Business Profile

Vacation Timeshare

Vistana Signature Experiences

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Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Vistana Signature Experiences's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see

Customer Complaints Summary

161 total complaints in the last 3 years.
44 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

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The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

Initial Complaint
Date:08/26/2024
Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
To whom it may concern, In August 2018, we were contacted with an offer for a free stay at a Westin resort in ****, which required attending a sales presentation for their Vacation Club Program. Although we had previously turned down similar offers, we were told this was a unique opportunity, so we decided to take advantage of it.The presentation was initially supposed to last 90 minutes but ended up stretching over three hours. Despite our reservations and feeling considerable pressure, we eventually made a purchase. We were assured that we could sell the property if we were dissatisfied and that we could use points at any affiliated resorts globally.However, after the purchase, we found out that the program had significant limitations. We could only use it every other year, and there were many blackout dates. We felt that we had been misled about the program's benefits. Regretting our decision, we continued to make the monthly payment of $546.99 and cover maintenance fees to avoid harming our credit.Sincerely, ***** and ***** ******
Customer Answer
Date: 09/26/2024
Hi Team,

I am reaching out to request the reopening of my case, as I am still in need of assistance. I sincerely apologize for the delay in my response.

For your reference, my complaint number is 22198079

Thank you for your assistance.

Kind regards,
***** and ***** ******
Business Response
Date: 10/15/2024
Our records indicate that *** and Mrs. ****** acquired an odd year only Westin Nanea Ocean Villas vacation ownership package. This transaction occurred in September of 2018. During their tenure as owners *** and Mrs. ****** have used the program for its intended purpose, traveling to The Westin LagunaMar for 7-nights in November of 2021.
We apologize if *** and Mrs. ****** regret their decision to purchase into the Westin Vacation Ownership program. If their desire is to relinquish ownership of the property, then they are welcome to list it for sale on the open market for a price that they deem fair and reasonable. The process is no different than selling a home or any other form of deeded real estate.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/20/2024
Type:Order Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Despite my consistent efforts to resolve the situation directly with Vistana, I have been met with an unfavorable and unyielding stance on their part. Over the course of my contract, I have experienced several disheartening issues with their services which have significantly eroded my confidence and trust. Despite these circumstances, I have been faithfully meeting my financial obligations by making payments on my loan in a timely manner. However, I have made several attempts to cancel my contract due to the service mentioned above issues, only to be informed that this is not possible until I completely pay off my loan. This requirement seems extremely unjust and unacceptable considering the nature of my grievances.
Business Response
Date: 08/21/2024
Our organization received a similar complaint from ********************** in January. The matter was responded to by Customer Advocacy Manager, ***********************************. ******* reviewed ************************** ownership profile noting that he has used his ownership for two reservations in 2023 and banked his remaining StarOptions for use until 2025. In 2024, ********************** elected his ownership interests to Marriott ABOUND Club Points.
After investigating the matter ******* was unable to substantiate any of ************************** misrepresentation claims. He received all of the information and sales disclosures required to make an informed purchase decision.
Unfortunately, our organization does not offer any type of Exit Program for Sheraton Flex owners outside of the deed back program that ********************** was informed of. ********************** does have the option to list his Sheraton Flex Points for resale on the external market for a price that he deems fair and reasonable.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/28/2024

Complaint: 22170211

I am rejecting this response because:
Marriott claims that they do not offer any other options other than their deedback program, but they fail to mention that the program requires that their mortgage be paid in full before someone could be eligible. This is extremely unfair and insensitive to owners like myself who again, were not aware of the costs associated with their program. It does not seem right to fully pay off an item and then simply give it away for free, why does ******** expect an owner who has been current on payments and has already given them thousands of dollars to pay off something that I have had issues with and have no intentions on using anymore. Also, I find it hard to believe that everyone who has canceled their contract with them has fully paid off their mortgages. It is not possible. So again, I invite ******** to explore more options and work with me to find a reasonable and fair solution.
Thank you,

