Diamond Resorts-is it a scam?

secret_locator

my manager thinks that its conveinient to say that its not a timeshare otherwise we would never get a lead... :S is this in its own way announcing that timeshare is just a total scam im sorry guys and girls i only work here because there is no other job available at the moment

Talman2

My advice to anyone who is contemplating getting involved with DRI is DON'T!!!
My late wife and i joined GVC in 2003 and we had some great holidays and were paying only in the region of £350 per yr management fees. Then Sunterra took over and they were not to bad but they were purchased by DRI since they have owned the club management fees have rocketed (2010 fees nearly a £1000) which to be honest is way to much when you consider you still have to pay air fares to wherever you are going!!
I could get a damn good holiday through a holiday company in equally as good accommodation and have change!!
My son will be using the points this year for his honeymoon but i will not be paying the fees for 2011!!
Judging by the Daily Mirror sites i will be joining many other disgruntled members!!

terryw

SpammyTheSpammer wrote: »

I would like to consider this Diamond club Chris. Perhaps you can answer some questions for me, as you are so obviously pleased with them: -

• What was your joining fee?
• How many weeks per year did this buy you?
• What are the total annual fees (including maintenance) for the last year?
• Can you end the membershipagreement once you have started taking holidays?
• is there any cost in ending the membership?

This information would really help me make up my mind.

Spammy,

It is a great pity that Chris has not returned to answer your perfectly reasonable questions to enable us would-be buyers to make an objective opinion about this concern. What are we to presume about this?

I notice that Mr Rough has given the email address for the chairman. Perhaps he will be kind enough to join this thread to enable us to make up our minds.

Lifeisbutadream

CHR15 wrote: »

Correct, it is only for people who cannot see they are being ripped off and are making one of the biggest mistakes of their lives.

Your loneliness in being the only poster defending this pack of shysters is perfect testament to that.

Isn't it odd that 93% of satisfied customers aren't here, only the 2% of people who have realised their mistake ??

Is it just Diamond Resorts that is the problem here or timeshares in general?

I do not have any experience of Diamond Resorts, but I do have a timeshare, which I have owned for 5 years now and am more than happy with. It was expensive (I was never led to believe anything else) but it is worth it.

Dr.Shoe_2

CHR15 wrote: »

Even I considered just signing the damn thing but cancelling it afterwards just to get away!!

You probably won't be able to. If you go to them you do not get a "cooling off" period which is precisely why they don't come to your house.

The best way to deal with them is to go along with it look like you're really interested etc. then give them false details like the wrong sort code for the bank or change a digit on your bank account.

I'm immune because I have such a !!!!!! credit rating I can never get the finance anyway! lol

terryw

Lifeisbutadream wrote: »

Is it just Diamond Resorts that is the problem here or timeshares in general?

I do not have any experience of Diamond Resorts, but I do have a timeshare, which I have owned for 5 years now and am more than happy with. It was expensive (I was never led to believe anything else) but it is worth it.

I think it is a bit of both. But this concern - Diamond come in for a lot more flack than most other timeshare concerns. Just do a bit of google and you will soon agree with me. There are many, many disgruntled diamond customers and ex-customers out there.

Your view on timeshare is certainly worth considering as you are a well-established contributor to MSE. The problem is that many newbies come along and make one post extolling the virtues of Diamond and then just vanish. What is any sensible person to think? Is their life so devoid of meaning that they google "diamond" find this thread and then decide to make a one-off post, or is it not more likely that they are merely plants. I know what I think.

As an example, I bought an "Acme Super Budgie Cage" five years ago but I have never in my wildest dreams googled this to correct reports on the net.

I am really pleased that you are happy with your timeshare even thought it is expensive. It's horses for courses though, is it not? I have talked to dozens of people who are most unhappy with timeshare and regard it as a waste of money and wish that they had never been sucked in. This would appear to be borne out by the numbers of owners trying desperately to give their timeshare away purely to avoid the ever increasing annual fees.

Lifeisbutadream

terryw wrote: »

I think it is a bit of both. But this concern - Diamond come in for a lot more flack than most other timeshare concerns. Just do a bit of google and you will soon agree with me. There are many, many disgruntled diamond customers and ex-customers out there.

Your view on timeshare is certainly worth considering as you are a well-established contributor to MSE. The problem is that many newbies come along and make one post extolling the virtues of Diamond and then just vanish. What is any sensible person to think? Is their life so devoid of meaning that they google "diamond" find this thread and then decide to make a one-off post, or is it not more likely that they are merely plants. I know what I think.

As an example, I bought an "Acme Super Budgie Cage" five years ago but I have never in my wildest dreams googled this to correct reports on the net.

I am really pleased that you are happy with your timeshare even thought it is expensive. It's horses for courses though, is it not? I have talked to dozens of people who are most unhappy with timeshare and regard it as a waste of money and wish that they had never been sucked in. This would appear to be borne out by the numbers of owners trying desperately to give their timeshare away purely to avoid the ever increasing annual fees.

Thank you. It is always interesting to read other peoples views and I completely agree with you about the one-off posters!!

I honestly thought that I would never fall for a timeshare - I always thought anyone who bought one was completely wasting their money, but then we went to the place I bought at and we just fell in love with it - we have upgraded 3 times and spent a fortune now, but earlier this year we went somewhere else with RCI and were really dissapointed, so although I am pleased with where we bought I was not impressed with the one we stayed in this year (but that is just one resort).

I would certainly not recommend timeshare for anyone wanting to SAVE money - I would see it more as buying into luxury holidays.

*goes off to Google Diamond Resorts*

Lifeisbutadream

Just had a quick look.

This resort https://www.diamondresorts.com/europe/Club-del-Carmen was next door to the one we have just stayed in. It was 'OK' but nothing on the one we own in Gran Canaria. I also heard people talking about having bought there after being sold an updated apartment, but then not being able to stay in an updated apartment, so there may be some truth in the problems people may have had.

antenna

I love the way people say they OWN timeshare........they own nothing........they can just occupy a room once a year,and not even the type of room they were first shown just as long as they pay an extortionate yearly maintenance fee..................but then again who would admit that they paid up to £10000 for nothing?

Lifeisbutadream

antenna wrote: »

I love the way people say they OWN timeshare........they own nothing........they can just occupy a room once a year,and not even the type of room they were first shown just as long as they pay an extortionate yearly maintenance fee..................but then again who would admit that they paid up to £10000 for nothing?

Actually I can occupy any room I like (and as I go every year at least once I know which one I want next time).

And I paid a hell of a lot more than £10k for my 'nothing'