You’re worried about Marriott Kauai and we hear you. What this means for hotel guests and timeshare owners?
198 thoughts on “Update on Kauai Marriott | Changeover at Kauai Bubble Resort”
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PART TWO (limited by 2000 characters, previous post was not the entire message)…
Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club timeshares will continue to be managed by Marriott Vacations Worldwide as a Marriott Vacation Club. This change will not affect your ownership or usage rights for your timeshare weeks. Talks are presently taking place with Sonesta and Marriott Vacation Club to ensure that the services you are accustomed to will continue to carry on into the future.
Lastly, we have recently been informed that after receiving a negative NAAT test 72 hours prior to arriving on Kauai (does not need to be with an approved State of Hawaii Safe Travel Partner) you will be able to enjoy a modified quarantine at the property – use designated facilities such as the pool, sections of the restaurants and a designated fitness area. In addition, Kauai’s Mayor Kawakami, has proposed to Governor Ige that after 72 hours of your stay you can elect to take a rapid antigen test to end your modified quarantine on the Resort. This would allow our owners to fully enjoy their villas and the rest of the island of Kauai in 2021. As information is constantly being updated with current pandemic guidelines, please call our Owner Relations Pre-Arrival Specialists at (808) 632-8035, Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm, for the latest information prior to planning your vacation stay on Kauai.
This truly has been a trying year but rest assured your Board of Directors, Marriott Vacation Club, the great associates and Management Team at the property have been and will continue to be here for you.
Take Care and God Bless.
Mele Kalikimaka and a Hauoli Makahiki Hou!!
Art Gillespie
President, Kauai Beach Club Owners Association and the Association of Apartment Owners
I thank you for this invaluable forum that is insightful and informational during this period of uncertainty.
I am letting my friend use my week at my Marriott Kauai Beach Club Timeshare property late July 2021. Hopefully, the quarantine will be over and things will start to get back to normal, but I am concerned that Sonesta will be tearing down or renovating the main Marriott hotel, which will affect the activities, the pool, the beach activities and other amenities that timeshare owners are allowed to use. Also, it could be noisy. My gut is telling me to find a different property like the Marriott Waiohai timeshare near Poipu for their family—just to be on the safe side. Please share your opinions.
I would hate for them to go to the Kauai Beach Club and find that it is in a state of transition and hotel remodeling. What do you think I should do?
Regarding my maintenance fee that is due soon, do I still need to pay it, especially since the property is in disarray. I read that the pool is not even need heated—not good!!
Thank you for your valued suggestions.
Worried Gramma Sue in Arizona
SUE M…
The transition to Sonesta isn’t until end of March 2021 so I doubt anything major will have started by Summer (although we are hearing that renovation is scheduled to start end of 2021). The pool was just “renovated” (leak(s) repaired, etc) and the waterfall(s) “aesthetics” improved while the property was closed this Summer/Fall. As far as beach “activities”, I’m not sure what you mean. But my response would be that those would be governed by whatever Covid protocols allowed for at the time. We’ve been at the property twice a year for 28 years and the only time we felt impacted was when they redid the downstairs area (Kukui’s) and again, I wouldn’t anticipate that Sonesta would be jumping on that during the height of tourist season. Any time there have been room renovations (timeshare) etc, we’ve not experienced any extraordinary noise, etc. We’re arriving July 16 for three weeks and have no concerns whatsoever.
SUE M…
P.S. The pool is heated by overflow heat from the properties heating system. I can’t imagine how that could be “disconnected”. The pool in Summer is like a bathtub just from the sun.
The three day Resort bubble quarantine plan might sound all great, however, unfortunately, the average Hawaii vacation stay is only 7 nights. I can’t think of anyone coming to Kauai for 7 nights who is going to be willing to spend the first 4 of their nights dealing with a 3 night read resort bubble stay and a 4th day for testing.
I am also a short term rental host on the island. I have not had one single booking since the mayor announced his three-day resort bubble plan 10 days ago. I’m also not getting bookings for the summer, because of the confusion and uncertainty his abandonment from the Hawaii saves travels program has created. I am getting bookings for next winter, late 2021. If this mayor is not careful, he will seek Hawaii dried up until December 2021.
