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We were in Charleston, South Carolina site seeing in mid-March of 2009 when we walked into the Visitors Center where we were approached by what we later were told was a "body snatcher" (for Festiva Resorts). This young lady went on to talk to us about Festiva Resorts and its 90 minute presentation. She was able to offer us 4 free gifts at the small cost of $20.00 which you later get back. So off to the hotel we went with our free vouchers to 4 attractions offered in Charleston all we had to do was attend a 90 minute presentation and visit one room at one of the resorts. Upon arriving in Charleston for our 90 minute presentation we are yet AGAIN grabbed by another "body snatcher". NOW this body snatcher can offer me 2 free gifts and a 3 day stay at a resort in Charleston $150/night room for just $69.99. What a deal we thought so she writes us up for MORE free vouchers and we give her another $20 which we get back later? Should have been our sign then right? So we attend the 90 minute presentation first thing we notice is all these top 25 places by Forbes etc. on the walls. The next day in the local paper was a list of the TOP 25 Resorts in Charleston, South Carolina guess what? Festiva was not listed. FRAUD.
Three hours later we walk out via being escorted by our festiva resort representative who was SO MAD that we turned them down after wasting 3 hours of their time and our time decided to not walk us back to the reception area instead she just stopped and handed us our folder and said have a nice day and walked off. So we found that very rude and odd.
TO the consumers do not do business with this resort or company. I am hoping someone from South Carolina will get this to the Attorney General and have him sue for fraud. This needs to be investigated and stopped. Search the internet before purchasing with Festiva is all we can say.
The Beasleys
Between, Georgia
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
With all the problems they are having with Attorney Generals, it is easier to get out of their contracts.
My family and I was ripped off by this company in Celebration Florida they ( Festiva) bought Celebration World RESORT. I purchase this time share in 1993 and upgraded twice, and bought an annual membershipship my total points was 80, 000 plus points, now in 2013 my points is 31, 000 semiannual . I have provided them with proof of the upgrades and the money I paid for them, I have yet heard from them or gotten my points back or my over $7, 000 back.
My advice DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH FESTIVA RESORTS. We are hoping the State Attonery in the State of Florida will step in and HELP.
If any one else out there have lost their points and money dealing with Celebration World Resort and Festiva Resort contact the state of attonery office in Florida and keep pushing the issue.
Festiva Resorts is a big fraudulent company. I made the mistake to attend their presentation, this was what they tried to sell us, [a timeshare two story cottage with stairs]. When we told the salesman we weren't going to buy, that nothing was accessible he said we were using that as an excuse, and blew up and said you couldn't afford it anyway [without knowing our income]. Bottom line is we were treated very rudely and disrespectful, and would not want anyone else to have to be treated this way. Pure lies and deception from
the first time they opened their mouths. Stay away from ALL timeshares and travel discount schemes associated with these timeshare scams. These are good articles about timeshare scams and how to get away from them:
http://www. timesharescam.com/
EVERYONE! Write the President, your U.S. Congresspeople, and the Attorney General’s Office! LIFETIME CONTRACTS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED!
Sign the petition at
https://www.change.org/petitions/president-obama-u-s-congress-u-s-attorney-general-allow-timeshare-owners-to-get-out-of-their-lifetime-contracts#
and post this to as many boards as you can!
People complaining about being "body snatched" are the same people who come back year after year to sign up for "free stuff" just to save money because they can't afford to vacation on their own money. It's not rocket science and no coincidence that timeshare companies market a product that saves people money vacation to people who obviously like to save money on vacation. They like to save money and free stuff SOOO much that they'll even waste three hours of their vacation time to talk to a rep about something they have NO intention on buying and effectively wasting the rep's time too. Then when the rep shows them a solution to their money problem, they puke about how they really don't go that much and don't mind staying in crappy hotels for 40.00 a night. SAVE IT!
I am sorry that you have had this experience. Please write to www.festivareviews.com and we will look further into this issue. Thank you and have a great day!
Call the police on them..The Managers over there really believe they are above the law! The employees are doing what they are told to do..but believe me management tells them the city has said it's OK...Yeah Buddy! Keep the heat on them!
Have had to deal with Festiva reps trespassing on private property while they try to con their unsuspecting victims. I wish someone would shut them down.
Thank You God for allowing me to research this company since they called me to validate my day of arrival. Now I know Who I am dealing with. And now I know somewhat how to respond and not let my spouse get away from me. I only applied because I thought It was a getaway deal. Then they through in the resort 90 minute. I hope we make it through and get out. I know I do not have the money to pay anyway. They can talk till their face is blue! I knew that this might end up being a nightmare vacation.
I appreciate all the reviews and I will print them out and bring with me to the presentation and let them see it.
