# Paying daily resort fee now if staying at HGVC in Vegas via RCI?



## GeorgeJ. (Dec 7, 2018)

I'm now seeing a $25 per day resort fee shown on the HGVC Las Vegas properties (with the exception of Trump; and that is probably because I think HGVC is not managing that property) if you trade in via RCI -- not through the HGVC portal but through RCI with a non-HGVC property.

I had an exchange into Elara last month and did not pay any resort fee. But I reserved that a year earlier when it probably was not in effect yet.

Have any HGVC owners traded into one of the Las Vegas properties recently (through RCI with a non-HGVC property) and been charged the $25 per day resort fee? Or have you found that they will waive it if you tell them at check-in that you are an HGVC owner?

Maybe this is useless - I just looked on the HGVC RCI portal and if you trade back into HGVC in Las Vegas it shows a $25 resort fee on that page too. So they may be charging $25 a day to anyone who books through RCI now no matter who they are..


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## Panina (Dec 7, 2018)

GeorgeJ. said:


> I'm now seeing a $25 per day resort fee shown on the HGVC Las Vegas properties (with the exception of Trump; and that is probably because I think HGVC is not managing that property) if you trade in via RCI -- not through the HGVC portal but through RCI with a non-HGVC property.
> 
> I had an exchange into Elara last month and did not pay any resort fee. But I reserved that a year earlier when it probably was not in effect yet.
> 
> Have any HGVC owners traded into one of the Las Vegas properties recently (through RCI with a non-HGVC property) and been charged the $25 per day resort fee? Or have you found that they will waive it if you tell them at check-in that you are an HGVC owner?


Can’t give you info on Vegas but in writing, I was told if I traded within the hgvc portal to a hgvc Orlando resort I would have to pay the $25 daily resort fee. Doubt they would give higher status to a trade from a non hgvc property.


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## frank808 (Dec 7, 2018)

If you trade into HGVC property you will be charged the $25 daily resort fee.  Doesn't matter if you trade using HGVC points or not.  The only way to avoid the resort fee is to book using HGVC portal for home week, club season or open season reservations.  Cant charge us owners a resort fee though we have to pay for parking in waikiki.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


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## Sandy VDH (Dec 7, 2018)

It used to make booking via RCI not a bad deal, because it would be less HGVC points for the same property.  However when you add the RCI booking fee of $239 (or is that going up) and the $175 resort fee ($25 day/7 days), then you are now adding up to $414 onto the exchange.  Makes booking within HGVC a much better deal now, even if it is more points.  I stopped picking up HGVC via RCI for the most part.

At my MF $ that would amount to over 1970 HGVC points, so it makes the reduction in points a wash, as that is about the same cost as the additional fees.  

The only way it would make sense is in lieu of buying more HGVC points if every once in a while you booked an extra HGVC stay, but lacked the sufficient HGVC points to do it directly.


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## PigsDad (Dec 7, 2018)

Nice analysis, Sandy.  First they raised the Open Season rates so much that Open Season became a non-benefit, and with the resort charge, the "point stretching" feature of using RCI to trade back into a HGVC resort  has now also become a non-benefit.

What's next? 

Kurt


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## Talent312 (Dec 7, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> What's next?



BYOTP - Bring Your Own Toilet Paper?
.


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## klpca (Dec 7, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> BYOTP - Bring Your Own Toilet Paper?
> .


Don't give them any ideas!


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## breezez (Dec 7, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> BYOTP - Bring Your Own Toilet Paper?
> .


And $25 parking pass per day.


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## frank808 (Dec 7, 2018)

breezez said:


> And $25 parking pass per day.


HGVC Waikiki resorts charge $43 a day parking pass.

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## breezez (Dec 7, 2018)

frank808 said:


> HGVC Waikiki resorts charge $43 a day parking pass.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Ouch!!!

Any idea what Kona Suites Charge?   I’m there in August?


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## PigsDad (Dec 7, 2018)

breezez said:


> Ouch!!!
> 
> Any idea what Kona Suites Charge?   I’m there in August?


Free.

Kurt


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## Luanne (Dec 7, 2018)

breezez said:


> Ouch!!!
> 
> Any idea what Kona Suites Charge?   I’m there in August?


Do you mea  Kohala Suites?  No parking fee.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 7, 2018)

frank808 said:


> HGVC Waikiki resorts charge $43 a day parking pass.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


A number of months ago I told a Vice President at HGVC that charging the $25 Resort Fee in Las Vegas and Orlando could be counter productive since there are so many other timeshare resorts in those areas that it may result in an increase in vacancies.  I haven't been watching the vacancies but I know that I would probably go somewhere else if I was going to stay in those locations.  

By the way they never charge me for parking at the HGVC Waikiki resorts.  I guess its because I never have a car!


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## frank808 (Dec 7, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> A number of months ago I told a Vice President at HGVC that charging the $25 Resort Fee in Las Vegas and Orlando could be counter productive since there are so many other timeshare resorts in those areas that it may result in an increase in vacancies.  I haven't been watching the vacancies but I know that I would probably go somewhere else if I was going to stay in those locations.
> 
> By the way they never charge me for parking at the HGVC Waikiki resorts.  I guess its because I never have a car!


