Holiday Inn review: Holiday Inn Vacation Club

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to file a complaint against Holiday Inn for the deceptive and dishonest practices that I have experienced during my time as a customer. Despite the promises that were made to me during the initial sales pitch, the reality of my experience has been far from what was advertised. Firstly, the sales pitch itself was incredibly stressful, lasting a gruelling two hours. This was especially difficult as we were trying to enjoy our family vacation with our children. We were aggressively encouraged to make a purchase despite only wanting to attend a meeting to stay at the resort. The salesperson convinced us by claiming that Holiday Inn was an international company and that our membership would give us access to accommodations anywhere in the world. We were told repeatedly that using our points would allow us to travel at a cheaper rate than if we paid on our own. This was enticing to us as we have always dreamed of travelling while saving money. Additionally, we asked specifically about booking stays with our large family but were assured that it would not be an issue as the company partnered with other "World Class" resorts. However, in reality, this could not be further from the truth. Despite being told that we could make last-minute bookings, we found that this was impossible for any premier destination that we desired. The closest locations were in the middle of nowhere, which was not what we had signed up for. Furthermore, we were told at the sales pitch that we could use our points at a regular Holiday Inn, but we were not informed that these points would count for nearly nothing and essentially only provide us with a day or two at most for our entire account balance. During one of our stays at the New Orleans resort, we were disappointed to find that to receive the amenity we were promised, we had to attend a meeting to be upsold. Each time we checked into the resort, we had to argue with sales teams about why we would not attend any more meetings, which made us ineligible for the free parking amenity. On one occasion, the sales team even sent out multiple salespeople to pressure and persuade us into attending a meeting. After denying their offers multiple times, they eventually gave us a smaller room with a brick wall view and a terrible shower. Our stay in Vegas was slightly better, though there were still issues. The grounds were confusing to navigate, especially in the heat, and assistance should have been provided to help us find our complex building. However, the people were polite and accepting when we declined further meetings. Finally, our experience at Lake Conroe stays at Piney Shores was appalling. During our two stays here, we found that the rooms were run-down with old and dirty furniture. The President rooms were more akin to a day camp or college dorm than a resort. There was no attempt at upselling us, which is telling of how little the company values this location. I was also misled regarding the fees and ownership of this membership. The salesperson promised me that my fees would raise minimally over time, but I have found this to be completely untrue. As I have researched further into my ownership, I have found that the longer I have this membership, the greater the fees become. This is concerning as I enter retirement and cannot afford to have my percentage increased, which goes against the idea that this membership could be passed down to my children. In conclusion, my experience with Holiday Inn has been a disappointing one. I am not satisfied with the service that I have received and feel that I have been misled and deceived. I urge you to take this complaint seriously and investigate further into the practices of this company. Tired of dealing with this company,

Kirby and Tisa DeLoach