What is the most obnoxious fee in timesharing?

BocaBum99 · Dec 16, 2009

I used to think it was the ARDA fee mostly because it is opt out and the purpose is to fund the timeshare developer lobby fund.

But, I think the Wyndham guest certificate fee for owners who get 2 units at the same resort for the same time period is pretty bad as well. $99 fee because a 3 bedroom unit isn't available for your party, but a 2br and 1br are? Ridiculous.

bnoble · Dec 16, 2009

As soon as I read the question, I immediately thought of the Wyndham GC fee.

rickandcindy23 · Dec 16, 2009

Absolutely. The GC fees are outrageous, even higher than RCI's, and you can talk RCI into only one for the same guest for consecutive weeks.

am1 · Dec 16, 2009

How about adding another day to a reservation? Another $99 guest fee. Or only being able to book a 2 bedroom deluxe for a few nights then a 2 bedroom presidential for a few more nights. That is two guest fees even though the resort would keep the guest in the deluxe if desired.

1950bing · Dec 16, 2009

How about a daily resort activity fee even if you do none of them ?

timeos2 · Dec 16, 2009

Close call but DVC gets the win!

The ones mentioned so far are all bad but avoidable. The worst has to be the one that started the "something for nothing" fee - The DVC $95 exchange penalty. That eventually led to others with similar, already prepaid items being charged only to exchange guests, in direct violation of the standard exchange agreement with both II & RCI, such as the $25/day at the Manhattan Club. A big round of boo's to DVC for being the ground breaker on the most obnoxious and completely worthless (except to Disney of course) fee in all of timesharing.

bnoble · Dec 16, 2009

That's avoidable too---just don't exchange there.

AwayWeGo · Dec 16, 2009

Pay Us Double Because We're Twice As Good.

Click here for a clue.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

JMAESD84 · Dec 16, 2009

Resort Transfer Fees

I think resort transfer fees (above any nominal record keeping fee) is outrageous. Royal Holiday Clubs $500 fee, Mayans's 10% of original puchase price, both come to mind.

It's like they are getting an unearned commision on any sale. The cost of which effectively lowers the value of what the owner can pocket from the transaction. These are very excessive fees that can effectively trap the current owner into retaining ownership.

Transit · Dec 16, 2009

timeos2 said:
The ones mentioned so far are all bad but avoidable. The worst has to be the one that started the "something for nothing" fee - The DVC $95 exchange penalty. That eventually led to others with similar, already prepaid items being charged only to exchange guests, in direct violation of the standard exchange agreement with both II & RCI, such as the $25/day at the Manhattan Club. A big round of boo's to DFVC for being the ground breaker on the most obnoxious and completely worthless (except to Disney of course) fee in all of timesharing.

I Agree this is the most obnoxious fee.

BocaBum99 · Dec 16, 2009

timeos2 said:
The ones mentioned so far are all bad but avoidable. The worst has to be the one that started the "something for nothing" fee - The DVC $95 exchange penalty. That eventually led to others with similar, already prepaid items being charged only to exchange guests, in direct violation of the standard exchange agreement with both II & RCI, such as the $25/day at the Manhattan Club. A big round of boo's to DVC for being the ground breaker on the most obnoxious and completely worthless (except to Disney of course) fee in all of timesharing.

Those fees don't bother me. They don't bother me mainly because when I exchange into those resorts, it's usually with such a cheaper trader than I gladly pay the fees. Even with the fees, I pay well less than half what owners do.

gmarine · Dec 16, 2009

IMO, its the Guest Certificate fees.
Anyone who doesnt want to pay a certain resorts fee can avoid it by not exchanging into that resort. Some people would avoid DVC for this reason. While that charge really doesnt bother me, I avoid certain resorts that impose energy charges on exchanges. For example The Reef Resort in Grand Cayman imposes an energy charge on exchangers. I think thats ridiculous so I wont go there.

However, I'm stuck with Guest Certificate fees on ANY exchange through RCI or II. A $59 fee just for changing the name for an exchange I already paid for. That bothers me.

timeos2 · Dec 16, 2009

Affording it or lower fees elsewhere isn't the question

BocaBum99 said:
Those fees don't bother me. They don't bother me mainly because when I exchange into those resorts, it's usually with such a cheaper trader than I gladly pay the fees. Even with the fees, I pay well less than half what owners do.

