anyone heard of club la costa resorts & holidays? ligit or scam

Ruthy1604

We had a fantastic few days and one of their resorts in Cornwall. Beautiful resort, luxurious accommodation. BUT a really hard sell as you'd expect with a 'free ' holiday. We just said no. It did waste 3 hours of our holiday time but I'd do it again just to get the freebie.

They have a terrible reputation if you do sign up though.

Moto2

Ssuellis wrote: »

I bought 19 years club la costa in October 2013 I now need to get out if it can anyone help :A

How much are you offering someone, if they'll take it off you?

Susanita

blindman wrote: »

Do a search with my username and Costa

I wrote a report on them a while back.

99% of people should avoid like the plague!

I have taken advantage of a promotional holiday from Club La Costa several years ago and two years ago I worked on their Mijas (Costa del Sol) resort as a telemarketer, actually ringing the UK and offering the type of holiday you have been offered.

So to correct some myths.

They are legitimate. They own resorts from Southern Spain to Tenereife to Florida and more. They provide holidays, timeshare and some properties on their resorts are entirely privately owned (owners pay fees to use facilities etc. on the resort).
What you have been offered (not won - they use a variety of ways to obtain your details, be it competitions, questionaires (face-to-face, telephone or internet),which they sponsor but do not use their name, and could be as random as asking you what television channels you watch but ask a few choice questions so they know if they want to target you or not. They do not mis-sell their holidays. You get a highly discounted holiday (especially if there's more in your family than just a couple) with all facilities on the resort - pools, activities, kids clubs, restaurants etc. If you can get to go to the Costa del Sol it's even better as the flights are a lot cheaper. You do have to go to a "presentation" which is on timeshare, which will average around three hours. It depends on which salesperson you get as to whether it is really hard sell or not. Imagine their position - if they're behind on targets they'll probably try very hard. If they are comfortable and not under pressure they may not be. However as long as you are capable of saying no, it's a great deal. You will not be bothered by any selling at all apart from that half day presentation so the rest of the time you are free to enjoy your holiday.
The reason they do these holidays is they are filling up empty apartment weeks with "potential time share buyers". If those 1 in 7 buy, that more than makes up for the cleaning and maintenance of the other 6 who don't, staying in an apartment that would otherwise be empty (and of course spending money in the bars,restaurants, fitness club, shops etc.).

If you've got the money they are asking and they have a week you can do, go for it. (Just bear in mind the cost of flights especially during school holidays. Malaga is the cheapest to fly to but they'll try to sell you Tenereife or somewhere they have more space but flights are more expensive. Just ask them if they've got any on the Costa and you'll get it if they have.)

Susanita

Catherine_Taylor wrote: »

The promotion isn't a scam, you will get the holiday, but it comes with a presentation of their holiday product.

Please remember your consumer rights if you are tempted to sign up - do not pay a deposit on the day, or make a decision on the day. Most people find that the timeshare related products are not worth the money nowadays as you can rent weeks at most timeshare resorts for less than the annual fees ... that's without taking into consideration how much they will want from you initially to become a member.

I agree mostly but just remember you are under Spanish law not UK so your consumer rights are different. However no means no where ever you are (It's even the same in Spanish! ;-)

Susanita

I can't find that report Blindman...

blindman

Susanita wrote: »

I can't find that report Blindman...

The thread was closed\deleted now i remember as it got a a bit heated.

I did save a word document though - so I may post it here later.

budgetflyer

blindman wrote: »

The thread was closed\deleted now i remember as it got a a bit heated.

I did save a word document though - so I may post it here later.

Please do. I would be interested in your opinion.

blindman

budgetflyer wrote: »

Please do. I would be interested in your opinion.

OK
Profile:
I think of myself as a well travelled mature:cool: MSE savvy person. (I wrote this Priceline Guide and Hotwire Guide amongst other things)
Your opinion may vary

I used to take part in Mystery Shopping and one of the more interesting assignments was to pretend to be a buyer of a Club Las Costa Timeshare.

(I do not do this now and it was in 2008 so IMHO I don't think I'm breaking any confidentiality clause.)

I wrote up a report for the MS company but also jotted down my own personal thoughts of the whole experience.

