Warning about pre-paying Vidanta Resort Fee

[WatsonC2]

I booked 2 two bedroom Grand Luxxe in Nuevo via RCI and paid the resort fees about a month ahead of the trip as suggested. One was for a guest reservation we paid to put into another families name. I received two emails to pay the fee in advance and both emails came to me with our guest not receiving one (they also said I would get some benefits for doing so but they are things you already get but that's another story and typical Vidanta). When I paid these I took screenshots for my records including the 27 digit confirmation codes.. Both transactions said I would get an email with a Voucher within a few days. As I didn't receive the emails I called the day before the trip and spoke to a Vidanta representative who tried unsuccessfully to link one of the payments to one of the reservations. Ultimately he connected me to RCI who said that the fee is a Vidanta fee not an RCI fee (and which I believe to be the case). I also checked my credit card statement which showed two seperate transactions by Vidanta (not RCI). So I called my credit card company just to make sure one of the charges was not somehow reversed and was told nope they both went through. At check in I was reminded of the resort fee and provided the screenshots that I had paid and was told "OK". At check out I was charged another fee and went round and round with the concierge who I think did believe me after I shared the screen shots, the credit card statement and my log winded account of how I tried to correct this. So...I'm dealing with my credit card company tomorrow and I would highly advise everyone NOT to prepay the resort fee for fear of repeating my experience.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I booked 2 two bedroom Grand Luxxe in Nuevo via RCI and paid the resort fees about a month ahead of the trip as suggested. One was for a guest reservation we paid to put into another families name. I received two emails to pay the fee in advance and both emails came to me with our guest not receiving one (they also said I would get some benefits for doing so but they are things you already get but that's another story and typical Vidanta). When I paid these I took screenshots for my records including the 27 digit confirmation codes.. Both transactions said I would get an email with a Voucher within a few days. As I didn't receive the emails I called the day before the trip and spoke to a Vidanta representative who tried unsuccessfully to link one of the payments to one of the reservations. Ultimately he connected me to RCI who said that the fee is a Vidanta fee not an RCI fee (and which I believe to be the case). I also checked my credit card statement which showed two seperate transactions by Vidanta (not RCI). So I called my credit card company just to make sure one of the charges was not somehow reversed and was told nope they both went through. At check in I was reminded of the resort fee and provided the screenshots that I had paid and was told "OK". At check out I was charged another fee and went round and round with the concierge who I think did believe me after I shared the screen shots, the credit card statement and my log winded account of how I tried to correct this. So...I'm dealing with my credit card company tomorrow and I would highly advise everyone NOT to prepay the resort fee for fear of repeating my experience.

Please update us on the resolution.
It definitely is a fee payable to Vidanta - as per the RCI website.

My assumption has been that one of the reasons that Vidanta moved it to a prepay was that it slowed down check out.

If the fee is pre-paid it should be updating onto your reservation in the Vidanta computer system and the viewable portion of it at the front desk at check out.

 

[zentraveler]

My assumption has been that one of the reasons that Vidanta moved it to a prepay was that it slowed down check out.

T-Dot-Traveller, I can understand wanting to slow check-IN (more time for the sales people to get at you etc.), but why would Vidanta want to slow check-out?

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

T-Dot-Traveller, I can understand wanting to slow check-IN (more time for the sales people to get at you etc.), but why would Vidanta want to slow check-out?

Sorry my post was not clear -
About 18- 24 months ago RCI listings for Vidanta started listing a phone number to call to prepay the resort fee.
IMO this was because the whole resort fee structure ( including changes in amount based on booking date) was causing delays at the front desk including check out delays. The move to prepay would eliminate any bottlenecks.

@Corey Watson has presented the new complexity . if the payment information is not logged against your reservation correctly - there is a new problem to resolve.
*******
Our last stay was Feb 2020 - Mayan Palace PV - Marina.
one week was our ownership with a 2nd week via RCI with a resort fee. I brought the RCI booking information (from 2018) because the resort fee had risen. I paid the correct amount at check in ,after the front desk confirm that my information was correct.We then signed up for a presentation to cut the resort fee by 50% . It was issued as a resort credit that we used over the 2 week stay , mostly via poolside food service.
We had weeks booked for Feb 2021 that we cancelled due to Covid.The RCI week did not require a resort fee prepayment. I likely booked around May or June 2019. I believe the RCI change to prepayment via a phone call to Vidanta was not long after that booking.

 

[zentraveler]

Sorry my post was not clear -
About 18- 24 months ago RCI listings for Vidanta started listing a phone number to call to prepay the resort fee.
IMO this was because the whole resort fee structure ( including changes in amount based on booking date) was causing delays at the front desk including check out delays. The move to prepay would eliminate any bottlenecks.