Sincerely,

*******************************
Business Response
Date: 08/28/2024
The deed back program was designed as a simple, no cost option for owners to relinquish their vacation ownership interests in order to avoid paying future maintenance fees. The program is not intended for new owners, rather it is intended for owners who have enjoyed many years of quality vacations and have no heirs to will the property down to.
********************** has the option to sell his ownership interests just like he would a home or any other form of deeded real estate. If ********************** is unable to maintain his mortgage payments, then the account will fall into the established loss mitigation and collections process. Once the account has become delinquent approximately180 days, revocation of the property via foreclosure action normally occurs.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/16/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
We are submitting this complaint to share our experience with this company. This entire experience with this company has been a nightmare from the beginning. During our timeshare purchase experience, we faced intense sales pressure to attend multiple lengthy presentations. We were offered cash credits and other incentives, with promises that we could use the timeshare anytime and easily make reservations. The transaction had to be completed before we returned home. The key selling point was that the timeshare was presented as an appreciating asset that could be easily sold for a profit. However, we have encountered significant difficulties making reservations and have not been placed in the phase or building that we purchased. This property is also now in need of major upgrades. We have been advised they were doing the best they could with limited funds. If this is the case, what is this company doing with the thousands of dollars we have paid to them in maintenance fees? The maintenance fee has become nothing now but a burden. We experienced high-pressure sales techniques and misrepresentations, particularly regarding the timeshare's value appreciation and resale potential. Therefore this company needs to take responsibility and allow us out of our contract. We have tried to work out a resolution with this company directly and have yet to be assisted. We need someone to reach out to us with our current cancellation options due to the contents of this complaint.
Business Response
Date: 09/25/2024
Our organization has received a similar complaint from Mr. Dougherty a few weeks ago through the Florida Attorney General's Office. A copy of our reply to that complaint is attached.
Our position on this matter has not changed.
Customer Answer
Date: 10/08/2024

Complaint: 22154085

I am rejecting this response because:
Consumer
Most Recent Message
Date Sent: 10/4/2024 12:25:11 PM
This company operates in an unethical manner. It's apparent from other complaints on the BBB website that selling timeshares in a high pressure sales meeting is commonplace. There are also many complaints stating misrepresentations that were used to coerce the sale. This company continues to brush away my complaint as they have done with so many others who have had similar experiences. I need to have my concerns taken seriously. Someone from this company needs to respond to my multiple contacts and reach out to me so we can reach an appropriate resolution.

Sincerely,

Bill Dougherty
Business Response
Date: 10/08/2024
At this juncture our organization has responded to Mr. Dougherty on several occasions. While we are sorry about his continued frustration, we have no further information to share with regard to his desire to relinquish ownership of his interest at HarborSide Resort at Atlantis.
Initial Complaint
Date:08/09/2024
Type:Order Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
Regarding Contract ****** This is a formal complaint against Vistana for their unreasonable terms and lack of support to timeshare owners going through financial difficulties. Our financial situation has become significantly strained due to unexpected life events and we find it increasingly impossible to meet the monthly payments of our timeshare, which now feels more like a burden than a luxury.We are being suffocated by escalating maintenance fees and monthly payments. Attempting to negotiate a way out, we were met with a lack of empathy and were only given two unfeasible options: to pay in full and sell back or transfer our financial burden to a third party.The requirement for the timeshare to be fully paid before exit is not only unreasonable, but it exacerbates our current financial hardship. We need to be offered a viable solution that considers our present circumstances.Vistana, in its practice, has turned a blind eye to our stress. It is only fair that we are not trapped in a contract for something we no longer wish to maintain because of change in personal **************** endure such relentless obstacles is no way to live. We need your intervention to help us find a resolution and relieve us from this unwanted timeshare.Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Business Response
Date: 08/29/2024
We are very sorry to learn about the recent changes to Mrs. ******** personal financial situation and wish her well during this difficult time. Unfortunately, our organization does not offer any sort of financial hardship assistance program. Loan payments must be paid in a timely manner in order to avoid collection activity. ************* services office will send collection notices to Mrs. ****** informing her of her options as she progresses through the loss mitigation process. Mrs. ****** also has the option to sell her ownership interests on the external market for a price that she deems fair and reasonable. The process is similar to selling a home or any other form of deeded real estate.
Customer Answer
Date: 09/05/2024

Complaint: 22118178

I am rejecting this response because:
I am not going to try and sell it on my own. No one is going to want to buy this because it is not MY property. I could understand selling it on my own and it being similar to selling real estate, but you can't live in these properties! How long is the loss mitigation process going to take?
Sincerely,

Chanette & ***** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/05/2024
Our financial services collections process typically goes on for 180 days. At the end of the collection period financial services will reach out to Mrs. ****** via letter to explain the foreclosure process.
Customer Answer
Date: 09/17/2024

Complaint: 22118178

I am rejecting this response because:
Will there be any other options for me other than foreclosure? Is there any way we can expedite this? I am ready to get this over with.

