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Hawaii Lodging Tax

CiCi

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In looking at my upcoming reservations in Hawaii, there is a “Resort Update” at the top of the screen informing me, “The state of Hawaii assesses a lodging tax to guests staying at these resorts. A deposit of $250 for incidentals is required at check in.”

Does anyone know anything more about these taxes? Are they $250 or will I get some of that back?

I really don’t want to pay $750 for the three reservations I have and am a bit upset that I wasn’t notified when I booked the reservations.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
CiCi


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brp

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It is nowhere near this much. It was maybe $10 or so? I guess they are keeping a deposit against this, but I wouldn't expect it to be more than the single $250. And it may only be a Hold and not even a real charge.

Cheers.
 

frank808

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In looking at my upcoming reservations in Hawaii, there is a “Resort Update” at the top of the screen informing me, “The state of Hawaii assesses a lodging tax to guests staying at these resorts. A deposit of $250 for incidentals is required at check in.”

Does anyone know anything more about these taxes? Are they $250 or will I get some of that back?

I really don’t want to pay $750 for the three reservations I have and am a bit upset that I wasn’t notified when I booked the reservations.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
CiCi


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They will run a deposit of $250 for each room. The deposit is a common thing at my timeshare stays and regular hotel stays. I have had a hold be put on my credit card at every hgvc resort at check in. The amount varies though. Usually in the $150 to $300 range. You can have the person in the room leave their credit card instead of leaving your card.

The transient accommodations tax is collected by hilton to be paid to state of hawaii. It varies but it is under $20 a night per room.

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tompalm

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GE tax is 4.7 percent and TAT is about another 10 percent. So your tax to the state is around 15 percent of the room cost. Other cities are charging close to 20 percent. But it sounds like you are being charged a resort fee like they do in Vegas and a bunch of other places. You need to call the resort and ask them about that. If it is a resort fee, don’t expect to get any of that back.
 

frank808

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There is no ge tax of 4.712% on oahu or 4.167% on neighbor islandsfor timeshare stays. Just the tat for your stay which is based on the maintenance fee paid yearly. Well they do charge the GE tax on the tat part.

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CiCi

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GE tax is 4.7 percent and TAT is about another 10 percent. So your tax to the state is around 15 percent of the room cost. Other cities are charging close to 20 percent. But it sounds like you are being charged a resort fee like they do in Vegas and a bunch of other places. You need to call the resort and ask them about that. If it is a resort fee, don’t expect to get any of that back.

Thank you. It is not a resort fee; I saw that fee when I booked the reservation. The issue I have is that I am just now being told about this fee and $750 was not put in the vacation budget for this expense.


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brp

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But it sounds like you are being charged a resort fee like they do in Vegas and a bunch of other places. You need to call the resort and ask them about that. If it is a resort fee, don’t expect to get any of that back.

I wasn't aware that any of the HGVC properties charged the resort fee for points stays. I know that, for example, Bay Club and Seaworld have resort fees for cash stays, but these are not charged for points stays. I had assumed that the others were the same.

Cheers.
 

frank808

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Did not know bay club and seaworld charged resort fees. I take it the fees are charged for rooms booked not using hgvc points?

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GT75

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Did not know bay club and seaworld charged resort fees.

The same note is also on The Bay Club resort page. I agree with your interpretation previously posted. To me, the note is very clear that a deposit of $250 for incidentals is required at check in. Every HGVC stay that I have had has put a deposit of some amount usually $100 or so on a charge card. I know that FA-Los Cabos puts somewhere between $1000-$1500 per room. But of course, the easiest thing to do is call the resort and ask about the $250 charge to the credit card. You can also find out about the amount of the TAT.
 
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DeniseM

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Isn't the $250 just a credit card hold that will be released if you don't have room charges? This is pretty common.
 

SmithOp

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I was just at Kings Land, the $250 is to cover room charges during the stay. They also add the TAT up front, so the Pending charge was about $330. The final charge that get posted is just the TAT if you don’t charge anything to room during the stay.

The Resort charge is for RCI reservations.


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Tamaradarann

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In looking at my upcoming reservations in Hawaii, there is a “Resort Update” at the top of the screen informing me, “The state of Hawaii assesses a lodging tax to guests staying at these resorts. A deposit of $250 for incidentals is required at check in.”

Does anyone know anything more about these taxes? Are they $250 or will I get some of that back?

