Bel Air Vallarta (formerly Playa del Sol)

[dinacollins]

I am having trouble getting through to anyone to conduct member business (reschedule my 2011-couldn't go due to hurricane in Oct.) and to deposit my 2012 week into the exchange. The lines are always busy no matter what time I call. Is anyone else having issues? I finally posted a note on their facebook page and got someone to contact me so hopefully things are resolved for me. However, I'm concerned for the future of my timeshare if it's so hard to get through to anyone on their phone lines.

 

[nsstampqueen]

I've had great response from the Los Cabos location using the email link from the Bel Air Collection website - might try that - I heard back from them within a day by email.

 

[ninnynu]

Reaching Bel Air Vallarta

I,too got nothing but a busy signal on the phone line. I finally e-mailed memberservices@belairvallarta.com and received an answer within a couple days. We are attempting trading into the Costa Sur so it is taking a little more time to get a reservation. Hopefully, this will help you. I think their transition from the Playa Del Sol is in a Mexican minute!

 

[mplswjr]

Playa del Sol and Belair

When Belair acquired Playa del Sol Grand in Nuevo Vallarta, and the Cabo location, they essentially separated from the Playa del Sol organization. Playa del Sol still schedules only a few units at the Costa Sur location on the south side of Puerto Vallarta, but that facility is now managed by Howard Johnson. Thus, it appears that scheduling time at the Costa Sur location through the Belair member services will not be easy because they are now separate business entities. There are three people who act as timeshare member services representatives at Belair. They are Carolina who has been at the location for a number of years, and two new people, Joely and Carlos who most often answer the phone.
I hope this information is helpful as you seek to schedule Costa Sur.
Bill

 

[Stevefm]

Is it still tied in with Howard Johnson? When I was in Vallarta in November, the Howard Johnson name was removed and the Costa Sur name was back up.

 

[mplswjr]

Costa Sur

We did not get out to the south side during our stay at Belair Vallarta in January, and I didn't have an occasion to inquire about the Howard Johnson connection. I do know that Howard Johnson was the managing company for a couple years or so, and may not now be retained by whoever owns Costa Sur. I believe that Playa del Sol only owned or had sold access to some specific number of the units there, but I don't think they had a majority interest in the site.
The involvement of Playa del Sol is a bit hard to ascertain in their previously owned and/or managed locations because the units buyers financed seem to be serviced out of their California agency. While at the Belair member update meetings during January, it came out that some of the maintenance fees for Belair were showing up on credit card statements as having been posted from Playa del Sol. That was disturbing to some members because they didn't want any further connection with Playa del Sol. That is a view that I personally agree with because their management was extremely poorly operated.
It seems to be a real mixed bag of entanglements, although I am quite pleased overall with the Belair management efforts to update the Nuevo Vallarta location.
Bill

 

[Colorado Belle]

I stayed at Costa Sur recently and the HJ connection was severed last year.
The units have been upgraded with extremely comfortable beds,duvets, big flat screen tvs, new appliances. They seem to have cured the sewage issue. there is now free wifi in the rooms!!!!!! Food is better. Beach is now sandy.

I've heard conflicting reports on this , but it seems that PDS group sold off to Belair but kept the Costa Sur.....this surpirses me because the original fixed week owners at Costa Sur (Vida) hated the PDS takeover 6 years ago.

When the bruhaha over the 2010 extraordinary fees began, I became disenchanted with the PDSG crooks and decided not to pay any more until some issues were resolved. Now, Belair is trying to woo me back, so I'd be interested in what has been going on there this past year. Are the units upgraded? How?
Can you book ressies easily as II shows that they are still offering weeks for @ $250,lessthan maintenance fees which keep rising 10% a year? Any new 'rules'Ishould be leary of? I have 2 weeks in a 2bd/lockoff there and I hatetolosethe investment (I paid cash), but I refuse todeal with PDSGtype people and Im not convinced that some of the old group aren't still involved.

 

[suzanna]

Clarify the latest with Belair Collections

We purchased back in 2002 before Grand was completed. We have received next to no info about the various changes in names ...ie. Blue Seas for original Downtown Playa in PV and selling of sites...ie. Lindo Mar. Of course they contacted us about the extra fees...how dumb I was, should have also just refused and see what happens.... then news of Belair who appears to have several resorts and I'm not clear on whether we can use our floating week at any of these or only at what I thought Belair purchased: Grand, Cabo, and Costa Sur. Now you have mentioned that Playa split and owns Costa Sur?? Who do you have to talk to and get a straight answer.

Currently after being owners of a studio for ten years, and trading through HSI and a couple times II and always given studio for 4, Carrolina recently sent a unit to only accomodate two for trade with II. At time of purchase, we were verbally told that the studio slept four as we were there with our two kids and they circled that unit as part of the 2 bedroom lock-off...bed and sleeper sofa. As I've found out with II they exchange same number sleeping for same number. Now, we are furious, as we would never have known that the word studio only meant 2 and no where on the contract do they give sleeping #, 4 which is what we were told verbally...ugh Other than the rendering circled by them that we initialed and the fact that sleeping four is what they have forwarded each time previously. Am I out of luck...II is telling me that my trading value now stinks...Carolina is like a broken record and won't budge and I have no idea who to contact above her or if it's worth the trouble...help...And am I the only one that has to argue endlessly to have them give me a date so I can make and exchange through II. Finally, is II and HSI the only options I have and if you skip a year, they really check you off the list??