VIDANTA SALES PRESENTATION [merged]

[CatnEd]

My hubby and I attended an update while staying at the Mexico Vidanta- Riviera Maya location. They never shared what the rescind period is and I am concerned the presentation was a too good to be true deal. They wanted to sell us the Emperor valued at $2,300,000( though saw some were valued even higher price). Said they would take our existing timeshare resorts (Marriott/Hyatt) and we would no longer have maintenance fees because of course we no longer own but they stress they do not have that as they call them usage fees, so you pay as you use. We were told we would get 6 weeks a year to stay at Vidanta or to use via Third Home however if we give them 4 weeks back they will supposedly pay us over $200,000 per year which would go straight to them for the total cost. When I explained I do not travel much to Mexico but more throughout the US they started talking again about the Third Home Program saying I am going to love it and I travel all over using this. Since that time I learned more about Third Home, though you cannot see much other than basic rules and places to stay unless a Third Home member. Basic rules one must have property valued at $500,000 (which this is) you need to provide two weeks of vacation (which is all we would have left after giving them the four weeks), the company does not have a large inventory, you must be flexible as some may not want to rent out their homes listed when you may wish to travel, and in some places I wish to travel there is nothing. Has anyone else ever purchased this through Vidanta? Another question anyone that has purchased Vidanta are you happy with it and do you use it often? The adage if it sounds too good to be true it probably keeps playing in my head. Hubby signed all on Wednesday, today is Sunday do we still have rescind period? Any info is appreciated.

 

[easyrider]

My hubby and I attended an update while staying at the Mexico Vidanta- Riviera Maya location. They never shared what the rescind period is and I am concerned the presentation was a too good to be true deal. They wanted to sell us the Emperor valued at $2,300,000( though saw some were valued even higher price). Said they would take our existing timeshare resorts (Marriott/Hyatt) and we would no longer have maintenance fees because of course we no longer own but they stress they do not have that as they call them usage fees, so you pay as you use. We were told we would get 6 weeks a year to stay at Vidanta or to use via Third Home however if we give them 4 weeks back they will supposedly pay us over $200,000 per year which would go straight to them for the total cost. When I explained I do not travel much to Mexico but more throughout the US they started talking again about the Third Home Program saying I am going to love it and I travel all over using this. Since that time I learned more about Third Home, though you cannot see much other than basic rules and places to stay unless a Third Home member. Basic rules one must have property valued at $500,000 (which this is) you need to provide two weeks of vacation (which is all we would have left after giving them the four weeks), the company does not have a large inventory, you must be flexible as some may not want to rent out their homes listed when you may wish to travel, and in some places I wish to travel there is nothing. Has anyone else ever purchased this through Vidanta? Another question anyone that has purchased Vidanta are you happy with it and do you use it often? The adage if it sounds too good to be true it probably keeps playing in my head. Hubby signed all on Wednesday, today is Sunday do we still have rescind period? Any info is appreciated.

RECIND. asap

Bill

 

[CatnEd]

Any other thoughts as to the rescind as my hubby is sold on the idea of having no more maintenance fees letting go of the Hyatt and Marriott but I feel again we will not use. Thank you

 

[Eric B]

The adage if it sounds too good to be true it probably keeps playing in my head.

That is exactly true; your instincts are spot on. We purchased through Vidanta. It's all to good to be true, though the resorts are quite nice and the folks manning them are great. There are quite a few downsides to owning Vidanta, starting with the difficulty in making reservations and continuing with the usage fees being higher than the costs to exchange in and stay there. As a Vidanta owner, you will be prevented from exchanging in. You have today and tomorrow to rescind; find the portion of the contract that tells you how to accomplish that and do it or make an appointment with member services if you are still on the resort and do it with them. Additionally, the level we bought in at is falling into disrepair and not being maintained as Vida Vacations and Vidanta primarily make their money through sales.

ThirdHome is a wonderful program; we use it often for fabulous stays in vacation homes in Europe. You can already get into ThirdHome using your Marriott Newport Coast ownership by establishing your own independent account with them. If you are interested in trying it out without the massive Vidanta costs DM me and I'll provide you my POC there. You don't need to own a separate home worth $500K; your currently usage rights at Newport Coast will suffice.

They will not take your current TS off your hands. That is a common Mexican timeshare sales lie. Instead they will provide your contact info to a postcard TS company that will try to extort further money from you and merely advertise it somewhere or list it on eBay - if no one buys it you will be stuck continuing to pay the maintenance fees. There are numerous threads here about that.

