Who pays Accommodation Tax when Exchanging

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

I just looked at my account for Vacation Internationale online. I see a reservation I deposited to an exchange company. I see the guest's name etc.
Then it looks like I am being charged the local accommodations tax.

I'm confused because I thought the guests pay it when they exchange. It is because I didn't deposit to a large company like RCI/II? Is it probably a mistake?

My concern is mostly because we average depositing 10-15 weeks per year and local accommodations taxes can add up quick.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[aliikai2 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close aliikai2]

No mistake, and it wouldn't matter where you deposited,

VI has always collected all the TAT or local accommodation taxes.

So if you don't want to pay that tax, make reservations for deposit that don't charge a tax.

Another thing that adds up is maid fees, many times we have odd regular points and make a off season week deposit that cost say 35 points, with 91 maid points, so we end up renting lots of maid points.

I just looked at my account for Vacation Internationale online. I see a reservation I deposited to an exchange company. I see the guest's name etc.
Then it looks like I am being charged the local accommodations tax.

I'm confused because I thought the guests pay it when they exchange. It is because I didn't deposit to a large company like RCI/II? Is it probably a mistake?

My concern is mostly because we average depositing 10-15 weeks per year and local accommodations taxes can add up quick.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

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

VI has always collected all the TAT or local accommodation taxes.

So if you don't want to pay that tax, make reservations for deposit that don't charge a tax.

Another thing that adds up is maid fees, many times we have odd regular points and make a off season week deposit that cost say 35 points, with 91 maid points, so we end up renting lots of maid points.

Thanks.
I was short maid points for the deposit so I had about $60 for maid point charges in addition to about $5 in condo rental if I never deposited the week I would have saved about $70. But if I didn't deposit I would have lost 86 points.

The reason I would have lost the 86 points is that I had made a reservation for October 2008 but didn't need it. Points for canceled reservations are deposited to the current year not the original use year.

Amazingly, VI sent me a email on the day the exchanger was to depart asking if "my guest could stay an extra night." I didn't see that email until AFTER VI decided to give the 'exchanger' the room anyways. When I looked at my VI account closer I saw a NEW reservation that included an additional 91 maid points, condo points for one night and accommodation tax for one night. The reservation could have been booked for 8 nights using 91 maid points total instead of using it twice. I think the current cost for maid points is $1 per maid point or $91 for 91 maid points.

So VI made an unauthorized reservation to my account allowing the exchanger to remain. I was later told the exchanger paid $90 on a credit card to VI (not me). I happened to be in Mazatlan at the time. I went to the VI office at the resort. Amazingly, they seemed to have NO UNDERSTANDING whatsoever that it would not be proper to charge the VI Owner for the local accommodation tax for UNAUTHORIZED new reservations! The manager eventually said she would "write off" the charges to my account but insisted it is NORMAL PRACTICE to charge me for my 'guests'.

It seems like depositing VI reservations is risky.

I have also now found out that Velas Vallarta includes the Accommodation Tax with the MF. So even if you don't use or deposit the week, you pay. We now pay 4 x $800 per week to Velas ($3,200) which I think is ridiculous.

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

Thanks.
I was short maid points for the deposit so I had about $60 for maid point charges in addition to about $5 in condo rental if I never deposited the week I would have saved about $70. But if I didn't deposit I would have lost 86 points.

The reason I would have lost the 86 points is that I had made a reservation for October 2008 but didn't need it. Points for canceled reservations are deposited to the current year not the original use year.

Amazingly, VI sent me a email on the day the exchanger was to depart asking if "my guest could stay an extra night." I didn't see that email until AFTER VI decided to give the 'exchanger' the room anyways. When I looked at my VI account closer I saw a NEW reservation that included an additional 91 maid points, condo points for one night and accommodation tax for one night. The reservation could have been booked for 8 nights using 91 maid points total instead of using it twice. I think the current cost for maid points is $1 or $91 for 91 maid points.

So VI made an unauthorized reservation to my account allowing the exchanger to remain. I was later told the exchanger paid $91. I happened to be in Mazatlan at the time. I went to the VI office at the resort. Amazingly, they seemed to have NO UNDERSTANDING whatsoever that it would not be proper to charge the VI Owner for the local accommodation tax for UNAUTHORIZED new reservations! The manager eventually said she would "write off" the charges to my account but insisted it is NORMAL PRACTICE to charge me for my 'guests'.

It seems like depositing VI reservations is risky.

VI has always been quite expensive to maintain, from the initial ~$7/pt maintenance fee, to the 'odd' maid points usage rules and charges described above, and the occupancy taxes that are charged to the owner's account after the reservation is used. Way too expensive for me to deposit a VI week anywhere.

It is unbelievable that they would extend someone/anyone staying on a reservation without the express authorization of the owner.