Housekeeping fee of $95 at Wyndham La Cascada (San Antonio, Texas) via RCI exchange

[Janann]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I received an e-mail this week which said there would be a housekeeping fee of $95 for our upcoming stay in July 2021. We exchanged into the resort months ago via RCI.

I've read a few posts recently which stated that Wyndham has had some housekeeping "challenges" lately, so this might be their attempt at helping to resolve the problem.

 

[tschwa2]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I received an e-mail this week which said there would be a housekeeping fee of $95 for our upcoming stay in July 2020. We exchanged into the resort months ago via RCI.

I've read a few posts recently which stated that Wyndham has had some housekeeping "challenges" lately, so this might be their attempt at helping to resolve the problem.

Is it for a full 7 days and do you remember if you booked into weeks inventory $249 exchange fee or points inventory $209 exchange fee.

 

[amycurl]

That's absolutely ridiculous, to charge you *after* confirming the exchange. I mean, the charge is ridiculous regardless (HOAs pay for housekeeping, at my resort, at your resort....this is how exchanging works,) but more ridiculous to charge you AFTER THE FACT.

 

[Janann]

It is a 7 night stay on RCI points.

 

[Janann]

That's absolutely ridiculous, to charge you *after* confirming the exchange. I mean, the charge is ridiculous regardless (HOAs pay for housekeeping, at my resort, at your resort....this is how exchanging works,) but more ridiculous to charge you AFTER THE FACT.

Agreed. It was booked in November 2020.

 

[tschwa2]

Agreed. It was booked in November 2020.

Go back to the email with the original confirmation. I just looked at one that I have for a Wyndham stay in July 2021 booked last December. I compared the one I received with the one there now. The only difference is the old one said $75 and the new one say $95.

Wyndham has had that wording on for points reservations for more than a year. They don't specify that it is only for under 7 days. I know I've seen it many times but generally dismissed it as not applicable for full week stays even though it doesn't say that.

The may apply always seemed very wishy washy but now seems like they might enforce it. I have both points and weeks and am glad I happened to book my 2 RCI wyndham weeks with my rci weeks account.

from my original email

Housekeeping Fee
"Housekeeping fee for all RCI points reservations: There may be a fee of 75.00 U.S. dollars for all units, per stay. Cash or Credit is accepted."

In the current fees/ urgent info

Housekeeping Fees:
"Housekeeping fee for all RCI points reservations: There may be a fee of 95.00 U.S. dollars for all units, per stay. Cash or Credit is accepted."

If your original email says $75 you might want to print that out and try to save the $20

 

[tschwa2]

I remember back in November when they made the change that Wyndham owners depositing in RCI no longer have to deposit HK credits that they were probably going to try to shift that fee to RCI exchangers especially because they had the wording to do so already in the rci urgent info.

 

[Janann]

Go back to the email with the original confirmation. I just looked at one that I have for a Wyndham stay in July 2021 booked last December. I compared the one I received with the one there now. The only difference is the old one said $75 and the new one say $95.

Good catch. The e-mail from November 2020 says $75. In the past eight or so stays at this resort we have never paid a housekeeping fee. However, this is the first time that we have stayed midweek to midweek, so we were probably on RCI Weeks units in the past.

 

[Sandy VDH]

That is the agreement between RCI and Wyndham, (same parent company for both). You don't pay that with Wyndham reservations. However it was disclosed for your RVU confirmation. Only thing you could argue is $75 vs $95. Unless in small print it says fee may be subject to change. COVID-19 has had huge impacts on room cleaning.

 

[55plus]

They service industry, along with food service and other industries are having a hard time getting employees back to work because they can make more money staying unemployed.

 

[troy12n]

They service industry, along with food service and other industries are having a hard time getting employees back to work because they can make more money staying unemployed.

Oh here we go again... can we leave the right wing talking points at the door?

 

[tschwa2]

The OP booked a midweek to midweek stay. We still don't know if someone books a Fri-Fri or Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun reservation into rci points inventory if the fee would have been charged. I suspect the answer is yes but until someone reports it we don't know for sure. They have had that "may be charged" for the last 3 years and this is the first time someone has reported that they are being charged.

 

[Richelle]

Was it not listed on the resort page under the fees tab when you booked? I believe it's under "urgent info" now.

 

[tschwa2]

Was it not listed on the resort page under the fees tab when you booked? I believe it's under "urgent info" now.

It is very generic language about "may be charged" and that has appeared for more than 2 years under that tab and the answer always was that you weren't charged if you booked 7 days.

 

[Richelle]

It is very generic language about "may be charged" and that has appeared for more than 2 years under that tab and the answer always was that you weren't charged if you booked 7 days.

Was that always the answer for that resort or other resorts?

 

[tschwa2]

Was that always the answer for that resort or other resorts?

Not all resorts have that language but many do. All Wyndham resorts have had that language for the last at least year and a half if not two. Last year all Wyndham said ''may be charged" and the fee was listed at $75. It did go up to $95 this year. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't take away the points reservation part and start charging or at least saying that they "may" charge anyone staying on an rci reservation (including extra vacations) now that they don't require hk to be deposited by wyndham owners.

 

[Richelle]

Not all resorts have that language but many do. All Wyndham resorts have had that language for the last at least year and a half if not two. Last year all Wyndham said ''may be charged" and the fee was listed at $75. It did go up to $95 this year. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't take away the points reservation part and start charging or at least saying that they "may" charge anyone staying on an rci reservation (including extra vacations) now that they don't require hk to be deposited by wyndham owners.

I figured they would start charging housekeeping at more resorts. At least the Wyndham resorts where owners use a HK credit or pay a fee for cleaning. Other resorts may charge for unit cleaning in the maintenance fee, but that's budgeted for a full week stay. If two separate people use the room in a week, that's twice the normal cleaning.