Hyatt Transaction Fees Increasing

[GTLINZ]

Do I interpret it correctly, that previously split-week and portfolio fees were collected at the resort, and now will be collected at booking? Either way, I don't think these fees go to the association to offset housekeeping expenses in the maintenance fees for the owners. I think it's just the management company's revenue, same as club fees and other misc fees in the table above.

Housekeeping fees should go to the resort, who pays the people who do the work. I am afraid you are correct that if they are collect the fees up front that this now looks like another corporate money grab. But they don't seem to care.

I believed when i got into timeshare ownership that they had the ability to change the rules and tilt things in their favor. They seem to continue to find ways to degrade my ownership value. A $20 increase would not have gotten my attention in the same way that this has.

When the game no longer benefits me, i will stop playing. Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.

 

[heathpack]

Yep, but Marriott MFs are crazy high in many locations.

Um: Highlands Inn? I believe my MF for a 1BR unit were $2800/year when I jumped ship.

Hyatt Kaanapali?

My Barony + Mountainside weeks are around $1900/week + $250 club fees.

You can obviously compare MF from a resort in an expensive MF area like Maui or Carmel to a less expensive place like Arizona. But Hyatt has crazy high MFs in some locations just like Marriott does.

 

[heathpack]

That's why it's difficult to compare Hyatt and Marriott ownerships without meticulously writing down all aspects of the overall annual transaction. And, of course, the resorts themselves will be different so that would be more of a qualitative rather than quantitative comparison.

But, as to maintenance fees, $2265 sounds like a lot to me for a "2 BR in low season".

I pay $2064 (almost exactly $200 less) for a 2 BR deeded week at Hyatt Windward Pointe, Key West Gold season. Among other weeks, I can get week 49 (my deeded week) and week 50 which are prime Key West weeks. The resort charges (in my opinion, shamelessly charges) $600 plus per night during non-Christmas, non-New Year December weeks. And I, when I rent out my week, have always successfully charged and received a ballpark $400 plus per night and have always rented for all seven nights (Key West being more of a 7 night kinda place to get the full Key West experience).

So forget about for what I can rent it. Just looking at the maintenance fee differential, your $200 more pays for a lot of potential incremental fees, of which I've only paid the tiniest amount of money. I'm not inclined to wheel and deal into partial weeks here and partial weeks there. Maybe I'd pay for one guest certificate per year (apparently now $32) when I don't go myself so a Marriott laundry list of allegedly lower (or zero) fees would be of zero value to me.

Not trying to "prove" anything about what's better and what's worse. It's all subjective. But I suspect Marriott won't charge fees for certain things because they're apparently getting quite hefty maintenance fees....and perhaps most people wouldn't manage their Marriott timeshare in such a way that they'd ever be in a position to be charged a fee anyway.

It’s not about “proving” anything. You started by talking about how “low” the fees are in Hyatt. But as you post more, it’s apparent that your style of usage means that you don’t do the things that would incur fees. So the fees don’t affect you.

Me? My job is such that there’s a decent chance that a reservation I make 12-18 months ahead of time will need to be rebooked- and thereby incur a $50 cancellation fee followed by a $45 reservation fee. Nearly $100 to change a reservation. I just don’t see that as a “low” fee, when it’s 5% of your MF based on $2000/year.

We also rarely need a 2BR unit and only sometimes want a full week. With my “expensive” DVC I have the flexibility to do what we’re doing this year- combine 2 years of points for use in one year, we will stay 19 nights, 3-7 days at a time, in studio and 1BR units, over a 12 month period of time. Which brings the cost per night pretty low. It doesn’t matter to you (because you wouldn’t do this and incur fees) but the cumulative cost of multiple “low” fees is a significant cost to a user like me.

Likewise a Marriott week can be locked off and used for 2 weeks of travel, cutting your MF cost/week in half.

Sure, for some users like you, the fees don’t matter. You avoid the fees by staying only 7 nights for your $2000 MF. For others, who’d prefer to use one MF for more 14+ nights of travel, that is doable at no additional cost in many systems but not in Hyatt. The thing that removes value from the Hyatt system, very quickly for owners who want to book smaller units in shorter spurts are the FEES. Here on TUG there is a spirit of helping people to understand the pros and cons of various timeshare ownerships. So stating the Hyatt fees to be “reasonable” really is something that should be qualified. If you want to always stay in a 2BR unit for 7 days, then it might even be slightly more cost effective to own a Hyatt unit (although the laundry list of fees to me is evidence that they have plenty of ways and likely the intent to find ways to extract more fees from the 2BR 1 week stay folks too). For most other users, the fees are not “low” or “reasonable”- they are the very heart of what makes Hyatt a poor value proposition.

