I have been to one of their presentations in Portugal after "winning a holiday" Actually we were quite impressed but they weren't when we said we would not buy. We did tell them that at the start but obviously theythought they had us in the bag. When we said we would think our finances through when we got home they turned nasty. THEY SOLD US THE DREAM THEN TOOK IT AWAY.
However a friend has four weeks timeshare and is extremely happy with it. If they don't go they bank the weeks or their daughter goes.
Another has two weeks and is also quite happy with her lot.
Two sides to the story I think, some it suits others it doesn't
Club La Costa
by shelly1682 on Sun Mar 09, 2008 08:29 am
hi i new to this site just googled club la costa to find out how the HELL you get rid of the bloody thing and it came u with this site the only advice i will give people is WHATEVER YOU DO DONT DO IT WITH CLUB LA COSTA!!!!! its a bloody con.
we went to tenerife 3 years ago when we were approached by a young lass with scartch cards we had won this, that and that and all we had to do was go and listern to a presentation for 2 hours sign nothing a collect our prizes big bloody mistake she took our details in the taxi ride there and then told me i had to lie about my age as i was only 23 and you had to be a certain age.
we got there and all it was, was sell sell sell 7 hours later stupid us signed up for a trail. we were told at the meetin it was an investment and we could sell at anytime and make a profit what a load of rubbish we paid 18,000 for 1501 points we have been phoning round companies to sell them and the best offer we have had is �6 a point some profit!!! we got in touch with club la costa to sell it back to them but apparently they dont buy them back so now we are stuck with it until we can find someone else to buy we have got in touch with etoo and i have emailed The organisation who know timeshare companys to see what theyare like andso far they are a good company thats etoo, not CLUB LA COSTA!!! so if anyone knows what etoo are like i would love to here from you i future im sticking to thomas cook.
also i have emailed watchdog to see if they can do investigations ito club la costa so f anyone eles is having problems with them feel free to email watchdog hopefully enough complaints might just ge rid of this rubbish company
we went to tenerife 3 years ago when we were approached by a young lass with scartch cards we had won this, that and that and all we had to do was go and listern to a presentation for 2 hours sign nothing a collect our prizes big bloody mistake she took our details in the taxi ride there and then told me i had to lie about my age as i was only 23 and you had to be a certain age.
we got there and all it was, was sell sell sell 7 hours later stupid us signed up for a trail. we were told at the meetin it was an investment and we could sell at anytime and make a profit what a load of rubbish we paid 18,000 for 1501 points we have been phoning round companies to sell them and the best offer we have had is �6 a point some profit!!! we got in touch with club la costa to sell it back to them but apparently they dont buy them back so now we are stuck with it until we can find someone else to buy we have got in touch with etoo and i have emailed The organisation who know timeshare companys to see what theyare like andso far they are a good company thats etoo, not CLUB LA COSTA!!! so if anyone knows what etoo are like i would love to here from you i future im sticking to thomas cook.
also i have emailed watchdog to see if they can do investigations ito club la costa so f anyone eles is having problems with them feel free to email watchdog hopefully enough complaints might just ge rid of this rubbish company
- shelly1682
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 08:08 am
by Semilion on Sun Mar 09, 2008 18:44 pm
I found all the comments on this Forum very useful preparation for the Club La Costa presentation in Birmingham on 7th March so I thought, in return, I'd give a completely unbiased account of what we were offered, what we found and what we left with. I can't speak for anyone else who's been through it, but this is us, at Birmingham on Friday. Your own mileage may vary, as they say.
THAT phone call:
The offer ("award") of a (nearly) free holiday, plus high street shopping vouchers is totally genuine. Return flights and accommodation for a week is what you get � how much is that worth to you? On your holiday you are only expected to pay the airline's airport taxes, CLC's administration costs and whatever booze, food and transport you need on the Costa del Freebie. These are incentives to get you in front of one of their salesmen for a couple of hours, but there's nothing underhand and they're quite up-front about it. And that's because 1 in 3 punters, on average, come away from these presentations having bought in to CLC.
So, if you don't want to go on holiday in the next 18 months to one of the destinations they offer, just ignore the offer (unless you have time to kill in exchange for the shopping vouchers � see below).
If you decide to attend but decide that neither the �free� holiday nor the holiday club is for you, you still walk away with shopping vouchers � you get a choice of retailer's paper � which are handed over after the event. If you attend during the week, you get twice the value (�50) compared with going at the weekend.
