• The TUGBBS forums are completely free and open to the public and exist as the absolute best place for owners to get help and advice about their timeshares for more than 30 years!

    Join Tens of Thousands of other Owners just like you here to get any and all Timeshare questions answered 24 hours a day!
  • TUG started 31 years ago in October 1993 as a group of regular Timeshare owners just like you!

    Read about our 30th anniversary: Happy 31st Birthday TUG!
  • TUG has a YouTube Channel to produce weekly short informative videos on popular Timeshare topics!

    Free memberships for every 50 subscribers!

    Visit TUG on Youtube!
  • TUG has now saved timeshare owners more than $23,000,000 dollars just by finding us in time to rescind a new Timeshare purchase! A truly incredible milestone!

    Read more here: TUG saves owners more than $23 Million dollars
  • Sign up to get the TUG Newsletter for free!

    Tens of thousands of subscribing owners! A weekly recap of the best Timeshare resort reviews and the most popular topics discussed by owners!
  • Our official "end my sales presentation early" T-shirts are available again! Also come with the option for a free membership extension with purchase to offset the cost!

    All T-shirt options here!
  • A few of the most common links here on the forums for newbies and guests!

[2008] Exchangers charged fees that owners are NOT charged/MERGED

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,108
Reaction score
4,490
Location
Houston, TX
Resorts Owned
Wynd VIP Plat GF, HGVC Elite, WM, HICV, +
There is something that really bothers me, and I would like to understand HOW, in general, as a community we can comment about it anc perhaps speak with our actions.

I hate it when there are resorts that charge EXTRA FEE for exchanges that do not charge for their own owners.

If there are fees to run the resort then those fees are paid via MFs. So the member who deposits their week in an exchange service, has paid for the usage that comes with their ownership. Why is it that the usage paid for by the owner is NOT bestowed upon the exchanger using their week.

If the owner must pay for an activity than I think the exchanger also pays for it. Fair.:)

If the owner gets the activity at NO additional charge than the exchanger should get the same treatment. UNFAIR.:wall:

There seems to be a long list of resorts who have started this double standard practice as they can make extra money for their operations.

So what as a community do we do to comment on this practice. I have heard about slamming them on their eval cards, which can continue, but is there any other way we can communicate this unfairness.

I know people some will pay EXTRA for the priviledge for staying at a Disney or a Manhattan Club, and I know that some exchangers will still pay for using onsite waterparks etc. I have done so in the past, but it annoys the heck out of me.

I really don't understand the few posts that I have read by some that say because we own at this resort, we don't care how much extra the exchangers are charged.

It really makes me mad that this double dipping occurs. Can we start a list of resorts that do this and post it on TUG? What can we do to communicate our dislike for this?

Any ideas?
 

lprstn

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
2,655
Reaction score
22
That's a good point. We should have a list of resorts that do this, just so we know what to expect when visiting the place. Sometimes you are not forewarned of the additional charges.
 

JMAESD84

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
609
Reaction score
0
Location
New Hampshire
Manhattan Club

"Please be advised that there is a hospitality fee charged per day, $25 for full one-bedroom suites and $15 for junior executive and metro suites, which does not include gratuities."

Now you would think that they would be "hospitable" for free.

I guess I should be happy, the "angry inhospitable fee" is probably 3 times as much.:rolleyes:
 

summervaca

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2008
Messages
239
Reaction score
0
Location
Minneapolis
I agree that once you are a guest of the resort, you should receive the same benefits as owners staying there. However, I am sure someone who disagrees with that will make a point that I hadn't thought of that will make sense as to why owners should have certain priviliges. I can be so wishy-washy sometimes...
 

dougp26364

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
14,660
Reaction score
3,447
Location
Kansas
Resorts Owned
Marriott Grand Chateau
Marriott Shadow Ridge
Marriott Ocean Pointe
Marriott Destination Club Points
Hilton Grand Vacation Club Las Vegas Blvd
Grand Colorado on Peak 8
Spinnaker French Quarter Resort Branson
On some points I can agree and on others not so much. I do not believe exchangers should be charged fee's that owners are not charged. When I exchange one of my units, I expect that the exchangers will be treated with the same respect that I am.

The only time I feel that, as an owner at a resort, I should be treated differently would be when it comes to unit location. As an owner, I feel that I should recieve preference in unit assigments. That's why I own at a particular resort and why I pay a premium for a particular view. Essentially, I feel that if I ask for the high floor I should receive the high floor in preference to exchangers. Likewise when I exchange I expect to be in line behind owners of that resort staying on their time. There are also owner meetings/get togethers that I can understand being exclusive to owners.

