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Original Message:

Vida Vacations & Grand Mayan lies (by Christopher K.):

I just made the huge mistake of attending VIDA timeshare presentation. It was truly a horrific experience. The sales 'presentation' was high pressure, expensive, did not make any investment or financial sense. The sales people presented themselves like low class card sharks. Very ungracious, pushy and we felt "trapped' - luckily we did not give the our I.d. Or credit cards. I literally had to tell them I was was feeling ill before we were able to leave-4 hours later. We got paid but a huge waste of a vacation day. Completely stressful. Do not buy anything from them-

robertd617 wrote:
Short version: promised 90 minutes and $300, received OVER 4 hours and $0.

Longer version: Having read reviews from people who have lost their money, I should begin by saying all we lost was a half day of our vacation, but we are still mad a week later. We were convinced by Efrin Fitch, who the timeshare people themselves refer to as a "body snatcher" at the Advantage Car Rental that a pleasant 90 minutes would earn us $300 CASH "green money". At the 3 hour mark, after Nick (and Ian, and others) had used every ridiculous combination of numbers possible to make buying at Grand Mayan seem like it made sense, we told him no thanks and ask for our gift. After 30 more minutes of "survey" with Rafael and such questions as: "describe in one word why you are not taking advantage of this wonderful offer", we again ask politely for our money. After over 30 more minutes of stalling us and handing us back and forth between different people, each of whom was supposedly going to help us, we finally gave up and left in disgust, just as like several other vacationers ahead of us had done.

The icing on the cake was when we ran into Nick at the Walmart in Cabo that same afternoon. He tried unsuccessfully to avoid my family, and when I ask him (in front of his girlfriend) if he was proud to lie for a living, he acted as if he had no idea why I was upset and suggested that I go back to the Grand Mayan and "just ask for my money".

As I told my ordeal to every tourist who would listen all week in Cabo, I heard more and more similar complaints about Vida Vacations in Los Cabos, as well as complaints from people actually staying at the Grand Mayan, a subsidiary I think of Grupo Maya. My motto now: No Gracias.