Original Message:
Re: Diamond Resorts enormously increases the cost of Maintenance/Reserves on their resorts. (by KC):
mikes1668 wrote:Have stayed at Beechwoods (a Diamond Resorts location now) many times in the past on exchanges with fishing buddies in November but this year they are charging a $25 amenity fee per day which equates almost the same as the exchange fee . This is Diamond Resorts way of getting money out of guests. The people that owned the unit you would be renting or exchanging into have already paid an amenity fee through their maintenance fees , so why is Diamond Resort/ the resort charging for it again, This sounds like fraud to me. I have already booked into this resort and if I cancel I will lose money at this point. Anyone who rents here or exchanges here needs to argue about this fee especially if like me you will not even use the amenities. I have looked into this and have found out that RCI members are charged this fee not II members. What's up with that ? All these fees go to Diamond Resorts not the resort as I understand. The resort staff has always been nice and accommodating but after this year I will never stay at a Diamond Resort again.
Charging non-owners (i.e., rental tenants and / or "exchangers") an additional "amenities fee" actually seems to be a growing trend in the timeshare industry. Although I greatly dislike Diamond and would never have anything whatsoever to do with DRI, this phenomenon is certainly not unique to DRI. Such fees, to be clear, have nothing at all to do with the affiliated exchange company, whether it's II or RCI, or both.
I'm not convinced that the money actually goes to Diamond in this matter, UNLESS Diamond also actually manages the property at issue. At independent (non-"chain") resorts which charge such fees, that amenity fee money generally goes directly into the HOA's operating account, afaik.