GVC Sunterra - Is it a freebie?

[theoldman]

Frankly this Sunterra thing is an outright con. There is NO security for your monies. They actualy lie to you about availability as I can prove ie:- a holiday company said there were Studio vacacies for three weeks at Santa Barbara, Tenerife. I tried to book through Sunterra and was told I could have one week in a one bedroom apartment. Which means a higher booking fee of course. I had signed up for the three year trial which is also a rip off as the holiday cost is up to three times dearer than if you booked direct with another holiday agent. Once again Santa Barbara for �200 per week for two sharing as against the �600 for joining their trial membership. Fortunately I paid by Credit card so am able to claim via the Financial Ombudsman for unfair practice etc. and misrepresentation.

[holidaytaker]

We have been members of GVC then Sunterra since 2002. We have had 2 or 3 holidays each year, easily recouping the annual maintenance fees. The accommodation is always top class, none of the worry about arriving in a foreign country and finding you are in a ****** infested hovel. The flights can be arranged by the club, or you can search the internet yourself to get the best deal. The staff at all the places we have visited have been very helpful, and we have not been harassed by any pushy sales people. The whole reason Sunterra is so good is that you aren't fixed to any place, date or even size of accommodation- providing you have enough points. We have 165 points - enough for 5 weeks of holidays for 2 people or even more if you book within the 59 day half points limit. If you have a large family and want to travel in August school holidays it is obvious you will need more points - exactly the same as if you tried to book accommodation anywhere else and expect it to be the same price as it would be in mid winter. As in all things you get what you pay for - and there's no such thing as a free lunch!

[scubaseadiver5]

Hi Bazza,

Yes you can. Just make sure that you are really dealing with Sunterra Europe. There are some real bad boys out there who like to kid you they are Sunterra when they are not. I am a member of Sunterra. It is timeshare, but this company is one of the world's biggest. They do not give you the hard sell and you are free to say no thanks at the end of any presentation or your free holiday where you will attend another sales prsentation. If it is for you then you should not be dissapointed, but if not you have lost nothing, but just given your time and received nice free holiday. If in doubt just go to their web site www.sunterra.co.uk

Regards, Nigel Bloor.

[clubster]

HIwe have been members with Sunterra for 5 years now i call them a time share - not sure what they call themselves. They are a reputiable company and if you did decide to join them you could be guaranteed a good lot of holidays. Am just about to book two weeks in their Malta 5 star accomadation for next year. They have not let us down.

[feelgood]

My ex husband and i joined Sunterra about 8 years ago and ended up with 180 points, which we shared on divorce paying a �200 admin fee for the privilage. they got this wrong dispite probably �150 an hour.
Trying to put anything right with them is a nightmare, discussing on the phone they just do not listen, eventually the chap 'saw the' light but not before being totally intrangisant, said i couldn't talk to a supervisor or anyone else. when they where found to be wrong there was no apology, this has happened a few time. (i hasten to add that most people find me a reasonable person who is very laid back about things so they really were well out of order.
Once you have bought points and you make it clear you don't want more they are well and truly not interested in you.
The maintenance and membership fee annually is now a disgrace you can get a good holiday all inclusive for that.
With Sunterra you just get the accomodation, you have to provide flights to marry up with arrival dates, you almost always need a car to get to the resort never mind while you are there, you have to buy electricity, food etc etc while you are there. Given what you pay out initially, the annual costs and while you are there you could buy endless very superior holidays elswhere; you'd get satifaction if you are not pleased and compensation when they have treated you very badly. I would advise anyone not to go there and if you do want to buy points buy mine and save yourself a fortune! barb.

[Holiday hopper]

I have also been with Sunterra for a good number of years. I agree they are not cheap but the standard of accommodation and service is first class. I also still book package holidays and some of them are excellent value for money but others are not. With Sunterra you know what to expect and after many years I have never been disappointed by them. What ever other holidays turn out like, I always know that the week or two that I spend with Sunterra will be excellent.

[Dezzer]

I joined GVC/LSI in 1997 and owned fixed weeks before that.

I have 3 main points as follows:-

1) Before purchasing with GVC, I phoned up a number of time share resorts in England/Wales and was put up f.o.c. with my family for one night at each. This was my research, to back up what I had been told at timeshare presentations where I politely said "no" and incidentally have had a week's "free" holiday from.

2) My perception may be skewed in terms of value for money as I did not buy off site, but bought now "outlawed" raw points 80 @ �31 each in 1997 and 130 @ �40 each in 1998. Very good value even in those days.

3) I book at a minute past midnight, exactly one year prior to departure to secure exactly what I want, always in school holidays.

The holidays are always up to a particular standard, which is really why I joined as opposed to securing cheap holidays. However, even with the increase in maintenance fees (which I accept is where libertys have been taken for a number of years by management) and paying for electricity sometimes, they are still good value - a four day mid-week break at Pine Lake at Whitsun will evidence this fact, when you compare basic accommodation prices in the region with no on-site facilities etc etc, as well as any comparison.

Some overseas locations may be remotish and point towards car hire being the most efficient method of dealing with transfer costs and getting around, but doesn't that also apply to packages notwithstanding airport transfer would then be "thrown in"? Pay your money and take your chance - not everybody's idea of fun to cruise around in a rental car on the wrong side of the road etc, etc, but that's hardly Sunterra/GVC/Diamond's fault.

[kingdobe]

I too brought into Sunterra minimum points we have had a holiday either in the UK or Spain every year since,somebody wrote earlier about all inclusive being cheaper but look at the accommodation you get unless you pay big bucks.A friend of mine was into all this last minute booking he got burnt in the end ended up next door to a nightclub nice relaxing fortnight.As for the fees how else can they keep improving the resorts standing still not a option because people will complain resorts not up to modern day standards.
_______________________________________

Barry.

[Jett]

I belong to Sunterra and you will be given a hard sell. You will get a holiday if you sign with them/and or go to the presentation. The accommodation is excellent. Apart from the cost of the points there are annual fees which are currently running over �400 per annum. When we started with them it was just over �200 per annum and that was in 1999. We enjoy the holidays at the Sunterra places but we now refuse to go to the welcome things because basically they just try and sell you more points. They have recently been taken over by Diamond and can't tell yet whether it will make any difference. Although it is not cheap you know that the accommodation will be of a good standard and they generally have entertainment things on at the resorts. The Santa Barbara in Tenerife is lovely and Arizona is great too I have stayed at the Ridge in Sedona and also The Villas of Poco Diablo. We are going in November to New England which is a new resort.

[nix]

Sunterra offer free holidays to friends of members too. You do get a free holiday for just the price of the flights. Additionally the prices of the flights are not over inflated (check on the web and get a few quotes and then tell them if you've found a cheaper one if you are offered a costly one).

The downside, no holiday is ever truly free is you will be expected to go to a promotional meeting aka hard sell, but essentially this is a presentation and then a one-to-one sales session. If you are firm just say you are not interested, and then say you've got to go, and leave. Your appointed rep will call at your app a couple of times through the week, too.

Its a very cheap holiday so long as one of you doesn't mind writing off a day to do the presentation (just remember they will keep you to try and get a sale so leave after the couple of hours they say it will last) and willing to stand firm at subsequent calls (or be out!!)