Poopdeck90210
newbie
Received Today (4/15/2021): Dear Member,
The Club Reginas in Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Los Cabos have enjoyed a reciprocal arrangement with the Westin Hotels for years whereby our guests and their guests have access to the various facilities at each property. This reciprocal arrangement, however, required Raintree to pay an Access Fee to the Westin properties while allowing Westin guests access to our various facilities at no cost. The amount of the Access Fee prior to attempting to renegotiate the fee was projected to be $472,404 in 2021. There was not a clear history of how the charges for such access came about, but we believe that this Westin Access Fee was based on the number of keys (individual lodging accommodations) at our resorts and not on the number of Members using the Westin facilities. Raintree has attempted, without success, to negotiate a more reasonable Access Fee for the use of the Westin facilities based on the number of Members that we believe use those facilities. The final proposal presented by the management company for the three Westin resorts would have had Raintree paying approximately thirty percent (30%) of the actual costs of their gym, pool, and spa areas or more than $300,000 per year. Our view is that this fee proposal is not reasonable when considering the actual Raintree Member usage of the Westin facilities. As a result, Raintree will terminate this agreement effective June 1, 2021.
We believe that the $300,000 per year Access Fee can be spent better by providing additional amenities at the three Club Reginas. We are excited to announce that plans are already underway to construct new onsite fitness centers at each of the three Club Reginas. Our goal at the three Club Reginas is to provide the same or similar fitness equipment options you have had at the Westin. We are also studying possibilities to expand our onsite spa services and establishing collaborative relationships with local tennis facilities. We will keep you updated regarding the progress as we move forward. We trust that you will find having a fitness center onsite and using the funding previously paid to Westin will be a better long-term benefit to RVC Members.
Upon termination of the amenities agreement on June 1st, the Westin Resorts properties and the Club Reginas will operate separately except for matters of mutual concern. To that end, the Westin Resorts will take steps, as of that date, to limit access by RVC Members. This could involve constructing barriers as well as the Westin staff monitoring entry ways which will eliminate access to the amenities that were previously provided for under the Access Fee arrangement. We experienced this some years ago at Club Regina Puerto Vallarta with the pool areas. We hope to maintain a hospitable and a good relationship with our Westin neighbors and continue to cooperate in matters of mutual concern. In the meantime, we will continue to work to enhance your experience at the three Club Reginas. Thank you for being Members of Raintree Vacation Club.
Sincerely,
Raintree Vacation Club
My Response to Member Services: Dear Raintree Vacation Club,
This is terrible news. I think it's awful that your company is so inept at negotiating with the Westin. Even worse is the level of transparency you are providing to us members about your "plans" to build your own healthclub facilities. At this juncture, I think RVC could go a long way to rebuilding trust among members by taking the original figure of $472,404 (NOT the $300,000 you negotiated that down to with Westin) and divided that amount up among all active RVC members in some fair and equitable manner and show it as a LINE ITEM CREDIT on our Maintenance Fee bills every* year going forward. If you still want to proceed with your plans to build your own healtclub/spa facilities - you need A LOT MORE input from the RVC members and A LOT MORE visibility about what you are going to be doing (Who, What, Where, When, How, Why, etc).
Thanks!
The Club Reginas in Puerto Vallarta, Cancun and Los Cabos have enjoyed a reciprocal arrangement with the Westin Hotels for years whereby our guests and their guests have access to the various facilities at each property. This reciprocal arrangement, however, required Raintree to pay an Access Fee to the Westin properties while allowing Westin guests access to our various facilities at no cost. The amount of the Access Fee prior to attempting to renegotiate the fee was projected to be $472,404 in 2021. There was not a clear history of how the charges for such access came about, but we believe that this Westin Access Fee was based on the number of keys (individual lodging accommodations) at our resorts and not on the number of Members using the Westin facilities. Raintree has attempted, without success, to negotiate a more reasonable Access Fee for the use of the Westin facilities based on the number of Members that we believe use those facilities. The final proposal presented by the management company for the three Westin resorts would have had Raintree paying approximately thirty percent (30%) of the actual costs of their gym, pool, and spa areas or more than $300,000 per year. Our view is that this fee proposal is not reasonable when considering the actual Raintree Member usage of the Westin facilities. As a result, Raintree will terminate this agreement effective June 1, 2021.
We believe that the $300,000 per year Access Fee can be spent better by providing additional amenities at the three Club Reginas. We are excited to announce that plans are already underway to construct new onsite fitness centers at each of the three Club Reginas. Our goal at the three Club Reginas is to provide the same or similar fitness equipment options you have had at the Westin. We are also studying possibilities to expand our onsite spa services and establishing collaborative relationships with local tennis facilities. We will keep you updated regarding the progress as we move forward. We trust that you will find having a fitness center onsite and using the funding previously paid to Westin will be a better long-term benefit to RVC Members.
Upon termination of the amenities agreement on June 1st, the Westin Resorts properties and the Club Reginas will operate separately except for matters of mutual concern. To that end, the Westin Resorts will take steps, as of that date, to limit access by RVC Members. This could involve constructing barriers as well as the Westin staff monitoring entry ways which will eliminate access to the amenities that were previously provided for under the Access Fee arrangement. We experienced this some years ago at Club Regina Puerto Vallarta with the pool areas. We hope to maintain a hospitable and a good relationship with our Westin neighbors and continue to cooperate in matters of mutual concern. In the meantime, we will continue to work to enhance your experience at the three Club Reginas. Thank you for being Members of Raintree Vacation Club.
Sincerely,
Raintree Vacation Club
My Response to Member Services: Dear Raintree Vacation Club,
This is terrible news. I think it's awful that your company is so inept at negotiating with the Westin. Even worse is the level of transparency you are providing to us members about your "plans" to build your own healthclub facilities. At this juncture, I think RVC could go a long way to rebuilding trust among members by taking the original figure of $472,404 (NOT the $300,000 you negotiated that down to with Westin) and divided that amount up among all active RVC members in some fair and equitable manner and show it as a LINE ITEM CREDIT on our Maintenance Fee bills every* year going forward. If you still want to proceed with your plans to build your own healtclub/spa facilities - you need A LOT MORE input from the RVC members and A LOT MORE visibility about what you are going to be doing (Who, What, Where, When, How, Why, etc).
Thanks!