This is what follows:

Bear in mind the figures were for 2008 and these are my own personal opinions.

blindman

What they are trying to sell you at the presentation:

Pay a FULL membership fee and you get one weeks accommodation for up to 6 (subject to availability, children count as occupants) free for life (well up to 2067-end of their contract) in one of the Club La Costa resorts.
They all look 5* (but doesn't everything in the brochures\videos?).
The La Cost brochure list 30 resorts in 16 countries. It has to be said though that most are in Europe.

It can be any week anywhere (allegedly, obviously can't check availability.)
Bookings can be made up to 12 months in advance or as late as 48 hours through their dedicated Travel office.
You do not have to book your flights or anything else through them, but can if you wish,
You yourself do not have to stay in the resort, you can "sell" the stay to friends\ebayers etc (as if you were renting out your own villa etc).

If you can't find a resort you want in the La Costa brochure (which IMHO is limited) then you have access to the RCI network of locations which are worldwide
These weeks at RCI however are NOT free.
The initial payment for 1 week in a European RCI resort is £119 (IIRC) and for the rest of the world it's £159.00.
Subsequent weeks would be £99.00 (per couple, more if 4 or 6 people).

So you could have your one week free at a La Costa resort and then pay for another week at the same resort for £99 (for two). There is a sliding scale for 4 or 6.

Or

You could have a week at an RCI resort for £159 then have a second week at the same place (or move on to another RCI location) for £99.00 (per couple per week)and then a third at £99 etc

What it costs:
Full membership as described above:
£11, 500 One off
Maintenance fee £415.00 Annually "Hasn't increased for years"

So for the next 59 years your annual 1 weeks holiday accommodation for up to 6 (more likely 4) to a top resort would cost you approx £600 (£200 ,£membership over 59 years) + £415 ( this would increase, but by how much?
Bit of a strange bargain me thinks as you would have to factor in airfares and other travel (car hire etc) and all accommodation (which at La Costa resorts is mainly Europe) is “subject to availability”) so you may not get the dates you want.
You obviously could sell your week (at a profit), but then you would not have a holiday and someone would have to buy it.

Bit too much?
Read on for what I believe they are really trying to sell you…

blindman

They kindly offer you a "Trial membership"

This lasts 3 years and costs £3795.00
This can be paid with a deposit of £595 then 36 payments of £113.95
Total cost for credit is £882.04 (interest)
£65.00 (Admin fee)
Then there’s the
Maintenance fee £415.00

So £4732 + £1245 = £5977 (assumes Mx fee stays the same over the 3 years.).

What does this £6,000 give?
You will get 5 weeks holiday to take whenever\wherever you want within 34 months.

You get an extra free week "Prelude" so 6 weeks

(They push it as 7 weeks but you get the "free" week you were enticed to presentation
anyway so I am omitting it)

Sounds better?
The Prelude week:
Must be the first holiday you take with Club La Costa.
Has to be taken within 45 days to 12 months
Can be for up to 6 (depending on availability)
No Flights or transportation is included.
Charge of £30 booking fee. Per apartment.
Can only be taken in Spain or Tenerife
You MUST attend another presentation.
You cannot combine this week with any week of your Trial weeks.
Gets upgraded to include car hire but I could not find if this included CDW ( I suspect
not…so another “extra” you have to pay).

What about the other 5 weeks
The other 5 weeks can be taken at the La Costa resorts, or the RCI resorts.
Must be used within 34 months from signing the contract.
Is for accommodation for 2, 4 or 6.
Again children are included in the occupancy numbers)
You can NOT stay for more than two weeks per holiday (unlike the Full membership)
You can NOT REVISIT any Club La Costa resort. (unlike the Full membership)
The weeks are NOT Transferable (unlike the Full membership) YOU have to go (unlike-you get the picture…).
There are cancellation rules and ‘fees’
There is a Processing fee of
2 person occupancy £50 per week
4 person occupancy £100 per week
6 person occupancy £150 per week
If you book into a resort in the RCI network:
Extra processing fee of £150.00
Not sure if that is in addition to the La Costa fees (maybe not..)
There is a charge for using Credit cards.

There’s more
You can also book 3 or 4 day “mini Breaks” at UK destinations for a “reduced price”
Have not enquired as to how much these actually cost.