Another official Vidanta scam...

[leftyoctober]

I've owned Mayan Palace / Vidanta for 20 years. Recently I used my Mayan Palace level membership to stay two weeks at the Sea Garden nearby in Nuevo Vallarta, which was a downgrade. I paid my regular fees ($847.35) as well as another 'vacation fair' week fee. Today, 5 weeks after checkout, Vidanta sent me a bill for $70.60 per week , as well as late fees, and called it a 'Usage Fee'. They want an extra $144.87 because I used my timeshare. This was an official Vidanta communication and was not a scam; or rather it wasn't a 'non-Vidanta' scam. Please don't let anybody you know buy Vidanta..

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Hi @leftyoctober,
I too own Mayan Palace (since 2006) and have booked the Sea Garden NV a couple of times .Our contract specifies we can book Sea Garden for the same MF .
[We like the scale and footprint of SG-NV and I don't really see it as a significant downgrade from the MP-PV marina.]
Both have a lot shorter walk to the pool and beach than the big Vidanta NV Mayan Palace.

************
What year week were you using ?

The $ 847.35 looks to me like the MF for a one bedroom suite in 2022 .
The accrueal addendum would allow you to book a 2023 week using your 2022 VF week and your registered week - IF BOOKED by Dec. 31 2022.

The $ 70.60 per week sounds like the MF increase for 2023 ( 8.2 % / based on inflation using the USA CPI - as specified in your contract .)

If you paid your 2022 MF - but did not book until 2023 - then Vidanta allowed the payment to be used ; but is saying your 2022 weeks expired and your 2023 weeks had to be used.

I would call customer service / Member Service and ask for a more detailed explanation of the billing.

Please.post the answer you are given.
TIA

 

[leftyoctober]

Thanks for the response. I own an every other year contract, for the odd years. I paid my 2023 MF (odd), as well as an extra MF for the extra week I was staying, back in 2022 when I booked my stay for the last 2 weeks of January. Vidanta isn't calling the $70.63 weekly they billed me a shortage of the MF, they are calling it a "Usage Fee Upon Use 2023". You may be correct in that this really is a way to account for the MF increase. However, I don't trust Vidanta whatsoever and think owners should be aware that this could also be a new fee whenever they use their weeks and to watch out for it. Also, I liked Sea Garden just fine, but people should be aware that they do not get to use the pools and amenities at the big resort if you're staying at Sea Garden, no matter your ownership level, and if you get caught in one of the main resort pools with your Sea Garden wrist band, you will have to endure the perp walk of shame as security escorts you out...

 

[Baguepii]

Thanks for the response. I own an every other year contract, for the odd years. I paid my 2023 MF (odd), as well as an extra MF for the extra week I was staying, back in 2022 when I booked my stay for the last 2 weeks of January. Vidanta isn't calling the $70.63 weekly they billed me a shortage of the MF, they are calling it a "Usage Fee Upon Use 2023". You may be correct in that this really is a way to account for the MF increase. However, I don't trust Vidanta whatsoever and think owners should be aware that this could also be a new fee whenever they use their weeks and to watch out for it. Also, I liked Sea Garden just fine, but people should be aware that they do not get to use the pools and amenities at the big resort if you're staying at Sea Garden, no matter your ownership level, and if you get caught in one of the main resort pools with your Sea Garden wrist band, you will have to endure the perp walk of shame as security escorts you out...

You paid your 2023 weeks before the annual increase, you are now getting the difference if you had paid after January 1st.

 

[rpennisi]

Thanks for the response. I own an every other year contract, for the odd years. I paid my 2023 MF (odd), as well as an extra MF for the extra week I was staying, back in 2022 when I booked my stay for the last 2 weeks of January. Vidanta isn't calling the $70.63 weekly they billed me a shortage of the MF, they are calling it a "Usage Fee Upon Use 2023". You may be correct in that this really is a way to account for the MF increase. However, I don't trust Vidanta whatsoever and think owners should be aware that this could also be a new fee whenever they use their weeks and to watch out for it. Also, I liked Sea Garden just fine, but people should be aware that they do not get to use the pools and amenities at the big resort if you're staying at Sea Garden, no matter your ownership level, and if you get caught in one of the main resort pools with your Sea Garden wrist band, you will have to endure the perp walk of shame as security escorts you out...

I agree with the reason for the increased cost that T-Dot mentioned. I once used a week that way and had to pay the MF increase that had occurred to use the week for the following year. Actually I was happy to pay the extra, because technically my usage had expired. But it was for a January stay so the supervisor approved it.

But I do think it's a good idea to question them because that saved me a 1240 peso charge on my past visit that was made by a person who stayed in my unit before me. Someone charged to the room after they checked out. It pays to check.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Thanks for the response. I own an every other year contract, for the odd years. I paid my 2023 MF (odd), as well as an extra MF for the extra week I was staying, back in 2022 when I booked my stay for the last 2 weeks of January. Vidanta isn't calling the $70.63 weekly they billed me a shortage of the MF, they are calling it a "Usage Fee Upon Use 2023". You may be correct in that this really is a way to account for the MF increase.

That yours is an EOY contract may be the complication
I know they sold them and also white season contracts - because I have seen old listings on SMTN
but I am not sure anyone on TUG Mexican Forum has posted about owning an EOY Mayan.

Usage Fee is an alternate term for MF since almost all Vidanta contracts since Nov 2005 have the pay on use only addendum.

Our 2006 contract required a mandatory MF for the first 5 years. It also has the extra MF / reno fee due every 5 years
and has the 25 year renewal at 5 x MF.
[ more recent contracts list -Usage Fee- and that is the terminology the person who drafted the letter uses ]

read However, I don't trust Vidanta whatsoever and think owners should be aware that this could also be a new fee whenever they use their weeks and to watch out for it. Also, I liked Sea Garden just fine, but people should be aware that they do not get to use the pools and amenities at the big resort if they are staying at the Sea Garden.

I understand the mistrust of Vida Sales ;
however I have found customer service and Vidanta Member Services quite helpful.

I would call and ask - did you use your 2021 registered and VF weeks?
and how this works for EOY contracts.

This is how annual contracts work :

Last July 1 - I booked the last week of Jan. 2023 - using our 2022 VF week (2022 MF)
Last Aug 1 - l booked a Feb. 2023 week - using our 2022 registered week (2022 MF)

Mayan Palace contracts have a 6 month ARP - so July 1 is the earliest date you can book a 2023 week.
{ my VF week is 45 days for Feb. & March- but 6 months for Jan.}

Your SG room key wrist band works at all the restaurants at the big resort - just not the pools
LOL