Hotel Scams/Premier Holiday

[SherryG]

While staying in the Grand Porto Real in Playa del Carmen in Feb 2006 we purchased a package from Primier Holiday(who by the way is in the lobby of the hotel) for $8000.00 for 300 nights plus 2 free weeks all inclusive at this hotel. I have been trying for 3 months to contact Premier Holiday to not only honor our contract but to honor the two weeks all inclusive additional gift we received at the time of purchase to date they have not honored any of the above. We feel like we have been scammed for $8000.00. Any Help??

[cuervobum]

I would be interested in seeing if others have had this same experience. Several years ago, we were in Playa with 4 other couples. We purchased a small package with Premiere Holiday and have had nothing but grief with them.

One couple has had such difficulty dealing with them that they have no interest now in ever returning to Playa. It is a shame that a few people or one "business" can place Playa in such a negative light.

[Andiline]

Hmmmm.... Feb 2006 is three months away... (sorry if I am just being too critical )

Andrea

[denisea]

If I'm not mistaken, Premier Holiday Vacation Club or Premier Holiday Travel Club is the same group that is affiliated with the vacation club at the HVR (Hacienda Vista Real) that so many people have had complaints about. A google search yields numerous complaints about the company.

[DavidB]

Its like I'm in a time warp. The first thread I read today is 3 years old, and the next one is three months in the future,

[jx2]

Originally Posted by DavidB

Its like I'm in a time warp. The first thread I read today is 3 years old, and the next one is three months in the future,

Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

[cuervobum]

Still interested in this. Would love to hear from some of the locals about your take on Premier Holiday.

[jneechie]

Hello, My name is Joseph & I am member of Hacienda Vista Real. I have a problem with this club and I am writing to you to see if you have the same. Please advise if you are interested.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

I too stayed there and I became a member. I purchases time share credits from this place back in July 05, 2004 which included undisclosed amounts of credits for night to be used for night at the Hacienda Vista Real. The hotel sustained two hurricanes & an electrical fire. Their insurance did not cover the damages in this result they are forcing me to pay additional feed because of this. They said that if we do not pay this fee, they are going to cancel out member services. When I asked about this fee the woman Gina said that a vote between members took place and she said told that the majority agreed to pay this fee. I was never asked or informed to vote; I never received a phone call and/or email regarding this matter. I final received an email stating that I have to pay this fee immediately by December 15th or they will cancel my member services. She was very irate and she refused to talk to me and to show my any proof that this voting took place. I fee that this is a scam created by the club to get more money out of there members. She said that I would have to come to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region> to see the voting results, whatever that meant? <o:p></o:p>

We need to all get together to go after these crooks. I am assembling lawyer at this time to see if I have a legal matter. Please contact me @ jneechie@optonline.com to get your money back. The larger we are the better we are.<o:p></o:p>

Please advise.
Regards;
Joseph<o:p></o:p>

[surletab]

I think you are right and this is the same as Premier Holiday Travel Vacation Club, aka Royal Holiday Club, aka, Hacienda Vista Real, aka, Sol Caribe...all of these are scams and you will probably be asked for more and more money and never get your "free" trips. I was bilked out of $12,000 by HVR and now they want $85/nite per person for the "free" weeks, plus $1,250 for an "assessment fee" because of hurricane damage. I've joined 2 groups, the HVR members group on MSN and the Royal Holiday scam on yahoo groups, all trying to get a lawyer to retrieve some of our money. You should join too. Susan...plus, if you look at your contract, you'll probably see that those free weeks have a time limit...I didn't notice. And..there's a site called TheSqueakyWheel.com where for $5 you can post a complaint which will be mailed to them and go on the internet.

[laspulgas]

My family and I had a horrible experience with Premier Holiday Travel. In 2005 we were on vacation and stayed at the Cancun Hyatt Caribe. We succumbed to a heavy sales pitch and paid our initial $2000. Later, we tried to make reservations. They told us we couldn't make reservations until we paid an additional $500, which wasn't in the original contract. We refused to pay and wanted out of the contract. Now, 2007, a collection agency is advising me that if we don't pay 2 years worth of maintenance fees we will be reported to credit agencies. I've read at least 20 stories online which parallel my situation. I feel bad for the people that are out all that money..
I've contacted an attorney......Sounds like class action could be close behind.....I'm going after the collection agency also,,,,for unethical business practices,,,,,specifically gross indifference in light of a storm of complaints.

[clintreba]

Our family also visited Cancun in March of 2003 and were scammed into purchasing a timeshare from Hyatt Grand Caribe (Premier Vacation Club). We initially paid $2000.00 and they also gave us 2 free weeks to use in the future. We were told we did not have to pay the all inclusive fees if we wanted to could use our certificate to stay free for 2 weeks and if we were on the European plan (no meals included) we would not have to pay anything. Well when we went to use it we were told that under no circumstances could we not puchase the all inclusive plan. When we totalled the fees, it was cheaper to purchase directly from another travel agency than to use our certificates. Then we were told we had to pay a $1500 annual fee before we could use our certificates. I told her I was not going to pay since they had misrepresented themselves. I did not hear from them neither by phone or mail. Now, December of 2007 I get a letter and phone call from a collection agency wanting 4 years worth of annual fees. The collection agency threatened that it would affect my credit rating. We live in Canada, does anyone know if this could seriously affect my credit rating? Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated.

[Page]

I'm no expert on timeshare or other vacation scams, but my parents mistakenly bought a timeshare in St. Maarten years ago and wanted out. It took us almost a year and they paid $12,000 to get out of it.

This is serious stuff. I'll summarize what our lawyer told us about their case:

The company is registered and legal in St. Maarten. If you sign a contract with them, it is legal and binding in that country. If you do not honour the terms of that contract, the company will sue you.

So the company sues you and hires a Canadian lawyer to serve the papers on you. If you do not pay at that point, the company brings the matter to court in St. M. Now you will have to go to St. M. to defend yourself and hire a St. M. lawyer to help you.

Because the company is legal in St. M., the chances of you winning against them are very slim.

Clintreba (are you a country music fan by any chance?) - yes, it can and will affect your credit rating. You should consult a lawyer immediately.

How it worked for my parents was we offered to pay an additional $10,000 (and they had already paid a $2,000 deposit) to get them out of the deal and the company could then sell the same timeshare right away. So they lost 75 years of maintenance fees from my parents (and us as their heirs) but got the timeshare back to sell.

Good luck,

Caroline

[Farnorth]

You are right about Premier Holiday Travel Club. I tried to reach them for the last couple of months and there email is undeliverable. The one person I reached by phone said they no longer have offices there and the new number does not work. I don't know what to do at this stage but will followup with the Hvr group on MSN and the Yahoo group. Trudy

[RockyR]

a partially reported story in a las vegas paper today said that a 67 year old woman was to be sentenced on January 17th for selling unregistered securities, and, it also mentioned that there was a 300K judgment against her for a time-share scam near Cancun involving Mexican hotels owned by Michael Kelly, 58, who was doing business as Resort Holdings International and other corporate names. Kelley has been held in Chicago for over a year by federal officials based on an affidavit alleging fraud in the Mexican time-share scheme.