Hyatt Transaction Fees Increasing

[echino]

Just got an email:

 

[zentraveler]

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.

 

[travelhacker]

I have been expecting fees to increase for a while now, and this is much better than I thought (with the exception of the mid-week stay and for portfolio reservations). However, given that housekeeping needs to do a full cleaning after a mid-week stay it provides decent value (I always thought $39 was low, but it does hurt for it to double).

 

[Sapper]

I just received this email. The only thing that surprised me was the more than doubling of the split week fee.

Another change, not in the email, I made a request list booking and instead of adding my credit card info when making the request, it said that the fee will be collected at the property. We shall see what happens.

 

[dioxide45]

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?

 

[Mongoose]

I

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?

I think you get at least 1 hskp credit so if you have a week and split it 4/3, you only pay once.

 

[Mongoose]

Just got an email:

[ATTAC

Looks like this takes effect between 6/10 and 6/12z

 

[GTLINZ]

The new fees look fine except for housekeeping for split weeks and portfolio. I understand it needing to increase (like everything else), but to double the fees seems excessive. I was never sure why portfolio reservations were higher anyway.

 

[andre10056]

Virtually all of those fees are rock bottom low even after the $2 or so increases. Wow!

And the split week fee. Is that just because of your having the audacity to split the week thereby requiring them to do the near impossible of having to input a few keystrokes? Or is that a midweek housekeeping fee? If that's a midweek housekeeping fee, ohmigod! It was $39 and is now being increased to $80? I've paid $250 to a resort for a midweek cleaning. Who else does a midweek cleaning for only $80? No one that I know.

 

[boraxo]

The split week hike is absurd. This is typically the only way I can use my points as I don’t take a full week vacation at these resorts. Yes labor costs have increased but not by 100%.

The whole fee increase is just the first shot from Hyatt aka Vistana to squeeze more profit. They are not having success converting fixed weeks owners to worthless points so expect more nickel and diming and annual fee increases

 

[echino]

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.

 

[heathpack]

Virtually all of those fees are rock bottom low even after the $2 or so increases. Wow!

And the split week fee. Is that just because of your having the audacity to split the week thereby requiring them to do the near impossible of having to input a few keystrokes? Or is that a midweek housekeeping fee? If that's a midweek housekeeping fee, ohmigod! It was $39 and is now being increased to $80? I've paid $250 to a resort for a midweek cleaning. Who else does a midweek cleaning for only $80? No one that I know.

Are you kidding me? “Low”?

You pay a Club fee annually, comparable to say an enrolled Marriott week.

Then you do the equivalent of locking off your week, and you make your first reservation. Free, just as it would be for a Marriott week.

You reserve another week with the other half of your unit. $43. Vs Marriott free.

Something comes up and you need to change your reservation. $53 to cancel. Vs Marriott free

Then you decide to use some of your points for a 3 night stay in another “Heritage” property $43 + $80, and a 4 night stay in a “Portfolio” property $43 + $125. Vs Marriott free + free and free + free.

Then in the end you let your cousin use the 3 night stay $32. Vs Marriott free.

Fees for use of your week: $43 + $53 + $43 + $80 + $43 + $125 +32= $419
Vs Marriott free

 

[andre10056]

Are you kidding me? “Low”?

You pay a Club fee annually, comparable to say an enrolled Marriott week.

Then you do the equivalent of locking off your week, and you make your first reservation. Free, just as it would be for a Marriott week.

You reserve another week with the other half of your unit. $43. Vs Marriott free.

Something comes up and you need to change your reservation. $53 to cancel. Vs Marriott free

Then you decide to use some of your points for a 3 night stay in another “Heritage” property $43 + $80, and a 4 night stay in a “Portfolio” property $43 + $125. Vs Marriott free + free and free + free.

Then in the end you let your cousin use the 3 night stay $32. Vs Marriott free.

Fees for use of your week: $43 + $53 + $43 + $80 + $43 + $125= $387
Vs Marriott free

So Marriott charges nothing no matter what changes are made. That's great. Midweek cleaning free. Cancellation free (although how many days before your check-in date are you allowed free cancellation)? Guest certificates free. All of the above are extremely rare policies compared to other resorts and resort families.

