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Ramada Resorts Package Is No Bargain

Ramada Plaza • Recent Assorted Complaints • E-mail Pitch • Advice from Ramada Vets • Attempted Cancellations • Successful Refund Demand • It's No Bargain • Fun for Kids? • The Cruise • Left Behind • Trouble Avoided • On the other hand ... --- News • Plaza Resorts Settles Florida Charges • Robin Leach Unpacks

Robert of Rockwall TX writes (2/3/03):
After I bought my package for the 4 nights in Orlando I found out that the hotel was advertising $39.95 rates and I tried to cancel and get a refund. RPR customer service advised me that I could not get a refund. I had paid $176 ($138 and $38) at that time. They charged me another $48 at check in for taxes plus booking fees. In addition I did not agree to go to a time share presentation only that I would to attend a one-hour resort tour presentation.

Upon check in I was told that I must give a $20 dollar deposit and show up for the time share presentation or I would loose it. I said I didn’t want to attend and was told at the Welcome Center at Ramada 1000 that if I did not that I would have another $168 would be added to my bill. I was harrassed by pitch men at the time share presentation and paid $90.20, the difference between what I paid Ramada Plaza Resorts and what I would have paid at the Ramada Plaza 1000 had I made my own reservations.

Any one walking in off the street was given the $39.95 rate. Their rooms are going for $39.95 with 11.5% tax. I paid RPR $224.00.

In addition my complaint is their mailers and phone solicitations conned me. They represented quality properties as quality resort facilities that would cost several times what I would pay them. Instead they were old and in an undesirable location, with a lot of noise. They are poorly maintained and cleaned, i.e., shower heads didn’t work, doors warped, locks messed up, the maids seldom use vacuum cleaners and torn and stained comforters.

I lost $100 for hotel, 4 hours of my time being irritated by their time share pitch men, put up with staying in a really 2nd-class dirty hotel and added about 200 miles of driving from Disney back and forth from where I would have stayed. The legitimate Ramada Inn on International Blvd was also charging $39.95. I am a Ramada Club memember and therefore would have stayed there.

Andrea of Upper Marlboro MD (2/2/03):
Talked into purchasing this "great vacation" package valued at $3500. The result was a vaction from hell. My husand and I took the first vacation, to Ft. Lauderdale, Bahamas, and Orlando 1 Dec - 8 Dec 2002. To start when booking the vacation we were told about the Resort that was on the beach and the need to upgrade to a car that had a trunk. The ocean view room sounded great and the additional space in the car was a plus so we took the upgrade. Upon arrival in Ft. Lauderdale, the car we upgraded to was a GEO Metro, that car was not enough space for one person let alone two. So we took the upgrade offered by Alamo, to a SUV.

They made their resorts sound and look so good, but they were nothing more than a cheap hotel. They charged way too much money and provided so little comfort.

For the complete package for 2 adults: $1665 this was paid up front (credit received $135) Ft. Lauderdale: Hotel Taxes: $24 Alamo upgrade: $251.61 Total: $275.61 Bahamas: $100 Orlando: $24 My husband was very upset during most of this vacation. We spent way too much money for something that was only halfway decent.

Brad of Machesney Park IL (1/17/03):
This so called "Vacation of a Lifetime" was a total mess. It involed an ant-filled bed, a rusty old cruise ship, a pushy timeshare salesperson and poor service. I paid around 1K for this crappy vacation. I could've spent my vacation locked in a closet and would've had a better time.

Tiffany of Somersworth NH (11/16/02):
I received a letter from Ramada Plaza Resorts promising a "first class" vacation, including two nights of first-class accomodations at the Ramada Plaza Resort in Ft. Lauderdale, a two day cruise to Naussau, Bahammas, and two nights of first-class accomodations in Orlando. The resort in Ft. Lauderdale was anything but first-class. There was mold in the bathroom. The cruise that was included that was absolutely horrible and the "Las Vegas style shows" were a joke. My boyfriend and I were forced to attend a time share presentation in Palm Beach (1 hour drive from Ft. Lauderdale).

When we informed the manager, Lisa, that we were not interested, she insulted us and told me "You can thank him for not going to Hawaii next year" and "They only get worse as they get older" when referring to my boyfriend. We were then given our voucher so that we could go on the cruise. On the cruise the stateroom, which we paid $99 additional to upgrade, had mold or something that looked like mold on the ceiling.

After the cruise, we drove to Orlando for our two nights in the AmeriHost resort there. When we arrived at the "visitor's center" in Kissimee, we were informed that we had to attend yet another time share presentation. I had been told at both the visitor's center in Ft. Lauderdale and in Palm Beach that we only needed to attend the Orlando time share presentation if we wanted the free tickets to Universal Studios. We did not want the tickets and told the woman at the counter of the "visitor's center" so. She informed me that I would lose the additional vacations that I was supposed to receive if we did not attend the presentation. I refused and went to another hotel, paying for the two night that were supposed to be provided by Ramada Plaza Resorts.

This was the worst travel experience that I have ever had. It was insulting and much more expensive than if I had booked this trip myself.

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