Complaint Review: Ramada Plaza Resorts

I am also a victim of Ramada Plaza Resorts (RPR). I faxed and sent a letter to Dan Lambert as Denise has said and I also sent/faxed letters to both credit card companies I used to pay for the package so that they can dispute the charges if RPR doesn't refund me. I paid for the first half on June 10th of last year and the 2nd half of this year.

It has been 4 days since I have faxed a letter to RPR and they have already credited my first payment back to that account. My 2nd credit card company called RPR today to dispute the charges with me on the phone and RPR confirmed they will credit the 2nd payment within the next week. So I got a full refund from them.

If you are a victim too, I say try to cancel before you go on the trip, and if it doesn't work, then go on the trip and document (with photographs) how the vacation was not as advertised. I used a combination of Denise's letters and some others...here's my letter...

January 2006

Dan Lambert
Ramada Plaza Resorts
2419 E Commercial Blvd. #100
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Tel: (954) 630-9449
Fax: (954) 331-4185

Re: Request for full refund following Ramada's fraudulently misleading description, dishonor of company integrity, and unsatisfactory customer service of vacation package #XXXXXXXXXXX.

Dear Mr. Lambert,

We are writing to you in regard to the transaction between us and Ramada Plaza Resorts (RPR). After going through the process of booking the vacation, we have found numerous discrepancies between what was promised and what will be delivered by the agency. The result was additional charges in order for us to get what we really wanted. With the skepticism, we began to do some research and found that the agency has many complaints from the consumers who have had the same problems that we are. As the result we are contacting you in order to cancel the account under the condition that we receive a full refund. We would like to save both your company and us the time and hassle of spending more money and time to go on a trip in which we will be disappointed. We have not received any services from your company and will return all brochures to you upon approval of cancellation.

We also browsed through Florida's State laws, the Better Business Bereau's website, the Federal Trade Commision's website and realize that Ramada Plaza Resorts has violated many laws and has also been involved in many litigations. We have attached documents showing that there has been many litigations from various states with National Travel Service - Ramada Plaza Resorts and have also included examples as to how the laws were violated in Florida. All this shows that RPR routinely lies to and misleads its customers and discredits the RPR's integrity.
We have already contacted my credit card company and informed it that we will be taking action against RPR because of its misleading business practices. If we do not receive a full refund, then we plan to contact the following authorities to inform them about RPR's illegal and misleading business practices:
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Better Business Bureau
The Florida Attorney General
The Federal Trade Commission
The Texas Attorney General

The following is Mary's testimony about her communication with RPR:

I, Mary, was 1st charged on June 10th, 2005 from XXXXX for $698 after talking to Scott DeSilva (TN3541). I was given details of the trip first and then I asked him to let me discuss it with my significant other first and then call RPR back. He states there's a very high volume of callers and the reward is limited, so if I call back, the offer will not be available and I will not get the same price or package.

In the conversation with Mr. DeSilva, we agreed on:
- rental car for 7 days, unlimited mileage
- stay at Ramada Resort for 4 days, 2 Third day, take cruise (2 days/2 nights)
- Than Orlando for 3 dyas/2nights
- If attend tour of developmental village, we will get 2 tickets to universal studios
- We need to pay for our own airfare
- Amount $698/person with first payment for first person now and the second payment when booking vacation.
- Expiration date for this vacation certificate will be June 9, 2008.
- Did not mention refund policy but did mention that certificates are transferable.

The 2nd charge was on January 9, 2006 from XXXXX. The total cost was for $837. $698 was for the second person and $139 for upgrades. After talking to Bertina #4130, she stated the original car will be a Geo Metro and cabin room we get will be whatever is available if package is not upgraded for an extra $139. When I asked Bertina what cabin will be available, she states it could be a twin bunk bed or something else with smaller beds, but that the upgrade will cover two double beds in an ocean view room and will also upgrade car to a four door. The trip was booked for March 12-19, 2006. RPR promotes this vacation stating that it will be a priceless memory to last a lifetime and is a first class, romantic vacation. Without the upgrades, I don't see how a Geo Metro and twin bunk beds for a couple can be first class and romantic. I was very disappointed with this need to upgrade and how it wasn't mentioned from the beginning.

