New beach bed assignments

[northernlightscpl]

When I go golfing and find only 'off times' available and golf membership have priority, I have a choice, become a member or take what in available. At on time I didn't have to pay for extra leg room on an airplane, now I do because the airlines have squished the seats closer together where it is tight for someone 5'2", not alone 6'5" that I am. I have a choice, stay home or pay for the extra leg room. When I travel, I get the perks at the hotels with upgrades, brunches, or front row or choice seating at concerts. Why ? Its a business decision these businesses have made to offer extra perks for 'extra' money. I don't sit in the back row and grumble about people who paid more for better seats in the front or in economy seat and grumble about business class. They are no taking anything from anyone, but in fact paid for the extra room with extra money. Are people any better who choose to have golf, hotel, resort, airline memberships or better concert seating. No. They just made a choice to be members with benefits. I am a timeshare owner, like thousands of others. Some have chosen prime season (paid prime price) some mid season and some low season. The ones who paid the least for a low season timeshare can't expect to get prime time reservations without paying the prime membership. Simple logic. We don't all collectively own Desire where all would be getting the same for everyone, its a private ownership and the owner like others do what they want for business reasons to encourage loyalty and membership. As a Desire member, We can reserve a beach bed if we want, but never have because we enjoy sitting around the pool and leave the bed I could reserve and not use, for non members as many members do. I know there are memberships still available.

[JandF]

Ok so my only other comment on this subject lays within two posts........ the first saying "they chose not to purchase"..... Ummmmm I would say more often than not it isn't a choice to fly business or economy, join the club or not. Like another person said (the second post) a lot of us scrape and save for a vacation like this and therefore just cant afford it. The only real choice is whether or not to go. We chose to scrape and save and therefore we are going but we will not become premier guest or members because we cannot afford to do so regardless if we want to.

Sorry but that too irks me, please don't assume that people chose to not participate and pay the premium, realize that there is a very good possibility they do not have the funds to afford the perks. So having said that, don't you think it could be a bit of a personal slap for some? And maybe thats why its such a hot button? I don't know, just throwing that up there.

Like I said, Im going to enjoy my vacation, my husband, and anyone else whom cares to join us.

[CokeMann]

So basically, with 114 rooms at 80%-90% average occupancy, about 1/2 of guests will be able to get a bed.
Some probably won't really want one or won't really care. Some will be disappointed. (Esp if you aren't early risers.)

And I expect the other 1/2 would be mostly pool people - lol

Not to trivialize it, but in the grand scheme of DRM, not that long ago there where zero beach beds - just plastic loungers on the sand and for us at the time we where just happy to be there

[northernlightscpl]

Ok so my only other comment on this subject lays within two posts........ the first saying "they chose not to purchase"..... Ummmmm I would say more often than not it isn't a choice to fly business or economy, join the club or not. Like another person said (the second post) a lot of us scrape and save for a vacation like this and therefore just cant afford it. The only real choice is whether or not to go. We chose to scrape and save and therefore we are going but we will not become premier guest or members because we cannot afford to do so regardless if we want to.

Sorry but that too irks me, please don't assume that people chose to not participate and pay the premium, realize that there is a very good possibility they do not have the funds to afford the perks. So having said that, don't you think it could be a bit of a personal slap for some? And maybe thats why its such a hot button? I don't know, just throwing that up there.

Like I said, Im going to enjoy my vacation, my husband, and anyone else whom cares to join us.

Totally get it and understand that some scrape and can't afford memberships anywhere or business class on a plane, but that shouldn't irk anyone if someone else can afford it and makes the choice to get the membership. Do you feel the same way when the person at the lights beside you is driving a new Mercedes or a Jag and you can't afford one. The person in this car is not assuming you can afford what he is driving and accepts it, but you are slighted (slapped in the face) that he can. Likewise, people who have Desire memberships realize not everyone can afford one or even wants one. So don't begrudge people who make that choice because you can't afford it. I don't think anyone should take a 'personal slap' as you stated because some make a choice to spend the money they can for memberships. If they do, they also begrudge everyone that has more than they do, which is so immature. That irks me and a slap in the face, hot button as you phrased them to those who are members anywhere and made financial/career choices in life that they can afford these 'things'. That's life, choices. you get what you pay for.