Sincerely,

Chanette & ***** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/18/2024
Unfortunately, it is not possible to expedite the foreclosure process. The only alternatives to foreclosure is to continue paying your mortgage and maintenance fees while enjoying use of the product, or selling your ownership interest on the external market as mentioned previously.
Customer Answer
Date: 09/18/2024

Complaint: 22118178

I am rejecting this response because:
So when will the foreclosure be complete then?

Sincerely,

Chanette & ***** ******
Business Response
Date: 09/24/2024
Our financial services foreclosure collections process typically goes on for approximately 180 days from the date of the first missed payment.
Customer Answer
Date: 09/30/2024

Complaint: 22118178

I am rejecting this response because:
Vistana Signature Experiences/Sheraton replies with a one sentence brush-off and you are asking if that is acceptable? Their answer is that their financial services department will take approximately 180 days to resolve. Why would anyone wait 6 months for an answer to a financial issue? Did they wait six months for us to find out how many lies we had been told? No, they charged us from 2019 because we believed they were telling the truth. ***** ****** told us we would be able to utilize 6-7 nights minimum per year. That was not the reality at all. So in 2022 ***** ***** told us we needed to upgrade to travel the way we wanted. Again, a lie. The peak of travel season is approaching for Florida vacations, why are they making us wait six months or more? They could resell our ownership to someone else during this time and make even more money!
Sincerely,

Chanette & ***** ******
Initial Complaint
Date:08/07/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
We are owners of Points for the resorts under Vistana . We vacation at Sheraton Broadway in ************, **. This year we had a 7 day week vacation from August 4 through August 11th, 2024. Tropi*** *********************/ Hurricane 1 hit the Florida coast and came up the Eastern Seaboard. We stayed tune to the weather station which repeatedly said do not get out in these areas.....they were flooding. We ***led on the 3rd to cancel our vacation and was told there would be no problem in canceling our reservation because of the inclement weather. And our 67 thousand points would be returned. We were told to ***l back on Sunday to Owner's services again to make sure. ************* were closed so we were to ***l when it said opened on Monday, we were also told to *** this number and that number and other numerous numbers which we did. We talked to different people. We were told to be sure to leave messages so we did. We even left a message with the resort . When I ***led on Tuesday, the 6th, to make sure the points had been returned I was told and I quote" Vistana refused to return our points even though it was flooding and people were told to say off the streets and also travel to ************....we were encouraged to come on.....how do you drive 4 to 5 hours and it pouring buckets of water and the roads are flooding.....all we want is our points returned...we followed protocol but they could not say without a doubt it was not dangerous and told us to come on.....even knowing the storm was coming back through to dump more water. They will not return our points. We have been owners for 20 plus years. This is disgraceful. Money over the personal safety of the owners. I ***led supervisors, owners services, corporate and NO ONE WOULD HELP ME .....We want our points returned for that week so we can enjoy another vacation when the weather is not treacherous with our grands...that's all we are asking.. We followed the rules to cancel with all our phone ***ls.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/08/2024
This is the permission form. Tks ***************************
Business Response
Date: 08/13/2024
We are very sorry to hear that *** and ***************** chose not to occupy their week at Sheraton Broadway Resort. It is important to note that the resort was open and fully operational throughout the last week. *** and ********************* reservation began on Monday, August 4th for 7-nights. We have investigated this matter and found no record or indication that *** and ***************** contacted Owner Services on Saturday, August 3rd. The reservation rules for the Sheraton Flex Program state that a stay must be cancelled no later than one day prior to arrival. The earliest cancellation request of record occurred from *** and ***************** occurred on Tuesday, August 5th, one day after check-in. Since a two-bedroom villa was held for *** and ***************** we are unable to authorizing refunding their reservation. In addition, Owner Services offers travel protection to help protect an owners reservation for unforeseen circumstances such as a natural disaster.
If *** and ***************** have evidence that they called Owner Services on or before August 3rd, they are welcome to attach that evidence to this complaint for further review. Reservations cannot be cancelled by **************************************** or the ********************** as all vacation ownership transactions are managed through the Owner Services office.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/13/2024