But I'm not sure you'd incur BOTH a $43 + $80 AND a $43 + $125. Isn't that an either/or?

But, still, Marriott appears to be particularly generous about not charging fees while other resorts rip your face off. I was serious about being charged $250 for a midweek cleaning. THAT was indeed outrageous.

 

[heathpack]

So Marriott charges nothing no matter what changes are made. That's great. Midweek cleaning free. Cancellation free (although how many days before your check-in date are you allowed free cancellation)? Guest certificates free. All of the above are extremely rare policies compared to other resorts and resort families.

But I'm not sure you'd incur BOTH a $43 + $80 AND a $43 + $125. Isn't that an either/or?

But, still, Marriott appears to be particularly generous about not charging fees while other resorts rip your face off. I was serious about being charged $250 for a midweek cleaning. THAT was indeed outrageous.

Nope. If you use your points to book two reservations, yes you would pay two reservations plus one split week fee per reservation.

Let’s do it with DVC.
You pay MF, no club dues.
You have 300 points, enough for a 2BR unit for a week.
You book a 2BR unit for a week. No fee.
You cancel the 2BR unit and get your 300 points back. No fee.
You use 200 points to book a 1BR for a week: no fee. And then you use 100 points to book a studio for a week: no fee.
You cancel the studio week and get your 100 points back: no fee.
You use 30 points to book 2 nights in a studio: no fee to book, no fee for a split week.
You use your remaining 70 points to book 5 nights in a studio: no fee to book, no fee for a split week.
You let your cousin use the 2 night reservation: no fee.
DVC throws a big party one of the parks after hours and invites you to attend for the grand total price of: no fee

 

[andre10056]

Are you kidding me? “Low”?

You pay a Club fee annually, comparable to say an enrolled Marriott week.

Then you do the equivalent of locking off your week, and you make your first reservation. Free, just as it would be for a Marriott week.

You reserve another week with the other half of your unit. $43. Vs Marriott free.

Something comes up and you need to change your reservation. $53 to cancel. Vs Marriott free

Then you decide to use some of your points for a 3 night stay in another “Heritage” property $43 + $80, and a 4 night stay in a “Portfolio” property $43 + $125. Vs Marriott free + free and free + free.

Then in the end you let your cousin use the 3 night stay $32. Vs Marriott free.

Fees for use of your week: $43 + $53 + $43 + $80 + $43 + $125= $387
Vs Marriott free

Nope. If you use your points to book two reservations, yes you would pay two reservations plus one split week fee per reservation.

Let’s do it with DVC.
You pay MF, no club dues.
You have 300 points, enough for a 2BR unit for a week.
You book a 2BR unit for a week. No fee.
You cancel the 2BR unit and get your 300 points back. No fee.
You use 200 points to book a 1BR for a week: no fee. And then you use 100 points to book a studio for a week: no fee.
You cancel the studio week and get your 100 points back: no fee.
You use 30 points to book 2 nights in a studio: no fee to book, no fee for a split week.
You use your remaining 70 points to book 5 nights in a studio: no fee to book, no fee for a split week.
You let your cousin use the 2 night reservation: no fee.
DVC throws a big party one of the parks after hours and invites you to attend for the grand total price of: no fee

And you get all those privileges as a resale purchaser?

 

[heathpack]

And you get all those privileges as a resale purchaser?

Yes I do.

 

[andre10056]

And the maintenance fee for your 2 BR is reasonable? Nothing crazy?

 

[heathpack]

And the maintenance fee for your 2 BR is reasonable? Nothing crazy?

I own 250 points spread across 4 resorts. Roughly equal to a 2BR in low season but I can book whatever season I want. MF are per points and different for each resort. My total MF for 250 points are $2265ish per year.

 

[echino]

If you are comparing to Marriott: with Hyatt, you pay club dues for every week you own vs just one club fee per account with Marriott and others.

Also, Hyatt is rolling out charging resort fees and parking charges at an increasing number of resorts, depending on circumstances. Marriott does not charge resort fees or parking.

