Service charge by villa mangmnt?

[patr]

I am corresponding with Great Caribbean Getaways regarding a villa rental in November.

They want to charge a 13% tax and service fee!

I expect to pay 8% tax, but have never paid a service fee before. I would like to think the service fee is paid by the owner and is built into the cost of the rental. Is this merely a way to advertise the villas at a lower rate and then get you at booking time?

Has anyone ever heard of this?

[JT]

Patr, this was discussed awhile back, on the old board, I think. Personally, I find it to be gouging, insulting,misleading, and just plain unacceptable business tactics by GCG. I wouldn't use them, nor recommend them. If you advertise the price as $3000. plus the 8% usvi tax, what's up with charging another $150. for service fees? They are paid by the villa owners to provide service to the renters. I know of no other management company on STJ that does this. Now, you wanna know how I really feel?

[Betty]

Ditto JT

[Marcia (Mrs. Pete)]

Caribbean Villas does the same thing. We avoid booking through them. Oh, and they don't take credit cards which is a big deal with us because of the miles we earn on our credit card.
Marcia

[ihochman]

I'm so glad to see this topic on the forum. I booked my trip this year
through Caribbean Villas and was appalled by the fact that they charged the additional 5% "service" charge. I'd only booked through Catered To in the past and they don't do that. I assume that price is worked in somehow but it is horrrific to actually break out that cost. I loved the house we rented thru CV but would rethink it again next time.

[Betty]

Does anyone have a list of rental companys that take American Express?

[JT]

And a lot of villas on STJ are not exclusive to one management company. Check around. I am quite certain that Paper Moon, for example, is available from multiple rental companies. As to what Mrs. Pete said about another company charging the 5% rip-off charge, I think with the exposure that this board gets, we should periodically draw attention to this "policy" of some companies. They are not very clear about the 5% thing on their web pages, and so often you don't find out until after you've done all of your comparison shopping.

[patr]

I talked with a previous renter of the villa we're looking at and they researched their paperwork and were NOT charged the service fee by GCG. They rented from them this past June.

So, if one was to ask for the fee to be waived, how do you think they'd reply?

[Adrienne]

I would say no harm in asking, just a few days ago people were talking about securtity deposits and someone had mentioned that they asked their management/rental company to waive the security charge and they did, no problem. Worth a shot. (I think that the thread from this person was in a post about renting a honeymoon villa - we got on the subject of security deposits...I think)

[cypressgirl]

I am renting a condo from Carib. Villa and we are arriving very late. I called to ask them if there would be some sort of welcome basket upon our arrival.
He told me no welcome basket but a bottle of water. I asked the guy "What the heck am I getting for a 5% service fee"? He suggested I call a provisioning company. Boy, I was really steamed.

[mia]

Our first rental on St. John was through Caribbean Villas; we found nothing in the refrigerator, not even water.
Our second rental was through Catered To; they don't charge a 5% fee. We were pleasantly surprised to find a lovely arrangement of food and drinks in the refrigerator, delivered by Katilady, compliments of Catered To.
I guess maybe you don't always get what you pay for. ....mia

[Betty]

we rented through Vacation Vistas in January and we did not pay a service charge and the welcome basket included a 6 pak of Beer, 6 pak of soda, lots of fruit, cheese,smoked turkey, crackers, cookies and chocolates. The manager also would not take a tip.

[iowaguy]

Funny, I thought about mentioning this in my trip report but I was concerned about people thinking I was petty. Anyway, it bothered me that we rented from Caribbean Villas and they charge a 5% service fee, plus there was no welcome basket, no leftover liquor in the cupboard---nothing. We have rented 3 times from Catered To. No service fee but GREAT service. Plus a nice welcome basket---always (coffee, champagne, salsa from Katilady,etc.).

[RickG]

I just include the Caribbean Villas' service fee in the up front calculation.

On the other hand, VIVA gives a ten percent discount for returning renters that rent one of the properties that they manage. We got Eaglesnest for below list for Halloween. But, no credit cards with the discount rates.

Cheers, RickG

[flip-flop]

JT is right there was an extensive discussion of this on the old forum. I am wholeheartedly opposed to the extra 5%. Especially after receiving superior service from a villa co. w/ NO service fee!

We went with Caribbean Villas and like others found their service charge to surprisingly not come w/ any added service. Other than showing you to the property I can't for the life of me figure out what they did for that 5%. On the other hand, Destination St John - who I found much more helpful and concerned in the booking process, i.e. helping me find a child friendly home and answer my 1000 questions & who does provide a welcome basket - charges no service fee.

I also like comparing apples to apples. I would be happier if they just raised the house rate by $150 instead of tacking on an extra 5% after you've done all your research. I just find it annoying.

That said, I am pretty much a devotee of Destination St. John. They were extremely good to me when they could have taken my entire deposit when we had to cancel 6 weeks prior to a planned stay. I also feel better that their management is on island. Should a problem arise.