Not so easy for me as I still need to go to work   My solution is to buy a Hale Koa parking pass for $185 for the month. Works for me as we usually stay 3-4 weeks at a time.  Actually if you are staying 4 or more days, it is cheaper to but the pass.  

Since we stay at Grand Islander or Hokulani most of the time, the Hale Koa garage is actually closer than HHV parking structure.  You can park in the Hale Koa overflow lot behind the Hokulani when staying there.

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## SmithOp (Dec 7, 2018)

This is what happens when a company goes public, its all about shareholder value now, screw the owners.


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## brp (Dec 8, 2018)

SmithOp said:


> This is what happens when a company goes public, its all about shareholder value now, screw the owners.



This is not about HGVC owners. This is about people who trade in (who could be HGVC, or from anywhere else). They don't charge this for HGVC stays. As an HGVC owner (even though at another property) I'm in favor of this.

As to "shareholder value," of course this is of prime importance. They have a fiduciary and legal responsibility to this that they should uphold.

Cheers.


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## Panina (Dec 8, 2018)

brp said:


> This is not about HGVC owners. This is about people who trade in (who could be HGVC, or from anywhere else). They don't charge this for HGVC stays. As an HGVC owner (even though at another property) I'm in favor of this.
> 
> As to "shareholder value," of course this is of prime importance. They have a fiduciary and legal responsibility to this that they should uphold.
> 
> Cheers.


I am not in favor of this especially to hgvc owners trading in. Often there is hgvc inventory in RCI that is not on the hgvc site. We are not only paying for the trade but the additional resort fee when hgvc does not have the inventory available to its members. 

It’s just a greedy way to get more money.  If more mfs are needed increase them.  In timeshare trading, all resorts shouldn’t be allowed to charge resort fees.  In time it will reduce demand of hgvc units, especially in Orlando, and our trading value will be diminished.

To be fair, not only large chains are doing this. A great self managed resort I own charges a $5 day resort fee to a trader or owner using that week.  To me this is wrong too.  Obviously the mf needs to be $35 a week more.


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## bogey21 (Dec 8, 2018)

Sandy VDH said:


> However when you add the RCI booking fee of $239 (or is that going up) and the $175 resort fee ($25 day/7 days), then you are now adding up to $414 onto the exchange.



Brutal.  I know I live in the past but my recollection is that back in the 70s an RCI exchange cost less than $50, Resort Fees didn't exist and most TimeShare Weeks maintained their value...

George


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

Panina said:


> I am not in favor of this especially to hgvc owners trading in. Often there is hgvc inventory in RCI that is not on the hgvc site. We are not only paying for the trade but the additional resort fee when hgvc does not have the inventory available to its members.
> 
> It’s just a greedy way to get more money.  If more mfs are needed increase them.  In timeshare trading, all resorts shouldn’t be allowed to charge resort fees.  In time it will reduce demand of hgvc units, especially in Orlando, and our trading value will be diminished.
> 
> To be fair, not only large chains are doing this. A great self managed resort I own charges a $5 day resort fee to a trader or owner using that week.  To me this is wrong too.  Obviously the mf needs to be $35 a week more.



Keep in mind that the HGVC inventory that is on the RCI website is that which HGVC members exchanged in for an RCI reservation.  Therefore, an HGVC member exchanging into an HGVC resort via the RCI website cannot be treated differently than anyone else.

However, I don't agree with the resort fee.  While HGVC resorts are very nice they usually don't have anything exceptional that distinguishes it from most other resorts to cause people staying there to have to pay extra.  If needed the resort should raise their maintenance fees.  We recently stayed at a non HGVC resort in Florida which had a $24.75 resort fee per day which I thought was excessive.  The resort fee was mandatory but gave you daily access to a large Anytime Fitness brand private gym and a private water park adjacent to the property which costs others $49.50 a day.  While my husband and I did use the gym everyday, we only utilized the water park for 3 days and if the weather was cooler or wetter we might not have used it at all.  Gyms, although more modest, are what I would consider standard at most resorts, however, water parks are not.


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## brp (Dec 8, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> However, I don't agree with the resort fee.  While HGVC resorts are very nice they usually don't have anything exceptional that distinguishes it from most other resorts to cause people staying there to have to pay extra.



Oh, I don't agree with resort fees either. I think they're scummy and slimy. However, if a place does have a (scummy, slimy} resort fee, then I'm OK with them also charging for RCI traders. Best if they didn't have it, of course...because,well, it's scummy and slimy.

Cheers.


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## brp (Dec 8, 2018)

Panina said:


> It’s just a greedy way to get more money.  If more mfs are needed increase them.



And this is how rational people can disagree civilly. I'd rather have the traders pay than me. Just as I'm OK with municipalities charging a modest "tourist tax" when I stay in a hotel.

Cheers.


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## SmithOp (Dec 8, 2018)

brp said:


> And this is how rational people can disagree civilly. I'd rather have the traders pay than me. Just as I'm OK with municipalities charging a modest "tourist tax" when I stay in a hotel.
> 
> Cheers.