January 10, 2006
I called RPR to cancel reservation and to see about canceling vacation package. I talked to five representatives total (3 in customer service and 2 in reservation) in which one of them was a supervisor for the Reservation Department. Two employees stated they did not wish to be recorded and redirected the call to someone else; one employee agreed at first to be recorded but then put me on hold to ask her supervisor and came back and told me she didn't mind being recorded but the company did not allow it; one agreed the conversation could be recorded but he did not wish to be recorded; and one allowed me to record the conversation. I cancelled the reservation for the trip in March and confirmed with RPR that I have until June 2008 to use the vacation certificates. When I tried to cancel the whole vacation package, I was told it was non-refundable and that I will not receive the money back.

During my various encounters with different employees, I had one guy tell me multiple times he was going to hang up on me and I had others raise their voice at me. The service that I received when giving RPR my money was excellent, but when trying to get the money back, attitudes changed. I am very dissatisfied with the service provided, and this incident today had confirmed the other customers' complaints and has convinced me it is not worth my time and money to go on this vacation.

Listed below are some of the few violations from RPR:

Chapter 559 Part XI - 559.9335
(5) Knowingly to sell or market vacation certificates with an expiration date of more than 18 months from the date of issuance.
The expiration date for this vacation certificate is June 2008 as agreed upon in the conversation with RPR in June 2005.
(7) Knowingly to state, represent, indicate, suggest, or imply, directly or indirectly, that the travel contract, certificate, or vacation package being offered by the seller of travel cannot be purchased at some later time or may not otherwise be available after the initial contact, or that callbacks by the prospective purchaser are not accepted, when no such restrictions or limitations in fact exist.
This was done on in the first conversation with Scott Desilva when I was told that if I hung up to discuss the vacation with my significant other than the offer will not be available when I call back due to the high volume.
(9) To misrepresent in any manner the purchaser's right to cancel and to receive an appropriate refund or reimbursement as provided by this part along with 559.933 - Vacation certificate cancellation and refund provisions laws.
There was no statement given over the phone the first time or in writing as to what the cancellation policy is for this company. There was no clear definition on receiving a refund for the 2nd payment, even if the trip has been cancelled.
Overall, we are very disappointed and disturbed by how RPR has conducted business and presented itself. We were given a voucher for $1600 and told that this vacation package would really cost over $4000, when in reality, you can book this pacakage or something similar to it with better accommodations for less. As I have documented above, RPR is fraudulent and deceptive and have violated many Florida laws. I have stated my position above and am willing to take the necessary actions to receive a full refund. However, I believe this can be resolve with no hassles and I am looking forward to hearing from RPR with a full refund and cancellation of vacation package.
This letter has been CC to the following:
- Robert Tantalo 2419 E. Commercial Blvd., Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale FL 33308
- James Verrillo 2419 E. Commercial Blvd., Suite 100 Fort Lauderdale FL 33308
- WAMU Dispute Department PO Box 9016 Pleasanton, CA 94566-9016
- Bank of America Dispute Department


Thank you,

Mary

We will CC this letter and file a compliant to the following governing bodies if there is no response from RPR within a week from today:
1) Office of Attorney General Charlie Crist, State of Florida - Consumer Fraud Division,
The Capitol PL-01 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
2) Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Division of Consumer Services, 2005 Apalachee Parkway, Rhodes Building, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-6500
3) Office of Attorney General Greg Abbott, State of Texas Consumer Protection Division, PO Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548
4) http://********.bbb.org/ - BBB's online complaint system
5) www.ftc.gov Federal Trade Commission complaint system

I got a response from them in 4 days...

Good luck and hope this helps everyone else...

Mary
houston, Texas
U.S.A.

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