Diamond resorts take over of ixl resort RULES and SLEEZE

We are long term owners of Los Abrigatos under IXL. At IXL bankruptcy, Diamond sent docs that we would be "grandfathered" in at our home resort regardless of Diamond points. WELL have gotten runaround and comments from call center reservations in Maimi such as " Resort procedures and participation may change the points needed, cancellation or changes costing the ENTIRE YEARS points, and various other sleezy, double talk garbage. Units are readily available on line via hotels.com, Expedia, etc and not available to owners. AZ apparently has no concern about ethic or consumer protection.

Comments on diamond and Los Abrigatos

I am disgusted and don't know what to do. I bought a studio, every other year at Los Abrigados, now it seems diamond resorts took over and it is now a points system, which I do not want. If you don't save points by a certain time, you lose. I tried to book a week at a dump they call a timeshare, in tuscon, az and it was 4000 pts. I get 1750 points a year and spend about $600 for maint. fee. So it takes more than 2 years of points to get a dump for a week, which looks like an extended stay hotel. I want to get rid of this whole thing, how?????

I am at Los Abrigados now. We met other ILX members who are disgusted with DRI over the ever increasing "maintenance fees" and other DRI rules and policies. It is also disappointing to pay these high fees for years and be checked into a unit with old furniture, beds and carpets.

When they say "no" ask them about "The meaning of yes."

Hi, I saw your note on the board about Diamond Resorts. My father died in September and he'd owned two timeshares and gets apparently 7750 points per year...and now I am trying to discern and learn and analyze what this is all about....he would winter in Tucson and go to Sedona in the Spring usually before driving back to Michigan for the summer. Worked for him. Not sure what to do with these two timeshares...annual fee for both with layer fees totals about 1500-1600 a year for the two weeks/units.

robertr558 wrote:

I am at Los Abrigados now. We met other ILX members who are disgusted with DRI over the ever increasing "maintenance fees" and other DRI rules and policies. It is also disappointing to pay these high fees for years and be checked into a unit with old furniture, beds and carpets.

When they say "no" ask them about "The meaning of yes."

Have you found any positive yet? My father died end of September leaving two weeks at Los Abrigatos...and 7750 points with Diamond per year now, so 15000 points...and it's about 1500-1600 year in total maintenance. I don't understand how it all works yet. Is anything getting any better?

robertb1166 wrote:

We are long term owners of Los Abrigatos under IXL. At IXL bankruptcy, Diamond sent docs that we would be "grandfathered" in at our home resort regardless of Diamond points. WELL have gotten runaround and comments from call center reservations in Maimi such as " Resort procedures and participation may change the points needed, cancellation or changes costing the ENTIRE YEARS points, and various other sleezy, double talk garbage. Units are readily available on line via hotels.com, Expedia, etc and not available to owners. AZ apparently has no concern about ethic or consumer protection.

Comments on diamond and Los Abrigatos

The way it has been working is that Diamond Resorts raises the maintenance fees every year. Have you paid your 2014 fees? Are you certain about what your fees are? You have to decide if it is worth it to you or if this is the time to bail out.

Whatever you do, don't let them talk you into buying any more!

Yes, paid the fees. All at the Vegas HQ have been cordial and very helpful, as well as at least one person at the actual resort and one at the Miami call center, but I am still puzzle piecing together to new program and whether or not an owner from ILX still is 'guaranteed' a stay at the home resort...or is it simply points and availability-based?

robertr558 wrote:

The way it has been working is that Diamond Resorts raises the maintenance fees every year. Have you paid your 2014 fees? Are you certain about what your fees are? You have to decide if it is worth it to you or if this is the time to bail out.

Whatever you do, don't let them talk you into buying any more!

I've been a victim (deeded owner) there for over 20 yrs. I agree that it is outrageous how much fees have increased since the Diamond take over and how few improvements to the property they've made. Their high-pressure sales tactics at their "owner updates" have not changed from the same misleading garbage that ILX spewed at us. That said, I've never had any trouble booking a stay there. Use common sense and book well in advance of when you want to stay. It is easy to rebook if your plans change.

