Unlimited Vacation Club
Reviews and Complaints

During a trip to Secrets in Los Cabos, we were pitched the UVC. They have a thick magazine with thousands of resorts world wide, and told you can use your "free" weeks at any of them. Well, this isn't true. You have access to though a time share company called RCI. RCI only books time share properties, they do not have the amount of resorts offered in that book. Also, lifestyle collection is a separate entity that you can sign up for yourself. During the presentation we were told that we could go anywhere: bali, Thailand, Maldives, etc. That isn't true and you have to book RCI well in advance — it doesn't work for last minute travel that we explained we always do during the presentation,

We tried to book RCI a few months out (not exactly what we thought we were paying for but thought we are stuck) and have to pay a fee. Really? We've already paid thousands of $. Looking further into it, we weren't able to book any decent looking property that we would want to visit with the weeks we were "gifted." this entire company lies to your face and promises you things that it has no control over. Unfortunately, I didn't do my research before signing up.

We would either like all our money paid back or some agreement to use what we've paid without obligation to pay the rest. Seriously this company is terrible.

Contract nnx 000376 - I have sent e-mail saying I want to cancel my contract. The customer service said I have to pay 50% of the contract to be able to cancel! I did use any of the serviços, and contract does not say if want to cancel I would have to incur in this penalty. Neither someone that was selling this product. That was bad conduct of you and I am disappointed that a large company like you does such escheme! I and my money back! Leticia

Mr. Negrete,

We signed the contract on February 28, 2020. On March 4th, 2020, within the 5 business days of executing the Contract, per Art. 15, paragraph 5, I've met you at Sunscape hotel, and I requested the cancellation of the contract. At that time, you responded that you will take care of it.

You did not require that I put the cancellation request in writing, but assured me that you will cancel it, and send me a notification. By not cancelling the agreement, as promised, you acted maliciously with the intent to deceive us so that you wouldn't have to refund us the initial payment.

Our cancellation was clear, direct and personal, supported by our emails and calls on March 11th and after that. It is not a termination for payment default, but a voluntary termination. The provisions of Art. 15, first paragraph are not therefore applicable.

As per Art. 15, paragraph 4, we request a full refund of all amounts paid, and otherwise we exert all our legal remedies, for fraud and breach of contract, including attorney's fees and legal expenses.

Yours sincerely,

Mariana & Iuliu Vasilescu

Mr. Negrete, has all the emails what we exchanged. He never called me,
I have tried to call him numerous times, but he never answered.
There are hidden fees for down payment, like $230 for the contract it self.
When I asked, before to sign the contract, about the cancellation policy,
I was told 15 days, which is a lie, based on the terms of the contract.

Iuliu V
Tue, Mar 10, 8:07 PM (7 days ago)
to memberservices

I have cancelled the deal with you, and I was expected to send me the cancellation notice.
Best regards,

Iuliu

We were told that we could start to use all the free nights and offers as soon as we joined, the only reason we said yes is that we have a trip planned for July and they told us to cancel that ( booked by my travel agent) and that I could get that same resort using the free nights they gave us. That is a LIE. I just got my login information and found out that I cannot use ANY free nights until I have paid my account off. - they said for ever 4 payments they release ONE night free, so basically it would take us over two years of payments to use 7 free nights... We feel lied too and and we hate that because we were at Secrets Maroma and would have never thought they would allow their guest to be SCAMMED. It has now been 9 days since we signed and I do not know what to do? Its after the 5 days and reading a lot of reviews people get no where to cancel this membership. We would have been ok with all of this IF they would have been HONEST up front, but they weren't and LIED to us HOW to use the FREE Nights. Can anyone help me on how to at least cancel and get the $3, 100.00 that we put down?

During my wife's and I first trip without kids in 3 years to Secrets in Los Cabos, we were pitched the UVC. They have a thick magazine with thousands of resorts world wide, and told you can use your "free" weeks at any of them. Well, this isn't true. UVC only deals with AMR, the rest of the resorts you have access to are though a time share company called RCI, and then an agency called lifestyle collection. RCI only books time share properties, they do not have the amount of resorts offered in that book. Also, lifestyle collection is a separate entity that you can sign up for yourself. During the presentation we were told that lifestyle collection was like "amazon for travel products." While they do sell some travel products, this is really mainly a travel agency.

