Worst timeshare resort you've stayed in?

[rickandcindy23]

If so many of us have had bad experiences at Vistana,

then why are they always Five-Star and Gold Crown? I am not disagreeing at all because our last stay was in a unit that looked exactly the same as the unit looked five years before, except the furniture no longer looked nice and the cabinets were beat up.

Some of you are not filling out your resort report cards.

We really need to take the time to log on to our accounts and fill out the reports online. The entire process of exchanging is at risk when we don't take the time to fill out those reports. We need to know that the units we stay in deserve the rating that they have been given. It's something we count on. How many of you take the time to tell RCI and II that these resorts do not deserve their high ratings? It benefits all of us to report bad experiences. Vistana would pay attention and start updating more often if they slipped out of the GC and 5* status. How would they sell weeks without the glamour of those awards?

 

[boyblue]

It amazes me to see this thread on top of the board everyday. As much as I post this is the first time I've posted on a thread that I haven't read in it's entirety.

I see Vistana got a lot of votes. Will a bad TS list result from this?

 

[Lharri]

The Worst one we did not stay at!

Ocean Villa Club North Carolina Outer Banks. This was an exchange. We drove up from Florida where we had been staying at another timeshare for a week. When we got there we had trouble finding it. I tried reaching them with my cell as it was close to check in time but I kept getting a fax response on the line listed for late arrivals or issues.

After many tries, I finally got through and they gave me directions. When we arrived, they (the office staff) were packing up to leave even though it was barely check in time. It appears they have a system where check in does not require staff but my exchange did not mention that. I would not have known what to do if they had already left. They did not have my reservation at all. When they finally verified with the exchange company they said that my reservation was still in the owners name but it was not the Ocean Villas resort but the Ocean Villas II.

Now the Ocean Villas resort was made up of single bungalows on the dunes while the Ocean Villas II was a condo setting in a parking lot. We could not get a ground floor as we had been promised and my husband has a heart condition. My husband was very tired and upset and wanted to leave and so they told me maybe they could get someone to change with me for a bungalow.

Now mind you they were supposed to be gone when I arrived.

No one would change but they said they had a bungalow with leaky windows and other repairs needed that maybe we could have. It was rainy and windy. Needless to say, even though we were a long way from home in Massachusetts, we did not want to stay. We decided to take a ride first to figure out what to do.

By the time we got back to tell them we were going to find a hotel room, they were gone. I had to leave the condo packet under the door. I called for 3 days until Monday when some in the office came back to the resort. I felt obligated to make sure they had gotten the packet and knew we had decided not to stay.

Wow for a place we did not stay in we had a really lousy experience.

 

[Dani]

It amazes me to see this thread on top of the board everyday. As much as I post this is the first time I've posted on a thread that I haven't read in it's entirety.

I see Vistana got a lot of votes. Will a bad TS list result from this?

I had not thought about a bad timeshare list, but I can certainly archive this thread when it has run it's course.

 

[IAMTHEWALRUS]

I had not thought about a bad timeshare list, but I can certainly archive this thread when it has run it's course.

That would be great. I originally started this thread in the hope of getting information on possible exchanges to avoid. But since the thread has gotten so large, that'd be a lot of work to keep track of it all.

 

[IAMTHEWALRUS]

The Complete List (so Far)

After going through the entire thread, I've compiled a list of each resort that got a vote for "worst" exchange. If a resort had more than one vote, it's listed as well. The poor Sheraton Vistana got six votes.


