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MARRIOTT RIPPING OFF ARUBA OCEAN CLUB OWNERS
I am so disgusted with the Aruba Ocean Club. I feel I am being ripped off big time. My maintanence fee went from approx. $1150 to $1700 for my week,. To add insult to injury, I just got a letter in today's mail that they now want another $626 for refurbishment of the unit. I feel I am being squeezed out. I could use all these yearly fees and take a great trip. When I called and complained, I told them I refuse to pay it and they said they will eventually put a lien on my ownership. My unit has been paid in full for years. I will never buy from Marriott again, nor recommend it to anyone. I will try to sell my unit, but now I know why there are so many for resale at the Ocean Club.
Bonnie M.
I have been an owner at the Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI) for 9 years. I am so pissed at them I could just scream. I paid 18,000 for a two bedroom timeshare at their Ocean Club in Aruba. The yearly dues at that time were about $800-$850. After last years rump ride I paid about $2400 dollars for one year. I just got my bill for next year and it's over $1400. I'm not sure if they are going to stick me with another bill yet this year? Not one time during their sales session did they talk about us having to keep up the building above and beyond the yearly dues. They talked about how the cost of vacations were going up and what a joy it would be to buy into their paradise retreat. That if I acted now I could stop the rising costs. I feel violated and lied to. Marriott MVCI is completely full of crap and they need to get back to reality on the yearly fees. If you are thinking about buying a timeshare from the MVCI company...DONT!!!!!
Pete D.
Stop your complaining. Read the information they sent you with the annual maintenance fee. Other than the additional approximate $450 special assessment for the 10 year refubishment plan ( included in the 2010 fees) the majority of the increase over the last 2 years is for wages and utilities........... complain to the government of Aruba for the 50+% increase in electric and water or for the 20+ % increase in wages. It's not the Marriott's fault. You can sell your unit on Redweek for more than you paid for it (not too many timeshare owners can make a profit like you will be able to) and then rent 2 rooms at the Hyatt for $800+ a night per room during New Years week (not as nice, a 1/3rd smaller, no kitchen to save money on food, not as nice of a beach) and your total bill will be almost $12,000 for the week........ what a horrible investment you made. I am an original owner and we have been going down every year to the Ocean Club with 4 other families since it was built...... we love it. We have some incredible memories that will last us a lifetime. They are using your special assessment (about $1200 over 2 years) to make some major improvements........ enjoy them. Life is too short to look at the negative side of things.
Bruce W.
bruce347 wrote:Stop your complaining. Read the information they sent you with the annual maintenance fee. Other than the additional approximate $450 special assessment for the 10 year refubishment plan ( included in the 2010 fees) the majority of the increase over the last 2 years is for wages and utilities........... complain to the government of Aruba for the 50+% increase in electric and water or for the 20+ % increase in wages. It's not the Marriott's fault. You can sell your unit on Redweek for more than you paid for it (not too many timeshare owners can make a profit like you will be able to) and then rent 2 rooms at the Hyatt for $800+ a night per room during New Years week (not as nice, a 1/3rd smaller, no kitchen to save money on food, not as nice of a beach) and your total bill will be almost $12,000 for the week........ what a horrible investment you made. I am an original owner and we have been going down every year to the Ocean Club with 4 other families since it was built...... we love it. We have some incredible memories that will last us a lifetime. They are using your special assessment (about $1200 over 2 years) to make some major improvements........ enjoy them. Life is too short to look at the negative side of things.
That's a complete reversal of your previous post and I doubt seriously if anyone can sell a timeshare for more than they paid initially in this economy.
You said previously: "A class action suit sounds like a great idea. Please be aware a substantial protion of the special assesment is going to a major renovation of the units and not just for the roof. There are also several other issues that should be included in that lawsuit that the board is currently investigating including rental of common space (the Marriott not passing the revenue on to our Association) and taking a portion of the special assessment off the top as a management fees (the audacity of making us pay for the faulty roof and then charging a management fee while our board hires someone else to oversee the roof repairs)".
R P.
