Housekeeping on DVC is the deal breaker

[BEASLYBOO]

There are signs saying not to take the pool towels. They actually cost more to launder than the regular towels

I generally bring my own beach towels, but at times the kids and even I have taken pool towels back to the villa but we always return them to the pool. I’ve trained (ranted) to everyone who travels with me to do the same. I’m someone who follows the rules, not a saint by any means, but everyone cômplains about housekeeping but some people leave their villas a train wreck. I own a part of this, and I take pride in clean, well maintained accommodations, so I do the same on vacation as I do at home.

 

[quandrea]

I generally bring my own beach towels, but at times the kids and even I have taken pool towels back to the villa but we always return them to the pool. I’ve trained (ranted) to everyone who travels with me to do the same. I’m someone who follows the rules, not a saint by any means, but everyone cômplains about housekeeping but some people leave their villas a train wreck. I own a part of this, and I take pride in clean, well maintained accommodations, so I do the same on vacation as I do at home.

I agree with this. We always return pool towels to the pool. Don’t usually need them for bathing, but we do go back to the villa with towels around us.

I take excellent care of the Villas because we own. In between housekeeping visits, I clean the kitchen, washrooms. Vacuum the living room and bedrooms. I enjoy a clean space. Part of the deal with dvc is less housekeeping. I see dvc much like a lake cottage—I need to maintain my space. Happy to do so for the added space, kitchen, washer dryer. Absolutely love my dvc.

 

[Dean]

I generally bring my own beach towels, but at times the kids and even I have taken pool towels back to the villa but we always return them to the pool. I’ve trained (ranted) to everyone who travels with me to do the same. I’m someone who follows the rules, not a saint by any means, but everyone cômplains about housekeeping but some people leave their villas a train wreck. I own a part of this, and I take pride in clean, well maintained accommodations, so I do the same on vacation as I do at home.

No doubt there are factors. A lot of places charge for beach towels if you don't return them and I've had one try to charge me when I had returned them but fortunately I had the documentation in my pocket when I checked out. As I stated, taking a wet towel back to the room because you need it is reasonable and no one should complain for that. But when you see someone roll in, grab a big stack of clean towels and head back the the villa, different ballgame. We're conditioned to leave the DW running, strip the beds, pile the towels separately, take out the trash and the like. Slobs are slobs. Personally we probably take even better care of other people's things than my own. All of these issues do impact fees long term. But one note on the ownership part is that even on a good day for the best people, DVC is a rental car. Now back in the day when most timeshares were fixed unit options, it tended to be different.

 

[pineapplepalms]

No doubt there are factors. A lot of places charge for beach towels if you don't return them and I've had one try to charge me when I had returned them but fortunately I had the documentation in my pocket when I checked out. As I stated, taking a wet towel back to the room because you need it is reasonable and no one should complain for that. But when you see someone roll in, grab a big stack of clean towels and head back the the villa, different ballgame. We're conditioned to leave the DW running, strip the beds, pile the towels separately, take out the trash and the like. Slobs are slobs. Personally we probably take even better care of other people's things than my own. All of these issues do impact fees long term. But one note on the ownership part is that even on a good day for the best people, DVC is a rental car. Now back in the day when most timeshares were fixed unit options, it tended to be different.

I wonder what the rules are? I specifically asked the Poly CM if it was okay to bring the pool towels we were using back to our room as long as we brought them back, and they said we could and that we could just leave them in the room. We left them in the room in a separate pile from the regular towels.

 

[disneynutz]

I wonder what the rules are? I specifically asked the Poly CM if it was okay to bring the pool towels we were using back to our room as long as we brought them back, and they said we could and that we could just leave them in the room. We left them in the room in a separate pile from the regular towels.

Often the CM's don't know what the policies are and/or they don't care.

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

Well, at home just as in my DVC villa, I'm the washer of the towels, so hang it up so it dries and is reusable.

But Dean, I wanted to ask you, have you ever ordered extra towels and/or sheets and been charged? I have, a couple of times, needed extra towels (teenagers seem to require 2 towels per shower) but I've never been charged, ever. Why is that? I even asked at the reception desk," I realize there will be a charge but I will need 8 extra towels." Fully prepared to pay for them, they were delivered, never billed. When I checked out, went to reception to advise them of a couple of light bulbs, and I said, "By the way, you didn't charge me for the extra towels, response, "Not to worry, we hope you enjoyed your stay!"

So I even wonder if they would charge for an extra cleaning if requested?

Here is how it works IMO. If you call housekeeping for a towel pack and they add it to your folio, you will be charged. If you call the front desk for towels, they will notify housekeeping who drops off some towels and you won't be charged. If you ask an housekeeper, they hope to get a tip and you won't be charged. Again often the CM's do not know the policy, many are part time and/or under a 6 month contract.

