Welk Resort Group Reviews

Looking back, we believe important information was either misrepresented or left out. We were told we could leave the timeshare to our children, but not that they could inherit the ongoing maintenance fee obligation. Maintenance fees have increased from about $1,000 to nearly $1,700 a year. We were also led to believe booking vacations would be easy, but availability has been so limited that we've only been able to use it three times despite paying faithfully for years.

Since 2017, we've made every monthly payment on time and have paid well over $26,000, not including maintenance fees. We have never missed a payment, yet the value we were promised has never matched reality. Now retired and living on a fixed income, the rising costs and constant upgrade sales calls have become an unnecessary burden. Instead of enjoying vacations, we've spent years paying for something we can rarely use. We've honored every commitment we've made for nearly a decade. It's time for the company to honor its responsibility to long-time customers as well.

We were also repeatedly invited to "update" meetings that turned out to be aggressive sales presentations. When we declined an upgrade, a representative responded with outright rudeness. We eventually stopped attending altogether. These are not the practices of a company that values its members. When Welk was acquired by Marriott/Hyatt in 2021, we were told our every-other-year membership would no longer be honored. Fearing total loss of our investment, we felt pressured into upgrading to an annual plan. This was financial coercion, not a free choice.

Our circumstances have since changed profoundly. Leslie has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease and Interstitial Lung Disease requiring daily supplemental oxygen, making travel medically dangerous. Ricardo was seriously injured in a car accident in December 2024 and can no longer work. We cannot use this membership. We are not asking for a refund, only a compassionate release from a fully paid-off contract whose promised benefits no longer exist. We urge Welk/Hyatt to do the right thing.

They told me this wasn't a lifetime obligation. They told me my son would inherit vacations, not a mortgage and ever-escalating maintenance fees that never end — not even after the loan is paid off. Nobody explained that this contract lasts forever. The word "perpetuity" was dressed up like a gift. It's a trap. They dangled zoo and theme park tickets to push me over the edge, then made them impossible to redeem. In 2024, I was pulled into a mandatory "owner update" and pressured into an upgrade that gave me nothing — the Hawaii availability is scarce and underwhelming.

I've paid thousands. I've barely used it. I've been deceived at every turn. If you are sitting in that presentation room right now, please get up and walk out. The promises will not be in writing. The recordings they claim to keep will not be shared with you. And by the time you realize what you've signed, it will feel nearly impossible to undo. I wish someone had warned me.

The "Owner Updates" were nothing more than pressure sales traps disguised as informational meetings. Representatives turned cold and rude the moment I declined to upgrade. One even made inappropriate remarks about gay people when I brought a friend. The financial damage has been severe. Between the $26,000 purchase, closing costs, and $2,000 annual maintenance fees, I've paid nearly $35,000 total. The timeshare debt nearly killed my home loan application by destroying my debt-to-income ratio. To make matters worse, Welk mailed billing statements to the wrong address TWICE, sending my account to collections and refusing to correct it. Had I been told the truth about costs, availability, and resale value, I never would have bought this. Don’t buy a timeshare.

that we simply haven't tried to use the timeshare, which is untrue. They also point to the contract language stating that reservations are not guaranteed. However, during the sales pitch, the representatives made verbal guarantees that contradicted the written text. The signing process was high-pressure and rushed, designed to prevent us from reading the massive stack of documents. We were pressured to trust the sales team's spoken word over the fine print.

WHV also hides behind the rescission period, claiming we did not cancel in time. This is a trap. We signed the contract in October 2018, but we were unable to access the timeshare until 2019. It was impossible for us to know we had been misled until the cancellation window had long passed. Their offers to "help us book" now do not rectify the fact that the timeshare was sold under false pretenses. We are seeking a full release from this contract with no further financial obligations, as well as a refund of the maintenance fees we have paid for a service that is essentially nonexistent. We hope this review serves as a warning to others: WHV uses high-pressure tactics to trap you in financial obligations. Do not trust their promises.

