Guest Certificates and Housekeeping Fees

[regatta333]

Do you have to pay for these under the new program umbrella?

 

[Eric B]

Sort of; they are covered by the Club Dues. You won't have to pay any additional fees for those. Current version of the FAQ on that copied below.

• Depending on the annual usage options you choose and the type of vacations you reserve, Club Dues may be more or less than the VSN network membership fees plus the a la carte fees you paid in the past. Here is the consolidated chart for your reference.

Transaction	2023 Fees that will be eliminated with Abound
VSN Network Membership Fee	$170 to $235
Additional Housekeeping Fees	$38 to $105 per stay
Convert to Marriott Bonvoy Points	$164
Banking StarOptions	$109
VSN Select	$145
Interval International Membership	$99
Internal Exchange with Interval*	$154 per week
Cancellation Fee	$50 to $75
Guest Fee for VSN Reservations	$59

* External exchange fees, which were $209 per week in 2022, will not be eliminated. Internal Exchanges are requests to use your VOI(s) exclusively to travel to a Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, or Westin Vacation Club resort in the Interval International external exchange network. Note that after electing to receive Club Points, they may not be used to place an Internal Exchange request with Interval. Note that Club Points may not be used to place an External exchange request (to resorts outside of the Abound by Marriott Vacations network) until 2023. If you wish to place an external exchange request with Interval in 2022, you must use your 2022 VOIs.

 

[regatta333]

I just made a one-night reservation and added my daughter as a guest and was prompted to acknowledge that a $38 housekeeping fee would apply.

 

[Eric B]

Shocking that the IT system doesn't reflect the program properly. If this was using an ownership for enrolled in Abound she shouldn't have to pay it - if it were me, I would call the cross-trained customer service number to verify and have her print out the FAQ to bring with her just in case.

 

[DanCali]

I just made a one-night reservation and added my daughter as a guest and was prompted to acknowledge that a $38 housekeeping fee would apply.

When you say you "just made it" was that literal (or in the past 3 weeks)?

I made a reservation in early December and got the housekeeping fee applied, but I assumed it was because I booked in 2002.

 

[dioxide45]

The confirmations still show the HK fees. II still hasn't updated their system for the $0 exchange fee. You can apparently call Vistana and they can make an exchange for the $0 exchange fee, but still no official word on the HK fees yet.

 

[dsmrp]

I called the Vistana elite line about various things. One of my questions was about HK fees for a January (this month) reservation made in 2022 with 2022 banked options.

The rep says that even tho' we qualify for free HK under the new club fee, the HK charge was already earlier transmitted to resort with the reservation. The rep said she could/would not cancel or waive the HK. So I will need to make my case at the resort, and it's up to resort discretion on whether to charge. I'm okay with paying because my reservation were with banked options AND I did use up my 2022 HK credits.
However just throwing out my experience if there are others out there that didn't use up last year's HK credits.

 

[carpie99]

Sort of; they are covered by the Club Dues. You won't have to pay any additional fees for those. Current version of the FAQ on that copied below.

• Depending on the annual usage options you choose and the type of vacations you reserve, Club Dues may be more or less than the VSN network membership fees plus the a la carte fees you paid in the past. Here is the consolidated chart for your reference.

Transaction	2023 Fees that will be eliminated with Abound
VSN Network Membership Fee	$170 to $235
Additional Housekeeping Fees	$38 to $105 per stay
Convert to Marriott Bonvoy Points	$164
Banking StarOptions	$109
VSN Select	$145
Interval International Membership	$99
Internal Exchange with Interval*	$154 per week
Cancellation Fee	$50 to $75
Guest Fee for VSN Reservations	$59

* External exchange fees, which were $209 per week in 2022, will not be eliminated. Internal Exchanges are requests to use your VOI(s) exclusively to travel to a Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, or Westin Vacation Club resort in the Interval International external exchange network. Note that after electing to receive Club Points, they may not be used to place an Internal Exchange request with Interval. Note that Club Points may not be used to place an External exchange request (to resorts outside of the Abound by Marriott Vacations network) until 2023. If you wish to place an external exchange request with Interval in 2022, you must use your 2022 VOIs.

Does a Hyatt exchange count as Internal Exchange?

 

[Eric B]

Does a Hyatt exchange count as Internal Exchange?

I don’t think so.

 

[dioxide45]

Does a Hyatt exchange count as Internal Exchange?

No it does not as Hyatt isn't part of Abound.

 

[carpie99]

Sort of; they are covered by the Club Dues. You won't have to pay any additional fees for those. Current version of the FAQ on that copied below.

• Depending on the annual usage options you choose and the type of vacations you reserve, Club Dues may be more or less than the VSN network membership fees plus the a la carte fees you paid in the past. Here is the consolidated chart for your reference.

Transaction	2023 Fees that will be eliminated with Abound
VSN Network Membership Fee	$170 to $235
Additional Housekeeping Fees	$38 to $105 per stay
Convert to Marriott Bonvoy Points	$164
Banking StarOptions	$109
VSN Select	$145
Interval International Membership	$99
Internal Exchange with Interval*	$154 per week
Cancellation Fee	$50 to $75
Guest Fee for VSN Reservations	$59

* External exchange fees, which were $209 per week in 2022, will not be eliminated. Internal Exchanges are requests to use your VOI(s) exclusively to travel to a Marriott Vacation Club, Sheraton Vacation Club, or Westin Vacation Club resort in the Interval International external exchange network. Note that after electing to receive Club Points, they may not be used to place an Internal Exchange request with Interval. Note that Club Points may not be used to place an External exchange request (to resorts outside of the Abound by Marriott Vacations network) until 2023. If you wish to place an external exchange request with Interval in 2022, you must use your 2022 VOIs.

