Paradise Vacation Club Consumer Reviews

We arrived in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to begin our one-week vacation package. As we passed through the airport to find our transportation to the resort, we encountered a man behind the counter who offered us several "goodies" in exchange for a $160 fully refundable deposit if we just sat through a 90-minute vacation club presentation at the Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. We thought we had nothing to lose and the "goodies" would be fun (free whale watching trip, a free show, and a discounted fishing trip) so we signed up for the next day.

The next day we visited Paradise Village and we were swept off our feet with an offer to move in that day at no cost for lodging and meals and more extra goodies. We signed for a 35 year package for close to $20,000. Overnight my wife and I talked and reviewed what we had done with our grown children back home. We realized that the whole points system to use the program seemed complex and that we may never fully use a program for 35 years as we are both in our sixties. We found a provision in the papers providing for a rescission of the agreement.

The next morning we met with the sales people and provided a letter rescinding the agreement. We were ushered into a private office and offered a shorter term deal at less money. We declined. We were then advised that we would have to pay for our lodging at about $375 per night and our meals. We checked back at our package resort and our room had been sold so moving back was not possible. We added up the $375 per night and that totaled $2,250 which with food added would be more than our original one week package. We also were informed by the sales manager that we were liable for $595 in paper work charges.

Our total tab at Paradise Village came to $1,342.40 for two nights. We were discouraged and upset. We realized our one week vacation was ruined so we decided to fly home. The one way airfare was $1,245.28 plus $84 for baggage for two on Delta, but at least that was less than $2,250 plus meals and home seemed much more attractive at that point. Our decision to look into Paradise Village cost us $2,671.68 plus a ruined $2,449.20 vacation.

Our advice to travelers, just go and enjoy your vacation. Ignore the nice, smiley faces who try to entice you into spending just 90 minutes listening to the vacation club hype or timeshare hype. You will be a lot happier than we are today.