Question about NO MAINTENANCE FEE Palace resorts in Mexico

[Cosmosis Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cosmosis]

Hey all, new to the boards. Wanted to see if i can get some help on a timeshare that we are looking at. My wife and i are interested in purchasing a resale timeshare at the all inclusive Palace Resort at Aventura Spa Palace for exchange purpose only. It states that there is no yearly maintenance fee. Does anyone know anything about this at all and how it all works? From all the reading and research i've done on the boards it looks like you don't have to pay any MF as long as you don't visit and just do an exchange. My question is, if we are not planning on ever visiting the resort but have a situation arise where we simply cannot exchange, do we then owe any fees or maintenance fees to the resort? Do we just lose the week? The exchange company would be RCI. Any help on this would be greatful. Thanks.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Have you done a google search on this resort's name and timeshare resell to see what it come? I just look at a few of them, all have MF except a few places where a vacation type club usually put ad on has the no mf.

Have you look at the potential cost?

Here is one of the ad from that place states how much you need to pay if you want to use that week. You may want to call resort yourselves to see how much you will pay if you want to use it as exchanger.

can use more than one week per year based on availability of space at any Palace Resort including Aventura Spa Palace, Cancun Palace, Beach Palace, Sun Palace, Moon Palace, and Xpu-Ha Palace! FEES FOR 2005 for 2 Adults, including tax and tips: JAN-APRIL 29: Beach or Cancun Palace, $1854; Sun or Moon Palace, $2170; Xpu-Ha or Aventura Palace, $2212. APRIL 30 - AUGUST 27: Beach or Cancun Palace $1459; Sun or Moon Palace $1776; Xpu-Ha or Aventura Palace $1815. AUGUST 28-DECEMBER 31: Beach or Cancun Palace $2654; Sun or Moon Palace $2960; Xpu-Ha or Aventura Palace $3011. "For each additional adult add $71 per night; for children ages 4-17 (excluding Aventura Spa) add $37 per night;

At this moment, I have no idea what it is, if I have to guess, it is one of the vacation clubs that collects a lot of weeks from owners that can not get rid of them, and package it and oversell to anyone that interest in getting a vacation.

I will call resort to check their fee.

Jya-Ning

By the way, I went to the resort site, I believe if you try to rent, 2 adult is about a little over $300, so I am not sure what this ownership will do to you

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

Hey all, new to the boards. Wanted to see if i can get some help on a timeshare that we are looking at. My wife and i are interested in purchasing a resale timeshare at the all inclusive Palace Resort at Aventura Spa Palace for exchange purpose only..

Mexican timeshares, with few exceptions, are very bad traders. All inclusive Mexican timeshares are probably even worse.

I see by your post count that you are pretty new to the forums. While it's easy to identifiy bad trading resorts, the issue of what would be a good trading resort depends much on the types of trades you would like to do and the exchange company you wish to use. Also, if you know the locations that you want to visit and there is a "mini-styem" - i.e., a chain of related resorts that allow owners to book time in units without going through an exchange company - that matches your interests, buying into the mini will probably be the best option for you.

For now my advise is to buy nothing. Instead hang out here, read threads and ask questions. As you learn more the strategies you will identify the strategies that will work best for you.

[ladycody Member Find all posts View Profile Close ladycody]

I agree with Jya-Ning.

I've a friend that bought into a similar resort...and my impression is that they oversell weeks to insure 100% occupancy at most times. In this way...they need only collect fees from those "owners" who actually book the resort. Those who dont (or cant) make a reservation wouldn't have to pay anything because there is very little unused inventory...so resort maintenance is covered by those occupying the resort. My suspicion is that it is probably very difficult to use on a regular basis. I'm also under the impression that some of these resorts disciminate in making priority reservations for people who are bringing more guests (hence more money in AI fees)...so for instance...some resorts will work harder to accomodate those bringing 6 ppl for their 1br condo than for the couple who wants to stay there alone. In addition...it doesnt seem like much of a deal to me financially....but then some people really like the AI experience and dont plan to explore much outside their resort...and that's ok too.

I'd just recommend ALOT of research prior to buying into a resort of this type...