 

[andre10056]

It’s not about “proving” anything. You started by talking about how “low” the fees are in Hyatt. But as you post more, it’s apparent that your style of usage means that you don’t do the things that would incur fees. So the fees don’t affect you.

Me? My job is such that there’s a decent chance that a reservation I make 12-18 months ahead of time will need to be rebooked- and thereby incur a $50 cancellation fee followed by a $45 reservation fee. Nearly $100 to change a reservation. I just don’t see that as a “low” fee, when it’s 5% of your MF based on $2000/year.

We also rarely need a 2BR unit and only sometimes want a full week. With my “expensive” DVC I have the flexibility to do what we’re doing this year- combine 2 years of points for use in one year, we will stay 19 nights, 3-7 days at a time, in studio and 1BR units, over a 12 month period of time. Which brings the cost per night pretty low. It doesn’t matter to you (because you wouldn’t do this and incur fees) but the cumulative cost of multiple “low” fees is a significant cost to a user like me.

Likewise a Marriott week can be locked off and used for 2 weeks of travel, cutting your MF cost/week in half.

Sure, for some users like you, the fees don’t matter. You avoid the fees by staying only 7 nights for your $2000 MF. For others, who’d prefer to use one MF for more 14+ nights of travel, that is doable at no additional cost in many systems but not in Hyatt. The thing that removes value from the Hyatt system, very quickly for owners who want to book smaller units in shorter spurts are the FEES. Here on TUG there is a spirit of helping people to understand the pros and cons of various timeshare ownerships. So stating the Hyatt fees to be “reasonable” really is something that should be qualified. If you want to always stay in a 2BR unit for 7 days, then it might even be slightly more cost effective to own a Hyatt unit (although the laundry list of fees to me is evidence that they have plenty of ways and likely the intent to find ways to extract more fees from the 2BR 1 week stay folks too). For most other users, the fees are not “low” or “reasonable”- they are the very heart of what makes Hyatt a poor value proposition.

Again, you focus exclusively on add-on fees and seem to disregard the BIG fee: the maintenance fee. Of course, if you're paying two hundred dollars more for maintenance fees, perhaps YOU (given your type of usage) may be a winner...but EVERYONE else (i.e., other Marriott owners) who won't do anything that might have resulted in a theoretical fee still has to pay the same higher maintenance fees. So no surprise that you may not pay fees with everyone else (and actually you as well) subsidizing those "free" fees.

You furthermore conclude that a Hyatt user has limited ability to trade for multiple weeks. As I found out this year after my "first time ever" exchange of my 1880 Hyatt annual points for 1880 Interval International points, I could have traded for perhaps as many as five weeks elsewhere. Studios were often 300 or 350 points. But instead I traded my 2024 week for the following:

-a Disney Animal Kingdom week in August (not the greatest month I know but my whole family is pretty aerobically fit so I thought we could endure the heat and humidity without issues)

-a Marriott Custom House Christmas week that I am giving to a European relative

Those two "cost" me 1850 points so I still have 30 points left.

I figure those two weeks are worth far more than my $2064 maintenance fee. Could the sum of both be worth $7000?

Although, full disclosure: I think I'll exercise my E-Plus on the Disney Animal Kingdom not because of the weather but because, after trying to motivate myself via Youtube videos, I'm simply not too crazy about what I saw. Unit seemed dated, a few animals off in the distance were not that interesting, and the theme parks have never been a draw for me. So it's going back as I get closer to the week as I'd like to E Plus my way to a southern Florida vacation December 2025 thru March 2026.

I should have rented my 2024 Hyatt week as I have done in the past. The excitement of seeing what II could do for me has passed.

 

[heathpack]

Again, you focus exclusively on add-on fees and seem to disregard the BIG fee: the maintenance fee. Of course, if you're paying two hundred dollars more for maintenance fees, perhaps YOU (given your type of usage) may be a winner...but EVERYONE else (i.e., other Marriott owners) who won't do anything that might have resulted in a theoretical fee still has to pay the same higher maintenance fees. So no surprise that you may not pay fees with everyone else (and actually you as well) subsidizing those "free" fees.