Complaint: 22110159

I am rejecting this response because:
We called several people on the 3rd of August. We left messages to the fact we would not be coming because of the horrible weather conditions We talked to people including to ********************* who told us to call on Monday the 5th, and speak directly to someone about putting the points back
Ms ****** saw no problem in the points being placed back because of the treacherous weather which was taken place It continued to get worse as the week progressed
Who would in danger their family and small grandchildrens lives when the weather stations were warning people to stay out of that area The area was under a Weather Advisory
it takes us 4 to 5 hours to get down there and the roads were flooded
We reject their response based again upon the fact we did follow protocol and its not our fault they do not have access to the messages we left on Saturday, Sunday and we called again on Monday and Tuesday No one would stop and think about the endangerment we would be placing our family and our grands lives in

Sincerely,

***************************
Business Response
Date: 08/16/2024
************************* is a resort Marketing Executive; she is not part of our Owner Services office and does not manage ownership reservations. Again, all reservations are managed entirely by Owner Services. In order for this reservation to be cancelled ***************** should have called or emailed Owner Services prior to the date of check-in. As an ethical organization we must uphold the reservation rules for all owners in a fair and consistent manner. For this reason, we are unable to honor ********************* request to return the StarOptions that were used to reserve her villa at Sheraton Broadway resort.
Again, Owner Services offers travel protection for a small fee. Travel Protection helps protect against unforeseen circumstances like illness, injury, or a major weather event. We highly encourage owners purchase travel protection if they are traveling during hurricane season.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/19/2024

Complaint: So we as owners of over 20 some years, you are going to put our safety over your RULES? You would have rather we started out, perhaps been in a terrible situation, even though we followed protocol. What kind of company are you running? You would rather the public see you as a companyWith no heart, placing people in dangerous situations such as little kids, just because a mistake supposedly was made. We called different people starting on August the 3rd. We left messages. We called people on August 4th and left messages. We kept calling up until the 6th. We cannot help we were mislead by the different people we called. Please place the points back. We did what we were suppose to do. It was not our fault. Your reputation as to how you respond to this safety travel situation will certainly touch a great many people whether or not you have a heart and the best interest of your resort family is your upmost concern!!!!!

Sincerely,

***************************
Business Response
Date: 08/19/2024
At this juncture we may only reiterate that we are unable to return ********************* StarOptions to her account as there is no legitimate basis to do so. Honoring ********************* request would be unfair to all of the owners who did purchase the travel protection policy.
***************** has been an owner for several years and she should understand that reservations are managed by our Owner Services office. ***************** did not contact Owner Services to cancel her reservation one day prior to arrival as stipulated by the vacation ownership programs reservation procedures.
Customer Answer
Date: 08/19/2024

Complaint: 22110159
Your business is the one who is "unethical." We did what were told from many people we dialed from your RESORT NUMBERS>
At least give us half the points back and we will call the matter settled and I know for a fact you all have put other owner's points back. We have or we did have friends who owned with ya'll They are horrified at the way your treating us when we followed the rules. Now when we tell people who own with you all, they are not so keen on how you "TREAT," your customers. We had our son interested in purchasing but no more. Everyone else we have told, they cannot believe your Resort would actually encourage people to come on in such dangerous and terrible weather.
Again, we contacted people, we called Owners services on the dates we were told to call because yall were closed on Sunday. We called on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and Tuesday.

