ComplaintsforGreat Destinations Inc

• Initial Complaint

  07/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We are incredibly unhappy with the timeshare the sales representatives of Great Destinations sold us. We can never use it, even during less-than-desirable times, and neither of us can drop seven days on vacation. The stress from paying for something we cannot use is overwhelming, and we want to walk away. We tried going through Great Destinations ourselves but dealing with **** from the ********************* has been tedious. We got him on the phone, and he was rude and dismissive. We sent him an email to discuss some of the points he made (because we couldnt get a word in edgewise), and he sent us an extended passive-aggressive copied-and-pasted version of our email with highlighted answers and bullet points of how offended he was that we perceived him as rude. That entire exchange only proved our point! He should not have created such a hostile environment if he wanted to have an open dialogue. We decided to reach out to ******************************* the management company over our timeshare, but that did us no good. VRI offered us an exit settlement offer of two years of maintenance fees plus $120.00 for processing. I was fired from my job and cant afford this. If Im giving back the membership and all thats associated with it for VRI to resell and PROFIT off of, why am I paying years of maintenance fees in advance? VRI is going to make out like bandits while we have to scrape money we dont have to ensure theyre satisfied. We asked for a reduced fee or a payment plan, but they refused to compromise! The entire reason we want out is that we cant afford it. Why isnt that being taken into consideration? Ive seen other people making complaints who got their memberships taken back with no fees or lower fees than ours, so why cant this be done for us? We refuse to fall victim to another scam by this company by giving them more money we dont have for something we cant use.

  Business response

  07/19/2023

  ************, i am sorry you feel as you do. I have reviewed the correspondence between you and **** and i don't agree with your characterization of him being rude. I also take issue that we have released others without cost or fees. there are contractual obligations that we must abide by. Our responsible Exit Program is clear. My suggestion is to work with VRI on a release based on their requirements and we will work with them to assist.

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  Got a notice that my lien was taken care of and they also filed out paperwork to show that. I have copies. Noticed money taken out, called the financial institution and I still have a balance. Got another email from the company and said it was there error and i they are not going to file any paperwork to change this. I've never used this timeshare and have made payments for almost 10 yrs..I feel they should honor their mistake and write off the difference.

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My name is ********************* and I have been a member of Great Destinations since 2017. I have been trying to sever ties with Great Destinations since 2018. That is four years too long! I do not understand why Great Destinations seems to hold me hostage as a member. I have NEVER used this timeshare and I never will. This is absolutely bizarre. Great destinations have affected my credit severely. I went from excellent to fair in the matter of months. I cant even purchase a home! When I addressed this and my hardships with Great Destinations, they completely ignored my request for release and were no help once so ever. They do not care for their owners, only if you are bringing them money. The only offer I have ever received was to pay them $3000 to settle. Is this the treatment a longstanding member deserves? It is disheartening, and their lack of cooperation deepens my desire to sever ties. Even if I had the funds, why would I want to maintain a membership with a company who has poor customer service?I am only looking to be released from this burden mutually. I do not have anything to give, which is why they havent received a dime. Please review my case and help me with the resolution I am seeking. I know it is well within the power of Great Destinations to ***** my desire for termination and I will continue to pursue the termination of my membership through whatever channels necessary. Thank you.

  Business response

  06/07/2023

  One of our customer service managers will contact you to attempt to come to a fair resolution. 

  Customer response

  06/08/2023

  Please respond through the BBB regarding my complaint against you. Thank you. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to file a complaint against VRI / Great Destinations for their lack of assistance and dishonest practices regarding my timeshare account. I have never been able to use my timeshare to book a vacation and I was greatly misled by the companys salespeople to sign up. I received a bill for assessment fees that had dramatically increased, and I am unable to afford these fees any longer. Despite my attempts to cancel the account, I have not received any help. Every time I send a letter disputing the fees or asking for assistance, they only call me to dispute the letter instead of providing any actual help. I request that VRI or Great Destinations cancel my account given their dishonest practices and lack of assistance. I appreciate any help the Better Business Bureau can provide in this matter.

  Business response

  06/02/2023

  We have had a number of conversations with ************** both telephonically and in person. He attended 2-3 personal tutorials to assist in utilizing his ownership. He talks about spending another $8000 to rent out his time which is not part of our program so he must have been contacted by another company.  WE have tried to assist ************** and will continue to assist anyway we can. He has been an owner for 5 years and would like to see him enjoy his ownership.

• Initial Complaint

  03/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My wife and I were roped into this timeshare program and we saw that we were stuck after trying to get out of it but to no avail. We were told our credit would not be ran and it was, we have not been able to use the timeshare package at all.. but we continued to pay on it so it would not be reported negatively on our credit we have been told that there is basically nothing we can do how can they do this to people and continue to be in business?? Is there anything that the BBB can do to step in on behalf of the many people being duped by this company?? Please advise

  Business response

  03/06/2023

  ************** i am sorry you feel dupped, we take our sales business seriously. As I read your file it is clear we spent time reviewing the product and loan obligation. during the sales process the documents you signed indicate your authority to check credit and report as such. That all said i will have our owner care specialist contact you to see how we can best help you.

