Timeshare Resort Fees Are you ok with them?

[mdurette]

I don't like them......but I would pay them if a REALLY wanted to go to the particular resort. In the long run, it is usually still cheaper than renting.

 

[Miss Marty]

Anyone watched the TV series American Greed

Timeshare resorts charge their owners annual fees.
They collect these fees to use for maintenance,
water, sewer, garbage collection, utilities, insurance,
repairs, labor, office supplies and resort amenities.

Each timeshare has to keep records of their expenses
and are subject to their by-laws and any updates.

For years most HOA & Corp has been managing their
resorts and have kept their expenses under control
with the income they collect from annual fees.

Why do they have to start charging resort fees?
Because they can!

Buy only where you want to vacation

 

[AJCts411]

Charging an deeded owner (include the floating week, points etc..all who pay maintenance fees) or user of an owner issued guest certificate is an outrageous rip off, a money grab that a lawyer type should launch class action against.

On the exchanges...those wonderful extra vacations...thats different story. I'm not familiar enough to comment on that aspect.

 

[bobpark56]

I don't like those fees but I prefer those known fix fees to resorts that charge for electricity used (variable fee that you have no idea how much you will pay until check-out and you have no way to challenge the amount charged).
Electricity should be part of the MF of owners and should not be pass to exchangers.

We take the opposing view. We are happy to stay at resorts that charge electricity fees proportional to usage...so long as they do so for everyone. We use electricity conservatively, which means we pay less than guests who leave lights and air conditioning on all the time. What's to complain about? I wish more resorts would do this.

 

[TTom]

Add me to the folks who don’t appreciate “resort fees” for exchangers. Sorry, but exchangers don’t use any more of the amenities at a resort than owners. The way this scheme operates, it is in the best interest of the resort for owners to NOT use their weeks and for the resort to be populated with exchangers. That way, they get the maintenance from the owners (guaranteeing a steady income stream) and the exchangers provide the “gravy” to keep maintenance fees down.

If, on the other hand, there are fees which are paid by whomever uses the interval, either exchanger or owner, I wouldn’t have a problem with them. I would also have less of a problem with fees which are “participation based”, e.g., rental fees for chairs/umbrellas, so that the people who USE the amenities pay for them, even if it’s only a portion of the cost.

We have certainly benefitted from exchanger resort fees, but, having just paid $150+ in fees @ Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort, I didn’t see any value-added, and it was just an additional expense for the week. Probably, would not go back, just because of that.

 

[sgosline]

I was lucky enough to score an exchange over Christmas in Hawaii. I booked it long ago. The other day I received this notice-

"Dear RCI Member:


We have some important information to share concerning your upcoming vacation to KAUAI BEACH VILLAS.


The staff at KAUAI BEACH VILLAS has notified us that they have a new mandatory resort amenity fee of $20 per day. The fee covers the pool, internet and other resort activities.


We realize this may have an impact on your vacation and wanted to inform you of this situation in advance. Since availability is limited in the area you confirmed, we encourage you to retain your vacation. Should you decide to cancel your stay, our standard cancellation guidelines will apply."

I will pay the fee of course but I am very irritated that they actually are charging it to folks who booked before the fee was instituted. The fee covers the pool? Shouldn't that be in the regular maintenance fee?

 

[Panina]

I was lucky enough to score an exchange over Christmas in Hawaii. I booked it long ago. The other day I received this notice-

"Dear RCI Member:


We have some important information to share concerning your upcoming vacation to KAUAI BEACH VILLAS.


The staff at KAUAI BEACH VILLAS has notified us that they have a new mandatory resort amenity fee of $20 per day. The fee covers the pool, internet and other resort activities.


We realize this may have an impact on your vacation and wanted to inform you of this situation in advance. Since availability is limited in the area you confirmed, we encourage you to retain your vacation. Should you decide to cancel your stay, our standard cancellation guidelines will apply."

I will pay the fee of course but I am very irritated that they actually are charging it to folks who booked before the fee was instituted. The fee covers the pool? Shouldn't that be in the regular maintenance fee?

What should be isn’t in the equation. What they can get away with they will do.

 

[jacknsara]

I was lucky enough to score an exchange over Christmas in Hawaii. I booked it long ago. The other day I received this notice-

"Dear RCI Member:


We have some important information to share concerning your upcoming vacation to KAUAI BEACH VILLAS.


The staff at KAUAI BEACH VILLAS has notified us that they have a new mandatory resort amenity fee of $20 per day. The fee covers the pool, internet and other resort activities.


We realize this may have an impact on your vacation and wanted to inform you of this situation in advance. Since availability is limited in the area you confirmed, we encourage you to retain your vacation. Should you decide to cancel your stay, our standard cancellation guidelines will apply."

