Look out, mandatory resort fees, mandatory destination fees, mandatory facilities fees, and mandatory amenities fees: a new mandatory fee which guests must pay at a hotel or resort property has surfaced: the mandatory damage waiver fee.
Mandatory Damage Waiver Fee of $79 Plus Tax at This Resort Property
The mandatory damage waiver fee is found at the Mauna Lani Point resort property in Waimea in Hawaii — and the mandatory fee is explained as follows:
A non-refundable Damage Waiver fee of $79, plus tax if applicable, will be applied to the total cost of your reservation. This will cover the costs of any accidental damage of the vacation rental and it’s contents up to $1,500. Click here to view the full damage waiver: Mauna Lani Point Damage Waiver
The complete Mauna Lani Point Damage Waiver — duplicated verbatim below — is as follows:
DAMAGE WAIVER
The total cost of your reservation for this Vacation Rental Residence includes a non-refundable Damage Waiver Fee (USD) with the following costs, plus tax if applicable:
$79.00 per reservation for your entire stay
The Damage Waiver covers the registered guest and such other persons who are authorized in writing to reside in the Vacation Rental Residence overnight as part of the reservation (collectively the “Registered Guest”) for up to THREE THOUSAND AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($1,500.00) of accidental damage to the Vacation Rental Residence or its contents (such as furniture, fixtures, and appliances), but not personal items of the Registered Guest, as long as the Registered Guest reports the incident to Destination Residences Hawaii LLC prior to checking out. The Damage Waiver fee eliminates the need for a traditional security deposit. The value of any loss, including items damaged or repairs required to return the Property to its condition prior to occupancy, is based on the full replacement or repair value with items of similar make and kind without deduction or credit for the used condition of the property damaged or lost.
How to Report Damage
Please report accidental damage as soon as it occurs so we can assess and minimize the extent of the damages. To report accidental damage, please call Destination Residences Hawaii LLC at 808-885-5022.
Damage Waiver Additional Terms and Conditions
a. The Damage Waiver only covers damage that occurs during the authorized rental period and that Registered Guest reports to Destination Residences Hawaii LLC PRIOR TO CHECK OUT. If you fail to report damage prior to check out and damage is later discovered, you shall remain liable for such damage to the extent allowed by law, and the Damage Waiver shall not offset such loss.
b. The Damage Waiver Fee is non-refundable for any reason once Registered Guest has checked in to the Property.
c. The Damage Waiver does not cover intentional damage or damage caused by smoking, pets or other animals brought onto the Vacation Rental Residence, or criminal activity. The Registered Guest is responsible for intentional damage or loss from acts of the Registered Guest or Registered Guest’s invitees.
d. The Damage Waiver does not cover damage to any structure other than the Vacation Rental Residence covered by your confirmed, non-fraudulent reservation.
e. Registered Guest is responsible for any accidental damage that exceeds $1,500. Damages for covered claims in excess of $1,500 or for uncovered claims will be charged to the Registered Guest’s credit card used to secure the reservation or at check-in and such charges are specifically authorized by Registered Guest.
f. The Damage Waiver program is provided and administered by Destination Residences Hawaii LLC and is not an insurance policy. The Damage Waiver does not provide liability coverage and does not cover vehicles, guest personal items, or injuries to Registered Guest, guests, invitees, or other persons.
This Property is managed by Destination Residences Hawaii LLC.
Final Boarding Call
To add to this ridiculousness, extracted from the aforementioned damage waiver…
“…up to THREE THOUSAND AND NO/100 DOLLARS ($1,500.00) of accidental damage…”
…is the maximum coverage for accidental damage $1,500.00 or $3,000.00?
“Aren’t they essentially inviting people to do up $1500 worth of damage ‘accidentally’? Who will care if they put dishwasher detergent in the washing machine or flush a hand towel?” FlyerTalk member josephstern asked in this discussion. “This seems like a stupid move from a few angles.”
I completely agree and cannot comment any further about this asinine nonsense…
…except to say that at least hotel and resort properties are increasingly creative on how to extract even more money from you — the customer and guest — without offering or giving you any value or return on investment.
A mandatory damage waiver fee is no different than a mandatory destination fee, mandatory resort fee, mandatory amenities fee, or a mandatory facilities fee, of which links to past articles which have been posted here at The Gate are found here in this article…
Photograph ©2010 by Brian Cohen.
