The Manhattan Club Reviews

Booked one weekend for both of us since we are married. When we arrived, we were told we booked 2 suites. The reservation is apparently did not understand us. Follow up reservations very difficult to schedule, even months in advance. We're told we needed to try to schedule a year or more in advance. Booked a swap in a supposed resort and marina through RCI, but on arrival, found resort to be more like a boy scout camp. The marina was a dirt path where one could merely launch a trailered rowboat. There was no marina. That was South Carolina. The second time we tried another RCI swap, in Florida, we drove up to an aging motel, and decided to leave because the area was questionable and seemed poorly kept up.

In March 2006, I was pressured into buying a yearly 3 days yearly timeshare at the Manhattan Club. We were explained that the Manhattan Club would buy the deed back if we wanted to sell it in the future. I called to offer them to take the deed back today. The response that I got was that they have now stopped any buyback program indefinitely. I was told that I could sell it on my own but the remaining mortgage payment is not transferable. And if I do find a buyer, I needed to contact the Manhattan Club first to give them first option to at least match the price, clearly a tactic to make it impossible to sell or give it to a charity. The only time we have ever been able to stay at the Manhattan Club was the lone evening of that pressure "bait-and-switch scam." I am seeking a lawyer so I can sue them for this shameful behavior.

As an owner of the Manhattan club, I was told by the sales person that I own real estate in New York City. If that is so, all owners of deeded Manhattan Club property should be covered by the law suit. In any event, I too have been tricked in the same ways as the others have stated. Even nine months to the day, you cannot book a room. The maintenance fees have gone through the roof. I would like to be part of any active or future legal action against the management of the Manhattan Club.

We purchased two weeks of flex time at the Manhattan Club nearly 20 years ago. In the early years we were able to access our time share regularly. However, over the next five years the maintenance fees rose dramatically to the current level of $5,000 per year for our fourteen day contract. Simultaneously, it became impossible for us to reserve space at the Manhattan Club. Clearly, the Manhattan Club has sold more space than it has available for owners. In order to book a week for December 2014 we were required to book it in January 2014, AND we were required to pay the maintenance fee at the time we made the reservation even though the maintenance fee was not actually due until September 2014.

Have been an owner for 13 years. Like others we are frustrated with the soaring maintenance fees and lack of available rooms. It doesn't make sense to own a timeshare that costs >$2000 a year in maintenance fees AND is sold out every time you try and book it. AG, doing something about this please.

Although we were sold on the concept that we could request a room for use one day at a time whenever we wished (we lived in a community near Manhattan), after several years this became impossible with a sold-out status every time we called. The maintenance has grown to over $2500/year so in essence we are paying dearly for something for which we have no use. This past year when I tried to book a year in advance, I was told to pay the year's maintenance up front (not due for 8 months from the day I called) or MC would not reserve the room. How does THAT work?

I have been an owner at The Manhattan Club for twenty years. The maintenance fee has been raised from $380 to $2,600 during my ownership period. The dues were raised without owner approval. We have no information on where or into whose pocket our money is going. The owners should be running the board but have not been fairly represented. The club has been run for the personal benefit of Mr. Eichner.

I have owned a Flexshare since 1998. First year they went on sale. The pressure was intense, and the false statements about this investment being a great one is a joke. Sell it? For what, no one wants it. First and foremost, the fees are astronomical. $2600 this year which equates to $371.00 a night. I was able to get a room at the Hampton Inn around the corner at Thanksgiving for $185 a night! Like others, I have a terrible time getting what I need as they give the rooms to RCI members who are trading before owners. When you do trade, there are few places that are equal in value and it is virtually impossible to get a trade with RCI any place I typically would want to go. This is a travesty that needs attention and resolution. Can I just walk away?

We have had ownership since they opened and in the beginning, it was easy to get availability. We have the original contract so we can rent 3 weekends a year. This should work great since we live on Long Island and like to spend long weekends in the city every so often. But their rules keep changing and the rates just keep going up, now over $2,600/year. You now have to book 9 months in advance, can't book until your membership is paid for the year you want to book, and can only book 2 weekends at any time. So we usually get 1 weekend booked 9 months out, and a second a few months later, but by the time we stay, we cant get another weekend before our year runs out.