I will pay the fee of course but I am very irritated that they actually are charging it to folks who booked before the fee was instituted. The fee covers the pool? Shouldn't that be in the regular maintenance fee?

Aloha,
Given that you booked it long ago (or more specifically, you booked it before being notified of the fee), push back and refuse to pay it. No one at the front desk should disagree once they look into their records. You might want to call KBV's front desk (808-241-1000) or email them and ask to get confirmation before you show up.
I am reading this thread with interest, but stand by my post https://www.tugbbs.com/forums/index...ees-are-you-ok-with-them.282951/#post-2221776
Jack

 

[Eric B]

I was lucky enough to score an exchange over Christmas in Hawaii. I booked it long ago. The other day I received this notice-

"Dear RCI Member:


We have some important information to share concerning your upcoming vacation to KAUAI BEACH VILLAS.


The staff at KAUAI BEACH VILLAS has notified us that they have a new mandatory resort amenity fee of $20 per day. The fee covers the pool, internet and other resort activities.


We realize this may have an impact on your vacation and wanted to inform you of this situation in advance. Since availability is limited in the area you confirmed, we encourage you to retain your vacation. Should you decide to cancel your stay, our standard cancellation guidelines will apply."

I will pay the fee of course but I am very irritated that they actually are charging it to folks who booked before the fee was instituted. The fee covers the pool? Shouldn't that be in the regular maintenance fee?

Not positive, but I seem to recall that at Kauai Beach Villas the pool is actually part of a hotel that is adjacent to the resort and they either charge for its use or trade that as an inducement to attend a sales pitch. Haven't been there myself, but read it a year or two ago in the Hawaii forum; someone that has been there might be able to confirm.

 

[bobby]

I am totally against all fees. They should be included in maintenance fees. Exchanges started equal to equal. We hate paying electricity in some places while our own resort in Nantucket is very expensive also and we pay for exchanges in the maintenance fees. Maybe only parking in places like NYC. AND owners and exchangers and guests should all pay the same.

 

[bogey21]

If, on the other hand, there are fees which are paid by whomever uses the interval, either exchanger or owner, I wouldn’t have a problem with them...

Interesting concept. I wouldn't dismiss out of hand. Could work if MFs were reduced for all and both Owners and Exchangers, paid an Occupancy fee. This would reduce the "Cost of Carry" for Owners unable to use their Weeks...

George

 

[Panina]

Interesting concept. I wouldn't dismiss out of hand. Could work if MFs were reduced for all and both Owners and Exchangers, paid an Occupancy fee. This would reduce the "Cost of Carry" for Owners unable to use their Weeks...

George

Problem is it will never happen for all.

Interesting responses so far but I still feel any additional added fees are wrong.

When I trade a high end unit it is my choice, if someone has a lower end unit and gets a better unit so be it. If electricity costs or other expenses are high, that should be in the mf.

The only fees I should pay is my exchange fee. These resort fees ultimately wil ultimately negatively impact most timeshares.

If the resort wants more revenue let them get a piece from the trading company

 

[Lanswitch]

We just came back from LAS having stayed at the Marriott Grand Chateau using an Interval trade for a 1 Bedroom unit with full kitchen, hide a bed pull out couch and a washer/dryer.
They have no casino on the property, so there is absolutely no smell of cigarettes.
There were no resort fees and free parking (just a couple of dollars to tip the valet each time they brought the car).
We purchased around $10 in the convenience store twice and they were the only charges on our final bill.
It is located about 200’ East of The Strip on Harmon Street, right in the heart of The Strip.
I heartily recommend it.

 

[moonstone]

I was lucky enough to score an exchange over Christmas in Hawaii. I booked it long ago. The other day I received this notice-

"Dear RCI Member:


We have some important information to share concerning your upcoming vacation to KAUAI BEACH VILLAS.


The staff at KAUAI BEACH VILLAS has notified us that they have a new mandatory resort amenity fee of $20 per day. The fee covers the pool, internet and other resort activities.


We realize this may have an impact on your vacation and wanted to inform you of this situation in advance. Since availability is limited in the area you confirmed, we encourage you to retain your vacation. Should you decide to cancel your stay, our standard cancellation guidelines will apply."

I will pay the fee of course but I am very irritated that they actually are charging it to folks who booked before the fee was instituted. The fee covers the pool? Shouldn't that be in the regular maintenance fee?

I would be very ticked off to get a notice like that weeks or months after I booked a stay. In August I booked an Extra Vacation week at that resort for our DD & a friend for their November vacation. One of the reasons (a side from price) that we chose that resort is that there is an onsite restaurant as the girls were only planning on renting a car for the first 2 and last days of their stay. When they checked in they were told the restaurant was closed for renovation's. Work started before 9am on the Monday and was apparently so loud you couldn't have a conversation or listen to music by the pool which is next to the restaurant.

