PUERTO BAHÍA Villas & Spa Timeshare COMPLAINTS

I have concerns too about PBV. Please email me so we can compare notes. Email is [E-mail]

We have the same basic Puerto Bahia story as everyone – We were enticed to visit a 90 minute presentation that went on for 5 hours of pressure and what appeared to be a deal too good to be true. We got sucked in and the next day tried to cancel. The day after that we went to the government Profeco office and they made up a directive statement which we were told to hand deliver and to also send it certified mail We did hand deliver and photographed the delivery since the owner’s representative wouldn't sign for it and then we had DHL deliver this too. Profeco told us we should get our money back. And that we should send an email in 15 days if the credit card wasn’t refunded. I have emailed the address given to us twice with attachments and an explanation but have not been able to get acknowledgement back that the email has been received. I also told American express to not pay them as this was a scam and I was disputing it. They indicate a few months to investigate. So far I am out about 8700.00 including Peso exchange fees. I am wondering if anyone has received a refund with or without the help of Profeco.

All the same as Linda Curtis states, and after 1 year, I still have not gotten my money for the purchase of my Royal Holiday Club contract with Platinum Resort Services, promised within 180 days. I have a contract that states they have a purchaser for my RHC, with $16,000 in escrow account, but still no completion of that contract. If anone has this agreement with Platinm Resort Services and have a law suit pending, please have your lawyer contact me. Perhaps we can get a class action in the US... just a thought.

We were interested in purchasing outright so we wouldn't have to deal with devalued timeshare (or "fractional ownership", apparently the mod term now) which they refused. They say the contract is for real estate so you automatically waive your right to the 5-business-day cancellation allowed under Mexican consumer protection law. If you want to end up with a timeshare, this place might be for you... but we were not comfortable with their tactics especially their lies about being able to guarantee a ridiculously high rate of return and saying that signing their contract would waive the 5-day buyers remorse protection when it doesn't according to PROFECO (Federal Consumer Protection).

I lost 500 in 2011. Spent 2 years talking to profeco, and they can not enforce the ruling. So I am out 5500!

Went to presenteatation there yesterday and found that all of the bad stories are true. We were lied to repeatedly and told that the guarantee of rental income was in the contract and we would be able to sign that guarantee when we signed the contract. Got down to the last minute before signing and then we were told that we would sign another contract for the guaranteed rental portion the next morning with a liquidator in the U.S. We just needed to trust him and have a little faith. If it sounds too good to be true, it always is. At least for those of us in the 98%! Years ago when we foolishly believed the Mayan Palace we had to go the government agency in PV to cancel the timeshare purchase. They gave a phony address to send a cancellation letter but luckily someone told us about the agency and I spoke Spanish. The puerto bahia folks just lie and say there is no rescision period because it is real estate. Glad to hear that is not true but too bad the English (from England) speaking seller there gets to keep telling the same lies to others. As soon as we mentioned rescision, they didnt want anything to do with us. I would suggest staying away from presentations unless you want to add stress, time away from your vacation and the possibility of doing something really stupid.

Ok. Went through similar to others but i will say this. Marc is no longer there. I thought Ryan was fired. Class A liar. The paperwork does say construction complete in 2 years and units are now open.

New management is better. Place is looking great. Raintree wont allow the trade in. Now i have more than i need.

Haven't seen about the rental program yet. Gorgeous place. Cant wait to use it.

PUERTO BAHIA SCAM

Okay People,

We see a lot of scam reports out there about Puerto Bahia...timeshare condos in Puerto Vallarta. We read them after we got home from there months ago and were thinking that we had just gotten robbed. Those comments scared the ever-living heck out of us. And for nothing. Then we noticed how old they were and did a lot of digging. Now it’s time for us to tell it like it is and set the record straight.

Our experience with them was delightful and problem-free. We don't know what these people are talking about so I'm going to weigh in and address some of the issues about which we see others complaining. We don’t work for this place, we’re not on their payroll, and we’re not 20-somethings who were in Mexico drinking on spring break. We’re educated, middle-aged business owners, and who travel a lot. The caveat is that we are real estate agents so maybe we understand this whole process better. We don’t feel that you’re not going to get ripped off at this place, but take our advice how you will.

First, we see the main guy who is complaining on these “informer sites” (and copying it a dozen times on any website that’ll take it, which we will also do with this write up) is from Canada. Ya der hey, wake up, sir. You Canadians, and other nationalities complain that Americans can be jerks…the “Ugly American” and all that. Well, yes, sometimes. BUT, it is that jerkiness that makes us suspicious and wise so we don’t fall into whatever issue you seem to have had. We go into things (especially real estate transactions) with our eyes open and if we smell a rat or don't like something we bitch about it until it’s made right. That's where the reputation comes in...because we complain. It is our feeling, however, that it is better to complain and have the reputation as a jerk than to not complain and get ripped off or to not have things go the way you want. Voicing concerns and communicating will always save much trouble and miscommunication. We do love our 51st state though.

Second, how hard is it to clarify? Dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s. You wouldn't sign a contract back home without reading, so why in heck would you do it in a foreign country? And, you are always entitled to say no and/or walk away. Nobody is holding you hostage. You go to these places for a time-share presentation. And let's get real here. "Fractional real estate?" Really?? That's like calling the guy who pumps my gas a "petroleum transfer engineer." These are TIME-SHARE condos or BUY condos (ones for outright sale). It's a TIME-SHARE sales presentation folks. It is a SALES presentation. There will be an attempt to SELL you a time-share or buy at said presentation. That's the whole point, so please stop complaining that you were tricked with free gifts to get there. You’re like the lost pets that are lured into a car with a Scooby snack. The gifts and money are not free; they are a calculated trade for your time with the hopes that you will buy a condo or a time-share. And by the way, the people (often local Huichol “Indians”) or company who gives you the taxi ride and sets up the appointment for the presentation is NOT the same company giving the presentation or selling you the condo or time-share. Think of the ride to the resort as a limo ride to the airport. If you feel cheated by the limo driver you don't blame the airlines.

