SVR Fees

[Cornell]

So my daughter just checked into SVR. Effective 7/1 they are now charging for housekeeping.

$75/$130 for a full clean (prices are 1 BR / 2 BR)
$20/$40 for a tidy clean
$10/$20 trash and towel refresh
$10/$20 for a bed linen change

And you have to schedule a bed linen change 24 hours in advance.

I just can't.

 

[DeniseM]

They've always charged for housekeeping - only the mid-week tidy is included for free.

 

[Cornell]

They've always charged for housekeeping - only the mid-week tidy is included for free.

That's my point - they are now charging for a mid week.

I've never been charged for requesting new towels.

 

[DeniseM]

So, there is no longer a mid-week tidy that's included automatically?

 

[Cornell]

There is signage which has these fees posted effective 7/1. She was told that all housekeeping is now fee-based.

 

[dioxide45]

We never take advantage of mid-week, so I have never noticed getting it. I know they've knocked on our door asking if they wanted our trash to be taken out.

This seems to fall in line with how Marriott Vacation Club resorts have long handled housekeeping. Though different MVC resorts have handled towel and linen exchange differently. The unit has a washer and dryer so we always wash our own towels. No need to get them exchanged.

 

[Hindsite]

Sounds like they've been experiencing the problem that got surfaced at HHI with owners booking a 2nd unit and then having a "rotating door" of guests through the week, requiring a change over for each new group and towel refreshes for 12 in a unit with max occupancy of 8.
Somewhere there is a balance for reasonable use that needs to be found so the maint fees aren't burdened by this kind of excess.

 

[LeslieDet]

If the VSN ownership is enrolled in the Abound program, there are no fees associated with the cleaning.

 

[dioxide45]

If the VSN ownership is enrolled in the Abound program, there are no fees associated with the cleaning.

The housekeeping fees being referenced in this thread are different. These are if you want special mid week cleanings (though tidy isn't special). The previous VSN housekeeping fees were to help cover regular checkout housekeeping costs of multiple stays using StarOptions.

 

[dioxide45]

Sounds like they've been experiencing the problem that got surfaced at HHI with owners booking a 2nd unit and then having a "rotating door" of guests through the week, requiring a change over for each new group and towel refreshes for 12 in a unit with max occupancy of 8.
Somewhere there is a balance for reasonable use that needs to be found so the maint fees aren't burdened by this kind of excess.

Was this one of the reasons for the pilot in HHI? I though that was just because of people using a lot more supplies than one would reasonably expect. Or asking for 12 rolls of toilet paper on the day of checkout so they had some of that crappy toilet paper to supply their bathroom at home?

 

[DeniseM]

Did your daughter decline "for-pay" services? Please let us know if she gets a mid-week tidy.

 

[dioxide45]

So my daughter just checked into SVR. Effective 7/1 they are now charging for housekeeping.

$75/$130 for a full clean (prices are 1 BR / 2 BR)
$20/$40 for a tidy clean
$10/$20 trash and towel refresh
$10/$20 for a bed linen change

And you have to schedule a bed linen change 24 hours in advance.

I just can't.

These seem to be 100% optional services. So I am not sure what the issue is. One of the first things that usually goes out the window to help save on maintenance fees is a mid week tidy. None of the domestic mainland USA Marriott Vacation Club resorts offer an included mid-week tidy. Perhaps this is something they are starting to forego on the Vistana side to defray costs.

 

[Cornell]

So I am not sure what the issue is

The issue is that a mid-week tidy was previously included as part of your stay. Now there's a fee. Additionally - you could request fresh towels every day and not get charged.

@DeniseM My daughter won't be requesting any services

 

[Hindsite]

Was this one of the reasons for the pilot in HHI? I though that was just because of people using a lot more supplies than one would reasonably expect. Or asking for 12 rolls of toilet paper on the day of checkout so they had some of that crappy toilet paper to supply their bathroom at home?

...that too and probably more, we may never be told what goes on, and just get snippets here and there. There is no end to the ingenuity of those going to excess at the expense of others. They probably think they are pulling one over on MVC/Vistana. Its probably prevalent across all major brands.

 

[Moparman42]

In Hawaii, I was told we could not skip the mid-week tidy (that was included) as it is also a welfare check to make sure all tenants are still alive and well, and nothing illegal is going on. I would think that the free mid-week should still be in place, but these charges are for additional services. Although we don;t know if Hawaii is even doing this, but I DO know that a charge for extra trips for towels and dishwasher soap,etc. has been charged.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We have a mid-week tidy today at Westin Princeville. Has yet to happen, but it will.