We bought our Executive Unit in December of 2004 after a grueling, high pressure sales session. We were told that this was an incredible investment that we could deed to our children. We were sold on the fact that we were buying premium real estate in Manhattan with minimal cost ($26.000 and minimal charges - at the time about $600 per year). Well, we have only stayed at the Manhattan Club once because we could never book a reservation as it was always unavailable. The charges have gone up to over $2,200 and we have no way to get out of this money pit as the Manhattan Club owners can't give these units away. The company won't buy them back and you cannot sell them. What an unbelievable scam!

My husband and I purchased a biweekly contract at The Manhattan Club almost 20 years ago. I have stayed there a total of 5 times, never for a week, as promised, but for 2, 3 or once for 4 days. They never have availability. Since my husband died, I have tried to sell this timeshare in various ways, but have only been told that I would have to pay from $3,500-5,000 to have another 'company' take it off my hands. It's bad enough that the fees have gone to almost $2,500 but to not be able to book time is a disgrace. Why is no one starting a class action suit forcing the owners to take back the units not wanted. Or at least make the fees half as much as they are! It is a disgrace that they can take advantage like this.

Eric Schneiderman, the NY's Attorney General saw it fit to investigate the sales presentations and maintenance fees established by THE MANHATTAN CLUB. Schneiderman obtained a court order for THE MANHATTAN CLUB, cease all sales and promotions by THE MANHATTAN CLUB during this litigation. I, together with many other hundreds of share owners of THE MANHATTAN CLUB (over 16,000 shares sold to accommodate about 280 suites), informed the NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE of the alleged fraudulent sales presentations and actual exponentially increasing maintenance fees, most higher than $2,500 for one week's ownership. The case is still in the New York state court.

My husband and I are in our 80's and we want to release ourselves from the oversold shares of the Manhattan Club. It has been such a disappointment. We have talked to those in charge several times. Can anyone help us?? The attorney general?

When we purchased in 2004, we were told we could sell back to them at any time. This time share is an investment. Now the maintenance fees have skyrocketed and they don't even want to know you. And forget about trying to stay in NY. It is just not anything that they told us. If there is a class action suit going on against them I would love to know how to be a part of it.

I have noticed many complaints about the Manhattan Club. No question that there was "high pressure" salesmanship from the management when we purchased our one week per year. But... we have not had one problem in making two reservations over the past year at the times we wanted. Each time was about three months advance notice.

This time-share is a joke - the maintenance fees alone make it impossible to use without feeling ripped off and the fact that the availability of rooms within a reasonable time frame is nonexistent means my original investment was money down the garbage disposal. My dreams of taking my sisters and nieces to New York for a stay was impossible since I could never find more than 2 days in a row, and always on the club's schedule, not mine.

We attended a time-share presentation in 2009 and ended up purchasing what was presented to us as 7 nights in 4 years. We were told we could have, for example, 0 nights in year 1, 4 nights in year 2, 0 nights in year 3, and 3 nights in year 4. Or we could have 2 nights in years 1, 2 and 3, and 1 night in year 4. Or we could even save up and have 7 nights in the fourth year. As we live in Canada, we thought we might use the time every second year or perhaps wait and use it up every fourth year. We definitely weren't planning on 2, 2, 2, and 1 nights over 4 years as it wouldn't be feasible for us to travel that far for only 1 or 2 nights at a time. A couple of years later, when we called the Manhattan Club to try and book 3 nights, we were told that we have a 2/2/2/1 contract with no possibility of the other options mentioned above. Even worse, we learned that we could not even book directly with the Manhattan Club, but have to book through RCI because our contract is a points contract.

Like everyone else, I am an extremely disgruntled owner who would like to get rid of this timeshare and am willing to give it away. The maintenance fees are exorbitant, you can't book a room and there is little trading value with RCI. I see that someone mentioned they were able to sell their unit back for $1. How did you go about doing this? Are there any other options for how to get rid of this thing anyone can suggest?