Our DD messaged me to let me know what was happening. I called RCI who, of course, had no idea there was construction going on and that the restaurant was closed. The VC told me she was alerting her supervisor and he would call me back within a few hours. When he called back he apologised and said there was no other resort with availability on the island but he could deposit a credit for 50% of the cost of the booking into my RCI account which I accepted.

The girls put up with the noise and changed their car rental to the full week so they could escape to a beach for a few afternoons. At least they couldn't hear the construction noise in their room.


~Diane

 

[PamMo]

Not positive, but I seem to recall that at Kauai Beach Villas the pool is actually part of a hotel that is adjacent to the resort and they either charge for its use or trade that as an inducement to attend a sales pitch. Haven't been there myself, but read it a year or two ago in the Hawaii forum; someone that has been there might be able to confirm.

The resort has a small pool on property. We were often the only ones using it when we exchanged into the resort, so it was quite adequate. I can't understand what the "extra amenities" fees would be for? Internet? Tennis courts that no one uses?

 

[WinniWoman]

To me, if people are going to be charged extra fees, there really is no benefit to being a timeshare owner.

 

[chalee94]

is there another thread or website listing which resorts have fees?

 

[pedro47]

Can someone look at their 2019 timeshare resort budget and tell me: if their is a line item projecting how much your resort will collect in Resort Fees for 2019?

 

[SmithOp]

Can someone look at their 2019 timeshare resort budget and tell me: if their is a line item projecting how much your resort will collect in Resort Fees for 2019?

If there is its not readily identified.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[pedro47]

Thanks you I have look at Massanutten, Powhatan Resorts, and Greensprings Resorts budgets and I could not find a line item for Resort Fees.

My question is where is this money going when the resorts collect Resort Fees from non owners?

 

[bogey21]

Charging an deeded owner (include the floating week, points etc..all who pay maintenance fees) or user of an owner issued guest certificate is an outrageous rip off, a money grab that a lawyer type should launch class action against.

What if they reduced the MFs so everyone pays less and assess a daily usage fee to those who occupy the Week. This way Owners who exchange their Week, rent their Week or for whatever reason don't use their Week catch a break...

George

 

[Eric B]

Actually, the Massanutten resorts have a line item that is titled "Other Income" but isn't really explained. It's between $20 and $30 per unit depending on which one you own. There is also a line for "recreation fees" but all the entries are blank. You could probably go back through the old budgets to see if they ever charged a recreation fee as part of the maintenance fees; I would guess that this is the case because there is a line item for it on the current budgets.

 

[Panina]

What if they reduced the MFs so everyone pays less and assess a daily usage fee to those who occupy the Week. This way Owners who exchange their Week, rent their Week or for whatever reason don't use their Week catch a break...

George

One of my weeks is like that and I feel it is wrong. It’s a resort fee of $35 for the week. The owner or trader pays it, whoever is occupying the unit. Why should I get a break if I am trading it? If it’s needed to maintain the resort it should be in my maintenance fee.

I do not want to pay a part of anyone else’s maintenance fees by paying resort fees so I am not ok getting the break. Not fair for the person who trades in who owns a great week and whose resort has no resort fee and then having to pay a piece of my maintenance fee.

The only resort I will trade into that has a fee is Disney. It includes parking and wristbands so at least I am getting equal extras.

Think of the big picture. Let’s take Marriott timeshares in Florida. My guess it will only be a short time until they start charging these extra resort fees like hgvc has. It is a cycle that ultimately is bad for owners of timeshare.

 

[tschwa2]

Thanks you I have look at Massanutten, Powhatan Resorts, and Greensprings Resorts budgets and I could not find a line item for Resort Fees.

My question is where is this money going when the resorts collect Resort Fees from non owners?

Massanutten is a little different because the developer, Great Eastern, kept control of the recreational facilities. It was never part of the resort to which the HOA, as a non profit group maintained. Great Eastern charged the HOA's a usage fee for owner and exchangers to use the pools, tennis courts, rec centers, etc. Up through 2019, the HOA's paid a $50 per lock off unit per week to use the recreation facilities. Great Eastern issued "gold cards" to retail owners which allowed them to use the facilities year round even when not staying at Massanutten. So now that they are collecting the resort fees they go directly to Great Eastern and they don't have to justify the expenses as they are not an non profit organization. They did remove the $50 recreation fee from MF starting in 2019 but owners who use there own units now pay $104.86 per week and more if they deposit and do an internal exchange through RCI.

 

[pedro47]

Massanutten recreational facilities are outstanding and they have been maintain by Great Eastern over the years IMHO.