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Here is our story:
It's probably the same story everyone has- we were highly pressured into buying this timeshare. When the salesman was showing us the units, he told us that we could easily rent out one week in the two bedroom Luxxe Master suite for approximately $8400, and it would only cost us about $1400 to book that week, so we would earn $7000. He said that because of the golf course, this was the number one golf resort in Mexico and businesses were always looking for units for their conventions. If we did that every year, the unit would pay for itself. This made sense to us and when we said that we really couldn't afford the unit, he reminded us that we could pay for it with rental income. We couldn't afford the new unit, so he happend to have one unit that was traded in, so we could buy into that one for less money. He even knocked off $8400 from the purchase price for the first year rental, as if we had rented it out. He told us that because it wasn't new inventory, they could only rent it for one year (2012 week) because the previous owner would have already received the 5 week rental credit. But we weren't too worried because we felt we could get the rental income each year and pay down the loan that way. When we went to sign the actual papers, the woman going through the contract with us had us initial a spot that said there was no guarantee that we would be able to make rental income. I thought that was strange since that was the sales pitch we just got, but I assumed that they would still help us try to rent it out and that money could make some payments for us. Our salesman was very helpful and made himself available to answer any questions we might have while we were still there on vacation, and we spoke with him at that time again about the rental options. He explained then that if we wanted to rent out our week we would have to go through a timeshare rental company, that Vida Vacations/Grande Luxxe doesn't actually get involved in that, and he referred us to one that he said was quite successful, and we could look into it when we got home.
When we looked into it, we realized that it was one of these timeshare rental companies that charge a fee up front for their services. There was no guarantee that they would be able to rent it out, and we would only know if that would work if we were willing to pay the fee to find out. I did some searching on the internet about the company and found that many people were not satisfied, and felt it was a scam. We had already fallen victim to one of these scams with our other timeshare about 3 years ago when Neil was off work on disability, and lost about $1200 at a time when we could least afford it. I was not about to fall for another scam, so we did not pursue the rental option further. We decided to try to make the payments instead.
It turns out that we have put every cent we have into trying to make these payments, and have realized that we really can't afford it- just like we told the salesman originally. If we keep putting our money into paying for this contract, we will probably go under- we can't continue like this for another 4 years.
We believe we were misled by the sales team, and pressured into buying something that we couldn't afford, and we told them that we couldn't afford it.
Mayan palace has closed my case.
To my opinion they are not willing to make things right, they just want easy money and that´s what they got from me. I feel I have been victim of a very well planned scam and it looks like there isn´t much that we can do but to keep posting on the internet in order to help more people.
After having contact with the Grand Luxxe Customer Support staff, our issues have been taken care of. We have no pending issues with them.
After having contact with the Grand Luxxe Customer Support staff, our issues have been taken care of. We have no pending issues with them.
Unfortunately you got hooked into a timeshare presentation; Mayan Palace is known for particularly hard sell tactics. Mayan Palace sales tactics are hardcore and they will tell you anything you want to hear to get you into the contract and keep you in contract with them. What I really find repugnant is that they don’t let their buyers know they have a 5 days cooling period if they wish to cancel; instead, they repeatedly tell they buyers once the contract is being sign there is no cancellation period. And dealing with Mayan Palace after the purchase of your timeshare can be a little frustrated. Especially because customer service won’t get you the answers you expect to get. Fortunately, there's a way out. I recommend you to read this article about the mayan palace timeshare scams and how to get out of one:
http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/51-mayan-palace-timeshare-scam/
Beware of Vacation Class S.A. de C.V. (advertising The Bliss Resorts, Bliss Vacation Club, Grand Mayan, Vida Vacations, VidaSales and more).
My mother and I traveled to Mexico to celebrate my graduation from college. After about seven hours traveling we were met at the airport in Cancun by some saleswoman misrepresenting her intention. The next day we were at their Grand Mayan where we were subjected to five hours of high-pressure sales tactics before we relented signing an English-only document purporting to be selling "lodging rights and services."
