Sticky - Mexican Timeshare Presentation Boot Camp

[easyrider]

What does it matter if Vera rants and rants ? To me personally it just doesn't matter. With her rants she did get the attention of a Grupo Mayan rep. and showed how a newbie can get fleeced at a presentation.
Also, I'm not saying that what she is doing isn't annoying to some or that anyone that bought from the developer was fleeced.

What I think is " The squeaky wheel gets greased".

If a person does have a problem with Vera's post maybe no response is the best response.

I find it very entertaining and did learn that there are more than just Vera that are very mad at Grupo Mayan for many different reasons.

Could this hurt sales at Grupo Mayan ? Only if people do due diligence before they buy. By typing in Grupo Mayan in the google box there is enough info to make anyone think twice. With this info available on smart phones now it would be in Grupo Mayan's interest to clean up their web presence.

 

[aliikai2]

Grand Mayan on Sunday

I can say for sure that we will really enjoy our two weeks in the GM in Nuevo Vallarta starting Sunday.

I am sincerely sorry that your resort experience was so awful, but I am glad that you have found other resorts that you enjoy.

We like the resorts and their staff, and in comparison to most of the other resorts in Mexico, feel the Grupo Mayan resorts are far and away the best.

fwiw,

Greg

Folks, to be fair to Vera V Christopher, she was attacked by a few posters on this forum pretty much right after her first post. Her version of the events, as well as her credibility and her intelligence were questioned. True, she was not as eloquent as some others on this board, but it was no reason to demean and belittle her, particularly given that this is not the first time we have heard this sort of complaint about Grupo Mayan.

Gosh darn it, I myself had no idea what a firestorm I was wandering into when in January I posted what I thought was a "review" of my very negative experience at the Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta (http://tugbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138295). And my negative experience was not just with their sales process; unfortunately it was also with their customer service and amenities which some vocal TUGgers absolutely rave about! As a timesharer for over 10 years, and a long-time TUGger, I have contributed many reviews and posts here and participated in some great respectful dialogues, so I was more than a little taken aback by the venom and some of the "attacking" posts that followed my review. I was called foolish, a ranter, absurd and childish, implied that I wouldn't know what a high-class resort was, and my integrity and credibility were questioned. I was particularly surprised because I have "no skin" in the game -- I did not buy from Grupo Mayan, I will likely never stay at one of their resorts again -- so my only reason to review the resort was to provide a description of MY experience, and hopefully help others avoid having the same negative experience that we did. Good thing I have such a thick skin (and I am at a point in my life where comments by a handful of strangers on a bulletin board do not bother me one iota )! Since then, I have followed this whole Grupo Mayan saga closely, even going as far as to blog about them on my leadership practices blog. I have also observed that there are about six or seven TUGgers who just "love" the Grupo Mayan resorts and I can understand and respect that. But I have found that they also can be vocal, and sometimes, quite disrespectful to those whose experiences do not mirror theirs.

But back to the topic, I can understand why a newbie such as Ms. Christopher who already clearly feels wronged by the company, would react defensively, and in her case, by posting over and over again (and lashing out at others). I suspect that the moderators understand some of her anguish and that's why so many people have also tried to offer her unbiased and non-judgmental advice. So perhaps we could try to ease up on her a little bit ... (Btw, I am not suggesting that she be allowed to break any BB rules)

I think this thread that refers specifically to timeshare presentations in Mexico is VERY APPROPRIATE because these are far more "high pressure" than others in any other region of the world. And I think the reason Grupo Mayan is getting so much "air time" is because at least in this arena, they win the prize! I have attended many timeshare presentations before (including a couple in Mexico), but I have never felt the need to describe them as the "experience from hell" until this one.

 

[Vera V Christopher]

[Duplicate post deleted]

[Duplicate post deleted - DeniseM Moderator]

 

[Vera V Christopher]

It Would Help Me If My Comments Were Not Erased!!!

I was going to suggest that too....her own personal thread. "Vera's Complaints Against Grupo Mayan."

Ms. Christopher, please understand that your attempts to get your money back by posting negatively against Grupo Mayan are not helping you, because your posts are not specific and to-the-point, and because there are so many of them that they have become ineffective, and overall they have become very annoying to TUGgers.

We are as a rule quite helpful people here, but with your current tactics, we can't help you.

This is not Libya or somewhere where people cannot say what they need to say without fear of reprisals or having their comments erased!!!! I thought that the USA was the "Land of the Free", "Home of the brave" etc. I did pose the question about the financial help some websites are getting from the timeshare industry. $ seem to prevent certain comments staying on the websites, do they?

 

[DeniseM]

having their comments erased!!!!

Vera - TUG is a privately owned website with rules - duplicate posts are not permitted. 4 of your last 5 posts contained the same info., so 2 were deleted, and 2 were merged. This is not the first time you have been reminded about this rule.