I was given a voucher for $50 and yes it was WORTHLESS! I think they are able to get away with this because, never did I ask will I be able to cash this at the bank. I just assumed it was real. Ask if your vouchers are REAL and if the bank recognizes their voucher as a REAL CHECK. Just stay away and plan your vacation the old fashion way!
I am sorry to see you have been having issues with your ownership. I will have a representative from our Owner Services Department contact you to resolve any of your concerns. We look forward to working with you directly.
My husband and I also became a VICTUM of the "bodysnatchers"! This place really knows how to push someone into buying something that is the biggest rip off I have ever seen!
We were in Charleston, when a PREDITOR approached us. Now most us, know nothing is for fee, and if it sounds to good to be true...well then run. We didnt. We sat there and kept saying no, we can not afford it over and over, but wanting our FREE vouchers guess what..we stayed and listened. Oh the girl was smooth let me tell you, she gave us her "cell phone" number and said out maintenance fees would be covered she knew a way to rent out our condo for a win win situation. I still kept saying no, no. At that time I was distracted by someone who supposely was from my area and started talking about things like the Greenbay packer games, Brewer games etc... meanwhile my husband was on his own! She played him BAD!
Batting her eyes, giggle here and there, and promising him it would not cost as much as it looks as long as we deal with her outside the office. huh! Needless to say it was a lie! All of it! So, I call to cancel and GIVE it back, no they had us come into the Wisconsin Dells site and be there again with the biggest B S -er yet! Nice weekend in the condo for free, basically catered too! ok, husband again said it was a awesome deal. Here we are 2 1/2 yrs later...NEVER USED IT! No openings, or no answer, or my favorite...maintence needs to be paid. So hubby, thinks he is going to surprise me and set up a nice vacation by paing the fee.$890 Now, NO openings anywhere. Cant use our points and yet another yr is almost up so more maintence fee's! Not to mention $ 165 EVERY MONTH OUT OF OUR CHECKING!
RUN ! THE $20 VOUCHER IS NOT WORTH THIS. I THINK OUT OF THE THOUSANDS WE GAVE SO FAR, THOSE COUPLE VOUCHERS WAS POCKET CHANGE!
The kicker is, people who fall for this scam, the ones needing free vouchers to do things on vacation to help the vacation 'fund' CANNOT afford this and Festiva knows they probably won't have the funds or power to get out of the mess!
We need to gather as a group and bring this company down!
Also, when they say on this comment board call us directly we will handle the situation...that also is a scam, they NEVER answer, just recordings!
I also attended a "90-Minute" presentation because I thought I was going to win a motorcycle. They even told us on the phone that if we won it, we could drive it right off the lot. Besides that, there were other large prizes. Upon arrival, I saw no motorcycle anywhere. And the other couples were there to win completely different prizes. Well 90 minutes turned into 4 hours. I was kept there until after 11pm and I lived an hour away. After hours of talking, they promised many things, and even said we would have a week long carnival cruise. Well the cruise is NOT free. I signed up for this horrible money-sucking club just last Friday. After I researched it online yesterday I have seen I have been conned. Luckily for me, I am still within my 10 days to cancel this contract. If you need to cancel the contract, send a letter with your signature and your spouses in a letter stating that you want to cancel it. Include that stupid leather binder or they will charge you. Send it certified mail with a reciept return so you know they got it. I suggest you call your Attorney General, who informed me that if I had any problems getting out of the contract, they would have proof I called to cancel it on that day. Make sure you have all your documentation and stop payments on any checks you gave them. This is a complete waste of money and time. NEVER SIGN UP WITH THESE PEOPLE.
dwhits;
We in no way are trying to insult anyone nor is our company a scam. When we are made aware of a complaint right away, we are typically able to resolve it in a timely manner; however, often complaints are not brought to our attention until well after the situation occurs.
While complaint sites like this do have a function for consumers, we are not always able to see these complaints right away, and usually we do not get the person's name or information from the complaint, which we need in order to help.
The best way to have your complaint with Festiva resolved is to contact us directly.
I still believe in the things that my father and mother taught me, if it sounds to good to be true it is ususally that way. They wouldn't put the high pressure sales tactic on you when you tell the first sales person no and than bring in the big guy to pressure you further with a lesser and better offer. Unfortunately it is the people that can't afford it that usually fall for the deal. I think it is also an insult on here to the people complaining to have someone come in and adddress the issue like they can all of a sudden help you when you have been complaining all along...it is just to make it look better for them so somone else thinks well maybe it isn't really a scam.
