Narrow escape? - 'Club la Costa'

Madtyke

Got a call yesterday on my mobile telling me that as I had just completed a survey I had won either a week long family holiday in Southern Spain or a weekend spa break in either Cornwall or Scotland. I went along with the spiel and was asked was I a member of any holiday clubs etc. The person on the phone then started to talk about a weekend at Hustyns and dropped a hint about how much it would cost. At this point I queried about it being a "Free Holiday" as I'd won it and the person got very defensive and hung up on me.

I checked the number on my mobile and it turns out I had been rung from Spain, just how they got my name and mobile number is beond me but having given it thought I did complete a survey with Talktalk.

Definately a scam to get one details and involved in a "Timeshare/Holiday Club" venture.

Martin08

I wanted to respond to the comments regarding Club la Costa - last year I went to a sales pitch and signed up for a 7 week trial membership with Club La Costa. Since then I have been to their resort near Malaga and stayed in a 5 star appartment, 2 weeks in Florida (apartment was 3 star but clean and close to Disney), we are going to Tenarife (flights are included within the offer price), in July and then off to Las Vegas in October - we plan to finish our 7 weeks with an African safari next year.

CLC are based in Spain.

The first holiday came with an obligation to sit through another presentation, they are presuasive sales people, however, when we declined to join the timeshare option there was no further pressure put on us.

marleyboy

CLC is BLACKISTED by the Timeshare Council - Something that these (newbie 1st post) PRO CLC Reps going around threads posing as happy customers always conveniently forget to mention

Diva63

toprobroy wrote: »

This practice is usually an admin fee.
If you can stand a two hour presentation and say no, then it will be worth the holiday. Be careful though if you choose Tenerife, you will have to pay flights. I've been with Club la Costa for almost 10 years...and only last week they rang me saying there were some Free Flight offers going, if I had any referrals. I've sent referrals a few times, and they've enjoyed it. One even bought into the system, and another bought from an existing member from my Owners Website where there are almost 3000 registrations.

I hope that helps you, but I would contact them and ask them to send you confirmation of what you have got. Putting it in writing is the best way forward. There are strict rules on information stored regarding the card details. I wouldn't be too worried about that, but if you really are, again you can ask them for assurance that its no longer held on the system.

Cheers
Robert

Hi,
I am literally "Just" got off of the phone with the aforementioned company!, I had in point of fact entered a few competitions lately and actually do remember entering this one, but what really Irked me, was the poor way in which I was spoken to by the Customer services!!, I was called by a woman with a VERY strong cockney accent, who appeared to not really know how to answer "Plainly" put questions about the company she was "Supposed" to be working for!! Granted I was not asked for Cred card details, or Money up front...but in my experience..unless it is a "Genuine" comp, offering a free holiday, then theres no such thing as a free lunch! ( if you catch my drift ) a holiday is all about rest and relaxation, not being badgered by some over enthusiastic rep with the IQ of an essex girl and the the fashion sense to match!!...I went along with the patter, and listened while the " you only have to pay £29 booking fee " was reiterrated again, and again, and again!!! BUT I will NOT be attending the STUPIDLY long property seminar, thingy!!, we have a holiday booked allready...on a peaceful greek island, with no banana boats, sales reps, half-built timeshares, and restaraunts that charge and arm and a leg!! I am glad that some of you have been and some what enjoyed the location....but can you seriously say it is worth the hassle????

davetrousers

Please edit your post to a sensible font size and colour.

ankspon

Give me your number,when i ring and ask for cc details will you give me them?

