Rancho Banderas reviews and complaints

We have owned with Rancho Banderas since 1999, yes the maintenance fees have gone up significantly since we purchased but when we are there we can see where the money is being spent and are very happy with the resort. We have another time share that we just purchased last year and their annual maintenance fees are similar. As far as Interval International (I.I) goes we were provided coverage for 1 year membership with them as part of a promotion for buying our timeshare at Rancho. We have used I.I. and have not have any difficulties. There is a yearly membership with I.I. you have to pay to use them however with the cost of the exchange fee for what you receive is immeasurable. We are going to be staying at a lovely resort next month using one of the getaway weeks through I.I. as a benefit from owning with Rancho Banderas and we are going to be saving $1200 for the cost it would be to stay at this resort as a regular guest. We have been to this resort as a guest for a presentation so we know what the property looks like. We only buy membership to I.I. for the years we are going to use them instead of staying at Rancho our home base. I am saddened that you have had such bad experiences and wish I knew what else I can tell you. I hope that everything works out for you. A VERY HAPPY RANCHO BANDERAS OWNER!

We too have been cheated!We were promised many things at the time of purchase and also that we could exchange time share locations through Interval International. But I tried doing an exchange and discovered that Rancho Banderas NEVER enrolled our purchase with Interval so if we wanted to do an exchange with them we would have to become members --at a fee and annual fee thereafter! Our maintenance fees have literally tripled we stared with $350 and each year it has been going up. This year 1/2011 our annual fees went up to $850. I am so upset at this. Is there anything we can do to get out of this commitment.
A&M

I too am disgusted by the crazy increases in fees. This purchase is a noose around my neck for how long? I investigated a timeshare relief company last year, it was going to cost $3, 000 to (supposedly) legally transfer the papers to them. Then I would've been DONE with this mess. Anyone had success with that approach? With which company, as you have to watch them too, they have scam artists doing that as well. (old timeshare salesmen).

WE too have been cheated! We were promised many things at the purchase time even that our room when exchanged with INTERVAL INTERNATIONAL would worth two weeks in a one bedroom. Today I paid my fees...808$ OUTRAGEOUS! We were very specific before buying that we were worry about fees and were told by the MANAGER that it would not go more then 5 % a year! well it doubled in 4 years!... in 2004 we paid 350$. Is there anything we can do as owners to stop this fraud? Should we get together and hire a lawyer, but something must be done. I know several timeshare owners and none of them pay more then 400$ a year! Is there anyone else out there with the same frustrating problem please don't hesitate to drop a line in here... What are our recourses? Anyone can help?

thank you

I have a law firm in Canada who wants to file suit against Rancho Banderas and their outrages assessment fees. They have found a consumer law that they say is an open and shut case against this company. In order to file this suit I need a Rancho Banderas owner from Quebec, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, because the other jurisdictions either do not cover all of Canada or cost could be awarded against the plaintiff, who will step up and be part of this claim. Once the claim is filed all owners past and present will be called on to join the suit. Please send me an email at tnisivaco@yahoo.com and I will fill you in on the details.

can we just stop paying the fees and not have our credit affected?

I notice that most of these comments are from 2007, so wondering what has happened since then. We refused to pay the exhorbitant fees they were trying to charge. At the time I wrote letters to their management Company in Calgary. And got no response, We only bought the timeshare because they told us it was operated by a Canadian Company and so we thought they would be governed by Canadian laws. Foolish us... Everyone above seems to have some sort of legitimate complaint, but has anything happened since 2007. We just gave up on the resort and have heard nothing from them since 2007. Although this week of Aug. 2012, we have been contacted by a Company called " Wilson Affiliates " they claim to be working for a Corporate buyer who wants to purchase a whole lot of shares at Rancho and are offering us good money for our measly 240 points. We are very skeptical, does anyone have any insight to share with us. We are from Surrey, B.C> Canada. e-mail " gdhenri@shaw.ca "

Sources from Rancho Banderas said people got MF raises of obout 30% or more in 2007 (rules say it can be up to 15%), some of the owners issued a law suit and others kept the membership but the points system they handle is quite complicated. I really dont know how they managed to sell this memberships. And on top of that employees are forced to work extra time and 2 or 3 positions simultaneously (i.e. receptionist&agent) for the same pay, besides mistreated specially by frontdesk manager Barbara Hito Fajer . Besides the rules for their members state the property consists of 220units and they only have 49. I am sure if we keep digging more things will come up. Let's not promote this kind of behavior by continuing buying from such people!