My husband and I were pressured into buying "that day only" at a special low price. Of course, we were suckered into it as well as everyone else. Upon returning home, we decided that we had acted irrationally and been pressured into buying when we didn't really have time to think about it. I started trying to make contact with Festiva Resorts at the same place where we attended our presentation and over several months had problems from no one answering, left messages that were not returned, given other numbers to call, I was calling the wrong place, etc.. Basically I was given the run-around. All this time we were making payments, finally we had had enough and were so mad that we just decided to stop making payments and see what happened. Well, they started calling and called every single day leaving messages. I filed a complaint with the BBB which got me nowhere. I just want out!
BPV;
I'm sorry that you had trouble securing a reservation. We are happy to work with you to address your concerns and book your vacation for you. Please contact us at comments@festivaresorts.com with your name and contact information and the details of your experience including the package you purchased and we will be glad to have the appropriate person contact you.
I am sad to say that i agree with all of the above posts regarding Festiva. BUYERS BEWARE... Luckily after the impressive 90 minute presentation we resisted purchasing the high end timeshare product. We were instead convinced to "try things out" through and Adventure Club package. The catch was were had to use in a year in order to "lock in" pricing on a real time share at the end of the year. Well, the year is almost up and we paid off the club, however; we have never been able to schedule our week at any of the locations s they are always booked. I even tried to transfer it to my retired in aws to see if they could find a more convenient time to go. That was not allowed. I am grateful that I did not buy in any further and i have truly learned a hard lesson related to time share. I am interested in any class action suits and can be reached at bvan0726@comcast.net
Mrs. Bruska,
Thank you for saving us from this dangerous people. In a country that has laws to protect citizens, such a ripoff/scam happens in a daylight at a location which is at the heart of Charleston, SC (157 Church St, SC 29401). Guys, do not go to this place unless you have some money and time to waste! The front desk people are totally rude and would never discuss matters in side the lobby, rather would like to do it out side on the street. Beware!
Mrs. Bruska;
It's my understanding that you have recently been in contact with our vice president of member services on your issues and that he is working on a resolution for you. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do for you in the meantime by writing to comments@festivaresorts.com.
We appreciate the opportunity to work with you directly.
Hello Everyone,
I think it is time for us to all start calling lawyers and getting as much info as possible and move forward against Festiva Resorts. They are promising us things that are wrong and they are out right lying to us! They do have laws that protect consumers who have been promised one thing, but then yet given another. Any of you that have been wronged by Festiva you need to make a complaint to the BBB, the Attorney General, and even the Mayors office. Contact me ASAP if you want to move forward with getting a lawyer. tbruska@yahoo.com
We went to a sales presentation for Festiva in New Orleans today. They promised us 2 roundtrip airline tickets for attending the presentation. They gave us a worthless application for tickets to a sales pitch in Las Vegas or Orlando and we have to pay more in deposits and fees than we would have to pay for the tickets. If this is the way they do business, we are sure that anyone who pays them anything will come out on the losing end.
RIPOFF!
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO WORK AS A GROUP TO BRING DOWN FESTIVA--everyone needs to be aware of this scam. My email is melissarnmba@live.com -- contact me! It would be nice if someone was an attorney. I have a friend who is an attorney and will be checking with him to see what we can do...
Festiva Resorts states that we are to contact Owner Services to address these issues. I HAVE MORE THAN ONCE. I have it all documented and they clearly know that we are very unhappy and they have been nothing but very rude, and they still won't refund us. Like I said in my last comment I think this could make for a very interesting story for 20/20 and also the Attorney General. When a company intentially tells you one thing, and the employees at Festiva state "you cannot hold us to what we promised you verbally." What does that state for a company? All we have ever asked for was our refund as a disatisified customer! Maybe all of us should contact each other and see what route we could. Contact me tbruska@yahoo.com
If you did not receive what you were promised for a tour, or if you do feel that you were treated unfairly, please let us know. Contact Festiva Resorts Owner Services at ownerservices@festivaresorts.com. We do have a system in place for addressing ALL complaints and concerns, so please let us know about your experience.
You can also post any questions at http://festivaresorts.wordpress.com/question-answer.
We had a similar experience at the Tourist information office in Charleston. Is it possible to report whoever is working at the tourist office who is obviously being paid for duping unsuspecting tourists? After 4 hours high pressure we handed over almost $24, 000. We cancelled within 14 hours and 6 weeks later they are still in possession of all our money. I have logged all the calls made to Festiva over the last 6 weeks and am yet to find someone who is at their desk - I just leave daily messages on a variety of answer machines and no one ever calls back. How many calls would you make if someone had stolen that much of your money?! They finally sent us a supposed 'check' but nowhere on the check was there a $ sign or any mention of the currency - needless to say, our bank has told us that it is a worthless piece of paper that needs to be returned and reissued with a currency sign on it. Just count your blessings that you didn't part with any money...