New Maintenance Fees

Does anyone know what the 2009 maintenance fees are? Are they the same for every owner? What about Club members? Does anyone know why they are increasing at such a drastic rate?

I don't know if they're the same for every owner, but ours went from about $650 to over $950 since 2007. (We have every other year.) We were appalled and don't know why the fees have increased so much.

Did you get the fees for 2009 yet, and if so what are they?

Those are the 2009 fees. We only have our timeshare every other year so didn't pay fees in 2008. I presume they went up in 2008 too, but regardless, a 50% increase in 2 years is criminal.

What were they exactly - I paid mine in 2008, and I believe they were $880 or so. They are going up substantially every year ever since Diamond took over. I understand Diamond Resorts is raising it the max that Hawaii allows. There is a very proactive attempt from owners to get more representation on the Board so that they cannot continue doing this - are you an owner or a Club member with Diamond?

About $980 so that was a huge jump between 2007 and 2008. We are owners, not Club members. We bought when it was still Embassy Suites.

I bought when it was Embassy too. I am not happy with Diamond Resorts and they are really trying to get owners to convert to their club membership points. I won't do it, but I know many have. Are you familiar with our owner's website?

No. I just stumbled on your message when I was looking into RedWeek to see how their exchange program worked. I imagine to switch to the club membership points that Diamond is promoting involves coming up with more money. Am I right?

Check out the owners's website at kaanapalibeachresortowners.com

Diamond is trying to convert deeded owners to club membership. While they can offer alot of flexibility with their points, we lose out on many owner benefits. Right now we are outnumbered on the Board by Diamond representatives, and need more owner representation so that we have control on things like maintenance fees, etc.

I am still trying to figure out why people buy timeshares after reading all the fuss! I am reading it on almost all timeshare sites. Is this why there are so many timeshare re-sale sites and locations? Someone sure is coming out of this like a bandit!

OMG! From 2003 to 2009 our maint fees increased by over 58%! This cannot be legal can it? I am going to my State Attorney & checking out the FTC tomorrow. "The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); WISH ME LUCK!! And you likewise this is absolutely corrupt.

Just stayed there. Also bought in 2001 as Embassy Suites and refuse to switch to points. Place has gone downhill. No more free happy hours which were fun to meet and see everyone and the kids loved it too. Restaurant is closed so it's like a ghost town around there in morning and at night. It's sad...used to be fun with the breakfast buffet in the morning, happy hour in the afternoon, etc.

With all these cutbacks, you would think fees would go down? I'm sure they send it, but how do you find the financials and how the fees are calculated each year? I'm every other year, so I'm sure I'll get blasted again in 2011.

Also looked into selling. Market price for my unit is $10k, for deluxe ocean view every other year. You have to pay a $2500 commission and $700 in fees. So 32% in costs to sell! So I guess we're stuck?

I see from the heading that you own at the Westin. Did you have any luck with the FTC?

We just stayed there too. As we also have alternate years, there were a lot of changes as far as the amenities are concerned like Happy Hour and the breakfast buffet. However, the grounds looked good, and I liked the Dive-in Movie idea. The place was busy, but we still had to wait til halfway through our stay to get the deluxe ocean view unit we "own."

Obviously everyone's big concern is the skyrocketing maintenance fee when amenities are being reduced. We are sticking with our original purchase agreement too and don't want to sign up for the new points system. Did anyone posting attend the annual meeting? Is Diamond even attempting to answer our concerns?

We bought in January 2002 - Ocean View - and our fees went from $400 to $1000. One year there was an extra $600 accessment even.

It is crazy and we often shake our head too as this has become very expensive. 7 years of payments on top of the fees.

I just came back from Kaanapali Beach Club a few days ago and the maintenance fee plus club fee for 2010 will be around $1,300. I got 8500 points, but the fees also varies by points. They are now combining the 2 fees instead of breakdown like previously. If you're new owner and purchase around 10,000 points or more within this year or later, fees will be around $1600, more points = higher fee cost, it's a new thing they're implementing since developer is not subsidizing maintenance fee any longer and it all go to owners. Hope this help.

In my opinion DRI is stealing from us, I did not fall for their magic points scam. Yet here I am funding the damn thing anyway with its multimillion dollar salaries to fund it is no wonder our Management fees are nearing 3 million a year. Before DRI we had a restaurant and a cocktail hour a pool bar and grill, breakfast buffet. Now what just higher maintenance fees I am no math math wiz but these fees are not adding up in my book.

Yes our costs at KBC have gone up massively and the biggest cost is keeping Diamond Resorts International as a management company. Looks like a big retirement fund for a bunch of old washed up timeshare executives if you ask me.

As a resort management company isn't DRI supposed to make the resort better and if we as owners mutually choose to pay for a better resort that is fine not a problem here is my money. I do not see that here at KBC with DRI at the helm does anyone else? Looks to me like they are in it just for themselves and they are guaranteed a raise anytime they want by simply raising the annual Resort Management Fee and we can not say a thing about it.

Looks like we have allowed the fox to watch the hen house, hmmmm!

CVO

The old website goes directly to Diamond.