Benefits for Presidential Members at MVCI Resorts

[GreenTea]

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.

This is what I think. Susan should get her celebratory wine because it's an occasion. Not because she has more points than someone else.

 

[Superchief]

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.

I agree totally. Amenities for special occasions have minimal cost. I get more upset when my MF's increase because activities and amenities are added that I have no interest in. Mountainside has been doing this over the past few years resulting in major increases in MF's.

I wish that Chairman level owners would get a welcome gift of a bottle of wine since we pay much higher fees, but that should come from MVC from their 'management' fee.

 

[Fairwinds]

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.

I think that when I wrote in two of my posts that "I'm not losing sleep either way" I demonstrated an absence of consternation. And the thread wasn't discussing meaningful and out of control items in the budget but may I now say with great consternation, I am against those!

 

[davidvel]

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.

Who have you identified on this board that is "fine with 5-7% annual maintenance fees increases"? I've seen lots of complaints about MF increases here.
The issue is whether the costs of benefits sold to certain members of a Club should be borne by the Club, or by others outside the Club. Seems like a no-brainer.

Should the HOA/owners also pay for platinum benefits to II members, that II charges for? How about tows for AAA members on HOA property?

 

[KathyPet]

A welcome note from the GM is now considered a "special treat"??? Evidently they have quite a inflated opinion of themselves at that resort.

 

[BocaBoy]

Who have you identified on this board that is "fine with 5-7% annual maintenance fees increases"? I've seen lots of complaints about MF increases here.
The issue is whether the costs of benefits sold to certain members of a Club should be borne by the Club, or by others outside the Club. Seems like a no-brainer.

Should the HOA/owners also pay for platinum benefits to II members, that II charges for? How about tows for AAA members on HOA property?

I am not going to identify individual people, but the threads are full of many posts where TUGGERs say things like "the increase was only 4% or 5% so I feel good about it." (Maybe I should have said 4-5% instead of 5-7%, but that is not the point.) I have personally responded many times by saying the fees are out of control and several of those posts have been in response to such comments. And when I make such posts I get a lot of push back almost every time.

And where in the world did that last question come from? It doesn't even make sense. Geez.

 

[BocaBoy]

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.

Not true. The benefits of the elite levels are not spelled out in the ownership documents. There was not even such a thing as elite levels when most of the weeks were sold. The elite level benefits are spelled out in other documents created by MVCI which they can change at any time.

 

[SnowDogDad]

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?

Quite right, every penny counts. But, tell your HOA directors and tell your onsite management that they have to keep the increases under control. I'm surprised at the number of owners that are just apathetic about rising fees and never say anything.

I'm on the board of a property and I can tell you that it is hard to do. The minimum wage increases in California have made it even harder. It is a tough balancing act to keep the property in pristine shape, deliver high quality customer service, and keep the HOA fees from rising.

And, while I'm a big supporter of Destinations and the value it brings to some owners, all owners are going to end up subsidizing this value since it is changing the very nature of the use of our property.

 

[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!!

Was it at least printed on gold paper?

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

How did this thread wind up here? I was kidding about the Special Treat being a stamped signature card from the GM. We were joking about it. And it turned into a who gets what and who deserves whatever, and our maintenance fees are too high. It reminds me of the game Telephone we all played as kids. What was mentioned first came out altogether differently in the end.

Quite right, every penny counts. But, tell your HOA directors and tell your onsite management that they have to keep the increases under control. I'm surprised at the number of owners that are just apathetic about rising fees and never say anything.

I'm on the board of a property and I can tell you that it is hard to do. The minimum wage increases in California have made it even harder. It is a tough balancing act to keep the property in pristine shape, deliver high quality customer service, and keep the HOA fees from rising.

And, while I'm a big supporter of Destinations and the value it brings to some owners, all owners are going to end up subsidizing this value since it is changing the very nature of the use of our property.

 

[SeaDoc]

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.

Indeed BocaBoy - for those who have invested much into our ownership, levels above 10000 destination points (Presidential and Chairman's Club), they provide an added touch of a Manager inspecting the unit prior to your arrival with a mid-stay phone call as well. For those of us who are also Platinum/Gold status in the Marriott hotels, do you complain of the added benefits of gaining those levels of benefits? Apparently, nothing Marriott Vacation Club can do will ever be acceptable to most of you... If you feel that negatively about the Company, please sell your ownership - it will leave more availability for the rest of us in the Trust... Have a great day...