SUITES AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF - San Francisco, CA. (2)
EASTERN SLOPE INN - North Conway, NH
CARRIAGE HOUSE - Las Vegas, NV
ORANGE LAKE - Kissimmee, FL (2)
TAHOE SANDS, Lake Tahoe, NV
WORLDMARK KONA - Kona, HI
CASA BLANCA - Panama City, FL
SAN CLEMENTE INN - San Clemente, CA
DIVI HERITAGE - Barbados (2)
BREEZY POINT - Breezy Point, MN
ADVENTURE INN - Hilton Head, SC (2)
WOLF RUN - Dubois, PA
LA RENAISSANCE - Atlantic City, NJ (2)
LA CABANA - Aruba
CAPREDIEM ASSISI - Assisi, Italy
STALLION SPRINGS RESORT - Tehachapi, CA
FRENCH LICK SPRINGS VILLAS - French Lick, IN
SEA PALACE - St. Martin
SHERATON VISTANA - Orlando, FL (6)
HIAWATHA MANOR WEST AT LAKE TANSI - Crossville, TN
SEA MIST RESORT - Mashpee, MS
MANLY NATIONAL APRTMENTS - Manly, Australia
SEA SIDE BEACH CLUB - Pompano Beach, FL
VACATION VILLAS - Titusville, FL
HOLLYWOOD BEACH TOWER - Holylwood, FL (2)
CLUB OCEAN VILLAS II - Ocean City, MD
SMUGGLER'S NOTCH RESORT - Smuggler's Notch, VT (2)
WORLDMARK BASS LAKE - Bass Lake, CA
ROARK VACATION RESORT - Branson, MO
DEER RUN VILLAGE - Stamford, NY
MARRIOTT'S MAUI OCEAN CLUB - Lahaina, HI
FOUR SALES - Virginia Beach, VA
VIDAFEL MAYAN PALACE - Mazatlan, Mexico
CHATEAU LEGRANDE - Biloxi, MS (2)
IMPERIAL HAWAII VACTION CLUB - Honolulu, HI
RAMADA VACTION CLUB - Las Vegas, NV
PARK PLAZA - Park City, UT
THE LINKS - Myrtle Beach, SC
CATHERDRAL LEDGE RESORT - Intervale, NH
PLAYA EL AGUA BEACH HOTEL - Playa El Agua, Venezuela
BORDERLINKS - Ocean Pines, MD
NOTTINGHAM VILLAGE AT FRIAR TUCK - Catskills, NY
OUTER BANK BEACH CLUB I - Kill Devill Hills, NC
JACKSON PINES - Jackson Hole, WY
CHAMPION'S RUN - Riudoso, NM
KOHL'S RANCH - Payson, AZ
MAKAI CLUB - Princeville, HI

 

[nell]

The list we have so far!

As I am new to timesharing I find this list helpful. I have included all places mentioned whether there was disagreement or not! At least people will have a heads up to delve a little further to see if they would have a problem or not (i.e. unit size, amenities, etc.)

Adventure Inn Hilton Head
Alpen Rose
Bass Lake
Borderlink/Atlantic Resorts in Ocean Pines, OC
Breezy Points, MN
Caribbean
Carpediem Assissi
Carriage House, Las Vegas
Casa Blaca Resort, Panama City
Catherdral Ledge Resort, NH
Champion's Run, Riudoso, NM
Chateau LeGrande, Biloxi, MS
Club Ocean Villas II, OC, MD
Deer Run Village, NY
Divi Heritage, Barbados
Eastern Slope Inn, N. Conway, NH
Fairfield Alexandria
Four Sails, Virginia Beach
French Lick Springs Resort, IN
Galleon Key West
Hiawatha Manor
Highpoint, Orlando
Hollywood Beach Tower, Hollywood, FL
Imperial of Hawaii
Indian Peak, CO
Jackson Pines
Keahou Surf & Raquet
Kohl's Ranch, Payson
La Cabana, Aruba
La Concha Beach Resort, LaPaz
The Links, Myrtle Beach
Lion's Gate
Makai Club
Manley Nat'l Apts, Manly NSW Australia
Maui Marriott
Meadow in Winter Park
North Star, Freeport, Bahamas
Nottingham Village @ Friar Tuck
Ocean Villa Club, NC Outer Banks
Orange Lake
Orofino, CO
Outer Banks Beach Club I, NC
Park Plaza, Park City, Utah
The Pines, Bayse, VA
Plaza El Agua Beach Hotel, Marquarita Island
Ramada Vacation Club, Las Vegas
Roarke, Branson, MO
Sam Clemete Inn
Sapphire Beach Resorts & Marina, St. Thomas
Sea Mist Resort, Cape Cod
Sea Palace, St. Martin
Sea Side Beach Club, Pompano Beach
Shandoah Villas @ Masanutta
Sheraton Vistana
Silverado
Skier's Edge, CO
Ski Time Square, Steamboat Springs (?) couldn't read my own writing
Smugglers Notch
Spinnaker, CO
Suites @ Fisherman's Wharf
Sweetwater, Park City
Tahoe Sands, N. Lake Tahoe
Tehachapia
Twin Rivers
Vacation Villas @Titusville, FL
Vidafel, Mazatlan
Wolf Creek Village
Wolf Run, Dubois, PA
Worldmark Kona

