HUGE housekeeping fees listed on RCI now? [merged]

[Margariet]

Ever since we've been timesharing there have been resorts, hotels and apartments where we had to pay all sorts of fees: taxes, parking fees, internet fees, exchange fees, resort fees, energy fees, airconditioning fees, service fees, etc etc. Luckily not in every place but often enough. Sometimes a small fee, sometimes a huge fee and often an incomprehensible fee. Mostly in the USA, especially in Hawaii. Indeed there are more resorts in the USA charging now additional fees in the new RCI. At the same time the housekeeping is becoming less and less. Decades ago, it would have been unthinkable not receiving any housekeeping during a week stay. Now it seems quite normal, like in the Wyndham/WorldMark resorts where no housekeeping is offered anymore. My guess is that especially in the USA the timeshare resorts are trying not to increase the MF too much so they are cutting back on every housekeeping service and charging every exchange guest. Only recently we had to pay exchange fees in WorldMark Indio where we stayed on RCI exchange. Never had we experienced that before. And no housekeeping service.

 

[Carolinian]

Parking charges are not terribly unusual, although charging for parking in Las Vegas seems a bit strange. However, better they disclose it and you know up front.

As for the housekeeping, that usually refers to a less than a full week stay using points, not an exchange for a full week on the weeks side. I have again seen that at lots of resorts. I don't use points so it never impacts my vacation. Maybe take another look at the fine print.

Parking charges are extremely unusual outside of urban areas.

 

[Mel]

I got an email from RCI last week regarding a multiweek reservation I have at Ft Lauderdale Beach Resort in Dec. I own 2 weeks in Points and 1 for weeks there, but these are exchanges and Points other than my home weeks. My Points reservation supposedly has a $61 housekeeping fee. I called the resort and they said the fee is only for Points reservations less than 7 days, but the booking they got from RCI is for 6 days in one unit and 1 day in another. I also have the following week reserved as an exchange

I knew this would eventually happen to someone with RCI points. If the resort uses fixed units, and only a small number are in points, it could be an even bigger problem. Member A joins point with week 1 with a Saturday check-in, Member B joins with week 2 in a different unit, with a Friday check-in. When you go to reserve your 7 day stay during week 1, with a Sunday check-in, RCI can accomodate you, but only by giving you 6 days in Member A's unit, and your last day in Member B's unit. The resort may be able to reassign the units, but over time that may create other problems. I thought the point of the fees to convert to points was to compensate the resorts for needing to juggle units this way, and part of that compensation should cover the cost of the occasional housekeeping because of issues like this. It's bad enough if you have to move, but to have to pay for the privilege is beyond me.

 

[2chuck]

RCI won't commit on fees

I just booked a points reservation for 7 days and in my confirmation email it states .....
Housekeeping Fees
For all RCI points reservations: 49 U.S. dollars for Studio, per stay.
For all RCI points reservations: 61 U.S. dollars for 1 Bedroom units, per stay.
For all RCI points reservations: 71 U.S. dollars for 2 Bedroom units, per stay.
Resort Fees
Equipment Rental fee is 10.60 per day U.S. dollars.
The Resort still says they only charge housekeeping for Points bookings less than a week. The RCI language above says ALL, that's not correct. RCI has a powerful computer system, they can accurately report what fees apply to a particular booking if they want to.

I called RCI and the Guide said they don't have anything to do with fee, they just report what the Resort sends. I understand that, but they have the clout to require that no fees be charged for 7 day bookings if the Resort wants to remain with Points. My point to him to pass along to Mgt is that RCI better do something to corral this, or people like me will be leaving RCI Points regardless of who is responsible for the nuisance fees. I've noticed lately that I can get one week rentals at just about anywhere I want to stay for less than the maintenance fee. It's getting to the point where RCI Points membership is no longer necessary for me.