We really want to take our kids on a trip to Disney World, but really enjoyed the resort we were at. So during the presentation I specifically asked if we could book a room for our whole family at a Disney property using one of the free weeks we were given. I was told if it was in the book, then we could. This book included EVERY Disney property. However, RCI doesn't actually have any resorts on Disney property, and with our "free" weeks we can't even book any of the rooms in Orlando because we don't have enough "trading power." whatever the hell that is. Of course, RCI tells you to call UVC and UVC tells you to call RCI. Looking further into it, we weren't able to book any decent looking property that we would want to visit with the weeks we were "gifted." This entire company lies to your face and promises you things that it has no control over. Unfortunately, I didn't do my research before signing up.

Contact # SM1-011859
signed: December 30, 2019 at 3:26 pm
Per the contract and Mexican Law we have 5 business days following the date of the signing of this to cancel and request a full refund of the down payment.
Notice of Cancellation send email address in the contact and via certified mail to the address listed on January 6, 2020 at 12:23 pm again at 4:38 pm and again on January 07, 2020 at 8:58 am. Our five business days does not expire until January 7th (January 1st is a national holiday). I have a log of all email sent to both the Mediator at memberservices@unlimited vacationclub.com and adm.semrc@unlimitedvc.com along with a fax receipt to sent to GBS International in Miami.

Craig Duane Mathison
Stacy Lee Mathison

I was vacationing in Punta Cana/ Secrets, In October. Was pressured in this so call wonderful membership with all these benefits that they so call give, but all they do is give headaches. I have been trying to reach someone to help me in this matter and all I get is that someone will contact you 24-48 or 48-72 hours since December 18. No one has yet contacted me. I also email, and nothing. This has been so frustrating trying to get my 2402.00 back into my credit card. They are playing with peoples hard earned money. If I haven't used the membership how can they stay with my money. Yes I signed a contract but when I was at the introduction they told me I can cancel anytime with no penalties, no penalties means just that. I have been sick over this matter and haven't slept. It's disgusting how they run this company. They are liars and very deceitful.
My name is Julissa Quiles and my email is [protected]@aol.com
I hope you can help me with this matter.

NL1-005549/DEGEFU

Attention all victims including me, all unlimited vacation club scams and fraudulent activity, the mastermind of this drama committed by GBS INTERNATION INC. you need contact GBS international inc. since unlimited vacation club no license to operate. this company founded by GBS international inc. to scam Americans who travel oversees. no legal entity UVC in the USA. I lost 9560.00 on aug, 6 2019.

After attending a 6 hour presentation, we signed a million page contract based on the WORDS we were told by 2 sales associates. We trusted them when they told us that there were NO blackout dates. We expressed our issues with traveling during non-holiday dates because we own 3 businesses. They PROMISED that there were NO blackout dates. We put down $13, 000 and made arrangements to make payments of $269/mo for the remaining balance of $13, 000! 3months later, we tried to book our first vacation for Christmas. We were told that we could not use our premium nights on holidays and they were blacked out.
After much frustration, we acquiesced and decided to book a Secrets week on Costa Rica in Feb. I just called to book and they said that hotel is 2 for one. Meaning that although I have 9 PAID nights, it would take 14 to book my week. I instantly began crying. Both times that I've called about a serious issue, they have informed me that it was "In The Contract".
After 6 hours and severe water poisoning, they handed us a million page contract to sign.
I asked VERY specific questions and was Flat Out Lied to. I just want my money back! Please!'n

We used Unlimited Vacation club for first time and it's terrible. It's a scam. They lie. We bought it cause we LOVE secrets. We will never use it again and never come back. You use it and they give you the worse room and they repeatedly lie to you. Learn from our mistake.
We offered to pay for upgrade. They drag you along each day the. They say oh sorry no rooms available. We spoke with manager and they are so rude. We alway got Nespresso in our room with membership. Regular small pot.

