Club Pass (World Mark Resorts that charge taxes and other fees)

[bryjake]

While investigating some Club Pass options, I noticed "Tax Information" link

The link opens up a *.pdf file (Attached to this post)

It appears that "select" Club Wyndham reservations now have additional taxes and fee's - BOOOOO!

So be aware of additional costs

I do realize some of these "stick it to you fees" are mandatory and others are more of a "cash grab"

Myself, I feel disappointed for CW to milk even more $$$ from owners

https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinat...value-charts/wbw-credit-tax-resort-alerts.pdf

 

[VacationForever]

We have been paying these fees at some of the resorts. I read somewhere that once upon a time when Worldmark built the resorts, instead of paying the cities their development fees, they came into agreement with the cities that they would charge guests/occupants the fees each time they stay at these resorts. One issue that I have is that these fees are only applicable to stays 30 days and shorter. I had booked > 30 days with back-to-back reservations and asked that they refund me the fees and they said they did not know how to do so.

 

[dioxide45]

Most of these look to be government imposed fees and taxes.

 

[paxsarah]

Most of these look to be government imposed fees and taxes.

Yes, I don't think I see any that aren't. And none of this is new.

 

[VacationForever]

Most of these look to be government imposed fees and taxes.

Yes, because of the agreement that Worldmark came into with the local government. For instance, when you stay at Marriott's Newport Coast or Four Seasons Aviara, you don't pay these fees. With similar locations, you have to pay these fees when you stay at Worldmark.

 

[dioxide45]

Yes, because of the agreement that Worldmark came into with the local government. For instance, when you stay at Marriott's Newport Coast or Four Seasons Aviara, you don't pay these fees. With similar locations, you have to pay these fees when you stay at Worldmark.

That seems to be a lot of local governments to come to agreement with. I wonder if it isn't something to do with how these are being booked? Does a WM owner pay those fees when staying on credits or is it only ClubPass bookings?

 

[VacationForever]

That seems to be a lot of local governments to come to agreement with. I wonder if it isn't something to do with how these are being booked? Does a WM owner pay those fees when staying on credits or is it only ClubPass bookings?

When we use Worldmark points to book.

 

[CO skier]

I do realize some of these "stick it to you fees" are mandatory and others are more of a "cash grab"

Myself, I feel disappointed for CW to milk even more $$$ from owners

We have been paying these fees at some of the resorts. I read somewhere that once upon a time when Worldmark built the resorts, instead of paying the cities their development fees, they came into agreement with the cities that they would charge guests/occupants the fees each time they stay at these resorts.

So much misinformation.

Transient occupancy taxes and sales taxes are mandated by state and local governments. WorldMark has nothing to do with it other than collecting the taxes and forwarding the payments on a monthly basis to the various jurisdictions. (There is no "cash grab" on the part of Wyndham.)

Wyndham fought some of these taxes in the past -- Washington State in 2014 and British Columbia last year and this year. A few hundred thousand dollars of the 2023/2024 WorldMark Special Assessment was used to pay the BC tax in order to appeal it.

 

[CO skier]

Yes, because of the agreement that Worldmark came into with the local government. For instance, when you stay at Marriott's Newport Coast or Four Seasons Aviara, you don't pay these fees. With similar locations, you have to pay these fees when you stay at Worldmark.

The reason for the difference in taxes is due to the fact that WorldMark is a points-based vacation club, not a timeshare where intervals are deeded property.

 

[VacationForever]

So much misinformation.

Transient occupancy taxes and sales taxes are mandated by state and local governments. WorldMark has nothing to do with it other than collecting the taxes and forwarding the payments on a monthly basis to the various jurisdictions. (There is no "cash grab" on the part of Wyndham.)

Wyndham fought some of these taxes in the past -- Washington State in 2014 and British Columbia last year and this year. A few hundred thousand dollars of the 2023/2024 WorldMark Special Assessment was used to pay the BC tax in order to appeal it.

View attachment 100126

While it's packaged as collecting on behalf of local cities, in reality when when compare with other timeshare systems, the other systems don't pay these taxes when staying locally. You pay these taxes when you stay at Indio, none of the timeshare systems collect these fees in the greater Palm Springs area. You pay when you stay at Marina Dunes and Anaheim. You don't pay when you stay at Marriott's Newport Coast. I have done several comparisons along CA coast and the story is similar.

