- Report: #296348
Complaint Review: Grupo Mayan Great Vacation Club Grand Mayan Mayan Palace - Nuevo Vallarta Other
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
Grupo Mayan Great Vacation Club Grand Mayan Mayan Palace
Av. Paseo De Las Moras S/n, Fracc. Náutico Turístico Nuevo Vallarta, 63735 Other, Mexico
Phone:
011-52 322 226 4556
Web:
N/A
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Grupo Mayan, Great Vacation Club, Grand Mayan, Mayan Palace Bait and Switch Scam Nuevo Vallarta Nayarit, Mexico
*Consumer Suggestion: GRUPO MAYAN, READ CONTRACT, GVC IS NOT PART OF GRUPO MAYAN
*Consumer Comment: Grupo Mayan Fraud comments like these make it hard to convince my friends to visit
*UPDATE Employee: worker bee
*Consumer Comment: Alot of unhappy people with Grand Mayan
*Consumer Comment: Long time Positive Relationship with Grupo Mayan
*Consumer Comment: Grand Luxxe Ownership
*Consumer Comment: So how can I get this to work?
*Author of original report: GVC is a different product than Grupo Mayan
*Author of original report: Worker bee response
*REBUTTAL Owner of company: In Response to subsequent post to the "How can I get this to work post"
*Consumer Suggestion: Mayan Palace Timeshare
*Consumer Comment: Reply
I visited the Mayan Group of Hotels in Nuevo Vallarta the week of November 18, 2007. The complex is made up of 3 Mayan Hotels, residences and a golf course. The complex is defiantly first class, friendly helpful staff, comfortable beds and excellent food. It was one of the more relaxing holidays that I have spent in a long time. I give the resort top grade.
But, and a big but, I made the unfortunate decision of signing up for a tour of the complex with the Mayan time share sales group. We wanted to see the other parts of the complex and what they had to offer as were thinking of purchasing in the area. The promised 90 minute tour began to approach 5 hours and after 3 sales pitches we were shuttled off to the exit sales pitch which I told was an exit interview. We were presented with a teaser package of 9 weeks of which 5 could be Mayan Hotels including 1 week at the Grand Mayan.
We purchased the Bronze package from Simon Roff at The Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta, who told me that he was a representative of Grupo Mayan, on Nov 19, 2007. The reason why we bought the package is because we were told by Simon Roff it offered one week at the Grand Mayan as an owner and one week in the Mayan Palace February 9th through Feb 23, 2008. We were also told we could upgrade to Grand Mayan for the second week if we went to a short update presentation. It also included 4 other weeks at other resorts, a golf card that we can use at Mayan resorts and a travel voucher for $800 He wrote this down on notepaper as we talked which I photographed with my cell camera when he got up to check something. This paper mysteriously disappeared when we were getting the contracts prepared. I asked him to reserve both those weeks for me and was told that he could not do that until I received the package in the mail. I asked him to check inventory and he said that it wasn't necessary as there was all kinds of inventory during that time period.
When I returned to Calgary and received the package in the next couple of weeks, I tried to book several times and was told that first of all, the package did not include Grand Mayan and that there was no inventory in any Mayan resort for those weeks. I checked the RCI website, and as of that date could book Grand Mayan and any Mayan through RCI both on a last minute deal and booking for the dates that I wanted but GVC does not have any inventory. How can this be?
This Bait and Switch technique may be acceptable in Mexico with GVC (Great Vacations Club) and Grupo Mayan sales people, most of whom are expats, but it is certainly not acceptable to the clients that are coming down from North America and Europe. Especially with an organization such as Grupo Mayan who are trying to market high end pricy Vacation Packages that you would expect to have a higher standard of ethics.
I have no use for another time share package such as GVC as I already have aprox 175,000 points per year in Interval and RCI. I can get all the last minute deals and bookings that I want through those organizations in fact the visit to the Mayan was purchased on such a last minute deal. There is an enforced 1 booking in 5 years for the Mayan group of hotels through RCI. This promotional deal is offered to get as many RCI people through their sales pitch as possible. The only reason for me to purchase this package at the time was to come back on those dates and stay at the Grand Mayan with the idea of making a purchasing decision on either a permanent residence in the complex or a longer term condo in the future.