[Twohere4some]

We went to DRM for the first time last fall for a week and fell in love with the resort and the freedom it afforded us in our relationship. We quickly came to the decision that it was a place that we wanted to visit as often as possible. After being there a few days we attended the presentation to purchase a membership and made the choice to do so. Not for the extras that were involved but for the simple fact that after a few visits, we would have offset the cost and be saving money.

Other point is that the resort was near full occupancy when we were there and there were still chairs by the pool and beds on the beach that were available for use by anyone the entire time we were there.

And for the record, we fly economy class to get there!

[Twohere4some]

This issue was on this forum about a year ago in respect to membership perks. Nearly every airplane everyone traveled on has 'business class' with more space and/or several rows of seating that have more leg room for guys like be. In both cases, these seats cost more for the 'extra's that come along with them. No one complains because some have chosen to pay the extra cost when they are flying economy. That is only one example. There are many, many memberships out there from golf to hotel perks, all because someone wanted to pay for them and other chose not to pay and get the perks. This is call a democracy to choose what you want and don't want, not socialism where everyone gets the same. It is not 2 tiered service, because everyone gets the same drinks, meals, pool service. At Desire some of the perks are there for membership because they choose to be members and spend the extra money. Why, because they wanted it and paid for those perks. An option everyone has if they want it. We can make disgruntled remarks about membership perks about anything and anywhere, but at the end of the day the reality is, if you didn't pay to sit in business class, you have to accept there are some who wanted to and be satisfied to sit in economy with less leg room and more money in your pocket.
We have never seen any issues while staying at Desire with members and non members over 'perks'. In fact, we have shared out lobster dinners twice with non member friends and several reservations with us for dinner through our butler. We are planning to rent the yacht with a group of non member friends. So go easy on members who seen the benefits of membership and paid for it. As mentioned, there is lots of everything to go around for everyone.

Question to Northernlightscpl: What is the lobster dinner you mention?

[northernlightscpl]

This issue was on this forum about a year ago in respect to membership perks. Nearly every airplane everyone traveled on has 'business class' with more space and/or several rows of seating that have more leg room for guys like be. In both cases, these seats cost more for the 'extra's that come along with them. No one complains because some have chosen to pay the extra cost when they are flying economy. That is only one example. There are many, many memberships out there from golf to hotel perks, all because someone wanted to pay for them and other chose not to pay and get the perks. This is call a democracy to choose what you want and don't want, not socialism where everyone gets the same. It is not 2 tiered service, because everyone gets the same drinks, meals, pool service. At Desire some of the perks are there for membership because they choose to be members and spend the extra money. Why, because they wanted it and paid for those perks. An option everyone has if they want it. We can make disgruntled remarks about membership perks about anything and anywhere, but at the end of the day the reality is, if you didn't pay to sit in business class, you have to accept there are some who wanted to and be satisfied to sit in economy with less leg room and more money in your pocket.
We have never seen any issues while staying at Desire with members and non members over 'perks'. In fact, we have shared out lobster dinners twice with non member friends and several reservations with us for dinner through our butler. We are planning to rent the yacht with a group of non member friends. So go easy on members who seen the benefits of membership and paid for it. As mentioned, there is lots of everything to go around for everyone.

Question to Northernlightscpl: What is the lobster dinner you mention?

We became a member years ago when the membership included one lobster dinner per week, a massage per week, transportation. We have a great time with everyone and most really don't care if you are a member.

[bb25]

Doubt we are the only ones who notice a beach bed or pool lounger that is 'reserved' (members or not) yet it remains empty for the entire day. Or that on some occasions a couple (members or not) has reserved both a beach bed and a pool lounger but leave one vacant the entire day.

That leaves fewer open spaces available.

Just sayin'

[miranda2]

Doubt we are the only ones who notice a beach bed or pool lounger that is 'reserved' (members or not) yet it remains empty for the entire day. Or that on some occasions a couple (members or not) has reserved both a beach bed and a pool lounger but leave one vacant the entire day.