If Interval exchanges are now free within Abound that would mean I have no reason to need to purchase E-Plus as long as I retrade into an Abound resort???

 

[dioxide45]

If Interval exchanges are now free within Abound that would mean I have no reason to need to purchase E-Plus as long as I retrade into an Abound resort???

For the most part, yes. There are still some situations where adding Eplus may be beneficial, like if you want to extend a deposit that is getting ready to expire.

 

[dsmrp]

We checked out of WKORN, and happy to report we were not charged a housekeeping fee, even tho' the website indicated we'd be charged when I made reservation in 2022. I had called CS to ask about it, and perhaps the rep put a note on my reservation. I did pay the Abound club fee in December.

Btw the resorts are short on housekeeping staff , so plz be understanding when they take all day to do their midweek tidies. A staff member in another dept, told me housekeeping is only paid minimum wage ($12/hr in Hawaii) and majority are newer immigrants. Cost of living , mainly housing, is really high on Maui.

 

[SChiam]

I always leave tips $10-$20 for housekeeping. Vistana’s housekeeping charges are very low compare to Worldmark (over $100 for studio).

 

[DanCali]

I always leave tips $10-$20 for housekeeping. Vistana’s housekeeping charges are very low compare to Worldmark (over $100 for studio).

This is what they charge owners for one weekly housekeeping service + 1 tidy service. You really think $210-$220 for a Premium 1BR (Or $340 - $420 for a 2BR lockoff) is low?

That extra housekeeping fee they charge when you make "too many" Staroption reservations is probably just a more realistic cost. If a Residence Inn nearby can operate suites profitably for an average all-in rate of $200/night (includes everything + breakfast), there is really no reason why owners have to pay $220 just for one housekeeping service on a 1BR unit.

I don't want to dissuade you from leaving tips, but I don't think the housekeeping charges are low by any means. Especially not the housekeeping fees everyone pays with the MF bill. I'd love to understand why it costs $420 to clean a 2BR lockoff unit at Harborside 1.25 times. The minumum wage in the Bahamas is about $6/hour so even if they paid housekeepers 10x that amount (which they don't) things still don't add up...

 

[Eric B]

I'd love to understand why it costs $420 to clean a 2BR lockoff unit at Harborside 1.25 times. The minumum wage in the Bahamas is about $6/hour so even if they paid housekeepers 10x that amount (which they don't) things still don't add up...

You could similarly comment on the line items for Front Desk in the two budgets - it does seem a bit expensive to have to pay $168.24 or $173.95 for what appears to be just two 5 minute interactions with an employee that is making somewhat more than minimum wage but not enough to justify the entire charge.

On the other hand, there might be other things that go into those line items like the cost of space at the resort for storage of housekeeping materials and supplies or the actual front desk itself, cleaning of the common grounds not associated with a separately budgeted aspect, management and overhead for the housekeeping and front desk staff, supplies, vacation time if granted, etc. This might be an area to ask a resort BOD questions about if we really want to know the breakdown of the costs.

Vistana’s housekeeping charges are very low compare to Worldmark (over $100 for studio).

An extra housekeeping charge for a studio in WorldMark is $87 this year. My suspicion is that Vistana budgets higher amounts for the housekeeping in the individual HOAs based on an estimated annual cost divided by the number of units and was charging the additional housekeeping fee representing the marginal cost of the housekeeping time spent, which would be closer to the unweighted time and materials, while the WorldMark fees are not based on individual HOA costs but represent a weighted cost throughout the system divided by the estimated number of housekeeping events. (By weighted and unweighted I mean to differentiate between whether or not the cost includes indirect and overhead costs associated with the housekeeping service.)

 

[rickandcindy23]

I still haven't gotten a bill for the Vistana dues.

 

[dsmrp]

I still haven't gotten a bill for the Vistana dues.

I could never pay online or see the bill, when the link I followed redirected me to Marriott site. I reported it to CS, and paid my Abound dues by phone.

 

[DanCali]

You could similarly comment on the line items for Front Desk in the two budgets - it does seem a bit expensive to have to pay $168.24 or $173.95 for what appears to be just two 5 minute interactions with an employee that is making somewhat more than minimum wage but not enough to justify the entire charge.

On the other hand, there might be other things that go into those line items like the cost of space at the resort for storage of housekeeping materials and supplies or the actual front desk itself, cleaning of the common grounds not associated with a separately budgeted aspect, management and overhead for the housekeeping and front desk staff, supplies, vacation time if granted, etc. This might be an area to ask a resort BOD questions about if we really want to know the breakdown of the costs.

Front desk is easier for me to get, because it's always staffed. So when they say at WKV that the total front desk budget is $1.3 million you might think of X employees working shifts, each making $XX,XXX per year, add some other things on top of that and see if it makes sense. It also might include the bellhops/concierge staff.

The housekeeping is probably mainly contractors who come mostly on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. There is much less of it going during other days of the week. It's easier to think of it as one task that takes 1 person 2-3 hours to do, literally like cleaning a 1-2BR condo.

 

[Eric B]

The housekeeping is probably mainly contractors who come mostly on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. There is much less of it going during other days of the week. It's easier to think of it as one task that takes 1 person 2-3 hours to do, literally like cleaning a 1-2BR condo.

You might be right, but I would still find it difficult to believe that a business entity that takes on a contract to provide housekeeping services even if only for the weekends wouldn't have indirect and overhead costs. They would probably want to make a profit, too. At least I have never run into one that would do that, though most of my contracting experience has been with government contracts. I guess a large resort system like Vistana might be able to find individual housekeepers that are willing to come in over the weekend for a few hours with their own materials and supplies for just minimum wage; if they do it that way, it could be a major rip off of the owners at the resort based on the grossly excessive housekeeping charges in the HOA budgets....