Now that's done--I guess I'll have to get back to business!

 

[nell]

Looks like we were both working at the same time!

 

[gretel]

Riptide, Myrtle Beach

Please include Riptide, Myrtle Beach, SC. Dirty, dirty, dirty.

By the way, I wrote a letter to Sheraton Vistana after our stay left my family with bug bites all over us. I received no response.

 

[nell]

Tis added!


Adventure Inn Hilton Head
Alpen Rose
Bass Lake
Borderlink/Atlantic Resorts in Ocean Pines, OC
Breezy Points, MN
Caribbean
Carpediem Assissi
Carriage House, Las Vegas
Casa Blaca Resort, Panama City
Catherdral Ledge Resort, NH
Champion's Run, Riudoso, NM
Chateau LeGrande, Biloxi, MS
Club Ocean Villas II, OC, MD
Deer Run Village, NY
Divi Heritage, Barbados
Eastern Slope Inn, N. Conway, NH
Fairfield Alexandria
Four Sails, Virginia Beach
French Lick Springs Resort, IN
Galleon Key West
Hiawatha Manor
Highpoint, Orlando
Hollywood Beach Tower, Hollywood, FL
Imperial of Hawaii
Indian Peak, CO
Jackson Pines
Keahou Surf & Raquet
Kohl's Ranch, Payson
La Cabana, Aruba
La Concha Beach Resort, LaPaz
The Links, Myrtle Beach
Lion's Gate
Makai Club
Manley Nat'l Apts, Manly NSW Australia
Maui Marriott
Meadow in Winter Park
North Star, Freeport, Bahamas
Nottingham Village @ Friar Tuck
Ocean Villa Club, NC Outer Banks
Orange Lake
Orofino, CO
Outer Banks Beach Club I, NC
Park Plaza, Park City, Utah
The Pines, Bayse, VA
Plaza El Agua Beach Hotel, Marquarita Island
Ramada Vacation Club, Las Vegas
Riptide, Myrtle Beach, SC
Roarke, Branson, MO
Sam Clemete Inn
Sapphire Beach Resorts & Marina, St. Thomas
Sea Mist Resort, Cape Cod
Sea Palace, St. Martin
Sea Side Beach Club, Pompano Beach
Shandoah Villas @ Masanutta
Sheraton Vistana
Silverado
Skier's Edge, CO
Ski Time Square, Steamboat Springs (?) couldn't read my own writing
Smugglers Notch
Spinnaker, CO
Suites @ Fisherman's Wharf
Sweetwater, Park City
Tahoe Sands, N. Lake Tahoe
Tehachapia
Twin Rivers
Vacation Villas @Titusville, FL
Vidafel, Mazatlan
Wolf Creek Village
Wolf Run, Dubois, PA
Worldmark Kona

 

[sfwilshire]

If so many of us have had bad experiences at Vistana, then why are they always Five-Star and Gold Crown? ask rickandcindy23.

I think it's because so many others have had wonderful weeks there. We are owners so only exchange in once in a while, but this is my kid's favorite Orlando resort. Our very first exchange about a decade ago was to Vistana. We stayed in the old Falls section and liked it so much we wound up buying a Fountains unit.

I like to try other Orlando resorts, but always wind up hearing the kids complain that they'd rather be at Vistana.

Vistana is huge and with so many units, there are bound to be some bad experiences. Apparently, though, the averages still work for them to keep the ratings up. I think as TUGgers, our standards also tend to be higher because we exchange into so many wonderful resorts. I know I am quite critical, even though I always manage to enjoy my stay.

