OP has no data to back up his claim beyond what he observed at one moment in time. In fact, he has no way of knowing how many cabanas were rented at the time he saw them empty (because the rentals are per day).

Bottom line is that there are apparently enough people willing to pay in the $400's for a cabana and, by definition, that means that the pricing is not "insane". Not worth debating the merits of the deal as value is always subjective.

But drink service is so much faster by the pool... :D

I spend enough time in the ocean already on my trips. When it's time to relax/soak up sun, hotel pool deck is perfectly fine. I still get a view of the ocean/sky and the food/drink service is much better.



Regarding the price - it's like how high-end clubs can charge $3k for a booth which doesn't even include the cost of the bottle service. They'd rather have fewer customers at higher prices than full capacity at lower prices.

Agreed, similar to the concerns with paid club lounge access at places like Ritz-Carlton; don't want to dilute the value by opening it up to the masses.

I occasionally see the price difference on RC club level in the $100-150 range. At that point, it's actually a decent value for a couple who intends to fully use it. (e.g., a thing an individual might do even without an expense account!)

It's more normally $200-300, pushing it beyond the value I'd personally gain from the lounge. But clearly there are some who value it even at this price point.

Probably another topic, but there's nothing more frustrating than being forced to pay a resort fee at a property that then doesn't have enough lounge chairs by the pool.

During our summer trips to the Hotel Hershey, all the pool cabanas as well as the cabanas in the park water park are always fully occupied at the above $400 per day cost.

One scenario I could see a $400 cabana (that seats 8-10) making sense is if we're inviting another family to spend the full day with us, especially if it comes with dedicated attendants. $50/hr to serve 2 families may not be so bad, especially if you split the cost.