Complaint Review: Suite Journeys - Daytona Beach Florida

I came across this complaint after doing some research on Suite Journeys and wanted to share my recent experience with this company. The information I share is 100% honest. There doesn't appear to be a lot of information online about Suite Journeys (not sure whether this is good or bad) so I hope what I share will be somewhat helpful.

We saw a television commerical advertising a four day three night hotel stay in Daytona Beach for $99.00 per couple. I was extremely skeptical about the offering and thought this was just another promotion to try and get you to buy timeshare. When I called I was told the company didn't sell timeshare but rather wanted to share information about their travel club. I always wanted to visit Daytona Beach so I figured for $99.00 and 90 minutes of my time, why not take a chance?

When we finally checked in to our hotel I wasn't impressed due to the fact it was a fairly simple hotel room with no view. Then again we planned on spending time at the beach and not really time in the room except to sleep. The hotel was right on the ocean and within walking distance to several restaurants and shops. I did stop by the front desk and asked how much the room was going for per night and was told about $150.00. This made me feel a lot better.

The next day we attended the mandatory 90 minute tour. Suite Journeys is a travel club who promises discounts on hotels, condos, cruises, etc. After speaking with numerous employees at Suite Journeys my husband and I decided to purchase a membership. We were extremely excited given the fact we were planning our annual vacation to Myrtle Beach which was just a few weeks away.

When we were finally able to review the website we checked on availability in Myrtle Beach and much to my suprise there were NO condos available. This was a MAJOR red flag and I all of a sudden had this gut wrenching pain in my stomach that we had been scammed.

I called the travel department who told me it was peak season in Myrtle Beach and if it wasn't on the website there was no availability. Now I'm beyond upset that we had just spent thousands of dollars for something that didn't work and offered us nothing in return. At this point I'm wanting to cancel my membership and get my money back. 

I called and spoke with several gentlemen at the sales office where we purchased who offered their assistance with finding us a condo. I told them I didn't want any help and only wanted my money back. I demanded to speak with someone "above" them and was referred to a Mr. Sommers.

After speaking with Mr. Sommers in depth about my concerns, he explained the condos viewable on the website are not the 'be all end all'. I told him I'd called the travel department who told me if a property wasn't listed on the website it wasn't available. At this point I'm thinking I'm getting the run around. Mr. Sommers explained Suite Journeys has relationships with hundreds of different companies and due to there being thousands of properties which change on a daily basis it would be all but impossible to post every single condo listing. I said if that's the case then find me a two bedroom condo in Myrtle Beach for the dates I want. He said he couldn't guarantee me anything but would do his best and would contact me within 24 hours.

Our budget for accomodations in Myrtle Beach each year is capped at $1000.00. I figured if he could get a nicer property than a plain jane hotel room we would be happy. Of course I never thought he'd return our call, but he did. He told me he was able to find a two bedroom condo in Myrtle Beach for $499.00. I was absolutely shocked. I asked for the name of the resort so that I could review detailed information and ratings for the property. I also checked the resort price for the two bedroom condo which was $200.00 per night plus tax and a cleaning fee. This resort wasn't top of the line but the reviews were excellent and the price was less than the Days Inn across the road from the beach. I decided to take the offer and paid the $499.00. At this point I'm still skeptical even after receiving my confirmation.

We showed up at the resort and all we had to do was provide a credit card for a damage deposit. The $499.00 covered everything else. We get to our room and it was absolutely fantastic. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The condo was about 1200 square feet with a full kitchen. Best of all it was oceanfront! We had a fantastic trip and couldn't wait to call Mr. Sommers when we got home.

We called and spoke with Mr. Sommers and thanked him for all the hard work he'd put into making our vacation the most enjoyable experience one could ask for. I went from demanding my money back to being a very happy customer. I told Mr. Sommers we only wanted to deal with him going forward to which he stated he doesn't make reservations for members but is always more than happy to help assist in any way he could.

We have now used our membership on three different occasions. What I would honestly state is if you're somewhat flexible with your travel arrangements, Suite Journeys is an excellent program. It was a very rocky start from the get-go, but being someone who has used the membership numerous times I can say it's definitely worth the money. 

WATCH WHAT IS POSTED....

We purchased from Suite Journeys over a year ago and have had nothing but good experience with the product. The travel agents are very helpful and the condos that we have stayed in are wonderful as well as the prices.  We have referred others to the program, due to the great deals we have been getting.

However we went to another presentation of a travel club in Daytona and they kept telling us all the problems that people have with Suite Journeys, which we have not seen.

We did not tell them we were members of the program The sales agent felt we now "friends" and told us that some of the guys at his work got together and put some bad stuff on the Ripoff Report to caution people.  They thought it was funny.  We did not !

We wanted to say something nice and true about the company, as they said the Ripoff Report does not take the stuff off the reports once written.  We do not like dishonesty, so we thought we would say that Suite Journeys has been a great program for us and has great condo deals.

Karen,

We would like to clarify the matter regarding your arrangement with the company you mentioned (Suite Journeys) and our company (Preferred Guest Resorts). We (PGR) are a completely seperate entity, and we have no involvement in any dealings or arrangements that might exist between you and Suite Journeys. If you have any quesions, or concerns regarding your Preferred Guest Resorts promotional package, please feel free to contact us anytime as we are always available to assist you.

Thank you,

((Preferred Guest Resorts))

888-261-8543