Our main issue is that we want out of this timeshare contract. Our loan is fully paid off, our fees are up to date, & yet we have never been able to use this timeshare. Over the years, we’ve faced several family losses that made traveling impossible. When called to request an extension of our time, the representatives were unhelpful & dismissive. We also tried depositing our time with Interval International, but the points either expired before we could use them or there was no availability at the destinations we wanted.

For years, my husband & I worked in different states, using all of our vacation time to travel between Tennessee & California to see each other. Now that we are retired & finally have time to travel, try he maintenance fees have risen to double of what we pay for our other timeshare week. These fees continue to rise every year, making it impossible to justify the cost.

We were told that owning a timeshare would protect us from rising hotel costs, but this was complete misrepresentation. The maintenance fees alone are as much as a week-long hotel stay, & the additional exchange fees make it even more expensive to use our points. This timeshare has become a financial burden that we can no longer afford. Our children have no interest in inheriting this debt, & we don’t want to pass this financial drain on to them. We’ve tried to make this work, but it’s clear that the system is designed to benefit the company, not the members.

From the start, I didn’t feel good about this. When I signed the agreement, I felt a lot of pressure to do so. I was with my cousin, who also owns a timeshare, and was approached by one of their salespeople. They offered a gift card just to get me into the presentation. The salesperson made it sound like owning this timeshare was an amazing opportunity. He said it would be a good investment, something I could use for the rest of my life, and even pass on to my siblings if they continued paying the fees. That really stuck with me. The whole thing lasted over 2 hours, and I felt like I couldn’t just walk away.

Since buying it, I’ve realized so much of what I was told wasn’t true. For example, they claimed I could use the timeshare anytime I wanted. No one mentioned that I’d need to book a year in advance. Who can plan that far ahead? Life happens, and plans change. Then there were the actual stays. I’ve dealt with problems like dirty rooms and a broken sliding door that made me feel unsafe. Anyone could have entered while I was staying there or even when I stepped out.

Financially, this whole thing has been a huge strain. I’m getting older, and my medical bills for things like diabetes and asthma are stacking up. It’s hard enough to manage those, but the maintenance fees and mortgage payments make it almost impossible. At this point, I can’t afford to keep going with this. I feel misled by what I was told during the sales process, and now I’m stuck in a situation that’s affecting both my financial stability and my peace of mind. I hope Consumer Affairs can help me get a resolution or at least push Welk Resorts to work with me on an exit option. This has gone on long enough.

Every "member update" we attended became another sales pitch trying to extract more money from us, and we recently discovered that this financial burden would pass to our family members upon our death - something that was never mentioned during the original presentation. We expected integrity and transparency from a company bearing the Hyatt name, but instead we've experienced years of financial strain, missed opportunities to pay down student loans, and more. A company that truly respected its customers would never subject young people to such manipulative tactics or hide critical information about escalating fees and inherited obligations. We're deeply disappointed in how Welk Resorts/Hyatt Vacation Club has treated us and would caution others to be very careful before trusting their promises.

Access to properties is now restricted and requires additional fees through Interval International. Maintenance fees have increased substantially while benefits have decreased. Booking availability is limited, and customer service is poor. The sales process deliberately withholds crucial information, pushing for immediate decisions. Would not recommend - they prioritize profits over owner satisfaction and misrepresent their product's value and accessibility. Save yourself the frustration and money.

We were assured that using the timeshare would be a “seamless” and “hassle-free” experience. They made us feel that it would be a simple, enjoyable way to vacation each year with our family. They emphasized that the timeshare could be exchanged or traded with other properties in their network, presenting it as a highly flexible and convenient option. The salesperson was incredibly persistent and aggressive, refusing to accept any hesitation or an outright “no” from us.

My ex-wife and I have spent well over $20,000 total. We paid at least $15,000 on the loan plus an additional $5,000 for the biyearly maintenance fees. Despite this we have never once used the timeshare. This whole thing has been an absolute nightmare with lies upon lies. I discourage anyone from contemplating getting a timeshare from them. Take it from me, it is not worth the stress and definitely not worth paying on it for it for the rest of your life.

