Sometime ago, Timeshare Insights came across the story of this resort in Freeport, Bahamas. Someone at the resort sent an e-mail out to approximately 300 owners---using a "cc" as opposed to a "bcc" thereby giving all 300 people access to other owners' information---stating that she had been made aware of RCI's decision to disaffiliate the resort and that she was "extremely concerned."
I was puzzled by this situation, even though I knew full well that both RCI and Interval International reserve the right to accept or decline any resort, so I contacted RCI. I had the pleasure of speaking with someone from RCI...off the record as the situation is still evolving...who explained the real reason for the mess.
It seems that Lakeview Manor Club has shall we say a very spotty reputation. Owners traditionally chose to bank their time as opposed to returning to the resort in part due to the conditions the resort. What conditions you may be asking? It seems that there is no phone service, no recognizable signage to or around the resort and the place has not been kept up. Management and owners alike obviously KNEW what the problems were, yet nothing was done.
I must stress at this point, that there were NOT enough comment cards turned into RCI to warrant a disaffiliate notice, in part because no one was using their home resort nor was anyone exchanging into the resort.
This is a sad situation and a warning sign for timeshare owners everywhere. Owners MUST begin to take an active role in the running of their resort. Owners MUST bear the responsibility of completing comment cards for each and every timeshare resort that they visit, including their own. Owners MUST start asking questions. Owners MUST share information with other owners and keep up to date with the industry and each other.
It is obvious from situations like this and the "anonymous Orlando timeshare resort" that I wrote about sometime ago, that resort managers, developers, General Managers and staff may or may not have the owners' best interests at heart. Most of them don't own at the resort, so they have no real "ownership" of the situations. It is unfortunately up to each timeshare owner to get involved.
As for the owners of Lakeview Manor Club, it is yet to be determined what, if any exchange opportunities they may have.
Don't let this happen to you or any other timeshare owners. Educate Yourself, Open Your Mind, Get Involved.
1 comment:
I own a unit at Lakeview Manor Club, Freeport, Bahamas. This year I did not get the normal friendly maintenance reminder. I looked at it on google map and it looks like it is demolished. What gives and do I keep sending them a check when it is deserted?
Post a Comment