You furthermore conclude that a Hyatt user has limited ability to trade for multiple weeks. As I found out this year after my "first time ever" exchange of my 1880 Hyatt annual points for 1880 Interval International points, I could have traded for perhaps as many as five weeks elsewhere. Studios were often 300 or 350 points. But instead I traded my 2024 week for the following:

-a Disney Animal Kingdom week in August (not the greatest month I know but my whole family is pretty aerobically fit so I thought we could endure the heat and humidity without issues)

-a Marriott Custom House Christmas week that I am giving to a European relative

Those two "cost" me 1850 points so I still have 30 points left.

I figure those two weeks are worth far more than my $2064 maintenance fee. Could the sum of both be worth $7000?

Although, full disclosure: I think I'll exercise my E-Plus on the Disney Animal Kingdom not because of the weather but because, after trying to motivate myself via Youtube videos, I'm simply not too crazy about what I saw. Unit seemed dated, a few animals off in the distance were not that interesting, and the theme parks have never been a draw for me. So it's going back as I get closer to the week as I'd like to E Plus my way to a southern Florida vacation December 2025 thru March 2026.

I should have rented my 2024 Hyatt week as I have done in the past. The excitement of seeing what II could do for me has passed.

How much did you pay for those II exchanges to turn your one week of MF into 2 weeks? Two exchange fees $440 + guest certificate for your relative $80+ EPlus $90 (or $190 resort fee if you do go to AK) + your $2064 MF= $2674 for 14 nights, or $190/night.

Marriott enrolled week II exchanges = no fee (for Marriott to Marriott exchanges, which is “the” application for this ownership). So $1900 MF + $250 club fee + $0 II exchanges (into Marriotts)= $2150 for 14 nights, or $155/ night

DVC 250 points. 76 points 5 night stay + 118 pts 6 night stay + 101 points 3 night stay + 114 points 7 night stay= 21 nights for 409 pt= 1.6 years of MF @ $2200/yr= $3600 + $0 fees, $172/night.

You love your Hyatt and that’s great. But the fees kill value. Yes, you can avoid fees if you give up the flexibility of doing anything other than use your owned week and unit size for 7 nights. But as soon as you want a shorter stay, a smaller unit, or an II exchange- the Hyatt value evaporates!

 

[andre10056]

How much did you pay for those II exchanges to turn your one week of MF into 2 weeks? Two exchange fees $440 + guest certificate for your relative $80+ EPlus $90 (or $190 resort fee if you do go to AK) + your $2064 MF= $2674 for 14 nights, or $190/night.

Marriott enrolled week II exchanges = no fee (for Marriott to Marriott exchanges, which is “the” application for this ownership). So $1900 MF + $250 club fee + $0 II exchanges (into Marriotts)= $2150 for 14 nights, or $155/ night

DVC 250 points. 76 points 5 night stay + 118 pts 6 night stay + 101 points 3 night stay + 114 points 7 night stay= 21 nights for 409 pt= 1.6 years of MF @ $2200/yr= $3600 + $0 fees, $172/night.

You love your Hyatt and that’s great. But the fees kill value. Yes, you can avoid fees if you give up the flexibility of doing anything other than use your owned week and unit size for 7 nights. But as soon as you want a shorter stay, a smaller unit, or an II exchange- the Hyatt value evaporates!

Somehow I don't see that my one Hyatt week traded for a DVC Animal Kingdom plus a Marriott Custom House exemplifies that "my Hyatt value evaporates".

So let me see if I understand this. You bought your Marriott resale and it was automatically "enrolled" so that you don't even have to pay the $190 II fee for a DVC exchange (which I foolishly already paid so I hope I get it back if I E-plus out of it).

And there's furthermore no II fees for any Marriott to Marriott exchanges (again, because all Marriotts are automatically "enrolled").

And might I also conclude that you see what I see when I'm in II: the exact value that must be "paid" for any exchange opportunity. Because I find that to be the most valuable aspect of Hyatt ownership with regard to II. How can you be blind to the "value" of any exchange and have it always be a one to one exchange as is the case with my non-Hyatt II account?

If all of the above is true, your Marriott is good value, despite higher maintenance fees.

 

[heathpack]

Somehow I don't see that my one Hyatt week traded for a DVC Animal Kingdom plus a Marriott Custom House exemplifies that "my Hyatt value evaporates".