I haven't posted to this thread before now because I haven't hit a really terrible unit yet. Most have something I could compain about, but usually nothing serious.

Sheila

 

[Liz Wolf-Spada]

Hoc, I'm curious, what was the problem with the bed at Marriott? I can't remember where we stayed one time, not a timeshare, but a hotel and it could have been Marriott that was supposed to have these super great beds and it just wasn't comfortable for me at all.
Liz

 

[aorons]

Smugglers Notch - the good and bad

Yes, I risk the wrath of all by saying this, but no question Smugglers Notch

We got there one week before all of the activities kicked in (early June) and it isnt that the room was bad, but the experience was pretty lousy - I expected much more from a top notch resort

1) Two fairly obvious, significant problems with the unit when we arrived
2) Indifferent (at best) staff
3) No amenties/restaurants open at all in the resort

Maybe my expectations were too high (we went there considering buying a full ownership), but I expected more from a resort of the reputed quality of Smuggs

We often travel in shoulder season and have never seen a resort so empty of anything going on.. it was a place to stay, nothing more

I wouldnt return

As a Smuggs owner, I would not even think about traveling there out of season unless I was doing some kind of special event - and even then, why would I choose that place???

We love it there in season because of the programs - the camps, the hikes, the family entertainment. This place is not known for its fabulous amenities; it's known for its critical mass of programs that keep families interested and active.

So - my advice - never accept a trade there that isn't during ski season or between the third week of June and Labor Day. NOTE: summer is actually high season, not winter.

 

[Hoc]

Hoc, I'm curious, what was the problem with the bed at Marriott?

The mattress was super thin, no support at all (when I lay down on it, it became about an inch thick), and kept sliding off the box springs onto the floor. Also, the fitted sheets kept popping off all through the night, every time I would turn. In the morning, when I would wake up, the mattress was still a little on the box springs, but mostly on the floor, with no sheets on it. And my back hurt so bad that by the third day, I could barely move through most of the rest of the week.

I don't think that anyone ever said that the beds at that resort are supposed to be great. In fact, it was pretty well agreed that Marriott at one time had the worst beds in the business. They have since upgraded the beds in many of their resorts.

 

[Jimster]

The list

I think we need to be careful about the list of "bad" timeshares. There are some very good resorts on the list. So much of what goes into an experience at a TS is dependent upon a multitude of things- many of which are unique to a particular place or time. For example, some of the complaints relate to their perception of the treatment by staff. Obviously, staff changes often very quickly and what might be interpreted by some as a rude comment would be seen by others as an efficient or concise statement.
I used to work at a hotel and while it was a very good hotel, sometimes events occur that are unintended-i.e. a maid leaves early and what should have been a clean room is actually left dirty for a new guest. These things happen. I've also seen guests upset because they didn't like the quality of chocolates received on their nightly turn down.
I think what is more to the point is are there TS's that consistently show a pattern of bad experiences. Finally, when you are dealing with very large TS's I think its wrong to classify a resort as bad when it may be a particular unit or building. Yes, Vistana has 6 complaints. HMMMM that would be 6 complaints out of how many guests they have had over the past 5 years. I'd be more upset if there were 6 complaints from a small timeshare. That is not to say everything is in order at Vistana but consider the number of units and guests that have stayed there. I've stayed at Vistana and Orange Lake and found them both to be exceptional. I've stayed at Wolf Run too-is it a Marriott? No, its not. I think you have to realize there will be differences in quality. You can't use the same yardstick to measure different resorts. I also suspect you can buy a Wolf Run for a dollar or two less than a Marriott. My advise is if you want Marriott or Hyatt quality at every resort you stay at, then you should only stay at Marriott's and Hyatt's. I've also stayed at Silver Lake (which is not on the list) and they had to bring up maintenance to kill the fleas or bedbugs that had bitten me. Does this make Silver Lake a bad resort? No! It means they had a problem in my unit on a given date. That can happen anywhere is the point. Don't get me wrong, I find all the anecdotical event very interesting and I've read them all, but I think we are performing an injustice by making a list and entitling them "worst exchanges".