After finding out that I had been taken for a ride, I spoke with Simon Roff, the exit package salesman that sold us the bill of goods. He refused to admit that he lied to us about the package and was quite rude about it. I tried to call Bruce Thompson, the sales manager for this program and was transferred to Luis Chabero who at least appeared to try to find a solution. Then he asked me to put my issues in writing to him and he would get it solved. He then gave me a false email address to send it to. I waited a few days for a response. Nothing, I then spoke to an assistant manager "Drew" who said that "he would get the Ball rolling" then hung up without getting my information. "Get the ball rolling" on what I ask. Then a few days latter I finally was able to speak to Brian Thompson, the sales manager for this area on Dec 16/07. I explained the events that lead up to my purchase and all he could say was that Simon would never say these things and to tell me that there is never any inventory in February then he promptly hung up on me. This is not the way that a professional in an organization behaves. This is also in spite of having a picture of the notes that Simon wrote which is proof of the lies.
I then sent this letter by email to Grupo Mayan as well as Great Vacations Club. There was no response from Grupo Mayan but I did get a call from GVC. Paco Robless, from reservations was very polite and appeared helpful in trying to solve the situation but in the end after not returning calls when he said he would and then finally telling me that he could not help me and that I should wait and book in 2009. That was the last straw. Now it is not the wasted money, nor is it having to tell the kids dad didnt book in time to get the promised winter break vacation, now it is the principal of the matter and has left an extremely bad taste in my mouth.
I guess that I was naive enough to think that a world class resort company such as the Grupo Mayan, the company that developed and runs the Mayan Hotels, would not stoop to these deceptive bait and switch tactics and blatant lies in order to deepen their pockets. I guess I should not be surprised in this corporate greed trickling down through the ranks of their staff to the sales people on the floor. It seems that this attitude has invaded numerous people in the organization as we have not received help from anyone that we talked to. We have seen amoral events such as WorldCom and Enron exposed and it seems that the business world is awash in unethical practices generated by greed. It is a sad state of affairs.
So go and enjoy the Mayan Group of Hotels on your 1 week trade or last minute deal. It is certainly one of the better choices in Mexico. But stay away from the unethical sales people from Grupo Mayan. They may be charming, they may even be from your home town but they are defiantly not your friend. I do not believe that I will never set foot again in a Mayan resort except maybe to pay the sales group a visit during one of their presentations and explain to everyone that will listen to me what they have done.
Stuart
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
But, and a big but, I made the unfortunate decision of signing up for a tour of the complex with the Mayan time share sales group. We wanted to see the other parts of the complex and what they had to offer as were thinking of purchasing in the area. The promised 90 minute tour began to approach 5 hours and after 3 sales pitches we were shuttled off to the exit sales pitch which I told was an exit interview. We were presented with a teaser package of 9 weeks of which 5 could be Mayan Hotels including 1 week at the Grand Mayan.
We purchased the Bronze package from Simon Roff at The Grand Mayan Nuevo Vallarta, who told me that he was a representative of Grupo Mayan, on Nov 19, 2007. The reason why we bought the package is because we were told by Simon Roff it offered one week at the Grand Mayan as an owner and one week in the Mayan Palace February 9th through Feb 23, 2008. We were also told we could upgrade to Grand Mayan for the second week if we went to a short update presentation. It also included 4 other weeks at other resorts, a golf card that we can use at Mayan resorts and a travel voucher for $800 He wrote this down on notepaper as we talked which I photographed with my cell camera when he got up to check something. This paper mysteriously disappeared when we were getting the contracts prepared. I asked him to reserve both those weeks for me and was told that he could not do that until I received the package in the mail. I asked him to check inventory and he said that it wasn't necessary as there was all kinds of inventory during that time period.
When I returned to Calgary and received the package in the next couple of weeks, I tried to book several times and was told that first of all, the package did not include Grand Mayan and that there was no inventory in any Mayan resort for those weeks. I checked the RCI website, and as of that date could book Grand Mayan and any Mayan through RCI both on a last minute deal and booking for the dates that I wanted but GVC does not have any inventory. How can this be?
This Bait and Switch technique may be acceptable in Mexico with GVC (Great Vacations Club) and Grupo Mayan sales people, most of whom are expats, but it is certainly not acceptable to the clients that are coming down from North America and Europe. Especially with an organization such as Grupo Mayan who are trying to market high end pricy Vacation Packages that you would expect to have a higher standard of ethics.
I have no use for another time share package such as GVC as I already have aprox 175,000 points per year in Interval and RCI. I can get all the last minute deals and bookings that I want through those organizations in fact the visit to the Mayan was purchased on such a last minute deal. There is an enforced 1 booking in 5 years for the Mayan group of hotels through RCI. This promotional deal is offered to get as many RCI people through their sales pitch as possible. The only reason for me to purchase this package at the time was to come back on those dates and stay at the Grand Mayan with the idea of making a purchasing decision on either a permanent residence in the complex or a longer term condo in the future.
