# A Modest Proposal



## stevens397 (Jun 7, 2008)

So let me start out by saying that what I'm about to propose has already been rejected.  Frankly, it stumped me; yes, it was outside the box but I thought I had created a true win-win situation. I'm curious to know how you all feel about this.

Our first timeshare purchase was the Marriott Fairway Villas.  While it is a lovely place, it was an enormous mistake for us.  We were green and had been promised how easy trading was (and obviously had never heard of TUG).  We got an enormous number of Marriott points and, in fact, that was the best part of the deal for us.  My wife is a teacher so our vacations were limited to school vacations, and for 5 years, we used points for a 5 night stay in NY at the Rihga Royal hotel.  It was the highest level Marriott and every room was a suite.  Most timesharers highly value the living room and we could not have been happier.

Alas, Marriott finally sold the hotel to the Blackstone group.  After a short while, we bought a resale at the Manhattan Club, merely two blocks away ad it also gave us a suite.  The resale was a seemingly good deal (some of the deals available today are incredibly cheap).  We had no major problems with the Manhattan Club with the exception of the difficulty getting reservations.  We had hoped to be able to get something a month or two out but you definitely need to plan way in advance, especially for a weekend.  Okay - we made it work for us.

Then I got a special deal from AMEX and we spent a night at the old Rihga Royal and what is now the London NYC.  Wow!  Spectacular luxury boutique hotel.  Wonderful service.  Over the top Gordon Ramsey restaurant.

So my thinking was that most big city hotels are very expensive during the week and less so during the weekend.  Being on their mailing list, I constantly get offers.  From what I can see, weekend nights are available from a low of $300 to a high of $800.

After my stay there and some serious thinking, I wrote a note to the General Manager of the hotel with a proposal for a new idea.  I explained by situation as I have above - former Rihga Royal devotee who loves spending time in NY.  I realized that there was no way to arrange for an equity situation in the hotel but I felt there were people who were not overwhelmed by either the Manhattan Club or the Hilton Club, would value a relationship with an all-suite hotel like the London and that there was an arrangement that might be win-win.  And I stressed that any specifics in my proposal were most certainly negotiable.

Here goes:

1. Purchase a package of 10 nights a year for $4,000.  In my mind, $5,000 would have been fine too.

2. All stays would have to include a Saturday night. 

3. Open to any other exclusions or issue they might have but that I felt it was an excellent starting point.

 My thinking was that if this was not included, many businesses would buy the package simply to save money during the week, when their rates are the highest.  I meant this as a way to help them sell unused weekend nights and not to eat away at their profitable business clients.  And a way for me (and others) to get a great deal at a magnificent location. 

Maintenance fees are already just under $2,000 at the Manhattan Club.  For an extra $2,000 or so, with no capital expenditure, it was, to me, just a win-win situation.

The hotel would get an infusion of cash and a guarantee of increasing revenue for the hardest to fill times.  And to me, in ten years, it would cost  a bit more than the timeshare but with much easier reservation policies and a more luxurious location.

In the end, I got a sweet letter (took about 6 weeks) from the manager politely telling me that they weren't interested.  The reason they gave was that the rates vary too much during the year.  To me it was a polite brush off but I still don't understand why this wasn't worth their while.

So I'm curious to know what you think.  I wish the rules allowed me to post this on a bunch of threads because I feel that not many will see it here.  But if this idea does resonate with you, maybe my idea an have some life after all.

Many thanks for reading this long post!


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## ausman (Jun 7, 2008)

I would think the math is the problem

A high to low of 300-800 would be an average of $550 a weekend night. If all 10 nights were weekends that would be $5,500.

You proposed only one night in the 10 day package be a weekend night and the value on that would be substantially higher. 

A polite response would seem to be more than required.


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## Steamboat Bill (Jun 8, 2008)

What about taxes?

Also, your thread title is a little mysterious. Perhaps a better title would be

"Interesting idea for NYC hotel stays" and then we can move it to the NY forum or the buying, selling thread where it may get more action.


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## stevens397 (Jun 8, 2008)

1. My concept to the hotel was not a "take it or leave it proposition."  Hard for me to believe that there wasn't a number that could work for all.

2. Feel free to move it anywhere you want.  In the end, none of the non-hotel threads seem to get as much visits so this will probably die its death very quickly no matter what is done.


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## BocaBum99 (Jun 8, 2008)

The problem is that your idea doesn't fit into the business model of the hotel.  For them to put an infrastructure (sales, systems, agreements, operations, inventory managment) to manage the inventory and number of days remaining would cost more than the extra revenue they would get from you.

Hotels already have venues for last minute inventory through travel sites.  Their systems are in place already and they handle it in bulk.  It makes no sense for a hotel to add a high cost, low yield approach for marketing empty rooms when so many others are already in place for them.


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## LisaH (Jun 8, 2008)

I would have to agree with BocaBum's assessment. Imagine How much cost a timeshare developer has to put up in order to sell its product. Although what you propose should be less expensive to market and sale, it's simply not in the hotel's existing infrastructure...


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## vineyarder (Jun 8, 2008)

stevens397 said:


> Here goes:
> 
> 1. Purchase a package of 10 nights a year for $4,000.  In my mind, $5,000 would have been fine too.
> 
> ...



IMHO, it just isn't worth the hotel's time or energy to counter-offer or structure a program for just 10 nights per year.  I've negotiated highly discounted rates at 5 star hotels (i.e. up to 70% off rack) when I am guaranteeing them 50 nights a year... maybe if you find a bunch of other people interested in your idea, and reapproach them with an offer to guarantee them 100+ nights a year, they may be more receptive...


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## stevens397 (Jun 8, 2008)

Great!  Any partners?


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## Jennie (Jun 9, 2008)

I don't pretend to have the in-depth knowledge of the above posters, but it sounds like a great idea to me. Those who would buy into it would likely be folks with "deep pockets" and a desire or need to stay in New York on a regular basis.  Once this special relationship was established with the hotel , they would be more likely choose to stay there on weekdays, paying the going rate. They would likely recommend it to business and personal contacts, bringing more new customers.


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