Once the agreement was finalized, they introduced us to another employee, who extended an invitation for us to return to San Diego for three days and two nights to enjoy free tickets to a wine and music festival happening there. This offer reinforced the appeal of the timeshare and the sense of adventure it promised. Eventually we succumbed to the high-pressure inflicted by the Welk salespeople. Fast forward, over the past year, we’ve paid at least $28,000 towards our loan, yet we’ve only been able to book one vacation. Rather than enjoying the benefits that were so frequently promised to us, we’ve encountered constant difficulties in finding availability for trips.

When we did manage to book something, we were shocked to learn we had to pay additional hefty fees on top of what we were already paying. Moreover, we were stunned to see that the VOA (the annual charge) was far higher than the already expensive amount outlined in the contract. Throughout the year, we were continually hit with unexpected fees related to the timeshare—fees that were never mentioned during the countless hours we spent talking with Welk employees. We are extremely distraught by the false promises and financial burden that Welk has caused us.

We have had financial burdens for years because of this timeshare. We have now been sent to collections for not paying our dues, and we did not know it was going to be this much trouble owning a timeshare. The disillusionment my family and I feel is profound, as we grapple with the consequences of being misled by a company, we thought was trustworthy. I urge you to consider the impact of Welks’ sales practices on individuals and families who, like us, are now facing undue financial strain and regret. Our experience has been vastly different from the dream vacation ownership promised us, leaving us with a sense of betrayal.

They always claimed I didn’t have enough points, even though during the initial sales meeting I was told that we were purchasing an adequate number of points to travel annually. We are paying higher rates than non-owners in addition to maintenance fees and usurious interest rates. From the very beginning these sales representatives lied to us, and we are tired with this scam contract. We demand to be released, they have not held up to the standards of the contract in our 3 years of ownership, in fact, we consider Welk Resorts has breached the contract by not rendering the promised services!

I had mentioned to the salesperson that we were in the process of buying a home and he said buying a timeshare will not affect us, he said we would actually benefit from it because it would look good on our credit report. I had mentioned to them that I needed to think about it but the salesmen were extremely pushy and wouldn't take no for an answer. After being there for 6 hours that's when we gave in, we just wanted to get out of there. Everything we were sold on was False! The timeshare affected our debt-to-income ratio and our buying power so then we were unable to buy a home due to the negative effect this timeshare created.

Additionally, we were given wrong information on how to book a room. We were told we could use our points OR pay a flat rate of $239 using RCI for any size villa, which that was incorrect as well. When we tried to book using RCI we were told we had to use our points and pay more than $239. At that time, we didn't have enough points, so we ended up not using it that year and lost our points. We have yet to use our timeshare. We've been paying for something we never used.

We tried contacting the cancelation department by email and phone to try to exit our contract because of the financial burden, but that was just a dead end. We were told that they did not have any buy-back programs. I've learned that in 2020 Welks got hit with a class action lawsuit and they had to pay 3.5 million dollars. Four years later they're still doing bad practice and continuing to do the same stuff they got sued for. I am currently working with a lawyer on this matter to help us get out of this nightmare of a timeshare.

My wife and I had two contracts eligible for a claim under the Judgement. The judgement required Welk Resorts to provide notice that contract owners could make a claim. We never received notice and they can’t prove they did. We know from the reminder letters and invoices that they know how to get a notice to us. In April 2021 Welk Resorts was acquired by Marriot Vacation Club. At this point we still did not know about the judgement and no one at the rebranded Hyatt Vacation Club mentioned filing a claim when we complained about our unresolved differences with Welk Resorts.

In 2023, we emailed Exit Services at Hyatt Vacation Club that we wanted to exit our contract because of the financial burden of a timeshare contract we could not use. Exit services emailed us back that there was no exit option available from Hyatt Vacation Club, and none was planned. When we tried to sell our timeshare, it still didn’t sell because people didn’t want to pay the rapidly increasing maintenance payments which are higher than the cost of reservations online.

