Original Message:
Re: Diamond Resorts raises maintenance fees again! (by Robert R.):
From Los Abrigados Resort:
We are packing to leave after spending a very nice week here. The unit we got had old furniture and carpets, and smelled bad. A communication from DRI tells me that $6.5 million is budgeted this year for improvements at the twelve resorts in our collection (former ILX.) I think Los Abrigados needs a couple of million alone. They did fix the pool, and put in wireless internet. But both jacuzzis in the spa were out and the mens' sauna and steam took turns going out. This place is old and needs work. I now pay over $1,000 for one week of one bedroom a year. How much are they collecting? DRI said they sent me the budget but must have forgotten to attach it to the email. We did not attend the "update" and tell everyone how disgusted we are with Diamond. We met other ILX owners who fell the same way.
They give the same old excuses about the reasons for the fees going up, mainly that it was the fault of those ILX scoundrels. Well, Steve Cloobeck is a smart guy. I'm sure he investigated the financials of the deal. I guess he figured he had the right to squeeze the owners as much as he wanted. Unfortunately, that's the deal we signed.