I did pose the question about the financial help some websites are getting from the timeshare industry. $ seem to prevent certain comments staying on the websites, do they?

Yes, but you never said WHICH website(s) you were talking about, or WHERE you got the info. - posting vague accusations with no documentation is not useful.

 

[John Cummings]

...I did pose the question about the financial help some websites are getting from the timeshare industry. $ seem to prevent certain comments staying on the websites, do they?

What proof do you have to support your allegations? You keep repeating the same old stuff. You need to give it a rest as you are definitely NOT helping your cause whatever that may be.

 

[Vera V Christopher]

I Bought A Studio From The Grupo Mayan And The Contract Is Cancelled. No Return Of $

Whether people understand or not about the so called rescision or "cooling off" period it makes no much difference when it comes to some companies like the Grupo Mayan for instance. And even if you go there in person and ask for your money back it still does not affect them at all! By looking at the websites and seeing all the stung people out there by timeshare it is not surprising that they are looking for a place to vent their fury. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET INVOLVED HERE, THE STATE SHOULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER MUCH MORE. MEXICO IS A NEIGHBOURING STATE TO THE U.S. AND IT SHOULD HAVE LAWS WHICH DO NOT ALLOW THIS RIPPING OFF OF UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE ON VACATION. THE EUROPEANS HAVE IT RIGHT! LAWS ARE THERE NOW TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER. I am afraid that the US have been slow to see the necessity for this.

SORRY TO "OFFEND" THE TIMESHARE "INDUSTRY", COULD NOT BE MORE PERSUADED AS TO ITS SHADINESS NOW!

 

[Passepartout]

Whether people understand or not about the so called rescision or "cooling off" period it makes no much difference when it comes to some companies like the Grupo Mayan for instance. And even if you go there in person and ask for your money back it still does not affect them at all!

I'm so sorry you obviously purchased something from these people that you don't want, and that you again obviously did not read the instructions for rescinding said purchase. I haven't read your contract, but I'd wager it doesn't say anything about attempting to rescind in person. I believe rescission letters go to a different address than the resort where the timeshare was purchased. At the resort, all they do is SELL, not rescind- That's a corporate function.

Here at TUG, for years and years, we have preached 'Buy Resale!, Buy Resale! We have tried to help people understand rescission- to the point of making sample rescission letters available. Did you consult TUG before you purchased? No? Sorry, but it isn't our, or the U.S. government's fault. It's yours alone. There is no need for anyone to pay for membership for this information. If one buys resale, they may still buy something unwanted, but they will still have most of their money.

We continue to wish you well, and hope you can reach settlement with Grupo Mayan, but continuing to rant here with undocumented allegations about unknown 'websites' is not helpful. Your success will hinge on your dealing with them, not us. I'd suggest concentrating your effort there.You are just beating a dead horse here. We can do nothing to help your cause.

Jim Ricks

 

[pjrose]

I'm so sorry you obviously purchased something from these people that you don't want . . . .

We continue to wish you well, and hope you can reach settlement with Grupo Mayan. . . Your success will hinge on your dealing with them, not us. I'd suggest concentrating your effort there.You are just beating a dead horse here. We can do nothing to help your cause.

Jim Ricks

Good post, Jim.

 

[John Cummings]

...THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET INVOLVED HERE, THE STATE SHOULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER MUCH MORE. MEXICO IS A NEIGHBOURING STATE TO THE U.S. AND IT SHOULD HAVE LAWS WHICH DO NOT ALLOW THIS RIPPING OFF OF UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE ON VACATION. THE EUROPEANS HAVE IT RIGHT! LAWS ARE THERE NOW TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER. I am afraid that the US have been slow to see the necessity for this.

SORRY TO "OFFEND" THE TIMESHARE "INDUSTRY", COULD NOT BE MORE PERSUADED AS TO ITS SHADINESS NOW!

Personal remarks attacking another poster have been removed--Karen G, Moderator

The United States and Mexico are two separate sovereign nations. People buying timeshares in Mexico have nothing to do with the United States government nor should it. We have lots of consumer laws that protect us IN the US.

 

[MommaBear]

Whether people understand or not about the so called rescision or "cooling off" period it makes no much difference when it comes to some companies like the Grupo Mayan for instance. And even if you go there in person and ask for your money back it still does not affect them at all! By looking at the websites and seeing all the stung people out there by timeshare it is not surprising that they are looking for a place to vent their fury. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SHOULD GET INVOLVED HERE, THE STATE SHOULD PROTECT THE CONSUMER MUCH MORE. MEXICO IS A NEIGHBOURING STATE TO THE U.S. AND IT SHOULD HAVE LAWS WHICH DO NOT ALLOW THIS RIPPING OFF OF UNSUSPECTING PEOPLE ON VACATION. THE EUROPEANS HAVE IT RIGHT! LAWS ARE THERE NOW TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER. I am afraid that the US have been slow to see the necessity for this.