NL1-005549/DEGEFU

Unlimited Vacation club operating without legal license in the USA. I lost 9649.00 USD down payment which was a sign I August 6, 2019, at the Dominican Republic, I have contacted my law firm and they've agreed to help me in filing a class-action lawsuit against the UVC and its affiliates( GBS INTERNATIONALINC.). If anyone would like to join me and a large number of others I have already got together, please reply.
We need to stop these people from ruining the many lives they have already destroyed, bankrupt and misled.
Thank you and I look forward to hearing back from you.

it is a nightmare working with these people. There are so many loop holes.
Contract was more than 40 pages, so so many things were not explained at the time of signing the contract and the famous sales pitch.
RCI and UVC don't have any system connections so that is customer's responsibility to call back and forth to release the certificate for a bonus week and so forth. Each agent says a different thing, so if you call 4 times you will hear 4 different things. Planning a trip was so much easier and cheaper if I was going through Airbnb or a hotel instead of making monthly payments and annual fee to UVC, paying extra money to release the contract from the UVC side, in addition to paying extra to RCI for the resort.
To make it short, you won't save any money with these packages, just you are buying extra headache for yourself!
After all the pain, on 11/18/2019 asked for cancellation and after talking for another 30 minutes they said you can cancel but you won't get any refunds. to make it worse, we still have to go to the process of talking to QA people and waiting for another 5 days to cancel without any REFUNDS!
My UVC member ID is BR1-003541, just in case!

Went to a presentation @secrects Wild Montego Bay while celebrating my birthday which was only supposed to be their for a hour and a half ended up being there for 5 -51/2 hours had no intention of purchasing a membership but they get offering everything under the sun. I specially asked several times what was the cancellation policy and they answered every time you can cancel at anytime.Also asked if they had a headquarters in the US. What's told yes in Philadelphia. I relented and put money down and signed the contract A couple weeks after I got back I finally looked at the signed contract it was 45 pages that I received by e-mail. when the contract I signed was only 4 pages at the end of the presentation. I knew than that I had be scammed .I wrote a letter of cancellation and immediately faxed it to GSB in Miami. I want this membership cancelled and my Deposit refunded. I signed under false sale practices and was lied too repeatedly through this whole presentation. After finally reading through these 45 pages in small print it says you have 5 days to cancel. Was never told this was only told that I could cancel at any time again unethical sales practices.

This is a complete scam. There is absolutely no benefit in this. It cost upwards of 15k. We have never used it and have paid over 7k towards this so far. We just tried to book a vacation, and it is over 1k more than if we booked though Bookit or Cheap Caribbean. They tell you you will receive one week free at the hotel and you will receive 30% off on airfare through your 2 year free RCI membership. Airfare through RCI is double the cost of fun jet or any other airline. They tell you, you will receive free room upgrades. What they don't tell you is you only qualify for that once you get there and you can check then. You can't get that in advance. But if you book on Bookit you can upgrade your room for $30 extra. The free week is a lie as well. The free week is one day to be released for use after 7months of payments. We paid 7k off already and they only will release one room, because it has only been a year, so regardless if it was even paid off you will wait 10 years to get your free week. After calling customer service they are happy to cancel. They already received 7k from us and gave us not a single thing. This place should be [censored] down and a class action law suit should happen immediately.

My wife and I unfortunately signed up for Unlimited Vacation Club at Secrets the Vine Cancún on 10/9/2019.

We had no intentions of signing up, but the sales rep promised great rates for travel and many incentives including switching our room to Master Suite Ocean View at the Secrets for rest of our stay in town (our original stay was at Reflect Cancun).

90min was the scheduled duration of the tour, and yet it took about 5-6hours until we signed the contract. We thought it was worth the time, due to all the perks that we will have for the next couple decades.

Once you say yes to the contract, they'll pull out and iPad and make you sign a 52 page contact via DocuSign. There were no time to go over the details, just instructed to initial/sign here and there.

I wanted to learn more about UVC so later that night, I did a google search. It didn't take long before I realized what have I got myself into.

At that point, I had already paid $7200 for 25% and closing cost. I ended up staying up all night to read what other people experienced and planned a way to get myself out.

I drafted a letter based of mescam.com and decided to take it to the office of UVC at the Secrets first thing in the morning.

We went to the office so early that there weren't any other customers and asked for our sales rep. Told him that UVC isn't for us and would like to cancel membership. Smiles were gone and his face became serious, he now looked intimidating. We were told that his boss will arrive at 9:30am so come back at that time.

With 2 hours to spare, we enjoyed our last breakfast at the Secrets and decided to check out of the room because we had no intention of spending another night there.

