C L C ...........Club La Costa........
swampduck
Posts: 962 Forumite
have phoned me up offering me the chance to use one of their limited special offers.
Going back a few months ago, the OH and I sat through a presentation (to kill a wet sunday morning!!) drank their coffee, watched their video listened to the sales patter etc etc. Got the M+S Voucher and the holiday voucher and left!!
Now we used the M+S Voucher but they phoned to asked why we had not taken up their offer of a free holiday with Sunbreaks? I explained that a few limited days to think about potential holiday dates with no guarantee of 1st choice etc etc had meant that we had let it go!! ....which is why they had rung with this new offer!! But cos I was busy - I put them off until next week cos I wanted to find out if anyone has had a similar offer - obviously we now have to pay our own flights and whatever booking fee they impose for the accomodation. But has anyone else had subsequent dealings with CLC?
We don't want a time share or whatever else they choose to call it and we were sadistic enough to string 'em along at their presentation (all the name of market research!!;) but a cheap holiday wouldnt go amiss - we are smart enough to disappear early in the day if they try and drag us along to another presentation while on holiday!!
So any info would be welcomed!!
Going back a few months ago, the OH and I sat through a presentation (to kill a wet sunday morning!!) drank their coffee, watched their video listened to the sales patter etc etc. Got the M+S Voucher and the holiday voucher and left!!
Now we used the M+S Voucher but they phoned to asked why we had not taken up their offer of a free holiday with Sunbreaks? I explained that a few limited days to think about potential holiday dates with no guarantee of 1st choice etc etc had meant that we had let it go!! ....which is why they had rung with this new offer!! But cos I was busy - I put them off until next week cos I wanted to find out if anyone has had a similar offer - obviously we now have to pay our own flights and whatever booking fee they impose for the accomodation. But has anyone else had subsequent dealings with CLC?
We don't want a time share or whatever else they choose to call it and we were sadistic enough to string 'em along at their presentation (all the name of market research!!;) but a cheap holiday wouldnt go amiss - we are smart enough to disappear early in the day if they try and drag us along to another presentation while on holiday!!
So any info would be welcomed!!
Expect the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes!!:o
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Comments
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I am a member of CLC and joined in 1998 by buying a traditional timeshare which I converted to a points system in 1999 (Vacation CLub). If you did want to buy timeshare, including points, then do it through the resale market (including ebay!) where CLC points can be picked up for about a tenth of what CLC will sell them to you for. You will still have to pay maintenance and membership fees though.have phoned me up offering me the chance to use one of their limited special offers.
Going back a few months ago, the OH and I sat through a presentation (to kill a wet sunday morning!!) drank their coffee, watched their video listened to the sales patter etc etc. Got the M+S Voucher and the holiday voucher and left!!
Now we used the M+S Voucher but they phoned to asked why we had not taken up their offer of a free holiday with Sunbreaks? I explained that a few limited days to think about potential holiday dates with no guarantee of 1st choice etc etc had meant that we had let it go!! ....which is why they had rung with this new offer!! But cos I was busy - I put them off until next week cos I wanted to find out if anyone has had a similar offer - obviously we now have to pay our own flights and whatever booking fee they impose for the accomodation. But has anyone else had subsequent dealings with CLC?
We don't want a time share or whatever else they choose to call it and we were sadistic enough to string 'em along at their presentation (all the name of market research!!;) but a cheap holiday wouldnt go amiss - we are smart enough to disappear early in the day if they try and drag us along to another presentation while on holiday!!
So any info would be welcomed!!
The product that I understand they flog nowadays is called a trial membership and is for just under 3 years. Note: anything that is for less than three years is not considered timeshare by the relevant legislation and is therefore not covered by that legislation.
They still try to drag us along to a presentation each time we go but you can usually end these early, one way or another.
There is a website for CLC members and prospective members that might have some info: clcmembers. This is independent from CLC.
I still use CLC every year (Corfu May half-term, Canalboat in August this year) but wish I had bought through re-sale!Not even wrong0 -
We bought the Club la Costa trial membership..... Unfortunately the list of problems we experienced was and is endelss.
One example, we booked a holiday for the 26th of may 2006, just to be informed last friday the holiday is in France and not in Portugal (already booked plane tickets that cost £1500). Cutting a long story short, it is a complete waste of money as the same accommodation they would offer, we jsut payed £270 for 8 nights in a 4 star self catering apartment for 4 people.