Ah, but the owners already paid with their maint fees, now HGV is collecting twice.  Does it really cost extra for the phones, wifi, movie rentals, etc that the resort fees are supposed to cover just because someone trades in?  Does the owner that traded out get a refund of the resort fee for the amenities already paid for?



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## Sky313 (Dec 8, 2018)

SmithOp said:


> Ah, but the owners already paid with their maint fees, now HGV is collecting twice.  Does it really cost extra for the phones, wifi, movie rentals, etc that the resort fees are supposed to cover just because someone trades in?  Does the owner that traded out get a refund of the resort fee for the amenities already paid for?
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro


I agree. I wonder if the resorts really get the $ collected from resort fees or if it just goes to the HGVC coffers.  Probably the latter.


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## tschwa2 (Dec 8, 2018)

Panina said:


> To be fair, not only large chains are doing this. A great self managed resort I own charges a $5 day resort fee to a trader or owner using that week.  To me this is wrong too.  Obviously the mf needs to be $35 a week more.



I own at one small resort in the OBX.  Some units are ocean front and some are not.   The resort goes out of its way to keep the MF's down.  Personally I wouldn't mind adding another $20-50 or even a little more per week but I own summer and any fee increase is likely to get more winter owners to bail out which the board feels will cause the balance to tip and the fees to spiral out of control.

Owners know to expect to have to bring or go to the store for basics.  The standard provisions include a full roll of toilet paper and whatever was left from the last guest,  no facial tissues,  one paper towel roll, 3 dishwasher pods and 1 washing machine detergent box, trash bag in each trash can and a single extra trash bag (not per trash can), no coffee filters or other items.   

RCI guests expect more and the ratings reflected that.  The board decided to charge RCI exchangers from May through September a $20 per week resort fee.  This gets RCI exchangers only (not supplied to owners) an upgraded basket of supplies.  The cost of the supplies is probably about $8-10.  RCI exchangers get these year round (so the summer exchangers pay the cost to supply the October -April baskets.)  I think owners can purchase the basket for $15 if they want one.  State law prohibits MF's to differ by time of year otherwise I am sure the board and owners would happily pay more (not a whole lot more but $50-$100 annual more to be used toward upgrades).  

That being said I think resort fees like HGVC and Massanutten  now charge for things that have always been included (and paid through the MF's) are just money grabs from management.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

SmithOp said:


> Ah, but the owners already paid with their maint fees, now HGV is collecting twice.  Does it really cost extra for the phones, wifi, movie rentals, etc that the resort fees are supposed to cover just because someone trades in?  Does the owner that traded out get a refund of the resort fee for the amenities already paid for?
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro



I concur with the sentiment in this post.  If a resort you own doesn't charge a resort fee, so therefore, you pay your maintenance for all of the amenities and supplies that the resort provides, and you exchange to another resort where there is a resort fee it kind of makes you feel that you were abused by the trading system.  Now some might say well resorts all have various qualities and amenities.  Well the RCI resort grading system should take care of that so that exchangers know somewhat what quality of resort their exchanging into.

Since this is an HGVC site I should tell my applicable HGVC coffee story.  We are owners at HGVC South Beach.  We went their a few years ago when they just changed from the traditional drip coffee pot to the Keurig Pod Coffee Pot System.  We haven't been back since so we don't know if that system is still being used.  Well we didn't like the strength nor the volume of the system, however, while they only gave us enough pods for 1 night, they said they give everyone all the pods they want complimentary.

The next month we went to Honolulu and stayed at the Hokolani Resort which had just opened for a couple of nights.  We saw that they had a different Pod Coffee Pot System with little flat Pods.  Again they only gave enough Pods for 1 night.  However, when we asked the front desk for additional Pods they said that it was going to cost us $8 for a pack of 8 Pods.  Well I went off the wall exclaiming that my maintenance at South Beach is paying for coffee for everyone, however, when I exchange into the Hokolani I must pay an exorbitant rate for my coffee!  I insisted on talking to the front desk supervisor when he came in.  The front desk supervisor pacified me with a second days worth of coffee Pods complimentary.  Then I thought about the fact that we were only staying here for 2 nights so this was a minor issue, however, we were then going to go to the Lagoon Tower to stay for a much longer stay and paying for coffee at the rate of $8 for 8 Pods could get quite expensive.  I called the Lagoon Tower and they assured me that they had the traditional coffee pot so that was not going to be an issue.  We prefer the traditional coffee pot do to costs as well as so we can control the strength as well as the volume of coffee.  I believe that this story illustrates the frustration that timeshare owners can run into if the resorts that they own provide amenities to guest complimentary, while at resorts that one exchanges into charge a resort fee.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

tschwa2 said:


> I own at one small resort in the OBX.  Some units are ocean front and some are not.   The resort goes out of its way to keep the MF's down.  Personally I wouldn't mind adding another $20-50 or even a little more per week but I own summer and any fee increase is likely to get more winter owners to bail out which the board feels will cause the balance to tip and the fees to spiral out of control.
> 
> Owners know to expect to have to bring or go to the store for basics.  The standard provisions include a full roll of toilet paper and whatever was left from the last guest,  no facial tissues,  one paper towel roll, 3 dishwasher pods and 1 washing machine detergent box, trash bag in each trash can and a single extra trash bag (not per trash can), no coffee filters or other items.
> 
> ...