After finding out that I had been taken for a ride, I spoke with Simon Roff, the exit package salesman that sold us the bill of goods. He refused to admit that he lied to us about the package and was quite rude about it. I tried to call Bruce Thompson, the sales manager for this program and was transferred to Luis Chabero who at least appeared to try to find a solution. Then he asked me to put my issues in writing to him and he would get it solved. He then gave me a false email address to send it to. I waited a few days for a response. Nothing, I then spoke to an assistant manager "Drew" who said that "he would get the Ball rolling" then hung up without getting my information. "Get the ball rolling" on what I ask. Then a few days latter I finally was able to speak to Brian Thompson, the sales manager for this area on Dec 16/07. I explained the events that lead up to my purchase and all he could say was that Simon would never say these things and to tell me that there is never any inventory in February then he promptly hung up on me. This is not the way that a professional in an organization behaves. This is also in spite of having a picture of the notes that Simon wrote which is proof of the lies.
I then sent this letter by email to Grupo Mayan as well as Great Vacations Club. There was no response from Grupo Mayan but I did get a call from GVC. Paco Robless, from reservations was very polite and appeared helpful in trying to solve the situation but in the end after not returning calls when he said he would and then finally telling me that he could not help me and that I should wait and book in 2009. That was the last straw. Now it is not the wasted money, nor is it having to tell the kids dad didnt book in time to get the promised winter break vacation, now it is the principal of the matter and has left an extremely bad taste in my mouth.
I guess that I was naive enough to think that a world class resort company such as the Grupo Mayan, the company that developed and runs the Mayan Hotels, would not stoop to these deceptive bait and switch tactics and blatant lies in order to deepen their pockets. I guess I should not be surprised in this corporate greed trickling down through the ranks of their staff to the sales people on the floor. It seems that this attitude has invaded numerous people in the organization as we have not received help from anyone that we talked to. We have seen amoral events such as WorldCom and Enron exposed and it seems that the business world is awash in unethical practices generated by greed. It is a sad state of affairs.
So go and enjoy the Mayan Group of Hotels on your 1 week trade or last minute deal. It is certainly one of the better choices in Mexico. But stay away from the unethical sales people from Grupo Mayan. They may be charming, they may even be from your home town but they are defiantly not your friend. I do not believe that I will never set foot again in a Mayan resort except maybe to pay the sales group a visit during one of their presentations and explain to everyone that will listen to me what they have done.
Stuart
Calgary, Alberta
Canada
12 Updates & Rebuttals
Mark Miles
New York,New York,
USA
Reply
#2Consumer Comment
Wed, June 22, 2016
I've spent a lot of money and i was scammed by other companies trying to cancel my timeshare. My advice is that if you're going to hire a company to help you with the problem, DO NOT PAY ANYTHING UPFRONT, because it use to be a fraud. I did a research on internet and i found some interesting articles, i recommend you to read this one:
http://www.timesharescam.com/blog/206-how-to-get-out-of-a-timeshare/
VC32
Hayward,California,
United States of America
Mayan Palace Timeshare
#3Consumer Suggestion
Sat, March 09, 2013
Mayan Palace sales tactics are hardcore and they will tell you anything you want to hear to get you into the contract and keep you in contract with them. It is too common for the sales representative to offer you an upgrade if you already own a timeshare with them. Most of the Mayan Palace Timeshare Scams being committed by the Sales representative is that they dont let their buyers know they have a 5 days cooling period if they wish to cancel; instead, they repeatedly tell they buyers once the contract is being sign there is no cancellation period. Mayan Palace sales representative also offers a trade-In, letting the buyer believe that Mayan Palace is going to take their other timeshare and sell them for them and deducting the cost of their new timeshare with Mayan Palace, but at the end you end up owning two timeshares and payments due for Mayan Palace turning it into in a double scam-
Report Attachments
Maggiesport
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
In Response to subsequent post to the "How can I get this to work post"
#4REBUTTAL Owner of company
Sun, February 07, 2010
The Grand Mayan, through its Member Services Department, is working diligently to resolve our problems at this time to our satisfaction.
Stuart
Calgary,Alberta,
Canada
Worker bee response
#5Author of original report
Fri, January 08, 2010
This is obviously a response from a time share salesman.
I can appreciate that he thinks that he is providing a service to those that want a carefree vacation, but when it goes against the grain and the lies and the deceptive practices condoned by the developers in order to make sales get in the way of reasonable practices, I have an objection.
To say that I got what I deserved is typical of the attitude of these people. they realize that treating people with honesty will gain true longevity and respect.
