TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Resort Fees

Thought this might be of interest. Here is an excerpt for the resort fee policy for Flamingo resort and Royal Palm as listed in the reservation form.

"- Hotel Guests and Exchange Reservation: A photo identification, credit card for $100 security deposit and a nightly $10.00 plus tax resort fee will be required (cash is not an acceptable form of deposit).
Resort Fee includes WiFi, beach chairs, seasonal activities, billiards table, pool, business center computer/internet and boarding pass printing.

- Owner Weeks and Member Points Booking: Photo identification and a form of payment will need to be provided at check-in. Resort fees* will be waived when staying on your owner week or member point reservations.
A resort fee of $10.00 plus tax per night will be added to the reservation if the owner or member of THE Club� is checking in on a rental reservation."

Is this in addition to the annual maintenance fees?

No billiards table at Royal Palm that I am aware of.

I also wonder if they will address the issue of "saving" chairs on the beach and around the pool?? As early as 5:30am there were as many as 15 chairs "saved" around the pool and often not used until way later in the day, if a all.

No. MF's are not a factor in this as owners or points members at those resorts are exempt from the fee during their stay. The fee only applies to Rentals, RCI, II or Point trades. Thought that was quite clear in the post.
Not sure of the pool tables at the RP but there are at the Flamingo along with tennis courts.
As far as the pool loungers. All you have to do is bring it to the attention of the pool security and it's a done deal. At least at the Flamingo it is.

I have never once seen it addressed at Royal Palm. In fact, some of the people are very friendly with the pool attendants and maintain the same lounges their entire stay.

Have you ever complained about it to someone that can do something?

No, personally I never have but I know others that have and as I said, it has never been addressed.

I spend very little time at the pool there but it is rather disgusting to see "saved" lounges with nobody in them for hours on end.

Is this something new? We have exchanged into Flamingo many times and have NEVER paid that $10 per day fee you have mentioned. We have also rented at Royal Palm and never paid it either.

Must be. They talked about it last year. This was on my upcoming emailed reservation confirmation I received yesterday for my owner weeks at the Flamingo. I'll be exempt as in the past but thought I would share this so if people are planning to stay there it won't come as a big surprise.

At the Flamingo any unoccupied chairs for over 1 1/2 hr are fair game and all it takes is it to be brought up to the pool security and it should be dealt with. If people like you don't complain to persons in charge how do you expect to get it corrected?

If I used the pool/beach lounges a lot, I would complain. Otherwise, in being rather old fashioned, I expect people to act in a different fashion than they typically do. I would agree with the 1.5 hour thing but it is NOT handled that way at Royal Palm. Often items (shoes, towels, books, etc.) are left overnight to assure a lounge.

Squeaky wheel gets the grease. It won't change by ignoring it. Bring it to managements attention next time you witness it.

I know the Towers (they did last I stayed) and Royal Islander charge for Internet. 60 a week. So kind of a wash. But instead of nickel and diming, They should have just charged for wifi. Everything else should be included in your stay. But recently we stayed at the PGA Marriot in Ponte Verda, FL and they charged a 25 a day "resort fee". Just one more way to get money from customers

FYI - Towers is charging $30.00 per week or $5.00 per day for Internet right now...they just can't seem to make up their collective mind. In December it was $35.00 per week and they said it was going up to $40.00 but perhaps that was for the high season?.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Diamond Resorts is just joining the charge them for everything club. Among the members are the Sapphire, Divi, and Oyster Bay. Originally they called it an energy fee when oil prices were going sky high, but since energy has gotten cheaper they have changed the designation. Sounds better. Hey, they can learn from the airlines and fee you to death. But this is nothing new. The first time I was charged was a $14 a day energy fee at Oyster Bay about ten years ago. That's $98 a week. Outrageous!

Diamond never had an energy fee or any other fees for that matter. I believe it is all about the wifi that they want the owners not to pay and renters or traders to pay. As it should be since our MF's should cover it for owners. They just grouped all the rest of the amenities into the fee.

Scubaman:
I'm an owner at Flamingo so I know that the fee is something new. At one time they charged for wifi and called the fee that. They could have gone back to that designation but not for owners. If it was optional, then fine but this is mandatory. Making it seem like you are getting a whole bunch of things for it keeps people like me who leave their computer behind happy.

I have never been charged for wifi since it was put available in every room. As an owner your wifi is free so why leave your computer at home. So many advantages having one there but to each their own.

Scubaman:
I don't take it because I'm on vacation and have plenty to do without touching a computer. I don't have face book or any other electronic playtoy. I don' even have e-mail. If I want to communicate with someone I call them on my telephone (My cell-phone is for when I travel). I don't text or do any of those things that might result in bodily harm to myself or others. I enjoy talking to real people. By the way. I am thinking of getting smoke signals.

Turn their crap into the lost and found and take over the loungers. After an hour and a half I would think it was abandoned. I'm not squeaky, I'm downright no-nonsense.

Correction...Royal Islander charges 50 dollars one week for internet or...60/month!!!!!! For all staying more than a week it is a no brainer

Thanks!! Yeah really a no brainer!