@Corey Watson has presented the new complexity . if the payment information is not logged against your reservation correctly - there is a new problem to resolve.
*******
Our last stay was Feb 2020 - Mayan Palace PV - Marina.
one week was our ownership with a 2nd week via RCI with a resort fee. I brought the RCI booking information (from 2018) because the resort fee had risen. I paid the correct amount at check in ,after the front desk confirm that my information was correct.We then signed up for a presentation to cut the resort fee by 50% . It was issued as a resort credit that we used over the 2 week stay , mostly via poolside food service.
We had weeks booked for Feb 2021 that we cancelled due to Covid.The RCI week did not require a resort fee prepayment. I likely booked around May or June 2019. I believe the RCI change to prepayment via a phone call to Vidanta was not long after that booking.

Thanks for clarifying and that makes senes. I don't trade through RCI, but only II and between the overly aggressive sales staff, the large increase in resort fees, the poor functioning of immigration at all of the Mexican airports, and of course, covid, I have not been especially interested in going back to Vidanta (have only been to Grand Luxxe in NV). But that could change and this would be a helpful head's up when that happens.

 

[Zinjanthropus]

If i'm understanding this correctly, You can still pay the resort fee upon arrival? Is it better to pay Vidanta directly before travel as suggested, or could a simple credit card swipe suffice at the check in? If we wait till then, will they likely offer us some sort of break in fees?

 

[WatsonC2]

I would not pay until you arrive and it will probably end up on your final invoice not upfront. They put a $1500 hold on my credit card at check in. We had 4 and didn't expect the hold to be too different from the final bill so didn't complain about it. I don't see you getting a break on the resort fee unless you agree to the presentation.

 

[PigsDad]

Is there any advantage (for a guest) to pre-paying the resort fee?

Kurt

 

[dioxide45]

Is there any advantage (for a guest) to pre-paying the resort fee?

Kurt

Speedup checkin/checkout. I suspect they had lots of arguments at checkout about the validity of the fees, so they want people to pre-pay them to avoid those confrontation.

 

[hurnik]

Is there any advantage (for a guest) to pre-paying the resort fee?

Kurt

I had some friends use my SFX week to go to Riviera Maya. They were offered a pre-pay of "fees" (wasn't really). I wanna say pre-pay of $500 (?) and any charges to the room (drinks, food, etc.) were taken out of that $500. They were given a 10% discount and half price Jungala tickets. No timeshare presentation required. But this was also during low month (October I wanna say) pre-COVID.

 

[dioxide45]

I had some friends use my SFX week to go to Riviera Maya. They were offered a pre-pay of "fees" (wasn't really). I wanna say pre-pay of $500 (?) and any charges to the room (drinks, food, etc.) were taken out of that $500. They were given a 10% discount and half price Jungala tickets. No timeshare presentation required. But this was also during low month (October I wanna say) pre-COVID.

I thought SFX only had a $75 fee?

 

[hurnik]

I thought SFX only had a $75 fee?

They do. But you'll notice I put "fees" in quotes. Vidanta USED to have an Owners option like that on their website where you basically prepaid your expenses for a discount.

They (Vidanta) worded it as Resort Fee prepayment (according to my friends), so I had to reach out to SFX to make sure it wasn't like the RCI/II fees.

 

[easyrider]

I thought SFX only had a $75 fee?

Our reservation to the NV Lux has a $75 fee per guest. It seems to cover alot of things.

Bill

Travel Advisements: All guests staying at a Vidanta property will be responsible for an additional 3% State/ Lodging tax, and a one-time $75.00 Resort Fee. The resort fee will cover: Pick Up from Airport to Resort(only), Internet Service, Fitness Center Access, Daily Maid Service, Turn Down Service, Local Telephone Calls, Internal Resort Transportation, Welcome Cocktail, Daily newspaper (upon request), and Incoming Faxes. Please advise the resort if late arrival is anticipated. While staying at a Vidanta Resort, a credit line must be opened with a credit card and all charges signed to the room. Parking is an additional $34.00 per week. Please Note: The tennis courts in Nuevo Vallarta are closed for maintenance work.

 

[WatsonC2]

The resort fee lists a lot of included items which were all included before there were resort fees. And at least for RCI reservations they say you can get those things by paying the resort fee early in 3 installments. In reality anyone staying there gets these things and its just marketing that the resort fee includes these.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

Speedup checkin/checkout. I suspect they had lots of arguments at checkout about the validity of the fees, so they want people to pre-pay them to avoid those confrontation.