I am an owner since 2003. Within the past few years, I have been having difficulty booking nights and am told to follow the 9-month rule. I am paying my expensive maintenance fees and can't make use of my supposed investment. I am both frustrated and angry and want out of this disaster. I have come to find out that I can book a room as a tourist but have to pay a hefty price. Just today, I received a bill from financial services for a balance due of 105 dollars. For what? I've also discovered that owners have contacted the NY Attorney General's office and that the developer is using a "bait and switch" scam. Meanwhile, the developer is making all kinds of money off of the owners who can't get their nights.

Dues for one week every other year is up to $2500.00. You can reserve a 4-star hotel for a week in New York for that cost.

I own at The Manhattan Club and want to get rid of my timeshare, knowing I will have to take a huge loss - I just want to get out. Any suggestions? Will Manhattan Club take it back? The maintenance fees are just ridiculous at this point.

We bought our time share at the ground floor and felt that we had paid a fair price and the maintenance fees were reasonable. It was never disclosed to us that the developer intended to subsidize the maintenance fee for the first five years, after which it would go up substantially. Neither were we told that only 30% of the units would be reserved for owners. So - 15 years later, we cannot book a room unless we call 9 months in advance and our maintenance fees are over $2500/year. We could go to any hotel - with a last minute reservation - and do better than that. We are interested in becoming part of a class action suit, so if anyone can tell us how to become involved in that, we'd appreciate it. We did file a complaint with the NY Attorney General and are aware that he is investigating charges of consumer fraud.

I have been a member since 2011 and have the same complaints as everyone else. I would like to get out of this nightmare, even if I lose what I've already put in. I just want to walk away at this point. Any advice? Thanks.

Just like the other reviews, we have 7 nights to use within a year, and we only got to use 3 nights because there was no availability. We were waitlisted for every night, and only got a call one time for the same evening and had to decline. I see units listed on Craigslist that are available, but not for owners. They are units supposedly owned by the developer that are being rented like a hotel, but not usable for the owners. It makes me furious! Not to mention the maintenance fees have gone up so much that you could rent a hotel for 7 nights for less money!

The Bottom line - we have been owners for 15 years plus and have only been able to stay at the Manhattan Club once (at signing). I don't try to make dates anymore since it is futile. I can remember the salesman making it clear to us that we need to choose based on our interest in the Club itself and not its trading value since that's what was being offered - and I would guess like most, we decided to engage based on the ability to stay in NYC. Please don't ask me to rate the service or amenities - how would I know? Where the Manhattan Club is concerned - A Good tag Line - "if you own you can not stay"!

We are owners and we cannot use our timeshare as they claim there are no rooms available. They have oversold the timeshare. There needs to be a lawsuit against them. If there is a lawsuit against them, I would like to be part of it. We are owners in NY. In the phone call today, we asked for any date from today onwards to book a room... The answer, there are no rooms available for the next 9 months. Not a single room. The man on the phone claimed that they are no longer selling or trying to sell any units at the Manhattan Club as there are no units for sale at this time. I guess that means no more phone calls asking us to refer a friend to buy into unusable nights. They are selling a service that they cannot supply. We said we would take any night from tomorrow to 9 months in the future. The response there is 0 rooms available.

Owner for about 12 years. A great location, but same comments as everyone else. Maintenance fee is ridiculous based on a daily rate. Seems like you can't get a room at any time. Only option has been to bank with RCI and go elsewhere. Not much value on a cruise exchange, so mostly go to other resorts. If you can find one for the time you want to go.

Well, I have been a shareholder with The Manhattan club for approximately 8 years now and have never ever been able to get a room.

I am also a pre-construction owner who has witnessed the Manhattan Club change its policies to the point where it is nearly impossible to reserve a unit when you want one. I went from being able to book 7 individual weekend nights to now being limited to booking only 2 weekends and then possibly reserving a third weekend only after the first two weekends have been completed. If you don't take your first two weekends in January or February, the possibility of getting a third weekend is nil. If you don't call exactly 9 months TO THE DAY, your chances of getting a unit for a weekend is also close to impossible.