I tried to rebook on short notice and was told no, no, no by Diamond HQ. I only wanted to shift the stay forward by one day. They said that was a cancellation and their policy was blah, blah, blah. I could extend my stay but with a minimum of two days. "The Meaning of Yes" is a cruel joke.

When I got to the resort I found that I could easily book one extra night in the same room for a good price. But when I called them the first time they said they could not talk to me, I had to call Diamond since I used points.

"Rules and Sleeze" says it all about DRI.

as I said in another discussion:

There are so many ppl here expressing their disgust, but how can we get together to take some concerted action. Hundreds of letters to some investigative reporter at NYTimes, Harpers, 60 minutes might lead to shining more light on the timeshare crooks and perhaps even inspire some law firm to take up our cause.

We should all get together and hire a decent attorney. Our timeshares in Sedona are now actually hotels - low rated hotels at that. Try to book a week and if denied, look on Expedia and bet you can book that same week, paying the hotel rates per night. Cheaper than paying DRI's maintenance fees. Was told by DRI that owners were selling these rooms. Uh, yeh right.

Agreed

Has anybody had dealings with Mitchell Reed Sussman? Flat fee of $750, refundable if he can't get you out of your timeshare. Licensed in the State of California - no complaints on his CA Bar Association license or under his Real Estate Brokers license.

PLEASE go to the ABC News website at this URL:

http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=20/20

and request that 20/20 investigate DRI. Be sure to make reference to the whitewash/propaganda piece CBS did with Undercover Boss on Cloobeck.

Maybe if enough people write to them they may buy into the idea, if for no other reason than to embarrass CBS News.

We bought bi-annual at first and fees were around $450 a year. Then we bought annual and fees were around $900. Now they have doubled to $1750. Diamond told us they were totally rehabbing Los Abrigados. All they did was add flat screen TVs and NOTHING more! Cheaters, liars and crooks is what they are. I would like to do something more than just get out. A class action lawsuit is what is in order. Any lawyers out there willing take this on? If so, call me at 661-820-4205.

If you live in California, lodge a complaint with the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit. Contact AG's Offices in other states to get guidance through the complaint process. Am currently looking into a complaint with AZ Dept of Real Estate, as we own in Sedona. If the AG's Offices get enough complaints, things might change. California has already listed the DRI "Club" license as forfeited. Means the Club cannot conduct business legally in CA.

We are in the same boat having purchased a timeshare through ILX. Diamond pressured us at Owner Update to buy into their system. Maintenance fees are through the roof and there is NEVER availability! All we want is out with some recoup of our grand $25k scam marketed as a great investment. Any suggestions?

robertr558 wrote:

The way it has been working is that Diamond Resorts raises the maintenance fees every year. Have you paid your 2014 fees? Are you certain about what your fees are? You have to decide if it is worth it to you or if this is the time to bail out.

Whatever you do, don't let them talk you into buying any more!

Hey Robert, Any suggestions on how to bail without losing the entire $25k we were scammed into losing?

Any luck with AZ Dept. Of RE?

susani67 wrote:

If you live in California, lodge a complaint with the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit. Contact AG's Offices in other states to get guidance through the complaint process. Am currently looking into a complaint with AZ Dept of Real Estate, as we own in Sedona. If the AG's Offices get enough complaints, things might change. California has already listed the DRI "Club" license as forfeited. Means the Club cannot conduct business legally in CA.

doreenb54 wrote:

Any luck with AZ Dept. Of RE?

susani67 wrote:

If you live in California, lodge a complaint with the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit. Contact AG's Offices in other states to get guidance through the complaint process. Am currently looking into a complaint with AZ Dept of Real Estate, as we own in Sedona. If the AG's Offices get enough complaints, things might change. California has already listed the DRI "Club" license as forfeited. Means the Club cannot conduct business legally in CA.

Keep us AZ owners posted of your progress. My guess is that the powers that be in this state are firmly in the hands of developer interests. Cloobeck will be reborn as a dung beetle.