Sincerely,

***************************
Initial Complaint
Date:08/05/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
We have contacted Vistana Portfolio Services both via email and phone regarding missing payments. There were 3 payments missing and 2 have been applied to my account, but the 3rd payment has not been applied. Our first call to VPS was on 4/2/24. We have called almost weekly. We sent proof of the payments several times through email and have received confirmation of receipt of the emails. It is now 4 months and we are still showing as being a month behind in my payments and we are not. Please resolve this ASAP by getting my payment made in March 2024 inadvertently to my old account number. Also, remove any late fees and do not report negatively to credit bureaus.
Business Response
Date: 08/14/2024
From: ************************** (MVCI)
Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2024 3:50 PM
To: *******************
Subject: MVW Customer Advocacy

Good afternoon *******************,

I have received your complaint that was filed with the Better Business Bureau of **************** I appreciate this opportunity to respond on behalf of the Sheraton Vacation Club brand.

I am so sorry to hear about the trouble and lack of follow up you have experienced while working with Vistana Portfolio Services. In order to assist you, I escalated the matter to the appropriate senior leader within our financial services office and they were able to locate the funds in question. $723.50 was posted to principal on your old loan account. In order to correct this, we have posted the payment to your new account **********.

Again, I apologize that you had to escalate this matter to my level in order to receive the appropriate attention and resolution. As a goodwill gesture I would like to post ****** points to your Marriott Bonvoy account. Can you please confirm that account number *********** is the correct account number where you would like to receive those points?