After getting away, we learned more about whom we had been picked up by from websites like tripadvisor, timesharescam, complaintsboard, scam, mescam, pissedconsumer, independenttraveler, and fodors, to name a few (all ending dot com). We notified the sales office that we cancel and asked for our downpayment back. They pretend to be confused and refuse.
We learned that Mexican law protects consumers under PROFECO; that all contracts regarding property in Mexico, including timeshares, must be in Spanish and bear certification by a Notario--neither of which was true for us; and that we can file a complaint in at any Mexican Consulate.
Our lawyer is putting together copies of their responses to share with you the names (and taunting words) of these sales people and the additional aliases they use. We hope that this post reaches you before you travel to Mexico, so you know to stay away from these people when they try to get you at the airport.
Beware of Vacation Class S.A. de C.V. (advertising The Bliss Resorts, Bliss Vacation Club, Grand Mayan, Vida Vacations, VidaSales and more).
My mother and I traveled to Mexico to celebrate my graduation from college. After about seven hours traveling we were met at the airport in Cancun by some saleswoman misrepresenting her intention. The next day we were at their Grand Mayan where we were subjected to five hours of high-pressure sales tactics before we relented signing an English-only document purporting to be selling "lodging rights and services."
After getting away, we learned more about whom we had been picked up by from websites like tripadvisor, timesharescam, complaintsboard, scam, mescam, pissedconsumer, independenttraveler, and fodors, to name a few (all ending dot com). We notified the sales office that we cancel and asked for our downpayment back. They pretend to be confused and refuse.
We learned that Mexican law protects consumers under PROFECO; that all contracts regarding property in Mexico, including timeshares, must be in Spanish and bear certification by a Notario--neither of which was true for us; and that we can file a complaint in at any Mexican Consulate.
Our lawyer is putting together copies of their responses to share with you the names (and taunting words) of these sales people and the additional aliases they use. We hope that this post reaches you before you travel to Mexico, so you know to stay away from these people when they try to get you at the airport.
My mother and I have received an "offer of settlement" (viewable at this link http://tinyurl.com/k3mggkf) that would obligate us to lie about our experience with these people who have identified themselves to us as Bliss Resorts, Bliss Vacation Club, Vida Vacation Club International Sales, Grupo Vida Vacation, Mayan Resorts, Riviera Maya, et al.
First, this offer purports to create a contractual relationship between us and another company, to wit: Premium International Vacations S.A. de C.V. We are trying to sever ties with the authors of this unpleasant chapter of our lives, not expand the list of characters.
Second, this offer purports to have us surrender our free speech rights, and goes further by obliging us to participate in marketing activities, such as posting positive comments, on behalf of the Premium International Vacations S.A. de C.V. and its unidentified "Affiliates, " for no consideration other than the return of our own money.
Third, this offer demands our silence, requiring us to keep these terms a secret, and never to speak about it, under threat. Meanwhile, we are suppose to trust that the "Person Offering Settlement" noted on this offer with an office at the Riviera Maya (a) has the authority to make this offer, and (b) will eventually refund our downpayment.
Who are these people? And why would any reputable hotel or resort allow them on their property to take our money? More importantly, why hasn't any of THESE hotels and resorts contacted us to resolve this?
Amazing how for years they can keep up the same scam! Disgusting.
We were also scammed with a Mayan Palace Timeshare. They claim they don't misrepresent themselves. Yet the promises and the drinks ease you into signing. Once you've done that, you are screwed. Through all the other initials on your contract, you realize you initialled, that they don't misrepresent themselves. Now you are up the creek. We had 2 timeshares they claimed that Alliance marketing would sell for us in 3 months max. We would recoup the money we paid at the Grand Luxxe and would net out ahead of the game. Well 15 months later, I am out $30k and I still have the original timeshares. I have also not heard a word from Alliance marketing in several months. Plus I found out they are a marketing group, thus not legally allowed to sell. I have had to take a 2nd mortgage out on my house. All the answers I have seen from the Mayan on various websites show they are not at all interested in helping out. Do they not have a concious? This is a good article about Mayan Palace:
http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/51-mayan-palace-timeshare-scam/