bargain" when wifi is free at most resorts / hotels.

Kurt

ilene13 · Nov 11, 2014

We are at the Grand Luxxe on an II trade now. No one asked us for the $75 but the exchange was confirmed over a year ago. When I went to the gym, I was told that I had to pay. I said that I had never paid on two previous exchanges. I spoke to the Grand Luxxe manager. She made us exempt from the fees but she said in any subsequent exchanges we will have to pay them. She said that they are charging exchangers the resort fee for the gym and spa "wet" areas so that the owners feel special. I'm fine with that.

pittle · Nov 11, 2014

PigsDad said:
I find it funny that you think charging $75/week is a "bargain" when wifi is free at most resorts / hotels.

Kurt

The $75 also includes the $10 per day gym fee and transportation to the the resort.

WIFI is not free is not at all of Mayan World

! It is only included at Grand Bliss & Grand Luxxe (so no longer an issue with us). But, it is a fact of life there. Actually, we are at another resort in PV right now and the WIFI only works on one floor - not in your unit. We have to go to a specific area to get WIFI.

We prefer it in our unit.

We use Magic Jack & bring a phone with us so that our phone rings in our unit here if someone calls our house phone. If we are not in, we get a voice mail message and can return the call. When we get to Grand Luxxe & Buganvilias, we can use one of the phones in the master bedroom to snag calls, to our house phone, but where we are now, we need to have our own phone.

PigsDad · Nov 11, 2014

pittle said:
The $75 also includes the $10 per day gym fee and transportation to the the resort.

The one-way transportation to the resort has always been free, since before they started this resort fee. Also, most resorts I have been to do not charge for use of their gym.

Bottom line is that they recently started charging a $75 resort fee for stuff that was either free before, or for things that most other resorts provide for free.

Call it what you want, but "bargain" is not the first word I would suggest.

Kurt

pittle · Nov 12, 2014

PigsDad said:
I find it funny that you think charging $75/week is a "bargain" when wifi is free at most resorts / hotels.

Kurt

In Mexico, many resorts charge for WIFI. Some only charge for exchangers.

In "Mayan World" WIFI has only come with Grand Bliss and Grand Luxxe ownerships. We have had to pay more than $75 per week for WIFI for one device at MP and GM and we have been owners for 15 years. When we have a 2-bedroom unit, we can pay 2 fees and have 2 devices. We have not chosen to do that.

At the Buganvilias, it is free for owners, but there is a charge for exchangers - still, one device per unit.

At Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay, if you want WIFI in your unit you pay. You can go to the Deli and get free WIFI.

We are in Mexico right now ant the WIFI at our resort is down (a couple of rainy days). We had to get the code that the office uses and just go to that floor to use it. The resort next door has a repeater pointing towards us and we were able to get their WIFI code last night, so we can get some coverage. It is slow but we can email and check the internet.

In Mexico, high speed internet is not as available as it is in the USA. Many resorts are trying to get up to speed, but in order to do that, they charge for it.

The same is true for free transportation to the resort - that is a rarity.

tschwa2 · Nov 12, 2014

PigsDad said:
The one-way transportation to the resort has always been free, since before they started this resort fee. Also, most resorts I have been to do not charge for use of their gym.

Bottom line is that they recently started charging a $75 resort fee for stuff that was either free before, or for things that most other resorts provide for free.

Call it what you want, but "bargain" is not the first word I would suggest.

Kurt

And I do think that their trading power will reflect that if exchangers choose another resort that does not charge. Grand Luxxe owners wonder why they don't have better trading power when they can not :bawl:

get comparable accommodations when they give up the golf, internet, spa, daily housekeeping, etc and part of the reason is those benefits don't necessarily carry over to exchangers.

pammex · Nov 12, 2014

pigsdad, It is a rarity to get free internet in Mexico at resorts. Only recently are they trying to do that at some. Internet is much slower here than in most of US and also it is much more costly.

I own at Grand Luxxe as well as pittle but I have thought at times that they nickle and dime you to death for everything but it is top notch, very Americanized, and you pay for those things in Mexico. Just saying.

PigsDad · Nov 13, 2014

I have traveled to Mexico several times, including staying at the Vida resorts in RM and NV multiple times. I'm just calling 'em as I see 'em. I do find it interesting that the only ones defending their new $75 resort fee are those who own there. Just sayin'.

Kurt

ilene13 · Nov 13, 2014

The Royal Resorts no longer charge anyone for wifi. I like the Grand Luxxe but some American TV at night would be nice--ABC, NBC, CBS.

rpennisi · Nov 13, 2014

ilene13 said:
The Royal Resorts no longer charge anyone for wifi. I like the Grand Luxxe but some American TV at night would be nice--ABC, NBC, CBS.

There was a time when the Vidanta resorts had at least one US network channel. One year they had all three major networks.
No longer is that the case. Every checkout for the past several years, I have tried to make the case on their ipad exit comments that there should be some network channels.
I find it difficult to accept that they think that cable channels HNN and FOX fit the bill for American TV.

pittle · Nov 13, 2014

PigsDad said:
I have traveled to Mexico several times, including staying at the Vida resorts in RM and NV multiple times. I'm just calling 'em as I see 'em. I do find it interesting that the only ones defending their new $75 resort fee are those who own there. Just sayin'.

Kurt

Well, we have been the ones paying! My thoughts have always been that if we have to pay, so should exchangers! :ponder:

MuranoJo · Nov 13, 2014

Can't say I'm a fan of the wifi fee either. I guess one option would be to go to one of the many AI resorts in MX. I would hope you wouldn't have to worry about it there. (You'd 'only' have to worry about how much the AI costs.)

pittle · Nov 16, 2014

bobpark56 - we are at the Grand Luxxe now and the resort is totally awesome! It would be worth paying the $75 for whatever!