But when it comes to money I don't believe an exchanger should have to pay for parking if, as an owner, I'm not charged that fee. If owners don't pay an activity fee I don't feel that exchangers should pay an activity fee either. I'm also against paying energy charges (one resort read the meter before and after our stay, then charged us for the utilities we used) since I pay the utilities in my MF's for other exchangers.

Some developers and HOA's try to keep MF's low by passing the buck on to exchangers. If they make everyone that stays or uses a unit pay for electricity, then owners who only exchange reap a benefit of lower MF's and the benefit of my paying for utilities at the resorts I own. I think it's rather short sighted for an HOA to charge exchangers a fee to park a car to supplement their budgets if they're not charging owners that fee, either out of pocket or as an expense item in their MF's. Personally, I try to avoid resorts as an exchange that do not make their owners pay for the same amenities that the resorts I own at provide without a supplemental fee. I'm also against any resort I own at charging exchangers additional fee's I don't have to pay as it could diminish the exchange value of that resort.
 

Zib

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2005
Messages
417
Reaction score
47
Location
Salinas, Ca.
The Cliffs in Hawaii charge $50 to non owners, not specified what it is for. I guess just for not being an owner. I think this is very unfair. There was a resort in Pinetop, Az. that charged us $100 as exchangers two years ago. When we questioned, she said because all II users left the unit so dirty!!! We complained to II and last year went back and were not charged any fee.
 

gmarine

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
4,310
Reaction score
20
As long as it is disclosed before an exchange, I think it's fine. If you don't like the policy, don't exchange there.

I agree. While I dont like being charged extra as an exchanger, I'm free to go somewhere else if I dont want to pay the fee.
 

barndweller

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
1,263
Reaction score
0
Location
Out West
Boca is right. If you don't like it don't exchange there. That is why I no longer will go to any Marriott. All my resorts provide a mid-week tidy service free and free parking and free internet. I pay for that in my MF so exchangers get it, too. Marriott tries to keep MF down by charging for tidy service and for parking and for internet service at many of their resorts. So I will avoid any Marriott in the future as it is an unequal exchange. DVC has a stupid added on fee for exchangers. I stayed at DVC once and the accomodations were nothing special. So the fee got me free parking. Big deal.:( The Caribbean resorts don't include electricity in order to keep MF artificially lower. Owners that exchange out to mainland resorts get the electricity charges included, having been paid by the unit owner already. This is unfair. Same goes for European timeshares that add electricity on at check-out.

These different ways of basing MF will continue to exist. I will just avoid exchanges that I judge to be unequal in value for the MF I have paid. I also rate any resorts with added fees low and say why on my critique turned into the exchange company. I've even sent letters to managers to complain. Never have received a reply.
 

bnoble

TUG Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2006
Messages
12,027
Reaction score
5,814
Location
The People's Republic of Ann Arbor
What can we do to communicate our dislike for this?
The answer is simple:
If you don't like the policy, don't exchange there.
If folks stopped accepting those exchanges en masse, then the resorts would either have to stop charging the fee, or allow their own owners to suffer from reduced trading power. For better or worse, though, that isn't happening---and it's not because these fees are undisclosed. Enough people are willing to pay them, supporting the practice.

While in principle I completely agree with you, in practice I judge each exchagne based on the value to me relative to the costs. As long as I'm getting sufficient value for the costs, I consider the exchange acceptable.
 

Dori

TUG Review Crew: Expert
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,131
Reaction score
881
Location
Scarborough, Ontario
We did an exchange to Hiawatha Manor at Lake Tansi several years ago and they charged exchangers to use the pool! There were 6 of us (2 adults and 4 children) and it was going to cost us over $100 to use the pool for the week!! I couldn't believe it! When I took the matter up with the resort manager, his response was that they charged exchangers so the community residents could keep their on-site golf fees lower. If we didn't like the fee for the pool, we could use the lake for free.:mad:

Dori
 

AwayWeGo

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
15,796
Reaction score
1,723
Location
McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.
Resorts Owned
Grandview At Las Vegas

[triennial - points]
This Is The Correct, The Honest, The Ethical, & The Moral View.

There is something that really bothers me, and I would like to understand HOW, in general, as a community we can comment about it anc perhaps speak with our actions.

I hate it when there are resorts that charge EXTRA FEE for exchanges that do not charge for their own owners.

If there are fees to run the resort then those fees are paid via MFs. So the member who deposits their week in an exchange service, has paid for the usage that comes with their ownership. Why is it that the usage paid for by the owner is NOT bestowed upon the exchanger using their week.

If the owner must pay for an activity than I think the exchanger also pays for it. Fair.:)

If the owner gets the activity at NO additional charge than the exchanger should get the same treatment. UNFAIR.:wall:

There seems to be a long list of resorts who have started this double standard practice as they can make extra money for their operations.