   

  Thank you

• Initial Complaint

  11/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  For nearly two years we have been reaching out to this company regarding the timeshare we were forced to purchase after being held for several hours until we acquiesced and purchased the timeshare in order to leave. The company has never responded to our complaints. The only response we have ever received are the bills that are sent regularly. We believe that the sales representatives counted on our desire to avoid being rude in order to wear us down over time and get us to agree to purchase the timeshare that we repeatedly told them we did not want.

  Business response

  11/18/2022

  I am researching your file but at this point it seems that you are over 400 days delinquent in your loan payments and have been turned over to a collection agency. You purchased October 2015 and have paid on your account for almost 6 years. Not sure what i can do at this point.

   

• Initial Complaint

  06/17/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  "I am disgusted by this companies constant lies. From the moment my wife and I walked into their establishment they preyed upon us. This has led to the destruction of our financial well-being. In 2017 we attended a seminar with promises of incentives and discounts to our stay for the exchange of 1 hour of our time. That is where the lies began. The seminar we were invited to was instead an elaborate sales pitch to a horrid lifelong agreement. During their pitches the used forceful, intimidating tactics and exhausted my wife and ******** rationale. We felt forced into agreeing to their contracts and they wouldnt take no for an answer. Even after we declined, they would continue to make deal after deal and offer after offer of promises they could not keep. This company continued to lie throughout every part of this transaction. They NEVER mentioned maintenance fees that would be tacked onto my account even though my wife and I have NEVER vacationed at their establishment or used any of the services past the date of signing. They fabricated a beautiful fantasy of affordable vacations, luxurious cruises and an investment that would pay for itself while they were trapping us into a mortgage agreement that ultimately causes a consistent financial hardship, AND WE WANT OUT! They offered us a settlement of $6,400, which was a slap to the face, and then lowered it to $3,400. $3,400 is still too high. I have recently had a change in employment, which resulted in me working less hours, so I can no longer afford to throw money into a bottomless pit any longer.The entire ordeal was very predatory and everything we had been told was a complete lie! I have attempted to resolve this matter with them SEVERAL times and each time it seems like we get farther and farther from a total cancellation. This matter must be resolved amicably and clearly Great Destinations has the ability to do so. The settlement must be lowered or they will continue receiving no funds f

  Business response

  06/17/2022

  ************ we will look into your situation and have one of our agents contact you. Reviewing your file, you purchased in 2017 and made ***************************************************************************************************** Oct 2018. 

• Initial Complaint

  04/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I was charged $297. On my credit card by a salesman that I told not to file the charge. That I would contact him when it was OK to charge me. I'm layed off and I told so which you need to be employed in order to get this special package per the company's own website!! By putting through that charge I didn't approve I paid $120 in over draft charges this month!! He had no right to process that payment! I've been recovering from surgery so I just found out all this last week. I was charged April 1st. I've tried to get someone to help me get a refund but so far no help from company. I know he got a commission off this so the company will know ************* should pay my over draft charges! I deserve a refund. 1 because I never approved the charge 2. I told him I'd contact him when I could afford it (when back to work) 3. Because own company says I'm not eligible for this package right on own website! This type of backdoor sales tactics is why I NOW WOULD NEVER VACATION WITH THEM & WOULD TELL EVERYONE I KNOW TO STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS COMPANY AND ANY RESORT ASSOCIATED WITH THEM INCLUDING TRAVEL AGENCY.

  Business response

  04/25/2022

  ****************, i am sorry for your experience however you must have the wrong company. If you purchased a vacation package over the phone, then it was from another company based in ******* with a similar name as ours. We are based in SoCal and do not sell vacation packages. If you can share more info that would be helpful.

• Initial Complaint

  03/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  When we first purchased our timeshare, we were told that we could go anywhere any time. This has not been true for us. We have never successfully made a reservation. It has been impossible. Now with Covid-19 going on, we dont see ourselves traveling anywhere any time soon. There are too many restrictions. Most places, you can't even go to unless you have the vaccine. This makes our desire to make the timeshare work lessen even more. This was also supposed to be an affordable way to vacation. We were told our maintenance fees would never increase, but that was far from the truth. There have been multiple times where the process date was the same day as the due date and they try to charge us a late fee. Once we got mail sent to us saying a payment was due after the fact. So they charged us extra. It is not right the way we have been treated by this company. We are done being taken advantage of. It is obvious to us now that owning the timeshare was not a good investment. We reached out to VRI about our issues to try and reach a resolution to end our ownership. They then told us we had to have some sort of hardship and would have to submit a lot of financially sensitive information to their ***** of ********** Thats absurd. They should review our case not based on hardship, but because of the inaccuracies and deception about what we purchased.

  Business response

  03/23/2022

  ************** i researched your file and found numerous times our owner care staff reached out to you to set an owner education webinar and to remind you to deposit your points so you can use them. I have not found that you did either. It's difficult to say you can never do anything when you haven't even tried. At this point your loan is in default status so there really isn't anything we can do. My suggestion is to work with VRI on their hardship offer, there is nothing Great Destinations can do at this point. 

• Initial Complaint

  01/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Paid Great Destinations 298 dollars and another 300 dollars on my credit card for three trips and when i called to book one of the trips the phone number that i had on file was not a working number so i dont know who to contact to book the trips , i was told i had one year to book the trips from 7/2/2021 .

  Business response

  01/23/2022

  ******************** i am sorry for your experience however you did not purchase those trips through us. There is another company based in ******* with a similar name that you must have dealt with.

   

  Thank you

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