Four Seasons Aviara just added $30/day Resort Fee

[PamMo]

Just an FYI for anyone trading into the resort. I got this from Interval today for a reservation at the end of summer.


Dear Members and Guests:

Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara has informed Interval International that a resort Fee of 30 USD per unit per day will be collected at check-in.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please contact the resort directly for more information.

Interval International

 

[mrsmusic]

Has anyone gone since the announcement and questioned the charge as not being disclosed when booking months and months ago? Just curious.

 

[10spro]

We also received the notice. We arrive in April on a II trade that was made last year. They say to call for more information, but they don’t really have more information. There are no additional benefits or resort amenities included or made available for the extra fee. My husband grilled the guy for 15 minutes on the phone and he gave us no useful information. We got his manager on the phone and he was even less helpful. I think in person is better so will grill them again when we get there to see if they have a better answer by then.

 

[buzglyd]

Just an FYI for anyone trading into the resort. I got this from Interval today for a reservation at the end of summer.


Dear Members and Guests:

Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara has informed Interval International that a resort Fee of 30 USD per unit per day will be collected at check-in.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Please contact the resort directly for more information.

Interval International

If you keep the reservation, let me know. I live about 2 miles from there.

 

[PamMo]

I’m keeping the reservations for now, but I’m not so happy about the extra $420 fees for our 2-week stay.

**Added: After reading VacationForever's post below, I guess the fees are going to cost me an extra $460 for our 2-week stay!

 

[VacationForever]

They add a tax on top of the $210, which is another $20+. We just spent a week there at end Feb/early March. They have reinstituted daily housekeeping.

 

[mrsmusic]

We also received the notice. We arrive in April on a II trade that was made last year. They say to call for more information, but they don’t really have more information. There are no additional benefits or resort amenities included or made available for the extra fee. My husband grilled the guy for 15 minutes on the phone and he gave us no useful information. We got his manager on the phone and he was even less helpful. I think in person is better so will grill them again when we get there to see if they have a better answer by then.

We are supposed to arrive in May, let me know what you find out. It would "seem" to me that they can't arbitrarily add fees after it's booked with no notification during the booking process. But what do I know. I would probably still have booked it, but it would have been much better to know ahead of time. Disney's is even only $190 with in-resort/parks transportation included.

 

[bogey21]

It would "seem" to me that they can't arbitrarily add fees after it's booked with no notification during the booking process.

I'm sure their attitude is that they can do whatever they damn well want to...

George

 

[marmite]

I first noticed the resort fee in the fine print during checkout on December 20th 2021. The only reason I know the date is because I mentioned it in one of my sightings I posted. Back then they were advising that any reservations with a check in date after January 1st 2022 had the resort fee.

Not sure how much earlier than December they were advising people during the checkout process in Interval. With that fee I'd definitely only take a 2BR exchange.

 

[mrsmusic]

We also received the notice. We arrive in April on a II trade that was made last year. They say to call for more information, but they don’t really have more information. There are no additional benefits or resort amenities included or made available for the extra fee. My husband grilled the guy for 15 minutes on the phone and he gave us no useful information. We got his manager on the phone and he was even less helpful. I think in person is better so will grill them again when we get there to see if they have a better answer by then.

Just following up, what did you find out in person? Thank you!

 

[10spro]

Just following up, what did you find out in person? Thank you!

Messed up on the dates. Checking in May 7. Will update after.

 

[10spro]

Just got back from a week at Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad, North San Diego. This is such a wonderful resort with the most amazing rooms I've ever come across in the timeshare world. So lucky to have traded in here through II for a second time. Did not need a 2BR, but that's what we got, 2BR, 3BA, 1,600+ SqFt. What's not to like. Well, yes, there is now a $30 per day resort fee, plus taxes for another $6.06, so my week cost me $235.62, but I still think it's well worth it for this property. And, yes, we did try to negotiate the $30, since it was only communicated after we made the reservation, but they were having none of that, not budging even a little on reducing or removing the fee. I hope they use that revenue to budget for some upgrades, while this is a beautiful property, it could benefit from a refresh.
.

 

[TravelTime]

Is this fee only applied to non-owners? We own there so just wondering.

 

[10spro]

Is this fee only applied to non-owners? We own there so just wondering.

Did not ask owner vs. non-owner. The Group Code on our invoice is "2022 OWNER". I know the initial communication, for us anyway, regarding the fee came from Interval. The Four Seasons website also specifies the fee to book a room, so seems it applies to the general public outside of Interval. I would guess if an owner goes in through whatever portal you schedule your dates, I'm thinking there will also be a statement there about the fee.

