Complaint Review: Fairfield Resorts Inc.

Andrew, I can understand your situation as I too have been taken bu this company for over $10,000 cash. They do use high pressure sales to get you to buy, and they LIE openly, which makes it hard to be able to say no especially when the government allows them to put a limit of 5 to 7 days for consumers to pull out of contracts. Unfortunately we depend on the government to protect us and feel if there is a deceptive business out there, the authorities will act, but obviously they don't. Payoff of gov't officials is likely more important to the officials. This company should be shut down, PERIOD!

I am a Fairfield vacation owner, have been since 2000. I've went on their 3 day/2 night trials numerous times before finally buying into a starter package in 2000. Each time prior to buying I just said "NO, I can't afford it at this time." consistantly. Sometimes I'd have to do this with 2 or 3 different sales people/managers, but regardless I just stuck to my guns and that was the end of it.

I have two notes for anyone considering Fairfield however.

1) The "Tour" (aka sales pitch) of the resort will take more than the 90 minutes they tell you. Figure about double that and then some if the salesman is really persistant.

2) After you buy with them each time you use their resorts they want you to meet with them to discuss your stay at the resort.

This always turns into a sales pitch to buy more points. Just tell them you don't have time for this and you are on vacation and that you will send in the resort comment questionaire when you return home.

I am a Fairfield vacation owner, have been since 2000. I've went on their 3 day/2 night trials numerous times before finally buying into a starter package in 2000. Each time prior to buying I just said "NO, I can't afford it at this time." consistantly. Sometimes I'd have to do this with 2 or 3 different sales people/managers, but regardless I just stuck to my guns and that was the end of it.

I have two notes for anyone considering Fairfield however.

1) The "Tour" (aka sales pitch) of the resort will take more than the 90 minutes they tell you. Figure about double that and then some if the salesman is really persistant.

2) After you buy with them each time you use their resorts they want you to meet with them to discuss your stay at the resort.

This always turns into a sales pitch to buy more points. Just tell them you don't have time for this and you are on vacation and that you will send in the resort comment questionaire when you return home.

I am a Fairfield vacation owner, have been since 2000. I've went on their 3 day/2 night trials numerous times before finally buying into a starter package in 2000. Each time prior to buying I just said "NO, I can't afford it at this time." consistantly. Sometimes I'd have to do this with 2 or 3 different sales people/managers, but regardless I just stuck to my guns and that was the end of it.

I have two notes for anyone considering Fairfield however.

1) The "Tour" (aka sales pitch) of the resort will take more than the 90 minutes they tell you. Figure about double that and then some if the salesman is really persistant.

2) After you buy with them each time you use their resorts they want you to meet with them to discuss your stay at the resort.

This always turns into a sales pitch to buy more points. Just tell them you don't have time for this and you are on vacation and that you will send in the resort comment questionaire when you return home.

I am a Fairfield vacation owner, have been since 2000. I've went on their 3 day/2 night trials numerous times before finally buying into a starter package in 2000. Each time prior to buying I just said "NO, I can't afford it at this time." consistantly. Sometimes I'd have to do this with 2 or 3 different sales people/managers, but regardless I just stuck to my guns and that was the end of it.

I have two notes for anyone considering Fairfield however.

1) The "Tour" (aka sales pitch) of the resort will take more than the 90 minutes they tell you. Figure about double that and then some if the salesman is really persistant.

2) After you buy with them each time you use their resorts they want you to meet with them to discuss your stay at the resort.

This always turns into a sales pitch to buy more points. Just tell them you don't have time for this and you are on vacation and that you will send in the resort comment questionaire when you return home.

My husband and I purchased a "so called" deeded vacation package from Fairfield Inc in 2000. I can indeed vouch for the high pressure sells. Our problem was not that the high pressure sells caused us to buy, it was the lies about being able to rent the property like a beach house.

We bought the timeshare in 2000 and have never been able to stay at the place since that time as we are told that there are "no vacancies". I don't care what the person states about Fairfield being a wonderful company, it is simply not true. Wonderful companies don't tell lies and rip people off!

Fairfield ripped us off of $30,000.00 plus a $200.00 per month maintenance fee over the past 3 years. We have never been able to rent any of the weeks because we are always told "no vacancies".

I would like to find other people in the same situation that are interested in filing a class action lawsuit against the company. Fairfield's fraudulent behavior needs to be stopped!

My husband and I were talked into going to one of these presentations while staying in Destin, Florida on our honeymoon. They promised us a free dolphin cruise and a 3 day/2 night stay at one of their resorts. We too were supposed to be in there for an hour and a half but they kept us for about 3 hours (which made us miss the dolphin cruise for that day).