It’s his choice. We’ll see what he says tomorrow.
Do you know who owns the Kauai Marriott’s grounds? Is it the Hotel or the Vacation Club owners?
I worry about losing access to the pool and gym. Mahalo!
This is the letter from the President of the KBC Board forwarded by the Resort Manager and received 12/31 2:00MST…
…This project was twofold, first to repair leaks in the pool thereby reducing water usage and second to restore the beautiful aesthetics of the pool and waterfalls. I am happy to report that both goals were accomplished….
We have received questions regarding maintenance fees for 2021. Due to the Resort closure and restrictions in place from the State of Hawaii and County of Kauai as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced savings in operating costs for 2020. Those savings have allowed us to keep our maintenance fees flat for 2021 by applying a portion of the savings to the 2021 maintenance fee budget. Secondly, the additional savings will be applied to the maintenance fee budget for the much needed public area renovation that is scheduled for the next few years.
I also need to inform you that there will be a management change with the hotel section of the property. Beginning March 2, 2021, Marriott International will no longer be the hotel manager, and Sonesta management company will manage the hotel property as a Royal Sonesta. Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club timeshares will continue to be managed by Marriott Vacations Worldwide as a Marriott Vacation Club.
So disappointing to hear all of this. We stayed there for a night while waiting for our place on the North Shore to become available. It was a great hotel and we liked it so much we drove back down to go to Duke’s to celebrate our anniversary.
Duke’s has Great food.
We stayed there a few weeks ago and got to the island when safe travels was still allowed. It was well run and we had no complaints. There were very few visitors and we mostly had the pool and beach to ourselves. When the resort bubble program started, management roped off a section of the pool area and marked it as EMQ or enhanced movement quarantine. The front desk told us that only two families were there as bubble people. They told us that the bubble people were allowed to go to Dukes and the Italian restaurant, and could hang out at the pool, but could not go to the beach. The resort supplies the shuttle from the airport and participants have to wear GPS trackers.
I am sure that there are very few guests there now as we saw the numbers dwindle each week. I met a few people who must own multiple timeshare weeks and they said they they were staying for several months. We also heard the the hotel is contractually required to stay open due to some long time timeshare owners owning fixed weeks. They also are the resort that handles airlines crew layovers and have to be open for them.
When the hotel that contained our timeshare in Mexico was sold we were denied usage of much of the resort. An ugly Fence went up dividing the pools and common areas. We were unable to access the restaurants and shops without going off property and reentering the hotel property. Our beautiful resort split in half. We gave it up after one trip.
BRENDA…
MVCI has a major reputation at stake here worldwide so I have to believe they won’t let something like that happen. Naive, maybe, but hopeful!
BOH, I enjoy the news you share and the comments that give tips, share info, and try to be part of the solution. You state that comments are to refrain from rudeness, bullying and personal attacks and will be posted at your discretion. I guess I am tired of hearing that “my governor is better than yours,” “it is personal to me, my momma died and is 100% dead,” or “the problem isn’t us islanders, it is you tourists.” I believe the comments section is very helpful and worthwhile but I can’t wait until the editors get a quicker hook for some of these comments.
Hi Dave.
Thanks for the feedback. We do try our best. Beat of Hawaii has a huge number of comments; more than any other Hawaii website. It is quite a job managing them. You should see the ones that didn’t get published…
Aloha.
BOH
Understand, totally. You as most people are doing the best you can. This is a community where people are expected to be grownups, and there should be a balance between being too heavy handed and letting it all loose. Giving some leeway in this challenging times to allow people to voice their concerns and frustrations would be an awesome thing you can do. But, for those who cross that gray line way too far, heavy handed is appreciated as none of us really want rudeness in our lives, especially right now when everyone is on edge.
Keep up the good work.
Hi JWI.
Thanks for that. We appreciate it.
Aloha.
For Marriott timeshare owners to communicate with other Marriott owners on this subject, they can go to the bbs of tug2.net.
JANICE B…
Thanks for the suggestion but I wouldn’t go there just yet – or maybe even ever! Nothing has been decided regarding ownership. The only thing decided is that the hotel property will transfer ownership. If you read my post(s) yesterday quoting some people (the on-site Owner Relations Manager and the MVCI Senior VP for Global Services) who are actually in the know and involved in the transition, Marriott will continue managing the timeshares. Anything else is just gossip.