The sales representative assured us that with 180,000 points, we could enjoy a 1-bedroom suite at any of their resorts in California, Colorado, or Mexico, with the option to bequeath the points to our beneficiaries. The enticing offer included a free trip to Hawaii, a $25 voucher, two 2-hour Bay Harbor Tours in San Diego, and a $1,000 Visa Gift Card – all contingent on signing up immediately. Despite the extended duration of the presentation, which lasted around 6 or 7 hours, we eventually succumbed to the pressure and signed a contract. The contract signing process was arduous, involving a prolonged wait to ensure a favorable credit score for financing. The rushed signing process, coupled with generic documents provided on a thumb drive instead of a personalized contract, raised concerns about transparency.

Upon reviewing a VOA statement, we discovered an "optional" Vacation Guard purchase, despite already paying for it. This double-charging for a supposedly optional service is both misleading and unacceptable. In addition to the pressure and deceptive sales tactics, we were never informed of our legal right to rescission, which we would have utilized immediately. To date, we have taken ONE trip with Welk Resorts, and it was to Cabo San Lucas where we STILL had to pay $1,057 out of pocket in addition to our increased monthly payments and maintenance fees. We have been swindled by their predatory sales staff and we can no longer in good conscience continue paying for what appears to be a worthless contract.

The closing process was rushed, and crucial information about rescission rights and important documents was withheld from me. Furthermore, the actual usage of the timeshare has been severely limited, with promised availability at resorts consistently unavailable. Overall, I feel manipulated and misled by Hyatt Vacation Club's deceptive practices, and I urge others to approach any dealings with this company with extreme caution. In conclusion, I feel deceived and manipulated by the tactics employed by Hyatt Vacation Club and I encourage others to approach any interactions with this company carefully. As for Hyatt, do better and make things right.

Units have consistently been unavailable, and our attempts to seek assistance from various departments, such as Customer Service, Vacation Assist, Interval, Owner Services, and the Hyatt Vacation Club timeshare office, have been met with unresponsiveness or inadequate help. We even paid $229 to be placed on a priority waitlist, but months went by without any success in finding a unit. However, instead of rectifying the situation, they attempted to upsell us and pressured us to purchase additional points for over $60,000, claiming that it would resolve our issues. This was unacceptable, as it only added insult to injury after the false promises we had already endured. The cumulative effect of these misrepresentations, false promises, and lack of service has left us feeling completely deceived and taken advantage of. We believe that Welk Resorts and its employees have acted unprofessionally, unethically, and in violation of acceptable business ethics.

We were subjected to deceptive sales tactics and were ultimately conned into signing up for a timeshare contract that was not even remotely explained to us. In total, we rejected four offers before finally relenting to the obscene pressure and agreeing to purchase. Each time we said no, a different salesman approached us with a slightly different offer. We emphasized that we did not have the funds to cover such an expense, but that did not deter the sales team.

The main reasons we chose to buy was the supposed ease of selling the timeshare back or to a different party for a profit and using the timeshare as a rental property as a side gig. We would not have made this purchase if we had been told that returning the timeshare was an extremely difficult–if not impossible–feat. The assurance that Welk had some sort of ‘buyback’ program gave us a false sense of security which led to us agreeing to buy. While this may not qualify as false advertising, it was certainly deceptive.

We were offered free tickets to go to the San Diego Zoo if we were to attend a short Welk Resorts Presentation. We headed to Escondido for the presentation and to pick up our free tickets to the Zoo. In short, we arrived at the resort, got through the presentation, and the sales rep begins her pitch that was so convincing, but looking back it is clear that she was just lying. She told us that our children could inherit the timeshare but didn’t mention they would also inherit the increasing Maintenance Fee’s. We never would have willingly signed our children up for a lifetime of potential debt, and we wouldn’t have agreed to purchase from her if she had been honest about this fact alone. Additionally, she claimed that the timeshare package being offered built up equity over the years and that it was like purchasing real estate.

The reality is this timeshare is worthless. We were manipulated and lied to by a salesperson who uses the deceptive sales tactics Welk employee’s practice. They would say anything to convince us to buy. Even guilting us by implying we would be bad parents if we didn’t. All their promises were nothing but lies and we strongly suggest you avoid Welk Resorts at all costs!

The booking process for our stays has been problematic. We have repeatedly encountered difficulties in securing reservations through Welks Resorts/Hyatt Vacation Club, forcing us to pay out of pocket for alternative accommodations. This has not only caused significant inconvenience but has also resulted in substantial financial burdens for our family.