I really don’t want to pay $750 for the three reservations I have and am a bit upset that I wasn’t notified when I booked the reservations.

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
CiCi


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The $250 is a deposit which most resorts charge a deposit charged to your credit card. If you don't do any room charges or have any damage claims, liking smoking in the room, the $250 is return.

The Hawaii State Lodging Tax must be paid. It depends on the size of the accommodations that you are staying in. It was just raised again this year. Last time I checked it ranges from about $4.00 a night for a Studio to about $12.00/night for a 3 BR. So that is the range of the amount that you will be charged at check-out.
 

brp

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Did not know bay club and seaworld charged resort fees. I take it the fees are charged for rooms booked not using hgvc points?

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Yup.

The Resort charge is for RCI reservations.


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It's also for cash stays booked on the Hilton site (maybe this will no longer be possible with the spin off? But this was the case when I looked at one point maybe a year or so ago.

Just checked: I still see it for Kohala Suites, as an example. KL may have it as well. Bay Club not showing up in the search at all.

Cheers.
 

tk25

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This last January I paid less then $10/night in tax at Bay club for 1 bedroom. Paid just over $10/night in 2 bedroom at kohala suites
 

bobpark56

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We are in a 1BR unit at Ka'anapali Beach Club now. We are paying $151.62 in taxes for our 14-night stay...$10.83 per night.
 

Tamaradarann

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We are in a 1BR unit at Ka'anapali Beach Club now. We are paying $151.62 in taxes for our 14-night stay...$10.83 per night.

Do you own there? We are using RCI points to go there next year for two weeks and in addition to the 151.62 in taxes we will have to pay $350 in resorts fees ($25/night). That is $250/week more than using your points to stay at an RCI timeshare that does not have extra fees and taxes.

Hawaii's tax is just the way they like to raise money on tourists versus to raise the property tax which is about 1/10 of mine on Long Island. The Voters in Hawaii love it. The resort fee is a way for resorts to raise money to fund "amenities" without raising the maintenance for owners. The Owners love it.
 

Sandy VDH

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RCI ( just recently changed) and direct booking via hilton.com (has been for a while now) you are paying a per day resort fee. If you book that same resort using HGVC points you DO NOT pay the resort fee.

You will be required to pay a TOT (or TAT) or whatever the letters are, that is an occupancy tax, based on MFs and is on a per night basis. So studio are cheaper, 3 BR more, but between $20 to $50+ per 7 night stays.

All of the resorts take a CC hold for incidentals, but this is not a charge just a hold. It is the same that happens at most hotels you stay at.
 

Sapper

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I do not "own" in Hawaii, so I understand if I trade in, I am on the hook for the additional tax. I might not like it, but I understand. HOWEVER, IF I owned there, I would be pissed if I had to pay that tax.
 

Luanne

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I do not "own" in Hawaii, so I understand if I trade in, I am on the hook for the additional tax. I might not like it, but I understand. HOWEVER, IF I owned there, I would be pissed if I had to pay that tax.
Are you talking about the TAT or the resort fee? Even owners have to pay the TAT, at least we do at the resort where we own.
 

Sapper

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Are you talking about the TAT or the resort fee? Even owners have to pay the TAT, at least we do at the resort where we own.

The TAT. IF I owned there, I would be very unhappy with the state of Hawaii putting that tax on my owned unit.
 

Sapper

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Taxation with out representation? I think this was one of the causes of a little war back in 1776. UNLESS, did the timeshare owners have a vote and agree to pay this tax?
 

SmithOp

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Taxation with out representation? I think this was one of the causes of a little war back in 1776. UNLESS, did the timeshare owners have a vote and agree to pay this tax?

oh come on you cant be serious, there are all kinds of taxes we dont vote on, every time you visit another state. I just went to Denver for the weekend and paid airport taxes on my ticket and rental car and taxes on the hotel stay. I paid sales tax on stuff I purchased there. Be glad you can afford to travel and pay the tax, 1776 is long gone.




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Sapper

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oh come on you cant be serious, there are all kinds of taxes we dont vote on, every time you visit another state. I just went to Denver for the weekend and paid airport taxes on my ticket and rental car and taxes on the hotel stay. I paid sales tax on stuff I purchased there. Be glad you can afford to travel and pay the tax, 1776 is long gone.




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You don't OWN there. There is a difference between visiting and owning.
 

Luanne

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You don't OWN there. There is a difference between visiting and owning.
Do you own there? If it bothers you that much then don't go.
 
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