ComplaintsforGreat Destinations Inc

• Initial Complaint

  04/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Our decision to acquire the timeshare was based on misleading and high-pressure sales tactics employed during the presentation. The presentation promised gifts for our attendance had no intention of making a purchase. We expressed our intentions clearly to the sales representative and yet, we were subjected to a presentation that was rushed and did not allow for thorough examination of the *********************** The promises made during the presentation, particularly regarding the potential business opportunities were a significant factor in our decision to purchase. Specifically, we were led to believe that we could benefit from selling Interval certificates to non-owners or owners alike, as well as offering group travel packages to various destinations.These opportunities were presented as lucrative business ventures that aligned with our aspirations. Unfortunately, post-purchase, we discovered that none of these options were actually available to us. It is disheartening to realize that the information provided during the presentation was inaccurate -we were deliberately manipulated into making a purchase that does not align with our original intentions. This situation has resulted in significant regret and disappointment on our part. We also have not used the timeshare not even. Even still we pay substantial fees which includes a mortgage cost & maintenance fees. Given the circumstances surrounding our acquisition of the timeshare, we did contact the company directly several times by mail requesting cancellation and have not received any response. We do request assistance with pursuing the cancellation of our contract as soon as possible. We also need a full refund of any money owed to us. We believe this is the fair and just resolution to rectify the misrepresentation and undue pressure we experienced.Date of transaction: 6/2018 Money paid: $8500

  Business response

  04/12/2024

  **********************, i reviewed your file and find you purchased on June 22, 2018, 6 years ago and have made all payments on time. Our documents are very clear regarding the restriction of commercial use of the product. this product is for personal vacation use. We have no records of you calling our owner care team to complain or voice your displeasure, in fact this is the first we've heard of any issues. At this point we cannot approve a cancellation and refund. I would suggest you contact our owner care department during normal business hours ************** and see how you can best utilize your ownership.

• Initial Complaint

  02/16/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  It saddens me to admit that I must emphasize my inability to make any additional payments to be released from this ownership. *******************, who, apparently, no longer works with Great Destinations, proposed canceling the ownership in exchange for a significant payment of $3000, claiming that there is still outstanding debt. However, our family has never utilized the timeshare, and my husband was terminally ill when he purchased it. His illness was an immensely challenging time for us, and the sales pitch that day preyed on our emotions and vulnerability. We were ill-prepared for the manipulative tactics employed to coerce us into signing up for this timeshare ownership. Furthermore, I still lack a comprehensive understanding of the nature and functioning of this ownership. I had hoped that they would empathize with my predicament as a single mother caring for my daughters since his passing. Our circumstances are far from easy, and the added burden of bearing sole responsibility for all our bills, including this timeshare ownership, has taken its toll on me. I had hoped that you would comprehend the gravity of my situation. All I desire is a fair resolution that displays compassion and acknowledges the difficulties I am facing. Nevertheless, I must reiterate that I am unable to allocate any additional financial resources to this matter. **** informed me that the offer was final, and failure to pay by January 31 would result in foreclosure proceedings. I have heard nothing from anyone further. My only request is for the account to be canceled. Could you please provide me with an estimated timeframe for this to occur?

  Business response

  02/23/2024

  I believe we resolved this issue. one of our Reps will contact you to review resolution.

  Customer response

  02/27/2024

  Last month I was given an exit offer but it required I pay $3000 to proceed. I dont have that kind of money. I was requesting cancellation due to my husbands death, lack of income, inability to afford this, and the fact that it was never used. In my initial complaint, I explained that my husband was terminally ill when he signed up for this hoping we could use it as a family, however, the sales people there failed to explain how it worked and how expensive it was. I explained this all to the company who was less than sympathetic and showed no empathy. They threatened to foreclose on the account if I didnt pay them to continue the ownership or pay them the $3000 to end it. 
  If I had $3000 to give, I may not be asking to cancel this in the first place. Who has that kind of money to spend after becoming a widow? This was not my idea, but my husbands, and he is no longer with us. This matter was not resolved, hence why I posted a complaint to the Better Business Bureau about the continuous deceiving tactics of this company. While I am grateful for the exit opportunity, I dont appreciate the terms of the arrangement nor do I appreciate the threat to comply or my credit will be damaged due to a foreclosure.
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  01/27/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My problem with the company of Great Distnation is we were scam by the company of square one saying that they paid off our time share with great distnation. Which we now believe was a scam the problem is when great distractions called us and we referred them to square one and we never heard back from them. Which made us believe all was taken care of. Them as of 2023 they try to get us to join again by calling us but leaving no messages. Then I received a letter saying that I was put into collections. Also we paid off the time share but they still have me in collections for a paid off bill.