[Bill4728 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Bill4728]

Hey all, new to the boards. Wanted to see if i can get some help on a timeshare that we are looking at. My wife and i are interested in purchasing a resale timeshare at the all inclusive Palace Resort at Aventura Spa Palace for exchange purpose only.

There are many great and cheap TS which trade very well. Some have low MFs. A mexican TS which is all inclusive is not one of these.

Consider buying TS with a low MF and see what it can do for you. If you buy it cheap you can always sell it and it costs you very little.

[Cosmosis Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cosmosis]

Thanks for responding. The name of the resort is 'Palace Resort at Aventura Spa Palace'. From what i understand it is a 'right to use' timeshare for a 23 year lease. The owner is asking for a purchase price of $2,700 but will accept an offer. She told me you can use 1 week a year or you can use as many as you want a year, no limit. If this is legit my wife and i are interested because of the "no maintenance" fee. I just need to find out how that works. From what i've read on a few message boards, you only pay the maintenance fee if you actually go to the resort. If u exchange then there is no fee. This is exactly what we would be doing. We have no plans on ever going there. We are just concerned with the senario if we are not able to exchange for whatever reason AND are not going to the resort, Do we then have to pay the MF or any other fees in that situation? Do we lose the week without paying any fees at all? If we lose it we are perfectly ok with that, we'll just use an rci last call or quick getaway for that situation. We're just concerned with there being any fees if we can't exchange and don't use the week at all. Not really sure who i would ask to get this info? Here's a quote from the resale ad with all specs below.

"USAGE IS ANNUAL IN FLOATING WEEK!! 25 YEAR LEASE WITH 23 YEARS REMAINING"
Location: Puerto Aventuras,Outside US,Mexico
Resort Address: Lote 3 Rancho El Trebol Carretera Federal Cancun-T , Kilometro 72 Municipio Solidaridad
Bedrooms: 1 Bedroom
Bathrooms: 1
Sleeps: 4
Lockout: N/A
Points: N/A
Maintenance Fees: None
Ownership: Right To Use
Usage Type: Annual - Every Year
Week: Floating
Unit: Floating
Exchange Company: RCI

Have you done a google search on this resort's name and timeshare resell to see what it come? I just look at a few of them, all have MF except a few places where a vacation type club usually put ad on has the no mf.

Have you look at the potential cost?

Here is one of the ad from that place states how much you need to pay if you want to use that week. You may want to call resort yourselves to see how much you will pay if you want to use it as exchanger.




At this moment, I have no idea what it is, if I have to guess, it is one of the vacation clubs that collects a lot of weeks from owners that can not get rid of them, and package it and oversell to anyone that interest in getting a vacation.

I will call resort to check their fee.

Jya-Ning

By the way, I went to the resort site, I believe if you try to rent, 2 adult is about a little over $300, so I am not sure what this ownership will do to you

[T. R. Oglodyte Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close T. R. Oglodyte]

We have no plans on ever going there.

I reiterate my previous advice.

You are looking for a unit to use as a trader. With RCI. That's all you need to know to drop this idea.

This unit won't do what you want it to. Why waste a minute worrying about the other stuff when this unit won't accomplish what you want.

***

I suggest a change in strategy for you. Since you want to buy something to use as a trader, why don't you first identify the resorts and ownerships that will accomplish what you want, then start looking for opportunities to buy those properties at good to great prices? Doing it the other way around - finding deals then vetting those deals against your objectives - is terribly inefficient. It's like deciding you want to buy a vehicle that is 4WD to help you get around in snow and ice, then following up on used auto classifieds without first considering whether the vehicle described is 4WD.

[Lisa P Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lisa P]

The old adage that if it sounds to good to be true, it is, has endured with good reason.

You would need to find out from the resort what happens if your owned week is not used. What are you committing to, if you don't plan to visit there?

Any money spent to purchase this commitment would be wasted, IMHO, if you are looking at it as something that you may sometimes ignore and substitute Last Call or Getaway rentals. If that's true, then why not just use Last Call or Getaway rentals without the purchase? For some people, who have that kind of flexibility to use rentals, it's the best plan anyhow.