 

[davidvel]

I am not going to identify individual people, but the threads are full of many posts where TUGGERs say things like "the increase was only 4% or 5% so I feel good about it." (Maybe I should have said 4-5% instead of 5-7%, but that is not the point.) I have personally responded many times by saying the fees are out of control and several of those posts have been in response to such comments. And when I make such posts I get a lot of push back almost every time.

And where in the world did that last question come from? It doesn't even make sense. Geez.

Well maybe you're right. I guess there are people who like 5% annual increases in MF, or feel they are reasonable. I don't think that anyone who is against the HOA/owners paying for "perks" given solely to members of MVC's DC Club, feel good about 5% increases. But I could be wrong.

As to my quote:

The issue is whether the costs of benefits sold to certain members of a Club should be borne by the Club, or by others outside the Club. Seems like a no-brainer.

Should the HOA/owners also pay for platinum benefits to II members, that II charges for? How about tows for AAA members on HOA property?

I was making a hypothetical analogy. Would this be fair? If not, why is it different?

 

[davidvel]

Indeed BocaBoy - for those who have invested much into our ownership, levels above 10000 destination points (Presidential and Chairman's Club), they provide an added touch of a Manager inspecting the unit prior to your arrival with a mid-stay phone call as well.

But your ownership investment is in a Club that only provides benefits to people in the Club, not all the owners who fund the HOA. Nothing wrong about "added touches" given by a Club, if the Club is paying for it.

For those of us who are also Platinum/Gold status in the Marriott hotels, do you complain of the added benefits of gaining those levels of benefits?

Not an applicable comparison at all. We don't own the hotels.

Apparently, nothing Marriott Vacation Club can do will ever be acceptable to most of you... If you feel that negatively about the Company, please sell your ownership - it will leave more availability for the rest of us in the Trust... Have a great day...

So long as the Club pays its appropriate share, and doesn't leech off the HOA/Owners, its all good.

 

[SueDonJ]

Indeed BocaBoy - for those who have invested much into our ownership, levels above 10000 destination points (Presidential and Chairman's Club), they provide an added touch of a Manager inspecting the unit prior to your arrival with a mid-stay phone call as well. For those of us who are also Platinum/Gold status in the Marriott hotels, do you complain of the added benefits of gaining those levels of benefits? Apparently, nothing Marriott Vacation Club can do will ever be acceptable to most of you... If you feel that negatively about the Company, please sell your ownership - it will leave more availability for the rest of us in the Trust... Have a great day...

We're Chairman's Club members with Plat status in the MR program (which I'm saying only to qualify your points) and I can't remember ever getting a call from a resort GM mid-stay. I suppose it's possible that GM's have inspected our units pre-stay but there's been no evidence of it and it's never been mentioned at check-in. Again, we got a "special occasion" gift during one recent stay but it wasn't because of status as far as I know.

There's absolutely nothing in the TUG Posting Rules that prohibits sharing criticisms here of any aspects of Marriott timeshares. I don't think "like it or get out" is a constructive response to such criticisms (and I would think that a Marriott representative such as yourself would be interested in all viewpoints from their most knowledgeable owners/members, which BocaBoy is certainly one.)

 

[SeaDoc]

We're Chairman's Club members with Plat status in the MR program (which I'm saying only to qualify your points) and I can't remember ever getting a call from a resort GM mid-stay. I suppose it's possible that GM's have inspected our units pre-stay but there's been no evidence of it and it's never been mentioned at check-in. Again, we got a "special occasion" gift during one recent stay but it wasn't because of status as far as I know.

There's absolutely nothing in the TUG Posting Rules that prohibits sharing criticisms here of any aspects of Marriott timeshares. I don't think "like it or get out" is a constructive response to such criticisms (and I would think that a Marriott representative such as yourself would be interested in all viewpoints from their most knowledgeable owners/members, which BocaBoy is certainly one.)

For those who wish to sell their weeks back to Marriott Vacation Club, here is their official website:

https://www.marriottvacationclub.com/resales/sell-weeks.shtml

 

[davidvel]

For those who wish to sell their weeks back to Marriott Vacation Club, here is their official website:

https://www.marriottvacationclub.com/resales/sell-weeks.shtml

"Their" website, or "our" website? I think you may have mis-typed the pronoun, unless your status has changed.