I DID read it wmowners on the history. Worldmark - developer/HOAs elected not to pay the fees, and hence the guests/owners pay them when they stay at these resorts.

 

[VacationForever]

The reason for the difference in taxes is due to the fact that WorldMark is a points-based vacation club, not a timeshare where intervals are deeded property.

You can use Marriott points to book, so points vs. deeded weeks is not a valid argument.

 

[dioxide45]

You can use Marriott points to book, so points vs. deeded weeks is not a valid argument.

But Marriott points are backed by deeded weeks. Perhaps that is the difference? Isn't Worldmark some kind of trust setup where there aren't underlying deeded weeks? Perhaps the underlying legal structure is different?

 

[VacationForever]

But Marriott points are backed by deeded weeks. Perhaps that is the difference? Isn't Worldmark some kind of trust setup where there aren't underlying deeded weeks? Perhaps the underlying legal structure is different?

Technically, Worldmark can calculate the "dues" based on the number of units at each location. It just elected not to collect and just pass on to people who actually stay there. I think not collecting the dues helps keep the maintenance fees low. So if you want to stay at locations which collects these dues, you just have to add the fees onto your stay to become total costs for the stay. We just got back from Marina Dunes. The cost for the 28-day stay was $750.

 

[CO skier]

That seems to be a lot of local governments to come to agreement with. I wonder if it isn't something to do with how these are being booked? Does a WM owner pay those fees when staying on credits or is it only ClubPass bookings?

When we use Worldmark points to book.

Not necessarily.

Take the Red River resort from the linked chart, for example.

Stay there using credits -- no taxes are charged.

Stay there using credits and paying for housekeeping, the housekeeping charge is taxed at 14.425%.

Stay there using a cash option such as Inventory Special or Bonus Time and the 14.425% tax rate applies to the total cost.

Take the Solvang resort as another example.

Stay there using credits or a cash option and it is a fixed tax per night depending on the unit size.

The new CCT taxes are really convoluted.

 

[CO skier]

While it's packaged as collecting on behalf of local cities, in reality when when compare with other timeshare systems, the other systems don't pay these taxes when staying locally. You pay these taxes when you stay at Indio, none of the timeshare systems collect these fees in the greater Palm Springs area. You pay when you stay at Marina Dunes and Anaheim. You don't pay when you stay at Marriott's Newport Coast. I have done several comparisons along CA coast and the story is similar.

It depends on if the other timeshare systems are deeded intervals properties or a points system. (That is why Wyndham lost the fight with Washington State in 2014.)

It also depends on the taxing jurisdiction. There is a nightly tax charged at WM Anaheim plus a 15% tax on cash bookings. A few blocks away at WM Dolphin's Cove, no taxes are charged.

 

[CO skier]

I DID read it wmowners on the history.

Well, that explains a lot.

 

[VacationForever]

Well, that explains a lot.

Ah, you are showing your bias against of the best Worldmark owner resource site.

 

[CO skier]

Ah, you are showing your bias against of the best Worldmark owner resource site.

Hardly a source of unbiased, accurate information. I gave up on it more than 10 years ago. Maybe it is different now.

WorldMark - Top resorts on Monday Madness special

You sometimes hear that the WorldMark cash specials are for the underutilized or less desirable WorldMark resorts. Here's this week's Monday Madness list: WorldMark Depoe Bay, OR WorldMark Gleneden, OR WorldMark Schooner Landing, OR WorldMark Seaside, OR WorldMark Eagle Crest, OR...

tugbbs.com

 

[2BlackKitties]

Did you notice today that the Club Pass fee is increasing from $49 to $79 effective January 1 2025....

 

[CO skier]

You pay these taxes when you stay at Indio, none of the timeshare systems collect these fees in the greater Palm Springs area.

Maybe it is because the other timeshares are not within the city limits of Indio.

This link has a laundry list of accommodations subject to the transient occupancy tax. It not something unique to WorldMark Indio.

https://www.indio.org/departments/finance/transient-occupancy-tax