Save On Traveling Accommodations (Hotels)
If you are like me, you will love traveling for pennies on the dollar, I love to travel. I already can’t wait to retire and start doing it more. I love seeing all the great places this country has to offer, especially, the pretty nice areas where the weather is warm. The last time I traveled was to
I was called the other day by a resort company (which will remain nameless). The sales representative dazzled me with a package that would blow anyone’s socks off, four days, three nights in a strip hotel, with two tickets for a show, and two buffet tickets all for a very low cost. The hotel was good for two adults and up to two children. I could use the package up to one year of the date of purchase. The only blackout dates were Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The total for this package was $198.00.
WOW!! What a great deal. Feeling excited, I quickly pulled out my credit card as fast as I could. After I agreed to purchase it, the sales representative threw in another vacation! This was to be used after my
One month (see article Credit vs Debit Cards) later I wanted some more room on my credit card, so I decided to cancel my Vegas trip. I knew I could cancel and go back on a later date, so I called them up to cancel, but when I called the company they changed my mind by enticing me with a 40 dollar gas card. That put the total cost for the entire package at $158.00.
I packed my bags, grabbed my girlfriend and off we went. When we got to the hotel, we checked in at the timeshare booth and picked a time for the timeshare tour. All in all it was a very smooth and easy sign in process. At 8am we arrived for the presentation where we were met by a very chirpy sales lady who took our names down and then preceded to hand us a form to fill out with names of family and friends who we thought might enjoy the benefits the company had to offer. Not wanting our friends and family to be solicited, we at first left it blank, until the sales lady came back over, looked at our paper, and then turned to us with an encouraging smile that said, “you can do better than this.” She then told us if we came up with a couple of names she would give us a coupon book that was filled with some great savings. Since my girlfriend and I are all about saving money, we wrote down a couple of family members who we knew were on the do not call list (see article Do Not Call List).
After about 5 minutes of waiting we walked into a small to medium size room with a projector in the middle. We then listened for the next 45 minutes to a dynamic speaker on how great timeshares were and how much money it could save us and even our future children on vacations (see article Timeshare ownership).
After, our sales lady directed us onto a bus that took us to the company’s timeshare resort. It was about a 10 minute drive, since the resort was not on the strip of Vegas. The place was fabulous. It was like stepping into a 5-star hotel. The rooms were like a well furnished condo with a kitchen, TV, bedrooms with walk in closets, and huge bathrooms. The sales lady told us they had 1 bedroom units all the way up to the 5 bedroom range. You could fit a lot people in the 5 bedroom unit, in fact, the sales lady made sure to whisper in my ear something about a guy’s only vacation!
After seeing the resort we traveled back to where the presentation was at. We then sat down at a table with the sales representative. It felt like buying a car to me (see article Art Of Negotiation). She went through the numbers and it was in the tens of thousands dollar range. After many attempts at convincing us to buy, she handed us off to her manager. At this point the two hours for the presentation were up, so I kindly told the manager that we needed to go ASAP as we had made plans. I then made sure you to point to him that the person who originally called me on the Vegas trip told me that after two hours we had fulfilled our obligation. The manager was disappointed, but he knew that he could get in trouble if he kept us there longer.
We said our good-byes and headed for the checkout counter to receive the two buffet and show tickets as promised. Though, before receiving the show tickets, the company gave us the option of taking the two show tickets or receiving 50 dollars instead. We took the cash option (we had other shows we wanted to see) along with the buffet tickets and the 40 dollar gas card as promised.
The trip was great. It really was icing on the cake when I look at how much the vacation cost me. My girlfriend and I had a wonderful time and the timeshare sales pitch didn’t ruin it in the least, though it could have if I hadn’t spoken up (see below for additional details).
Review:
I love it! 4 days, 3 nights, 2 tickets to a show, but could get 50 dollars cash instead and 2 buffet tickets, all worth over 25 dollars and above. Plus, another vacation to be used within 18 months (Note: You have to activate before 45 days after the Vegas trip, plus a transaction fee of 24 dollars; don’t like the fee, but still felt it was worth it. The best part about this other vacation is you have 12 different locations to choose from besides Vegas and you don’t have to take a sales presentation! All you have to do is tell them you don’t want to go on a tour upon checking in at the hotel and you won’t have to attend.
I did get the 40 dollar gas card on the first trip, which was an added bonus. But you can get one too. Most timeshare companies will do this; all you need to do is ask by telling them you have gotten a better offer from another timeshare company. If you don’t ask; they might not give it to you.
As much as I hate to say it, the money I saved made the two hour hassle with the company worth it. They try to lure you in with their sales presentation in hopes you will buy a timeshare, but as long as you are adamant about saying, “NO” you are good to go. If you are like my girlfriend who hates sales people trying to close her, you can try stalling at the resort by taking your time looking at the place. That way, once they get you at the table to sit and talk, you can tell them it has been two hours. If they to stall you, when the sales manager comes over (and he will) just tell him it has been two hours (nicely).