So what as a community do we do to comment on this practice. I have heard about slamming them on their eval cards, which can continue, but is there any other way we can communicate this unfairness.

I know people some will pay EXTRA for the priviledge for staying at a Disney or a Manhattan Club, and I know that some exchangers will still pay for using onsite waterparks etc. I have done so in the past, but it annoys the heck out of me.

I really don't understand the few posts that I have read by some that say because we own at this resort, we don't care how much extra the exchangers are charged.

It really makes me mad that this double dipping occurs. Can we start a list of resorts that do this and post it on TUG? What can we do to communicate our dislike for this?

Any ideas?
No ideas here -- other than not playing their game, not taking exchanges like that, staying away from resorts & timeshare trade organizations which countenance that sort of thing, etc.

Timeshare renters & timeshare exchange guests are the owners' surrogates. Whatever the owner was entitled to (by paying for it), the owner rented out or put up for exchange. Whoever pays rent to the owner & whoever accepts the exchange that is offered is entitled to exactly what the owner would have got if the owner had showed up & checked in himself or herself -- i.e., what the owner paid for.

If an exchange guest is subjected to added charges that the owners don't pay, given lesser privileges than the owners receive, etc., then it's not really an exchange.

Timeshare renters & exchange guests are not 2nd class citz. Treating them as such is a gross distortion of what it means to exchange timeshares.

Renters & exchange guests are stand-ins for the timeshare owners & as such are entitled to exactly what the owners would have got if the owners had not deposited or rented out their timeshares. Period. No exceptions.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

davesdog

TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
164
Reaction score
2
Location
Harrisburg, PA
Complain with their wallet.

Any resort that charges me an extra BOGUS profit fee, better get ready to pass that money on to the electric and water company. My normal wear and tear would be on the higher side also!
 

Happytravels

Tug Review Crew: Rookie
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2005
Messages
702
Reaction score
55
Location
Texas
Resorts Owned
We are down to three!!
extra fees

I agree with same treatments for owners as exchangers. One of my last exchanges had a fee that I was willing to pay. It was supposed to be $5.00 per day, that is when I made the exchange turned out to almost $60.00 for the week. When we got there they asked us about the COMPLIMENTARY NEWSPAPER. They asked us to choose one for the week. Everyday I received a different paper. I was the last to be delivered , so I received what was left on there route, a different paper everyday. To top things off the pool and hot tub was not usable and constuction with a jackhammer everyday about 8:30 am. We where only about 100 ft from this. I spoke with another exchanger and they had received there week back due to the construction (they where away from the noise). When I called RCI due to all this they said it was too late cause I was already back home. :annoyed:

Now ANYTIME there is something I don't like or something unexpected I call right way. DON'T WAIT.
 

taffy19

newbie
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
5,723
Reaction score
593
Renters & exchange guests are stand-ins for the timeshare owners & as such are entitled to exactly what the owners would have got if the owners had not deposited or rented out their timeshares. Period. No exceptions.


-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.
I feel the same way as you. You pay these fees at your own resort already so why have to pay it again? Some resorts are charging for parking fees to owners so an exchanger would have to pay this fee too even though he already paid this fee at his own resort where parking is included in the maintenance fees.

Paying an extra fee for electricy for an exchanger at some resorts sounds a total rip-off to me but I have seen an extra charge for using the A/C at a resort where I stayed at not too long ago but owners there seem to pay it too. This is the only time I noticed this and I hope it will not become a trend. When I read all these annoying little discrepancies, I am glad we bought for use mainly.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
3,095
Reaction score
2
Location
Wrightwood, CA
I wonder if contacting the exchange companies to let them know how we feel about this would have any effect. Exchange should mean equal, no extra fees, no extra owner benefits, except that I do understand about owners paying for better views etc when they purchased their units. Maybe if the exchange companies felt they had to include additional fees for exchangers in their listings they would get more negative feedback.
Liz
 

Dave*H

TUG Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2005
Messages
714
Reaction score
3
Location
Colorado
As long as it is disclosed before an exchange, I think it's fine. If you don't like the policy, don't exchange there.
The fees are not always easy to find out about. II sometimes mentions the existence of fees in the resort information but doesn't have the amount. In another instance, II only mentioned the fee in the confirmation. You shouldn't have to read resort reviews and/or call the resort to find out about fees. They should be readily available so that you can take them into account when setting up an exchange request.
 

Pit

TUG Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Messages
1,162
Reaction score
0
The fees are not always easy to find out about. II sometimes mentions the existence of fees in the resort information but doesn't have the amount. In another instance, II only mentioned the fee in the confirmation. You shouldn't have to read resort reviews and/or call the resort to find out about fees. They should be readily available so that you can take them into account when setting up an exchange request.