I read your thoughts about paying another $20-50 per week in maintenance or $20 per week resort fee.  However, the $25 resort fee we are talking about here is PER DAY not per week.  That is $175/week which in my world is real money


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## PigsDad (Dec 8, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> Well I went off the wall exclaiming that my maintenance at South Beach is paying for coffee for everyone, however, when I exchange into the Hokolani I must pay an exorbitant rate for my coffee!


And I would say, as a non-coffee drinker, why are my maintenance fees going to pay for your coffee?    There are many points of view, I guess.

Kurt


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> And I would say, as a non-coffee drinker, why are my maintenance fees going to pay for your coffee?    There are many points of view, I guess.
> 
> Kurt


I agree, it would be better to just have the standard coffee pot and you buy what you want to drink which is what I have found in all other timeshares that we have been in.


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## PigsDad (Dec 8, 2018)

brp said:


> This is not about HGVC owners. This is about people who trade in (who could be HGVC, or from anywhere else). They don't charge this for HGVC stays. As an HGVC owner (even though at another property) I'm in favor of this.


I disagree; I think this is about HGVC owners.  Why?  Because one of the benefits of owning that HGVC advertises through its sales force, newsletters, etc. is "point stretching", where, *as owners*, you can use less points by trading in through RCI back to a HGVC resort.  These resort fees have effectively eliminated this benefit. 

Kurt


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> I disagree; I think this is about HGVC owners.  Why?  Because one of the benefits of owning that HGVC advertises through its sales force, newsletters, etc. is "point stretching", where, *as owners*, you can use less points by trading in through RCI back to a HGVC resort.  These resort fees have effectively eliminated this benefit.
> 
> Kurt


Ok if you are talking to sales people you know you can't believe half of what they say.  As far as the Newsletters they like to mention that you can use your points for anything but HGVC resorts.  Cruises, Airline tickets, Hilton Honors, they even advertised a special dinner with a chef.  Also, by you exchanging with RCI the sales people get another opportunity to have someone come to a HGVC resort that perhaps doesn't own there and could be a first time buyer.


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## tschwa2 (Dec 8, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> I read your thoughts about paying another $20-50 per week in maintenance or $20 per week resort fee.  However, the $25 resort fee we are talking about here is PER DAY not per week.  That is $175/week which in my world is real money


oh I agree.  I think even $10 per day is too much.  Some place like a nice resort in Hawaii, I might consider it due to limited availability but some place like Orlando or Williamsburg drops that resort to the very bottom and would be my punishment for not booking someplace without the fee earlier when it is sometime when I have to travel.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

tschwa2 said:


> oh I agree.  I think even $10 per day is too much.  Some place like a nice resort in Hawaii, I might consider it due to limited availability but some place like Orlando or Williamsburg drops that resort to the very bottom and would be my punishment for not booking someplace without the fee earlier when it is sometime when I have to travel.



Wow, are we on the same page.  That is exactly what I spoke to the HGVC Vice President about.  I said that in Hawaii, since it is such a desirable hard to get location, people will be willing to pay the extra $175/week.  However, not in Las Vegas or Orlando.  By the way I will be paying a $175/week resort fee in April on an exchange of the points from my 2 BR Weston, Fl resort that is 25 miles from the ocean for 2 weeks in a 1 BR at the Kaanapali Beach Resort on the ocean in Maui.  While I resent having to pay the $175/week the exchange is so great that I feel that it is worth it.


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## brp (Dec 8, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> I concur with the sentiment in this post.  If a resort you own doesn't charge a resort fee, so therefore, you pay your maintenance for all of the amenities and supplies that the resort provides, and you exchange to another resort where there is a resort fee it kind of makes you feel that you were abused by the trading system.



I feel that if one "trades" within the HGVC system, i.e. using HGVC points at a non-home resort, there should be no fee...and there isn't. Once one goes through RCI, I feel that this is not an HGVC transaction.

Cheers.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 8, 2018)

brp said:


> I feel that if one "trades" within the HGVC system, i.e. using HGVC points at a non-home resort, there should be no fee...and there isn't. Once one goes through RCI, I feel that this is not an HGVC transaction.
> 
> Cheers.


I totally agree that it is NOT an HGVC transaction.  I need to qualify my comment about being abused by the trading system in that the resort you own and pay your maintenance to has to be a top resort with comparable amenities.  If for instance it is a standard RCI resort in poor condition with little or no amenities you are trading way up and should be glad to pay the $175/week.  Even thought my ownership in Weston, Fl is a gold crown resort, my post above about going to Maui is in the same sentiment.


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## Talent312 (Dec 8, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> And I would say, as a non-coffee drinker, why are my maintenance fees going to pay for your coffee?



Becuz you graciously donated your share of the coffee to the pot.
So, on behalf of the rest of world which drinks coffee: Thank you.
.


