Benefits for Presidential Members at MVCI Resorts

[icydog]

I am at Fairways. They told me I had a special treat in my room since I was at Presidential level. What was it?

A note from the GM welcoming me to the resort. Talk about anticlimactic!!

 

[dioxide45]

Was it at least printed on gold paper?

 

[StevenTing]

I am at Fairways. They told me I had a special treat in my room since I was at Presidential level. What was it?

A note from the GM welcoming me to the resort. Talk about anticlimactic!!

How is that a treat? I would have expected something edible. They must think very highly of themselves.

 

[icydog]

When I questioned the front desk clerk about the special treat we would find it the villa, he told me my room would be especially clean. I asked him if all the other rooms would be filthy then, duh! When we got in it was clean in here but there were no towels

I would have liked the gold paper though.

 

[Phanatic]

We had the same "special treat" when we checked into Ocean Pointe for one night last month. Nice note from the GM but certainly not what I would call a special treat.

 

[SueDonJ]

We've gotten hand-written notes from the resort GM's included in our last few Welcome Packets that acknowledged DC status, but none of the staff claimed that the notes were anything but what they were. I don't remember that they were even mentioned at check-in ...

We did get an actual "special treat" during a Barony stay last month. During the call from the concierge in advance of the stay, when asked if we were celebrating anything special I mentioned that Don hadn't been back home to the States since early June. After we settled in to the unit they delivered a bottle of wine and a "Welcome Home!" card signed by front desk and GM's office staff members. It was very much appreciated as a very nice touch but I didn't attribute it to any DC or MR status. (And I think I remember another TUGger getting the same thing during a Barony stay, maybe while celebrating being newly retired?)

 

[davidvel]

This is great, so long as they are not expensing to the HOA, and thus being subsidized by other owners.

 

[BocaBoy]

This is great, so long as they are not expensing to the HOA, and thus being subsidized by other owners.

I wouldn't have any objection if this gift were so subsidized, and I think it probably was. Lots of things are used by only some and paid for by all. I think it was a nice touch.

 

[dioxide45]

I wouldn't have any objection if this gift were so subsidized, and I think it probably was. Lots of things are used by only some and paid for by all. I think it was a nice touch.

I would agree. Given the overall budget and the number of members the cost is split between, it probably works out to $0.25 per owner of the overall annual MF.

 

[BocaBoy]

I would agree. Given the overall budget and the number of members the cost is split between, it probably works out to $0.25 per owner of the overall annual MF.

Probably even a lot less than that.

 

[Fairwinds]

I wouldn't have any objection if this gift were so subsidized, and I think it probably was. Lots of things are used by only some and paid for by all. I think it was a nice touch.

A note is fine but a subsidized gift might be different. I won't lose sleep either way but are you referring to amenities that are available to all but not used by choice? It boils down to a principle. Many of us are disappointed by the rise in MFs and every penny counts. We all pay the same MF so should silver season guests be treated differently than platinum owners?

 

[dioxide45]

Probably even a lot less than that.

I took a look at our Harbour Lake MF to see where this type of expense would fall. The best I could find was Front Desk. There was a line item for Other Expenses, but it was $0. The Front Desk expense was pretty high, but most of that is labor costs associated with staffing and managing the desk 24/7.

 

[dioxide45]

A note is fine but a subsidized gift might be different. I won't lose sleep either way but are you referring to amenities that are available to all but not used by choice? It boils down to a principle. Many of us are disappointed by the rise in MFs and every penny counts. We all pay the same MF so should silver season guests be treated differently than platinum owners?

Who else would pay for it. I suppose it could come out of Marriott's management fee. Or perhaps even the owner services fee. In the end, everything MVCI gives away is subsidized in one way or another. The customer pays for everything.

 

[Fairwinds]

Who else would pay for it. I suppose it could come out of Marriott's management fee. Or perhaps even the owner services fee. In the end, everything MVCI gives away is subsidized in one way or another. The customer pays for everything.

I'm not arguing who paid. I have no idea. I'm saying that if it comes from MFs it shouldn't happen if it isn't done for all owners. More specifically, if Marriott is rewarding owners for buying more timeshare that's fine but I hope they are not doing it with my money.

 

[dioxide45]

I'm not arguing who paid. I have no idea. I'm saying that if it comes from MFs it shouldn't happen if it isn't done for all owners. More specifically, if Marriott is rewarding owners for buying more timeshare that's fine but I hope they are not doing it with my money.

It is done for all owners, if you have a special occasion. Most if not all of the pre-arrival emails that I have received recently ask if you are celebrating a special occasion. So it would seem that if one makes them aware of it, it would apply to them too. Owners and guests.

It didn't seem that it was offered only to those that bought more timeshare.

 

[jimf41]

I think owners who have achieved presidential status should have their MF increases tied to the CPI. Social Security thinks that's fair. It would actually save MVC money because now they wouldn't need all those accountants to tell them how much to raise MFs.

 

[davidvel]

It is done for all owners, if you have a special occasion. Most if not all of the pre-arrival emails that I have received recently ask if you are celebrating a special occasion. So it would seem that if one makes them aware of it, it would apply to them too. Owners and guests.

It didn't seem that it was offered only to those that bought more timeshare.

I see no problem with gifts at the discretion of management to (all) owners that amounts to a few pennies in MF/owner each year. This is an amenity to owners.

Rewarding "levels" of ownership is another case. Here, Marriott makes profits off point sales leading to the levels, with no direct benefit to the respective HOA or non-participating owners. Costs for such gifts should be borne by Marriott, not the HOA/owners.

 

[Fairwinds]

It is done for all owners, if you have a special occasion. Most if not all of the pre-arrival emails that I have received recently ask if you are celebrating a special occasion. So it would seem that if one makes them aware of it, it would apply to them too. Owners and guests.

