January 10, 2025
Marriott Instates Parking Fees for Some Rental Guests Starting January 1st, 2025
As of January 1st, 2025, Marriott has implemented new parking fees at most of its resorts, marking a significant shift in its policies. This decision will impact certain rental guests while maintaining parking benefits for timeshare owners and their guests.
- Marriott has begun charging an approximately $25 per night per car fee to certain rental guests for reservations on or after January 1st, 2025.
- Owners booking their stays using deeded weeks or points will be exempt from paying this fee.
- Renters who are renting a stay that was booked using a timeshare owner’s deeded week or points will be exempt from paying this fee. This includes renters using services like RedTimeshares.com.
- Read on to get more information regarding the specific policy changes, why they’ve been made, and which scenarios require this new parking fee to be paid.
In this article, we’ll look at what this change entails, its reasons, and its potential implications for those staying at Marriott’s vast collection of resorts.
What Are the New Fees?
Marriott’s new parking fee is expected to be approximately $25 per night per vehicle. The homeowner’s association of each resort will determine the exact fee amounts. This fee will primarily affect only certain rental guests, including those booking through Marriott.com, redeeming Bonvoy points, or using third-party travel agent sites.
While specific Marriott properties, such as locations in Hawaii or high-traffic city areas, already impose parking fees, this policy will extend charges to most resorts managed by Marriot. This includes Sheraton Vacation Club and Westin Vacation Club properties, managed by Marriott Vacations Worldwide.
Who Will Be Affected by the New Fees?
There are a few different scenarios for guests staying at Marriott-managed resorts. Let’s review who will be affected:
- For Timeshare Owners: Reservations made using deeded weeks and Club Points bookings are exempt.
- For Guests of Timeshare Owners: Guests added to reservations made by owners using deeded weeks and Club Points are exempt from the new parking fees. This includes renters using services like RedTimeshares.com.
- Interval International Exchanges: Guests staying at a Marriott-managed resort using an exchange through Interval International will be exempt from the new parking fees.
- Reservations Made Using Bonvoy Points: Whether you’re a timeshare owner or not, plan for the additional approximate $25 per night charge in your travel budget.
- For Rental Guests Booking on Marriott.com or through Travel Agent Sites: Plan for the additional approximate $25 per night charge when budgeting for your trip. This is particularly important if you book through third-party travel agent services.
Where Does RedTimeshares.com Source Their Rental Inventory?
The team at Red Timeshares works directly with timeshare owners to list, market, and sell their unused reservations. This means renters using our service can enjoy the same benefits as the owner they rent from.
With the new parking policy changes, this subtle distinction of where a company’s rental inventory is sourced can be an important consideration when choosing the platform or company to rent from.
We’ve previously written case studies on the savings of using our service over booking with Marriott.com. Still, now there’s another reason to consider booking your next vacation from a timeshare owner.
| Hotels | Timeshares | Vacation Rentals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front desk + Concierge | |||
| Resort amenities (on-site pools, spas, restaurants) | |||
| Hospitality brands & cleaning standards | |||
| Multiple bedrooms + Large living areas | |||
| Full or Partial kitchens | |||
| Pricing determined by owners |
Why Is Marriott Introducing Parking Fees?
The primary reason behind the new parking fee is Marriott Vacation Club’s effort to manage rising operational costs without raising maintenance fees. The revenue generated from the fees will help offset expenses while maintaining the industry-leading quality and service found at Marriott Resorts.
How Will This Policy Affect Guests?
Rental guests, particularly those renting from a timeshare owner who has booked the reservation using weeks or points, will still enjoy the same benefits as the owner. This includes the benefit of free parking.
The new nightly fee might affect guest satisfaction for renters using Marriott.com or a third-party travel agent who is not sourcing their inventory from timeshare owners. This could lead to negative reviews or sway guests toward alternative booking methods. However, some travelers who often visit urban city centers or destinations with similar fees may not perceive the change as unusual.
For timeshare owners, the impact is expected to be positive, as most will remain unaffected when booking stays using their ownership privileges while enjoying offset operational costs that should lead to lower maintenance costs over time.
Marriott faces the challenge of balancing the need for extra revenue with maintaining guest satisfaction. The outcome of this balancing act will determine the long-term effects of the new fees on future customer booking habits.
Final Thoughts
The introduction of parking fees at Marriott-managed resorts represents an adjustment designed to address rising operational costs while maintaining resort standards. Overall, the winners of a policy like this are the timeshare owners, who should enjoy an additional revenue stream that offsets operational costs and leads to lower maintenance fees over time.
Also, because Marriott has been viewed as an industry leader in many respects, we may see other popular timeshare brands follow their lead by introducing similar policy changes. Time will tell how this policy change could affect the industry. Our team will follow the overall impact on the timeshare industry closely, so be sure to check back on the Red Timeshares Blog or subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter for the latest insights!