You don't have to pay for anything that you didn't agree to pay. If it's not disclosed and agreed to up front, then it doesn't exist. Now, resorts may still try to charge you, but you don't have to pay. No business has the right to charge you for something you didn't agree to pay.
 

Danette

TUG Review Crew
TUG Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Messages
130
Reaction score
3
Location
California
Ouch

Any resort that charges me an extra BOGUS profit fee, better get ready to pass that money on to the electric and water company. My normal wear and tear would be on the higher side also!

That's harsh and probably gives exchangers a bad reputation. Whenever I arrive to find a surprise fee that cannot be avoided I ask for a manager and assure him/her that although they are getting their "fee" I will not spend another dime at the resort and then I don't. Nobody seems to be too terribly concerned with my little pocketbook, but I don't feel the need to reward the resort with additional money when I feel I have been blindsighted.

Danette
 

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,108
Reaction score
4,490
Location
Houston, TX
Resorts Owned
Wynd VIP Plat GF, HGVC Elite, WM, HICV, +
The fees are not always easy to find out about. II sometimes mentions the existence of fees in the resort information but doesn't have the amount. In another instance, II only mentioned the fee in the confirmation. You shouldn't have to read resort reviews and/or call the resort to find out about fees. They should be readily available so that you can take them into account when setting up an exchange request.

This is the very reason why I would like to compile a list of resorts that have extra charges. I too have been surprised by fees that I had not been made aware of. Especially things that are less obvious, like water park, parking etc. These are NOT always listed in the notes prior to booking the resort.

The comment about fees of $100 to use the pool especially since those funds are going towards the community to keep their golf fees down goes beyond unfair. A pool is a basic expectation at a property. Not water park, but pool.

You can't always avoid these costs. They have your CC at check in and they are just going to charge your credit card. There is little chance you can just refuse to pay them.

I would like for use just start a stickly posting that contains a list of resorts. I will even volunteer to keep the stickly first post up to date that provides a summary of all the posted known fees.

The information we could keep would be:

Resort ID,
Resort name,
Fee $$
Fee description,
Owner Exempt Indicator (does the owner have to pay the fee)
Date of Exchange.

I guess we will have to see if a moderator will let us create a sticky? If the answer is yes, the I propose starting a new thread Call "Resorts that Charge Exchangers Extra Fees" and begin posting resort information there.

Well what do you say moderator? Well I guess not sice they merged the threads.
 
Last edited:

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,108
Reaction score
4,490
Location
Houston, TX
Resorts Owned
Wynd VIP Plat GF, HGVC Elite, WM, HICV, +
Resorts that Charge Exchangers Extra Fees

Please post the following infomation about the resorts that charge exchanges fees.

Resort ID,
Resort Name,
Fee $$
Fee Description,
Owner Exempt Indicator (does the owner have to pay the fee)
Date of Exchange.
 
Last edited:

Sandy VDH

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
10,108
Reaction score
4,490
Location
Houston, TX
Resorts Owned
Wynd VIP Plat GF, HGVC Elite, WM, HICV, +
BCV,DBW,DVO,DSS,DWL,DAK
Disney's Beach Club Villas, Boardwalk Villas, Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom
$95
Transportation Fee
Owners Exempt
2008

6390
Residences at the Crane
Varies
AC usage
Owners NOT Exempt (as far as I know)
2008

4064
Manhattan Club
$15 or $25 per day
Studio and 1 BR, Hospitality Charge
Owners Exempt
2008
 
Last edited:

AwayWeGo

TUG Review Crew: Elite
TUG Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
15,796
Reaction score
1,723
Location
McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.
Resorts Owned
Grandview At Las Vegas

[triennial - points]
I Feel The Same Way -- But I Try To Stifle Myself.

Any resort that charges me an extra BOGUS profit fee, better get ready to pass that money on to the electric and water company. My normal wear and tear would be on the higher side also!
Unfortunately, the extra costs generated that way would most likely get passed on to the regular walking-around timeshare owners in the form of higher maintenance fees, without making much of an impression on the timeshare company responsible for the unacceptable policy.

Maybe an equally effective but less wasteful & destructive way of fighting back is sending in low ratings on those exchange feedback cards -- downgrade the timeshares bigtime for treating exchange guests as 2nd class citz. & see how they like it.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax Count, Virginia, USA.​
 

Transit

TUG Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2006
Messages
2,146
Reaction score
0
Location
Coral Springs, FL
Here's a link for some Marriot parking fees.I wouldn't exchange into a resort that has additional fees for exchangers.Some of these resorts are very popular and for the few who wont pay the extra fee it dosen't matter because there are so many that will.If they doubled the $95 exchange fee at Disney people will still be 10 deep in line for an exchange.:doh:
 
Top