Last edited by jayjay on Oct 19, 2009 07:43 AM
CONCERNED OWNERS at MARRIOTT’S ARUBA OCEAN CLUB MUST READ INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR OWNERSHIP AT THE ARUBA OCEAN CLUB
Introducing our new website for all Aruba Ocean Club owners
SIGN UP NOW! www.aocconcernedowners.com
This web site has been created by concerned owners as a means to communicate frequently regarding issues facing each of us as owners with the assurance that no names or addresses will be shared for any other purpose and has no affiliation whatsoever with the Marriott Corporation.
We are certain that you will agree that we all love to go to Aruba to vacation and enjoy a wonderful rest and time away from the stress of everyday life, especially these days more than ever before. When we purchased at AOC, we expected that we were purchasing a first class vacation club resort from and managed by a first class company. Otherwise, many would not have made the financial investments required to purchase at this resort.
*********************************************************************************************************
Imagine buying a new car from a reputable dealer, having it break down often, and upon taking it to the shop, being told by the mechanic that it’s got a used, five + year old engine in it. That, in essence, is what I believe has happened to thousands of us who purchased something even bigger – a vacation timeshare – from one of the most reputable companies in the hospitality industry: Marriott.
Many of us assumed there was a certain guarantee of quality when we purchased property with the Marriott name on it. Instead, we had:
a leaking roof and windows causing mold and structural concerns the need to replace the metal roof several years ago and the entire flat rubber roof this year the need to replace the windows and reseal the entire building this year the knowledge that revenue was owed to Owners for years information that MVCI never disclosed to Owners about our building MVCI taking control of an Owners Annual meeting and voting against Owners wishes. MVCI not providing yearly audits as required by the By Laws for many years Please ask yourself:
Was it disclosed to you by Marriott when you purchased your villa, that our building had been an abandoned steel hulk. According to Aruban government records, it was under consideration for demolition? Why have MVCI and the AOC Board refused to share with the owners the entire owners consultant report on the condition of the building for which we have paid over $70,000 ? Who is paying for all the repairs? Why did MVCI recommend a reserve replacement life for the roof of 25 years, when they knew that it was already 5+ years old? Why have MVCI and the current Board refused to allow us the ability to contact all Owners in order to make public our concerns? Why did MVCI take control of our last annual meeting spending funds for staff and a professional parliamentarian and vote their shares for the first time since we became an Owners Board to elect the current President against the overwhelming wishes of the Owners? Why is our Board paying legal fees against us, the Owners, for our legitimate legal challenges instead of defending our rights by seeking action against the developer?
It is critically important that you join with over 1000 other concerned Aruba Ocean Club Owners and Learn for yourself what MVCI and the current Board of Directors have been doing. SIGN UP NOW! www.aocconcernedowners.com
We must resolve the following issues: The increases in both our maintenance/reserve fee and the need for special assessments. While our fees in 2009 were outrageous, reducing them is appreciated but it still does not make them reasonable. Still I was told they are the highest on the Island. The lack of good faith so that we can be assured of complete disclosure regarding our Building and the costs incurred by Owners The importance of having Owner control and insurance that the Ocean Club remains as a separate facility and not be integrated with the Surf club The recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars in repair and maintenance costs that we incurred because of the condition of our building The recovery of all lost revenue due Owners from vendors and Marriott sales space in our lobby The calling of a special meeting to make changes to our By Laws and our Board of Directors which will protect us and give Owners a fair playing field. Remember you Own this property!! The need for all owners to VOTE and not let Marriott’s vote control our future Please read the reports and make your own informed decision and feel free to call or email me with your questions and comments.
For detailed information, go to our web site www.aocconcernedowners.com
Sincerely,
Allan
Allan S. Cohen, Owner & former President
Mark S.