I am shocked! We have been owners since 1999 and was not aware of any allegations of scams - what are these allegations?

The Latest Information:

I have found out that the people named on the Northwynd website are all former Fairmont Resort Properties employees. Please help us on our quest to bring this company to justice and send its management to prison where they belong. Attached here is a current list of management from Northwynd Resort Properties and Fairmont Resort Properties.

Patrick Fitzsimonds; Chief Executive Officer
Doug Frey; Vice President, Development
Eleanor Fornataro; Vice President, Communications / Corporate Services
Chris Van Der Deen; Vice President, Operations / Member Services
Kirk Wankel; Chief Financial Officer

Patrick Fitzsimonds; Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Fitzsimonds has been involved in the capitalization and development of residential and resort-based real estate in the U.S. and Canada over the course of the past 34 years. He acquired a Masters Degree in Business Administration and went on to executive positions with Shelter Corporation of Canada, Qualico Developments and United Inc.. Patrick's areas of experience include construction, design, cash management and financial structure.

Doug Frey; Vice President, Development

Mr. Frey is a University of Alberta alumnus and has been involved in real estate finance and development for over 20 years. His career path includes increasingly responsible positions with National Trust and Morguard Investments Ltd., and most recently as co-founder and principal in Foxbridge Development Ltd., a real estate development company active in Alberta and British Columbia.

Eleanor Fornataro; Vice President, Communications / Corporate Services

Ms. Fornataro has worked in the timeshare industry for the past 14 years, first with Royal Host Vacation Club, and most recently with Fairmont Resort Properties Ltd.. Eleanor brings valuable experience in the areas of program development, client services, and communications.

Chris Van Der Deen; Vice President, Operations / Member Services

Mr. Van Der Deen has many years of experience in the hotel and resort sector. As General Manager of several Royal Host properties in the early 2000s, Chris developed a keen appreciation of the many facets of hotel management and guest services. Beginning in 2005 Chris led the management team of Columbia Villa Management (later Resort Villa Management) at one of Canada's largest timeshare resorts in Fairmont Hot Springs, B.C., and also took on the General Manager role at Lake Okanagan Resort in Kelowna, B.C.

Kirk Wankel; Chief Financial Officer

Kirk Wankel graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelors of Commerce in 1995 and obtained his Chartered Accountant designation in 1998 while working for Arthur Andersen. Kirk has over a decade of industry experience including positions as the Vice President of Finance for BW Technologies Ltd., Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Fair Sky Resources Inc., and Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Blackline GPS Inc. Kirk has been the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Northwynd since November, 2010.

Hello.

I was just at RB today, Feb 8th 2010 and they refused me entrance at the gate. I have been going to RB for a few years on a "day pass" that I PAY.

We went there EIGHT of us to SPEND MONEY on food and drinks but they refused us at the gate! They did not want any of our business!

Reading through all these posts, now I know why they don't need my business, they are making a FORTUNE with a whole bunch of people who got sucked into a TIMESHARE FRAUD!

I feel pitty for all of you!

Ben

I agree with all these complaints because We were also duped by that company by promises that we were later told couldn't have been made by the representative because they can't offer anything. We haven't paid all our balance on the timeshare and am wondering should we just cut our losses. What could they do when the comapny isn't a US entity as well as all the evidence we have against them.

We were also duped by this den of thieves and wish to know if we stop paying on the balance we owe for the timeshare, can they attack our credit even though they are a foreign entity. We have more than enough evidence on our part as well as the statements on all these websites that substantiate our claims. We have experienced the same smoke and mirrors bit you all have. Whenever we call to book a reservation they tell us it's already been booked. We were offered extra bonus weeks by the seller telling us we could use them at any time only to find out there were no such things according to the main office and that any promises made by the seller are not honored yet they represent the company. We recently noticed that our contract is for one of the affiliate sites "costa maya" and not rancho. We will also agree to suing them for false advertisement, misrepresentation, unethical business practices.
Our email is dr.jgonzrx@gmail.com I believe that if we all stopped payment and formally issued our complaint with the mexican, canadian, and US authorities, we can at least save our pockets from being exploited any further.

Please keep all of us owners informed of any pending legal action. My husband purchased points in 1999 when dues were under fifty cents a point. The same points that provided a one week stay in 1999 are no longer valid for one week; now it takes two years of points for the same one week vacation. And we pay a 400% increase in dues!

