# Was that really necessary?



## dougp26364 (Apr 8, 2013)

So yesterday we spent 22 hours in airports or on airplanes beginning at 03:00 A.M. When we arrived we had to pick up the rental car and drive another. 30 or 40 minutes from the airport to the resort. I believe we checked in around 11:30 P.M., maybe later, and finally got to sleep after midnight.

At 08:12 I was awakened by the phone ringing. I choose not to answer it as I would have been less than polite. The message left was from the concierge desk asking us to stop by for our welcome gift and an offer to help us with activities and reservations. 

REALLY? This couldn't wait? I believe even telemarketers are prohibited from calling before 09:00 A.M.

I should stop by the concierge and say something but, I need to be polite. That could take awhile. This was definitely NOT the way I wanted to begin my first day of vacation.


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## DeniseM (Apr 8, 2013)

We always unplug the room phone as soon as we get there.  No one we want to talk to has that number.  Our friends, family, and work will all call our cell phones...


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## dougp26364 (Apr 8, 2013)

While its not a bad idea, in the 14 years we've been timesharing it's never been an issue at 08:00 in the morning and certainly not at a DRI resort. I will let them know what I think before we leave but it might take a little while before I do so. Really defeats the motto of relaxation simplified.


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## tschwa2 (Apr 8, 2013)

And coming to Hawaii, they should expect a fair number of guests to have jet lag and want a little extra sleep.


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## Passepartout (Apr 8, 2013)

On arrival in Hawaii from the mainland, many people are up at 0-dark-thirty. Going West the body is waaaay ahead on time.

So Doug, did you score a nice ocean view unit? I remember that was a concern.

Jim


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## tschwa2 (Apr 8, 2013)

Yes, but I've come from the East coast with a double connection and been up for 24 hours before getting to bed (also arriving around 10:30 P.M. Hawaii time) and felt like sleeping for 10-12 hours before feeling human again.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 8, 2013)

Passepartout said:


> On arrival in Hawaii from the mainland, many people are up at 0-dark-thirty. Going West the body is waaaay ahead on time.
> 
> So Doug, did you score a nice ocean view unit? I remember that was a concern.
> 
> Jim



Perfect unit placement, ocean front. Beautiful views for our morning and evening coffee. We are, however, one floor above the units being refurbished and whomever is above us is somewhat noisy. Not a major concern as we won't spend a tremendous e time indoors.

I forgot the cord to transfer pictures onto my iPad mini. I found a store that probably has them & will likely by another one when we drive that way. The store is over by the airport, around 40 minutes away. I don't feel the urgency to make that drive just for that item. We will be that way at some point during the week.


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## post-it (Apr 9, 2013)

So glad you arrived and have a great view Doug.  Enjoy and I'm looking forward to your pics.


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## hvsteve1 (Apr 9, 2013)

tschwa2 said:


> Yes, but I've come from the East coast with a double connection and been up for 24 hours before getting to bed (also arriving around 10:30 P.M. Hawaii time) and felt like sleeping for 10-12 hours before feeling human again.



This is why we finally decided to see Hawaii but did so on a cruise.  Wake up in the morning and you're there.  Not a lot of time on shore, but at least we got to see it.  Maybe we'll go back by plane and actually spend some time.  We would never go from the east coast directly to the islands without stopping off for a day or two in California to let our body clock catch up and not spend 24 hours in the air.


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## dougp26364 (Apr 10, 2013)

According to the front desk when I mentioned my "disappointment", I was told they are not suppose to call before 09:00. Still to early in my book for that first morning considering the location.


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## singlemalt_18 (May 30, 2013)

*Seems A Good Fit For This Thread*

The hard sell tactics continue to become even more aggressive at the Williamsburg sales operation.  (They are no stranger to this routine as previously mentioned here: http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1439913&postcount=5  )

Now they have begun to abduct “owners” upon check-in…

It had been a seven hour day of travel on the road by the time we arrived at Powhatan.  I do most all of the driving, and I don’t mind that, as my wife is always there to take up the baton and deal with administrative things such as checking in; I get a chance to stretch my legs, hit the head, and _contemplate my highly anticipated cocktail_.

There were a number of people in front of my wife as she entered the line at the desk, as I ducked into the nearest men’s room.  When I came out, she was nowhere to be found?  At first I thought, perhaps she decided to make a similar stop into the ladies room.  I’m waiting and waiting, but no sign of her?  Finally she came out from around a hallway in the corner, calling for me with a frustrated look on her face; she said *"they need both of us”*.  I knew now what was going down.

She proceeded to walk me back into a room that was unmistakably a sales den.  The room was filled with little round tables, each with three chairs.  Many of the tables were occupied by threesomes in which the third wheels were also unmistakable; _sales people never shut up_.  Unlike the front desk staffed with young, well-groomed collegiate types with pressed shirts, a middle-aged woman with somewhat wrinkled, ill-fitting clothes and day old make-up and hair greeted us by name with phony familiarity.  She pointed to a small buffet table with a plate stacked of cold-cut sandwich ring slices impaled by toothpicks with colored cellophane, cans of soda and bottled water,_ and of course the cookies_, and told us to *“help yourselves, while I get your paperwork.” * She already had my wife’s credit card.

Get my paperwork?  I was in no mood for any of this.  Not the sales pitch, not the attempt at playing along, and not even any of the cheap food.  A few minutes later she comes back with a file folder and an arm full of brochures, and launches into the script.  We attempted to make it clear that we had a long day on the road and just wanted to get our luggage into our unit.  She seemed programmed to ignore the obvious signals and began to sign us up for a “one hour update” the very next morning!  Under the name on her name tag were the words Concierge Services; I forget her name.

She continued to pretend that this was all a part of the special offers we were entitled to as “owners” – technically we were not, only Club Members as our points are in the Hawaiian Trust – and she did her best to get us to bite on accepting one of the “gifts” we were eligible for, if we would only attend this important one-hour update.  We were not going to bite.  My wife was trying to remain polite.  I was no longer, and I think she may have actually started to get the message.  As she promised to call us at 9:00 am the next morning to confirm our time for a Sunday opening, she did say that we better answer the phone and not just let it ring.

I promised her that I would not do that… just let the phone ring.  Once we carried the luggage in from the car, and *before I had a Dewar’s on-the-rocks, I unplugged both phones*.  The phones never rang once the entire week.


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