Complaint Review: Lifestyle Holiday Vacation Club - Internet

sometime back mid June 2011, me and my wife decided to have my 2nd visit to Dominican Republic. First time i went to Punta Cana.. Sweet memories... 2nd visit - chose Puerto Plata - LHVC. found unbeatable deal in the internet.. $200++ for 5 days 4 night and thought i have picked up some luck turn out to be my nightmare.....

despite some negative reviews (staff attitude) about the services provided by LHVC.. i thought that with only $200++ nothing much I can complain about. from the moment i stepped in the lobby.. Full of tourists in the line waiting to check in/out - only 2 staff in the counter.. took me 2 hours++ to get my room key. while waiting, there are lots of staff wearing white Tshirt with LHVC logo ....(WATCH OUT!)
they are guys who will make approach to you and lead you to the trap they have been setup for you.

long story short, next day one of the white T guy approach us as we have a white band on our wrist (means we bought the package from cheapcarribean with cheap price $200++ for 2 ppl) and he started introduce himself and said will reserve restaurant for us and we thought that all compliment and included from our package due to my previous punta cana experience(ALL INCLUSIVE which also stated in their package).

when i got in to the LHVC building, (LEO)salesperson came by and start introduce the differences between V.I.P (golden band) and white band like i had and the tour began...show room... how many sister resorts... weeks we can have... how flexible... Villas... junior suite for $199 a week... all the fantasies vacation we always dream of.... first he has intro me the $4000 package for 20 weeks..before i sign the contract, he added couple more weeks to buy me in.. I asked a lot of question to be sure and answer from the salesperson:

Villa - you can reserve the villa anytime you want.

Resort/Days - you can choose any resort u want that in the booklet and have the option to decide how many days to stay. e.g 1 week $199 = $28++ per night. stay 3 night would be 3 * 28++. 

Cancellation = no obligation, contract can be cancel anytime we want.

when i decided to sign, the salesperson supervisor tried to convinced me to  pay all at once with another adding more weeks to my package.. but i rejected it.. I have paid $2000 + $200 admin fees.

so, after came back from vacation, my vacation brain started thinking.. LHVC just too good to be true and started GOOGLING about LHVC.. turns out so many RIP OFF  reported out there and i was blinded during the time i was there. Nevertheless, since i have signed the contract i should give it a try... i started email them to reserve my next trip.. end up... supposed price for junior suite $259 a week (sister resort RCI) become $499 due to high peak season...which is not stated in contract.. i called and they said due too high season, they don't have junior suite for 259 yet they can get one if we are willing to pay $499 which is the presidentail suite price. first mistake they have done.

2nd, i told them i can get lower price if i book it myself (i checked the resort through the resort website). the Customer Service replied they will re-check and give me respond asap yet i have never get any respond.. i have total sent 3-4 emails and my language in the email getting impolite of course as i started to scare to be one of the victim as i found out in internet and yet i have never get any response.

3rd, i have tried to reserve the VILLA for next yr FEB, MARCH and i ask for the villa availability... and respond from them was - i am not subject to inquiry The Villa availability exceed than a month due to i am the lower membership.. i can only inquiry the villa availability within a month and that's not in my contract at all! 

respond from LHVC:
Due to the membership package that she purchased her priority is not in villas hence availability cannot be given to lower accommodation members in villas until such time that all villa membership owners have responded with regards to their bookings and/or soft bookings.

from that on, i know i am one of the victim and started to request for cancellation.. and yet they said they didn't breach the contract and denied my cancellation.. i have proved them i never get the service/ didn't get any response. yet they respond me:

ME alleges constant communications to her customer service representative that went unanswered yet we can find no evidence of such communication, neither in the inbox of the representative or the LHVC computer server. (i found this very funny, as i thought they have already out of excuse).  

after some email campaigning, in my last email with LHVC, they have agreed to refund me with portion of the money that i have paid, yet they still insist is not their fault but they are willing to refund part of the money now.

again to those victims as i am... kept all the email as proof... watch out with the way they respond.. they will insist is not their fault, and convert the question you have asked to something else. Always stick on the services they promised and never full fill.. again.. collect evidences...

Last, currently I am still trying to negotiate with them and get the full amount back instead of part of them.....

 cheers eveyrone