Time Share Promotion & Reflection from Home

[desireaddict]

After numerous trips to Desire (lost count) and having always avoided the timeshare pitch, we decided to sit for it this time since two of our good friends finally bought in. This is even worse than the way we (at least in the US) buy cars. Another guest said they were pressured by the salesperson lamenting they would be fired if they did not make this sale. WTF? is that about?

My greatest concern is that we were among those who booked Desire Cabo and were left hanging with tickets for airfare when they suddenly closed Desire Cabo. Fortunately, we can afford the $300 cancellation fee but it's the point that Desire management had to have this in the planning and they continued bookings just the same. When the deal closed it was f**k YOU to anyone who already had reservations. I fear it would be the same thing if there were some decision that caused the closing of Desire in Cancun. They've got your $$$ (you pick the amount you paid) and sooo long sucka -- we're outta here and you're screwed.

We've been 12 to 15 times to Desire Resorts. We started years ago because it was cheaper than Hedo III so we thought we'd give it a try. While the service in the restaurants & bars, at the pool, at the beach, etc is incomparable, we really think the rest of the experience at DRM is on the decline. We especially feel that if you're not a member, you're treated as a 2nd Class guest now. The last 2 or 3 visits we've not even been put into the rooms we've request (none of 3 bldg choices). Our member friends always get THE room that is their favorite. That's a little thing, since none of the rooms are "bad". It's just obvious that it's not important to the management to be accommodating to "regular" paying guests.

While it's nice that they are making repairs such as the pool renovation, I don't see that the pool changes improved anything other than the swimup bar is nice and we thought the amount of shallow pool area was a waste and unusable in the past. The new pool steps are awkward and poorly designed. There will be accidents on them. It really needs more means of ingress/egress (at least ladders). Money spent on replacing the crappy chairs would have been nicer. I really suspect there were some repairs required that just could no longer be delayed. Just our observations.

In the past we made 3 (or even 4) trips per year, though some were to Hedos/Braco before they closed, whereas the last three trips have been 10-12 months apart. I know part of it is the fact that we're changing (getting older, grandkids necessitate a family trip to Disney too, etc), but I think the Desire experience is changing too, and certainly their constantly upward price increases change the "value" factor too. Will we return? Almost for certain, but instead of the multiple trips for our anniversary, birthdays, and one or two impulsive "for-the-hell-of-it" trips, it will likely just be that one "same time next year" with our friends.

Are we unique to feeling this way?

[WhiteSands]

We could have written that post! We also (long time guests), have just endured the "presentation".
We felt the aggressive, pressured presentation totally at odds with the general "Desire experience". The "closer" MONICA (I will name her) was downright rude to her lovely colleague (Gloria) in front of us, and told us we had to make a decision in an hour. Who makes the decision to spend this amount of money without private discussion?
NOT HAPPENING!

Rant over.

[RedBaron3]

I see all the vacation clubs as a "chance" to make an uncollateralized, interest-free loan (i.e. a gift) to a concern to spend as they please.

In return, you get some extra privileges when you visit their resort. By my math, I can invest the same amount of money and pay for some nice vacations out of the earnings -- and have money left over.

[olderII]

And we thought we were the only ones who noticed !!!

[twosome]

We agree 100 percent with redbaron .

[toobusylivin]

I agree 100% with most comments above. We've been to desire a dozen times...sometimes 3 to 4 times in a 12 month period. Have heard a wide range of "investment" cost for the membership. It's never really interested us. If we wanted to invest in something it would be "real" property. I'll gladly spend my money there...just not gonna give them a sum of money for a few extra benefits. That being said, we haven't felt "shorted" in our room options etc for not buying into the program.

[mountain]

What happens to these time share interests when owner(s) die(s)? Is the time share interest like a life estate dying with the decedent? Is the time share interest a probate asset to be administered through judicial system in Mexico? Is the interest somehow regarded instead as an asset in buyer's country/state/province of origin? Is the interest limited to a term of years or a lifetime, whichever is less? Just curious.
With respect to sales pitch, it is unkind whenever the integrity of a guest's stated objections is not respected. Some of what happens to guests pursued relentlessly might, under some circumstances, be described as "bullying". False statements about anything (whether it be an artificial emergency to make a decision or any other matter), if it takes place, is in my view the equivalent of fraud (at least ethically, if not under Mexican law about which I know nothing). In my experience, some sales agents can mistake being polite with being infirm, making a person a target for a sale. Perhaps we are all vulnerable to the best. My experience. if caught off-guard by an aggressive pitch: Look the seller in the eye, hold his/her eye for a few seconds and say nothing until they stop talking (could be more than a few seconds), and then state firmly, "We're not interested". If that does not immediately end the discussion, walk away, for now the seller is being rude and you do him/her no favor encouraging such behavior.

[CokeMann]

What happens to these time share interests when owner(s) die(s)? Is the time share interest like a life estate dying with the decedent? Is the time share interest a probate asset to be administered through judicial system in Mexico? Is the interest somehow regarded instead as an asset in buyer's country/state/province of origin? Is the interest limited to a term of years or a lifetime, whichever is less? Just curious.

The fact that this thread is titled "Time Share Promotion" is totally incorrect in that it has nothing to do with fractional ownership(ie a true time share) that has physical value and can be bought, sold and can be a probate asset.

What is being offered is a membership in a vacation club - when/if you purchase membership all you "own" is the contract that entitles you to future discounts at the vacation properties(resorts) listed in the contract(essentially like airline points). If the properties are sold( like the Desire Cabo property was) or goes out of business then you no longer have access or discounts to those properties. To my best knowledge, like airline points which are not transferable without paying a hefty fee, the membership contract is the same - ie you would have to go back to the group that issued the contract and negotiate a price to transfer it to someone other than yourselves.

Most importantly is that any disputes between yourselves and the group that sold vacation club membership will have to be resolved in person under the Mexican legal system in the Mexican state in which the contract was signed.

[desireaddict]

Most importantly is that any disputes between yourselves and the group that sold vacation club membership will have to be resolved in person under the Mexican legal system in the Mexican state in which the contract was signed.

Coke, that makes it sound like even more of a "gamble" with the deck stacked against you if anything happens to not go according to plan -- the Resort's plan, that is. I'm sure that if the staus quo doesn't change and the Resort Business Plan doesn't change, everyone who buys in will likely get their discount for their future days spent at Desire. But the Desire Cabo experience shows that if the Business Plan changes, there won't be much (or any) consideration given to the consumer. "Hey, Gringo! Come sue us in Mexico!"

Life is Good!
DA

[olderII]

Just before the pool renovations if you visited from Pearl to RM or the RM to Pearl you got whacked for some money…. Didn't make one bit of difference if you were wearing your gold bracelet or not!!!!

[eddieandjojo]

.....and then there are some of us who took the gamble, broke even on the amount paid after a few trips and now enjoy a very nice discount each and every trip in the future. Sure makes the winter trips very affordable....different strokes as they say!

[Monark53]

We would agree with eddiejojo. It was an upfront cost with a break even point wish we have past and are now enjoyin' the next ten years. One thing for sure Desire is not getting any less expensive. We started back in 2005.