So let me see if I understand this. You bought your Marriott resale and it was automatically "enrolled" so that you don't even have to pay the $190 II fee for a DVC exchange (which I foolishly already paid so I hope I get it back if I E-plus out of it).

And there's furthermore no II fees for any Marriott to Marriott exchanges (again, because all Marriotts are automatically "enrolled").

And might I also conclude that you see what I see when I'm in II: the exact value that must be "paid" for any exchange opportunity. Because I find that to be the most valuable aspect of Hyatt ownership with regard to II. How can you be blind to the "value" of any exchange and have it always be a one to one exchange as is the case with my non-Hyatt II account?

If all of the above is true, your Marriott is good value, despite higher maintenance fees.

For an enrolled Marriot week, exchanges into other Marriott units aren’t charged an exchange fee. Lock my Mountainside week off, deposit in II and book 2 Marriott weeks, no fees.

You were charged an exchange fee of $220 for each of your interval exchanges. The $190 fee I mentioned is on top of the $220 exchange fee you already paid, and it’s payable upon check in to your DVC exchange. You do not get the $220 exchange fee back when you buy EPlus, you pay yet-another fee.

I don’t understand what you’re saying: that I’m blind to the “value” of any exchange. I’m not blind to the value of my exchanges. I know the value of my exchange- I knew it when I owned in Hyatt, I know it for Marriott and for DVC. I know what it costs me to obtain that exchange- the fees I paid in the form of MF and other fees I may (or may not) be charged. I know what it would cost me to obtain that reservation by means other than exchanging- renting from another timeshare owner, booking direct with the lodging company, booking using a timeshare I own (when relevant).

I have no great commitment to the timeshare model as a form of travel. If it would be more cost effective to travel in non-timeshare mode while retaining the timeshare positives, I’ll move out of timesharing. We own less timeshares than we used to, and stay in AirBnbs quite a bit- so we’ve already changed our travel habits as the value proposition of timesharing has changed.

S

 

[GTLINZ]

Do I interpret it correctly, that previously split-week and portfolio fees were collected at the resort, and now will be collected at booking? Either way, I don't think these fees go to the association to offset housekeeping expenses in the maintenance fees for the owners. I think it's just the management company's revenue, same as club fees and other misc fees in the table above.

If this is true, then the cleaning fee is another fee lost with a cancellation. This likely doubles or more what you lose.

HRC inventory resv - 43 + 53 + 80 = $176 total lost
HPP inventory resv - 43 + 53 + 125 = $221 total lost
add $32 to both if you were sending family. So $253 lost sounds like the worst case.

 

[GTLINZ]

Do you have to pay the split-week fee for each half of the stay? So it is really paid twice when you use your full week?

There is only one stay. Split week basically means you booked part of a legacy week - 3 night weekend, 4 night weekday or 2 night weekday. Cleaning comes free with a full week, so this charge is because the room has to be cleaned again.

HPP inventory is a bit different, a higher cleaning fee, but is because you stayed less than 7 days.

 

[GTLINZ]

UPDATE

I wanted to see the owner website would try and charge for cleaning up front - but the website is basically unusable. The interface to the payment system did not come up trying to add a GC - I hoped to see if they wanted the cleaning fee. But it did not seem to be asking for the cleaning fee up front - just the new $32 fee. Then i tried a new reservation but it just spun.

So I tried calling and got thru after about 20 minutes. The rep said that the split week and portfolio cleaning fees will STILL be paid at the resort. That really makes a lot more sense, and hopefully she is correct.

 

[heathpack]

UPDATE

I wanted to see the owner website would try and charge for cleaning up front - but the website is basically unusable. The interface to the payment system did not come up trying to add a GC - I hoped to see if they wanted the cleaning fee. But it did not seem to be asking for the cleaning fee up front - just the new $32 fee. Then i tried a new reservation but it just spun.

So I tried calling and got thru after about 20 minutes. The rep said that the split week and portfolio cleaning fees will STILL be paid at the resort. That really makes a lot more sense, and hopefully she is correct.

I saw a screenshot of the new website that was shared on FB today. It clearly said that the $125 housekeeping fee was to be paid at check in.

 

[GTLINZ]

They caused a lot of confusion by saying "paid at the resort" by the old fees but not by the new fees.

 

[shoeslover05]

Some of these are not trivial fees. Our Four Seasons Aviara also raised fees for splitting the lock-off, credit card transactions and probably some others. And of course, II has raised these kinds of fees as well.

Are you aware if this location charges a resort fee for Platinum point owners?