Hilton Grand Vacations
Complaint 281246 Details

My home telephone received an unsolicited call from Hilton Grand Vacations offering a free stay in New York City. So much for being on the "do not call" list! We agreed to take the free hotel stay in New York City. After taking our credit card number complications ensued when it was discovered that our credit card was going to be charged an additional "penalty" fee if we did not fulfill Hilton's obligation requirements. At that moment and on the telephone we were locked into Hilton's telemarketing scam. There was no 3 day waiting period or opportunity to change our minds after the "pushy" Hilton representative got our credit card number. Locked into the dollar commitment for the trip, we were further pressured in New York City until we signed to buy a timeshare. We were given approximately 5 inches of Hilton Grand Vacation Amendments to the timeshare plan to read once we returned home. Almost immediately the Hilton Grand Vacation experience started to self-destruct. Confusion, unkept promises and other bad experiences ruled the year. Finally, full of disgust and ill feelings I demanded that my money be returned immediately. That started the "convincing" that we would be happy once we started using our vacations. I wasn't impressed and continued to demand my money be returned. Hilton would have none of this! Hilton would rather have the money of an unhappy customer than part in a congenial manner with a happy ex-customer. Hence, I believe "lies" (pick your own meaning) the problem with Hilton's operation.
I feel that we have been misled and taken advantage of by "The Hilton Club" and its New York based Managing Director of Business Operations, Mr Albert Sanchez. Mr Albert Sanchez has not responded to my letter of December 17, 2012 which, as a courtesy to a Hilton Club owner, should be mandatory for his position. If Hilton would like to solve my complaint they should contact me in writing, not by telephone.
My wife and I have been trying to get our "investment" money out of this despicable contract since we realized that it was a scam. Hilton Grand Vacations should not be allowed to continue operations until its' questionable, and likely, illegal methods are brought to a higher standard. Therein lies the problem for Hilton as they probably would not survive if they operated in a ethical manner.
Mr Sanchez was very direct in his support of staff and their methods. He denied that Hilton operates its programs by scamming its potential clients and owners. The high standards the Mr Sanchez believes Hilton abides loses some validity when one investigates the internet. In Suvrowitz v. Hilton Hotels Corp. the complaint alleged that (Hilton) had defrauded stockholders and illegally depleted corporate assets to enrich individual defendants.
In 2010 the Boston Globe reported that the illegal hotel operation "was one of the biggest child-prostitution cases in state history. ...While the Globe doesn't identify the names of hotels where the girls were brought to meet customers. Boston public radio station WGBH's July series about sexual and human trafficking in the Boston area suggests that they could very well been higher-end chain hotels frequented by business travelers.
Hilton's "high ground" defense of its operations and family oriented vacation properties suffered additional embarrassment in April 2011 when it was reported on the internet that "a Hilton Hotel in southwest China lost its five star rating this week after an underground brothel was found to be operating at a Hilton Hotel. In 2008, a brothel was being run out of a Hilton in Ireland. And Consumerist named the Hilton in Washington, DC the third most prostitution-friendly hotel in the city." "... Similar brothels have contained children and human trafficking victims."
As one continues to investigate Hilton experiences on the internet, there are many people who believe that Hilton is a scam, and that it operates illegally. Some guest clients of Hilton want to sue and enjoin a class action suit. Many dissatisfied persons report Hilton's actions to the numerous websites that permit "venting" for people who have been wronged and/or ask the Attorney General's office and other government/consumer agencies to investigate Hilton's operations.
In New York State, the Attorney General was ignored by Hilton Grand Vacations Club when the Attorney General's office requested information regarding a scam complaint filed by a dissatisfied customer. Is Hilton Grand Vacation Club too well connected to abide by New York State law? Let's hope not but evidence is accumulating to the contrary when no visible actions come from the State's highest law enforcement agency.
A dissatisfied customer's actions may include educating people about the failures of Hilton by email, websites, newspaper, television, legal and any other opportunity available to me.
I have concluded that it is best to not do business with them. I would advise anyone interested in vacations to pay the full price of a hotel because in the end you are not saving any money and are going to continue paying more for the misfortune of dealing with Hilton. Just BEWARE of Hilton!