If the shopping vouchers, plus a couple of hours of sitting through a live sales pitch (aimed at you) and seeing 2 short DVD presentations about their holiday locations � if this isn't worth a week's holiday abroad to you, then don't go. Shout scam and pay for your own. The rest isn't for you.
But if you want to brave the selling experience and/because you want those freebies, then read on.
THE DREADED PRESENTATION.
It takes about 2 - 2� hours. If you ask lots of questions, as we did, it takes longer � but only because you want it to. It is a considerable slice of money we're talking about, after all. You are with a salesman for the whole time except at the very end when you discuss it between yourselves. You get as much tea/coffee as you ask for; the venue is light and airy and the seats are all comfortable. No bright lights in the eyes and definitely no water boarding. BUT remember why you've been invited there: they want you to be one of the one-in-three who buy! (And maybe you do too, but remember that buying should be a negotiation � on your terms).
THE SELL
�Our� salesman was quite charming and very pleasant. We quite enjoyed having the conversation with him. He also took great care to explain all the �top level� benefits � a.k.a. selling points � of the holiday club membership and the up-front costs involved. Because they want to relieve you of chunks of your money, they have perfected their patter down to the last detail - and they're quite unashamed of that � they are happy to charm you into buying their product, based on all the advantages they spell out for you. It's what they do.
It's the psychology of selling in action. The salesman reveals the good points of the product in a strict order that begs your approval. And just when it begins to look too much to take on, you wait � he will next reveal something that will make it seem much more achievable. And wait, too: somewhere in there will be a discount �just for you�. But they're not rude, they don't try to brow-beat you and they don't belittle you. And if you finally decide that you don't want to buy, they may express surprise and puzzlement at how they haven't been able to convince you, but that's it. They don't go into overdrive and try to force you to change your mind. Instead, they give you your promised shopping vouchers and your holiday booking details, shake you by the hand and wish you well. Off you go, alive and with your self-esteem intact.
IT'S YOUR MONEY; YOU MAKE THE RULES - MAKE NOTES
One thing I would recommend, though, is to make your own simple notes of the costs so that you remember the details. Their technique is to make your decision a simple progression, and take you through it step-by step. 1- Do you understand what they've told you? 2 - Do you like what you've heard? 3- Is it suitable for you? 4 - Do you want it? 5 - Can you afford it? 6 - Will you buy it? As they lead you through these steps, they will write everything very clearly on single sheets of paper. But those sheets are soon covered up by other sheets as the sales pitch moves on to further details. Unless you're good at remembering figures � and you are quite likely to get tired as the sales pitch carries on � then just write them down for your own benefit. This could be important because although the main offer (Product A) is fairly easy to understand, accept or reject, their alternative (Product B) is slightly more complicated. The reason for this is that A and B are really different propositions: A is an investment and B is a straight purchase that can be turned into an investment within a certain period of time.
DO YOU WANT TO INVEST OR DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE?
Product A is a holiday club membership with all its many considerable benefits; it's an investment that lasts for a 59 year period. It's expected to increase in value, both over time and the more you use it, and you can pass it on to your indolent offspring (or anyone else you fancy) when you finally go to that big holiday resort in the sky.
Product B appears much more affordable. It's a straight �trial membership� which lasts for 34 months. You can figure out whether that's good value as a straight purchase (if you've remembered to note all the relevant cost figures) but, if you like it enough, you can also turn it into the 59 year investment.
Just be clear about what your own motivations are when you go in. Are you happy with buying a membership something that's tied to you for 59 years? If you always like to take holidays of the type that CLC provides and can spare the dollars and are happy enough with the world economic prospect through to the year 2067, then this it could well be for you. (But, personally, I'd forget about selling it, there's no guarantee that you even break even from it). If you're intending to holiday like mad for the next 3 years anyway � and you want the sort of holiday that CLC provides � then the trial membership can be good value and right up your street. Your choice; just know what you want to get for your money.
AFTER 3 AND A BIT HOURS �
For our part, we didn't buy membership of either sort because we decided we really like to make our own arrangements, go places where the CLC and RCI crowds don't go (believe us � there are such places) and luxury isn't at the top of our agenda. We were there for the beer, which we duly came away with. Happy bunnies.
THAT phone call:
The offer ("award") of a (nearly) free holiday, plus high street shopping vouchers is totally genuine. Return flights and accommodation for a week is what you get � how much is that worth to you? On your holiday you are only expected to pay the airline's airport taxes, CLC's administration costs and whatever booze, food and transport you need on the Costa del Freebie. These are incentives to get you in front of one of their salesmen for a couple of hours, but there's nothing underhand and they're quite up-front about it. And that's because 1 in 3 punters, on average, come away from these presentations having bought in to CLC.
