belaire golf resort and spa

We also purchased in January, 2007. At that time I overheard Antonio saying that they had sold many units and all the penthouses were sold out. I have a gut feeling that the reback program is a dream. Fortunately we did not turn in our other weeks that we were to and have used many of them.

What sold us on the program was the no maintenance fees, the buy back program and the work that they were doing at that time. They had started the present building and they had many workers and much progress was being done. I think there is little hope of getting our money back and I just hope we can use it at least one time before we can no longer travel to Mexico. Interesting newsletter. Looks like they are branching out and putting Belaire on the back burner. LJ

We were in Vallarta in March 09 and there is a little progress but not much when you look at all the other projects and how quickly they are getting done. I wished I would have looked into getting my money back last year but my husband told me to hold off and give them a chance! If I would have read even a few of these posts I would have proceeded to try to get something back but I found this a little too late. We too liked the no maintenance idea. Just as others have said, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true" We have membership at The Krystal one a purchased membership that we used up and another a resale. They have been a good company to deal with. Never disappointed us and did what they promised to do. The property is beautiful but our oceanfront unit was torn down to make room for Icon. We only have a few years left there but don't think we will buy timeshare again. Last year we rented a private condo in Penninsula for a month and it worked out well. No strings attached. You can't make it one year no problem you can always find something for next year. No fees to worry about. There are so many reasonable places to rent in Vallarta we think that is the best way for us to travel from now on.

I have been to the Belaire presentation and knew in the first five minutes it was too good to be true there is no way they could offer all that luxury and all those ammentiies for those prices. The OPC that sent us on the presentation told us up front that the place was a scam and would never be completed. I would think by now you would all have realized that. Even though your recision period is over I would think if you all got together and also solicited other people that have fallen prey tothis scam and put together a petition to present to Profeco they would have to do something. Lets face it,with all the complaints they have already handled they know what is going on with this company. Tourism is down in Mexico and they want people to be happy. Without Tourists PV is nothing. The timing is right to approach this. Get smart. Look at the Hotels and Resorts that have been completed in the last two years. As long as Belaire can stall you all off the chances of you ever getting your money back will just eventually go away, as will Belaire. It will never be finished.

If there are any other Belaire owners willing to participate in an effort to challenge Antonio for the return of our money, I for one, would gladly join in the effort. Mexico, as a country should not allow this kind of scam to continue and damage other resorts from attracting new owners.

I would be willing to join in the effort. I am not sure how to go about it but if anyone has the right way to do it count me in. Whatever is needed I will help with if I get the information on how to do it. I don't think we should let them take our money so easily. We only purchased a small package but they got a good amount of our hard earned money. We purchased back in the beginning of this mess in March of 2007.

I would love to participate in a group settlement with Profecto. Does anyone want to take this on? I would love to help. What about Miramar? Does anyone know anything more about this place? They have our resevations for Jan. if they open. I would love to hear from someone who has seen this place.

The secret, if we wanted to sign a petition, would be how to get the list of those who purchased. They would guard it, especially if they knew that something was happening. I am interested in helping with the problem, but how to do it. Janet, please let us know if you are staying at Miramar for sure. Plane tickets are expensive, and if you arrive and there is no place to stay, that would be terrible

In the US, we have Consumer Depts. to assist with this kind of fraud, but, Mexico is a different story. I would think the Belaire scam should be publized by our Government to warn our citizens and others that "it is a scam". I don't know if any of our purchasers have reported this, probably because we're ashamed to have fallen for it. If our Mexican Consulate can not intervene, it might necessitate the legal arena, but, the money is probably gone - so what's accomplished?

We are now in the process of filing a complaint to Profeco. They are very helpful in giving instructions on how to file a claim against Bel Aire. It must be done within a year of your purchase. We bought last Dec. 08 and are within our deadline. It is based in Mexico City and they are aware of the problems with Bel Aire. Be glad to let you know how we come out. We are also going to PV in January and intend to check out the Miramar. We don't even know if it is really a resort. They have put us off since Jan. 08 in making reservations there and now are saying it won't be open till Nov. One more month of putting us off and we will be beyond out deadline for filing with Profeco. I am not dumb and know what they are trying to do. That is why we are filing now. I would be happy to let anyone know how we are doing this, and will give you their address if you want it.