I agree-
It was also complicated by changes in the resort fee structure , and that it was based on the date the exchange was booked.VIdanta has released developer deposits to RCI up to 22 months ahead .

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

I would not pay until you arrive .......... I don't see you getting a break on the resort fee unless you agree to the presentation.

Based on my 2020 visit to MP PV - Marina - the resort fee was paid at check in.- and a resort credit issued for the 50% off the resort fee for attending a sales presentation.

This also makes good internal accounting sense.The resort fee credit likely comes out of a Vids Sales budget;
While the entire resort fee payment likely remains with the " hotel side " operations budget.

Similarly - the 10% off food, beverages etc. Is (IMO) taken from the "hotel side"- which is why it is not further negotiable. Other stuff - massages , cab rides etc. likely come from a Vida Sales budget and can be negotiated with the presentation booker.

 

[Eric B]

I have occasionally received bogus emails asking me to prepay my Vidanta resort fee when I didn't even have an exchange coming up there. Be very careful about who you actually prepay them to, if you prepay your resort fees - there's already a scam out there trying to hook the unaware.

 

[cd5]

I just got a confirmation on a 2 bdrm Grand Luxxe this week with SFX - I asked to be sure and the $75 fee is per unit not per person. The only thing we're asked to do in advance (within 2 weeks of stay) is to reserve the transportation from the airport.

 

[gudtogo]

Is there any advantage (for a guest) to pre-paying the resort fee?

Kurt

There is definitely a disadvantage. I prepaid and received a written confirmation from Vidanta that it was 100% refundable if I cancelled before a certain time limit. I cancelled (due to COVID) before that deadline, but could not get a refund. I just got a lot of runaround between Vidanta and RCI until I finally gave up. As a result, I will NEVER go to a Vidanta resort again.

 

[bizaro86]

I prepaid a fee for my parents' RCI exchange last year, and they couldn't find the payment. It took then multiple hours to check in as a result. I will never pay in advance again.

 

[jbettinger]

I have a continuing dispute with Vidanta Grand Luxxe PV with a resort fee prepaid as part of RCI Exchange reservation for this past Summer. We paid the $950 fee tied to a 2BR exchange, but when rising COVID rates caused us to cancel, Vida Vacations informed us of a non-disclosed cancellation penalty. This penalty is disclosed nowhere in RCI listings or other disclosures around the fee and I received no independent receipt or other info once I paid it. They offered 50% back, but I disputed it with my credit card. Vida Vacations responded to the bank chargeback with a "screenshot" of a receipt voucher with cancellation disclosures, all personalized with my payment info, but which I have never seen before, which was fascinating to see. When I originally went over the cancellation and the surprise policy, they insisted I had seen the policy, but had no info on how or when I would have been notified...vague references that RCI does it and they know they do it. Yet, Vida/Vidanta charges and keeps the money. The resort may be wonderful, but their business practices border on (if don't cross over into) outright fraud. Had I known about any penalties, travelling in pandemic times, I would have waited to pay at check-in. The airlines and RCI/DVC processed the credits and points refunds as expected. Vidanta will never see a dime from me again.

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

We read about all the above problems with prepayment of resort fees. After we were absolutely sure we would not need to retrade due to covid, we paid the resort fees by phone 2 days before arrival at Vidanta N.V. last Friday.

We only paid the fees in advance because a threat of reservation cancellation was made by Vidanta at one point, and it would be horrible if that happened last minute after we were already in Mexico (even if very unlikely).

I called the the direct Vidanta phone number to pay the resort fees (800-292-9446). There was another "Interval International Vidanta desk" phone number we had been given, but I thought it would be safer to be sure I was calling Vidanta directly. Luckily, we had no problems upon arrival as they immediately found record of the advance payment.

 

[woj027]

Not the same problem, but similar. We had reservations at Nuevo Vallarta for March 2020 (beginning of COVID), cancelled our reservations but did not get a refund on resort fees - but were told we would get a credit. This was for a 2BR at GM (through RCI)
Re-booked for March 2021 and had to hunt down emails and nice people at Vidanta to confirm we had a resort credits, used those on a 2 BR at GM, and added a second 2 BR at GM (for friends).
Ended up having to cancel that trip to, so now two sets of Credits with Vidanta. Had to call and email dozens of times to get emails confirming resort credits, but accomplished that.
Fast forward a few months after getting vaccinated we decide to go to Vidanta again and go for a 2 BR at GL and a 1 BR at GL. Resort rates went up during that period, but we were able to apply the credit from the 2 BR at GM to the 2 BR at GL, but it was short because rates went up, but we expected to get the remaining credit from the second 2 BR at GM to the 1 BR at GL but alas no. Vidanta say separate reservations (although both through same RCI account for same days, etc). So we lost our left over credit from the 2 BR to 1 BR and had to pay the difference on the 2 BR GM to 2 BR GL because rates went up.