Everything was pretty standard for a sales pitch (however the packages were WAY too expensive) and actually everyone was very friendly and understanding until we went through the "public relations" survey on the presentation. We had positively one of the rudest ladies ever to deal with. She was supposed to be just doing a survey and ended up trying to sale us the packages yet once again. About the 3rd time she went through her spill I told her firmly no again for the 3rd time. She proceeded to ask us WHY we couldn't afford it and what there was that we pay for that is more important than her vacation package. We told her we were just married and that wasn't exactly a priority at the time as we were trying to buy our house, etc. Later in the conversation we mentioned having a boat and this lady had the nerve to say having a boat shouldn't be a priority and pretty much raised her voice about the whole issue. I told her it was none of her business and I didn't appreciate her pushiness. I told her we were finished and were never coming back. We did eventually go on our dolphin cruise which was a success but that day we went to Fairfield was definately ruined.

Therefore David I understand your frustration and that Carol lady sounded just as rude as the lady we dealt with, sounds to me they all need some lessons in social skills. Carol if you read this your attitude is certainly NOT helping the company out and I hope they get you for it. People like YOU give the sales industry a bad name!

I own a timeshare through RCI which I bought '2nd hand'. When I got the call from Fairfield, I told them that I already owned a timeshare and I would most likely not be buying another one. The operator suggested that I go on the tour to at least see the facility in case I might want to vacation there sometime.

With that in mind, I made the trip and went through the standard sales presentation. When I ran the numbers for purchasing a timeshare at that location, it didn't make good economic sense FOR ME. I told the salesman that, and after a couple reasonable, but unsuccessful, attempts to convince me that it WAS a good deal, he brought over his manager who made another attempt. When I turned him down, they thanked me for taking the time to visit and I was ushered into another room for a 'survey'. During this survey, they made one final attempt. I can't blame them-- these guys are in sales... it's their job to sell timeshares. When I gave my final 'no', I was again thanked for my time and I left.

There were no unreasonable attempts made on the salesmen's part. If I could maintain MY ground, anyone else should be able to as well.

Nobody can force you to make a purchase you do not want to make!

This comment is to David in PA. I am wondering what type of lawyer you sought in your situation. I would like to seek legal consultation re: a similar sales experience; however, I do not know where/how to begin. Could use some input here. Please post your response below...

I did purchase their one year trial package so your mooch comment is off base. We WERE prepared to buy a low end package. We were kept in an office for six hours while they lied about how they would sublet the property and it would pay for itself for us and convinced us to go ahead with the higher valued package we couldn't afford as it would "pay for itself".

You people don't check credit and I'm sure I'm not the first one you pressured into a sale on a property that they could not afford. I'm not saying that the idea is bad. I'm just saying that your tactics to make a sale are shameless and misleading. If you personally don't use them, well good for you, but I've dealt with two of your colleagues who do.

I didn't take "THE FREE GIFTS" or MOOCH off of your stupid company. In total, I paid over $3,000 for the three days at your resort we spent while your salesmen continued to work us over. Your mooch comment is baseless. You got more out of me than I did out of you.

As for the other rebuttal, I'm glad for you. It was kinda hard to walk out on them when my exwife was ready to sign everything over to them because of their tactics. They preyed on her and used her to prey on me. I wanted to walk out three times but they got her to convince me they were on the level.

For the eight months after we purchased this dream resort property until we got divorced, I got NO calls from this fantastic REALTOR that THEY said was going to help us pay for this property by subletting.

If either of you bothered to read my report correctly you would see

A-I told them I couldn't afford it.

B-They promised this subletting business would take care of it.

C-I did purchase it initially until I found out they lied about the subletting and that no one was marketing this property.

D-When I questioned them, they pointed out in fine print that what their own salesman told me was a lie.

E-They got almost $3,000 of my money and I never set foot on their property or took their FREE GIFTS

F-None of you who want to criticize me really read my initial complaint.

I can't believe people can be so gullible. Everything comes with a price. These "deals" of 3 days hotel stays at inexpensive prices come with the price of sitting for these high pressure sales presentations. My husband and I fell for one of these things years ago. After we the 2 hour presentation slipped into 3 hours .. we got up and walked out. No discussion, no yelling, just up and walked out. Now when we get phone calls from telemarketers, we hang up. Simple.

To say that you are forced into making deals you can't afford is totally ridiculous. GET UP AND WALK OUT!! We didn't even take the gift they said we would get just for showing up!! We left it. No one is holding you hostage. No one has a gun to your head (as the previous person said).
But the best advice is to avoid it all together and HANG UP ON THESE OBNOXIOUS TELEMARKETERS!

I just have one question????Why are you blaming the company because you saw something that YOU WANTED BUT COULDN'T AFFORD. No one put a gun to your head to buy. Fairfield is a great company. I have been an owner for over 10 years and they have a wonderful product.I also help thousands of people realize their dreams to vacation in places that they couldn't otherwise afford.And I couldn't be prouder to work for any other company. It is people like you who give businesses a bad name. YOU HAD NO PROBLEM TAKING THE $400 IN FREE GIFTS THAT YOU GOT JUST FOR COMING TO OUR SALES CENTER DID YOU??? So next time say no to the telemarketer and get your free gifts from someone else!!!!!!!!!
It's a good thing for our over 500 thousand owners that not every one is like you.
The word mooch say it all about you.