So, if you don't want to go on holiday in the next 18 months to one of the destinations they offer, just ignore the offer (unless you have time to kill in exchange for the shopping vouchers � see below).
If you decide to attend but decide that neither the �free� holiday nor the holiday club is for you, you still walk away with shopping vouchers � you get a choice of retailer's paper � which are handed over after the event. If you attend during the week, you get twice the value (�50) compared with going at the weekend.
If the shopping vouchers, plus a couple of hours of sitting through a live sales pitch (aimed at you) and seeing 2 short DVD presentations about their holiday locations � if this isn't worth a week's holiday abroad to you, then don't go. Shout scam and pay for your own. The rest isn't for you.
But if you want to brave the selling experience and/because you want those freebies, then read on.
THE DREADED PRESENTATION.
It takes about 2 - 2� hours. If you ask lots of questions, as we did, it takes longer � but only because you want it to. It is a considerable slice of money we're talking about, after all. You are with a salesman for the whole time except at the very end when you discuss it between yourselves. You get as much tea/coffee as you ask for; the venue is light and airy and the seats are all comfortable. No bright lights in the eyes and definitely no water boarding. BUT remember why you've been invited there: they want you to be one of the one-in-three who buy! (And maybe you do too, but remember that buying should be a negotiation � on your terms).
THE SELL
�Our� salesman was quite charming and very pleasant. We quite enjoyed having the conversation with him. He also took great care to explain all the �top level� benefits � a.k.a. selling points � of the holiday club membership and the up-front costs involved. Because they want to relieve you of chunks of your money, they have perfected their patter down to the last detail - and they're quite unashamed of that � they are happy to charm you into buying their product, based on all the advantages they spell out for you. It's what they do.
It's the psychology of selling in action. The salesman reveals the good points of the product in a strict order that begs your approval. And just when it begins to look too much to take on, you wait � he will next reveal something that will make it seem much more achievable. And wait, too: somewhere in there will be a discount �just for you�. But they're not rude, they don't try to brow-beat you and they don't belittle you. And if you finally decide that you don't want to buy, they may express surprise and puzzlement at how they haven't been able to convince you, but that's it. They don't go into overdrive and try to force you to change your mind. Instead, they give you your promised shopping vouchers and your holiday booking details, shake you by the hand and wish you well. Off you go, alive and with your self-esteem intact.
IT'S YOUR MONEY; YOU MAKE THE RULES - MAKE NOTES
One thing I would recommend, though, is to make your own simple notes of the costs so that you remember the details. Their technique is to make your decision a simple progression, and take you through it step-by step. 1- Do you understand what they've told you? 2 - Do you like what you've heard? 3- Is it suitable for you? 4 - Do you want it? 5 - Can you afford it? 6 - Will you buy it? As they lead you through these steps, they will write everything very clearly on single sheets of paper. But those sheets are soon covered up by other sheets as the sales pitch moves on to further details. Unless you're good at remembering figures � and you are quite likely to get tired as the sales pitch carries on � then just write them down for your own benefit. This could be important because although the main offer (Product A) is fairly easy to understand, accept or reject, their alternative (Product B) is slightly more complicated. The reason for this is that A and B are really different propositions: A is an investment and B is a straight purchase that can be turned into an investment within a certain period of time.
DO YOU WANT TO INVEST OR DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE?
Product A is a holiday club membership with all its many considerable benefits; it's an investment that lasts for a 59 year period. It's expected to increase in value, both over time and the more you use it, and you can pass it on to your indolent offspring (or anyone else you fancy) when you finally go to that big holiday resort in the sky.
Product B appears much more affordable. It's a straight �trial membership� which lasts for 34 months. You can figure out whether that's good value as a straight purchase (if you've remembered to note all the relevant cost figures) but, if you like it enough, you can also turn it into the 59 year investment.
Just be clear about what your own motivations are when you go in. Are you happy with buying a membership something that's tied to you for 59 years? If you always like to take holidays of the type that CLC provides and can spare the dollars and are happy enough with the world economic prospect through to the year 2067, then this it could well be for you. (But, personally, I'd forget about selling it, there's no guarantee that you even break even from it). If you're intending to holiday like mad for the next 3 years anyway � and you want the sort of holiday that CLC provides � then the trial membership can be good value and right up your street. Your choice; just know what you want to get for your money.