 

[TravelTime]

Did not ask owner vs. non-owner. The Group Code on our invoice is "2022 OWNER". I know the initial communication, for us anyway, regarding the fee came from Interval. The Four Seasons website also specifies the fee to book a room, so seems it applies to the general public outside of Interval. I would guess if an owner goes in through whatever portal you schedule your dates, I'm thinking there will also be a statement there about the fee.
View attachment 55052

I emailed Owner Services. At FSA, owners need to book by calling. They do not have an online system to book.

 

[dannybaker]

This really sucks, it appears that the money grab continues more and more. I wish Marriot would charge exchangers $1000 each and reduce my maintenance fees. Timeshare cost continue to climb and I’m sure forcing people to abandon them in masses.
$1500 maintenance fees
RCI/II annual fees $79
excange fees $229
taxes
parking fees
resort fees

 

[TravelTime]

Four Seasons said: As a Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara owner you will not incur additional resort fees should you travel in through Interval International.

 

[VacationForever]

Four Seasons said: As a Four Seasons Residence Club Aviara owner you will not incur additional resort fees should you travel in through Interval International.

So is that additional revenue going back towards the timeshare property or is it a pure money grab that goes back to the hotel bottom line?

 

[zentraveler]

So is that additional revenue going back towards the timeshare property or is it a pure money grab that goes back to the hotel bottom line?

There is no "hotel" at this property. It is the Four Seasons Residence Club.

 

[VacationForever]

There is no "hotel" at this property. It is the Four Seasons Residence Club.

What I meant is that Four Seasons charges management fees and licensing fees. So is this resort fees going back to the Four Seasons hotel brand or do they flow back as revenue for the HOA?

 

[TravelTime]

So is that additional revenue going back towards the timeshare property or is it a pure money grab that goes back to the hotel bottom line?

I would not know. Not sure I consider it a money grab if the hotel side takes it vs the timeshare side.

 

[TravelTime]

This really sucks, it appears that the money grab continues more and more. I wish Marriot would charge exchangers $1000 each and reduce my maintenance fees. Timeshare cost continue to climb and I’m sure forcing people to abandon them in masses.
$1500 maintenance fees
RCI/II annual fees $79
excange fees $229
taxes
parking fees
resort fees

The only thing specific to owning a timeshare that you mentioned is the MF and you would pay for a hotel anyway.

With a timeshare, the taxes are a lot less than with a hotel. We do not pay parking fees or resort fees with a timeshare.

Exchanges fees only apply if you exchange. I pay no exchange fees because I do not exchange. However, if I ever do exchange, I am happy to pay for the opportunity to go somewhere else assuming I own a week that does not participate in a points program.

 

[VacationForever]

I would not know. Not sure I consider it a money grab if the hotel side takes it vs the timeshare side.

There is contractual term as to how much Four Seasons get from maintenance fees - in Marriott case I think it is 10%. Collecting resort fees from exchangers add to the Four Seasons bottom line, which would be above the stated percentage, if they are not passed back to the HOA to pay for operating expenses.

 

[TravelTime]

There is contractual term as to how much Four Seasons get from maintenance fees - in Marriott case I think it is 10%. Collecting resort fees from exchangers add to the Four Seasons bottom line, which would be above the stated percentage, if they are not passed back to the HOA to pay for operating expenses.

Yes but why is it bad for a hotel to get money from exchangers, assuming they are? Don’t Marriott and other timeshares get parking fees from exchangers? I think there are often discrepancies between what owners get vs what exchangers get. We may not like it but it seems fair to me.

I was looking at the P&L after you commented. The timeshare side runs everything at the resort. The P&L has a line item for resort fees. I have no idea if these new resort fees go to the timeshare side but it might be likely.

 

[VacationForever]

Yes but why is it bad for a hotel to get money from exchangers, assuming they are? Don’t Marriott and other timeshares get parking fees from exchangers? I think there are often discrepancies between what owners get vs what exchangers get. We may not like it but it seems fair to me.

I was looking at the P&L after you commented. The timeshare side runs everything at the resort. The P&L has a line item for resort fees. I have no idea if these new resort fees go to the timeshare side but it might be likely.

To me, fair will be the established fee structure as everything should be above board. I am not the one paying almost $3K on MF at the resort. If FS collects an additional $210 plus taxes per week, I would surely wish that the money goes back to HOA to lower my MF.