TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Royal Islander La PLage Exit

So, I've been trying to reach Nina Persaud at RILP but she doesn't answer emails. I've been trying to get rid of this "Club Membership" to no avail. Now I've sent letters to the finance people - Concord but they keep sending me statements with interest. I have my reasons but they don't respond. Also according to the contract if I do not pay my annual fee they will take back my "membership" and resell it. So what are they waiting for?

Sorry people I'm just frustrated with these guys.

Try Contacting Richard from owners web site list it for sale someone will buy it. What week is it and what size unit

Not trying to sell it. I didn't pay that much for it. Just want to get out of it. It's week 16. 1 bedroom, 5th floor, Sonesta side. I really did like going there but can't deal with the management.

spiker...am very surprised to hear anyone complain about management at RI. We have been going to RI for almost thirty years...and have NEVER EVER had a complaint about anything management concerned. Not sure what your problem was....but am really surprised to hear that you can't ''deal'' with them. As mentioned...and doesn't really matter how much you paid for the unit......i would also suggest getting in touch with Richard March, and have him try to sell the unit for you. one bedroom...FIFTH floor Sonesta side would go pretty fast i would assume. Even a few grand is better than just turning it back in to them.

Agree with the others that state get in touch with Richard at www.royal-islander.org

I don't think you will get much more than a grand but likely would get something for it. In my opinion Royal Islander and La Vista, thanks to the management and low AMF's, are probably the only two time share type properties on island that you can sell and actually get something for it on the resale market. Week 16, while not in prime season you are in a good time range for many so I think you should find some interest.

Other than the delay of info on when they would be ready after Irma they have been very good to deal with, again in my opinion.
Cheers,
T

Tod...I disagree...i bet he could get around 5 to 6 grand....FIFTH floor....that alone will sell it.

Hey Ed, Just an FYI! - I still haven't been contacted by the "professional" people at RILP. I have sent numerous emails, letters and a phone call to Nina Persaud but she never responds. You may have never had a problem with management probably because you haven't had anything serious issues with them. But believe me there philosophy is "to wait it out because you may go away"!

Sad.

As far as selling, if you could get $1000-$2000, I would be surprised.

Good luck.

Call Lucy...she usually gets things accomplished. I don't even know who Nina is.

Spiker....too bad you don't have 14 or 10. i may have been tempted to add.

I don't know who Lucy is. When I call the number on the invoice it belongs to Nina. She supposedly is the answer person when you send an email there. I recently contacted Richard - he may help. Thanks.

Lucy retired

Nina is the person you need to get. There was also a Murvyn but that was a few years ago. When we sold our unit Nina was great, once we got her, gave up emailing and just called.

A bit off topic, but rather than start a whole RI thread.... do they have wi-fi? how is it, and do they charge? And I think that parking is across the street under La Terrasse? Charge as well?

Thanks.

Leona,

The wifi at RILP is a pay for use thing - something like $40.00 per week or $50.00 per month but it was very good. I used it regularly while there. The parking charge is under RILT and it was $30.00 per week and that one I'm pretty sure of.

If there is a way to charge you, they will, but in the long run, still worth it. The laundry there was also a charge for use but it was very clean and not bad at all to use.

Here now. Wifi is $50 for the week or $60 for the month.

In this day and age WiFi should be free but I realize at many resorts it is not.

I have called her and left a message with my number but she never called back or responded to any of our emails. I also sent letters to the people who sent the statement but no response.

As far as I'm concerned these people are clueless on how to do business and I would never recommend this organization to anyone based on what has transpired in the last few years.

Sometimes hidden or referred to as a "resort fee", both on the island and in many places in the US.

I guess I have to say, “At least I was close, folks!” And leave it at that.

With regard to the WiFi being free, free would be nice, but I’d rather pay a defined price than pay that mysterious ‘resort fee’ ruralcarrier mentioned.