 

[Beefnot]

I would not be surprised if the incremental benefits based on ownership level were borne by all. Basically how it works for hotel point programs, so it need not be significantly different in timeshare systems. Sure, each property has an HOA and an individual budget, but (1) so do hotels have individual financials that are managed to, and (2) I would expect that the HOA is controlled by MVC anyway, so the interests of the HOA should align closely to the interests of MVC, no?

There's absolutely nothing in the TUG Posting Rules that prohibits sharing criticisms here of any aspects of Marriott timeshares.

This is what I call shadowboxing logic, debating against one's self.

 

[SueDonJ]

... This is what I call shadowboxing logic, debating against one's self.

Geeeze, moderators can't win with you. Would you have preferred that I blast the "Be Courteous" TUG Posting Rules in gigantic red letters to SeaDoc? I chose to instead remind him that TUG is not the place for him to lecture other posters when they post criticisms of MVW.

In either case, the TUG Posting Rules don't allow comments about moderation in the threads. So if that's what you're doing (which again I'm admitting I don't know what you're doing,) just stop.

 

[davidvel]

I would not be surprised if the incremental benefits based on ownership level were borne by all. Basically how it works for hotel point programs, so it need not be significantly different in timeshare systems. Sure, each property has an HOA and an individual budget, but (1) so do hotels have individual financials that are managed to, and (2) I would expect that the HOA is controlled by MVC anyway, so the interests of the HOA should align closely to the interests of MVC, no?

The difference (if I understand your comparison) is that the DC is a separate and distinct Club invented by a company that is neither the developer, the HOA, the owners, nor the management company. (Like my AAA analogy above.)

The Owners, and their respective governing documents, do not allow nor require them to pay for the expenses of the Club.

So long as the expenses of the benefits and perks, are borne solely by member of said Club there is no issue. But if said Club uses its position as a manger of the HOA to pass along its Club expenses to the HOA/owners, that's a problem.

 

[Fairwinds]

Indeed BocaBoy - for those who have invested much into our ownership, levels above 10000 destination points (Presidential and Chairman's Club), they provide an added touch of a Manager inspecting the unit prior to your arrival with a mid-stay phone call as well. For those of us who are also Platinum/Gold status in the Marriott hotels, do you complain of the added benefits of gaining those levels of benefits? Apparently, nothing Marriott Vacation Club can do will ever be acceptable to most of you... If you feel that negatively about the Company, please sell your ownership - it will leave more availability for the rest of us in the Trust... Have a great day...

Are you quoting and agreeing with a post that chides me for over reaction and then suggesting that I should sell my timeshare? Have you gone back to look at my posting history? Do I strike you as someone that is unhappy with my timeshare? Your assertion is wrong and your solution is definitely an over reaction and ridiculous.

Add: in my first posts I thought I was just making small talk about potential expenses. I see that the passion and sensitivities run deep here.

 

[Beefnot]

The difference (if I understand your comparison) is that the DC is a separate and distinct Club invented by a company that is neither the developer, the HOA, the owners, nor the management company. (Like my AAA analogy above.)

The Owners, and their respective governing documents, do not allow nor require them to pay for the expenses of the Club.

So long as the expenses of the benefits and perks, are borne solely by member of said Club there is no issue. But if said Club uses its position as a manger of the HOA to pass along its Club expenses to the HOA/owners, that's a problem.

I may have missed the expenses of the Club you are referring to specifically? And I do not disagree with you in principle about the distinctive interests and governing docs of the HOA, however practically speaking, I do not see a great difference in hotel rewards perks by tier that are subsidized by all hotel guests with tier level perks provided by MVC to its members. Probably just comes down to accounting, either these perks could be absorbed within a respective resort's HOA fees or built into MVC's management fee.

 

[GreenTea]

All this fighting and arguing just because IcyDog went to NJ and their idea of a special gift was a cardboard note.

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!!

 

[Fairwinds]

All this fighting and arguing just because IcyDog went to NJ and their idea of a special gift was a cardboard note.

You are right of course. It does seem to have a life of its own and the discussion did stray from the original post but that's the way discussions go. The funny thing is I've decided several times not to respond but I guess I haven't grown all the way up yet and keep getting back in.

 

[Fasttr]

All this fighting and arguing just because IcyDog went to NJ and their idea of a special gift was a cardboard note.

A cardboard note. I thought it was just written on paper. This changes everything!!!