Good luck with your complaint filing, it is too late for us. We purchased in 2007 and have been lied to for 2 yrs. It's too bad, some major Publication has not been made aware of this scam. People need to know!!!!!!!!!! They are still scamming, even today. If anyone has an answer, please let the rest of us know.

sorry everyone, but I had to post, this is a complete scam, everyone in PV knows it. I live here. I am so sorry for you to be taken by con-artists and scammers. It gives the industry a really bad name. But there are great companies selling timeshare in Vallarta. As a matter of fact, all the other ones you have mentioned do deliver or try to keep you satisfied. I am an owner of another property since 2001 and am very happy with this mode of travel. HOPEFULLY ANYONE GOING ON A BELAIR PRESENTATION will read this and CANCEL!!!!!! Do NOT get a Mex lawyer to help you unless it is a major international firm, you will simply throw good money after bad. I wish you luck and hope this experience will not sour you to the wonderful t/s offerings in my beautiful home Puerto Vallarta.

Margaret, Is there really a Miramar? I know we have been took by Bel Aire, but just wanted to know if you have seen this resort they keep telling us we can exchange to. Jan:

I am one of the other unfortunate Belaire owners. I just wrote PROFECO to request an inquiry on this resort development. In my note the other day to those Belaire Staff, i strongly indicated to them the return of my money plus interest for using it.

Because of my involvement in the exchange students program, the two students(sisters) who stayed with us have a cousin who is a State Police Commissioner of one of the States in Mexico. They advised me to contact PROFECO and they will try to relay this issue with their cousin.

As far as challenging Antonio for the return of our monies, please count me in!

Hello!

Is your salesman by the name of Steve, goes by the name of Steve Stone? If so, he is the same senior individual who sold us in Jan 17, 2007. During the later part of 2007 he seemed to have been taken out or not connected with Belaire. I contacted him several times to inquire the status of the development. Eventually, his last message was, not to contact him anymore re: Belaire and he advised me to get my money back.

About that Miramar, I've been making connections with Belaire personnel and trying my best communicate in a business-like manner. Last year I requested my weeks for 2008 being promised during the presentation that it would be ready during the fall. Result . . . None.

Last June I requested accommodations for my family this coming December. HERE IS THE REMARKABLE PROMISES! They said that Belaire may not be ready but MIRAMAR their supposedly sister company will be ready. They assured me that they will provide me a 3-BR unit at MIRAMAR. However, the lady I was talking to, told me that because MIRAMAR reservation is not in place yet, she cannot forward me the confirmaton.

I have been in contact with this same Lady named Karla and the other Lady named Sylvia including their other Staff 3 or 4 times a month since June and last week, I told her that the members of my family already have airplane tickets for Puerto Vallarta during the dates I requested and I need the confirmation now.

The other day, I sent them again another email followed buy a telephone call. GUESS WHAT? Yesterday, Sylvia informed me that MIRAMAR will not be ready!!!! And listen to this, since I was a little infuriated, I told her that I did not appreciate all the lies and I am going to report them the Mexican authorities. She told me to email her a message telling her what I told her on the phone and she will present it to management and perhaps they will do something!!!!!! So I did that and so far no response. I call them again tomorrow.

Also, I suggest that you forward your concern to the Federal Attorney's Office of Consumer (PROFECO).

Hello Bill,

I see that you are from St. Albert. I lived on the westend of Edmonton and like yourself my wife and I purchased a unit at the very early stage, i.e., Jan 17, 2007.

I just forwarded my concern to Mexico's Federal Attorney's Office of Consumer (PROFECO) explaining the status of our purchase.

By the way, the sales pitch of Belaire at the time was, FRACTIONAL PROPERTY renewal every 25 years for 99 years ownership. The Fractional concept was due to the min. 4 weeks allocation every year.

Furthermore, during the presentation, that senior salesman Steve Stone, explained that there apparently a law passed beforehand in Mexico covering developers and investors.

The law was supposed require a Developer to place in Trust an equal amount of monetary value to the Project. The purpose is to ensure that the project is completed. Meaning, if the developer runs out of funds, the government can take over using the money in trust to finish the project.

I've been in contact thru email and telephone with this people since we bought to find out the status of the development. Last year I requested our 2008 weeks but to no avail, there was none and no effort from them to provide me alternate accommodation.

Last June, I requested our 2009 weeks for December and they kept on promising me that they will provide me with accommodation even when Belaire will not be ready. They even promised the MIRAMAR and not worry about accommodation for my family. However, they could not provide me with a confirmation.

Yesterday, I received an email from them advising me that MIRAMAR will not be ready neither! I was infuriated and called them and listen to what she said . . . . "Please Sir, send me an email writing down what you said on the phone and I will submit it to management so they can do something".