 

[JohnnyO]

Tahoe Beach & Ski

The Tahoe Beach & Ski did not do much for our family..we had two units next to each other....entire unit and rooms small and cramped, kitchen was a joke, old and worn, very noisy as we had two units by the parking lot and luggage ramp in the building by the lake, too many units with a parking lot view, pool was broken down during summer , activities were minimal and overpriced, many things were broken, no A/C so had to keep windows open with fans running, the place smelled and it was dirty.

We have been lucky so far from what I have read. TUG has been a vacation saver. I will take the Maui Marriott any day and I will be happy to sleep on the floor if the bed is that bad.

 

[Carolinian]

Ocean Villa Club North Carolina Outer Banks. This was an exchange. We drove up from Florida where we had been staying at another timeshare for a week. When we got there we had trouble finding it. I tried reaching them with my cell as it was close to check in time but I kept getting a fax response on the line listed for late arrivals or issues.

After many tries, I finally got through and they gave me directions. When we arrived, they (the office staff) were packing up to leave even though it was barely check in time. It appears they have a system where check in does not require staff but my exchange did not mention that. I would not have known what to do if they had already left. They did not have my reservation at all. When they finally verified with the exchange company they said that my reservation was still in the owners name but it was not the Ocean Villas resort but the Ocean Villas II.

Now the Ocean Villas resort was made up of single bungalows on the dunes while the Ocean Villas II was a condo setting in a parking lot. We could not get a ground floor as we had been promised and my husband has a heart condition. My husband was very tired and upset and wanted to leave and so they told me maybe they could get someone to change with me for a bungalow.

Now mind you they were supposed to be gone when I arrived.

No one would change but they said they had a bungalow with leaky windows and other repairs needed that maybe we could have. It was rainy and windy. Needless to say, even though we were a long way from home in Massachusetts, we did not want to stay. We decided to take a ride first to figure out what to do.

By the time we got back to tell them we were going to find a hotel room, they were gone. I had to leave the condo packet under the door. I called for 3 days until Monday when some in the office came back to the resort. I felt obligated to make sure they had gotten the packet and knew we had decided not to stay.

Wow for a place we did not stay in we had a really lousy experience.

Most smaller resorts have limited hours of desk operation. It is common on the OBX, and also in Europe. I agree that it can be somewhat aggravating.
Most leave the packets out, but if there is some glitch you can have a problem.

It sounds like you were in the back building at Ocean Villas II which lacks an elevator. The front building does have an elevator. It also sounds like RCI did not give you the correct information on the exchange.

 

[Lharri]

Most smaller resorts have limited hours of desk operation. It is common on the OBX, and also in Europe. I agree that it can be somewhat aggravating.
Most leave the packets out, but if there is some glitch you can have a problem.

It sounds like you were in the back building at Ocean Villas II which lacks an elevator. The front building does have an elevator. It also sounds like RCI did not give you the correct information on the exchange.

Thank you for responding on this. I agree, some small resorts do have limited desk hours. I got a lot of misinformation, added to the disappointment in unit made it all the worse.

 

[wackymother]

I'm enjoying this thread, but have to agree that making a list might be a bit much

I read reviews here and on TripAdvisor, but if I read all of them I wouldn't travel anywhere! We just took a vacation and stayed at the Sheraton Society Hill in Philly, for example. Pretty poor reviews on TripAdvisor, and when we checked in not one but TWO guests were complaining loudly at the front desk--not a great sign (turned out one was complaining about the dry cleaners there). But we had a great room and really enjoyed our stay.

To me, the reviews are more useful, and even then I look for the overall rating before the individual reviews. The individual reviews with low ratings here at TUG tell me what to watch out for, but the numerical ratings are more indicative of the quality of the resort.

To me, the stories here are just interesting stories with cautionary elements. I'm not scared to go to the Sheraton Vistana!

 

[IAMTHEWALRUS]

I think we need to be careful about the list of "bad" timeshares. There are some very good resorts on the list. So much of what goes into an experience at a TS is dependent upon a multitude of things- many of which are unique to a particular place or time. For example, some of the complaints relate to their perception of the treatment by staff. Obviously, staff changes often very quickly and what might be interpreted by some as a rude comment would be seen by others as an efficient or concise statement.

