DE MO

Aug 30, 2023

Escaped Marriott's Vacation Club Membership Presentation

Concierge began hounding me the minute I left check in process. Everytime she saw me she kept insisting I come to the presentation, even lied about being off the next day so I needed to decide. Kept increasing hotel credits to persuade me. Had me promise to only say ok to her and not any of the others. Once I exited the building from the side leading to the parking lot (feeling like I needed to sneak out to avoid her). She came running out the front doors and called out to me as I made it down the driveway (how she saw me had no idea). Ran up to me outside the hotel, down the driveway, and said I needed to come back in to the presentation. Kept saying I had somewhere to go and she kept insisting I come back into the hotel (unbelieveable). Agreed to come back inside. That's when she proceeded to let me know I needed an annual salary of $100k, a credit card, and my driver's license which she fail to mention before. Next she proceeded to take me to the clearance person who verified I had my id and credit card. Clearance person proceed to send sales rep (someone who looked like me of course) to come get me. 95 min presentation ended up being 3 hours. It was all staged. As the sales person began to get close to the end of the presentation, another man showed up as if listening in and who the sales person introduced as his boss. He let's the boss know everything that had been presented thus far. Boss calls him a nice guy and leaves. Presentation over and boss comes back and pretends the incentive for closing costs would have to be approved by corporate and wasn't guaranteed unless corporate approved. So why did sales person promise it as an incentive for signing today????? Sales person came up with reason to step away, leaving me and the boss. Boss asked what I did for a living, Upon hearing my response he proceeded to disclose he's had symptoms since his wife died and was put on an antidepressant which he's been taking for years now. Went on to say when he misses his meds for 4 days he has symptoms. Wanted to know my thoughts about it. Long story short, boss leaves and sales person comes back. Now sales person gets ok from boss to include closing costs. Sales person stated he would need my passport for quicker transaction but drivers license will do--it just takes longer. Since I had already mentioned I need to think about the offer, and since that escalated to more pressure, I mentioned I need to go get my passport. Thinking this would be the end of it since I wasn't coming back, the sales person called my room numerous times and then proceeded to knock on my door numerous times (unbelieveable). Of course, I didn't answer either one. $15,000 for 37,000 points and $861 annual HOA fees for one week at the most at one of their properties. It was all staged and very inappropriate to chase a guest the minute after checking in, hound the guest til the guest feels a need to sneak out the hotel, to come to the guest's room, and to disclose specific details of mental health issues. And to be captivated for 3 hours is just absurb and absolutely unacceptable, I feel violated. Just wanted to post my experience.