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## PigsDad (Dec 8, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> Becuz you graciously donated your share of the coffee to the pot.
> So, on behalf of the rest of world which drinks coffee: Thank you.


Actually, I really have no issue with resorts deciding to provide starter pack, full week, etc. of coffee or other amenities.  But I do think it is up to each resort / HOA to decide what to provide; no need to be the same across all properties, IMO.

Kurt


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## Panina (Dec 8, 2018)

I deposit my highly desirable hgvc Marco Island week. There is no added resort fee at my resort for trades.  I decide to use my points to trade in RCI or I deposit straight into RCI as I have that option.  Where I want to trade into  has a high resort fee.  There is no argument that can say this is right.  

One who says I rather the person that trades in pays it versus adding it to my maintenance fee doesn’t care about fairness. Ultimately it will hurt you too by diminishing your trade value. Many will choose to trade elsewhere.  There are some locations that have limited inventory and are highly desirable and these are the ones that will get away with the resort fees such as Disney.


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## Talent312 (Dec 8, 2018)

PigsDad said:


> Actually, I really have no issue with resorts deciding to provide starter pack, full week, etc. of coffee or other amenities.



Actually, we grind & bring our own personal blend.
But I do not begrudge those who rely on the house.
.


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## brp (Dec 9, 2018)

Panina said:


> I deposit my highly desirable hgvc Marco Island week. There is no added resort fee at my resort for trades.  I decide to use my points to trade in RCI or I deposit straight into RCI as I have that option.  Where I want to trade into  has a high resort fee.  There is no argument that can say this is right.
> 
> One who says I rather the person that trades in pays it versus adding it to my maintenance fee doesn’t care about fairness. Ultimately it will hurt you too by diminishing your trade value. Many will choose to trade elsewhere.  There are some locations that have limited inventory and are highly desirable and these are the ones that will get away with the resort fees such as Disney.



I disagree with your contention that one (i.e. me ) who finds it reasonable that someone who trades in via RCI (versus a within-HGVC trade) should pay the same resort fee as other non-HGVC routes doesn't care about fairness. I do care, and I believe that this is reasonable.

I get your point that the currency you put into the bank did not have associated fees and you shouldn't have to pay the fee to exchange out in a different currency. I do understand it. And I would not think anything wrong if they, in fact, did that. However, I also don't think it's wrong or unfair to charge the fee to all users of the facility who do not reserve via a HGVC transaction (and the RCI trade, despite the original currency being HGVC) is not.

Cheers.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 9, 2018)

Talent312 said:


> Actually, we grind & bring our own personal blend.
> But I do not begrudge those who rely on the house.
> .


However, if they provide a Keurig or other POD type of coffee pot, what are you going to do with your personal blend.  That was the problem I had at the Hokolani I always bring some extra packs of coffee so if we can't get to the supermarket right away I am good for a day or two.  But without a regular coffee pot you are stuck with their coffee system without free PODs.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 9, 2018)

Panina said:


> I deposit my highly desirable hgvc Marco Island week. There is no added resort fee at my resort for trades.  I decide to use my points to trade in RCI or I deposit straight into RCI as I have that option.  Where I want to trade into  has a high resort fee.  There is no argument that can say this is right.
> 
> One who says I rather the person that trades in pays it versus adding it to my maintenance fee doesn’t care about fairness. Ultimately it will hurt you too by diminishing your trade value. Many will choose to trade elsewhere.  There are some locations that have limited inventory and are highly desirable and these are the ones that will get away with the resort fees such as Disney.



Now that some resort fees are up to $25/night at timeshare resorts I feel that the fairness needs to be addressed.  I believe RCI needs to address this to keep the exchange system optimum.  I have seen resorts fees as high as $40/night at some hotels and perhaps others have seen ones that were even higher.  What would prevent resorts from implementing resort fees as high as $100/night.  Remember RCI is a timeshare exchange system so that they want members to deposit their weeks or if they are points resorts to use their points at other resorts which are NOT their home resort.  That is the way they make their money.  One might say at $100/night members would not exchange into that resort.  Well most probably those resorts would be very desirable resorts or resort locations like the HGVC resorts and the Kaanapali Beach Resort which I mentioned above.  RCI members want to be able to exchange into those resorts and locations, but at $100/night?   If the resort fees were so high it would most probably take those prime exchange possibilities off the table.  Again one might say well then those resorts would have vacancies.  Well in some locations like Hawaii the resorts could rent the vacancies for more than they could get on exchanges.  Therefore, the Associations of those resorts would benefit, however, the RCI timeshare exchange system would be the financial loser and we members would be losing the most important value of the timeshare system; to be able to exchange to great resorts that we don't own.


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## escanoe (Dec 9, 2018)

bogey21 said:


> Brutal.  I know I live in the past but my recollection is that back in the 70s an RCI exchange cost less than $50, Resort Fees didn't exist and most TimeShare Weeks maintained their value...
> 
> George



I am a newbie, and considered this an opportunity to see how fees were growing related to inflation. A $50 fee in 1975 would have the same purchasing power as $235 today. Looks like the invention of new fees is what works against timeshare users.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 9, 2018)

escanoe said:


> I am a newbie, and considered this an opportunity to see how fees were growing related to inflation. A $50 fee in 1975 would have the same purchasing power as $235 today. Looks like the invention of new fees is what works against timeshare users.