I'd agree that you will probably be much happier figuring out where you want to go and how you can vacation there the most economically, aside from this "deal." Finding the right fit with a timeshare, before you buy, it what makes people satisfied owners. You've gotten some excellent advice above. HTH.

[ladycody Member Find all posts View Profile Close ladycody]

I agree that this is not a resort to buy with the hopes of using it for exchanging.

I also cant help but be under the impression that you think there would be no maintenance fee to pay if you simply exchanged the mexican resort and went somewhere else instead....which is inaccurate.

You will need to pay the maintenance fees if you use the week...whether you actually stay at the resort...or deposit the week to exchange for somewhere else. In either scenario you are using the week....either for personal use or for trade purposes. You will not be able to exchange it without paying the mf's. If, on the other hand, you dont use the mexican resort at all...you dont go there and dont deposit it for trading purposes...there would be no fees to pay.

AI fees would only be required of you if you used the resort yourself...which you said you have no intention of doing. If you exchange it...the people who trade into the resort would pay the AI fees.

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

I believe you want to buy a week with no MF and only pays (or not even pay) when you want to use it to trade.

In order to exchange with RCI, you have to reserve that week. The resort I know of will ask you to pay. And if you can not get the exchange you want, there is no refund process.

Call the resort to see how much it is (Palace Resorts - Cancun's Premiere All Inclusive Resorts) and ask them to send you a signed fax if they tell you no need to pay MF to do exchange.

Jya-Ning

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

Man !!! Timeshares with no maintenance fee. Sounds great ! I could go for that !

[Cosmosis Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cosmosis]

If, on the other hand, you dont use the mexican resort at all...you dont go there and dont deposit it for trading purposes...there would be no fees to pay.

First off, thanks everyone for your responses and help. They are greatly appreciated. My wife and i are brand new to timeshare. I'll try and clear up exctly what we are looking for here. We really like RCI's vacation resort's and want to be able to enjoy the last call vacations. It's perfect for us because we ALWAYS book vacations on the spur of the moment and the prices are great. That's exactly what we are looking for. Because we don't own any timeshare right now we have NO way to be a part of RCI. Our plan is to purchase a low priced resale timeshare with the lowest possible yearly maintenance fee we can find. If the week ends up trading well, all the better but we are simply not concerned with that. We just want to be able to be a part of RCI so we can start enjoying those last call getaways. Our week is not important. It may be a different approach than what most do but it is exactly what we want. Now with this Mexican all inclusive resale resort it states 'no maintenance fee'. Your saying that if i never deposit it then besides the cost of the initial resale purchase there would be no resort fees, MF's ? Can you even join RCI without depositing a week? Thanks again for your help.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Cosmo...What some are saying is that taking the week and depositing into RCI, is considered "using it" by the resort. Therefore, you will need to pay the MF's, before you can deposit the week into RCI.

I would suggest that you go to ebay, and look for a very inexpensive resort, with low maintenance fees. One that you would not mind visiting every few years, would be ideal. You can then take advantage of RCI's "last call" and have a low cost timeshare that you wouldn't mind visiting, as well.

Good luck!

[Jya-Ning Silver Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close Jya-Ning]

Can you even join RCI without depositing a week? Thanks again for your help.

yes. you can. So it does sounds appealing. The MTM vacation club probably ask you few thousands to joint in, and pay extra to get RCI inventory. If the resort is affliate with II, you can do the same, all you need is paying the RCI/II membership fee and you can cover it if you just take 1 vacation a year using last call or extra vacation.

But you should call the resort, check with it, and make sure it is in the book (no mf).

Also make sure you know the cost if you want to make a deposit exchange.

Jya-Ning

[Cosmosis Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Cosmosis]

.....if you are looking at it as something that you may sometimes ignore and substitute Last Call or Getaway rentals. If that's true, then why not just use Last Call or Getaway rentals without the purchase?

Right now we do not belong to rci because we are not owners of any resort. That's the thing, in order for us to be able to use the Last Call vacations we have to belong to RCI. The only way to do that is to own an rci affiliated resort.
Now if 'non owners' were able to join rci i'd be a happy camper.