Our friends also bought the trial membership. They experienced the same problems.
Last year in Spain we had a apartment very far from everything with a young child and it was awful. The day we booked out, there were about 10 other people at reception complaining.
My advise: stay away!!!!!0 -
We have no intentions of buying trial membership but I was intrigued when the saleswoman said we would basically just have to pay for our flights, We would be using Club la costa accomodation (presumably free - judging by what the sales rep said on the phone!!)
So I was just putting out feelers to see if anyone else had any follow up after Club La Costa tried to flog them a timeshare. Incidentally I dont think it is CLC (or if it is.......then they are using an alias) because when OH and I left on that wet sunday morning they said we would not be contacted by them again as it was a once only offer!!
Ho hum!! We'll see!!!! Expect the worst, hope for the best, and take what comes!!:o0 -
I am a member of CLC and joined in 1998 by buying a traditional timeshare which I converted to a points system in 1999 (Vacation CLub). If you did want to buy timeshare, including points, then do it through the resale market (including ebay!) where CLC points can be picked up for about a tenth of what CLC will sell them to you for. You will still have to pay maintenance and membership fees though.
The product that I understand they flog nowadays is called a trial membership and is for just under 3 years. Note: anything that is for less than three years is not considered timeshare by the relevant legislation and is therefore not covered by that legislation.
They still try to drag us along to a presentation each time we go but you can usually end these early, one way or another.
There is a website for CLC members and prospective members that might have some info: clcmembers. This is independent from CLC.
I still use CLC every year (Corfu May half-term, Canalboat in August this year) but wish I had bought through re-sale!
Hello All,
swampduck sorry for hijacking your post,
Twopints I noticed you mention about resale, well i am after some info on selling my parents points system as they no longer use them as they are getting old ( both pensioners) and can no longer afford to keep them, in fact Twopints, looking at when you got yours, the dates look almost the same as my parents, they also converted there's to points after buying a traditional time-share, if there is any advise on selling them and for how much? i would be really grateful.
Again swampduck sorry,
Thank you0 -
have phoned me up offering me the chance to use one of their limited special offers.
Going back a few months ago, the OH and I sat through a presentation (to kill a wet sunday morning!!) drank their coffee, watched their video listened to the sales patter etc etc. Got the M+S Voucher and the holiday voucher and left!!
Now we used the M+S Voucher but they phoned to asked why we had not taken up their offer of a free holiday with Sunbreaks? I explained that a few limited days to think about potential holiday dates with no guarantee of 1st choice etc etc had meant that we had let it go!! ....which is why they had rung with this new offer!! But cos I was busy - I put them off until next week cos I wanted to find out if anyone has had a similar offer - obviously we now have to pay our own flights and whatever booking fee they impose for the accomodation. But has anyone else had subsequent dealings with CLC?
We don't want a time share or whatever else they choose to call it and we were sadistic enough to string 'em along at their presentation (all the name of market research!!;) but a cheap holiday wouldnt go amiss - we are smart enough to disappear early in the day if they try and drag us along to another presentation while on holiday!!
So any info would be welcomed!!
Hi Swampduck,
I actually went on one of those "free" Club La Costa holidays and they do happen. We got seven nights at Club La Costa at Marina Del Sol in the Costa Del Sol. The holiday ended up costing us around £180 for two for one week - which is pretty good.
You do have to adhere to lots of red tape to get it - ie you must pick four dates within two years at least six weeks apart that you are free to travel. Once they have assigned your week to you - you don’t know where you are going till about 2 months before and then you get your flight details two weeks before. They will try and get you to pay for extras such as their travel insurance and pay to guarantee which airport you travel from - but we paid none of these extras and we flew from Doncaster (we live in Leeds) so its pretty local. We chose to go the Tenerife, but we were allocated Costa del sol so that was a drawback.
We had to attend a three hour presentation whilst in Costa del Sol. This lasted six hours in the end, but we had a buffet breakfast and weather was rubbish, so had little else to do!
Its not a total scam - it IS a timeshare, but not like the old timeshares - its not particularly hard sell and the deal is quite tempting. We knew two other couples who actually signed up - we didn’t - although I can see the benefits.
