Distrubing trend in hawaii

[johnsorg Member Find all posts View Profile Close johnsorg]

Just got back from Hawaii and stayed at the Point at Poipu and Ka'anapali Beach Club. Both places charged a daily sales tax fee. It was only about $6 per day but it was the first time I have been charged a tax at any timeshare. I hope other tax starved states do not start this trend.

On the positive side both places were in great shape and were at the top of all the Diamond Resorts I have stayed. On the last day at Ka'anapali the coffee maker and toaster were replaced with brand new cuisinart models and the iron was also replaced with an upgraded model.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

This is not new for Hawaii. It may be new for your resort.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Orange County California timeshares have been charging a TOT (transient occupancy tax) for years. Others in parts of Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico. Probably quite a few I don't even know about.

This is not new to the industry. These are the counties ( notice I do not say states as it is county specific) looking to cash in on the hospitality industry even if it extends outside the normal hotel stays.

The taxes are not kept by the resorts but turned over to the county coffers and has nothing to do with any upgrades you experienced.

All the caribbean timeshares I have stayed at charge a govt tax as well as an energy surcharge.

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

Hawaii has assessed the special timeshare tax since 1998. I remember paying it a few years ago when I went to Hawaii.

I agree with you, I hope that other states don't get the same idea. I'm actually a little surprised Florida hasn't tried it, since there are so many timeshares there. But Hawaii is very close to being socialist, so that is why they are the first to implement a special tax to punish those wealthy bastards who own a timeshare. It seems rather unfair to me, since we are paying property taxes already. But to look at it from Hawaii's point of view, it is very unfair that timeshare owners vacationing in Hawaii would scam of paying the hotel tax, just because we can afford to "own" rather than "rent" our rooms.

An interesting point - according to a blog I just read it said that the tax was originally supposed to be $24/day but ARDA lobby efforts kept it at $6. Wow, if it were $24/day - that could very well keep me from going to Hawaii at all. But then again, I'm very cheap. When I exchanged to stay at Gaslamp Plaza suites in San Diego, I parked in airport parking and took public transit to the timeshare to avoid the high parking fees downtown.

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

Orange County California timeshares have been charging a TOT (transient occupancy tax) for years. Others in parts of Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico. Probably quite a few I don't even know about.

This is not new to the industry. These are the counties ( notice I do not say states as it is county specific) looking to cash in on the hospitality industry even if it extends outside the normal hotel stays.

The taxes are not kept by the resorts but turned over to the county coffers and has nothing to do with any upgrades you experienced.

All the caribbean timeshares I have stayed at charge a govt tax as well as an energy surcharge.

Wow, I didn't realize that there were other counties out there charging the timeshare tax. I only knew about the state of Hawaii. I guess I've been lucky to avoid those counties - I've stayed in Oregon (Sunriver), California (Palm Springs, San Diego, Avila Beach, Lake Tahoe) & also in Arizona (Sedona, Scottsdale, Lake Havasu) and I don't recall paying a tax at any resort except in Hawaii.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Wow, I didn't realize that there were other counties out there charging the timeshare tax. I only knew about the state of Hawaii. I guess I've been lucky to avoid those counties - I've stayed in Oregon (Sunriver), California (Palm Springs, San Diego, Avila Beach, Lake Tahoe) & also in Arizona (Sedona, Scottsdale, Lake Havasu) and I don't recall paying a tax at any resort except in Hawaii.

It is not a timeshare tax specifically. It is a rental property tax.


There are very few on the east coast that charge them. California is definately county by county and some of them are pretty steep! Indio charges them. Palm Springs doesn't. Napa area charges them (hefty). San Francisco does not. Solvang charges them. Avila Beach doesn't. Orange County yes. San Diego County no. Arizona, Tucson charges one, it's a nusiance fee of about $3/day.

So if you feel you want to avoid them do your research.

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

It seems rather unfair to me, since we are paying property taxes already. But to look at it from Hawaii's point of view, it is very unfair that timeshare owners vacationing in Hawaii would scam of paying the hotel tax, just because we can afford to "own" rather than "rent" our rooms.

People who stay in hotels are paying property tax for the hotel; it's just buried in the room rate.

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

It is not a timeshare tax specifically. It is a rental property tax.


There are very few on the east coast that charge them. California is definately county by county and some of them are pretty steep! Indio charges them. Palm Springs doesn't. Napa area charges them (hefty). San Francisco does not. Solvang charges them. Avila Beach doesn't. Orange County yes. San Diego County no. Arizona, Tucson charges one, it's a nusiance fee of about $3/day.

So if you feel you want to avoid them do your research.

Thanks for the info! I will definitely make a call now before booking a room, and I will avoid Napa for sure. I certainly don't want to reward those counties with exorbitant taxes by spending my tourist dollars there. A couple bucks a day, no big deal...but as it approaches $10/day, I'm just not willing to pay it.

I'm not surprised to hear Tucson is one of the communities charging the timeshare tax. I live in Tucson and our city council is constantly coming up with new ways to take our money. I guess if I have a friend stay with me for a week I'll make sure and send the city $21. haha.

btw... I know it is not really called a "timeshare tax", but it appears that the "hotel bed tax", or "transient occupancy tax", etc. have been modified specifically to target timeshare occupants. Nearly all jurisdictions charge some sort of tax on hotels, but most don't apply the tax to timeshare because it is owned, not rented. Just my opinion, but I feel that owning a timeshare is more equivalent to owning a vacation home, so I shouldn't be charged an extra tax for every day that I stay there.

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

btw... I know it is not really called a "timeshare tax", but it appears that the "hotel bed tax", or "transient occupancy tax", etc. have been modified specifically to target timeshare occupants. Nearly all jurisdictions charge some sort of tax on hotels, but most don't apply the tax to timeshare because it is owned, not rented. Just my opinion, but I feel that owning a timeshare is more equivalent to owning a vacation home, so I shouldn't be charged an extra tax for every day that I stay there.

The rationale (whether you agree with it or not is largely irrelevant) is that someone staying in a timeshare is a transient and creates the same costs for services and should create the same opportunities for revenue generation.

The circumstance that the unit is owned rather than booked as a hotel is a distinction that makes little difference with regard to demands on local services and infrastructure. The fact that the property is owned is just a technicality; for practical purposes it's still a transient occupancy.

Not saying that I agree with the logic; I'm just saying that is the rationale. And I do recognize that there is some associated logic. Once a decision is made to tax transient occupancy, there is a rational basis for applying that tax to timeshare as well as to rental.