That is an interesting thought that while the $50 exchange fee in 1975 is equivalent to a $235 exchange fee today so basically it hasn't gone up.

However, the resort fee that has been discussed here is a different story.  Since you are a newbie let me briefly explain a little about my thinking about resort fees and the RCI rating system.  Others in TUG may think differently and certainly can add comments and thoughts on this subject.  The RCI timeshare trading system has a rating system of resorts Gold, Silver, Hospitality and Standard.  Gold being the highest.  The rating as well as the location, amenities and size of the accommodation are all attributes that set up the values in the exchange system.   The resort week you own has a TPU value or a point value depending if you own a weeks resort or a points resort.  That TPU or Point value is your trading power when you exchange to another resort and the resort you are trading into has a TPU or Point value which is what you need to pay.  Each owner must pay annual maintenance for the timeshares that they own and the amount of that maintenance is usually reflective of the location, amenities, and size of the accommodations.  Now some resorts are implementing a resort fee for people who exchange into their resort via RCI some as high as $25/night to help pay for operation of the resort.  My feeling is that since RCI is the creator and manager of the exchange system it should be the evaluator of the value of the resorts and not let the resort evaluate what it provides to exchangers and charge them more than their owners for the privilege of staying there.  The owners should pay for the operation of their resort just as those that are exchanging in pay for the operation of their resort.  If a resort has higher cost since it has more amenities, a higher cost or better location, or is in excellent condition that should be reflected in the RCI rating and the subsequent trading power.  That is the basis for the RCI exchange system, the resort fee undermines that and if it is taken to an extreme it could undermine the entire exchange system.


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## pedro47 (Dec 9, 2018)

Resorts fees was an item started in the Caribbean. Local governments   needed  to raise money to help balance their budgets. Now many hotels and timeshare resorts have started this practice in the United States. 

They the Caribbean Islands called Resorts fees a daily tax for staying on their Caribbean island. American hotlels and timeshare resorts have changes  the words from a daily tax to a daily resort fee.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 10, 2018)

pedro47 said:


> Resorts fees was an item started in the Caribbean. Local governments   needed  to raise money to help balance their budgets. Now many hotels and timeshare resorts have started this practice in the United States.
> 
> They the Caribbean Islands called Resorts fees a daily tax for staying on their Caribbean island. American hotlels and timeshare resorts have changes  the words from a daily tax to a daily resort fee.



Well Hawaiian does this also with the occupancy tax.  However, that tax goes to the government as I assume it does in the Caribbean.  Just as the real estate tax goes to the government which owners must pay.  The resort has no control over those taxes. The Resort Fee goes to the resort.  It pays for things that at other resorts are complimentary.  Like the coffee incident that I mentioned above, it makes some resorts have different costs that they pass on to the exchangers outside of the RCI trading system which we all have bought into.


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## GeorgeJ. (Dec 11, 2018)

brp said:


> This is not about HGVC owners. This is about people who trade in (who could be HGVC, or from anywhere else). They don't charge this for HGVC stays. As an HGVC owner (even though at another property) I'm in favor of this.
> 
> As to "shareholder value," of course this is of prime importance. They have a fiduciary and legal responsibility to this that they should uphold.
> 
> Cheers.


I'm not in favor of this as an HGVC owner...I expect that the $25 a day fee goes 100% to HGVC corporate and not to the resort. So we get no benefit from it. 

As exchangers catch on to HGVC charging a $25 daily fee, it's likely that a number of them will book non-HGVC resorts for their exchanges. The value of HGVC will dip in RCI as a result.


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## GeorgeJ. (Dec 11, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> That is an interesting thought that while the $50 exchange fee in 1975 is equivalent to a $235 exchange fee today so basically it hasn't gone up.
> 
> However, the resort fee that has been discussed here is a different story.  Since you are a newbie let me briefly explain a little about my thinking about resort fees and the RCI rating system.  Others in TUG may think differently and certainly can add comments and thoughts on this subject.  The RCI timeshare trading system has a rating system of resorts Gold, Silver, Hospitality and Standard.  Gold being the highest.  The rating as well as the location, amenities and size of the accommodation are all attributes that set up the values in the exchange system.   The resort week you own has a TPU value or a point value depending if you own a weeks resort or a points resort.  That TPU or Point value is your trading power when you exchange to another resort and the resort you are trading into has a TPU or Point value which is what you need to pay.  Each owner must pay annual maintenance for the timeshares that they own and the amount of that maintenance is usually reflective of the location, amenities, and size of the accommodations.  Now some resorts are implementing a resort fee for people who exchange into their resort via RCI some as high as $25/night to help pay for operation of the resort.  My feeling is that since RCI is the creator and manager of the exchange system it should be the evaluator of the value of the resorts and not let the resort evaluate what it provides to exchangers and charge them more than their owners for the privilege of staying there.  The owners should pay for the operation of their resort just as those that are exchanging in pay for the operation of their resort.  If a resort has higher cost since it has more amenities, a higher cost or better location, or is in excellent condition that should be reflected in the RCI rating and the subsequent trading power.  That is the basis for the RCI exchange system, the resort fee undermines that and if it is taken to an extreme it could undermine the entire exchange system.