The list price they provided you is just sales BS. You will never be able to sell your contract with them as it is merely a right-to-use for 10 or 20 years. We just sat through a Vidanta sales presentation in East Cape and heard all the same stuff (for the nth time).

 

[CatnEd]

We never received the contract they told my husband they would e-mail this but he has not received it yet. We are not looking to sell our timeshares owned in the US. We were told to tell the company we want to transfer, The sales person said do not say sell but to transfer. Did anyone say anything about transferring versus selling what you already own?

 

[vacationtime1]

How much are you paying upfront to avoid future maintenance fees? How many years/decades will it take to break even (assuming the product is what they claim it is)?

 

[Eric B]

We never received the contract they told my husband they would e-mail this but he has not received it yet.

All the more reason to rescind. Contact member services and inform them of the desire to rescind specifically citing the lack of a copy of the contract, which sales has withheld for the rescission period to prevent you from exercising your rescission rights. I would consider informing Profeco as well.

 

[Eric B]

Are you still at the resort?

 

[CatnEd]

They asked for a large, large down payment To cover the cost they will be using four of our six weeks to pay down the total cost.

 

[CatnEd]

No we left. Not sure how to get the contract to review. Can you let me know if during your multiple presentations if they ever discussed transferring your timeshare versus selling. The sales person just kept saying to make sure to transfer and not try to sell it. They said selling is what gets you into the problem.

 

[Eric B]

Call the number on the Vidanta website and ask to speak with member services, then explain to them that you weren’t provided a copy of the contract with the rescission instructions and want to rescind the contract. If they stall, your next call should be to Profeco. Perhaps some other Vidanta owners can chime in with their contract’s rescission instructions-we are currently at a different TS in Mexico and don’t have the proper info to share.

 

[CatnEd]

Thank you for all your responses. I appreciate the information.

 

[HudsHut]

@CatnEd
Welcome to TUG

The few times you decide you want to stay at Vidanta, just rent from an Owner. That allows you to pay when you use, without any up front fee!

... make sure to" transfer and not try to sell it. "

This is just words to confuse you. Forget that line. It is not important. The bottom line is you will keep the timeshares you currently own.

Rescind immediately. I believe you have 5 business days.

 

[rpennisi]

My hubby and I attended an update while staying at the Mexico Vidanta- Riviera Maya location. They never shared what the rescind period is and I am concerned the presentation was a too good to be true deal. They wanted to sell us the Emperor valued at $2,300,000( though saw some were valued even higher price). Said they would take our existing timeshare resorts (Marriott/Hyatt) and we would no longer have maintenance fees because of course we no longer own but they stress they do not have that as they call them usage fees, so you pay as you use. We were told we would get 6 weeks a year to stay at Vidanta or to use via Third Home however if we give them 4 weeks back they will supposedly pay us over $200,000 per year which would go straight to them for the total cost. When I explained I do not travel much to Mexico but more throughout the US they started talking again about the Third Home Program saying I am going to love it and I travel all over using this. Since that time I learned more about Third Home, though you cannot see much other than basic rules and places to stay unless a Third Home member. Basic rules one must have property valued at $500,000 (which this is) you need to provide two weeks of vacation (which is all we would have left after giving them the four weeks), the company does not have a large inventory, you must be flexible as some may not want to rent out their homes listed when you may wish to travel, and in some places I wish to travel there is nothing. Has anyone else ever purchased this through Vidanta? Another question anyone that has purchased Vidanta are you happy with it and do you use it often? The adage if it sounds too good to be true it probably keeps playing in my head. Hubby signed all on Wednesday, today is Sunday do we still have rescind period? Any info is appreciated.

LISTEN to Eric B, he knows what he is talking about. Rescind on Monday! Sunday doesn't count as part of the 5 days.

You must have something given to you if you are in contract. Even if it's just a contract number. Send a registered letter (time stamped receipt returned to you) stating what you bought, how much you paid, and in no uncertain terms that you want to rescind that contract number. If both of you signed, make sure you both sign the rescind letter. TIME is the essence here. You were sold a bunch of lies and mistruths. Notify your bank and or credit card company, if used, that you are rescinding in the 5 day window to do so.