My husband paid the extra fee to stay at Rancho Banderas last week and found some very interesting facts. The villas Rancho Banderas were selling never came to fruition. The complete room renovations disclosed in the 2007 annual maintenance fee summary are fraudulent - the exact same furnishings were in the room when we last vacationed there in 2002. Also, Fairmount Resorts GAVE 20 ROOMS to terminated Fairmount employees, free of charge, as part of their compensation package from Fairmount’s' layoffs. They were all at the resort the same time my husband was vacationing, April 18-25, 2009, and all enjoyed free rooms.

We can't book a room with our points, but they have enough room for hotel guests and employee compensation packages? Our dues are not benefiting owners and we just want out of our contract. We'll cut our losses with the initial payment just to move on and be free from this fraud. I've emailed Rancho Banderas four or five times in the last week and they were RUDE and finally stopped emailing altogether.
Feel free to contact me at kris_l_hansen@hotmail.com.

Very interesting, We have heard from others that they have not received their money.

So, this does not surprise me.

To Others:
Once U have been there U will understand what I am about to say...

Rancho has a way of selling it self with its beauty and simple charm of relaxation the minute U walk into the pool area and look over the pool and see the ocean and take in a view that is breathless. Once U have taken a deep breath and came back to your sense's, you will realize that U have just walked into the most surreal place on earth and your vacation in paradise has just begun. Go to your room, kick off your shoes, put your swim suit on and take a walk down an unbelievable beach and let the waves wash away all your worries, cares, stress, & tension.

To You the Invester:
If that isn't worth the $10, 000 investment you made for yourself to take a vacation once a year for the rest of your life then you know what? Don't go to Mexico looking for a relaxing, refreshing, life long lasting experience. Excuse me...

We bought under the same intense sale pitch and paper work. If we get the $10, 000 back, it's a bonus for us to go and spend more time at Rancho Banderas where the service is better then you can get anywhere in the US considering what they get paid to be there.

Sure, I sent off our paper work today, I've had that picture on my wall to remind me for 5 yrs to do it. Rancho has been sold since we bought our time share. We receive paper work that they weren't going to honor those contracts. We got notices of address changes.
If we get our money, we get it.

We've had the best time of our lives together at Rancho and have shared it with friends & family who have fallen in love with it too. Many memories that will be with us for the rest of our lives were made at Rancho Banderas. New friends we have made that we look forward to seeing every year at Rancho.
If we don't get our $10, 000 back for the first week that we bought, will it make any difference? No.

As far as the maintenance fees? Everything comes with a price. Up keep, and up grading does too and Rancho is close to being 15 yrs old. All the new resorts being built around it are very costly and up graded compared to the "Little Gem" that Rancho is, they are "Spas" and over sized Condos with golf courses. Check them out and the cost of them. I personally like Rancho just the way it is. Small, discrete, personable, enjoyable, comfortable, worth every penny we paid & pay for it.

Got a problem with it...call someone who cares,
1-800-WHO-GIVESA[censored] and get over it.

Sorry, guess I am just kind of partial, I kind of love Rancho, can U tell?

Just a Happy Owner of 5000 PTS.
Imagine what I pay for maintenance fees.

Please email me. There is a legal system in Mexico.

Everything said above is true and exactly our experience. We were sold 240 points in 2002 by Kent McKinley, a very high pressure salesman who finally offered us the infamous CashbackAmerica vouchers. We paid $8,800 for a one-week per year stay at Rancho. Last year we got a $500 assessment, this year it's $530. OUTRAGEOUS! As for cashback vouchers, we followed the rules to the letter but 6 months later we've heard nothing and received not a penny. Rancho Banderas was sold to Resorts West Management Group, which claims no responsibility for what the previous company, Fairmont, may have promised. Has anyone heard of a situation where you buy a company without its obligations? When you buy a company you buy it with all its assets AND liabilities.

Because this company is Canadian (outside US jurisdiction), doing business in Mexico (no legal system to speak of) and registered for tax purposes in Barbados (a tax and legal safe haven), and given that the amount involved is not that great, the chances of a legal remedy is not great. I've heard a lot of complaints on the Yahoo site fightrancho@yahoogroups.com, but nothing that leads me to believe that there is much we can do.

Any constructive thoughts on this maddening issue.