Lion Resorts holiday club

[rippedofbyLionResorts]

I can only think that the positive posters on here are either employees of Lion Resorts or have not had the misfortune to challenge them. Be very careful - they will not leave you alone and will not enable you to cancel if you change your mind as you have a right to do so.

[zenia29]

My boyfriend and myself went to Egypt for a week and like everyone else,were approached on our welcome meeting in the Conrad saying 'come and see what a 5 star hotel looks like' and you get �50 back.
We were told that we would only be for an hour and half,5 hours later,I'm bored and thinking something isn't right,so we said we wouldn't pay a deposit,we were told still to sign up for it and they would arrange payments for when we got back,we were told we could can cancel at any time,when we get back home.
I gave them my number to call as my other half works away,did i get any phone calls no,my partner did.I have since written them a email stating that i want to cancel it,I received a phone call today stating that when we signed up to it,we were told we couldn't cancel it...well excuse me we were told at the time we could cancel it and i will be cancelling it,like everyone who has written on here,its the same,they talk the talk,treat you special,offer to take you out for the night even wanting your mobile number (i'm not that silly)and the whole way stating its not a time share. My advice would be don't sign up to it but by the time you get home its too late.hope this helps i know it what everyone else is stating.

[kasia]

Hi All,
We have also just got back from Cyprus, similar story, bought 3 year membership with Lion Resorts and RCI (�3495). Seemed attractive at the time as we do travel few times a year, however after reading your posts we were not that excited any more!
On top of that I received a call from RCI and was informed that �there is no way we can get into their 5 star accommodation with our Trial Membership, let alone places that we want to travel to' taht we did not own any weeks etc. That did it. We have also tried to cancel membership to get our money back. I found that Waterloo's post was very helpful (thank you). We still fall within 14 day cooling off period. So we hurriedly emailed Lion Resorts with a wish to cancel however were told we can't do that as Lion Resorts sells 2 different types of products Experience or Trial membership, and what we bought is not timeshare nor does it fall under the timeshare act of 1992, as we do not own title at any of our resorts or pay any annual fees as any timeshare owner would, this product is designed to give any new member the opportunity to simply try this type of accommodation without any long term commitment blablabla. We were told can not cancel and if we do we will lose the money we've paid.

Frustrated as we are, I believe that doesn't give us any other choice but use it as much as we can. What else can we do???

[kasia]

Dear Willself,

I am still working on the possibility of getting money back (fat chance!)
Following to my previous post, RCI is in fact timeshare exchange company. Although Lion insists they are not, only that they are exchange company. Is there a difference?
You also mentioned if we paid by Credit Card, we should be able to claim..Mis- selling!!
do you know more about that? Please let me know.
Many Thanks!

[peter12345]

hi i joined 3 years ago at cyprus i have used leisure time passport thu interval site had no problems with them had a excelent vila in florida and i like 4*plus,i have also used gold card concierge very helpful in booking things, have booked vip airport lounge stay excelent. been back to cyprus staying at the aliathon which i won with scrach card. had a very good week children loved it,going back next week as three years are up and using my two weeks i was promised plus car hire and money back on flights looking forward to the stay.

[kasia]

Dear Willself,

Thank you very much for taking your time to advise me on that!

At the moment I am speaking to Elena Papachristoforouu
Legal Advisor ECC Cyprus. They're investigating.

Also waiting for the reply from my CC company. Well, my solicitor is waiting to see what they come back with.

Will keep you all posted.

[Nigelp]

Hi all,
I've just returned from holiday in Sharm el Sheik where we spent a full day (8 hours!) at a Lion Resorts presentation. At the time it all seemed like such good value and a really good idea. I was concerned at the time as it was high pressure selling ("buy now or you can't have it" kind of thing) but it all seemed so professional. We've paid �500 of the �2,595 but, after reading the mails on this site I'm thinking I should cancel my direct debit, cut my losses and slap myself for being so damn gullable in the first place.

Before I do though, can anyone report any good experience and good value from Lion Resorts?

If not, has anyone been successful at getting their deposits back and, if so, how did you do it????

Many thanks in advance,

N

[Nigelp]

They started by offering us 1 weeks free holiday in one of their resorts in Egypt, Cyprus, Thailand, Florida and somewhere else including £300 towards the flights. because we ummed and erred so long they gave us 2 weeks, 5 star accom, plus the £300 towards the flights.
The deal was, we can book the resort (any of our choice) after we have paid 50% of the membership fee and that we can't travel until we have paid in full (seems fair).
In return for the £2,595 we get 3 years (plus the 4th year if you book your holidays a year in advance) membership to Lion Resorts. With the membership you can make fantastic savings on holidays to anywhere in the world as, alledgedly, I would be cutting out the middle man. The example we were given was 2 weeks stay at the Tamra Beach hotel in Sharm (where we were taken for the presentation) which seemed a decent 4 -5 star hotel but the show suite was fantastic! The cost, all inclusive and inclusive of flights for 2 weeks was approx £560 for the 2 of us.
On top of the savings for myself, I can also book friends and family on my membership to stay for the same prices as long as it's booked through me.
As far as I can tell, it's not time share as I'm not tied to any particular location (there were something like 5,000 hotels listed for my use) and I don't have to block book specific dates.
Unfortunately, I can't check the prices as Lion won't give me my username and password until the membership fee is paid in full!!
I don't want to lose £500 because of a knee ****** reaction to some bad experiences, but I really can't afford to throw good money after bad if I am just being conned.

[DFWECSWFU]

Some people have questionned the positive remarks and whether they were made by staff of the company. I am an ex member of staff and here are my honest comments and warnings about the company:

Hello All

If you are considering a trip to Sharm, go it is amazing but these warnings of TImeshare are completely valid. You will be approached by one or two people, their favourite spots seem to be along the beach promenade at Naama Bay and the Hard Rock Cafe in Naama bay.

These are the people you need to watch out for:

People to stalk around the swimming pool trying to offering all sorts including cash to go see a hotel.

People on the streets of Naama Bay, Nabq and Hadaba offering you Hard Rock Cafe Vouchers or excursion vouchers.

You will be offered free lunches, drinks, access to the resort, free taxi (about the only thing you will get).

Sadly all of this has been the experience of me, my family and many friends over the last year. The company is Lion Resorts, the hotel is the Tamra Beach and it is TIMESHARE.

My parents were unfortunately duped and when they returned for the first of their £3000 three years of holidays they were hounded every day to purchase a £20000 package. They obviously did not do this and have subsequently lost the £3000 and have no more holidays being provided by the company!

The hotel you are taken to a resort of 4/5* hotel, THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU WOULD STAY IF YOU BUY THE PACKAGE, you will infact be in the 2/3* resort over the road.

PLEASE DO NOT FALL FOR THE ANTICS OF THIS COMPANY.

Also, rumors of staff not being paid and violence...

in 2007 a member of staff smashed a glass bottle into someones face outside the Hard Rock Cafe

a member of staff left a note for a couple who did not turn up for a tour informing them that he hoped they enjoyed their food poisoning!

staff have been left up to 4 weeks without money

staff are evicted from their homes without money at any time of the day if the company does not like them (this has happened to two girls and a guy and then apparently another girl very recently had to go to the police after being thrown on the street, this is gossip that has reached Teneriefe anyway)

management are willing to do anything to get rid of staff they do not like

there are other details but I am not able to give them as i personally cannot confirm them and am not going to be liable.

The company is vicious and dangerous.

[puzzled]

If you are an ex member of staff, then how come your own parents were duped by this company? Seems a bit odd.