That' even confusing to me after I read it.

But, come this Friday we will be staying at GL and hopefully all of the above angst against Vidanta will be solved with sun and relaxation. And now our 1 in 4 kicks in, so we need to find somewhere new to go, but if I read the rules correctly we might be able to go to a different Region to use Vidanta, now to figure out where we want to go next (always a fun thing to do is plan your next vacation on your current vacation)

 

[pearce]

I booked 2 two bedroom Grand Luxxe in Nuevo via RCI and paid the resort fees about a month ahead of the trip as suggested. One was for a guest reservation we paid to put into another families name. I received two emails to pay the fee in advance and both emails came to me with our guest not receiving one (they also said I would get some benefits for doing so but they are things you already get but that's another story and typical Vidanta). When I paid these I took screenshots for my records including the 27 digit confirmation codes.. Both transactions said I would get an email with a Voucher within a few days. As I didn't receive the emails I called the day before the trip and spoke to a Vidanta representative who tried unsuccessfully to link one of the payments to one of the reservations. Ultimately he connected me to RCI who said that the fee is a Vidanta fee not an RCI fee (and which I believe to be the case). I also checked my credit card statement which showed two seperate transactions by Vidanta (not RCI). So I called my credit card company just to make sure one of the charges was not somehow reversed and was told nope they both went through. At check in I was reminded of the resort fee and provided the screenshots that I had paid and was told "OK". At check out I was charged another fee and went round and round with the concierge who I think did believe me after I shared the screen shots, the credit card statement and my log winded account of how I tried to correct this. So...I'm dealing with my credit card company tomorrow and I would highly advise everyone NOT to prepay the resort fee for fear of repeating my experience.

Not the same problem, but similar. We had reservations at Nuevo Vallarta for March 2020 (beginning of COVID), cancelled our reservations but did not get a refund on resort fees - but were told we would get a credit. This was for a 2BR at GM (through RCI)
Re-booked for March 2021 and had to hunt down emails and nice people at Vidanta to confirm we had a resort credits, used those on a 2 BR at GM, and added a second 2 BR at GM (for friends).
Ended up having to cancel that trip to, so now two sets of Credits with Vidanta. Had to call and email dozens of times to get emails confirming resort credits, but accomplished that.
Fast forward a few months after getting vaccinated we decide to go to Vidanta again and go for a 2 BR at GL and a 1 BR at GL. Resort rates went up during that period, but we were able to apply the credit from the 2 BR at GM to the 2 BR at GL, but it was short because rates went up, but we expected to get the remaining credit from the second 2 BR at GM to the 1 BR at GL but alas no. Vidanta say separate reservations (although both through same RCI account for same days, etc). So we lost our left over credit from the 2 BR to 1 BR and had to pay the difference on the 2 BR GM to 2 BR GL because rates went up.

That' even confusing to me after I read it.

But, come this Friday we will be staying at GL and hopefully all of the above angst against Vidanta will be solved with sun and relaxation. And now our 1 in 4 kicks in, so we need to find somewhere new to go, but if I read the rules correctly we might be able to go to a different Region to use Vidanta, now to figure out where we want to go next (always a fun thing to do is plan your next vacation on your current vacation)

On RCI I booked a two-bedroom at The Bliss at Vidanta Riviera Maya. I really didn't look at the confirmation they sent me - just a quick glance, but a few weeks later decided to look at the email. After reading the fine print on the booking email that RCI sent, The Bliss wants $700 Resort Fee along with some other fees.!! If we didn't already book the flights, which one of the girls can't cancel, I would have cancelled this expensive trip. I already paid for this timeshare via maintenance fees - why on earth would RCI not mention this BEFORE booking? I just read your article and you said not to pay the resort fee until you get there. It was indicated you have to pay the fee 30 days before check-in. Will they deny our reservations if this in not paid in advance? What a mess.

 

[bnoble]

why on earth would RCI not mention this BEFORE booking?

The fees are clearly disclosed under the "fees" tab for the resort's entry in RCI, where it says (in part) the following:

Resort amenities fee is 700.00 U.S. dollars. Only Credit Cards accepted.
Mandatory resort fee per 2B unit, per reservation.

When I search for that resort, I even get a pop-up saying this:

I'm not sure what else you want them to do.