FYI - we were at another resort last week and paid the taxi driver 600 pesos (including the tip) to stop at Mega and then to bring us here.

We have not taken the owner's update, but have heard that it is not worth any amount that they offer you. So,I was shocked when hubby said OK because the lady was so nice. We will NOT give them any more $$$, nor will we stay more than 2 hours!! All I can say is that I will use the $$$ offered at my discretion - not his! :whoopie:

rpennisi · Nov 16, 2014

pittle said:
.....We will NOT give them any more $$$, nor will we stay more than 2 hours!!.....

Oh oh Phyllis, famous last words
PS Enjoy your vacation.
PPS The lady is always nice!
Ron

bobpark56 · Nov 16, 2014

No $75 charge...yet

We checked into the Grand Luxxe today. No sign of a $75 charge...yet.

pittle · Nov 18, 2014

WIFI Costs for Premium High Speed Internet at Grand Luxxe NV

We have the free WIFI here, but most of the time is it just enough to check email and browser the web - not fast enough for streaming video. We got disconnected on a Magic Jack call yesterday. So, we checked the cost for the High Speed Premium (for 1 or 2 devices) and it costs:

125 Pesos ($10 USD) for 1 hour,
250 Pesos ($20 USD) for 1 day, and
975 Pesos ($85 USD) for the week.

We were checking the prices because I want to watch the Kansas/Kentucky basketball game tonight and thought we might use our Roku - which will not work on the current WIFI. The Concierge is checking to see if the bar at Grand Bliss will have the game on. If so, we will go there - if not to Eddie's or 159 where we can have snacks too for the cost of 1 day's WIFI.

pittle · Nov 18, 2014

rpennisi said:
Oh oh Phyllis, famous last words
PS Enjoy your vacation.
PPS The lady is always nice!
Ron

They called this morning and asked if we could come today because they had a cancellation. We stayed longer than 2 hours, but did not pay any more $$$. We saw a video about all then new stuff planned, and saw one of the loft units in the Spa Tower. They sure did want to sell one to us, but we are totally happy with what we have. We most likely will not get a 7th floor oceanfront again,

but we can live with that - the Grand Luxxe units are really nice!

hurnik · Nov 18, 2014

pittle said:
They called this morning and asked if we could come today because they had a cancellation. We stayed longer than 2 hours, but did not pay any more $$$. We saw a video about all then new stuff planned, and saw one of the loft units in the Spa Tower. They sure did want to sell one to us, but we are totally happy with what we have. We most likely will not get a 7th floor oceanfront again, but we can live with that - the Grand Luxxe units are really nice!

How long did you stay? I've seen people say as many as 8 hours. IMO, if it was more than 2.25 hours, that's too long.

How was the courteousness of the rep you dealt with? Again, I've seen mostly negative reviews, but I don't know for sure.

pittle · Nov 18, 2014

hurnik said:
How long did you stay? I've seen people say as many as 8 hours. IMO, if it was more than 2.25 hours, that's too long.

How was the courteousness of the rep you dealt with? Again, I've seen mostly negative reviews, but I don't know for sure.

It was about 3-1/2 hours counting breakfast and tour of the property and Spa Loft in building 4. We chose to walk everywhere instead of riding the shuttle, so that added some time, and breakfast was pretty leisurely as we had a guy from Customer Services with us too. This guy asked questions about how all the things we had been promised were working. I told him about problems that I had had with The Registry Collection not sending me any information since we became members of it 18 months ago and that I had made several phone calls and sent emails. I told him that while many people love it, we had found no value and would not be renewing that. He made a note and said that he would get back with me. When we were walking up to the Spa Loft, he asked about the Concierge on our floor and we told him that we had not seen anyone at the desk since we arrived. When we returned to our floor, the Concierge was there and greeted us and then went out of his way to find out where we could go to see the KS/KY game tonight. Since it was not on at the resort, he called Chasers and said they will be having it on at 8 PM. He also said he was off tomorrow and the 8th floor Concierge would be doing double duty and if we needed something, to find him. So, something happened there - we have been here since Saturday and no one has been at the desk anytime when we have been coming and going during the posted hours.

After the tour, we then went to sales floor and were there for close to 2 hours (10 minutes was spent watching a video about the new park that would be going in in conjunction with Cirque du Soleil). We did get to sit on the lovely balcony while we talked to a total of 3 people. Our person was very courteous and low key. He was not pushy at all - probably the easiest going of any we have ever had. According to his manager, he normally sells about 70% of his presentations - too bad he got us. The last guy that came was nice, but sure did try to get us to reconsider. He was the pushiest of all that we saw today, but still had no luck with us.

I agree about the amount of time - it should have just been an update on what is happening and coming up soon, not a time to try to get you to buy more. When we arrived on Saturday, someone saw that we had a packet that we had been given on check-in and commented that their update was over 6 hours, and some friends who are here said their update was most of the day last week.

We have passed on the update most years, and will do so in the future. We are really happy with what we have and do not want to make any more changes in this stage of our lives. Even when you are retired, you cannot go on vacation all the time!

huenix · Nov 18, 2014

pittle said:
After the tour, we then went to sales floor and were there for close to 2 hours (10 minutes was spent watching a video about the new park that would be going in in conjunction with Cirque du Soleil).

New park in RM or the new park in PV???

Nevermind, I was thinking you were in RM, but now realize where you actually are.

Grand Luxxe RM Resort Fee

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