Thank you,

MARRIOTT VACATIONS WORLDWIDE
*************************
AVP, Customer Advocacy
Customer Advocacy
Initial Complaint
Date:07/24/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
To Whom it may concern,We purchased our first time share with Sheraton in *******, ******* back in 2021. My wife and I went to visit ******* for the weekend as we usually do when we visit my sister-in-law. We felt that at the time this Vacation club was a great idea because our daughters love to travel to ******* to see their cousins. ****** was the salesperson who was running our presentation. It was a nice place, a lot of people were at our table that ****** was presenting to.At the time we felt good about purchasing a place where we travel to to see our family annually. We thought it was a vacation club that offers discounted prices. Thats how it was explained to the table. From the look of everyone elses faces they also were intrigued by this deal. What also caught our attention was that the points never expire. We bought the timeshare under the impression this was a vacation club. Had we known it was one of the timeshare scams, we wouldve never bought into this.We have never been able to use the timeshare because our timeshare is always booked up around the times me and my family want to go. We cant afford to keep paying a mortgage and maintenance fees that were told to us that they were property taxes.I am retired, and my wife is the only one with income coming in. I also take care of my mother who has Alzheimers and as the time passes it is taking more and more time and effort to take care of her. We are not able to leave her with anyone as it is just my wife and I who take care of my mother. The monthly expenses for the timeshare keep increasing and it has just become too much for my wife due to all of this. We want out of our timeshare contract!Thank you,******** and *********************** **************************************************************
Business Response
Date: 08/21/2024
We are disappointed to receive this complaint from ******************. Our records reflect that ****************** acquired ****** StarOptions in the Sheraton Flex Program on August 11, 2021, with first year occupancy 2023. At the time of purchase ****************** received a complete copy of the program's reservation rules, the very first paragraph of his contract discloses that the Sheraton Flex program is a form of timeshare. The reservation rules explain that StarOptions are valid for travel for one-year, unused StarOptions can be banked to the following use year, effectively giving owners two years to use their StarOptions. As an incentive to purchase ****************** received an additional ****** StarOptions on March 30th, 2022.
Sheraton Flex Owners may contact Member Services up to 12 months in advance to make travel plans. All reservation requests are subject to availability on a first come, first served basis. **** times, it is not necessary to plan ***************************************************************************** school breaks. We have more than 10 resorts in the ******* area and there is typically adequate inventory in the area to satisfy the travel demands of owners. Our records reflect that ****************** has made no effort to utilize his ownership since purchase.
We are very sorry to learn about ********************** personal circumstances, we understand that his current priority is to care for loved ones. If ****************** is unable to travel this year and next year, he has the option to deposit his StarOptions with **********************. In return ****************** will receive a deposit valid for a 7-night vacation through **********************. ********************** deposits have a two-year expiration date. ****************** also has the option to trade his StarOptions to ****** points in the Marriott Bonvoy program. To learn more about these alternative usage options ****************** is encouraged to contact Member Services at ************. Member Services hours of operations are Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 8:00pm eastern and Saturday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Unfortunately, we are unable to honor ********************** request to cancel his contract in the Sheraton Flex Program. Sheraton Flex Points are considered to be a form of deeded real estate. In order to relinquish ownership of his interests ****************** must sell them to another individual, satisfying the outstanding loan. This is required before the deed can change hands.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/12/2024
Type:Order Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
To Whom It May ******** Sheraton Flex Contract # ****** In January of this year we wrote to you detailing our displeasure with our timeshare purchase. We still have not received any response from you regarding this. I am extremely disappointed in your lack of courtesy and respect. It is unacceptable that you have not even acknowledged the correspondence.Since our upgrade purchase, our overall experience for using this timeshare was disappointing, which was mainly due to the inflexibility and time-restraints of booking and poor villa availability at our desired vacation locations. Combining with COVID-19 related travel concerns, in the past 4 years we had to either convert the StarOptions to hotel points with additional fee payments in 2019 and 2022 or cancel the reservation without reimbursement due to the Omicron concerns on December 17, 2021.Between the lack of availability and the misrepresentations regarding how we would have no issue with booking a vacation anywhere and at any time by your sales representatives, we want to be released from our timeshare contract.Covid-19 has also fundamentally changed our perspectives in life, and the added cost and lack of availability has made this rethink our priorities in life.In brief, we feel that these events have completely ruined our original expectations of a comfortable and friendly way to vacation, considering the high costs we are bearing. We want the immediate cancellation of our contract. We just need this to end.Sincerely ****** and ****************
Business Response
Date: 07/24/2024
This is the first complaint that we have received in the corporate ************************ from Mrs. ********* In review of her ownership profile, Mrs. ** acquired ****** StarOptions in the Sheraton Flex program on December 23, 2018, with first year occupancy beginning in 2020. During the ******19 pandemic our resorts quickly acclimated to the changing travel environment, introducing enhanced housekeeping and social distancing procedures. Our resorts never closed and were available to our owners throughout 2020 and 2021.
Mrs. **'s transaction history shows that she redeemed ****** StarOptions in December of 2021, staying 7-nights at Sheraton Vistana Resort. The following year Mrs. ** decided to convert her StarOptions to ******* Marriott Bonvoy points, a substantial sum of points that can be easily redeemed for stays at *************** all around the world.
Currently, Mrs. **'s account is in a denial of use status for unpaid maintenance fees. Unfortunately, it is not possible to simply cancel Mrs. **'s purchase. Please understand that StarOptions are considered to be a form of deeded real estate. In order for the ownership interests to change hands Mrs. ** would need to list them for sale and payoff any outstanding mortgage and/or maintenance fee debt associated with the property. Mrs. ** is welcome to list her ownership interests for sale on the external market for a price that she deems fair and reasonable. Our organization does not charge any type of prepayment penalty. The process is no different than listing a home or any other form of real estate for sale.
Initial Complaint
Date:07/06/2024
Type:Service or Repair Issues
Status:
AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased 2 timeshares from them. Two deeds in ******. I rarely got to use it because it couldnt get to any places I wanted to go based on points. I went to Sheraton Vistana ******* and they told me I had to meet to update my ownership. I was ready to hear the sales pitch. I specifically told them I did not want the ownership anymore. ( it was paid off for years). Their website would never allow me to book anything or view my account. Thats when salesman , **** said my ownership would not work in the NEW ownership plan with Marriot.******* took my deeds in this contract . He said I had to upgrade to use all the resorts. They told me I could not give it back but I had to sell it to someone.( sell what they just confirmed was useless) *** said there was a free offer to convert. But it was too late to get that offer from Marriot. He said I had to get in the new program to use timeshare. Cost another $12000. And the assoc. fees would only go up annually about 3 to 5% because its a global association. Once I accepted he said the website would be down for a few weeks because of the changes. He told me I couldnt use my vacation for the next year. They did not tell me it was because they took my actual visit and deleted it from my existing ownership and put it on the one he sold me. Then the next year fees went up over30%. I still couldnt get in the site. I called them and found out what they did to my ownership and I wanted out immediately. After months of their lies and threats of ruining my credit, they said the only way out was to default so they would then allow me to surrender the deed. I went through that process and they falsely reported it to the credit bureau as real estate not as timeshare.. They wouldnt let me surrender paid off deeds, and then took the deeds I owned, exhorting more money and destroying my credit intentionally after over 12 years of loyalty .
Business Response
Date: 07/24/2024
In review of ****************** account we see that she initially acquired two weeks at Westin LagunaMar at different times. Her first week was purchased in 2008 and her second week was purchased in 2013. We respectfully disagree with ******************** statements about her inability to use these ownership interests. We have reviewed her usage history and see that several reservations were made over the years including stays at The *********************************************************************************************************************************************, and several more.
In June of 2022 **************** attended a sales preview and chose to trade-in both of her weeks at **************** for ****** StarOptions in the Sheraton Flex Program. StarOptions can be used as a direct currency to book nine different Sheraton Vacation Club resorts up to 12 months in advance, subject to availability. A new mortgage was established to fund the balance of her purchase. **************** later fell delinquent on that loan and was offered a deed in lieu of foreclosure. On June 18, 2024 the deed in lieu of foreclosure was finalized. Sheraton Flex Points are considered to be a form of deeded real estate.
After reviewing this matter, we have confirmed that our financial services office followed the appropriate loss mitigation procedures. Our investigation has resulted in no evidence of malice or misrepresentation that warrants further action.
Customer Answer
Date: 07/29/2024