Great resorts, terrible sales tactics. The one that particularly galls me is the give us back four weeks and we'll take 200,000 off the purchase price. I have seen people at the resort being given the same ridiculous mistruth. They were elderly and fell for it.

 

[CatnEd]

I want to listen to Eric B however my husband posted this in the thread. Please see below:
We just gave up ownership in US based timeshares and will be receiving a call from TRM (Timeshare Resale Management). These are the US attorneys that finalize a deal between Mexico (Vidanta) and a US citizen, because ARDA does not allow Mexico companies to make such deals. I upgraded once before and when the attorney called I actually kept the timeshare. It cost me a small amount to do this. This time I no longer wish to keep the timeshares (so I rid myself of maintenance fees) and Vidanta specifically told me to say we only want to "transfer" the timeshares to Vidanta and do not wish to "sell" them. \

Please let me know if anyone has been successful in "transfer" and not trying to sell. It sounds like most folks that speak on this topic are telling TRM that they wish to "sell" and make some money. They will try to do this for US citizens, but it could literally take years. I just want out and want to speak to anyone who has come back home from Mexico, received a call from the US based attorney and told them you want to transfer ownership to Vidanta, If so, did it curtail the relationship with your US timeshares and end your maintenance fees? Any info is appreciated

 

[DeniseM]

@CatnEd - I have merged all of your posts into one thread, because they are all essentially on the same topic. If you have anymore questions & comments, please post them in this one thread, rather than starting new ones.

 

[CatnEd]

Can we delete any as it appears above as some of our questions were posted numerous times.

 

[easyrider]

Any other thoughts as to the rescind as my hubby is sold on the idea of having no more maintenance fees letting go of the Hyatt and Marriott but I feel again we will not use. Thank you

It's very easy to get rid of your Hyatt and Marriott. Just give them away. That being said, some people can afford $2,300,000 on a vacation estate with no problems. People buy these everyday. I'm sure you would enjoy it very much especially when you take your friends or family and they have a blast. Don't worry about your Hyatt and Marriott because Vidanta is a class act on their luxury products.

Bill

 

[travel maniac]

If you're within the window RESCIND NOW! You'll have a chance to buy this again (you shouldn't) but you'll not have a chance to rescind once the window has passed. The previous posters have given you excellent advice.

 

[WorldT]

Hmm.. another strange one.
Did you just spend $2.3 Million on a product you don't fully understand? The decision was based on the words coming out of a sales person's mouth? No contract to review. Really?
Even if you added a little too many zeros, you should understand that the words coming out of a sales person's mouth is lies. Vidanta sales is no different..I know because I have been there.

 

[HudsHut]

You need to rescind. Do not sign anything but the letter of rescission.

You cannot believe that your ownership will be terminated. They do not want your timeshares. Do you think for one second that Vidanta wants to pay maintenance fees to other timeshares -- their competitors? !

They want your cash. That is all.

You cannot believe anything they said!!

<<ARDA does not allow Mexico companies to make such deals.>>

ARDA has nothing to do with US/Mexico laws / contracts!!!! This is gobbledygook to confuse you.

 

[zendog500]

I want to listen to Eric B however my husband posted this in the thread. Please see below:
We just gave up ownership in US based timeshares and will be receiving a call from TRM (Timeshare Resale Management). These are the US attorneys that finalize a deal between Mexico (Vidanta) and a US citizen, because ARDA does not allow Mexico companies to make such deals. I upgraded once before and when the attorney called I actually kept the timeshare. It cost me a small amount to do this. This time I no longer wish to keep the timeshares (so I rid myself of maintenance fees) and Vidanta specifically told me to say we only want to "transfer" the timeshares to Vidanta and do not wish to "sell" them. \

Please let me know if anyone has been successful in "transfer" and not trying to sell. It sounds like most folks that speak on this topic are telling TRM that they wish to "sell" and make some money. They will try to do this for US citizens, but it could literally take years. I just want out and want to speak to anyone who has come back home from Mexico, received a call from the US based attorney and told them you want to transfer ownership to Vidanta, If so, did it curtail the relationship with your US timeshares and end your maintenance fees? Any info is appreciated

CatnEd: We had the same sales pitch in 2019. We got suckered: here is my post in TUGS from 2019 which covers much of your questions.
------
Post in thread 'Has anyone traded in a unit to Vidanta through TRM?' https://tugbbs.com/forums/threads/h...it-to-vidanta-through-trm.285691/post-2307384