Brand new "annual dues"???

[morgancita Member Find all posts View Profile Close morgancita]

Can a timeshare resort just decide to add a brand new fee? Casa Dorada in Cabo San Lucas has, according to the rep I spoke with yesterday, decided this past January that all members are now required to pay $99/year for annual dues on top of the maintenance fees. Is this typical? Is it legal?

They're saying it's the same as the VIP Preferred Membership, which used to be optional. They're also saying, though I'm not sure I believe it yet, that the $99 gets us $1000 cashback rewards which is designed to help members actually pay back their maintenance and this fee itself. Now THAT I really don't think I buy.

Somebody please help me make sense of this!

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

It depends on whether the owners have control of the HOA or the developer has control of the HOA. In most cases, the developer controls the HOA and can pretty much do what they want. If owners control the HOA it might be time to get rid of the current management company adn bring in someone else.

I'm always amused at those "cash back" discounts designed to "save" members up to X amount of dollars. I've rarely seen a "discount" that saved me any more than what I could find without the "discount". For instance, a 50% discount of a hotel's rack rate could easily still be higher than booking the hotel room directly through the hotel's on web site. How? Hotels almost never charge the rack rate for their rooms. I've paid $100/night for a room who's rack rate was listed at $250/night. In that instance, a 50% discount of the rack rate of $250 would bring the cost of the room down to $125 or, $25 more than what I was paying by going directly to the hotel.

You also have to be wary of car rental discount codes. It's often best to search for a rental car without the code first, then redo you search with the code to see if you're really getting a deal.

Airlines are the same. You often must purchase a certain fare class in order to get the companion ticket for free of the discount promised in the promotion. The last time I compared one of those discounted tickets, the cost was almost double the cheapest fare availabe. This was a few years back on United but, they all play similar games.

You have to watch out for those discounts. Most of the time, you only think you're saving money but in the end, it's costing you more than if you didn't have the "discount" to begin with.

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

To answer your question, yep.
They know they have you by contract and you are a source of money so yeah, why not ? You'll pay for it.
I'll bet they did not notify you of this and you did not have a chance to weigh in on it. Owners should have a voice of input and be able to vote on any changes. This is only one problem of timeshare ownership.

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

Came across this on anothoer forum. Can't vouch for accuracy - Just thought I'd pass it along:

ATTENTION Casa Dorada Members

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A rep. (Mike Coleman and Bill Buyers) of Vacancy Rewards. This is a company that previously represented the VIP program. There are trying to scam members and using scare tactics to get your money. They are also saying they will send you to collections they CAN NOT do that. They are NO LONGER involved with any part of Casa Dorada. GBS International is the customer service for the VIP program some times called CDVC on any statements that they send you.

The resort is building a case against these SCAM ARTISTS. GBS is asking it members to send them a complaint letter if these SCAMMERS are calling you or sending you letters. So the resort can stop them dead in there tracks.

The correct VIP website the hotel is running is: www.Casadoradavacationclub.com there number is 1.877.892.7368

You are NOT required to renew with Vacancy Rewards I repeat you are NOT required to renew with Vacancy Rewards