Complaint Review: The San Francisco Exchange Company - Alameda California

 Promised a 4-5 star resort for a vacation package through SFX Travel Dept. We were over charged for an awful, uninhabitable hotel. No refund offered.

I purchased a Vacation Package with SFX Travel Rewards and was promised a two week resort hotel or one week for two couples back in 2011. THey promised me a 4-5 star property. I have dealt with them with time share exchanges, so my name is known to them. However,when they solicited my business for a Travel Diamond Rewards program,  I invested $3800 for a Travel Rewards package. The fee was charged to my credit card in 5 installments. When I booked in Oct., 2013 for a week in June, 2014 in Paris, there were very  little choices. The hotel they offered had a supplemental charge, claiming that since it was the summer, rates were more expensive (Novotel du Porte du Montreuil).I booked it and paid a supplement of $895 per couple for each of two rooms for a week (June 28-July 5). When we arrived, we found the hotel to be unsafe, unlivable and in a dangerous neighborhood. We could not even check in, frightened by the surroundings and the vagrants lurking in the doorway. Further,the supplement was a lie as the rate for the hotel was below what my vacation package cost!Further, the hotel down the road, an IBIS- a cleaner and more amenable property- charged less than the supplement (95Euros per night on weekend, and 113 Euros midweek)! SFX refused to refund our money (we had to find other hotels to stay) and claimed, when I attempted to speak to one of their supervisors, after I sent them pictures of the horrible hotel and its environs, that "They are not responsible for the condition or upkeep of the hotels they book." This is a direct quote from Mr. XXXXXX, a Supervisor at SFX Travel . I couldn't believe my ears! Then, they should not call themselves a travel agent. I feel they defrauded me into believing that I would have a 4-5 star property and provided me with an unacceptable one. They over charged me for a property that would not warrant a one star- or any rating. Further, they made no effort to recompense us for the disgusting accommodations they offered us. It ruined out vacation! They are misleading to the public in their claims to provide quality hotels and service. No one attempted to help me even when I e-mailed them from Paris the next day. They did not answer my e-mails after I returned until I offered to send them pictures of the property. They have refued to do anything. We are out $1800 for two couples and $1900 for the original vacation package- totaling $3700, not to mention the additonal $2100 for hotels that we had to book to provide us with accommodations. I have retained a lawyer to pursue this matter legally as they have breached their contract and have failed to fulfill their contractual obligation to me as one of their customers. They continue to advertise falsely misleading the public about their services and the extent of their offerings. They should not be in business.  I am hoping that the BBB can help me recover my losses and those of my friends' who were the recipients of the second week vacation package. I have pictures of the property to prove my claims! 

Consumer's Desired Resolution:

I am seeking a refund of $1800 for the half of the vacation package that I booked with EXXXX MXXX- I used the half for a cruise in 2012 (also paid a supplement which I later found was unnecessary as I could have booked the same accommodation with the cruise line for less money). The remaining half was for two vacation resort weeks or one week for two couples. In addition,I am seeking a refund for the supplement that I paid -$895 for each couple, totalling $1790, plus damages resulting from the uninhabitable nature of the resort- namely, the need to find alternate accommodations at the last minute. Our hotel bills total $2100 for the week for two couples. Thus, our loss is $3690 plus %2100=$5790.