Before I went I spent a bit of time looking online for other peoples opinions about Club La Costa and I heard bad reports from some people - BUT I didn’t experience this myself. Be warned though you do have to send things back promptly (eg within 7 days etc and by recorded delivery etc) or you lose your holiday.
I’ve wrote a huge review on it on “Trip Advisor” and if you want to have a look at that its quite comprehensive about the resort we stayed at. There are some white lies told to you – see my review for more info.
Hope this helps you and Good Luck!!!! :cool:
Steff:hello:My name is Steff and I am a Vegas Addict :j0 -
My wife and I joined last year after being unsuccessful in a competition to win a holiday in the Bahamas, funny can't remember entering one!
We went to the presentation in Leeds and although it was a long session, joined the trial for 3 years.
We then went to Tenerife with them (we got our own flights) and took our daughter. The accommodation was fantastic, 3 bedrooms, massive living room, dining room, a balcony with jacuzzi, private lift, flat screen tv's everywhere. We had to sit through a talk after a trip to their other sites, eventually we said we weren't interested in becomming full members and the sales guy went ballastic.
We have been to Duchally in Scotland, what a fantastic place. Still had a talk but this went well and we got away early without any hassle.
We then went to Spain, again a great site, again a talk, and again a salesman accusing me of being stupid because I wouldn't sign up.
Lastly just been to Southern France, booked through CLC but an RSI apartment. Sorry did I say apartment, I mean't 1960's council flat. What a dump, couldn't wait to get away, luckily only for a week. I complained and CLC have refunded my week and my booking fee, so not bad on their behalf.
Still got 5 weeks to get used by the end of next year.
CLC resorts are very good, if not exceptional, but I have talked to people who say the yearly charge keeps climbing, they can't sell it, even to CLC who say that they will buy it off you.
Don't know what to say, for some it is a great buy, but for the likes of me with only 5 weeks holiday a year, not worth it.0 -
When we took out Club La Costa it seemed like a great idea, safe for the family, and good 4-5 star accommodation with self catering facilities, as we have a growing family seemed great.
This was what we were told in fengorola by the sales staff, this was what got us very interested::::::- We could sell our points, as we part own
- Free upgrade once a year
- Ground floor apartment as have family
- Jacuzzi if hotel do them – as keeps the kids quite if raining
- £600 management fees
- When sales arranged our loan which was a very high rate, they assured us we could swap when we got back.
- Buy one get one free.
- Fees are £1000 and go up all the time without notice
- No invoice through the post, you have to look in your email or we get a heavy fine, this fine being about £600.
- Not encouraged to use your trial, as offered membership straight away. All this was done with the children around, ok they do take them and look after them, but you do feel pressured
- Not given time to look over everything, decision has to be made there and then cannot take any paper work away with you. If not taken straight away you will pay more money as somebody as just sold their points and you can take them.
- Told you can sell your points, well you can but you wont get much money for them about £1 a point and you cant sell back to club la costa, and when you have taken out a loan for £20,000 your left with a very heavy dept for nothing if sold. Even though at sale talk told could get a good price for them.
- We upgraded our membership so we could get better offers, this means nothing as buy 1 get 1 free is only certain times of the year so when you want them its not available, something else not told by sales staff. Can’t take in school holidays, not good when you have kids.
- When you book and go on a waiting list if you are at the top of the list and a higher member wants to book, they take preference.
- When ever you try to book in the holidays they are not available.
- Only 3 days to confirm a booking (not good when you have a baby and go in hospital and forget to call them)
- When you book a holiday and are told even though you pre booked a 2 bed apartment a year in advance, even before bookings were being taken. The 2 bed was taken by a higher priority member and that you are booked in a 1 bed, but its fine I was told I would just need to sleep on the sofa bed, not good when you pay £20,000, and have to fit 5 people in room.
- Just came back from Alpine centre, room not good, mould in bathroom, pole sticking out of bathroom wall, I would say it was only a 3 star. They wanted 210 euros for an extra night. We had a better room for 70 euros at the airport. Not very children friendly, there was a big notice at the pool, no being loud, jumping in, really no having fun, how do you keep your kids quite in a pool. Also you are supposed to have satellite TV, all English channels off only bbc world, so evey night we had to keep hiring dvd’s at 3 euros each, sometimes 2. This was just to keep the kids happy, and also us in the evening as the kids were sleeping, only so much BBC World you can take. Also got told by other members who are not very happy that when you do half board, breakfast used to be self serve now its plated up and not much there, also when you ask for help with directions from the airport to the hotel as driving no maps or directions sent just their prices for a taxi, also about the fact that you are not a high priority member if you pre book, and that higher members take your place.