barginpleasure

I have to say make sure you know it is marketing for CLC not just other promotions. They will tell you who they are phoning from and who the holiday is with. We have had calls from 2 different company's over the years but both marketing for CLC.
I have been on 2 of the CLC promotional holidays and have just today received my letter for my visit again to Duchally in Scotland and I will be attending the presentation for less than 2 hours to receive my holiday documents and shopping vouchers, if they want me to go on a cheap promotional holiday I will take it because I can say no the sales pitch.
****ALWAYS ALWAYS be prepared to say no!***
The first time we went to Duchally we met a couple who just sat with their arms folded and a face on, they were only in for minutes.
The marketing company are just trying to get people to go to the 2 hour presentation they do not care if you have no money or been before as long as you meet the T's and C's (age, income, living together and not been in 12 months) they just need numbers to attend.
You have to attend another tour/sales pitch in the resort.
We then met a couple in Spain who even told the rep they were not buying but he still took them out for free breakfast before their tour but they did not even do the tour. The rep we got knew we were not buying and was not bothered as she just wanted to get off to pick up her son and we got our free lunch and the tour. The second time the rep took us up in to the hills of Mijas and we just wandered about for an hour or so. I suppose this was to sweetin us up (still said no)!
The room we had the first time was like a studio off another room with and adjoining door so I suppose to sleep 6 of the same group.
The second time the room was like a flat with a separate master en suite and double bath separate shower, full kitchen and dining facility. And sofa bed in living room.
A comment I would agree with is about the food and drink the Spain resort is about a 20 min walk from fuengirola so older and not so able or with kids may not walk into town and eat and drink there all the time so they will make money that way. We thought the food was good just a bit over priced but we were just glad it was so easy and relaxed to eat there. We did buy food for the kitchen in the room for breakfast and lunch.
http://www.bing.com/maps/#JnE9LlVyYmFuaXphY2lvbitQb2xhcitTb2wlMmMrTWlqYXMlMmMrRXNwYW5hJTdlc3N0LjAlN2VwZy4xJmJiPTU2LjczNDYxMDk1NDYzMjklN2U1LjEyMDAwNjU2MTc0OTk5JTdlNDkuODczMzUzNDE2NjI0MSU3ZS05LjYwMTY3MzEyNTc1MDAx
to the south west and north east of the marker with urbanizacion in the name is the resort and you can birds eye this too.
Also they do organise trips to Gibraltar etc but these can be sourced in town for cheaper if you can be bothered shopping about or going!!
@ Diva63. Was there any need for the large and blue font?
There are no banana boats!

Yes I do think it is worth the hassle we have had our £100 of free shopping vouchers (£75 the first time and £25 second will be £25 this time), a free lunch and breakfast in Spain and 2 cheap holidays. I know people who would spend longer in travel agents than in this.


I like holidays I have done very expensive Disney cruise holidays, long weekends in Canada, 5* weekends in the UK but this just a laugh for us, a week in Spain for less than the price of a night out. Like I said if the marketing company and me take the p out of CLC so be it cause I can say no.

terryw

Martin08 wrote: »

I wanted to respond to the comments regarding Club la Costa - last year I went to a sales pitch and signed up for a 7 week trial membership with Club La Costa. Since then I have been to their resort near Malaga and stayed in a 5 star appartment, 2 weeks in Florida (apartment was 3 star but clean and close to Disney), we are going to Tenarife (flights are included within the offer price), in July and then off to Las Vegas in October - we plan to finish our 7 weeks with an African safari next year.

CLC are based in Spain.

The first holiday came with an obligation to sit through another presentation, they are presuasive sales people, however, when we declined to join the timeshare option there was no further pressure put on us.

Thanks Martin. Please let us know the £s and pence about this 7 week trial membership. Share with us as this is an MSE site. Thanks

terryw

marleyboy wrote: »

CLC is BLACKISTED by the Timeshare Council - Something that these (newbie 1st post) PRO CLC Reps going around threads posing as happy customers always conveniently forget to mention

Hi, Marleyboy

We have met on another thread to do with CLC. You had a substantial
list of organisations and web-sites who were a trifle concerned about CLC. From memory, this was concerns like the Mirror newspaper and
the holiday site Watchdog.

Do you have this list of links handy for the benefit of MSE peeps on this thread? Thanks.

marleyboy

terryw wrote: »

Hi, Marleyboy

We have met on another thread to do with CLC. You had a substantial
list of organisations and web-sites who were a trifle concerned about CLC. From memory, this was concerns like the Mirror newspaper and
the holiday site Watchdog.

Do you have this list of links handy for the benefit of MSE peeps on this thread? Thanks.

http://www.timesharetalk.co.uk/forum...sp?FORUM_ID=47

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjo4p_CsZR8

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...cVta_YRjKLSSjw

http://www.talktalk.co.uk/money/guar...ve-bolted.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ9fWULXqm8

http://www.complaintsboard.com/compl...a-c352036.html

http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic/t=45403.html

http://www.timesharesprookjeofnachtm...-scam-feat.php

http://www.gotimeshare.org/timeshare...e-bogus-buyers

http://blog.loquax.co.uk/news/asa-ru...motion-109.htm

http://www.frugallerforum.co.uk/gene...raw-nightmare/

http://www.mikesouthby.co.uk/tag/holiday/

http://forum.holidaywatchdog.com/Tim...0.html#p666670

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...sta-sound.html

http://www.timesharecouncil.eu/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/72...e-holiday.html

http://skynews9.typepad.com/my_blog/...-the-holi.html

http://blogs.mirror.co.uk/investigat...a-costa-h.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200....scamsandfraud

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n19514904/

http://blog.loquax.co.uk/news/club-l...-mirror-52.htm