On our first trip to Hawaii we were hit with a $35.00 per day charge they called a resort fee. Times ten days that starts to be substantial, and when I questioned them as to what the charge covered they told me it was for resort services like the daily newspaper and beach towels at the pool. It did NOT include WiFi or parking, both extra charges on top of everything else. For starters, we don’t read the local papers on vacation and for that amount of money I would happily have brought beach towels from home or purchased them there. It was a very nice resort but really?

As for timeshare resorts charging for WiFi, while I’d prefer not to, I don’t mind paying for it but I also realize it’s one of the few ways some of the smaller resorts have to raise their revenues.

Yes some resorts have that "resort fee". I know Flamingo and Royal Palm charges a resort fee to renters and timeshare trades but not to owners which is built into MF's.

as an owner for over 30 years....i do not mind paying for wi fi. As everyone knows...nothing is FREE. Somwehere somoeone is paying for it. Over the years, RILP has continuously upgraded the wifi to where it is today. I don't think there is a blank spot in the entire resort that is not covered now...and it is a fast...very strong signal. And....as for parking.....30 dollars a week for SECURED and monitored parking is a bargain. 24 hour security there. underground...so car is cool when you get in. and have NEVER had trouble finding a space. RILP charges one of the most if not the most reasonable weekly maintenace fees than any other timeshare on the island. They easily could raise the fees much higher than they are, and give free parking and wifi...but I guarantee it would be much higher than what we pay now. When i asked management about this a couple of years ago...their response was they felt it would not be fair to give these freebies to the owners...since many do NOT use the wifi or rent a car...and why should they pay for someone else's parking. I had to agree, and still feel this way.

What are your MF's might I ask? 2 bed, 1 bed or Studio.

Red Week is showing that a 1 bdr is $872

that sounds about right. i have a one bedroom. I also want to add....that we have NEVER had an additonal assessment ever to our fees...and during the few times they have been closed for hurricane damage, we have never had to pay our maintenance fees while they were closed for those times....including over a year closure for Irma. I don't know of any other place that gave back or didn't take fees while closed.

Flamingo did not charge MF's for the fixed week owners for the 2018 and half for this year. Looks to be the same for 2020.

my point. we NEVER paid for time we couldn't use for closure. As far as i know, RILP was the only one that have never been assessed an additional amount, or having to pay when the club was closed. Also......Flamingo fees our much much higher. I know our friends at Flamingo pay a lot more per week that we do...and they only have a studio.

Tell me about it. I have 3 two bed lockouts and a studio week at Flamingo I pay MF's on. Luckily none for 2018 and half price for 2019 to cover insurance etc.

We own three weeks (47, 48, and 49) at La Vista Beach. When our units weren't available in 2017, we were given the option of either banking our weeks with RCI, or internally with LVB for future use. Obviously, we had already paid our 2017 AMF when Irma hit. I'm sure it cost them something to make them bankable with RCI, since they certainly couldn't be used. We have never paid a special assessment there, and our fees are quite reasonable.

Ga...then that makes two properties with fair management.

La Vista, not La Vista Beach, did have a Special Assessment but it was not much and before Irma. It was $450 per 1 bedroom deluxe which is a 1 bedroom 2 bath unit, normal AMF's for that unit is $852 for 2019 which is the most expensive of any unit there except the two bedrooms in LV Beach which are not much more for AMF's. As was stated if you had or wanted to bank weeks you could or you could use on future trips.

RI always makes it simple, not as good of communication as La Vista but nothing for me to complain about. Got dicey last year on renting my Penthouse unit, came down to the wire but it worked out. Hard to argue between these two as the best run.

Atrium I believe also had a similar policy as La Vista and they let us use that unit in 2018 that we had paid for in 2017, they were not closed that long so I am sure that made it easier for them. They are really easy to work with, almost as good as La Vista and a bit better than dealing with RI, not that I have any complaints about RI.

If The Towers would just communicate they could create confidence but they don't, the state that you will be able to use the weeks in the future (assuming you actually have that much time to spend on island) but they are certainly asking for their money. I walked, and got another unit at RI to replace my week 47 at Towers.

Cheers, T