Add a recent devaluation of Hyatt points in Interval, and you go from one of the best timeshare systems to one of the worst.

 

[heathpack]

If you are comparing to Marriott: with Hyatt, you pay club dues for every week you own vs just one club fee per account with Marriott and others.

Also, Hyatt is rolling out charging resort fees and parking charges at an increasing number of resorts, depending on circumstances. Marriott does not charge resort fees or parking.

Add a recent devaluation of Hyatt points in Interval, and you go from one of the best timeshare systems to one of the worst.

I completely agree. Which is why I’m no longer a Hyatt owner!

 

[hcarman]

Are you kidding me? “Low”?

You pay a Club fee annually, comparable to say an enrolled Marriott week.

Then you do the equivalent of locking off your week, and you make your first reservation. Free, just as it would be for a Marriott week.

You reserve another week with the other half of your unit. $43. Vs Marriott free.

Something comes up and you need to change your reservation. $53 to cancel. Vs Marriott free

Then you decide to use some of your points for a 3 night stay in another “Heritage” property $43 + $80, and a 4 night stay in a “Portfolio” property $43 + $125. Vs Marriott free + free and free + free.

Then in the end you let your cousin use the 3 night stay $32. Vs Marriott free.

Fees for use of your week: $43 + $53 + $43 + $80 + $43 + $125 +32= $419
Vs Marriott free

I agree totally. We own Marriott and Hyatt. They are night and day when it comes to fees. I can convert my Marriott week into 7 different nights, if I wanted, and pay nothing. With Hyatt, there have been times when I almost wonder whether I lost money when I had to pay a split week fee at two properties and then went into a studio. Other things like having to pay for guest certificates, having to pay next year’s maintenance fees to convert our legacy into Portfolio, etc. - makes the program very expensive for us. And that doesn’t include our very expensive maintenance fees. My hubby is ready to offload it even though he loves his Carmel time.

 

[hcarman]

If you are comparing to Marriott: with Hyatt, you pay club dues for every week you own vs just one club fee per account with Marriott and others.

Also, Hyatt is rolling out charging resort fees and parking charges at an increasing number of resorts, depending on circumstances. Marriott does not charge resort fees or parking.

Add a recent devaluation of Hyatt points in Interval, and you go from one of the best timeshare systems to one of the worst.

We were surprised to hear Marriott Vacation Clubs are starting to charge for parking - luckily not for owners but for those that rent the room through Marriott. Their reason - industry standard. Certainly hope Hyatt isn’t planning on charging owners.

 

[echino]

We were surprised to hear Marriott Vacation Clubs are starting to charge for parking - luckily not for owners but for those that rent the room through Marriott. Their reason - industry standard. Certainly hope Hyatt isn’t planning on charging owners.

Hyatt started charging for parking, at some resorts, but it's expanding. Like everyone paying for parking plus resort fees if booked via Hyatt at Aspen, or when a guest certificate was used at Mountain Lodge. The most recent addition is charging for parking + a separate resort fee in Maui, if a guest certificate was purchased. It is spreading.

 

[andre10056]

I own 250 points spread across 4 resorts. Roughly equal to a 2BR in low season but I can book whatever season I want. MF are per points and different for each resort. My total MF for 250 points are $2265ish per year.

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.

 

[Mongoose]

Are you kidding me? “Low”?

You pay a Club fee annually, comparable to say an enrolled Marriott week.

Then you do the equivalent of locking off your week, and you make your first reservation. Free, just as it would be for a Marriott week.

You reserve another week with the other half of your unit. $43. Vs Marriott free.

Something comes up and you need to change your reservation. $53 to cancel. Vs Marriott free

Then you decide to use some of your points for a 3 night stay in another “Heritage” property $43 + $80, and a 4 night stay in a “Portfolio” property $43 + $125. Vs Marriott free + free and free + free.

Then in the end you let your cousin use the 3 night stay $32. Vs Marriott free.

Fees for use of your week: $43 + $53 + $43 + $80 + $43 + $125 +32= $419
Vs Marriott free

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