Bill

 

[Dean]

I wonder what the rules are? I specifically asked the Poly CM if it was okay to bring the pool towels we were using back to our room as long as we brought them back, and they said we could and that we could just leave them in the room. We left them in the room in a separate pile from the regular towels.

I haven't looked at all pools but historically there have been posted signs not to take pool towels back to the rooms. Probably unrealistic as noted here for normal use. I know I've specifically had this discussion with one of the DVD VP's who told me the cost to launder the pool towels was significantly more than the room towels.

Often the CM's don't know what the policies are and/or they don't care.

Bill

Unfortunately this is true in some cases. I think most care but they are simply uninformed, some make up their rules and some purposefully misrepresent them as an act of activism of how they think the rules should read. Those in any corporate structure know all too well how the worker bees can pass along misinformation. It's almost like that game in elementary school where you start on one side of the room and let them repeat the info then see where it ends up on the other side of the room.

 

[jarestel]

I know I've specifically had this discussion with one of the DVD VP's who told me the cost to launder the pool towels was significantly more than the room towels.

Dean, did he mention why this added expense was necessary? I'm just curious if pool towels need more disinfecting than regular towels.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I haven't looked at all pools but historically there have been posted signs not to take pool towels back to the rooms. Probably unrealistic as noted here for normal use. I know I've specifically had this discussion with one of the DVD VP's who told me the cost to launder the pool towels was significantly more than the room towels.

Unfortunately this is true in some cases. I think most care but they are simply uninformed, some make up their rules and some purposefully misrepresent them as an act of activism of how they think the rules should read. Those in any corporate structure know all too well how the worker bees can pass along misinformation. It's almost like that game in elementary school where you start on one side of the room and let them repeat the info then see where it ends up on the other side of the room.

I think the CMs at resort that there is both a DVC component and a hotel component have worse training about DVC rules especially. Plus so many of the CMs just want the guests to be happy so they don't have to deal with a supervisor telling them about a complaint about them. I know my son got a lot less training for his tour of duty at WDW than they did many years ago.

Dean, did he mention why this added expense was necessary? I'm just curious if pool towels need more disinfecting than regular towels.

The pool towels usually have more body oils and sunscreen, requiring different laundering. Usually dirtier than the towels in the villa.

 

[blondietink]

Silly question here. We are a family of 4 adults and have sometimes gotten to our room and had only 2 towels. How many towels should we have and when should we be charged for extra towels? I don 't really think we should be charged for extra towels in that situation.

 

[Dean]

Dean, did he mention why this added expense was necessary? I'm just curious if pool towels need more disinfecting than regular towels.

He did but not in detail. It's been a while but IIRC it was because they had to be sanitized.

We're currently staying at a Bluegreen resort in Daytona, it's been a while since the one other time we stayed and I'd forgotten some of the little things they do. In the room, stickers on all paper products to let you know they've been left clean. A sticker seal on the fridge saying it's been sanitized. And they'll replace towels and all disposables daily by leaving a request outside the door. It's a hotel conversion but the rooms are nice and well furnished. The kitchen is small but functional.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Silly question here. We are a family of 4 adults and have sometimes gotten to our room and had only 2 towels. How many towels should we have and when should we be charged for extra towels? I don 't really think we should be charged for extra towels in that situation.

There should be towels for the listed occupancy. If not then what is needed to get it to that number should be brought to you at no charge. We have sometimes run into only having 2 hand towels but have always had at least 4 bath towels and 4 washcloths.

 

[Dean]

Silly question here. We are a family of 4 adults and have sometimes gotten to our room and had only 2 towels. How many towels should we have and when should we be charged for extra towels? I don 't really think we should be charged for extra towels in that situation.

4/4/2 Towels/washcloths/hand towels. I'd ask for more and double check here was no charge.

 

[DenLo]

This wasn't an issue at Aulani, either. I figure you don't want me dripping in the hallways (even after I've toweled off pretty well poolside), even if they're carpet.

You still drip in the hallways and elevators with a towel around a wet suit. You just need to stay out of the pool and in the sun for a half hour before going to the room. The thing is most guests do not bring coverups for their family members although it is standard resort wear. If you had a coverup and dried off in the sun before going to the room, you wouldn't need a towel to cover you. The pool towels stay at the pools always.

 

[DenLo]

Often the CM's don't know what the policies are and/or they don't care.

