ComplaintsforConcierge Realty, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  02/22/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We stayed the Marriott Ocean Pointe Facility (West Palm Beach, FL) from February 6, 2022 until February 13, 2022, paid $4,451 ($635 per night, including fees.). Before booking, they sent gorgeous water views and we wanted to ensure we would get that. Instead, our room overlooked the huge parking lot, concrete with a tiny, distant, sliver water between palm tree leaves. Sabine ****** of Concierge Realty misrepresented the views, ignored my phone calls entirely (didn't even email me back!). After we checked out, my husband filed a complaint via AirBnB requesting the difference in non view rooms I found online ($86 per night, and with AirBnB fees, that would total $772) They offered less than $20 per night, entirely unreasonable. Sabine and her staff have many complaints (on BBB) and Concierge Realty does not deserve BBB endorsement. I see from other complaints that Sabine and her staff have a negative track record. (Also, description said 'complementary parking' but there were NO legal spots three evenings. Spent more than 10 minutes searching, finally parked illegally and they interrupted our vacation next day to have us move our car. Another mis-representation!) I've never filed a complaint against a business, but the BBB's mission and purpose, including ensuring that businesses with the BBB affiliation have "commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaint", I have no doubt I'm taking the correct action. Concierge Realty - and specifically Sabine ****** provided *no* good faith effort to resolve our complaint from the day we arrived. They do not deserve the BBB stamp of approval. I offer Concierge Realty the opportunity to refund us $722 to begin to rebuild their trust in customers.

  

  Business response

  03/22/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/02/23) */ Concierge Realty offers timeshare rentals and takes pride in the overall high regard from both guests and owners with whom we work. This offers guests the opportunity to save thousands of dollars over the resort rate. It is our obligation to confirm accommodations at the agreed upon resort for the correct dates in the correct villa size and designated view category. While we have fulfilled our obligation to provide the agreed upon accommodations and the confirmation noting this is available upon request to any interested parties. Marriott Vacation Club is responsible for assigning the view category to each villa within the resort in their sole discretion and this was disclosed to the guest prior to confirming. When the guests let us know that they were displeased with their view, we immediately called the resort and verified that the villa assigned to them was officially designated as "Oceanfront". Management at the resort sent photos from their patio and it directly faces the ocean. The water can be seen when walking outside. (Photos are available upon request for any interested parties.) The guests are correct that the view from the side of the building faces the parking lot. This is because buildings are shaped like rectangles and all villas have at least one window or patio facing the side. The guests claim that there was misrepresentation. The views shown in the photos are the same as the views shown from Marriott's own website, so it is consistent with Marriott's representation of the resort and views. The guests read the section of the listing which directly addresses concerns such as these prior to reserving: "The resort confirmation will show the view designation and the villa will be placed within that view category. Issues regarding view within the guaranteed view category are to be addressed with the resort management as Concierge Realty is not responsible for villa placement or view once the reservation has been confirmed." Whether the guests reserved through Marriott.com, Concierge Realty, another website or agency, the result would have been the same: They would have received a confirmation showing that the view category was "Oceanfront", then Marriott was at liberty to place you in any available villa within that category. The parking issue is a concern to be addressed with Marriott. While we understand that there should be enough valid parking places for all guests, Concierge Realty cannot be expected to control the parking lot of a resort. Please know that Concierge Realty did contact the guests numerous times during their stay. Every phone call received a response via email in order to document conversations. Each email received a response as well for a total of four emails directly to them; over 50 emails regarding these concerns internally and with Marriott management. The guests' discontent with parking is clearly a Marriott issue. Concierge Realty tried to take corrective action with Marriott regarding their view, but because there was not an error made and they were staying in the villa which met the criteria of "Oceanfront" according to Marriott, there was not a necessity for them to address their concern. Had there been another Oceanfront villa available, they would have offered this to the guests. AirBNB gave a partial refund to the guests which we did not challenge (but could have disputed and would have prevailed) because we incorrectly assumed that a gesture of this type would be welcomed by them. Note to the guests: Being held personally responsible for advertising, Marriott's parking lot, Marriott Vacation Club's assigned view designation and having my name slandered is not appreciated. The fact that you have noted my full name means that I have contacted you enough times for you to have taken note of it, so please do not accuse us of being unattentive. We regret that their view of the ocean was not agreeable to them and hope that they were able to enjoy the villa, pools, direct beach access and amenities despite their concerns.