TUG is the oldest and most awesome timeshare for owners sight in existence! I am not a member but have read postings there for over two decades. Very kind and know legible bunch of people.
MVCI will screw in maintenance every whatever form of currency from you. What have they offered during the pandemic still what forever escaping fees despite the running cost reduced to a minimum. Marriott International dumped MVCI several years back as they knew they had squeezed all they could now was time to for MVCI to sink. Tell me what happened to promises of more resorts in Europe, more in Asia & the Middle East. All a load of sales talk by a bunch of storytellers!
Like Mike H. said – just stop paying! I love this “you can’t get out of it nonsense”. No one or any vacation business (timeshare company) can make you pay anything! At this time in my life I don’t owe anything to anyone (I realize not everyone is in this position). I still use my timeshares but when I decide to stop – it’s all yours timeshare company and you can put the maintenance fees where the sun don’t shine! I could care less about the collection calls!
MIKE S…
And watch your credit score sink for 7 years! Great idea!
Barbara M.- in my situation who cares! If I want something I pay cash for it! I understand this isn’t the answer for everyone but at my age I’m done throwing good money after bad!
MIKE S…Well aren’t you just so special!
Barbara – not sure what your issue is! I was originally responding (agreeing) with Mike H. as no timeshare company can “make” you pay!
As I mentioned twice, I realize my situation may be different than others – you obviously have an issue with my statement (work for a time share company perhaps?) At any rate I’m not going to debate this issue with you anymore in this forum. Hope the holidays treat you well.
MIKE S (aka Mr. Moneybucks)…
Brag about your financial position all you want just don’t expect me to accept your braggadocio without commenting on it! And your obnoxious statement that I work for a timeshare company – there is no logic to that statement, no reason for that statement and why even mention something like that.
@Mike S. I am sure Barbara is a nice person and like many of us are simply on edge because of this dang virus. Maybe just give her some leeway and leave it alone. I am also at a point in my life where I can ‘not pay’, owe no one anything (except for my family and the county), but as long I can and do not feel being screwed, I will do my part to pay my timeshare company as they still are my travel/vacation vehicle and I believe if everyone does what they can to help business land whole on the other side, we all will be better off. Most people and lots of businesses are effected in a bad way by COVID, but it is much easier landing on our feet if everyone chips in, even if a little bit.
I’m not sure why you have such an issue with his statement? I’m no different at 63, my home is paid off, my cars are paid off (I’m not special, I just worked my rear off for the man for 45 years to be where I am) and I too owe no one (except the utility company) anything. There is very little I could ever need that would require me to use credit any longer (I don’t spend all my retirement money every month) so if my score went down it really would mean nothing to me at this point in my life…which is what he’s saying…namely that he can quite easily offer them a finger rather than payment if the situation calls for it…with very little concern they can do anything about it but flap their lips and waste money mailing him a bunch of letters he can use for firestarter’s.
Thank you for sharing this. Karen E commented, “I wish there were a way to connect with other owners, but we are fighting city hall”. Perhaps one could start a Facebook page for Marriot Owners (I’m not sure “time share owner” is the correct term). Might be hard to find and connect with other owners but over time I think it would grow.
I’ve loved going to this property for a number of years, as well as, other Marriott properties. I’m so glad to read in the comments from the Owners Relationship Manager that the Beach Club is not changing owners it’s the Hotel piece of the resort. Sad, but hopefully something can be worked out as opposed to that part closing down.
CAM J…
If you read my second post, nothing is closing down – neither the hotel nor the timeshares!
Barbara M,
Ownership transfer not closing down. Must have misread. I stand corrected!
Thanks. The change-over is not until 3rd week of January 2021. Maintenance is $2200 per week per year. Why pay staff if the hotel/timeshare area is closed? They will be fine. Please keep checking on the homeowners; website: Facebook: Kauai Marriott Beachclub You’ll find it. More accurate information.
Thanks. Marriott Kauai Beach Club Owners’ Group is the Facebook group of owners. It does have more accurate information.
So much for “accurate information”. The transition isn’t until March 2021.