AFTER 3 AND A BIT HOURS �
For our part, we didn't buy membership of either sort because we decided we really like to make our own arrangements, go places where the CLC and RCI crowds don't go (believe us � there are such places) and luxury isn't at the top of our agenda. We were there for the beer, which we duly came away with. Happy bunnies.
- Semilion
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 17:43 pm
by grumpy59 on Sun Mar 09, 2008 20:11 pm
Jenny,
Thanks for the info. I appreciate that you have had the opportunity to travel to many different places...it certainly sounds like you can afford to be a member of CLC. I,personally,can't really afford to join an expensive 'club' and still have to pay to go on a vacation if that club doesn't have what I want at the time.I would guess that the club would be most attractive to those who are 1) retired and can afford to be very flexible about when they go on holiday,2) those who don't mind going to their second, third or fourth choice location at what may not be their first choice time and 3) those who have th cash to pay for another vacation if they don't get what they want from their club.
Unfortunately, I don't fit in to any of the above...I/we often take our holidays on short notice (booked 2-4 months in advance max)and go to places that take our fancy at the time. We often mixtwo or three detinations in one trip (This year it is Vegas and Frisco and last year it was Vegas and San Diego...).
Thanks anyway...I am sure you appreciate the club for what it offers just as I am sure that those that didn't enjoy it have valid reasons why they don't.
Grumpy
Thanks for the info. I appreciate that you have had the opportunity to travel to many different places...it certainly sounds like you can afford to be a member of CLC. I,personally,can't really afford to join an expensive 'club' and still have to pay to go on a vacation if that club doesn't have what I want at the time.I would guess that the club would be most attractive to those who are 1) retired and can afford to be very flexible about when they go on holiday,2) those who don't mind going to their second, third or fourth choice location at what may not be their first choice time and 3) those who have th cash to pay for another vacation if they don't get what they want from their club.
Unfortunately, I don't fit in to any of the above...I/we often take our holidays on short notice (booked 2-4 months in advance max)and go to places that take our fancy at the time. We often mixtwo or three detinations in one trip (This year it is Vegas and Frisco and last year it was Vegas and San Diego...).
Thanks anyway...I am sure you appreciate the club for what it offers just as I am sure that those that didn't enjoy it have valid reasons why they don't.
Grumpy
- grumpy59
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 17:27 pm
by iannewsman on Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:12 am
If you sit through the UK presentation and the added pressure, it will cost you �150 to go on one of their "give away" breaks either in the UK or abroad.
At �150 it is still a very good deal in some very high class accommodation, but don't bother unless you enjoy being hassled by pushy sales people.
At �150 it is still a very good deal in some very high class accommodation, but don't bother unless you enjoy being hassled by pushy sales people.
- iannewsman
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 10:12 am
by Semilion on Mon Mar 10, 2008 18:21 pm
Where on earth did my input go?? I spent ages putting down our experiences at last week's CLC presentation, but it seems to have been pulled. Anyone know? Is it a conspiracy?
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See above!
HW admin
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See above!
HW admin
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- Semilion
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 17:43 pm
by AshNW on Wed Mar 12, 2008 19:30 pm
I was contacted by Club La Costa yesterday and informed that I had been awarded a 'free' holiday. When I questioned 'Steve' (the sales adviser) as to whether they were a timeshare company, he became rude and abusive. He refused his surname, citing 'Data Protection.' When I asked him not to contact me again, his reply was "Don't worry mate, I wouldn't bother."
I attempted to make a complaint and spoke to Vicky BAHMED. She informed me that she would look into the matter and that all calls were recorded. She also gave me her mobile number to maintain contact.
A couple of hours later, she contacted me to tell me that the call actually hadn't been recorded and there was no way of tracing 'Steve.' In effect, there was no way to complain. She also told me that if I contacted her again on the mobile number she had given me, she would report me to the police for harrassment!
Absolute cowboys, I would not touch these people with a barge pole.
I attempted to make a complaint and spoke to Vicky BAHMED. She informed me that she would look into the matter and that all calls were recorded. She also gave me her mobile number to maintain contact.
A couple of hours later, she contacted me to tell me that the call actually hadn't been recorded and there was no way of tracing 'Steve.' In effect, there was no way to complain. She also told me that if I contacted her again on the mobile number she had given me, she would report me to the police for harrassment!
Absolute cowboys, I would not touch these people with a barge pole.
- AshNW
- Posts: 0
- Joined: Wed Mar 12, 2008 19:20 pm
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