HGV CHARGING $25 a day resort Fee

[Talent312]

[What tschwa2 already said.]
.

 

[dannybaker]

We refuse to stay at a Hilton anymore in Orlando. Really not a big deal because we can stay in 30 plus other resorts that are equal to Hilton in Orlando . Just booked six weeks at Another Gold crown resort in a larger unit in Orlando. Saved $1050 in junk fees compared to HGV. In addition I used 80 less points in RCI.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

We refuse to stay at a Hilton anymore in Orlando. Really not a big deal because we can stay in 30 plus other resorts that are equal to Hilton in Orlando . Just booked six weeks at Another Gold crown resort in a larger unit in Orlando. Saved $1050 in junk fees compared to HGV. In addition I used 80 less points in RCI.

Congrats on avoiding junk fees and finding a more spacious unit.

With all due respect, why would HGVC care if exchangers pay junk fees if they haven't bought into their system and will never buy?

 

[tschwa2]

Congrats on avoiding junk fees and finding a more spacious unit.

With all due respect, why would HGVC care if exchangers pay junk fees if they haven't bought into their system and will never buy?

HGVC will care if they don't make the money the anticipate making from these fees because if they can't get it from exchangers, they will turn to raising fees for owners. Also anyone who exchanges into HGVC is seen as potential fresh meat to show them the properties and to entice them to buy. Finally if it really effects the number exchanging in (it probably won't) it could lead to a lowering of HGVC rating within RCI and with reviews from exchangers from Trip Advisor who expect to get something for the extra money they are paying beyond what they can get elsewhere without paying.

The reason I think it will only minimally effect the number of those exchanging in, is that although they may not be someone's first, second, or even third choice of places to stay they still are nice and there are always those that don't plan ahead when there is plenty of inventory and may get stuck with only resorts with high resort fees and HGVC may be the nicest of that bunch.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I called RCI today to make sure we wouldn't be charged the $25 per day resort fee for our May stay. We have 3 units for two weeks for the kids and grandkids to join us. I just cannot believe I will never be able to go to a Hilton timeshare through RCI again. I will go through SFX from now on, if Hilton is my only option for any given area.

I had a lot of options, when I booked this last August for our stay to visit Disneyworld and Universal. I prefer a few Marriott and of course Vistana Villages for our Orlando stays. Those are just so much nicer than the others. Hilton is equal to those resorts in quality, but $25 per day is excessive for Orlando, the most overbuilt area for timeshares. I thought the one-in-four rule was a total turnoff, and now the $25 per day fee. Hilton is going to get inundated with bad reviews from exchangers who have no idea about this fee and never check the fine print.

RCI is becoming less and less a system I am willing to use. I may just dump most of my RCI Points this year. I have rented my Presidential Villas units for this summer myself. I can get out of RCI points with a simple signature.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

This isn't just a Hilton issue. It's an RCI issue. It appears that RCI is not willing to police this; I got the impression when I complained about excessive fees that were introduced after I had made my reservation at a non-HGVC property.

RCI response was that it's up to the property to institute fees; RCI has let the genie out of the bottle on this one. And it's in the fine print of the reservation that property can change the fees at any time which feels like bait and switch.

So keep the screenshot from when you made the reservation in case they increase the fees. I am also finding inconsistencies between the screen on the sign up and the actual reservation email so check that as well. With some reservations at RCI 2 years in advance, fees could increase significantly.

In my case I was able to convince the RCI rep to cancel our reservation and refund our exchange fee. I had to HUCA tho because the 1st rep would not do it.

 

[Talent312]

This discussion exemplifies the theory behind buying where you want to go.
I will never enroll my one independent TS in RCI becuz we use it every year, as is.

.

 

[rickandcindy23]

What Hilton did was say, "If you don't let us charge $25 per day fee, RCI, we will go to II." That is what happened. So Hilton gets by with these outrageous fees. Well, be sure you don't book Hilton and let RCI know how you feel about the fees.

I have so many choices, I don't need RCI. I really need to deposit my oddball weeks into alternate exchange companies that II doesn't serve. HTSE is pretty good. I have so many TPU's, you wouldn't believe it.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

What Hilton did was say, "If you don't let us charge $25 per day fee, RCI, we will go to II." That is what happened.

Do you know this for sure? or are you speculating what happened?

FWIW...It seems that fees have been instituted on Non-HGVC properties for quite some time, Hilton is playing "catch up" on this downward spiral.

Frankly, I wish HGVC would move to II because there are more quality properties in that system, but that will never happen if Marriott buys ILG.

 

[tschwa2]

Do you know this for sure? or are you speculating what happened?

FWIW...It seems that fees have been instituted on Non-HGVC properties for quite some time, Hilton is playing "catch up" on this downward spiral.

Frankly, I wish HGVC would move to II because there are more quality properties in that system, but that will never happen if Marriott buys ILG.