In August 2019 we encountered our first major issue with booking a stay and we faced numerous challenges in securing our accommodations. In an attempt to address these concerns, we were invited to Palm Springs for a meeting. During this meeting, we were sold a new contract that was supposedly tailored to accommodate our family of five. We left Palm Springs with the understanding that our future bookings would no longer be marred by such problems, yet here we are, much deeper in debt and no improvement with booking a stay.

Throughout our interactions with Welks Resorts, we have been repeatedly assured that our concerns would be addressed, and our experiences would improve. However, that has yet to be seen. It is evident that Welk Resorts has engaged in deceptive sales practices, misrepresentation, breach of contract, and a failure to provide the promised services.

After almost 4 hours of high-pressure presentation, we caved in and bought the timeshare. We were told the timeshare would increase in value and be easy to sell. If we did decide to sell, Welk had the right of first return. We were told that we could use the timeshare whenever we wanted; yet we have NEVER been able to book a time we wanted. Every time we attempt to book there is never an availability. The booking process is frustrating and not all representative of what we were promised.

In 2024 alone our maintenance fees have skyrocketed to a whopping 18% to $3,872. This is not sustainable for us, and we would not have agreed to get involved with Welk if we knew that our annual maintenance fees would go up for apparently no reason. To date we have spent $84,936.30 for vacations that do not fit within our busy schedules. We cannot under any circumstances continue to pay the overpriced, arbitrary maintenance fees as we are living on a fixed income and have been plagued with series of medical issues. This situation would never have occurred if Welk representatives had been honest with us about the benefits listed above. Meanwhile, they will not answer our calls and the bills keep coming.

As a result, we have suffered significant financial harm and emotional distress. We have attempted to extricate ourselves from this burdensome obligation by contacting their Owner Services and Exit Services but have been met with indifference and unhelpfulness. We have demanded that Welk Resorts take immediate action to rectify this situation. We trust that Welk Resorts will take this matter seriously and promptly address our concerns. If they fail to provide a satisfactory resolution within a reasonable period, we are prepared with no choice but to pursue legal remedies to protect our rights and seek appropriate compensation.

Then, when we went on vacation to San Diego in June 2021, we had to go to an owner update meeting. The salesman there made fun of our plan and said we needed to upgrade, so we ended up buying more points. We had no idea about the maintenance fees and loan payments that would come with it. Honestly, we haven't had any good experiences with Welk, and we just want to end our association. It's not fair to expect us to pay so much for terrible service. We tried writing and asking to get out of our contract but were ignored. Maybe this 1-star review will get someone’s attention.

There are a lot more reasonably priced and nicer trips that I can go on or I could put that money toward my newborn daughter's future instead of spending it on a timeshare that I won't utilize. Their customer service is poor and you can never get ahold of anyone on the phone that can actually help you or at least guide you on how to surrender your ownership. You are basically trapped in an agreement until someone with authority at Welk decides to let you out. Unfortunately, I haven't come across that individual yet.

I was shown a diagram of how the value of my timeshare would increase over the years (there is no monetary value). I could use this timeshare anytime, anywhere (in order to actually use this the way I want, I would have to spend THOUSANDS more on additional points). I was never told about important information like the financial terms or cancellation period. This whole experience has been an absolute nightmare. Welk’s sales division should be investigated and punished for what they do to consumers!

Tired of those four walls, we ended up giving in when they said they would take our Vegas timeshare off our hands if we bought into Welk as a trade in. They threw in a free travel vacation certificate and mentioned all these luxurious spots we could stay if we signed. So, regrettably, we signed and said ‘bye-bye’ to Vegas. Turns out, their promises were not worth a thing—we never were able to book a time for the certificate and all of the luxurious spots required us to buy even more points just to cover our stay.

This happened to us twice again over the next couple of years as we tried our hardest to decline but fell weak to their expert pitches. All this time, we were unable to book!! They did not disclose details about the availability, how we could use it as an “investment”, and flat out LIED about the amount of time we had to cancel. They make everything feel so nice and special like you are their favorite clients ever, and then turn around to ignore you once you hand over the money and sign their contract. Whatever you do, DO NOT trust these people.