  Business response

  01/27/2024

  we will research your account however i have no idea who ********** is. If you gave them money to pay off your loan with us then they have your money and your loan is not paid off.

  We will research and one of our customer service agents will respond accordingly,

• Initial Complaint

  11/13/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to share my experience with the timeshare services provided by your company. During the purchasing process, we were subjected to high-pressure sales tactics involving multiple salespeople. The atmosphere created was one of urgency and we were made to feel like this was a once and a lifetime opportunity. I originally purchased this based on the information that was told to me by this ;s sales staff. I was under the impression that it would cover rental cars and flights, a promise made by this business. However, the reality of the situation has proven quite different. The process of converting our week into points has been particularly challenging, and the flexibility regarding flight arrangements has been far from satisfactory. Furthermore, the additional two getaway weeks that were included in our package have remained unused due to the complexity and rigidity of how this system actually works Over the past six years, we have only utilized the timeshare a handful of times. The process of converting our week stay at the home resort to points is excessively convoluted, requiring multiple calls and interactions with your team. This process needs to be completed by the end of January each year, adding an unnecessary layer of stress and frustration to our experience. The timing of the maintenance fees presents a significant financial burden. These fees fall due at the end of the year, coinciding with property tax payments and the holiday season. The rising maintenance fees and overall cost of this ownership was not presented to us in an accurate light. What&#**;s worse is we haven&#**;t received any real assistance from this company given our experience. We need someone to reach out to us and let us know how we can move forward with separating from this ownership.

  Business response

  11/14/2023

  Refund is not an option. One of our account managers will reach out to you to see how we can resolve your issue.

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  10/23/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  I purchased a time share on January 26, 2019. This was a present to myself, celebrating two years of being cancer free. I work for ****** Hospital, and since the pandemic we're over worked, short staffed, it's impossible to get time off after 17 years. Last year I paid for a trip to *********, along with a quest pass for $89.00 for my niece. My dad passed away, I was unable to make this trip, so I loss money, points and they rented the unit at an even better profit. I scheduled another trip to ********* for July 1, 2023 checking out on July 8, 2023. I paid $89.00 for E-Plus retrade which allows me to reschedule for a total of 3 times. This time I scheduled a trip to ****** ****** August 25, 2023 to September 1, 2023, listening to their sales rep to keep from losing out on another trip. My last trip was scheduled for September 21st. I spoked with a gentlemen, asked if they could as a one courtesy, to reschedule at a later date, placed me on hold and said no. September 19th, I spoke with **** @ *************** and advised her to sale the Time Share. **** assured me that it would happen and to call back in three weeks for the results. October 10th, I called back to see if they sold the time share and they are pretending to know nothing. However, all calls are recorded. I stopped payment on the annual maintenance fees of $572.44 check # **** dated 9/15/23. They're taking my money, re-renting unit for a profit. To many departments to deal with, one for points, one for reservations, etc.

  Business response

  10/24/2023

  **********************, i read your complaint and I am not even sure it directed at the appropriate company. we do not collect $89 for trips, nor do we issue guest certificates, nor do we engage in re sales of timeshares. Maybe you have talked with someone else? please clarify.

  Customer response

  10/24/2023

  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ******** and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. Please note that complaint filed against wrong company.
  
  Regards,
  
  *****************************
  
   
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Customer Service Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are writing to express our dissatisfaction with the timeshare membership service provided by Great Destinations. Our main concern is their unresponsiveness to our email communications seeking clarification and resolution.We were introduced to their service at an LA county fair, where we were enticed by a free trip to ****** for attending a presentation. We were assured that the points earned through our membership would cover hotel stays completely, making it appear as a cost-effective alternative to traditional booking methods.However, our experience has not aligned with these promises. The points merely provide discounts and do not cover the full cost of accommodations as initially conveyed. Furthermore, the quality of the accommodations available through their service has been below par, making their offers less appealing than direct bookings or services provided by third-party travel groups.Our attempts to communicate these issues and seek resolution have been met with silence from Great Destinations. This lack of response has left us feeling misled and frustrated, creating a situation where our credit rating is at potential risk due to the financial implications of this membership.We are open to dialogue and finding a resolution to this situation. However, the lack of response from Great Destinations necessitates intervention from an authoritative body like yours to ensure fair treatment and resolution.Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your assistance in resolving this issue.

  Business response

  10/17/2023

  The last communication we have on file is May 2023 at which time you were offered a settlement. You chose not to accept it. we stand ready to continue the conversation to come to an acceptable resolution. **** will be contacting you to try and resolve. 