This has been one of my concerns as a multiple week Marriott timeshare owner. Are the boards at any of the resorts truly representative of the owners at each resort? It seems to me that one has to be an ex military general, city manager, lawyer, ex corporate CEO or the like to even be considered as a candidate for board membership. I don't feel these people are representative of the majority of owners who are certainly NOT members of the upper class in today's society. Another thing that I have wondered about is whether Marriott pays its fair share of maintenance fees for units in their inventory not yet sold or owned by them for resale? If anyone has any information or comment on these issues I'd be interested in hearing them. I don't own at the Ocean Club but I can certainly sympathise with their situation.
Dennis N.
I am just getting informed about all of this stuff. I have been an owner at Ocean Club for a long time now and am frustrated with the high costs of maintaining my 1 bedroom unit (often costs more that my 2 bedroom unti at Surf Club next door). Do you have an email/owner list regarding this situation you can add me to ? my email is goncalves 8255@gmail.com Thank You !!!
Sergio G.
The problem is that the "Board of Directors" is answerable to Marriott and not the owners: The whole board structure is rigged to favor Marriott. I thought when you purchased the time share that you already paid for the building. Why do we have to pay for it twice? At $250 per night, these fees are the highest in the world. Many owners can no longer afford to stay there. In fact, you can almost rent any timeshare on the island for less than you pay in fees. We have another time share up the beach that is nicer and pay $475 a week. Very sad.
Stephen R.
As a former 15 year timeshare sales veteran I recently experienced a 2020 layoff from a SC Marriott /Sheraton timeshare resort after my ongoing complaints about mold and unscrupulous leadership conduct inside the 40 year old marriott/Sheraton resort ( Covid 19 layoff) in Myrtle Beach, SC. In Oct 2021, I sold my SC home and relocated to FL where I attempted to use my timeshare membership benefits for short term stay lodging until my wife and I found a home in FL. From Oct 2, 2021 to Jan 2. 2022 I have a reservation even though we were evicted by the timeshare Mgm for reporting facts I will continue to report ongoing fire evacuation concerns and “water infiltration” in resort hallway lights and room appliances that are sparking in rooms. I also reported dust, mold, and musty odors in hvac system as well as water and sewage backing up inside our unit from within shower and toilet. To add insult to injury the 3rd party cleaning company kept entering our room over and over using toxic chemicals that created a body reaction (asthma events) for my family. We asked them to stop on week 1 and they kept applying pressure and ignoring us then ultimately had me, my wife, and kids evicted several days after our service animal on the property died from a raging infection ?. we were forced out of the resort and Vacation Villages and RCI kept our prepaid RCI last call lodging money so far. Based from my experience as an owner and former sales executive for Top timeshares chain brands the leadership only cares about gross sales they do NOT care about occupants/employees and they do not appear to measure the Infrastructure properly nor are they open to learn Worldwide ISSA cleaning and healthy IAQ Restoration affiliates standards to help prolong the building life.
Many timeshare stakeholders continue to raise maintenance fees on owners and ignore discoloration and microbes(mold) as well as poor indoor air quality and other factors.
Solution Example- Keeping Buildings Dry : Damp ventilation air can damage IAQ (Indoor Air quality) and a building itself.
The first and most important element in achieving a dry building is to keep rain off and out of the exterior walls.. ask me more.
The second step is to provide and integrate drain pans, or sill-pan flashing, into a waterproofed and well-drained wall underneath every window and door. Ask me more.
The largest load is the water vapor carried into the building by ventilation air and by humid outdoor air leaking into the building. While less immediately risky than rain leaks, humidity loads often cause greater long-term damage. High-humidity loads from ventilation air persist for thousands more hours every year than the shorter, intermittent loads from rain water. Lastly , According to the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD., the health risk of a damp building is real and measurable. Biologists and health professionals believe mold and bacteria growing in damp buildings are responsible for many negative health effects. According to an article by David Mudari and William J. Fisk in the June 2007 issue of Indoor Air, the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Berkeley, Calif.-based Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory calculate these health issues probably cost the U.S. about $3.5 billion in treatment annually. Time to stop ignoring the health and safety problems above. Ask me more.
Tom Martin III
Tom Martin III
Last edited by phyl21 on Dec 31, 2021 06:38 PM