Third, the idea of a 45-minute commitment is TOTALLY unrealistic. You can’t cross Los Angeles in that time, yet in a mere 45 minutes you want to somehow travel to a presentation, meet and greet, view the presentation, eat lunch, and get back to your hotel? If your teenagers tell you the jeans he wants ONLY cost this much or she’ll be off her phone in a JUST a few minutes you wouldn’t believe it either, right? Wise up.

Honestly, we must interject here and just say everyone needs to be realistic. What is it about Mexico that makes people forget the immutable laws of physics and time-space? Stop going on vacation and leaving your brain and common sense at home!

Fourth, the condos DO exist. I've been there and can assure you that they’re real. They are nice and they look great...my only complaints are that it's dusty right now to get there and that we got lost (we drove ourselves). The location is fairly isolated, which we consider to be a good thing. The buildings are nice, and of course they are new. Freshly built, never been used. Kinda cool…like a house nobody but you has ever lived in!

Fifth, the first ones have just been completed (12/2012) and more are coming down the pipe within months. These have all been under construction for the last few years and now everyone that bought into one will start seeing the benefit. We see people complaining that they're not done yet. It takes time to build these, people. You don’t build your house overnight; why expect that at Puerto Bahia? You get a new home loan and the bank doles out the bucks to the contractor who uses that money to build. When you buy one you’re essentially doing the same thing. You are buying one that WILL be finished soon, and the deposit money that you plunk down no doubt goes for those costs. Frankly we don't care if it's the law (and remember it's Mexico where things are done differently) as long as we get a finished condo. Be sure to nail your sales rep down to a rough completion time, but be flexible and understanding. March probably means closer to July, just like it does in the US.

Sixth, we see some statistic on one of these sites that Puerto Bahia is ranked #27 for being a scam. There are fewer then a dozen people commenting about this operation. It’s ranked #27 on that list because of those comments from those people. Considering there are hundreds of timeshare companies around Mexico I’d say Puerto Bahia is doing pretty well. Added to which, 20 out of the top 30 on that list are WELL-KNOWN hotel chains like Oasis, RIU, and Occidental. I’ve personally stayed at each of those chains across Mexico and the Caribbean and the condos they offer are quite nice. They are NOT as nice as the Puerto Bahia condos. Don’t believe everything you read. Go see for yourself. If you don’t want to go to the SALES presentation, then don’t go. If you go and don’t like what you hear, then leave without buying so much as a stick of gum. Take your freebie gifts and be on your way. But, at least go see for yourself instead of reading about it.

Seventh, there’s some scuttlebutt about some guys who worked there. A guy named Marc Talon (aka Matthew Craig Rubin) was claiming to be on of the developers. He was actually scamming this place and embezzling money, or something. It was all over the news when he got hauled away by the Federal Police (like our U.S. Marshalls) down there in the spring of 2012. He was embezzling from the company or something. That’s mostly what people appear to be complaining about. At any rate, the skinny is that he’s in the hoosegow and things have been restored. His swindling only slowed down construction but that is also back in full swing. Don’t let one or two persons keep you from considering this place when there are dozens, maybe hundreds who don’t write anything online. There’s also a Ryan and a Jay who got some bad review. There are no such people there, so maybe they got fired or quit. Either way the problem is solved.

What else? Oh yeah. Eighth, there’s talk about “trading in” your existing condo or time-share so you don’t have two of them. Yes, you can trade it in, but they will list it with another company who will sell it or rent it out and sign someone else up for your share, thereby taking it off your hands. And if you’re foolish enough to think your condo is valued at 10x more than it is then maybe this condo business isn’t your strong suit. You’re not trading a $75K condo in Puerto Vallarta for your little $12K one in Maine. There is of course a chance it will not sell or cannot be rented out…in which case you’ll have two condos. Use your heads.

Ninth, this business about a yacht. Yes, there is one and as a condo owner you can take it out anytime…that is the captain will drive. You pay for gas (it’s a lot so go in a group to split the cost). Nice tub though. Lots of other amenities at this place.

Tenth, stop being so cheap that you will waste several hours in the middle of a precious vacation day for what amounts to probably a bottle of tequila, some rum, a hat, a blanket, or even some hard pesos. You wouldn’t do it unless there was at least a bit of a genuine interest. Take the freebies in good faith but at least give them the good faith look-see. As real estate people nothing frustrates us more than showing property to those who have no intention/ability to buy. It’s a waste of everyone’s time, and since it’s our job it’s like being docked a day’s wages. Same applies in Mexico at condo presentations. As far as why they want to know if you have a credit card and if you’re married, it’s like this. Having a credit card means you’re probably already credit worthy and can buy or put down a deposit using that method of payment. Having a spouse with you means you are in a better position to buy because you don’t have to clear the decision with someone else later. We encourage the same thing here when we show a property (the spouse part, not the credit card).

So, if you want to go see these condos for yourself, then here’s what you do. You’ll want go see a nice fellow by the name of Todd. He works there with his wife. We cannot vouch for anyone else, but there’s nothing scam about him, and the operation that we saw appears to be legitimate and on the up and up.

We hope that helps. Good luck in your search for condos. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Angela & Mike M.
USA