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  09/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Great Destinations has placed us in a precarious situation. They have consistently hounded us regarding our dues, but when we attempt to come to an agreement to sever our ties with them, they become unresponsive. Truthfully, we should have reported this matter sooner. When we met with Great Destination in 2017, we were led to believe that becoming a member would be advantageous and allow us to save money on vacations. The sales experience felt coercive and wasn't informative. We ere left with a lot of questions regarding the services and cost. As time has progressed, we've seen that this membership has been of no benefit. The only time we've used their services was to book a stay at another hotel using our points. We felt we had no other choice but to maintain the membership, but we cannot continue investing money into something that yields no return. Especially since we have had a child since becoming members. We not have the income to spare. We are sure it is well within the means of Great Destinations to dissolve our contract and membership. We believe this is an attempt to prolong this process and "wait us out". To be clear, we have no intention of using your services in any capacity. It would be in both parties best interest if we came to a mutual release agreement. Great Destinations would be able to resell, and their efforts would no longer be wasted on attempting to collect funds from me and retaining my membership.Please note, the pursuit of this matter will continue until an agreeable option to dissolve our contract and membership is met, and will take whatever channels necessary to ensure that it occurs.

  Business response

  09/28/2023

  Your file was sent to collection for non-payment. Our records indicate we haven't spoken to you since 2021. I will have one of our customer service agents contact you to try to resolve your situation. 

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are incredibly unhappy with the timeshare the sales representatives of Great Destinations sold us. We can never use it, even during less-than-desirable times, and neither of us can drop seven days on vacation. The stress from paying for something we cannot use is overwhelming, and we want to walk away. We tried going through Great Destinations ourselves but dealing with **** from the ********************* has been tedious. We got him on the phone, and he was rude and dismissive. We sent him an email to discuss some of the points he made (because we couldnt get a word in edgewise), and he sent us an extended passive-aggressive copied-and-pasted version of our email with highlighted answers and bullet points of how offended he was that we perceived him as rude. That entire exchange only proved our point! He should not have created such a hostile environment if he wanted to have an open dialogue. We decided to reach out to ******************************* the management company over our timeshare, but that did us no good. VRI offered us an exit settlement offer of two years of maintenance fees plus $120.00 for processing. I was fired from my job and cant afford this. If Im giving back the membership and all thats associated with it for VRI to resell and PROFIT off of, why am I paying years of maintenance fees in advance? VRI is going to make out like bandits while we have to scrape money we dont have to ensure theyre satisfied. We asked for a reduced fee or a payment plan, but they refused to compromise! The entire reason we want out is that we cant afford it. Why isnt that being taken into consideration? Ive seen other people making complaints who got their memberships taken back with no fees or lower fees than ours, so why cant this be done for us? We refuse to fall victim to another scam by this company by giving them more money we dont have for something we cant use.

  Business response

  07/19/2023

  ************, i am sorry you feel as you do. I have reviewed the correspondence between you and **** and i don't agree with your characterization of him being rude. I also take issue that we have released others without cost or fees. there are contractual obligations that we must abide by. Our responsible Exit Program is clear. My suggestion is to work with VRI on a release based on their requirements and we will work with them to assist.

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Got a notice that my lien was taken care of and they also filed out paperwork to show that. I have copies. Noticed money taken out, called the financial institution and I still have a balance. Got another email from the company and said it was there error and i they are not going to file any paperwork to change this. I've never used this timeshare and have made payments for almost 10 yrs..I feel they should honor their mistake and write off the difference.

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is ********************* and I have been a member of Great Destinations since 2017. I have been trying to sever ties with Great Destinations since 2018. That is four years too long! I do not understand why Great Destinations seems to hold me hostage as a member. I have NEVER used this timeshare and I never will. This is absolutely bizarre. Great destinations have affected my credit severely. I went from excellent to fair in the matter of months. I cant even purchase a home! When I addressed this and my hardships with Great Destinations, they completely ignored my request for release and were no help once so ever. They do not care for their owners, only if you are bringing them money. The only offer I have ever received was to pay them $3000 to settle. Is this the treatment a longstanding member deserves? It is disheartening, and their lack of cooperation deepens my desire to sever ties. Even if I had the funds, why would I want to maintain a membership with a company who has poor customer service?I am only looking to be released from this burden mutually. I do not have anything to give, which is why they havent received a dime. Please review my case and help me with the resolution I am seeking. I know it is well within the power of Great Destinations to ***** my desire for termination and I will continue to pursue the termination of my membership through whatever channels necessary. Thank you.

  Business response

  06/07/2023

  One of our customer service managers will contact you to attempt to come to a fair resolution. 

  Customer response

  06/08/2023

  Please respond through the BBB regarding my complaint against you. Thank you. 

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