Make sure to note that you don’t want to buy and that you know that all timeshare companies are licensed with the state (they won’t want to put their license in jeopardy if a complaint is made). So unless he wants you to take down the company’s license number, he will want to check you out ASAP. This is the key, they will move really fast once you say this, if not, I have heard of sales reps/managers making people stay 3-7 hours to make a sale. As long as you tell them you are done and through, they will let you go FAST. A lot of people are afraid of taking advantage of these packages, because they don’t want to get sold into a timeshare. But with the above knowledge you will not get sold. Instead you will be able to vacation on the company’s dime.
Please Note:
There are many of the different resort companies that use the same tactics aove to sell timeshares. In addition, a thing to note is how long you have to wait in order for you to buy another package. The company that I went with makes you wait six months before you are allowed to buy another one. They do this because they lose money on every package they sell. The way they make money is when you buy one of their overpriced timeshares.
In addition, most timeshare companies are flexible, so if you want to stay a day or two longer or shorter than the trip they give you; ask. Also, if you want to save additional money, ask if you can get a reduced rate by checking in on different days like a weekday or Sunday. Ask about what activities or extras they have too. Some have tickets to
Blackout dates are another thing to note. Make sure to ask when the blackout dates, so you don’t end up getting something in the mail that states something different than you wanted in the first place. If you find yourself in this position, please read the article about credit cards.
When making hotel reservations, give them notice (two months is what I recommend) of when you are coming. If it’s a big weekend like NASCAR, Super Bowl, Memorial Day etc. you can have your pick of the best hotels on their list. The hotels are first come first served, so don’t wait.
Lastly, every resort has its own set of rules as far as the perks and schedules. Do a little bit of homework and remember to read the details on everything mailed to you. Be proactive about your position of not buying a timeshare and your time. If you do this, you will have a great vacation for a fraction of the cost!
PS If you would like to know names and numbers don't hesitate to post a comment and I will reply directly with it.
A Ms.Christy Grimes of Wyndham Resorts has been fighting me in three states that are involved in this "hostage" crisis.I have contacted almost every government agency I could think of and got no action except for the BBB of Central Fla who said she would give me $300 for my trouble over three months later. I have refused this offer.It is uncanny that your description is exactly like what happened to me by Wyndham. But they would NOT let me leave.Maybe you're not a senior citizen so they didn't take advantage of you and you were with your spouse.I didn't fight hard enough to push their bluff I guess but the stress made me sick and I had to spend my leftover time in the room recouperating from heart problems.You have posted an excellent guide,but what can you do if they have already gotten your credit card info? I feel that I would have gotten the same response after paying almost $500 for the 'penalty'. Then what could I do? Wyndham would not even give me the names of the 3 employee's. Any suggestion? please respond to schlotterj@bellsouth.net
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Jerry,
It sounds like you have been doing the right thing. Contacting the BBB and filing a complaint is a good start. Especially, with each state you had an issue in. The next thing I would ask is how long ago this incident at Wyndham happened. If this happened inside 60 days of your credit card being charged you can dispute any charges (consumer protection). If not, you can still try it. It wouldn’t hurt, especially, if you say you periodically get billed through it. If that doesn’t work I would cancel that credit card.
In your problem with Wyndham, what place did you have your presentation at specifically? If you were at South Carolina try their Department of Licensing page (http://www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/REC/index.asp?file=complaint.htm). I just looked it up. If you are having an issue with another specific location, look up that specific state’s website for licensing, usually under Department of Licensing. In your complaint give the exact names, time and people you dealt with. It sounds like you have contacted each states attorney General which is good. Make sure to document a complaint there as well too.
When I went last time I told them my time was up (after 2 hours). I have met their obligation. I did have to wait another five minutes, but it was minimal. Looking back, I would have threatened to call the police. This would have made them run. But who wants to make a threat like that, but I was in Las Vegas so bluffing is normal
I do agree with you that Timeshare companies are known for putting on sales pressure and high stress tactics to get a deal. I’m not sure what you mean by the $500 dollar penalty? What do you mean by that exactly?
Thank you for taking the time to read my article. The sole purpose is to help people, like you, deal with timeshares companies tactics. I’m glad you found it interesting.