- When I have addressed my issues with club la costa by email or phone it does not get you anywhere, as last time I told the lady on the phone about all my issues I was told this was not club la costa policy and that she would listen to the transcripts and call me back, that was about 5 months ago now. They say they will get back to me with in 14-21 days, again this is not so.
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I was just wondering if anyone has cancelled their membership during their cooling off period and did they encounter any problems with trying to cancel?£2008 for 2008 member 1200
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Totally agree, had the same experience (literally each point made) and have now stopped paying fees - have taken steps to cancel loan agreement due to gross misrepresentation by CLC. They have denied everything, which is to be expected - but there are literally hundreds of members who have had this experience. We are looking to put in a group compensation claim via a solicitors firm who are representing approx. 500 CLC members for exactly the issues you have spoken about. We were lied to at the sales talk, simple as that. I get it that there are many happy CLC members, but that doesn't make it OK for those of us who have paid out A LOT of money based on information that simply wasn't true.When we took out Club La Costa it seemed like a great idea, safe for the family, and good 4-5 star accommodation with self catering facilities, as we have a growing family seemed great.
This was what we were told in fengorola by the sales staff, this was what got us very interested::::::- We could sell our points, as we part own
- Free upgrade once a year
- Ground floor apartment as have family
- Jacuzzi if hotel do them – as keeps the kids quite if raining
- £600 management fees
- When sales arranged our loan which was a very high rate, they assured us we could swap when we got back.
- Buy one get one free.
- Fees are £1000 and go up all the time without notice
- No invoice through the post, you have to look in your email or we get a heavy fine, this fine being about £600.
- Not encouraged to use your trial, as offered membership straight away. All this was done with the children around, ok they do take them and look after them, but you do feel pressured
- Not given time to look over everything, decision has to be made there and then cannot take any paper work away with you. If not taken straight away you will pay more money as somebody as just sold their points and you can take them.
- Told you can sell your points, well you can but you wont get much money for them about £1 a point and you cant sell back to club la costa, and when you have taken out a loan for £20,000 your left with a very heavy dept for nothing if sold. Even though at sale talk told could get a good price for them.
- We upgraded our membership so we could get better offers, this means nothing as buy 1 get 1 free is only certain times of the year so when you want them its not available, something else not told by sales staff. Can’t take in school holidays, not good when you have kids.
- When you book and go on a waiting list if you are at the top of the list and a higher member wants to book, they take preference.
- When ever you try to book in the holidays they are not available.
- Only 3 days to confirm a booking (not good when you have a baby and go in hospital and forget to call them)
- When you book a holiday and are told even though you pre booked a 2 bed apartment a year in advance, even before bookings were being taken. The 2 bed was taken by a higher priority member and that you are booked in a 1 bed, but its fine I was told I would just need to sleep on the sofa bed, not good when you pay £20,000, and have to fit 5 people in room.
- Just came back from Alpine centre, room not good, mould in bathroom, pole sticking out of bathroom wall, I would say it was only a 3 star. They wanted 210 euros for an extra night. We had a better room for 70 euros at the airport. Not very children friendly, there was a big notice at the pool, no being loud, jumping in, really no having fun, how do you keep your kids quite in a pool. Also you are supposed to have satellite TV, all English channels off only bbc world, so evey night we had to keep hiring dvd’s at 3 euros each, sometimes 2. This was just to keep the kids happy, and also us in the evening as the kids were sleeping, only so much BBC World you can take. Also got told by other members who are not very happy that when you do half board, breakfast used to be self serve now its plated up and not much there, also when you ask for help with directions from the airport to the hotel as driving no maps or directions sent just their prices for a taxi, also about the fact that you are not a high priority member if you pre book, and that higher members take your place.
- When I have addressed my issues with club la costa by email or phone it does not get you anywhere, as last time I told the lady on the phone about all my issues I was told this was not club la costa policy and that she would listen to the transcripts and call me back, that was about 5 months ago now. They say they will get back to me with in 14-21 days, again this is not so.
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I can only absolutely ditto everything that has been said in jennybears and others' posts. STAY AWAY FROM CLC!!!!0
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