How many people have sat through a 5 hour marathon of hard sales torture would consider a gift offered for a 90 min program "stealing"
The Gentleman is obviously delusional and is typical of the worker bee of the time share industry
Stuart
Calgary,Alberta,
Canada
GVC is a different product than Grupo Mayan
#6Author of original report
Fri, January 08, 2010
I understand that the GVC is a different product than Grupo Mayan ownership although they are sold by the same sales people as a last resort.
They must be connected in some way as this is the marketing arm of Grupo Mayan.
I am sure that you are happy with the Grupo Mayan properties as they are gorgeous. This is confirmed in my comments.
The point that I am making is that the tactics and methods of the sales people employed by Grupo Mayan and specifically the people mentioned in my report do a disservice to the complex and the group as a whole. This is apparent by the negative comments displayed throughout the the net environment. People Have been lied to and hoodwinked by salesmen acting under the name of Groupo Mayan
There is no question or sugestion of this being an investment property. Anyone thinking in this directuion ought to check the properties bieng marketed at Groupo Mayan by independant time share marketers. Quite different price than what is being sold by direct marketers on location.
In response to your sugestion that I call Groupo Mayan Customer service to resolve my complaints, I left them 5 messages with no response. It is selective and I think that they may have seen that now in the downturn that maybee thier tacktics and methods do not work in todays world where people are looking for trust. I hope that they will learn this lesson.
Maggiesport
Gilbert,Arizona,
U.S.A.
So how can I get this to work?
#7Consumer Comment
Fri, January 08, 2010
We too purchased at the Grupo Mayan, with (Goran). We have still not been able to make the purchase fit our needs. They took another property in to sell that we have in the States and that would off set the cost of the Grupo Mayan TS. It has been a whole year since we made the purchase and we still have the other property in the states and we are still trying to make it work for us. Sorry we have not been impressed with the customer service. They have not called us back to help in any way. Take your money and go somewhere else.
G. Mash.
Frisco,Texas,
U.S.A.
Grand Luxxe Ownership
#8Consumer Comment
Wed, July 22, 2009
My wife and I are Grand Luxxe owners of Mayan Resorts. Does anyone know when they are actually going to open one of these up? I have sent the company e-mails with no reponse.
Dc
Broomfield,Colorado,
U.S.A.
Long time Positive Relationship with Grupo Mayan
#9Consumer Comment
Tue, June 09, 2009
It is disturbing to read so many reports from people about their experiences with high pressure or fraudulent sales tactics from Grupo Mayan, when my and my husband's experiences (and we have had many over the years) have been very different. Even on the sales presentations when we didn't upgrade, I really didn't feel there was any undue pressure. When I was single and visiting with my son in 2003, we were so blown away by their resort we bought in and now my husband and I are Grand Luxxe (their top end residence club) owners. At the risk of not sounding credible, I will even add that during our last visit to the Rivera Maya resort in May 2009, we expected them to at least try to entice us to purchase the other 2 weeks we "left on the table" the last time, but after giving us an owners update and answering all of our ownership questions, the sales rep (Goran) proceeded to put all of his stuff away and ask us if "there was anything else he could help us with"! He was first class. In fact, I have only come across one sales person who was maybe overly "persistent" but he was nothing we couldn't handle, and definitely nothing dishonest was said. If there are truly that many unscrupulous, dishonest sales people and managers at their resorts it seems like we should have run across one by now. However, I will say that when you go into ANY timeshare sales presentation, expect some degree of pressure if for no other reason other than the sales person is receiving a sizable commission. It is common sense, so don't be naive about the process. If you can't take some pressure, you should just not accept the gifts and not go. You also need to truly listen to what is being said with some healthy skepticsm, ask questions until YOU understand it (because this stuff is confusing) and make sure that you read and understand the contract before your sign it. We have done those things consistently over the 6 years that we have been owners, and they have more than lived up to their promises. In fact, their management has even happily made good on a verbal representation made by a sales rep (which he immediately owned up to) that they were not contracually obligated to do. Grupo Mayan has always been first class with us, not only in their accomodations, but also in their customer service and in their business dealings. WE LOVE THIS PLACE! So before jumping to a conclusion about Grupo Mayan from what you read on the internet, you need to consider that you are probably only hearing from the disgruntled few who probably didn't practice "due diligence" during the sales process, and not from all of those people who continue to have a positive experience. This is the first comment/blog I have ever posted on anything, but I thought it was time that there was some balance on the topic of Grupo Mayan.
Fran
Burlington,Connecticut,
U.S.A.