That leaves fewer open spaces available.

Just sayin'

Nope - you're not alone in noticing this.

The best thing to do if you want a beach bed, though, is talk to Renee,the beach concierge and he's got a pretty good handle on which beds we can use.

So far, in all our trips to Desire, we have always gotten a beach bed. We prefer to be out on the beach and not around the pool so trying to get a pool lounger is never an issue for us.

[northernlightscpl]

It may be true, but ..... I have seen many non members with towels on their pool loungers all day long and they are out on a beach bed, so I think it is pretty universal with both members and non members which isn't happening much anyway. Keeping in the same vein of general assumptions that are being made that it must be the members are at fault for everything, it is very likely these same grumblers who hate members with their paid benefit , and who want more of the same as member but for nothing, are the one who tie up both pool loungers and beach beds. And yes, members do get reserved pool loungers. You get what you pay for ie;membership.

[TandD]

... it is very likely these same grumblers who hate members with their paid benefit , and who want more of the same as member but for nothing, are the one who tie up both pool loungers and beach beds.

Hmm, I'm not sure how we can make that conclusion.

[northernlightscpl]

... it is very likely these same grumblers who hate members with their paid benefit , and who want more of the same as member but for nothing, are the one who tie up both pool loungers and beach beds.

Hmm, I'm not sure how we can make that conclusion.

Exactly my point as well. But when one passes the generalizing, grumbling ball back into their court, all of a sudden we can't make such conclusions. There are some that do this double taking and not only at Desire. I have seen people up at 5 in the morning (not at Desire) setting out personal items on cabana beach chairs and on pool chairs and wander between both and off site activities such as shopping. Some resorts will remove items or towels if hours go by without use. When we were in Cuba last year, we walked out to the beach in the morning and watched a couple put towel down on pool loungers and they went to the beach and sat in beach loungers. After a while at the beach we decided to give up our loungers to a family looking and we went to the pool to find no lounger available. We took the towel off of the loungers of the people we saw towel them earlier and had went to the beach and set they on a chair nearby. It was hours later they came to the pool to claim their loungers. With a short discussion about having the lack of good tourist manners, they went back to the beach, but obviously lost their loungers there as well. Some tourist lose good common manners when traveling.
I have to agree with many here, never have I seen a day where beach beds where fully occupied.

[co_chicago]

Northernlights, I think you are missing the key point somewhat. No one is angry at the resort for looking to make a few extra $$ offering some add-on perks or at the members who chose to take advantage of those perks. Just don’t do it at the expense of the all-inclusive concept we’ve all bought into. We’ve been to a few other all-inclusive resorts and I don’t recall ever seeing differences in what is included in the all-inclusive price. Hedo II doesn’t do this. Yes, every resort offers different room options at different prices and every resort offers add-ons that can be bought. I have no issue with that.
 
The airline analogy doesn’t really make sense to me. United doesn’t sell me an all-inclusive package and then I get on board and get disappointed because I can’t sit in First Class. I know exactly what I am paying for. It’s my choice to purchase a First Class or Coach seat. I choose not to purchase the premium member package at Desire because quite frankly, the extras it offers don’t mean that much to me. I can live without the lobster dinners or butler service or whatever else is included and I am happy for those that want this.
 
When we booked our first trip to Desire no mention was made that some areas of the pool or beach were reserved for premium members. The thought never occurred to me. Sure, if we’re talking about a couple of beach chairs here or there it’s not really a big deal but I’d be disappointed to see Desire expand this concept.
 
What we love most about the all-inclusive concept is that we can pretty much turn off our brains and relax. I like not having to think about prices or options or tipping and I don’t want to have to start thinking about where I am allowed to go or where I can park my sunburned ass.

[miranda2]

it is very likely these same grumblers who hate members with their paid benefit.

"hate" is a pretty strong word. No one here 'hates' any of the members here. People can pay to upgrade whatever they want and reap the benefits and no one begrudges anyone for that.

It's the attitude of some that more annoying that anything else.

[northernlightscpl]

agreed, we are all seeing a lot of unjustified attitude towards good people who choose to purchase memberships so far on this steam. Its all about choice. End of comments.