Complaint: 21949541

I am rejecting this response because:
-Timeshares are required to be reported as timeshares in credit bureaus. They reported my previous accounts as timeshares. See attached. The impact of this reporting damages a home buyer from qualifying for a home loan over a vacation club dispute. They have deviated from the procedure and it appears to be specifically to cause excessive harm. That is improper. People have filed bankruptcy just to get away from them. (I know this for certain)
-Their response misrepresents the lack of availability of their website to book their vacations. There are numerous complaints about this by other owners. This made it extremely difficult to book a vacation. I still paid. I even called and they said nothing was available and tried to convince me to talk other vacations that I didnt want. The website rarely worked.
-And I never went to the resort they listed. Too many times Hawaii or ****** was under renovation. It took me 9 years to finally get into *************. Then things shut down because of Covid. I still paid. I had cancer in 2020. I still paid.
- Their response confirms that I was a loyal customer since 2008. But being a customer for 14 years. But when I went to the resort in 2022, they told me ownership was no good under the new company and I could not use the new locations unless I turned over my 2 timeshare weeks for a point system. My 2 timeshares were with deeds in ******. This points plan had no deed to a specific property. Thats even further from the interest of a property. Rather it is interest in a club or organization. This is improper.
This is at the very most it is a timeshare.
-I attempted to get out of these two contracts, but they refused.
So based on their explanation, they said they could trade my deeds for points. . I had offered to just surrender my deeds in the past but they told me I would have to sell them to someone. I was trapped. They said that I could not get out of this until I stopped paying and went into default on the dues. So if I converted I could go to all the additional locations. A day after the meeting I fell ill with ***** . I called the sales guy and told him . I knew I missed the time to void the contract. I called and asked. But then I found out I couldnt use the resort for two years. Thats stealing my annual accessibility. They said I could use the points for plane tickets but I found out that wasnt really true either. There was price for that too. Thats when I knew I had been taken advantage of.
-These were the clear instructions. I received from them to end this contract on 1/29/24. I spoke to someone named ****. I must stop payment for 6 months. And then they would contact me to surrender the ownership.
This basically boils down to pay thousands of dollars for this vacation that you cannot use, or we will ruin your credit.
I did exactly what they told me to do. I insist that correct the classification to Timeshare. After all these years as a paying customer, this is the worst way to end a business relationship.
Sincerely,