It didn't seem that it was offered only to those that bought more timeshare.

I have made this painfull by not clearly stating my position. I see that the subject strayed from the OP's original subject of receiving a gift because they were presidential level to one about a special occasion gift. I was referring to the membership level justifications. I also object to the the special occasion gift being paid for with money from the MFs even if it's offered to all. I think a note is appropriate and beyond that perhaps the option to have a gift placed in the room pre arrival at the owners or guests expense.

As I originally stated, I'm not losing sleep over it either way. It's just my opinion

 

[davidvel]

I have made this painfull by not clearly stating my position. I see that the subject strayed from the OP's original subject of receiving a gift because they were presidential level to one about a special occasion gift. I was referring to the membership level justifications. I also object to the the special occasion gift being paid for with money from the MFs even if it's offered to all. I think a note is appropriate and beyond that perhaps the option to have a gift placed in the room pre arrival at the owners or guests expense.

As I originally stated, I'm not losing sleep over it either way. It's just my opinion

 

[GreenTea]

I probably have an issue with gifts for ownership levels at MVC resorts......the benefits of the levels are spelled out in ownership documents. The higher levels have bought the right to get reservations earlier. Unless gifts are paid out of their higher membership dues, their "gift " was reserving 2 nights at 13 months or whatever the top tier allows.

 

[dioxide45]

I probably have an issue with gifts for ownership levels at MVC resorts......the benefits of the levels are spelled out in ownership documents. The higher levels have bought the right to get reservations earlier. Unless gifts are paid out of their higher membership dues, their "gift " was reserving 2 nights at 13 months or whatever the top tier allows.

I could agree with this I suppose. The higher tier levels are not spelled out in the condo documents, so should the HOA be paying for those? I can also see both sides of the issue when it comes to special occasions. I want everyone's vacation to be special, but if the HOA is paying for those gifts, where does it stop. This is really a question for the HOA BOD.

 

[Fairwinds]

I would only support one gift for one occasion: A simple unadorned pole where:

"faster and jont gather around, and tell the other all the ways they have disappointed over the past year."

Sorry wrong thread

 

[SueDonJ]

Oh my poor heart! It cuts to the core that you all don't want to celebrate Don's visits back to the States while we're on this adventure.

I agree with you all - I DON"T support gifts or special treatment or any other "feel good" benefits to be given based on status tiers, never have and never will! Tying the Reservation Windows and eligibility for certain usage options and benefits to status, which is what's supposed to happen, is okay. Special treatment during stays is not okay.

We all know that there are some who will fabricate special occasions in order to wheedle out special treatment. It bothers me as much as the next guy to think of my dues paying for every third owner and his mother to be given gifts. But in my experience when I've indicated special birthdays (my 50th) or occasions (each of our kids' college graduations) on the pre-arrival forms or during those phone calls, the simple "Congratulations!" we've heard at check-in was enough and was appreciated.

You all know me enough to know if given a chance to chatter I'll take it and run with it. When she asked if we were celebrating anything of course I said yep, Don and I haven't seen each other for months and we're happy to be able to spend some of the time at Hilton Head. The gift was unexpected - and honestly, I thought the card signed by so many staff members was the best part of the gift because it was so personal. (If it helps any, we weren't given the best unit on property for the stay and we were perfectly happy anyway.)

I can count on one hand the number of times I've read on TUG that actual gifts have been given for special occasions. It doesn't seem to happen often enough to make a big deal of it or to worry about where the funds are coming from, IMO.

 

[Fairwinds]

Oh my poor heart! It cuts to the core that you all don't want to celebrate Don's visits back to the States while we're on this adventure.

I agree with you all - I DON"T support gifts or special treatment or any other "feel good" benefits to be given based on status tiers, never have and never will! Tying the Reservation Windows and eligibility for certain usage options and benefits to status, which is what's supposed to happen, is okay. Special treatment during stays is not okay.

We all know that there are some who will fabricate special occasions in order to wheedle out special treatment. It bothers me as much as the next guy to think of my dues paying for every third owner and his mother to be given gifts. But in my experience when I've indicated special birthdays (my 50th) or occasions (each of our kids' college graduations) on the pre-arrival forms or during those phone calls, the simple "Congratulations!" we've heard at check-in was enough and was appreciated.

You all know me enough to know if given a chance to chatter I'll take it and run with it. When she asked if we were celebrating anything of course I said yep, Don and I haven't seen each other for months and we're happy to be able to spend some of the time at Hilton Head. The gift was unexpected - and honestly, I thought the card signed by so many staff members was the best part of the gift because it was so personal. (If it helps any, we weren't given the best unit on property for the stay and we were perfectly happy anyway.)

I can count on one hand the number of times I've read on TUG that actual gifts have been given for special occasions. It doesn't seem to happen often enough to make a big deal of it or to worry about where the funds are coming from, IMO.

Oh the guilt! I'm glad you received your gift. And I can understand those who would support a small gift. We all pay a lot for a nice place to vacation and for quality service. I have also benefited from identifying special occasions. They should be considered as you describe because it is a nice touch. And if there are other nice things they can do at no cost such as room assignment I would applaud these efforts.

 

[BocaBoy]

My God, I don't understand all this opposition to a nice gesture. And some of the same people who seem fine with 5-7% annual maintenance fees increases are adamantly opposed to the infinitesimal cost of what we are talking about here, apparently based on the almost theoretical impact on maintenance fees. Why not the same consternation over meaningful and out of control cost items in the budget? There are lots of amenities provided that are available to or used by only a few. It all contributes to the ambiance of a resort, including gestures such as this.