Complaint Review: Monarch Grand Vacations

   Over a year ago I was enticed by Monarch Grand Vacations...a free stay in Las Vegas and Big Bear! Just come and hear our presentation.  Ha...why did I ever go...should have known better.   I sat through hours of con man after con man trying to sell me a time share.  They are definitely good at what they do. 

   I explained to 3 different salesman...I am a single mom, I cant afford this.  They said, "well from what you've told us you travel at least 4x a year.  I explained that I do mission work and stay at less then 1/2 a star resorts...huts really.  The salesman even went so far to say...wow wouldn't that be a great way to give back (like a ministry) You could give people time in your time share.  Hmmm..k..I thought that would be cool, to give it to my pastor once a year...or family, people who could use a break. (LIE!!!)..will explain later

   Then the way they scribbled everything on a piece of paper, looks like it would work out to your benefit...LIE!  They explained that I would never pay over a certain amount of money for escape time or interval international.  What they didn't explain is that to get those deals you have to book during a certain time window, and NOTHING is ever available!  I only have 60 points, which all of salesman assured would fit perfectly with my travel needs, LIE!  It has never worked!  I have been trying to book places for over a year!  Nothing!  I have better luck going to (((competitor's name redacted)))!

   I tried to book the Palm canyon Resort last year in July for Sept.  "Sorry mam, we are booked...you need to make those reservations 6-8 months in advance."  What? How does that fit my travel needs?  I explained to these guys that I go on last minute trips!  And if you want the special deals you have to book it 60 days out! (they never told me this) But the catch is if you wait for those deals...they are already booked!  I finally have had the last straw...

   I called today...January 26 to book the Palm Canyon Resort in sept.  (plenty of time, right?)  And of course...."sorry mam but you only have 60 points that is already used up on the fri. and sat. So you can pay cash for the rest of the week, but you cant book that until 60 days out because it has now become escape time."  What????!!!!

   This company is an example of CRAZY Making! I tried booking it 60 days out last year!  It was booked!  You cant win with this company!  And 60 points gets me 2 nights in palm springs.  This is all I get for 2 years.  I am spending over $2000.00 for 2 years of payments and I get 2 nights in palm springs!  Seriously??  Oh I know it will pay off when the time share is paid off...not true...where is the pay off if you cant even book a reservation! 

   Oh and tried to do the whole giving back thing for my parents...ooops Monarch forgot to add that I had to be there with them if they wanted to stay in the RIP off resorts!  Why didnt you scribble that one down on your paper?  And why aren't we allowed to take that paper with us?? because then your scam would be blown!!!  Because then we would have evidence! 

   Oh and Interval International...the salesman said it was really going to benefit me...have never been able to book when I needed.  and one and only time I did, they said I couldn't have 2 rooms, only 1...(the owner is only allowed to book per owner..which means me 1 owner, 1 room) hmmm never mentioned that in the presentation Monarch? So when you said it was a perfect way to give back to my church...did you forget to include that I would be sharing a room with my pastor and his wife???  The small but MOST important details you left out!

   So then I thought ok, well maybe I can feel better about this if I use the day resort.  Ha!  Dana Point resort!  I would never go back there again!  Hot tub water green with caution tape all around it...restaurant gross...run down..pictures totally deceiving! 

   The list goes on...but had to let the public know...after the last straw today.  I have voiced my concerns over and over...the company doesn't care.  I am paying $110.00 a month plus 58.00 every 3 months for what?  I pay for maintenance fees that go towards resorts that I cant even stay at.

   Nothing but disappointment and at times insufficient fund fees because they automatically deduct every month, and well I simply cant afford it some months.  yes I know I signed a contract.  But they don't give you the books and you cant try booking things to see how things really work until after escrow closes.  hmm smart of them, huh. 

   I feel totally taken advantage of, lied to, and conned.  A mistake that is costing me big time...I don't even know my rights, but I am sure the big contract has them covered.  By the time you have sat through the grueling hours of pressure, you just want to get out of there...How do these sales people sleep at night? 

   My daughter was actually with me when we purchased the time share...they used her in the equation too...bad...so bad.  Yes bad on me too for caving in, and I certainly have learned from this...that people can get a way with telling some of the truth, avoiding the most important part of the truth, and are willing to risk their own integrity to get you to sign on the dotted line.

   And would just like to add...for someone who has a much higher end package, this may be beneficial.  I am speaking from a single mom, who was told that a 60 point package would be great for my daughter and I, and our travel needs would be met.  This is just wasted money...which could have gone to more important things...Oh and the weekend free getaways to Vegas and Big Bear that I was given because I sat there for hours...had to be used sun. through thurs.  and had to be booked 90 days in advanced and you had to put money down to hold the reservation (fully refundable of course) So needless to say I was never  able to take those trips either...

Be careful everyone....make Monarch give you those scraps of paper during their pressuring talks to you...it will be your evidence!

Brook, Huntington Beach, Ca

sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company, ..plus, if you post a competitors name more than likely they will show up on search engines as a Rip-off! - - your comments on this policy are welcome. CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report. In this case we removed an alleged competitors name