Whether you can afford them or not isn't the issue. These are fees that fly in the face of the week for week trade - treat all as an owner philosophy that RCI/II and others are based on. It should bother you that they are choosing to charge you again for something the owner giving up their week has already paid for once in their fees - now you are being charged it again to benefit no one but the developer/management. It doesn't even go to lower the fees of the owners, it is just absorbed by the developer! It is, and shall most likely remain, the most obnoxious fee in timeshare. It would be hard to come up with any that could be worse. Not even Wastegate has equaled the low that this represents (although if they thought they could get away with it I'm sure they would!).

It is surprising only that an otherwise reputable company like DVC was the one to start it. It was the beginning of their slide into money over guest experience which has only gotten worse ever since.

bnoble · Dec 16, 2009

The $95 fee is sleazy, but at least it is being charged to outsiders. The Wyndham GC fee is being slapped on owners who want to bring family along in a second unit. That strikes me as worse.

BocaBum99 · Dec 16, 2009

bnoble said:
The $95 fee is sleazy, but at least it is being charged to outsiders. The Wyndham GC fee is being slapped on owners who want to bring family along in a second unit. That strikes me as worse.

exactly. that is exactly what happened to me.

BocaBum99 · Dec 16, 2009

timeos2 said:
Whether you can afford them or not isn't the issue. These are fees that fly in the face of the week for week trade - treat all as an owner philosophy that RCI/II and others are based on. It should bother you that they are choosing to charge you again for something the owner giving up their week has already paid for once in their fees - now you are being charged it again to benefit no one but the developer/management. It doesn't even go to lower the fees of the owners, it is just absorbed by the developer! It is, and shall most likely remain, the most obnoxious fee in timeshare. It would be hard to come up with any that could be worse. Not even Wastegate has equaled the low that this represents (although if they thought they could get away with it I'm sure they would!).

It is surprising only that an otherwise reputable company like DVC was the one to start it. It was the beginning of their slide into money over guest experience which has only gotten worse ever since.

I simply don't care about II and RCI policies. As long as I know what the rules are before I exchange, I can make the decision on whether or not it's for me. If it isn't, I don't exchange.

e.bram · Dec 16, 2009

How about Innseason's $400.00 resort transfer fee for a TS that can't even be given away.

Barbeque · Dec 16, 2009

Since you mention the transfer fees are not many of the Mayan Resorts 10 % of the original purchase price. If the original sale was $25,000.00 that would be a $ 2,500.00 fee
That aint right.

Happytravels · Dec 17, 2009

Redwolf Lakeside Lodge Lake Tahoe

I knew about the charge when I made the reservations (year or so in advance .........Something like $7.00 per day, to cover surcharges...........When we actually got there they were way over (something like $70-75.00 for the week) that because they had gone up since the reservations was made. There was no contact through RCI or the resort that the fees had gone up.

When you check in they ask what paper you would like delivered to your condo..we picked the one we wanted...........well, every day we got a different paper....I would imagine it was whatever was left, cause I think we where the last unit to get the delivery...........I don't think I will be making any reservations to CA in the future because I have noticed that most of them do have fees and surcharges for WHATEVER!!! :wall:

Talent312 · Dec 17, 2009

They may not rate as obnoxious, but I have to mention the irritating 9's. Just about every one of HGVC's fees ends in some multiple of $x9 -- $49, $69, $79, $99. Purportedly, they relate to actual costs, but it must be accounting humor. Are they selling gas by the gallon... $2.69-9?

rickandcindy23 · Dec 17, 2009

Consolidated charges $600 to transfer a resort. Think of the money they make on that! They increased from the $550 they charged in 2009. I guess it's their labor costs for entering data into the computer that went up.

Rent_Share · Dec 17, 2009

Transit Occupancy Taxes at some of the newer Worldmark resorts

AwayWeGo · Dec 17, 2009

Don't Tax You & Don't Tax Me. Tax That Guy Over By The Tree.

Rent_Share said:
Transit Occupancy Taxes at some of the newer Worldmark resorts

Is that particular nuisance tax a WorldMark phenomenon ?

Or is it a symptom of certain specific tax-happy jurisdictions where WorldMark resorts are located ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

bnoble · Dec 17, 2009

One of them is in Anaheim---and the Wyndham down the street, in the same municiaplity, doesn't charge anything like it. I've never figured that one out.

am1 · Dec 17, 2009

Mandatory AI can be annoying as well. I guess they need all guests to participate keep the places open/profitable.

What is the most obnoxious fee in timesharing?

BocaBum99

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rickandcindy23

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