By the way, when you contacted PROFECO, what did they say about Belaire?

Regards, Ramon Caluttung Edmonton, AB, Canada

If you find a solution to this scam, for the rest of us, that have been taken, please put it on this forum. There are lots of victims, that just don't know where to begin

I have filed with Profeco and got a response just yesterday. They said they are reviewing my complaint and will let me know. They said even though I have a complaint they can only go so far. If the company (BelAire) doesn't respond to this complaint they cannot make them. Doesn't sound real promising to me. We will see. I will stay with these blogs and let everyone know. Jan: I also had reservations with the Miramar for Jan. 2010 and they cancelled them just this week. so much for getting anything for our money.

Seems to be that everyone is resigned to losing their hope of retrieving their respective investment into this BelAire and, I don't feel good about it because I sank my hardearned money into this fiasco, same manner as everyone else!

As I mentioned in my previous post, my exchanged students' cousin is not only a Police Commissioner of another State in Mexico but both him and his wife are practicing lawyers in Mexico. I am waiting for their suggestion on this issue.

One option that we all can consider is, a CLASS ACTION where we all collectively bring our claim against Belaire to court. This is also interesting to consider because Belaire has an office in the US and Puerto Vallarta.

Let's not lose our hope! Let us all find out what options are available to us and get all our minds together and bring Antonio Copella and his cohorts, his agents, including all his sales people to court.

The difficulty of this fiasco however is, the building has been started. The construction is indeed, slow but there are works being done and one of the 3 towers could be completed within a year or so. If that happens, our actions and negative thinking could backfire on us.

The point that we have to clarify is, what is the considerable timetable that the FRACTIONAL PROPERTY that we all bought into can become available to us owners.

There is another point that we need to clarify as explained by that senior Salesman by the name of Steve Stone at the time as the result of a Resort Project with buildings that were not completed and became an eyesore on Puerto Vallarta's ocean fronts.

The City of Puerto Vallarta apparently, passed a regulation requiring developers when applying a project for approval to place in Trust a certain amount of money equal to the monetary value of a project submitted. The purpose is to ensure that the project would be completed otherwise, otherwise the City takes over using the money in trust to complete the project.

We should all check that regulation if there is truth about it.

I would like to tell all of you that purchased at the Bel-Air that it is a complete scam! I live in Puerto Vallarta and everybody here knows that it is a scam. Antonio and his family have previously worked in every timeshare sells room in the Vallarta area and were banned to work anymore because of all their lies. So, Antonio opened his own sellsroom. The local timeshare association has agreed that if any representative works there that they will be black-balled to work in another sells room. The representatives that work there are basically rejects from other resorts. As for Steve Stone, that many of you purchased from, he jumped to his death from a hotel in downtown Puerto Vallarta in 2008. I would recommend that all of you get in contact with each other and file a class-action lawsuite from the states against Bel-Air and the city of Puerto Vallarta, you may not get your money back but you will maybe assist in getting this scam shut down. It is well known that Antonio has paid off the local authorities to keep the doors open and continue to operate. So I don't think that hiring a Mexican atorney will be of any assistance as I am sure Antonio will simply pay him off too. Best of wishes to you all...

Thank you so much for this important information. I would assume that one of the better options we all have on hand is the Class Action.

Firstly, while it is negatively rumored that hiring of a local Attorney would not be effective, I believe that we still have to look at this and find a Lawyer that would act otherwise. Secondly, we should also look at fiilng at the same time a separate Action in the US considering that Belaire has an office in the US.

Like a few from Canada who unfortunately placed their hardearned monies into this fiasco, I am also from Western Canada and I would assume, with the proximity and the relatively larger number of visitors there are more from the United States who are in the same boat as we are.

Considering that Belaire has also an office in the US, I would also assume that it would be appropriate that the lead of this action should start from the US. I am quite sure that we from Canada would be more than gratified to assist in any form possible. Therefore, I would like to request from any one from the US with the background, knowledge and connections with authorities of the law to begin the action.

I personally think that if we do make some actions and noices, the Government of Mexico will listen. With the many problems they are faced against, from Drugs to the H1N1 which are hurting their Tourism, anyone of this type of an Issue would hurt their International Image deeper. ESPECIALLY, if we can bring our CONCERN into the MEDIA - LOCAL and INTERNATIONAL!

Ramon Caluttung Edmonton, AB Canada