Welcome to Mexico - NOT!!!

[kiwikaren]

I live in New Zealand and just returned from a trip to Cabo San Lucas where we purchased a timeshare four years ago in a weak moment (!) at Pueblo Bonito Sunset. No complaints about Pueblo Bonito as a resort and I guess they have provided pretty much what they offered, but I learnt early on about being persistent in trying to get the various attractive inclusions.

We were never able to activate our RCI membership and it took two years to gain access to PB's much promoted 'Club Premiere'! If you live outside the USA/Canada its almost impossible to get contact with anybody and I spent countless nights on the computer until we finally got access to the site. We've only used the timeshare this one time and wonder what on earth we can do with it if we don't use it? I haven't figured it out yet but any suggestions gratefully received!

Meanwhile back to this years fun fest! After a 24 hour journey to Cabo we arrived at the airport and were almost physically attacked by a deluge of guys wearing impressive looking ID cards, some stationed behind official looking counters and actually blocking the route beyond the arrivals area. I'm an experienced traveller and have worked in the tourism industry for three decades. I also speak fluent Spanish so what follows is a surprise even to me!

In the mele that is the arrivals area at Cabo we ended up being 'hijacked' by a man named Jose, a fast speaking aggressive operator who purported to be involved with Pueblo Bonito Sunset where we were staying. 'You need transport there? I can help you with that...let me get to the right desk..' he said. Ducking behind a desk he launched into a complex spiel about the relative costs of getting to Sunset and I guess we were so tired and exhausted that we fell right into his lap.

Before I knew where we were we were being frogmarched through the airport, (and I guess past the real transport suppliers,) and into a waiting van. We were then taken to a large hot empty warehouse nearby furnished with a three piece suite and an old tv, a tatty old reception desk and a sign saying 'Advantage Car Hire'. The warehouse was hot and oppressive and no fewer than 5 large sweaty Mexican guys hovered round us demanding passports and driving licence along with $180 cash for the apparent lease of a car for the week. My lovely 83 year old mother thought we were about to be kidnapped and held for ransom as she stood in the baking heat while this all took place.

I tried to establish what was happening and eventually concluded that the $180 was given to Jose who was a salesman for 'Vida Vacation Club.' We were to meet him the following day and he would take us to a presentation. Where to I never learnt, but suspect it was a new golf resort (Vidanta Golf)to be built in Cabo. Jose said that after the presentation we would be given a gift certificate for the $180 which we would present to the car hire company at the end of our trip, thus gaining a free car hire for the week. Sounded convoluted but we signed, took the 'new' vehicle and sped off just pleased to be alive!!

Did I say sped off - I lied! The new vehicle was a clapped out old Camry with an 'alert alert' on the dashboard telling us to get the vehicle serviced. It made it to Cabo - just, and we didn't take it out again till we travelled back there a week later.

The next day we didn't turn up to the presentation as my mother was just too exhausted, and guess what? When we returned the vehicle at the end of the week the car hire company in the warehouse had suddently turned into 'Hertz' and claimed to know nothing about Jose or the $180, and please could we pay him $485 now please?! We paid up and hi-tailed it out of there. We only lost a few hundred dollars, not a great deal in the scheme of things, but we felt so physically threatened that I just had to share it online as a warning to other tourists.

As it turned out we would never have been considered good 'prospects’ for this timeshare product. With an 83 year old, my husband and I both over 60 and retired, and all citizens of New Zealand, we are ineligible in every category of the 'qualifications' requirements of this outfit. Needless to say the smooth talking Jose made no enquiries of our status but it was blindingly obvious we were over the age limit and we told him on arrival that we were from New Zealand, even producing NZ passports and driving licence.

We believe this to be deceptive conduct in every way. To hijack arriving visitors is not acceptable anywhere else I have ever visited and gives the worst possible impressions of Mexico in terms of its business and tourism practices. As a reluctant one-time investor at Pueblo Bonito we are aware that there is considerably pressure on salespeople to secure prospects for timeshare presentations but we found this behaviour to be beyond any levels of acceptability.

As a footnote, on arrival at Pueblo Bonito we were given three vouchers for a free drink each - very welcome after such a long and arduous journey. But no such thing as a free drink (let along free lunch!) in Mexico! 'You need the vouchers validated over there' instructed the receptionist, and a lady behind the desk leapt out and informed us that we had to go to a 'welcome' lunch the following day to get the free drink, at which we would be informed of new happenings at the resort. 'No thanks' I said, and there followed an unpleasant exchange as these sales staff tried to force us there and then to commit to a lunch we had no intention of attending. We eventually escaped from reception and spent a week avoiding cutting through there but even at the pool the pressure and approaches to buy more weeks, to upgrade, to buy at another Pueblo Bonito resort just never stops. By the end of the week I pretended to not be able to speak English or Spanish and masqueraded as a native of Poland!

So - if you've not been there yet get down to Cabo and experience for yourself the wonderfully warm welcome that waits for you! We won't be going back and have pretty much written of the $20k paid for the timeshare. Next year we'll stay in New Zealand or Australia where such practices would be unlawful and consumers are protected by legislation. Lets hope Mexico wises up to the reputation it is gaining as one of the world's leading timeshare ripoff destinations.

Adios from Auckland, New Zealand and keep posting your stories!