Complaint Review: RAMADA PLAZA RESORTS FT LAUDERDALE/ORLANDO

Tonight, April 18, 2002, I JEREMY FIET, being of sound mind and body called about a honeymoon trip that I had purchased several months(August 2001) back from Ramada Plaza Resorts Ft Lauderdale/Orlando.

I decided to check up on our car rental situation first by calling Continental Rent-A-Car CALLED twiceSpoke with Rayne(spelling?) and Melanie @ Continental 1-800-221-4085
Continental Rent-A-Car FEES: $12/day under age fee(if under 25)PLUS $19.20state tax PLUS $15.55city tax PLUS $119.60insurance(collision) liability- $71.60 $96.00 total for underage 25 charge for 8 days.

(Must have Insurance card with you, to wave collision and/or liability fee) $321.95 TOTAL!! W/O liability charge- $250.35
*** Needless to say I was quite shocked by the cost!!

Next I called the Ramada Plaza Beach Resort, which is where I thought I had a reservation a lady named Cleo, (954-565-6611; 4060 Galt Ocean Dr, Ft Lauderdale,FL) said that she did not have my name in the system.

Next I decided to call Ramada Plaza Resorts (888-217-2620), I spoke with James (x4123) he put me on hold about 10 different times throughout the call. It was as if he didn't know what he was doing.

What I asked- What are the dates you have for us?
He said- April 8-16th I asked if I could have my confirmation sent to me NOW, he refused, saying it could only be faxed. I looked up my companies fax#) and gave it to him after persisting about getting it sent to me, which he again told me only 21 days before would it be sent.

I said- What is the name of the hotel? He paused and then put me on holdFinally came back on and told me it would be the OCEAN BEACH RESORT (which I asked if it was a Ramada, and he said it was some affiliate) I asked- What is the address of the hotel?
He said- Please hold, AGAIN!! Then finally came back on and said, 1350 S. Ocean Blvd, to which I replied (Is that in Fort Lauderdale??) he said yes -BY THE WAY, IT IS NOT IN FT LAUDERDALE, IT IS IN POMPANO BEACH, FL, PHONE 954-941-7300. WEBSITE- www.oceanbeachpompano.com, the gentlemen that I spoke with there later said that he had NO RECORD of my reservation!!

Back to my call with JAMES, I then asked if the cruise info was correct, 3 nights to Bahamas, on Carnival's Fantasy, leaving from Port Canaveral, FL April 11-14.

He said yes (I have not yet called Carnival however to double check that.)

Next, I asked about the Orlando portion of our package
I said, What Ramada there are we staying at?
He replied ,very quickly, The Ramada 1,000 (By the way I was on Ramada's own website and had all the addresses and phone #'s in front of me this whole time as well.) I saw no Ramada 1000 in Orlando, and asked if it was next to Universal to which he replied yes and then I again asked for the address, which was correctly given, and just for kicks I read the phone number for the place back to him instead of asking for it. The hotel in Orlando is the Ramada Plaza Orlando Resort East Universal Studios on 3155 S. John Young Pkwy. (the phone number is 407-841-6450, which I called, and guess what?? No record of my reservation there either.)

Now I am recently aggravated with this company and have read everything written about them, including the investigation and lawsuit filed in 2000 against the company. All the information you need is on www.BETTERBUSINESSBUREAU.com, just type in Ramada Plaza Resorts, when you do, you will get 3 listings, 2 the same, I HIGHLY recommended clicking on them and reading ALL of what it says. And the 3rd one is for this whole vacation package place, which by the way is located only about a MILE away from the Ocean Beach Resort Hotel in Pompano Beach, FL. Another phone number of interest is that of that resort (954-941-7300, spoke with Leighton) and the number he gave me for the Ramada Welcome Center (954-735-7474).

My fianc and I were at one point relying on this for our honeymoon April 8-16, and already have flights booked, which now we are not sure what to do. Any suggestions please email
Thank you.

STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... click here to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! When there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide.

Click here to read other Rip-off Reports on Ramada