***********************
Business Response
Date: 07/30/2024
At this juncture we may only reiterate that our financial services department followed the appropriate debt collection procedures for her past due mortgage note. Prior accounts were not delinquent and did not fall into the loss mitigation cycle.
Reservations may be requested up to one year in advance to visit a resort that is in-network. All reservation requests are subject to availability on a first come, first served basis. Respectfully, Marriott Vacations Worldwide, which encompasses Marriott, Westin and Sheraton brands, has more than ******* owners the vast majority of whom consistently provide satisfaction feedback above 90% from working without Owner Services department. If high demand reservations are requested at popular resorts located in ****** and/or the Carribean then earlier planning might be necessary.
**************** acquired her Sheraton Flex ownership interests on June 15, 2022, and her first year of usage was scheduled to begin in 2023. Maintenance fees commence with usage, so **************** did not pay maintenance fees for her new purchase until invoices were assessed for the 2023 use year.
As mentioned previously, owners have ample opportunity to make good use of their Sheraton Flex Points by working with our Owner Services office. We are sorry that **************** did not meet the financial responsibilities that coincided with her purchase, resulting in the foreclosure action and subsequent impact to her credit profile.
Customer Answer
Date: 07/31/2024

Complaint: 21949541

I am rejecting this response because:
The focus of this complaint is the credit report classification and dishonest business practices that occurred. Now they want to discuss association fees. Did I explain in my initial letter about that false statement they told me. The truth is I was told by ****, the salesman that the association fees would not increase drastically for maintenance of a property anymore. They were overall fees that would only increase about 3-5% annually because the cost is spread across . The first bill I got, it went up almost 30% to over $1600. And I still wasnt allowed to book any time.
Again, they are not truthful in the information they told me. There is absolutely no way to get comprehensive and accurate information from them.
This almost doesnt qualify as time shared either. There is no property ownership, it became points. There is no week promised. And with the acquisition of the Sheraton, they told me my two contracts were no longer able to be used because they got rid of all the Mexico deeds and week ownerships.
BBB, this company took away everything I owned from them and paid for over the 12 years. I cannot emphasize enough how victimized I feel after this.
I followed their instructions to end the contract. I even called numerous times to end it sooner. They did not attempt to work with me at all. They deviated from reporting this as a Timeshare, so it definitely is received as retaliation.
BBB, please inform them, the good business thing to do is to change this record, as requested. It will still be a negative ***** but it will at least be identified as the type of company the were.
Sincerely,

***********************
Initial Complaint
Date:07/05/2024
Type:Order Issues
Status:
ResolvedMore info
Complaint statuses
Resolved:
The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
Unresolved:
The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
Answered:
The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
Unanswered:
The business failed to respond to the dispute.
Unpursuable:
BBB is unable to locate the business.
I have been consistently and professionally communicating, or attempting to communicate, with Vistana for nearly a year to explore any possible avenues for relinquishing my ownership of a timeshare with Westin at ************ Resort. Despite recent communications via formal letter and telephone, it has been made clear that expedited resolution or surrender of my timeshare is not an option being considered by Vistana. The preferred outcome appears to be foreclosure, yet no specific timeline or assurance has been provided for this process. My co-owner and I have invested a significant amount of time, energy, and funds into this timeshare, only to be met with a lack of genuine respect or viable solutions. Compounded by reduced usage opportunities due to natural disasters, advancing age, and diminishing ability to utilize the property, our situation has become unsustainable. Efforts to engage or discuss with exit services have been unfruitful, and we have been informed of an impending foreclosure without further details. Proposals to transfer ownership back to Vistana directly, thereby avoiding foreclosure, have been categorically declined. This leaves us in a position of indefinite obligation to Vistana, which seems completely unjustified
Business Response
Date: 08/16/2024
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2024 10:19 AM
To: *********************
Subject: MVW Executive Office

Good morning ****************,

I am in receipt of your complaint that has been filed with the Better Business Bureau regarding your fractional ownership interest at ********************

Unfortunately, our organization does not offer any sort of repurchase or listing program for this particular property. I understand that you are currently in arrears over $18,500 for 2024 maintenance fees. Pending your affirmative reply to this email, I can work with our Condominium Ownership Association collection office to organize a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure for your property. This would relieve you of your outstanding maintenance fee obligation and at the closing of the transaction you will no longer be the owner of the property. Please respond to me by no later than Monday, August 19th if this is how you wish to proceed.

Thank you,

MARRIOTT VACATIONS WORLDWIDE
Customer Answer
Date: 08/19/2024

Better Business Bureau:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Sincerely,

***********************

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