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Hi Tallman; The Wyndham Preview Ctr. at N.Myrtle Bch had my credit card info from the get go as they 'required'it. The second salesperson was a woman,no name tag,and took over after I repeatedly told the young man 'Robert' a Citadel student that I didn't want the $55,000 time share. After several 'NO's' I finally told him "look, stick a fork in me, I'M DONE!". That is when he brought in the overly aggressive woman sale person who told me "Sir,you don't have to be rude. You will sit here, shut up and listen to my 'pick?' program or you will be charged the $408+tax room charge and not get the $50 restaurant certificate". She ranted on about her version of the program where she would take my timeshare in Colorado as partial payment. I allowed he to carry on even though my blood pressure was way up and I suffer from congestive heart failure. I repeated a 'NO' response and again told her that I wanted to leave. She was rude to me again and brought in salesman #3. He used the softer approach "what did Robert do to make you so mad and why don't you want to buy this system?" He took me over 5 hours until I was turning red and getting sick. He finally allowed me to go in 'shame' to a back room where my hotel voucher was reluctantly issued and the restaurant coupons were give. I didn't use them as I had to go to the hotel, take medication and sleep it off. The next morning before I left,I used the hotel computer to write two letters to the Preview Center. One to Robert asking for his full name and asking him why he allowed this to happen. The second letter was to the PC manager. I asked for the names of the woman and last man. That was November 22,07 and I have had no response from anyone there. The only response I received was one from 'damage control',Christy Grimes (tel: 501-851-4328) who explained that the presentation time varies. The form I signed before going to S.C. and at S.C. said that the presentation would be 2 hours. I fought to get out of there after 5 hours. There are appx. 500 complaints against Wyndham in Orlando at the BBB of Central Florida. The Dept. of Business and Professional Regulation (FL) say they have NO time limit and can hold you as long as they want. 10 hours? The BBB of Coastal S.C. took quick action to dismiss me although they didn't even have the right resort. They figured that I was complaining about a beachfront resort! I am not in the process of getting information from my congressman to start legislation limiting this kind of abusive behavior as a similar action took place at the Wyndham Preview Ctr. at Daytona Beach,FL. The Governor of S.C. told me that I should have called the police also, so you're right on it! Thanks for your interest. Jerry. Firefighter,Ret.
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Jerry, your passion for this cause is uplifting and inspiring. I commend you on your campaign to take it to the top of the legislation. In fact, this is why I do this blog. To help others understand and help them think of a better way of going through a problem or consumer business tactic. I have learned more by researching for my articles. I truly enjoy every minute of it. I have been so frustrated from businesses using their tactics to take our hard earned money from us by adding things in fine print and aggressive sales presentations. It makes my blood boil still. That is why I encourage you to #1 fight the good and moral fight, by spreading the word via repoff report.com, ishouldknowthis.com or anybody that will listen. This way people can make their own educated business decision. #2 go on another Wyndham vacation discount package. They lose about $300-$1000 dollars on every deal depending on where you go and stay. Then if they torture you again, you can write down the names and positions of everybody you come in contact with. Kindly ask to go after your two hours. If they don’t let you go, call the police on your cell phone. I will guarantee they will listen and you may even get a chuckle out of it (I do). Turn the tables on them. If everybody did it this way it would change their business model and sales tactics, since it would be unprofitable for them. Plus, if you get legistlation passed it is another law that I am sure they will find a loophole. Hit them in the pocket book. It has helped me a lot since I quit that company and actually, I call it my severance package. Best of luck on your journey. Please come back every couple of months I would love updates!
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What a drama queen. Held hostage, are you serious? You were in the united states, a free country, you could have walked out at any time and you know it. Deep in the secret spot in your heart you know that the motive for the whole trip was to get something for little or nothing. GREED is a strong motivator. Your credit card company could have protected you from any impropriety. You are an adult , act like one and don't blame others for your poor choices. I will bet that neither you nor the author of this site, own a timeshare. Ask any of the 9 million timeshare owners why they felt owning their vacation was a better move than renting and the increase bang for their vacation dollars. Most timeshare owners own more than one week. You may buy once buy mistake, but people don't buy something twice that didn't work. Think about it
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Chris(are you a boy or girl?)Norman;Which Timeshare company do you work for? I caught another guy(?)like you posting on another site praising the time share business, did my research and found out that he worked for WYNDHAM! His name was Ben Galviz.I PAID for the privilege to tour the resort.GREED? I suppose that's what you refer to all your customers that turn your sales pitch down.I bought a timeshare in Vail, CO in 1986 and still own it. I belong to RCI but am seriously thinking of not renewing my membership as their fees are outrageous and they have raised prices on extra and last minute vacations to coincide with WYNDHAMS purchase of RCI. On each side of the Daytona Beach,FL and N.Myrtle Bch sites are motels renting for $30 per night. So much for YOUR sales presentation pal(Y).The BBB of Central Florida currently have over 500 complaints about Wyndham resorts and you can check it out by googling their site and checking for yourself.This is just in the 2 year period they've been in business! But you know that don't you? As it's clear you know that "9 million timeshare owners.." ect., which is included in every sales pitch is your platform. Admit it! And who's the drama Queen here? Nice try WYNDHAM, AGAIN. Tallman, let's find out who this person is and get the truth out there to real people who are getting scammed. I've asked NBC's Dateline to do a story on this and have contacted the AARP with my investigation material for posting in their magazine to Millions of seniors.P.S. I am Legislative Officer for my local area AARP and love to catch senior abusers. You're next Chris(y).
