TravelTalkOnline Forums People Talk Caravanserai Now Alegria Now where desperate for a place to stay

I am posting for my very good friend ( not computer savvy )who owns week 51 and 52 in the penthouse. He also had traded another week for an additional 2 units. He has a total of of ten people All with paid tickets.
I am an owner at Royal Palm week 52 so I can squeeze some of them in with us but need at least a two bedroom for week 52...the busiest week of the year. I've been inquiring everywhere. WT HECK are we to do? There is no clear answers about we are supposed to do for December arrival.
Would appreciate any advise. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

I would call the resort ( if it takes many times so be it) and see if your MF will be honored ( probably only if you sign the letter). If you don't feel comfortable with the response you get or you don't sign the letter I would look elsewhere to stay. Or you can write off the MF you paid and check on booking there as a hotel. I know your upset the way things are but you have to pick up the pieces and deal with what your options are. You have some time at least to look at other options ( there will probably be alot of people looking for other options soon, so first come first served).

SXM??? Wendell

Agree with Wendell. Have one of the guests call the Caravanserai and try to book as a hotel guest. Their name will not be on any owner listing.

So the way you see it is that the only hope of not spending more money is to sign the letter. Even at that it seems thy aren't guaranteeing anything. I get it the the whole timeshare thing is over! I guess we need to think it over. Probably won't sign...as a last resort we may do what Bob_Dot suggested and just call and book as a hotel room. OBVIOUSLY they will have openings.
Thanks for clarifying this for us! This forum has been sooo helpful.

If you paid this years MF already and have not used it is going to be a crap shoot. IF you sign the letter you get a price for the week locked in AND as a hotel you don't have to prepay, PAY at the end of the week on leaving ( so you have some leverage on service) IF they want you to pay in advance, I'd say no.
My guess is from now till the first of the year will be a transition period to hotel ( which will be late in the high season for booking a room so might see some deals).

SXM??? Wendell

If you can not stay in your own unit that you paid for, why pay those SOB's one dime of your money..Stay in luxury at the Cliffs would be my recommendation..

As to why people buy timeshares it totally escapes me..many of these people were warned numerous times..DON"T BUY ANY TIMESHARE, ANYWHERE EVER! Your locked in to the same week, unit looks great at 1st, over time they never look the same, no control over maintenance and special assessments, poor management. You feel like you own something but 51 weeks a year someone is living in your unit. As a 30 time visitor to St. Maarten, in my youth I stayed at more modest places and now that I have a few bucks I can stay anywhere i want except La Samanna..lol..Love the Cliffs, love Club O, and a few other places we stay. Can go the weeks i want to go, can fly during the week when it's cheaper..no worries. Stay AWAY from TIMESHARES

I new it was only a matter of time for a post like this to apear. You might not like the timeshare world but it works for many including me. Let's keep this about the Alegria situation and not a lecture about timeshare ownership.

Scuba,

There are times we disagree but every once in a while.......I couldn't agree more had I written your post myself, and I'm sure all the people dealing with their current problems found the anti-timeshare poster's opinions really helpful with their current situation and plight.

C'mon, peeps, please stay on topic. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />

Agreed! No lectures please.. It is what it is and we knew the situation has been unstable for some time.
If all this changes 11/1 that leaves 8 weeks of people that have paid their 2014 fees have bought tickets to come down. Just wondering what they are doing ?

Agreed, anyone here going down before the end of the year? After the first of the year, people would otherwise need to pay their 2015 dues to use their unit, but for this year, they should already be paid.

Arriving December 29. Our Week 52 previously paid,and staying through Jan 17....Hanging in there with our plans.

When would you normally have had to pay your AMF for 2015?

Usually pay upon arrival since we own Weeks 52, 1, 2, and 3

OK, at this point, you are just going to wait and see what happens?

Please do NOT sign that letter! An emergency meeting was called on the island by Minister of tourism, Ted Richardson...included were suppose to be people from Alegria (new owners) and Scotia bnk (supposedly)..if you want to keep your time share, fight this...email monique.hofman@bermon-law.com and ask her what is going on and see if they have pulled a group together to fight this..other resorts are SHOCKED this has happened because if it were to hold up, timeshares sales would stop on the island..resorts are NOT behind Alegria with this move

I highly doubt that the timeshare sales would be disrupted much. Since TS sales have been bad for the last 5 to 10 years. What might happen many leasee's will decide to give back their "ts". This would make the TS Co's nervous.

Alegria has all the control. They have the keys to the rooms, how much the yearly MF's are and service provided. It is all in their ball park now. The leasee's could fight , might get an injunction after fighting a year and Alegria can come back with what they control to make the leasee's want to leave. OR even saying they have to do repairs as a hurricane came through and your room is not available. Is that how you would like to start your vacation off? Alegria has given the leasee's something. Staying in a room for the same price as the MF's.

It's all about control. And Alegria has it now and the burden to prove different is on the Leasee's.


SXM??? Wendell