• Initial Complaint

  10/17/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased a vacation rental on 4-6-2020 to Aruba for $2,695 for travel October 2020. Due to restrictions from pandemic, we cancelled the vacation and it was suggested we rebook a stay through Interval International. It costed $80 for the certificate. I was told there should be no trouble using this certificate for the specific dates of Oct 2nd-9th of 2021 to the same destination. Contract states they would start searching for rooms 120 days before which is June 2nd and our contract will end December 24th 2021. When the time came, they told me they couldn't start searching until July 4th and that my contract would end October 10, 2021. After dozens of emails back and forth, they only offered me a few properties at other destinations, different dates, and nothing even comparable to what I purchased. Sabine Filoni was who I dealt with, but she never answered my phone calls and said we had to correspond through email. She claims I was offered hundreds of options which is not true.

  

  Business response

  11/11/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/21) */ Contact Name and Title: Sabine ******* VP Contact Phone: 610-220-7225 Contact Email: [email protected] Our guest reserved a vacation at Marriott Aruba Surf Club and requested to cancel her stay. The resort was open, ready to honor her contract and we were not in breach of contract in any way. While the reservation was fully non-refundable and she did not purchase travel insurance, we were able to work with Marriott Vacation Club and the timeshare owner and were able to offer a credit in the form of a vacation from Interval International's exchange bank. Our guest executed an amendment showing that she fully understood and was in agreement with the vacation option offered to her. It is unfortunate that she doesn't feel that enough attention has been paid to her requests. We have hundreds of emails related directly to the rebooking of her vacation between the guest, timeshare owners, administrative assistant, bookkeeper and others in an effort to provide vacation choices that would work for her Our assertion that we've offered her hundreds of vacations is accurate. We sent 255+ options in one email alone. In one instance, we offered a two bedroom villa at Marriott Aruba Surf Club, the same resort she initially reserved. She let us know that the only time she was able to travel was a specific week. We let her know that if she would expand the range of dates that she could travel or the destinations that she would consider, she would have more choices. She maintained that only the specific date and resort requested would be acceptable, even though she knew initially that neither the date nor resort was guaranteed. We did not promise the same vacation. We offered the guest the same vacation credit that Marriott Vacation Club deemed equitable when their members chose not to travel. Her dissatisfaction with availability does not mean that we are being unfair. With regard to corresponding rather than talking, it makes our communication clear. You've mentioned that you were "led to believe" something specific about your vacation. If we talk on the phone, it is open for misinterpretation and I want to be sure that we are both on the same page. In our last conversation we reminded the guest that there was still time to travel and gave her 38 destinations with availability. At each destination, there are up to twenty five resorts and fifty arrival dates between now and the end of the year. We understand that Covid has been difficult in many ways. The guest requested to cancel her non-refundable reservation, we were able to get a vacation credit which she accepted and she has not been satisfied with our response because she was not able to reserve at the same resort for the same date. The vacation credit remains active and our team is ready to assist her with the booking of her vacation.

• Initial Complaint

  09/23/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 8/2/21 Inquired about a rental using VRBO booking tool. I had several covid questions and was immediately booked while garnering this information. I asked to cancel trip less than 5 business hours from initial request. I initiated discussion with Sabine F***** manager. In short they refused to refund forcing me to either lose out on rental 3k or go during covid. I was forced to go during a pandemic or loose 3k. Complaint Concierge used VRBO to hide timeshare business practices. If disclosed I would have been deterred from inquiry. Concierge did not disclose time share contract. Concierge did not disclose rental property amenities closures until after running my cc for entire charges. Concierge ran cc without authorization, and used unfair business practices during a national health crisis.

  

  Business response

  10/27/2021

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2021/10/05) */ Concierge Realty works quickly to confirm guest requests and strives to provide responsive customer support. The guest entered his credit card information into **** requesting to reserve, not inquiring about availability. He was shown the non-refundable policy in the listing, the house rules and at the page where he went through the purchase/confirmation process. We answered his questions as they were asked. We confirmed his stay and sent the confirmation to him, then 17 hours later, he requested to cancel. We paid in advance for his accommodations based on the mutual understanding that it was his intention to reserve and because he provided payment in full. Despite his claim, the contract is shown to all guests who reserve online and guests are required to attest to reading the contract and agreeing to terms prior to their credit cards being charged. Concierge Realty did not force the guest to travel during a pandemic. The guest requested to reserve a villa eighteen months into a pandemic. He initiated the reservation and provided payment, so it is not plausible that we forced him to travel during Covid. When he let us know that he was no longer interested in traveling, we let him know that he could file a claim with his travel insurance or that we could change the name on the reservation to another party if he chose to give the vacation to a friend or family member. We also offered to assist in renting the week to another party. We operated in good faith, quickly providing the requested stay for the guest.

*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. ↩