Bill

Some are looking for tips for you giving you extra stuff. But that extra stuff raises the cost of housekeeping. So the owners of the resort you are staying at pay the cost of those that don't follow the rules. Sometimes I wish we would just go to daily housekeeping and charge the guest on check in. That would lower the dues and make people realize what they are paying for.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

We are in our second day at Aulani. The printed literature in the room clearly states that trash and towel day is the 4th day. Why did a maid use her key to barge in on us? What if I had just gotten out of the shower, or if hubby and I were "being intimate"??? The maid said she was doing a "wellness check," which I think is code for hotels spying on you. It is highly offensive. What are we in 1984 with all that double speak? NO ONE said a word about this change during check in or in the handouts. The maid said call the front desk, who said they would do trash and towel every day, so we were late for the evening music show waiting for those towels. Then they brought only the big ones, no wash cloths or bath mat, and they replaced the nice fluffly white ones with dingy, threadbare, scratchy damp ones. How is this an upgrade?

I'm shocked and disgusted, not to mention offended at the further erosion and outright theft of our privacy. I overhear employees (not acting like cast members) gripong all the time, so did they give me crappy towels on purpose because I dared to say something? Also, the first time I called housekeeping a guy said in a bullying way that there is fine print on the bottom of the "room occupied" card (the maid had already pointed out it no longer saus privacy) that says they can enter at any time. (I googled "wellness check" and found out most hotels wait a few days of no response at least, don't barge in right after you get there!) When the front desk said they'd also replace towels I gatheted the wet ones, and after a long wait called housekeeping to ask where the towels were. She gave me one bizarre answer after another, like their shift ends at 5, we're on the schedule for full cleaning tomorrow (not true ever, as we aren't staying that many days!) and other contradictory nonsense. Finally sends up the guy who brings the crappy half load of towels after I call again to ask where they are. Still don't have a bath mat.

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Btw, I don't think they actually care about trash, as I have seen trash and food in the hall of this so called premium resort almost every time I've walked to the room so far

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are in our second day at Aulani. The printed literature in the room clearly states that trash and towel day is the 4th day. Why did a maid use her key to barge in on us? What if I had just gotten out of the shower, or if hubby and I were "being intimate"??? The maid said she was doing a "wellness check," which I think is code for hotels spying on you. It is highly offensive. What are we in 1984 with all that double speak? NO ONE said a word about this change during check in or in the handouts. The maid said call the front desk, who said they would do trash and towel every day, so we were late for the evening music show waiting for those towels. Then they brought only the big ones, no wash cloths or bath mat, and they replaced the nice fluffly white ones with dingy, threadbare, scratchy damp ones. How is this an upgrade?

I'm shocked and disgusted, not to mention offended at the further erosion and outright theft of our privacy. I overhear employees (not acting like cast members) gripong all the time, so did they give me crappy towels on purpose because I dared to say something? Also, the first time I called housekeeping a guy said in a bullying way that there is fine print on the bottom of the "room occupied" card (the maid had already pointed out it no longer saus privacy) that says they can enter at any time. (I googled "wellness check" and found out most hotels wait a few days of no response at least, don't barge in right after you get there!) When the front desk said they'd also replace towels I gatheted the wet ones, and after a long wait called housekeeping to ask where the towels were. She gave me one bizarre answer after another, like their shift ends at 5, we're on the schedule for full cleaning tomorrow (not true ever, as we aren't staying that many days!) and other contradictory nonsense. Finally sends up the guy who brings the crappy half load of towels after I call again to ask where they are. Still don't have a bath mat.

I guess you missed all the traffic on the DIS about these daily security checks. They are supposed to gather the trash every day (this was announced at the Member meeting last December and posted in The Disney Files), but not replace your towels every day. It's a way to check every room every day for sex trafficking and to avoid another Vegas incident. Lots of people are upset about this. The staff are supposed to knock first and wait for a response. If they get none, they will open the door (unless you have the security latch flipped closed).

 

[Starwind]

The pool towels usually have more body oils and sunscreen, requiring different laundering. Usually dirtier than the towels in the villa.

I would guess particularly the sunscreen. The sunscreen chemical avobenzone, among others, will leave orange stains on clothing and towels, especially whites. And bleaching the item makes it worse, so it can't just be bleached out. Thus white towels + some sunscreens is a recipe for visible stains unless they are washed properly, and normal washing is not likely sufficient.

(googling suggests the staining is caused by a chemical reaction between the culprit sunscreen chemicals and iron in the water)

SW

 

[AdamsMum]

Good thing you did your research. DVC is too expensive to spend money on something you'll never be happy with.

Personally I prefer the lack of daily housekeeping. I don't feel the need to tidy up and make sure my stuff isn't all over the place so housekeeping can do a good job. I can make my own bed, and reuse or wash towels. I love the extra space and amenities and not having to sit on the bed to watch TV. I'm actually a little freaked out by this daily room check that has started. December will be my first trip since it started. I guess I'll get used to it.