At 9:30, we went back to the office and talked with the boss. She took it more maturely and tried to explain what great deal we will be missing out. We respectfully declined again and again. Her concern was that we have already began to use one of our incentive offers, that master suite.

A customer service rep then showed up (big, very intimidating, and no smile) and told us we can withdraw from the UVC club, but owe them the full amount of the master suite of whopping $6500 for 7nights. He pulled out the contract and pointed out that part where it says something in the line of if termination occurred due to ourself, we owe the full price of the incentive and that we should stay at the hotel if we're going to pay anyways.

I then told him we've already checked out and willing to pay for 1 night, which was still $921. He then went to go check with his supervisor and came back saying I don't owe them all, but cost for 2 nights because I checked out early. I checked out at 9am that day so I won't have to pay the 2nd day, but he pointed out in the context where it says "Cancellation less than 24 hours before arrival. 2 night penalty."

So I told them "No where in the contract mentions about early check out. That is a policy for cancellation and not early check out." I ended up negotiating to where we only owe them for 1 night. It was probably the worst $921 we've spent.

As for the cancellation of the UVC club, a different gentleman came and told us he needs a letter from us. Being prepared by reading all over the internet, we handed it over. We received an email from him saying UVC membership has been cancelled and will partial refund of the deposit (deposit minus 1 night of hotel).

From signing the contract to receiving the cancellation email took less than 24 hours, but that was the most stressful night in recent years. Not only we wasted a day of our precious vacation time and ended up paying a master suite room. I was told that this room was an ocean view, but the actual room was located on the lagoon side and there was only partial ocean view, which was visible only from a certain part of the balcony.

UVC may be a great fit for some people, but it didn't seem right for us. Now that I think about it, they try really hard to bribe you to sign a contract and once signed, all they give you is a membership card and a usb that apparently "Has everything you need to know about it." When someone spends a fortune for your service, I think there should be better customer care. We were never actually shown how to look up and book vacation and use other services they offer. "Everything could be done if you call this phone number" just won't cut it.

I'm waiting for the refund as I write this and still mad at myself for signing the contract and paying for a master suite, which I never asked for (they upgraded it because other rooms weren't available). I had to learn the hard way and paid the price for it.

Other than the pressured atmosphere they created, the tour of the resort was nice. The Secrets hotel is definitely a luxury and would love to spend some nights there in the future.

I hope sharing my experience will help others too. You CAN cancel it so don't give up!

This past March, I contacted UVC to help me with a trip I was planning to Greece.
It was the first time I was using their services after shelling out more than 10K for a supposedly amazing membership with them.
I was told that booking with them will not only save me money but I would get a discount too.

The agent that helped me with my plans, suggested the hotels for our stays in Antiparos and in Paros:
The first hotel in Antiparos was Soros Beach and we reserved and paid for it.
A day before we were to fly out from JFK, I get a call from UVC saying that Soros Beach cancelled our reservation and that they were willing to give us another hotel on another island (!)10 minutes away by ferry from Antiparos even though
I repeatedly said that we had a wedding to attend on the island of Antiparos and that's why we needed to be there.
When that agent couldn't accommodate us with another hotel in Antiparos, I booked my own hotel via Expedia and for much cheaper.
When I contacted Soros Beach directly in Greece, the manager assured me that they had sent a notice to the travel agency two weeks prior to the date I was contacted !

As for our second stop after that island, the agent booked us a hotel called "Despinas Mare" on the island of Paros for 4 nights and for a total of $459.08 but
I was told that I got a discount of $39.00 which brought the total to $420.08.
We arrived at that hotel on September 30th after paying 35 Euros for the cab and it was not the right hotel booked. The reservation stated the right name of "Despinas Mare" but with a completely different phone number. When the hotel clerk at Despinas was kind enough to call that number, it turned out it was another hotel called Adonis and they did have our reservation.
When we got to Adonis Hotel, yes, they did have our reservation and they gave us a receipt for the amount that was paid for our room which was for 263.32 Euros equivalent to $288.89; I have that receipt and this means we overpaid UVC $131.00 more than we should have paid if we hadn't gone through them!
I have attached a copy of the reservation we had with the wrong hotel plus the receipt of the hotel we stayed at to show the difference in amounts !