SORRY TO "OFFEND" THE TIMESHARE "INDUSTRY", COULD NOT BE MORE PERSUADED AS TO ITS SHADINESS NOW!

Vera- I have been following your relentless postings about your problems. For you to now think that the US has any jurisdiction or should have jurisdiction over this matter is absurd. You are a resident in the UK and Mexico is it's own country. Perhaps you should ask Belize, another country neighboring Mexico, to regulate Mexican affair or perhaps you could get France to help you out as a UK resident. The reality is that you and you alone made the contract with Grupo Mayan. I do not want to debate whether or not what they did was legal or moral. You signed the paperwork and so that leads back to personal repsonsibility. All of your writings cannot change that reality. I do wish you the best inextracting yourself from this, however to expect other nations to intervene is unrealistic.

 

[K&PFitz]

Vera has discovered TripAdvisor, and has two posts there, drugged coffee and all.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...ing_royal_in_it-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

 

[MuranoJo]

Hmmm the link you provided takes me to a message saying, "This content has been removed."

 

[DeniseM]

Hmmm the link you provided takes me to a message saying, "This content has been removed."

Tripadvisor can remove material that they find objectionable.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Tripadvisor can remove material that they find objectionable.

But I doubt that would lead her to conclude that perhaps the moderation here isn't so bad after all.

 

[MuranoJo]

Vera and following,

Much as some like to stick it to Grups t/s, it happens all over the world, even with some other, perhaps more recognized brands.

No excuse for any of them for their sales practices, but do your homework before any big-ticket purchase.

 

[John Cummings]

This is just to get me back on the subscribed list. For some reason this thread and a few others disappear periodically from my subscribed threads.

 

[K&PFitz]

One of her threads is gone, but this one is still alive as of right now.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...n_Palace_Say_No-Cancun_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

She's posted the same message twice, so they probably removed one.

 

[Karen G]

After reading Vera's story again on Tripadvisor, it seems to me that she and her friend are very lucky that they didn't suffer a worse fate than losing money in their ordeal. For two women to get in a car with two strangers in Mexico (or anywhere else for that matter) and be taken to an unknown and unfamiliar place in a foreign country is frightening and potentially life-threatening.

I hope that telling her story may save someone else from a very bad experience. It just isn't worth whatever "free gifts" are promised to subject oneself to a high pressure timeshare presentation anywhere. As has been pointed out, it isn't just Grupo Mayan that uses these tactics, but they do seem to be the one that gets the most complaints.

 

[DeniseM]

If Vera's story is true, I am guessing that she is an inexperienced regarding travel, the internet, and finances.

 

[Passepartout]

At some point, one has to ask, 'What is she getting from this?' Like a child throwing a tantrum, I think it's about the attention she's getting- not resolution of her problem. An offer of resolution seems to have been made by GM. I think. Yet she continues the rants- seemingly just to make noise.

Until she comes down, backs off, takes a deep breath and decides to discuss facts with GM directly, this will just continue. I have noticed her absence here, and hope she has come to realize that there is just nothing anyone here can do to help her. When she figures the same thing out at T/A, maybe she'll talk to Karen Rose.

Jim

 

[CatLovers]

At some point, one has to ask, 'What is she getting from this?' Like a child throwing a tantrum, I think it's about the attention she's getting- not resolution of her problem.

Well I think she has managed to get THEIR attention. My impression from her previous posts here on TUG was that they had pretty much told her to go away and to forget about getting any of her money back. As a result of her "noise", they are now at least making overtures towards her. In this latest TripAdvisor thread, Karen Rose's comments seem much more conciliatory than they have in the past, so perhaps Vera's "ranting" is achieving HER objectives?

The squeaky wheel gets the grease ... just sayin'

 

[pjrose]

Well I think she has managed to get THEIR attention. My impression from her previous posts here on TUG was that they had pretty much told her to go away and to forget about getting any of her money back. As a result of her "noise", they are now at least making overtures towards her. In this latest TripAdvisor thread, Karen Rose's comments seem much more conciliatory than they have in the past, so perhaps Vera's "ranting" is achieving HER objectives?

The squeaky wheel gets the grease ... just sayin'

But Karen's been posting similar overtures for well over a month. . .at least that long in this particular thread!

 

[DeniseM]

Based on Karen Rose's post, it seemed like Vera may have been asking for more than just her money back - like maybe addional money for damages or suffering? Hard to say...

 

[Tropical lady]

sure she wants more......

In Vera's first post, in addition to money from cancellation of the contract, she wants interest on her ?$4000 and legal fees for her lawyer. In post #37 from Karen Rose, it mentions that they cannot comply with a long list of demands for alleged expenses. Denise's comments re inexperience seem to be right on and are reinforced when you read Vera's account of the hotel in Turkey around the same time frame.
Karen Rose has a tough assignment here and is walking a fine line to get this resolved.