I really don't think the $25 fee is going towards paying for the operation of the resort. That would be one thing. But my feeling is that it is going 100% to HGVC corporate as additional profit. The only way you can rationalize that is to say that with the resort fee being collected, HGVC is only charging the HOA $1 million a year as their management fee because it is being subsidized by RCI exchangers. And it would be $2 million otherwise.


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## pedro47 (Dec 11, 2018)

Are the resort fees been collected going toward the resort to improve the resort onsite amenities?

Since they are been collected from non owners to use the resort onsite amenities?


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## brp (Dec 11, 2018)

GeorgeJ. said:


> I'm not in favor of this as an HGVC owner...I expect that the $25 a day fee goes 100% to HGVC corporate and not to the resort. So we get no benefit from it.



And, also without knowing, I would not believe this to be the case. Or, let me put it another way: I see this as no different from the resort fees charged at a regular Hilton, Marriott or Hyatt hotel, and I expect that these are treated the same. So, if all of those go into the corporate coffers and not the resort, then same here. I just don't think it all does...but similarly have no data.

Cheers.


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## brp (Dec 11, 2018)

brp said:


> And, also without knowing, I would not believe this to be the case. Or, let me put it another way: I see this as no different from the resort fees charged at a regular Hilton, Marriott or Hyatt hotel, and I expect that these are treated the same. So, if all of those go into the corporate coffers and not the resort, then same here. I just don't think it all does...but similarly have no data.
> 
> What it really does is allow a place that wants to charge $274 for their room (and maybe that would be a reasonable going rate) to charge $249 and look better in search engines. Where this really was egregious was with the Priceline Name Your Own Price (which may no longer exist, not sure). Here, you'd get your bid for, say, $199 and be locked into the room. Then, of course, when the hotel is revealed, it is the promised $199...plus $25. While I don't like resort fees in general, they are disclosed on transparent bookings, but are (were?) hidden on opaque bookings. That's slimy. Like beyond salesweasel slimy.
> 
> Cheers.


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## GeorgeJ. (Dec 11, 2018)

brp said:


> And, also without knowing, I would not believe this to be the case. Or, let me put it another way: I see this as no different from the resort fees charged at a regular Hilton, Marriott or Hyatt hotel, and I expect that these are treated the same. So, if all of those go into the corporate coffers and not the resort, then same here. I just don't think it all does...but similarly have no data.
> 
> Cheers.


The difference here is if you're renting a room at a Hilton Hotel, Hilton owns the room nights and adds the resort fee on top of that (with the income going to the hotel). When you're exchanging into an HGVC resort in Las Vegas, you're using inventory that was owned by the timeshare owners and traded to RCI by the timeshare owners and not HGVC. As far as I know, the HOA doesn't get one penny of the resort fee. I can see corporate keeping the resort fee if they're renting inventory they own through Hilton.com as hotel room nights, but we're not talking about corporate inventory here with RCI trades.


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## dayooper (Dec 11, 2018)

GeorgeJ. said:


> The difference here is if you're renting a room at a Hilton Hotel, Hilton owns the room nights and adds the resort fee on top of that (with the income going to the hotel). When you're exchanging into an HGVC resort in Las Vegas, you're using inventory that was owned by the timeshare owners and traded to RCI by the timeshare owners and not HGVC. As far as I know, the HOA doesn't get one penny of the resort fee. I can see corporate keeping the resort fee if they're renting inventory they own through Hilton.com as hotel room nights, but we're not talking about corporate inventory here with RCI trades.



I don't think we know where those fees go. If they go to corporate, than I agree with you. They should stay with the hotel. The problem is we just don't have any data that suggests either way.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 11, 2018)

GeorgeJ. said:


> I really don't think the $25 fee is going towards paying for the operation of the resort. That would be one thing. But my feeling is that it is going 100% to HGVC corporate as additional profit. The only way you can rationalize that is to say that with the resort fee being collected, HGVC is only charging the HOA $1 million a year as their management fee because it is being subsidized by RCI exchangers. And it would be $2 million otherwise.



I read somewhere that the resort fee is supposed to pay for things like Telephone, Internet, Free Video Free etc.  However, my calculations of the cost were no where near $25/day.  Therefore, even if some it went to the resort perhaps some goes to HGVC Corporate.


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## PigsDad (Dec 12, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> I read somewhere that the resort fee is supposed to pay for things like Telephone, Internet, Free Video Free etc.


Personally, I think that is a line of BS.  All of those items are already paid for by owner's maintenance fees.

Kurt


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## breezez (Dec 12, 2018)

brp said:


> And this is how rational people can disagree civilly. I'd rather have the traders pay than me. Just as I'm OK with municipalities charging a modest "tourist tax" when I stay in a hotel.
> 
> Cheers.