I tried contacting UVC twice since we came back but they don't even bother to find out what the issue is or to apologize about what happened.
I don't think I will use their services for any of my next trips as I can do a much better job myself via Expedia or hotels.com

I have read many negattive reviews that this UVC is all a scam and yes they do overcharge for everything and make you think that you're saving money...
I regret that we fell for this whole membership thing when we were in Punta Cana last year but I would make sure to tell everyone about our experience so far with this membership club!

- A very dissatisfied and disappointed member

To echo with many others, I would like to share my personal horrible experience with UVC. Hopefully this will help others to be careful before they sign any contract, especially when company is registered in the country that USA laws protecting consumers are not applicable ( like UVC in Dominican Republic).
In 2016, I stayed in the Secrets of the Vine resort in Cancun with my family. I was approached by the vacation club representative, who asked me if he can talk to me for 20-30 min about great services that they can offer. After several hours in the cold air- conditioned room ( I was in the swimming suite coming for 20-30 min chat) surrounded by 4 different men who were pressuring me to sign for the services, I was forced to sign an agreement. No time was given to me to discuss the offer with my family and I was not informed that there is a 3 days cancellation possibility. I was told that the package was customized to my unique needs and that I have one in a life time opportunity for the exceptional services and with unique rates if I pay for everything in full.. " Everything" was outlined on one paper sheet that magically disappeared when I Pad was brought to me for signatures. I was not given an opportunity to read everything carefully.
Upon my return to USA, almost every week I got a call or e mails from Vacation Club membership, with various ridiculous offers. Numerous time I asked not to bother me, because I am very busy ; I said that I will call when I need services. No matter what I tried to do ( block caller ID, speak with supervisor )...my privacy was not respected.
Eventually I decided to take a trip to the Zoestry resort in Cancun using 7 free nights that I have in agreement . Twice when I was trying to book, I was told that there are no rooms available, and that I can only use 2 nights for 1 ( something that was not explained to me). I was told that Secrets Playa Mujeres, is next to the best, and they have some rooms Available, but for 7 nights for I still can't use 7 free nights and need to purchase rooms . Only then I was explained that what unlimited club offer is : 25 % off hotel room rates...again this is something that was not explained to me when I was forced to sign agreement. Only then I also discovered that my package is just a basic and cheapest package . Al I was also told that headquarters of UVC are in Mexico and not in USA.
I decided to go back to Cancun in 2017 to deal in person with the UVC team. Upon my arrival I was trying to make an appointment with the team who signed me for the membership ...they were literally avoiding me...upon numerous calls and requests ….one of them, Carlos came to talk to me…. told me that he will get back to me next day when he will speak with manager. He disappeared from the resort for the length of my stay …. I was told that he had family emergency and will not come to work. …The others refused to talk to me and told me that decision regarding my contract can be only made by Miami headquarters ….Actually company is registered in Dominican Republic where neither USA or Mexico rules on customers protection apply.
Eventually, after my return to USA, my case was assigned to the quality assurance person named
Eblyn González Hernández, who was in Mexico. She is the most rude, unprofessional and
condescending person I ever met. When no meaningful solution could be reached with her, I asked to speak with manager. Also, when i asked to speak to someone in a higher position, she told me there is no one else. This is by far the most frustrating process i have ever experience when cancelling.
She refused to accept my request for cancellation which I submitted and told me that only cancellation form that she sent me she will accept ( that form was stripping me of any rights and refund). Last week I received UVC request for annual payment …again something no one told me about, when I send them e mail about my case, I was told that Mrs Hernández closed my case in 2017 ( which happened without my acknowledgment). Customer service sent me an e mail : "We have escalated your case to the Quality Assurance Department. You will be contacted in the next 24-72 business hours."…….and than I received an e mai from Ms Gonzales " If all you want is to continue with the cancellation, there is no other option than cancelling without refund." ……Nothing more to say.
If you look up UVC profile on Better Business Bureau there is a statement " Complaints on file with BBB allege that consumers were pressured into signing contracts for Vacation Club Memberships for thousands of dollars and consumers found after purchasing packages that they did not realize the savings indicated in the sales presentations."
I did not used any of my "free nights " or services and have no plan to travel in near or far future to the Country where there is so much injustice, food poison ( I had each time I was there) and risk of Zika virus which possess risk for the males and females trying to conceive babies.