 

[ocdb8r]

The housekeeping fees being referenced in this thread are different. These are if you want special mid week cleanings (though tidy isn't special). The previous VSN housekeeping fees were to help cover regular checkout housekeeping costs of multiple stays using StarOptions.

I'm with DeniseM and dioxide45 here - these fees always existed and we were often given a list of them when we checked in. I have not stayed at SVR this year, but at all other Vistana resorts we have stayed at this year we have gotten a free mid-week tidy if staying for at least 7 nights. There is nothing for free if staying less than 7 nights (and as such, you can choose to avail yourself of the options listed). Not enough information in the original post:

1) was this for a stay of at least 7 nights?
2) if so, what she explicitly told no mid-week tidy would be given?
3) we have never "exchanged" towels so I don't know the normal process, but could it be possible the trash and towel refresh option is if you want them to come in and refresh all the towels and take out the trash (rather than just calling for a basic exchange of some)?

 

[bizaro86]

We never take advantage of mid-week, so I have never noticed getting it. I know they've knocked on our door asking if they wanted our trash to be taken out.

This seems to fall in line with how Marriott Vacation Club resorts have long handled housekeeping. Though different MVC resorts have handled towel and linen exchange differently. The unit has a washer and dryer so we always wash our own towels. No need to get them exchanged.

This would be an unfortunate change, imo. Higher housekeeping standards was one of the things I really liked about SVN resorts compared to MVC resorts - hopefully they aren't taking that away.

I wonder if the destination club will be paying this fee every time they split a week into multiple reservations...

 

[daviator]

This would be an unfortunate change, imo. Higher housekeeping standards was one of the things I really liked about SVN resorts compared to MVC resorts - hopefully they aren't taking that away.

I wonder if the destination club will be paying this fee every time they split a week into multiple reservations...

The policy has ALWAYS been that you only get a (free) mid-week tidy on stays of 7 or more nights, and generally a full clean after 7 nights. I believe that applies regardless the type of stay. If you want additional housekeeping on a shorter stay, you have to pay for it. That's not new.

What has changed is that they have gotten a little squirlier (in my experience) on the full clean after 7 nights, they may only do it if you ask them to, and you may have to ask them rather insistently. Personally, after a week I think the unit usually needs cleaning and I will insist that they do it if I'm staying longer.

The other thing that changed, for those who are enrolled in Abound, is that you no longer have to pay housekeeping fees if you make short stays in excess of the number of VOIs you own. So if you stay three nights on one stay and then four nights on another (and you own one week or one bundle of Flex points) you won't have to pay any housekeeping fees, where in the past you'd have had to pay a fee for the second stay.

 

[jackio]

MVC Boston has eliminated their midweek tidy, but now there is daily trash service and towel exchange.

 

[daviator]

MVC Boston has eliminated their midweek tidy, but now there is daily trash service and towel exchange.

I would bet it’s less common to have someone stay an entire week there, and unless I’m mistaken, nobody owns any deeded weeks there. So at the City Collection properties, trash service and towel exchange probably makes a lot more sense and is easier to manage than a mid week tidy for the odd guest staying for a whole week.

 

[jackio]

I would bet it’s less common to have someone stay an entire week there, and unless I’m mistaken, nobody owns any deeded weeks there. So at the City Collection properties, trash service and towel exchange probably makes a lot more sense and is easier to manage than a mid week tidy for the odd guest staying for a whole week.

We always stay there on II exchanges, so we are given a week. But we usually give half the week to our daughter. The midweek tidy included linen change, which worked out great. Now you can order a linen change for $18, which is well worth it for us. Parking is up to $53 /day though.

 

[dioxide45]

I would bet it’s less common to have someone stay an entire week there, and unless I’m mistaken, nobody owns any deeded weeks there. So at the City Collection properties, trash service and towel exchange probably makes a lot more sense and is easier to manage than a mid week tidy for the odd guest staying for a whole week.

While Custom House doesn’t have deeds, people did buy week long intervals. I do agree though, many guests are’t booking full week stays. Though there is also no in room laundry. So a daily towel swap is a good thing. Most of the other resorts people take issue with have an in room washer and dryer where they can wash their own. As long as they have access to detergent. Something else they may no longer provide additional supplies for free.

 

[DeniseM]

There is a nice laundry room at Custom House...