Resorts that charge any resort fees through RCI really are in the minority. If you add in resorts that charge nothing or less than $5 per day (other than AI's) you really are talking 95% of RCI exchange inventory. Diamond (DRI), Disney, Vidanta and the Manhattan Club which along with HGVC and a few other resorts with mandatory resort fees make up less than 5% of RCI exchange inventory and if you only look at US inventory (taking out Vidanta), you are probably looking at less than 2% of RCI US resorts, with resort fees that are more than $5 per day.

Hilton isn't playing catch up.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Disney, Vidanta, Fiesta Americana, Grandview, Four Seasons Villamoura, and the Manhattan Club are properties of higher quality similar to HGVC. Who know's the actual percentage, but the properties I want to stay in tend to have resort fees.

 

[vacationhopeful]

The next time my DW asks me to order a pizza, I'm gonna charge her a fee.

.

Do tell us all how that works out for you ... her personal service's fee would recoup the "pizza fee order & fetch" by at least by 50 fold.

 

[Tamaradarann]

I called RCI today to make sure we wouldn't be charged the $25 per day resort fee for our May stay. We have 3 units for two weeks for the kids and grandkids to join us. I just cannot believe I will never be able to go to a Hilton timeshare through RCI again. I will go through SFX from now on, if Hilton is my only option for any given area.

I assume you mean you won't use your HGVC points to stay at a Hilton timeshare through RCI again; you will go through SFX. While I don't do that I have used my RCI points from a non HGVC resort to stay at a Hilton timeshare through RCI. Going through SFX wouldn't help since I would assume that HGVC would consider that exchange and charge the $25/day resort fee.

 

[hurnik]

I think your quoting came off (LOL).

Anyway, re: SFX
Not necessarily. SFX is the only exchange company (AFAIK) that Vidanta only has the $75 flat fee/unit charge. RCI/II zing you $12/adult/day for Vidanta.

SFX does have a "relationship" with HGVC (you can call and book the Vidanta resorts via SFX directly with HGVC points).

Not saying it won't happen, but I wouldn't be surprised if, at least for now, there's no $25/day fee if using SFX to stay at the HGVC resort.

Although now that gets me thinking to use SFX from now on to get back into HGVC (haha) as I can get the upgrade to a 2 BR. hmmmm.

 

[Miss Marty]

Resort Fees for RCI Exchangers

 

[klpca]

Btw, no resort fee on our Kohala Suites place this week per the GM. Our exchange was made before the new fee went into effect.

 

[JohnPaul]

We really like the Red Wolf Lakeside Lodge (north shore of Lake Tahoe) but when the daily fee went to $20 I decided it was too much on top of the exchange fees. The rooms are very nice but small and the location right on the lake is terrific.

I guess you get some things for your fee. No extra charge for internet. They do a mini clean twice during your stay if i remember correctly. You used to get a daily newspaper but they dropped that.

 

[Anthony Schmid]

I see the Elara in Las Vegas now has a $25 resort fee, not for Hilton Grand Vacation Club owners of course.

 

[Tamaradarann]

HGVC will care if they don't make the money the anticipate making from these fees because if they can't get it from exchangers, they will turn to raising fees for owners. Also anyone who exchanges into HGVC is seen as potential fresh meat to show them the properties and to entice them to buy. Finally if it really effects the number exchanging in (it probably won't) it could lead to a lowering of HGVC rating within RCI and with reviews from exchangers from Trip Advisor who expect to get something for the extra money they are paying beyond what they can get elsewhere without paying.

The reason I think it will only minimally effect the number of those exchanging in, is that although they may not be someone's first, second, or even third choice of places to stay they still are nice and there are always those that don't plan ahead when there is plenty of inventory and may get stuck with only resorts with high resort fees and HGVC may be the nicest of that bunch.

 

[Tamaradarann]

Twenty-five dollars a day which adds up to $175/week is a lot of money for someone who is on a budget and exchanging their timeshare for a stay at another resort. They are accustomed to just paying an exchange fee and then being able to stay for free. The resort fee almost doubles the cost to exchange into a HGVC resort. I usually use my HGVC points at HGVC resorts so that the RCI exchange fee and the resort fee are insignificant.

Furthermore, the effect on occupancy of HGVC timeshares could be a concern in Orlando and Las Vegas where there is a lot of availability of timeshares to exchange into.

 

[Cyberc]

I see the Elara in Las Vegas now has a $25 resort fee, not for Hilton Grand Vacation Club owners of course.

Where do you see that in rci ? I just checked and couldn’t see it.

 

[Anthony Schmid]

Where do you see that in rci ? I just checked and couldn’t see it.

I found that on Hilton.com

 

[Cyberc]

I found that on Hilton.com
View attachment 7170
View attachment 7169

I think that Hilton has always charged a resort fee or at least for the past few years. In this thread people meant that hgvc was charging the resort fee when booking through RCI which hgvc did not do before.

 

[Inhislove]

Does anyone who booked before the fee was added have experience with avoiding the fee?

 

[Panina]

As an owner on occasion I have traded thru RCI using my HGVC points to another HGVC Resort. With this new policy now as a HGVC owner I still would have to pay the $175 in addition to the trade fee. In this scenario they should wave the fee but they won’t, I asked.