Resort Fees

westernrvparkowner wrote:
This instance is not a cut and dried as the OP wanted to make it. Outdoor Resorts Palm Springs is a very top of the line resort. Golf Course, concrete pads, large clubhouses, on site restaurant, amenities galore. It is an ownership park where the lots are individually owned (average cost is around $100,000) and it is managed by the HOA. The HOA has a leasing arm that rents sites for the owners and collects a fee. What is happening is there are owners who are renting their sites themselves, so the HOA does not collect any fees. What is not taken into account is the HOA still has to manage that guest. They have to issue the appropriate access cards, handle any issues that arise, manage and take care of the common areas being used by those guests etc. The resort fee is being considered to offset those expenses incurred by the HOA that are not being recaptured by the HOA getting a rental commission. The individual that owns that lot can, of course, just roll the resort fee into their rental charge and no one would be the wiser. Same as rolling in the cost of the electric and charging a higher rate than if the electric was metered.

Thanks for the clarification. The whole issue makes a bit more sense now.

This instance is not a cut and dried as the OP wanted to make it. Outdoor Resorts Palm Springs is a very top of the line resort. Golf Course, concrete pads, large clubhouses, on site restaurant, amenities galore. It is an ownership park where the lots are individually owned (average cost is around $100,000) and it is managed by the HOA. The HOA has a leasing arm that rents sites for the owners and collects a fee. What is happening is there are owners who are renting their sites themselves, so the HOA does not collect any fees. What is not taken into account is the HOA still has to manage that guest. They have to issue the appropriate access cards, handle any issues that arise, manage and take care of the common areas being used by those guests etc. The resort fee is being considered to offset those expenses incurred by the HOA that are not being recaptured by the HOA getting a rental commission. The individual that owns that lot can, of course, just roll the resort fee into their rental charge and no one would be the wiser. Same as rolling in the cost of the electric and charging a higher rate than if the electric was metered.

I thought that was what the daily rate was for?

I've been to some very nice upscale resorts but never any fee on top of the already high nightly rate. Why would just not include it in the rate if its a must pay?

The only resort fee I've seen are for day users. That seems fair to charge those without RV's who wish to use the facilities but are not staying the night, not using an RV spot etc. This fee is not charged to RV'ers other than it being already included in the nightly rate.

Johno02 wrote:
We cannot afford RV resorts, but I can understand a charge for facilities that some people do not use, but ONLY if the non-users can have the fee waived.

Agree with this. Can the "fees" be waived if you don't use certain facilities? If so, then they can charge an extra $100 a day if they want.

We've been to some big resort style campgrounds (especially when the kids were young), and didn't have to pay any extra fees BUT had to pay extra per person. At one resort campground the campsite rate was for only 2 people - anyone extra was $5 each per night. So they still charged you extra. It was kinda worth it for the campground, but it added up quick if you showed up with a couple kids!

So you have to figure it out for yourselves. One person might think it is an over the top fee, another might think it is worth every penny. For just "overnighting" while traveling, I would ask if any resort fee can be waived.

This is a good lesson to remember: always ask if there are any extra fees of any sort!

$4 - $10? Sound like a money grab to me....as the resort "facilities" don't cost any more.....my opinion? tell them the proposed increase means you won't be back. LOTS of campgrounds out there................

Resort "fees" are usually at "destination" parks. Never had one at an overnighter.

I would imagine you're paying enough for your rent that asking for an additional $10/day is terrible. Why not just raise the rent?

We've never paid a resort fee and would not.

Hmmmm: resort fees.
Nope, never paid any and won't pay any. Another reason we like state parks. :w

Before we take a political turn and get the tread locked.
My thought is what is the final daily rate. You can break it down per person, charge extra for additional people,charge for pets,charge a resort fee,charge additional for utilities etc.
Just give me the bottom line rate and I can decide if I want to pay it.
Call it a resort fee or call it a tip for the workers. What is the daily rate?
As long as I can easily calculate the rate and decide if I am willing to pay it I'm OK.
If the rate is hidden or not disclosed up front I have an issue

The Outdoor Resort is about as good as it gets, but at $40 to $80 a night depending of whether you stay by the night, week or month, I think that $10 a night is way too high.
I stay at a lot of Encore Resorts and the resort fee is only $4 and the nightly rate is $20 or $3-400 a month.