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Well,Well Chris(y)E. Norman, I located your origin via the internet superhighway and AARP 'grey panthers'and found that you are licensed in Hawaii as a real estate salesperson License RS60766,continuing education license. So it appears you're a rookie time share salesman as I suspected. The Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has you listed. So, along with Ben Galaviz from Wyndham's Wisconsin Dells, I've discovered another 'slick willie' trying to sell timeshares on blogs and berating those who complain about them. Did you want to admit it or should I inquire with the Real Estate Commission as to the fraud you're committing? Does your timeshare 101 course teach you to do this as part of your corriculum or are you just being a fraud? I have plenty of time and will find out.
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Wyndham resorts evidently instructs their employee's to see out forums such as this one and blogs to promote Wyndham Resorts as a wonderful way to vacation.They are also instructed to mislead readers as to their actual position with the company.They come on as casual owners of timeshares and tell glowing stories of great success in their purchase. In reality,they are 'placed' in various locations throughout the web to get free advertisement for Wyndham Resorts. i have caught two individuals who work for Wyndham doing this. The first one was Ben Galaviz at Wyndham Wisconsin Dells. Now, I have been attacked and labeled a 'Drama Queen' by Mr.Chris Norman a few days ago who works for Wyndham Resorts in Honolulu, Hawaii. his boss is John Gonsalves. Phone number 808-921-1040. johngonsalves@wyndhamvo.com. Beware of those people who tell glowing stories of time share ownership as there are numerous problems and financial ruin that can occur when buying a $55.000 unit. You can get additional warnings when dealing with time share companies from you states government agencies.
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Everybody is entitled to their opinion. Some people if pressured in a weakened state of mind (5hrs) don’t think clearly. I agree that the credit card company’s would have handled the situation if you report it to them in the 60 day timeframe. I don’t own a timeshare, but have worked for a timeshare company and have seen how ruthless it can be at times. I highly recommend that anybody that gets one shops around at several different timeshare companies first and negotiates. The presentations are HIGH pressure regardless of what anybody thinks (it’s the truth). In my opinion it’s better to buy after the presentation when you have more time to go over the details (read the fine print) in private. I don’t hate timeshares. I have met some people that LOVE them a lot. They can be great if it fits your needs and if you enjoy vacationing.
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Wow, to say this is dramatic would be an understatement! You're complaining that you were "held hostage" on a timeshare tour. Although every bit of paperwork you saw and/or signed estimates that you will spend roughly 2 hours there, it will always depend on you. If you have questions, that adds more time, if you move slowly through the resort, that adds more time, if you see that 100 other people are touring at the same time that you are, that will add more time. It's common sense. I believe that when people sign up for a timeshare presentation, they know what they're getting into. I also have learned, through 2 years of experience, that if you are choosing to waste someone's time by taking a tour, with ZERO intention of purchasing, or even having an open mind, then you deserve every hour you spend there. The people that are working there have children to feed, bills to pay, no different than you. Furthermore, if you are that pathetic that you would waste a few hours out of your measly 2 day vacation for a cheap meal ticket, sit there and suffer. Your time is obviously not that valuable anyway. There are people that take timeshare tours for an inexpensive Anniversary trip, or even a cheap honeymoon, it's disgusting and they should be ashamed of themselves! When you actually take the time to listen to what the sales representatives are telling you, and break down the cost, you would see that purchasing a timeshare not only saves you money in the long run, but it allows you to stay at 5 star resorts, instead of a 2 star roach motel. I, personally, ONLY stay at Wyndham Resorts. I couldn't imagine staying with my family in anything less.
My suggestion to many of you, would be to stop whining, and just decline when you are offered a cheap 2 night/ 3 day vacation. If your time is that valuable to you, and a vacation is what you need, save up enough money to stay in a luxury resort without having to take a timeshare presentation. Otherwise, suck it up and sit there.
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Ashley,
I must say from your comments, I can tell you have been or are still in the timeshare industry. I do wish you the best of luck in selling timeshares. The advice that I give to the commenter is don’t try o legislate a process that won’t ever fix itself (especially if money is being made from it). Take advantage of the vacation packages. The time share company’s lose money on every one sold and if everybody did that t he company would discontinue the business practice. Problem is solved, the people that still want to buy timeshares still can but on a different buying model.
If you are worried about your family not eating find a different job. Bottom line is don’t hate the player, Hate the game.
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