What was said in the preview here is accurate and certainly not an exaggeration in any way. I am really not familiar with the point system but know that making reservations requires at least a 6 month lead time. Each year they raise the maintenance fee so the last time I paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,000.00, maybe a little more. That comes to about $300.00 for each of the 7 weekday nights our contract allowed, for accommodations that were at best shoddy, required 11:00AM departure and were rarely available before 4 or 5:00 PM.

That's how we feel. Paid 20K in 2001, $500/yr maintenance. By 2008 maintenance was $1800, and "owners" could not book any time. Pressured to trade with RCI. Complained to NY Atty Gen office of such practices. Paid way too much over the years for what we rec'd.

I would like to know how to be contacted to be part of the lawsuit for fraud against the Manhattan. I want all of my purchase price and yearly maintenance fees returned. It is a scam. My email is **. I have not been happy since the day I purchased it when I had to find out myself all the annual fees which were never explained. Also I was told the Manhattan club would buy the timeshare back for my purchase price by the salesperson. What a scam.

The Manhattan Club sells Timeshares "owners" cannot book. Manhattan Club Timeshares sell for $1 from other owners. Other owners are paying thousands of dollars to give their timeshares back to the Manhattan Club. The Manhattan Club has 286 rooms and as of last year 18,466 owners. Owners can only reserve from the pool of owner's rooms. The owner's pool is 30% or less or 86 rooms for 18,466 people. The Manhattan Club does not tell consumers the truth.

I agree that there needs to be a class action against the Manhattan Club. I am an original owner, I bought pre-construction. I can NEVER get a reservation when I request one. They say to reserve 6 months in advance; 12 months in advance does not help. Yet, they sell space to non-owners easier and they never stop selling shares. As an owner for over 20 years I have seen my maintenance fee more than quadruple and the Manhattan Club did not keep one of their promises. We owners do need to sue them and they need to buy back our contracts. How can we unite?

I just came back from one of those special meetings that all the owners have been invited to. We were told that the meeting was about learning how to use the new reservations system. Nothing could have been further from the truth. It was a sales meeting sponsored by RCI. If you don't buy into the new RCI Points system for an additional $6,000 you will have even LESS of a chance of ever getting a night at the Manhattan Club. What a scam! Time for a class action suit by the 3 states most represented in ownership. I will initiate CT. Anyone interested in being a part of this?

Yes we bought a week. Everything the sales people told us 10 or even longer years ago was a big fat lie. I agree with all the other negative comments. A totally worthless timeshare you will never be able to use but can pay money to stay there Anytime - no problem. You just can't use your points to stay there even when booking 9 months in advance. RCI is no help either. Help New York! Can't someone do something to this dishonest business. Help us get out of this terrible mess!!!

We bought Timeshare in 2010 and were promised RCI membership and 20,000 opening points. I filled in all the paperwork etc. and when I received nothing, I inquired about it. I was told that they cannot give me RCI membership because I am not a US citizen. Stay away from the Manhattan Club. All their promises are blatant lies.

I purchased the Manhattan Club 14 years ago. I am unable to book a week now unless I do so 9-12 months in advance. This is difficult. I am angry because people who are not owners can book easier than I can. In addition they can get free transportation from the airport. My maintenance goes up every year - now it is $2,585. I was very happy and excited when I purchased. Now I am angry that I am not able to get what I had purchased - and others can get a room who paid nothing for the property.

They promise your apartment whenever you need it. Surprise!!!! It's never available!!! DO NOT BUY HERE.

We purchased a 1/2 share in 2011. This provides alternating 3 nights or 4 nights during odd/even years. Paid $17,000 plus annual proportionate share of the Owners' Association fee and NYC real estate taxes. Reservations are restricted during the December Christmas and New Year's holiday season. The sales staff is all too eager to sell, make promises about availability outside of the restriction and tout how wonderful the "investment" will be. In fact, they even have people available to give testimony of their wonderful experience as an owner. Sales staff makes the promise that resale is easy and that The Manhattan Club will buy back the unit anytime. None of this is near truth.