Alot of unhappy people with Grand Mayan
#10Consumer Comment
Sun, April 26, 2009
You may be happy and not have lost 100k nor a little couple who lost all their savings because of the lies, deception and fraud. Show me where in the contract where there is an "out" . There is nothing in the contract for the consumer "out". Nothing is ever in writing and they just give you good verbal lies! Go people ...go find out for yourself! If they were rightous, legal and honest, LET THE PEOPLE OUT AND REFUND THEIR MONEY! They don't because they are Mexican theives!
Hotelworker
Cabo San Lucas,Central America,
Mexico
worker bee
#11UPDATE Employee
Sun, November 16, 2008
You deserve whatever treatment you got, and you got exactly what you bought. you could have written anything on that yellow tablet, and now you're making a fuss saying the salesman promised you this or that. You were trying to cheat the developer and the owners , however, they got you because of your greed. You have no use for another vacation week...."I have no use for another time share package such as GVC as I already have aprox 175,000 points per year in Interval and RCI. I can get all the last minute deals and bookings that I want through those organizations in fact the visit to the Mayan was purchased on such a last minute deal." so why did you sign up to go to the Mayan? To take advantage of the gifts that were offered? Shame on you for getting caught stealing. Those gifts are for bringing in new prospects that are interested in ownership. Not Mooches! I feel sorry for you not because you bought exactly what you were offered, but because you see nothing wrong with wasting the day of the salespeople that are trying to make a living helping other people that really want a better way to vacation.
Briancb
Miami,Florida,
U.S.A.
Grupo Mayan Fraud comments like these make it hard to convince my friends to visit
#12Consumer Comment
Thu, October 09, 2008
I have been a member of Grupo Mayan for several years now. I have never had a problem getting a reservation and the resorts are lovely. I always have a great time there. I always recommend my friends to go and when they ask me if they should buy I advise they do it first because they like the resort, the beach and the service the hotel provides for them, and second because sometimes if they cannot use their week or want to make a bit more money than their maintenance fee they can rent it to their friends or family. Comments like these however make it hard for me to convince my friends to get timeshare. Most of the facts stated are not true and they just make people that do not know anything about this company feel insecure about it and not want to be associated with them. In the end, it just makes it hard for us that are customers to bring more of our friends to vacation with us and buy the same products we are fully enjoying. I can tell you for a fact, Grupo Mayan has been a company that never stops growing. Yes, sometimes you might be on hold for a little longer than you expect on the phone when making a reservation but the vacations, hotels and common areas are always great. So guys, please don't make it hard for the rest of us that want our friends and their friends to vacation in the same place by writing comments without having the facts straight because they get uncertain and in the end you are making it tougher for everyone that actually owns a timeshare there (including those of you posting negative comments) harder to rent out their week or refer a friend.
Jdee
San Diego,California,
U.S.A.
GRUPO MAYAN, READ CONTRACT, GVC IS NOT PART OF GRUPO MAYAN
#13Consumer Suggestion
Thu, October 09, 2008
First, I will say that GVC is a separate product from Grupo Mayan. Two completely different companies. Read your contracts... This brings me to the next point I have been making onlin about how to avoid Grupo Mayan Scam, and how to avoid Grupo Mayan Fraud. By reading several reports I see online about Grupo Mayan Fraud, Grupo Mayan Scam, etc I have come to realize that 99% of the people complaining about the product they bought did not READ THE CONTRACT. My husband and I have been very happy owners of Grupo Mayan and proudly recommend it. We know several other members that are very happy with the product. It all comes down to EXPECTATIONS vs REALITY. Obviously salesmen make the product sound amazing, and it is...if you know what is real and what is not. The contract that I have from Grupo Mayan is very clear to state something along the lines of DO NOT PURCHASE FOR RENTAL OR INVESTMENT PURPOSES. It also says GRUPO MAYAN does not represent the rental market, or encourages rentals in anyway. If you read the contract and still buy, you know you did it because Grupo Mayan has the most spectacular resorts in Latin America and its a great product. However, if you buy thinking this will make you rich, you are dead wrong. In any sale, for any product, it doesn't matter what the sales staff says. It all comes down to what is written down in the contract. Grupo Mayan is an amazing company. Please do not keep posting hoaxes and lies. There are so many false posts onlin..."I am a cancer patient FORCED to buy" "I have health problems and I was FORCED to buy". We have seen those all over the internet, and us, proud owners, just get upset at people blogging to damage the reputation of a world class company, and our friends the hard workring staff of the resorts we visit every year. You hurt ALL HAPPY OWNERS when you make the company suffer. Its simple, they lose business, which means we all lose business. All thousands of happy owners. Finally, call Grupo Mayan customer service. They can help with anything gladly.