Don't get me wrong, I find all the anecdotical event very interesting and I've read them all, but I think we are performing an injustice by making a list and entitling them "worst exchanges".

I couldn't agree with you more. Bad events sometimes happen to good resorts. By no means does one person's bad experience mean that everyone will have a bad experience. This is evidenced by the fact that some of the listed resorts have already been defended by people who had great stays there.

In my case, The Suites At Fisherman's Wharf was a decent resort by most standards. It just happened to be the "worst" when compared to the other timeshare resorts I've stayed in. I've been very lucky. I've never had any bad experiences anywhere.

The bottom line is that if you want a more accurate idea as to the good and bad qualities of a given resort, look through all the TUG reviews, as well as the TRIPADVISOR reviews. That should paint a better picture as to what you're going to get.

 

[akbmusic]

Maybe add to resort reviews?

As there is a list of the top resorts on the TUG boards, maybe it would be nice to have a list of the worst resorts. Although I agree that some care would need to be taken, when the same resort keeps coming up over and over (like Vistana) there is probably something to it. Might be nice to start something for the resort reivews section!

 

[nell]

I can understand the point of view that having it as a "list of worst timeshares" would be an injustice to some resorts. As we all know probably every property has had at least one complaint at one time or another. My purpose in making the list was merely to make it easier to see which properties had been mentioned. I stated at the top of the list that some properties had already been defended and the list should simply be used as a tool to determine if the complaints made would be something that would influence someone's stay there. Personally, just because a unit doesn't have the newest furniture would not keep me from going there. I would also check as many other review resources as possible. Apologies if my intent was not clear.

 

[Diane]

Nell, your list is very helpful. I, for one, want to thank you. I think we all understand that expectations and reactions vary from individual to individual. The best thing about TUG is the sharing of experiences and opinions.

If anyone really feels the list is a mistake, maybe they could expand it a little. For example, add in 10 words or less the reason why it was, in the poster's opinion the worst. Or, even add the number of the posters total exchanges, to give some indication of the experience base.

For the one I posted, Jackson Pines, I would say:

Jackson Pines, Jackson Hole, WY (30+ exchanges) extreme street noise, tiny bathroom, few windows.

I would find this invaluable personally. There is just so much research that can be done in a reasonable period of time.

Diane

 

[PStreet1]

Problem with accessing this thread: When I click on the thread, I have another thread part way through on some ownership issues; then it returns to this thread. It's only two pages total, and I don't see most of the responses that resulted in Walruses' list. What is the problem?

 

[timeos2]

Idea good but list is questionable

I can understand the point of view that having it as a "list of worst timeshares" would be an injustice to some resorts. As we all know probably every property has had at least one complaint at one time or another. My purpose in making the list was merely to make it easier to see which properties had been mentioned. I stated at the top of the list that some properties had already been defended and the list should simply be used as a tool to determine if the complaints made would be something that would influence someone's stay there. Personally, just because a unit doesn't have the newest furniture would not keep me from going there. I would also check as many other review resources as possible. Apologies if my intent was not clear.

Overall a list of 'bad" resorts is a good idea. But tarring a resort "bad" on one persons experience is very dangerous ground. And it has been mentioned already that a resort that was bad a few years ago might be good now or the reverse. Thats why the TUG Reviews, especially for resorts that have many and recent reviews, are the ultimate source. I see that FF Alexandria made the so called "bad" list. While I understand the poster didn't like smoke (we don't either) we've never had a problem there in three stays and have found that resort to be worthy of it's Gold Crown ranking. I doubt one out of a thousand guests would rank it as the "worst" resort they have stayed at.

As always trying to oversimplify and over generalize almost anything leaves the reader with a false impression. This list, while it certainly has some very worthy candidates for worst timeshare, isn't as valuable as it may appear at first glance. Unless guests do a little background worj they are liable to miss a good resort or be stuck n a bad one if this is all they go by.