Consumer Diary: Savannah vacation club makes us wonder if we did the right thing; only time will tell | Business
Initial, I unfortunately confess that this cautionary column about our latest nine-working day holiday in Charleston and Savannah is uncomfortable.
Charleston was charming — basic Historic District houses, a horse-and-buggy historical past tour, superb nightly dinners, (shrimp-and-grits three periods), the Charleston Museum’s fascinating slavery show, the courtly Magnolia Plantation with its 4 restored slave cabins. Savannah was yet another pleasure — our special, stylish resort, the Mansion on Forsyth Park (with its nightly champagne and chocolate-chip-cookie hour), the trolley history tour, the great dining places, and the stately Historic District households bordering the ubiquitous leafy squares and parks.
Having said that, we produced a common unforgivable miscalculation for a client columnist:
On Monday, on arriving in Charleston, the pretty friendly hotel concierge touted the well-liked horse-and-buggy tour, costing $50 each and every.
We purchased it, and it was excellent. But in advance of shelling out, she claimed if we endured by way of an hour presentation by a vacation club she’s affiliated with, we’d get a $110 check out just for listening. We agreed.
Tuesday we attended the session, not intending to indicator just about anything, and afterwards got the check.
The club’s provide promised “up to 40-to-70 percent discounts” on resorts and resorts only if we signed promptly — a massive crimson flag. James, our would-be agent, checked lodges we pay a visit to in Miami Seaside and where by our two small children live, New York and Pennsylvania, in which each and every 7 days or two we go to our children and grandchildren.
We approximated we’d help save $5,000 in Calendar year One and hundreds additional the next 12 months.
The deal: Shell out $6,995 in addition $199 per year, and a one-time $399 “registration” price and get two absolutely free yearly memberships (for our two children’s family members) and a promise that if we didn’t help save $6,995 after 5 several years we’d get the change. Total: $7,593. Yikes!
We imagined about it but did not know the words and phrases “up to” meant no certain big discount rates.
Tuesday night time during meal at Hank’s Seafood, consumer regret established in.
My wife examine numerous on line assessments branding vacation golf equipment as fraud functions.
Whilst they claimed during the presentation we’d preserve up to 40 to 70 p.c off lodge stays in all places, the web page they despatched us confirmed discounts comparable to what we’d get cost-free on web sites Booking.com and Expedia.
Now we regret our selection and know that we should in no way have fallen prey to this give. Too lousy our credit score card firm reported that it was also late to terminate when we’d signed up.
Later on, the concierge praised the company’s reputation, and our new agent had a longtime member phone, describing how considerably he’s saved.
Wednesday morning a examination was in order: The Mansion was exorbitant — $2,048, such as taxes for four evenings. I explained to our plan’s agent to safe a low cost before we arrived Friday, while it was right before the program took influence. Surprising me, she bought $916 off.
Then she bought $30 off our Richmond lodge continue to be on our generate home and $50 per night off our Lancaster resort keep this weekend.
Overall discounts so considerably: $1,196. Following we’ll request reductions for two forthcoming stays in Lancaster when our 3rd grandchild is born in July.
I’ll report back again later this 12 months on irrespective of whether we actually were being fools.
Advice: Go through claims diligently. Go through testimonials. Resist tension to indication instantly. Pay by verify, which can be blocked. If it sounds as well fantastic to be legitimate, it most likely is.
Attain out to Harlan and let him know your thoughts, issues, and concerns as a consumer send out him an electronic mail at [email protected]