Here is the bottom line, we were trapped for just under 8 hours and fed lie after lie. This is not real estate, this cannot be “left to your children” without them being burdened to with continuously rising maintenance fee year after year. LIES AND MANIPULATION PURE AND SIMPLE! 4 employees brow beat us for hours, saying this was a one-time deal; if we didn’t purchase it today, it would never be available to us again.

We did our tour at the beginning of our stay so we kindly asked to read the contract and circle back at the end of the trip after we got to try out the resort. We were told we couldn’t read the contract before signing and if we came back tomorrow in love with the resort and wanted to sign it would now cost $159,000! NOT SUSPICIOUS AT ALL! Nothing to see here folks! So I recommend to everyone sign up for as many timeshare presentations as possible. Get the goodies. And then ask to read the contract and sample the wares! Free vacations for life. With a price tag of free, we got our money's worth! Highly recommended!

On the paper he said by buying this timeshare, I can get 40-70% off all airlines, rental cars, and cruises. If I lend out this discount to share with my friends, I would get points that can help pay off the yearly maintenance fees. There is no such thing as 40-70% off! He even went as far to say if I change my mind about the family member or friend that gets the said discount, if they are not using it as much, and I get to elect 5 of them, I can change the name. Each of the 5 people I elect would get their own login and password. What a load of detailed crap.

The whole place doesn’t have internet so I wasn’t able to access these reviews until I stepped outside on the balcony. The whole place is booby trapped. From the get-go it’s been designed to keep you there. You park your car at a faraway place and they drive you down in the golf cart. You leave your kids at the Babyroom so you can’t say your kids want to go home. There are no clocks in there, and no evidence of their lies. So pretty much if you sign it you’re a goner, an indentured servant if you will, to pay maintenance fees for the rest of your life. Check on eBay there are plenty of people selling their already paid off timeshare for only $1 just to try to get out of it.

Every time I tried to read the terms and conditions, sales rep number 2 kept talking and showing me on his phone of how easy it is to get the rooms, not even of the website itself off his phone’s browser, but a video he took of his laptop of said website. (Why didn’t he just bring his laptop instead of taking a cellphone video of it? Bad reception in here he said, which is why a renowned company should have at least some wifi in their lounge). Don’t let the “Hyatt” Vacation Club name fool you, they will literally say anything to get you to sign, and they will disappear. Usually sales reps of cars or homes introduce themselves, but our sales rep(s) did not. I had to ask him, and even then he only said his first name, if that is even his first name at all.

In the terms and conditions, there was no mention of the generous 40-70% off all airlines, rental cars, and cruises. There was however, mention that these points cannot guarantee any availability of the timeshare and that there were blackout dates after all. When we asked them about those lines, they said said they have to put something like that there so people can’t just live in them all year round. Their final trick when we said no is that they asked us to sign an acknowledgement that if we refuse this offer this time, if we were to come back the price would be quadrupled to $160,000, according to them the price was going back up due to the pandemic being over.

So I call again, the lady informs me I need to pay with the front desk of the hotel..I call the hotel and that lady tells me that’s incorrect. They can’t take payments, that I need to call BACK to Vacation Club Rentals..The rude guy (Andrew) at Vacation Club Rentals told me I can’t give them an updated card, wouldn’t let me speak with a manager or anyone else. Denied they sent an email stating to call them to update the payment which I’ve uploaded in this review to prove it was from them. He was so rude and argumentative and condescending.

I can’t believe this is coming from a "hospitality" company. So I call BACK. To the Welk hotel front desk and get another guy named Andrew who says he’s the front desk manager. He says he can help me..What a relief I felt..BUT needed to call me back ..Well he didn’t. And today is 48 hrs now and I’m expecting my reservation to be cancelled. This has been extremely frustrating and I have no clue what to do now. I have 7 people coming to this resort for a family vacation and no one will help resolve this. Plus they’re showing booked now. I’ve traveled all over and NEVER had this type of horrible customer service. Even lower end hotels have been more accommodating than this place.