I personally call BS on TOT taxes for Timeshares, which resorts in various areas are now charging.


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## geist1223 (Dec 12, 2018)

TOT are determine by local or state government. Sometimes the developer encourages it. When Wyndham was trying to build in the desert of Southern California they were running into opposition from the local government. So Wyndham pointed out to local government how they could enact a TOT and have free money from all the tourist. This sealed the deal for Wyndham - did not cost Wyndham a dime (just their owners/members) and the local government got free money for which they provide few services.


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## frankyip (Dec 13, 2018)

frank808 said:


> If you trade into HGVC property you will be charged the $25 daily resort fee.  Doesn't matter if you trade using HGVC points or not.  The only way to avoid the resort fee is to book using HGVC portal for home week, club season or open season reservations.  Cant charge us owners a resort fee though we have to pay for parking in waikiki.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


If you’re talking about Lagoon Tower, there’s a parking near by which only charge $1 per 6 hours - however you need to pay online. Otherwise, it’s $1 per hour if you pay by machine.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 13, 2018)

frankyip said:


> If you’re talking about Lagoon Tower, there’s a parking near by which only charge $1 per 6 hours - however you need to pay online. Otherwise, it’s $1 per hour if you pay by machine.



Are you talking about the lot behind the Ilikai.  I have parked there overnight and paid about $10 at the machine.  Are you saying you can go on line for $1 for 6 hours?  What if you needs 10 hours until the next morning when the rent a car places open so you can get rid of the car?


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## hurnik (Dec 13, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> I read somewhere that the resort fee is supposed to pay for things like Telephone, Internet, Free Video Free etc.  However, my calculations of the cost were no where near $25/day.  Therefore, even if some it went to the resort perhaps some goes to HGVC Corporate.



And, if that's true (the $25/day goes to those things), as an HGVC member, you're essentially getting double-charged.
If I book direct with HGVC, those things are included already, and are probably covered by our MF anyway (even if you didn't book, the "cost" of the WiFi, etc. is all folded into the MF we pay every year).  So Hilton's basically getting "extra", IMO for those.

Again, if that's what they're doing.  That's what I have the problem with mostly.


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## frankyip (Dec 14, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> Are you talking about the lot behind the Ilikai.  I have parked there overnight and paid about $10 at the machine.  Are you saying you can go on line for $1 for 6 hours?  What if you needs 10 hours until the next morning when the rent a car places open so you can get rid of the car?



Yes. That’s the one. It’s just $1 per 6 hrs if you pay online. You can extend on your phone too. Every night I just pay $2. The 2nd payment will just extend your expiry time. So technically you can pay 4 times to get 24hrs

Calltopark.com
Location#:138833


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 14, 2018)

frankyip said:


> Yes. That’s the one. It’s just $1 per 6 hrs if you pay online. You can extend on your phone too. Every night I just pay $2. The 2nd payment will just extend your expiry time. So technically you can pay 4 times to get 24hrs
> 
> Calltopark.com
> Location#:138833


Wow, that seems even better than the Fort DeRussey Parking particular for shorter stays or limited car usage.


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## Tamaradarann (Dec 14, 2018)

frankyip said:


> Yes. That’s the one. It’s just $1 per 6 hrs if you pay online. You can extend on your phone too. Every night I just pay $2. The 2nd payment will just extend your expiry time. So technically you can pay 4 times to get 24hrs
> 
> Calltopark.com
> Location#:138833


On went on the website to sign up, but one of the questions I couldn't answer, License Number.  Do you need to sign up when you actually have a rent a car with a license number, or can you sign up now and then just add the license and pay when you have a car?


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## frankyip (Dec 14, 2018)

Tamaradarann said:


> On went on the website to sign up, but one of the questions I couldn't answer, License Number.  Do you need to sign up when you actually have a rent a car with a license number, or can you sign up now and then just add the license and pay when you have a car?



I signed up on the spot when I was there 3 weeks ago. So yes you can add a licence plate later. There's instruction on their signs. They just don't tell you don't tell you it's cheaper to pay online.


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## GeorgeJ. (Jan 2, 2019)

I just made a reservation for HGVC Trump Las Vegas through RCI and there is no mention of the "resort fee" on the RCI page. I'm assuming that the Trump location is actually being managed by Trump rather than HGVC, and that this is the reason why this is the only HGVC resort in Vegas that has no resort fee when booking through RCI. Anyone who was stayed there knows that there is NO HGVC signage anywhere in the hotel. So that's the reason I think it is being managed by Trump.


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## buzglyd (Jan 2, 2019)

The HGVC units are being managed by HGV. This is a mixed use property with hotel, timeshare and Whole ownership.


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## GeorgeJ. (Jan 2, 2019)

buzglyd said:


> The HGVC units are being managed by HGV. This is a mixed use property with hotel, timeshare and Whole ownership.


Does Trump staff the front desk, Buz?  I can't imagine they'd let HGVC do that (when they don't have any HGVC signage in the place).


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## buzglyd (Jan 2, 2019)

Not sure about that but I’m pretty sure it’s hotel staff that handles front desk.


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